Here is your first look at INOVINO, the upcoming wine bar and enoteca opening in about a month or so in Cole Valley (in the former Hama-Ko). As previously noted in tablehopper, owner Claudio Villani was the wine director at Perbacco, so you can expect some great (read: very drinkable) Italian wines to be poured, with a particular focus on Alpine and volcanic wines of Italy. These are going to be wines that also offer an excellent value, ranging in price from $25-$50 per bottle. (Villani will also include a small selection of Californian and French wines.) You can explore the wines in 3- and 6-ounce pours, plus 12-ounce carafes and flights (the 6-ounce price will range from $8-13).
But it’s not just a wine bar, no signore. This enoteca is going to have quite a number of delicioso things to eat, starting with an array of crudi, a variety of toppings on crostone and bruschette, and hello, three different presentations of mozzarella (all these items will be available as single items, or in flights for the ultimate in grazing). There will also be a couple of panini, and a choice selection of cheeses and salumi, plus two or three piatti del giorno, featuring plates like baked pastas and braised meats. You can take a first look at the preliminary menu here—some items may change, but it should give you a good idea of what’s coming.
As you can see, the look is contemporary and very clean, with a Carrara marble bar, sleek metal wine racks along the wall, and some splashes of red from the lighting. There are also vintage Italian black-and-white photographs on the wall, which give the modern look a bit of throwback glamour. Eventually, the plan is to add two large wooden tables to the center of the dining room to create a warm, communal dining area for groups. The enoteca seats 30, and there will be five tables outside eventually, permits pending.
The plan is to open at the end of August or beginning of September. inoVino will be open at 4:30pm every day except Monday, and will eventually start lunch on Sat-Sun. 108 Carl St. at Cole.
The interior of inoVino. Photo: Dana Massey-Todd. © tablehopper.com.
