I visited this new Italian outpost in the Mission yesterday (just one block from that classic but still vibrant Italian outpost, Delfina).

The design is gorgeous. I loved the shelves of wines and wine glasses that separate the bar area from the dining room. The warm lighting and off-white walls suffuses the entire space in a gorgeous glow the color of fresh, organic cream. Tables and chairs have beautiful wood, and there is rustic marble placed throughout the restaurant.

Except for the delicious focaccia and the outstanding pesto Genovese, the food did not particularly excite me, though I'll reserve judgment until it's been open for a longer period of time. I will say that for now, there was a decisive dearth of flavor in many of the dishes. The cocktail menu was similarly lackluster—nothing there that I had to try.



But the wine list was very exciting. There was a great regional tilt to have wines that we don't see much of in SF—Pigato from Liguria, Kerner from the Alto Adige, wine from Cinque Terreo—a lot of stuff you don't see every day.

I look forward to going back to dine in a few months. Until then, I'll be drinking wine and snacking on focaccia at the bar.


Farina
3560 18th St.
San Francisco, 94110
415-565-0360