Sometimes I want a focused wine bar. One where the selections match the nibbly bites and the wine menu is not trying to cover every continent and every taste. Ino Vino in Cole Valley is a lovely Italian bar with amazing food.  Their wine selection is filled with well selected Italian wines and the servers are great at suggestions. The arancini are my go-to bites with either a Verdicchio or a Barolo. They also serve a nice range of pinsettas as well as meat and cheese plates. The sidewalk tables are lovely on a sunny day.

Because it has super-easy access from the N Judah at the Cole Street stop, it is a great starting or ending point for an exploration of the Haight or Golden Gate park – what day in the park isn’t improved by a glass of wine?  Reservations for evenings are a good idea on weekends but I have never needed them mid-week.