La Nebbia, La Ciccia's Wine-Bar Spinoff

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After seven years in Noe Valley, cherished family-run Sardinian restaurant La Ciccia has finally caught the expansion bug, with a new casual wine bar and snack spot, La Nebbia, opening tonight. La Nebbia, which means "the fog" in Italian, will focus on Italian wines and hearty comfort food, all served up by La Ciccia's much-loved owners, Massimiliano Conti and Lorella Degan. The menu kicks off with a selection of fresh cheese plates (like burrata and smoked pancetta with endive salsa and fresh ricotta with red pepper and olive oil) before moving into an impressive selection of prosciutto: there's three kinds of prosciutto di Parma, two kinds of prosciutto San Daniele, a couple of offerings from La Quercia, and some jamón iberico to round it all out.

Victor Harvey (Padrecito) and Valerio Martorelli (Farina) are running the kitchen along with Conti, and the focus for the hot dishes is pizza, with options ranging from a traditional margherita to a squid ink, anchovy, and pine-nut pie. Three kinds of lasagna are baked in the oven: a traditional version, a seafood lasagna with capers and olives, and a veggie version with ricotta, pesto, and escarole. Throw in porchetta, meatballs, and housemade gelato for dessert, and this is some serious Italian comfort food. (Here's the full menu, courtesy of Tablehopper.)

On the wine side, the bar is offering wines that come from the foggy regions of Italy (like Montalcino and the Veneto), with approximately 20 options by the glass. Almost all of the wines are Italian, though there are a handful of French sparkling wines; Conti is trying to source from small, organic/sustainable producers whenever possible. The 44-seat space, done in bright yellow with quirky light fixtures, features a 12-seat counter and communal table, and it has special ceiling panels to help keep the noise down. Outdoor seating at sidewalk tables should also be coming soon. Hours are Sunday and Tuesday-Thursday from 5:30-10:30 pm, and Friday-Saturday from 5:30-11 pm; they're closed on Mondays.

· First Look at La Nebbia [Tablehopper]
· La Ciccia Plots Noe Valley Enoteca, La Nebbia [~ ESF ~]
· SF's 10 Most Anticipated Fall Bar Openings [~ ESF ~]