Birba, A Wine Bar with a Patio, Coming to Hayes Valley

Once something of a dead spot for bars that weren't attached to restaurants, Hayes Valley has seen a drinking renaissance in the past couple of years with the arrival of Brass Tacks, Biergarten, Fig & Thistle, and Two Sisters. Now, as Hoodline reports, a new wine bar is joining the fray: Birba, from sommelier Angie Valgiusti. She's already a presence in the neighborhood, having designed the wine list at Bar Jules; she also worked at the Slanted Door for 12 years as a sommelier. Now she's branching out with a spot of her own, featuring rotating wines from around the globe. Located right down the street from Jardiniere, it's intended to draw both neighborhood types and the pre- and post-opera/ballet/symphony crowd.

Birba, which means "little troublemaker," is a nickname Valgiusti acquired while working in Italy. (It's pronounced beer-bah.) The space is petite, with a long, narrow interior bar, a handful of tables, and a back patio that will serve as a "wine garden." The space won't have a full kitchen, but Valgiusti intends to offer a small food program that she's still working out. The plan is to open sometime in the next 3-6 months, after launching a Kickstarter campaign to raise funds; stay tuned for updates when it kicks off.

· Birba Wine Bar Headed to Grove Street [Hoodline]