A Mano’s Sleek Space Sets the Stage for a Modern Italian Menu

A Mano, the newest venture from restaurateur Adriano Paganini and his team at Back of the Housen Restaurant Group (Super Duper, Belga, Beretta), is now open in Hayes Valley with a menu of pizzas and pastas. It joins the bustling restaurant scene in the neighborhood, which ranges from fast casual Souvla, to tasting menu-only Nightbird.

Headed up by chef Freedom Rains (Belga), the full-service spot is bringing a sleek, laid-back option to the neighborhood. Designer Hannah Collins (Barzotto, Media Noche) has created a modern representation of an Italian-inspired restaurant, with a large communal table and bar with bright splashes of red, green, and white (representing the colors of the Italian flag) throughout.

Patricia Chang

The menu is filled with pastas that are made each day by hand (in case not everyone is a language buff, a mano means “by hand” in Italian), with at least two pizzas on the menu, and a nightly non-pasta special. (Check out the work that went into developing this menu here.) Italian wines, cocktails with Italian liquors, and no reservations are all part of the stop-in-for-a-bite neighborhood vibe. And given the spacious interior, here’s hoping there won’t be (too) much of a wait.

Patricia Chang

Patricia Chang

Patricia Chang

Patricia Chang

Patricia Chang

A Mano is open seven days a week, from 5 p.m. - 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and 5 p.m.- midnight on Friday and Saturday. Lunch and brunch will start in the coming months.

• The Making of A Mano, Hayes Valley’s New Pasta Destination [ESF]
• Adriano Paganini’s Hayes Valley Restaurant Will Be His Version of Flour & Water [ESF]
• Where to Eat and Drink in Hayes Valley [ESF]