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4 stars for the groovy ambiance (what I imagine a Florentine hotel bar might feel like) and interesting cocktail and food menu.
1 star for the hangover the grappa mojito gave me the next day.
I met two girlfriends here for drinks the other night as a prelude to dinner at 1550 Hyde. One of my friends hates the noisy bar scene, so this wine bar in the Villa Florence hotel was a good alternative.
The small bar takes up one wall of the lobby, with maybe five tables inside and a few outside as well. The weather was lovely when we were there, so the French doors were open onto the sidewalk.
The happy hour menu (5-7) featured two $5 wine selections and a savory terrine for $3. Plus, all the cocktails, usually $10, are $5 during happy hour. I tried one of the Italian-themed cocktails--the Dante's Drop--limoncello with vanilla vodka (their version of a lemondrop martini). The savory terrine was no longer available, but the waitress offered us a chocolate-chili salami plate instead. I detected only a hint of chili in the salami, and no chocolate, but the bread and marinated olives that accompanied the salami were wonderful.
If we hadn't been on our way to dinner, I would have suggested we create our own salami and cheese plate from the extensive menu: three selections for $12.
At Bar Norcini you can take a step back from the hustle and bustle of Union Square while still being able to observe the tide of humanity passing by on Powell. I can definitely see myself stopping here for a Christmas shopping break in the not-so-distant future.
Note: This wine bar was perfect for catching the Powell-Hyde cable car line, as the stop was just across the street.
Dodge the roving packs of tourists in Union Square and head down Powell St. for a little slice of Tuscany. Bar Norcini, located in the lobby of Villa Florence, is a combination cafe and wine bar that's perfect for any time of the day.
You can dine al fresco if the weather's nice or sit at the marble-topped bar if it's crappy. Either way, it's a great spot to see and hear the cable cars trundle by. The music vibe is chillout house and the crowd is an eclectic mix of Euro tourists, locals, and art students tapping away on their souped-up Macs.
Food is equally enjoyable--loved the composed salads made from your choice of seasonal ingredients. In honor of the first day of Fall tomorrow, I chose beets, green beans, and Tuscan beans with calamari.
Hubby continued the Fall theme with a wood fired grilled mushroom and talleggio pizza. Sitting at the bar, we watched our server double as a chef and prepare everything right before our eyes...and serve in 10 minutes.
Wines weren't crazy expensive ($9-11 average/glass) and the pours were satisfyingly generous. There's an extensive list of Italians with indigenous varietals like negroamaro in the mix. It's not Fall yet, though, and the vernacchia, with crisp grapefruit and lemongrass flavors, was a refreshing antidote to the temporary heatwave outside.
Even though were were stuffed, we weren't quite ready to leave. A glance at the classic Italian dessert menu proved too much to resist. We opted for the cannoli, which was actually two cannolis in chocolate shells, stuffed with classic pistachio enhanced marscapone.
We'll definitely return for Happy Hour (5-7 PM, M-Fri), when several wines (and all well drinks) are $5. We're also curious about the salumi and cheese plates available from 5:30 on...looked liked a good selection of local and imported offerings and you can mix and match.
I really like coming in to sit at the bar on a sunny day when the windows are wide open. Happy hours are great, even on weekends. Cheese plates are okay, but the pizzettes are pretty good.
Cute little bar in the entrance of the new Hotel Villa Florence located kitty corner from Union Square. They've been open a little over a year and I found it as I was walking from Sephora to Union Square. I was parched and it was about 5pm or so.... I was going to meet a friend and I was trying to find some liquid to take my Prilosec. I walked in and there were no seats avaialbe so I ordered and waitied outside.
It took like forever but I got my Miele Mojito... it was ok but after 3 minutes I was ready for another. It was Happy Hour and they had some awesome deals. I had a glass of the Moscato (not a fan), ordered a couple Italian beers but out came Amstel Lights?! but the best part of this bar is that it is not only a wine bar but a Salami Bar.... Um yes!!!!
I heart Sausage (Salami) like no other. Their cheese selection is divided into 2 sections. Italian cheese and then non-Italian cheese. I think we tried about 6 different kinds and 4 types of salami. Bread and olives accompnay the little cheese plates and the Olives rocked my world! I had about 20, several different kinds too. If you want some thin bread sticks just ask and they will be more than happy to bring some out. Totally affordable and great location.
Just hope you find a seat inside, it was freezing out!
a double dry cappuccino,
an almond biscotti
and pretty young thou (PYT!).
is this paradise?
because yes there is wine (mostly Italian) and yes there is bread (for sandwiches or by the side of cheeses, meats and greens). all the poetic basics. and if you glance back, you will see
the cafe is part of a hotel.
The Villa Florence, the rooms so right there, tempting for the tipsy.
I considered squandering money and time and tripping up the stairs, but at the last moment remembered how to spend in simplicity an afternoon at a small sun-spotted marble table with you. Watching you drink tea and smile at me.
I never noticed the server throughout our time there and yet all the food and the bill came and went and finally so did we.
slightly above average food, wine and espresso offered in a lyrical little pocket of quiet off the touristy traipse that is downtown Powell Street. Not quite priceless, but worthy of "a little hour. or two..."
I shop, shop, shopped 'till I dropped today to get ready for Pride Sunday. Gay boys can be rather, shall we say, discerning, so I gotta look fabulous tomorrow. After doing a few laps around Union Square, I was ready to kick up my heels and stumbled upon Bar Norcini. What an amazing find!
Situated next to Kuleto's right on Powell, Bar Norcini is a nice little spot to grab a pick-me-up (read: cocktail) or bite to eat between stops. With floor to ceiling windows that open up to the sidewalk, I felt sort of Euro sitting at my table perusing the menu and watching the crowds go by.
The house-cured charcuterie and cheeses from Cowgirl Creamery, Redhill Farms and Italy seem to be the highlight of the menu, along with wines, bubblies and cocktails. Other menu options include paninis, pizzas and salads.
I was on a health kick, and decided to order the salad for $7.50, which actually lets you choose 3. I chose the caprese, the broccoli, cauliflower and garlic and the calamari and white bean. The calamari salad was delicious, but the quality of the produce in the other salads was sadly lacking for such an upscale menu.
With how often I end up near Union Square, I can tell I'll be back in a hot minute. Can't wait to try one of those fizz-tastic bubbly cocktails!
A lovely gem tucked away from the Union Square madness!
Courtney, one of the Bartenders, was incredibly kind and helpful, with an excellent knowledge of the all Italian Wine list!
Would definitely go back for an after work drink...
This is a chill little spot in the rowdy jungle of tourists that is Union Square. It's so inviting with the HUGE windows that call out to you, "look at my display case and drink my wine paired with my awesome cheeses."
It's nice to sit by the sidewalk and look at all the people pass you buy as you sip your wine or espresso and relax with a little snack or a biscotti. They make a mean mocha and yes it could possibly rival Blue Bottle Coffee but certainly is 10x better than the swill down the street at the 24 hour Starbucks. A grande mocha for $3.50? I'll take that. For an upscale bar/espresso destination, they don't offer too much to help out with the visual aspect of their presentation but then again I did show up late.
The staff behind the bar is uber friendly and prepares the pizzas and preps right in front of you which is a plus on the granite counters...ooh, granite.
But this place isn't really a bar-it's more of a cafe and you'll see that when you go.
This is my favorite wine bar in the city! It is small but if I can score a seat, I can sit here all night with good friends. They offer flights of wine for tasting and their prices are reasonable. The wait staff is knowledgeable on the wines as well. Ask any questions away! Good selection of meats and cheeses. Just wished they had more variety on the food so I can hang out longer. For all those wine lovers out there walking around Union Square, this place is easy to find and a MUST TRY!
Wine, Salumi, Cheese, Salad= Fantastico!
This new addition to the Villa Florence Hotel is fantastic. The new outdoor seating is great, especially in the Indian Summer October that we just had pass by.
The meats are made in house by chef Bob Helstrom- and he does an amazing job.
Hats off to you Bar Norcini! For keeping it casual and awful tasty!
I discovered this amazing little spot the other day while sharing some holiday cheer with a friend - I love it. Read the complete review here at http://insanfrancisco....
Cute and quiet, Bar Norcini is a great place to go with a friend or two for some actual conversation.
The staff seemed a little snippy at first, but was actually pretty nice. The food looked very tasty, but I had just eaten. I plan to go back for a bite. And more wine, of course.
Popped in here recently on the weekend in the afternoon. There were a lot of seats open so we sat down and waited for the girl behind the counter to bring us a menu.. After about 5 minuted when we didn't get acknowledged I got up and grabbed a few.. After looking over the cocktail list, my friend and I were ready to order. We waited and waited and almost ten minutes went by with no server so i got up and went to the counter and told the girl I would like to place an order. She hesitated and then saw a server on the floor and called her over.. My friend has ordered a vodka martini, straight up with olives. When she got the drink, we realized it had not been shaken and it had a ton of olive juice in it.. She didn't order a dirty martini as it's called served that way.. We just had our drinks and left..nothing special about this bar/cafe when you have your choice of so many other nicer ones around the area.
You can find a small peaceful haven amongst the hustle and bustle of Union Square right here. Their sidewalk tables are a perfect spot to relax and take a break from shopping and grab a glass of wine and salad. You can choose 3 items for only $7.50....a great way to try their offerings. I chose the green beans with sliced almonds, calamari & white bean salad, and brocolli & cauliflower w/ roasted garlic. Yum! It was light and delicious....just what I needed for lunch. They also offer paninis, charcuterie, salumi, and a great wine list. Will definitely be back!
Get your Italian wine and cheese on. This cozy nook is a wonderful addition to the area and great alternative to Mocca which tends to suffer from price bloat. Giuseppe (aka Joe) is behind the bar with Dorothy. together they are very knowledgeable about the extensive wine and cheese selections. they also make fresh pizzas with some yummy toppings. the pizza cooks in minutes in the bar's 600-degree oven. (they also have salumi but i'm a veggie) i sampled the pizza and some cheeses (shhhh, don't tell my trainer) and can tell you it is delish. grand opening is in a month. until then it tends to get a tourist crowd...but it won't belong before locals hit this up.
My friend had just come in from Germany and we wanted to celebrate his birthday in style so i took him shopping. He wanted to have a glass of wine and we walked into Norcini after doing some shopping. We ended up staying a couple of hours and relaxing, catching up, while Dorothy, our server helped us pick some wine and cheese. Her recommendations were spot on and her service was impeccable and professional. I tasted what was easily the best red wine I've ever had and my friend loved the atmosphere. Dorothy was also great telling us about the cheeses as we tried them and my friend and i spent a wonderful couple of hours catching up. i will definitely be heading back there soon.
I haven't come here for anything except coffee and pastries in the morning, the price for coffee is a few cents more than starbucks..but definitley worth it. They serve the BEST coffee, and their pastries are very fresh. There is a long bar, so my first time there I felt like i didn't know where to stand to order my coffee, to take to go. I felt a little awkward, cause everyone else was just kicking back, sitting down enjoying their coffee, it wasn't the starbucks atmosphere where people were in and out, maybe they prefer it not to be, it would change the feel of the place that's for sure. What I love most about this place though is their consistently great smooth coffee, never bitter, it's strong, but not the type of strong that makes you jittery or anxious, and not just that, it taste good even black!!!. Perfect every time!
What a surprisingly perfect little gem! My partner and I wanted a simple place where we could enjoy a bottle of wine and nibbles while decompressing after a full day of sightseeing. We found it at Bar Norcini. The wine list wasn't extensive, but there were quite a few choices priced at a good value. We split a charcuterie that included a selection of 7 meats and cheeses, and it was only $17. The portions on the platter were significantly larger than I've seen in other wine bars. so it was a good value. The space itself is cute, but it was a little overlit, and the seating consisted of bar stools and regular tables with chairs. It would have been nice to have some cushy sofas and coffee tables to create a bit of a lounge atmosphere, but overall, I was really impressed and would definitely come back.
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