Che Fico
Rustic Italian soul with serious cellar ambitions
Haight · San Francisco · Italian · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 10, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
A wood-fired, salumi-scented neighborhood spot on Divisadero doesn't exactly scream Barolo cellar — and that's exactly what makes Che Fico so good. The list lands somewhere between a serious Italian enoteca and a California wine bar, with enough depth to reward the curious and enough approachability not to intimidate the table ordering pizza. Tom Folsom has clearly done some homework here.
Selection Deep Dive
The Italy focus is strong and specific — this isn't a generic 'Chianti and Pinot Grigio' Italian-American list. You'll find Giacomo Conterno and Bartolo Mascarello holding down the Barolo section, Biondi-Santi and Poggio di Sotto covering Brunello, and a genuinely interesting Sicilian corner anchored by Cornelissen and COS, two producers who don't show up on most neighborhood restaurant lists. California isn't an afterthought either — Sandhi and Au Bon Climat bring thoughtful Central Coast Pinot Noir that actually makes sense alongside the food. The Barbera and Dolcetto selections round out the everyday-drinking tier nicely, so you don't have to commit to a Grand Cru to have a great bottle with your pasta.
By the Glass
Roughly 15-25 options by the glass, with prices running $14–$22, which is reasonable for San Francisco. The by-the-glass program skews Italian, as it should, and rotates enough to stay interesting across seasons. At a place with this kind of cellar, we'd love to see a few more ambitious pours by the glass — the list has the inventory to support it.
Barbera d'Asti — $14
Barbera is Che Fico's sweet spot for value — high acid, low tannin, built for tomato sauce and wood-fired anything. At the lower end of the glass program, it's the move for a table that wants to drink well without overthinking it.
COS Cerasuolo di Vittoria
Most tables walk right past the Sicilian section and head straight for Barolo. Don't. COS is one of the most important natural producers in southern Italy, and Cerasuolo di Vittoria — a Nero d'Avola and Frappato blend — is a genuinely distinctive wine that you won't find on many lists in the city.
Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino
The Biondi-Santi is a legend and deserves its reputation, but at restaurant markup on a lively weeknight at a pizza and pasta spot, you're paying for a name in a context that doesn't quite let the wine breathe. Save it for a proper sit-down with braised meat and two hours to kill — or order it somewhere with better storage visibility and a quieter room.
Bartolo Mascarello Barolo + Braised meats from the wood-fired hearth
Mascarello's Barolo is old-school Piedmont — austere, tannic, built for long-cooked meat. The wood-fired braised dishes at Che Fico have enough fat and depth to stand up to it, and the two together is the kind of combination that makes you forget you're in a neighborhood restaurant.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Che Fico punches well above its weight class for a neighborhood Italian — a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2024 isn't a surprise once you see the Cornelissen and Mascarello sitting on the same list as your pizza. Send your friends here, order deep into the Italian section, and don't skip the Sicilians.
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