Incanto

How to describe the dining experience at Incanto.  Hmmmmm... I guess you can call it an eye-opening food journey.  Chris Cosentino’s Italian restaurant in Noe Valley seems fairly innocuous when you first arrive.  The design is sleek and modern and includes a private dining area for larger groups, as well as counter seating near the kitchen and bar.  The bar area is actually one of my favorite places to dine as you get to view all the wonderful creations on that night’s menu, right in front of you.  Service-wise, everyone on staff seems very knowledgeable about the menu, that is ever-changing depending on the availability of local ingredients.  The wine list offers a wide variety of Italian wines, all of which can be easily paired with your meal.  The environment  gives you a real sense of comfort when you are ordering something that might be unfamiliar to you, which happens on this eclectic menu.

Perhaps what Incanto is best known for is offal.  And you might be asking, what exactly is offal?  It’s best described as the parts of a meat animal which are used as food, but are not skeletal muscle.  Chef Cosentino has more on this interesting practice on his website.  While it may seem strange and too adventurous for many, it really takes a creative mind to mix and match ingredients with each part of an animal.

Salumi plate

For starters, the menu has a wonderful variety of salads and greens, usually some type of soup and a number of different smaller plates.  Also check out the blackboard for the specials of the day.  If you’re not sure, again, it’s best to ask the wait staff as they’ll have a pretty good idea of what you are looking for.  The salumi plate is always a nice start, as the meat is really some of the freshest and tastiest around.  Keeping an open mind is always helpful as you navigate through the starters, pastas and main dishes.

If you haven’t gorged yourself on the appetizers and starters, the main dishes are just as wonderful and satisfying.  The pastas come in larger and smaller portions and a wide variety.  The main dishes are meat, meat and more meat.  All the meat you could desire and every part of the animal you can imagine.  And the deserts are an added goodie as well...delicious way to end your evening.

Incanto is a fun, highly diverse environment with endless possibilities.  It’s a place you can take a date, take your parents or out of town friends and family, have a business dinner or just chill by yourself at the bar.  Enjoy all that this wonderful restaurant has to offer!


Incanto is located at 1550 Church Street in the Noe Valley neighborhood of San Francisco.  They are open for dinner Wednesday-Saturday from 5:30-10:00 p.m., Sunday-Monday from 5:30-9:30 p.m. and closed on Tuesdays.


Phone Number: (415) 641-4500