Prolific local restaurateur Adriano Paganini can not be stopped, and we now finally have word on the concept for the space we've known he had snagged at the new 450 Hayes building for many months now. Tablehopper reports that the place will be called A Mano, and it's a new concept for Paganini and his Back of the House restaurant group, though not that new given Paganini's résumé. A Mano means "by hand" in Italian, and executive chef Freedom Rains, who helped Paganini open Belga in Cow Hollow to great success, is crafting a menu of house-made pastas with just a couple other dinner options, including a seasonal pizza and a daily changing entree special. Rains also worked previously at Flour + Water and Incanto, so he knows his way around pasta.
Paganini promises that, like his other Italian-centric businesses Starbelly, Delarosa, and Beretta, the place will be "casual and affordable," and there will be a full bar as well as an Italian-focused wine list.
Paganini got his start in the Bay Area restaurant scene with the Pasta Pomodoro chain, which he founded in 1994 and sold in 2010. He was a partner in the now shuttered Pesce, in addition to opening the Super Duper burger chain, Uno Dos Tacos, The Bird, Lolinda, and the new upscale Mexican spot Flores, next door to Belga on Union Street.
A Mano is aiming for an early May opening, and Paganini is also currently at work on the expansion of his flagship Super Duper location in the Castro, new Super Dupers at SFO and in the East Bay, and an as-yet-unannounced new restaurant in the former La Urbana space on Divisadero.