2355 Chestnut St., San Francisco

Guides: Wine

It’s impossible to say whether a wine program is “the best,” but the one created by Shelley Lindgren at A16 is amazing, labor-intensive and unlike any other in the Bay Area, if not the country. The southern Italian wines at A16 are an ode to the idiosyncratic, heterogeneous creations of less-familiar regions. As The Chronicle’s wine critic Esther Mobley has pointed out, the best Italian wines are the ones you don’t know. The offerings themselves make A16’s wine list unique, but what makes it unsurpassed is the staff. It’s a thrill to be knowledgeably ferried through the Italian backroads and learn the stories of the wines.

How it’s aged well: From a diner’s perspective, there’s a magical thing that happens when a restaurant evolves from shiny new hot spot to a well-worn favorite. A16, now 15 years old, has a confidence that comes with middle age. It’s no longer an impossible reservation; now it can be a casual neighborhood drop-in. Like the Nopas and Zunis of the world, its menu is built around tentpoles (here: burrata, trippa, pizza, maccaronara), but the ever-changing seasonal dishes show how much the kitchen — led by executive chef Nicolette Manescalchi — is still pushing to be the best it can be.

The best place to sit: If you’re really here to explore wine, then you’re here to taste a wine you've never had before — maybe one you’ve never even heard of before. The best place to do that? The bar. Eat there, converse there, learn there, indulge there.

What to Order: Burrata ($16), pizza ($18-$22), seasonal specials and pasta to finish. Wine as recommended by the staff.

– Paolo Lucchesi

Hours: Dinner nightly. Lunch Fri.-Sun. Reservations and credit cards accepted

Phone: 415-771-2216

A16 website