Contrary to popular belief, when the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that's a lawsuit. Enjoy Italian cuisine without fear of physical reprisal with today's Groupon: for $10, you get $25 worth of authentic Italian and European fare at Cafe Altano in Hayes Valley.

The neighborhood eatery offers a fresh menu of authentic Italian fare for lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch. Start with an order of oregano-, lemon-, and olive-oil-marinated olives ($6), savoring the flavor-infused spheres while a herbivorous tablemate noshes on the grilled polenta cakes with Manchego cheese, mushrooms, and red-wine sauce ($8). Personal pizzas, such as the prosciutto pie with gorgonzola cheese and balsamic reduction ($12), please orbital eaters, while plate-bound diners can feast upon house-made pastas, such as the butternut-squash ravioli with brown butter, sage, and mascarpone ($14). Other entrees include a decadent pork osso bucco ($18) with potato puree and aromatic vegetables under a port red-wine sauce and a filet of sole with veggies and mustard-seed and caper-berry aioli ($18).

The chic eatery's neighborhood atmosphere is accented by expansive corner windows, an open kitchen, exposed-brick columns, sleek wood furnishings, a staff of closet hypnotists, and plush window-bordering banquettes. Stop in for a pre-symphony glass of wine, or commit to a coursed meal and savor the musical medley of Italian eats. Call ahead for a reservation.

Reviews

Cafe Altano received a two-star ("good") review from the San Francisco Chronicle. More than 130 OpenTable reviewers give it a four-star average, and Yelpers give it a 3.5-star average:

• I'd also return for the pork osso bucco ($18), with meat that falls apart on the fork into a rich port wine sauce underneath. The salmon ($18), too, is mild and cooked until flaky and moist. – Amanda Gold, San Francisco Chronicle
• The service was excellent, food was scrumptious and the prices were also reasonable. – An OpenTable reviewer who dined on 6/2/2010
• But by far the best part of this restaurant is the red wine poached pear. Every time someone comes to visit me from out of town, I make sure I take them to eat one. – Lynne J., Yelp