Fat wedges of cheese rotate in a vintage dessert case. Two friends chat, sitting on mismatched furniture in a front window, one propping her elbow on a pillow shaped like a tomato. Under a disco ball, a sommelier opens a bottle of Lambrusco. 

This is an average Thursday afternoon at Fat Cat x the Mantis (opens in new tab), which opened two months ago in Mission-Bernal. Just about every new San Francisco wine bar in the last few years has bent over backward to avoid intimidating patrons, but even with that baseline, if you’re the kind of person who picks a drinking spot based on vibes, you’d do well to drop by. Owner Jess Bell, whose tastes run toward approachable, easy-drinking wines like aromatic chilled reds and skin-contact Gewürztraminers, is determined to welcome everyone.