There are a few key components that make a neighborhood a home.

Like: a well-stocked bodega, a bar where they know your name (or at least your cocktail) and a loudly delusional local bum.

And while Hayes Valley has all that and then some, being the overachieving 'hood that it is, it's nice to throw a mellow eatery into the mix every now and again.

Introducing Café Altano—a new, low-key lunch and dinner spot serving up simple Mediterranean-inspired classics—opening Sunday.

This corner eatery is the ideal compromise for when you're looking for a meal that's heartier than a California roll but not as filling as your bubby's meatloaf.

Stop in after work for a beer or two at the copper-topped bar and order the Prosciutto Pizza or some homemade ravioli while you're at it. If you're coming in with a group, the elevated communal tables work perfectly for ordering a few bottles of wine and some apps like fried calamari, meatballs and sautéed mussels. And since the cafe's located toward the end of the main drag on Hayes Street, the sidewalk tables provide a perfect spot for a late Sunday al fresco Grilled Steak Panini with a view.

Note: any other day will work just as well…