San Francisco, Italian food,
 

I am looking for Italian food in San Francisco, something not so famous but very good. Thanks

We were in San Francisco a little over a year ago.(So, not a recent review). We loved the Mona Lisa restaurant in North Beach. It came recommended here by LoveItaly and it was very good. We actually went twice because we found the price reasonable and the food very tasty.

Here is teh list teh concierge gave us at the Grand Hyatt UNion Square:
Kuleto's
Fino
SCalas Bistro
Zingari
Uncle Vitos
Brindisi
Cafe Tiramisu
Puccini & Pinetti

I don't know if you would consider it Italian but the Stinking Rose sure serves alot of garlic...

There are only 3 good Italian in San Francisco:
Delfina,
Incanto, and
A16.

We loved loved loved Franchino. It was a very small, authentic Italian restaurant. The food was homemade and delicious. It is on the main drag in North Beach with all of the other restaurants.

In addition to the North Beach advice you've already been given here, just go to North Beach and look for the holes in the walls. Or Clement Street, same advice. Avoid the "hot" trendy places. SF has great Italian food, always has had. Big Italian population, so of course!

Acquarello would be the 4th best. French-infused, pricey but good.

All others, especially the tourist-favorites in the North Beach area are mediocre when compared to the top 4.

A16 -- in the Marina. Get reservations well in advance.

hmmm, I thought of Delfina too!

We LOVED the Italian food we ate in North Beach and ate at Stinking Rose & Mona Lisa.

bill_boy has got the good ones covered. To his list I would add Antica Trattoria and La Ciccia, which is a Sardinian place. None of these restaurants are your typical red sauce with everything type places. In particular, the food at Incanto is so authentic that it would seem "weird" to someone thinking strictly of sphagetti and meatballs. Speaking of meatballs, the ones served at A16 (I believe only on Mondays) will show you a whole new meatball territory. The wine lists at A16 and Incanto are superb, with unusual offerings particularly from southern Italy and Sicily. Reserve ahead at any of these places.

bill_boy, you have offered some good suggestions here, but if I want authentic ethnic cooking of any kind, I avoid any restaurant with the term "infused" attached to it!

I agree with Bill_boy...but I also love Rose Pistola and I think the pasta at Pane e Vina is always excellent.

Dovima--you are supposed to keep La Ciccia a secret so that we can still get in!!! I agree with billboy's recommendations if as dovima has implied you are not looking for typical Italian/American types of places. I don't agree that these are the only 3 good Italian restaurants in SF, but that is a matter of opinion. The problem with responding to such requests is we have no idea what the OP has in mind.

BTW Bill and dovima, try Perbacco and see if you would add it to your lists.

Puccini & Pinetti excellent food, nice decor, children-friendly.

Mona Lisa: good food, garish decor.

Fino: good food, quiet but can get noisy if full.

Cafe Tiramisu: tiny overpriced portions.

I am glad to see Uncle Vito's on Jar's list as I'll have a mini-GTG with a Fodorite there.

Ti Piacera on Polk street is good, if you are in that area.

Dear SAB,
Whoops, loose lips sink ships! However, I think the trek out to 30th and Church will daunt the casual diner.
Thanks for the pointer on Perbaco - I must try it soon.

>>you are supposed to keep La Ciccia a secret so that we can still get in<<

Fortunatly, not may tourists mae it out to the Noe Valley. We're dining at La Ciccia tomorrow night.

Stu Dudley

Stu: Say buona sera to Lorella and Massimo (if he comes out of the kitchen).

It's amazing how may very nice restaurants are located in that section of Church St. now. When we first moved to the Noe Valley in '75, there were none - except for a pizza parlor or two, a cheap Chinese restaurant, and Hans Spreckman German restaurant.

Tomorrow we're starting with a "flight" of white wine at Incanto & then walking a few blocks to La Ciccia for dinner.

Stu Dudley

I love, love, love, LOVE the Bocce Cafe...i believe it is on green street in northbeach

their pasta and sauce is very reasonably priced, nice and piping hot and plentiful, good wine, and a pretty indoor setting with a fireplace and an outdoor patio

it looks odd when you first approach it because the entrance way is in a sort of an alleyway between two buildings. but it is heavenly and a nice little gem, in my opinion.

SAB: We are going back to Perbacco next week, have you tried the Gianni Gagliardo Fallego? I had to pinch a taste of everyone's desserts too!

We were just there and went to L'Osteria del forno at 519 Columbus for the second time and thought it was good, but you have to get there EARLY or the wait is ridiculous. Just thought The Mona Lisa was so-so (sorry LoveItaly, but it was fun hearing DD talking Italian with the staff).

Mescolanza, L'Ottavo, and Pizetta 211. All are wonderful and not touristy- great Italian that only the locals know about!

I also love Vivande on Fillmore.

I second the recommendation on Pizetta211. We always like the pizza here.

bookmarking for next week

HT -- What? you're in SF next week? Ok, if 16 Fodorites with 405 posts for the 11/10 SF GTG all loved this restaurant so much we behaved like kids, it must be great!

E Tutto Quo at 270 Columbus at the corner of Broadway

Mangia Mangia!!

Also Delfina's and again L'Osteria (both reviewed in Fodor's Destination section for restaurants)

We had a another great meal at DaFlora in north beach recently.

Author: bill_boy
Date: 01/04/2007, 08:43 pm

There are only 3 good Italian in San Francisco:
Delfina,
Incanto, and
A16.

>>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>

Author: bill_boy
Date: 01/06/2007, 10:17 pm

I second the recommendation on Pizetta211. We always like the pizza here.

>>>>>>>>>>>>&g t;>>>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>

Why would anyone go get pizza at a place which by his own definition is NOT a good Italian restaurant? What am I missing here?



Meanwhile a couple of my favorites --Trattoria Contadina and Antica Trattoria.

Thanks Shang, Yes we are in SF the 6th thru 11th..... mostly shopping and eating :)

Already been to Contadina and Delfina.....ahhhh ok

We love love love Italian so we have A-16, Incanto and La Ciccia reserved for three out of our five nights there....do you think those will suffice? So we should also try E Tutto?? Perbacco?????

Any personal recos????

Aloha!

Bacco?

http://www.baccosf.com/

Barbambino.com

Just tried a new Italian place in downtown S.F. this week, Ducca, which is in the lower level of the Westin on Third Street at Market. Actual address is 50 Third St. I know you're doubtful about a hotel restaurant, as was I. I was nicely surprised by Ducca. The menu focuses on the food of Venice and environs and includes lots of the little tapas-like appetizer dishes the Venetians love to nibble on. The decor is dramatic, with Murano glass chandeliers massed together throughout the place and lots of dark reds and yellows in the color scheme. I had a pasta that was fully the equal of one I had at Incanto a few months back, and then cannoli which were worth every fat laden calorie. Check Ducca out.
http://www.duccasf.com/

Aloha, HT -- E Tutto Qua is rustic and jovial, Perbacco is refined with cuisines of Piedmonte and Liguria, tough choices here.

Do you have time to meet for a nibble? Chicken paws?

dovima -- thanks for the recommendation, I'm having lunch at Salt House today but will swing up the street to check out Ducca!

Be sure and get Ciopino sometime in SF. It is an Italian fish stew. It is not as famous as SF sourdough bread, but equally as good in my opinion.

Acquerello gets my vote. It has a beautiful decor/ top service not to mention its the top ranked Italian through Zagat's.

I second the vote for Acquarello, the food is exquisite but so is the price! I'd save that for a special occasion!

One of my favorite all time restaurants in San Francisco is on Russian Hill, not too far from Nob Hill, Ristorante Milano, they almost always have at least 5-6 fresh fish dishes. It's in a residential neighborhood so it's quaint and intimate, ask for a table upstairs. The food is to die for and the service is impecable at reasonable prices.

If you like fresh Italian sausage and are not on a diet, try the Fettucine all Ghiotta or the Tonnarelli alla Capricciosa, you will swoon, guaranteed! Also, if you like them, the Sardine Gratinate is wonderful.

http://www.milanosf.com/menu.html

FYI, you can book a table at www.opentable.com

Everyone raves about Trattoria Contadina in North Beach, I thought it was absolutely terrible. The quality of the food was incredibly low and it was expensive.

I also liked the calamari and the homemade pasta at Panta Rei on Columbus Ave. Prices are great for how nice the food is. However, be warned it's molto chic in there, the night time crowd is a bit night clubish.

Overall, I guarantee you'll love Ristorante Milano, it's not very well known since it's off the tourist path.

I forgot to add that the Stinking Rose is a terrible tourist trap with bad food, NOT authentic Italian even though it's in North Beach, which is the case with a lot of NB restaurants. It's on par with Olive Garden. Cheap greasy food with high prices and a long wait.

Rose Pistola is very good, more California-Italian with organic veggies and local meats. Pretty expensive for such a small portion size. http://www.rosepistolasf.com/

Also, another excellent restaurant is Trattoria Pinocchio, very, very authentic Italian at great prices. Just don't sit outside, the service is not so hot outside. Food is outstanding. http://www.trattoriapinocchio.com/

I'm sure I'll think of more. I'm starting to drool just pondering SF Italian food!