What's your favorite choice for great moderately priced Italian food in San Fran? We like the North beach area, but this isn't a "must". I have seen L'Osteria del Forno, Pane e Vino and Rose Pistola on the board. Zagats doesn't seem thrilled with Rose Pistola. What do you think? This is an anniversary dinner. Doesn't need to be "upscale", mainly good food !
Thanks !

Sally, I just wrote a little review of our recent dining experience at Rose Pistola and would definitely recommend it. The food was fantastic. I also really love Delfina for northern Italian. If it if an intimate dinner with just the two of you, I'd lean toward Delfina. The Rose Pistola is great for a group. Neither are cheap, by any means, but they are also not what I'd consider upscale, just really fabulous food. Enjoy!

My favorite is Steps of Rome. Very lively crowd, waiters and staff break into traditional (and fun) song and dance whenever the mood strikes them. Not for a quiet dinner but great food and coffee and tons of atmosphere.

L'Osteria del Forno is a small family oriented place which doesn't take reservations. Rose Pistola is Ligurian food so maybe Mr. Zagat doesn't like that (it's not one of our favs either) Up on Nob Hill, there's Venticello and small place, moderately priced and intimate. You might want to look into that.www.opentable.com might be helpful to you.

We were just in SF over the 4th of July and had a great (and moderately priced) meal at Panta Rei in North Beach. Very friendly service, elegant decor, reasonable wine prices, and great pasta! They only take cash though so be prepared.

We ate at Trattoria Contadina in North Beach. Boy, did we eat!

I love L'Osteria. It's quite a casual, neighborhood place. Mostly salads, sandwiches, a couple of hot dishes (they are famous for their roast pork). I'd probably make this a lunch stop in a day of touring North Beach, Coit Tower, and other sights in the neighborhood. For dinner, an enduring favorite of mine is Antica. It's on Polk Street, not sure of the intersection - Green St. maybe? Antica is understated, puts emphasis on the food rather than the scene. Not formal, but not a place to show up in shorts either. Desserts are good - at my first meal there, my companion and I each ordered a dessert, then saw that the day's special was rose-petal ice cream. We ordered that to split between us, and the remains of our feast looked hedonistic to say the least!
Rose Pistola has had its ups and downs. It went through a period where everything was just too oily for my taste. I did, however, have the best cioppino of my life there - except that the nutcracker they brought me for the crab legs was broken. When I tried to use it, the crab leg went flying across the room and landed in a woman's lap. Didn't detract from the food, though. Rose Pistola is an VERY loud place to eat - jolly but not the place for intimate conversations.
Happy dining!

If your looking for a somewhat funky, local type place in North beach, try the Gold Spike. Great food, lots of local flavor!

I wouldn't want to wait in line at L'Osteria... for 1-2 hours for an anniversary dinner. Go somewhere that takes reservations.

Try www.chowhound.com

YES!!!! Antica Trattoria on Russian Hill--2400 Polk. Make reservations.

Here's another option, Acquerello and a local review.
"Acquerello has been a tiny gem on the San Francisco dining scene for the past decade. It was just honored as Wine Spectator's second best Italian Restaurant nationally, due in large part to the excellent wine collection. Chef Suzette Gresham used to do the cooking at the acclaimed Donatello. When she moved on to Acquerello, Donatello's promptly closed. Do the math."

Rose Pistola is good, and North Beach is the place to have an Italian dinner in San Fran.

Ditto on Trattoria Contadina -- great fod and service -- you feel like family.

New Pisa in North Beach.

With all of these names being mentioned, surely Fiore d Italia is still open and making decent pasta?

It's been awhile since I walked up past it,sooo ???? Anybody been there lately?

We had breakfast once at Kuleto's on Powell and it had some of the best Italian sausage I've ever tasted.
They made their own pasta and bread back then.
Ciao bella!
Kal

L'Osteria del Forno is in North Beach and I love it! It is a cute little authentic place with great food. It is not too upscale, but the food is wonderful and you won't regret it. My other vote would be for Delfina which is one of my favorite restaurants in San Francisco (and I live here). It is not in North Beach, but it is really good and you will certainly like it. It is not intimate though. I've eaten at both of these places many times. Have fun!

Thanks for the suggestions, you've all been a big help !

Just came back from San Francisco and had a great meal at a place just a few doors up the street from L'Osteria Del Forno called Firenze by Night. The concierge at our hotel recommended it and we werevery happy with it. It is a small place-probably no more than 15 tables. The food was wonderful and the service was fantastic. I'll look up the number, address etc. and post again soon.

Firenze By Night
1429 Stockton St.
San Francisco- North Beach
415-392-8485