San Francisco's Best Italian Food 2008

Italian flavors and seasonal Northern California ingredients wend their way through the dinner menu at this San Francisco InterContinental restaurant.

Reviews:

• “AMAZING Variety, great wines, and superb service!”
• “Best Italian in the city!”
• “beautiful restaurant, for a late nite snack awesome burger and fries as well as dessert and gourmet teas!”

Tips: The closest public parking option is the 5th & Mission garage, located within a block of the hotel.

Luce or email Luce

Solid Tuscan dishes and moderate prices ensure a packed house at this cute, welcoming Potrero joint.

Reviews:

• “fantastic !!!”
• “Love it!!”
• “Refreshingly Consistent, Good Food”
• “Wonderful neighborhood restaurant, delicious dishes, affordable prices.”
• “Too many other stellar places in SF to settle for mediocre service and average food.”

Tips: The thoughtful wine list offers several moderately priced varieties of red and white Italian and California selections by the glass.

Aperto Restaurant or email Aperto Restaurant

This hopping joint brings a touch of southern Italy to the see-and-be-seen Marina, serving some of the city’s most authentic regional fare.

Reviews:

• “Bad Experience”
• “86 A16”
• “Atmosphere Poor – Lamb Tough – The Emperor Has No Clothes!”
• “Not Overrated”
• “doesn’t warrant the bold claims”

Tips: Don’t fret if you don’t have a reservation. A number of spots, whether at the bar or the cafe tables, are reserved for walk-in diners.

A16 or email A16

Uncommon Ligurian specialties make this intimate restaurant a coveted Bernal Heights destination.

Reviews:

• “Wonderful gnocchi, and friendly staff!”
• “Want an authentic Italian ristorante experience. This is the place to eat.”
• “A RUDE EXPERIENCE”
• “Nothing Special. Expensive mediocre food and a dull ambience.”
• “Reservationist Needs to Pay Attention”

Tips: This small restaurant fills up fast, so make reservations or arrive before 7pm if you’d prefer not to wait.

Valentina or email Valentina

The Mission’s first-rate neighborhood Italian joint—hip, comfortable and consistent.

Reviews:

• “Disappointed”
• “This place is popular among non-foodies .”
• “heard the food was great,went to have dinner.ended up walking out!”
• “Sadly Disappointing”
• “A truly memorable dining experience!”

Tips: Parking is available at 18th and Valencia and is $8 flat for up to four hours.

Delfina

Cole Valley’s go-to spot for upscale Italian is also an oft-overlooked—and wait-less—brunch option.

Reviews:

• “Great neighborhood restaurant”
• “rude service”
• “horrible service”
• “Wonderful Italian food year after year”
• “A wonderful place for a meal”

Tips: Bambino’s has a revolving list of lunch and dinner nightly specials, like the spinach fettuccine with bay scallops, shitake mushrooms, leeks and red bell peppers in a light creamy dill sauce, that are consistently worth trying.

Bambino’s Ristorante

Old World charm and distinctive Italian dishes at a quaint Pacific Heights hideaway.

Reviews:

• “overpriced food TERRIBLE SERVICE”
• “simply perfect”
• “Best housemade pasta in the city”
• “Good enough but didn’t dazzle…”
• “Above and beyond.friendly and delicious!!!”

Tips: Corkage fees are $15 for still wines and $20 for sparkling if you prefer to bring your own vino.

Vivande and piccolo wine bar or email Vivande and piccolo wine bar

Dedicated to modern Italian food and wine, this hip wine bar and bistro in the Mission offers a new perspective on the cuisine of the “Old Country.”

Reviews:

• “Wish this place was better”
• “Does the Website work?”
• “Good concept, needs work”
• “Molto Bene”
• “Amazing Wine List, Cheeses and Meats!!”

Tips: Patio dining is available for those who enjoy an outdoor setting.

Bar Bambino or email Bar Bambino

This small Mission trattoria specializes in fresh pasta, with a focus on ravioli.

Reviews:

• “Not good enough.”
• “great italian food – cozy atmosphere – one of my favorites in SF”
• “everything good for a leisurely meal, from antipasti through coffee and dessert wines”
• “Not top notch”
• “Uninspired italian compared to the myriad of good & great italian restaurants in this city”

Tips: Il Cantuccio offers special wine “pairing” nights, serving a variety of special wines and appetizers. Call for details and upcoming schedule.

Il Cantuccio

Live jazz, a piazza-like patio and lots of local love have kept this legendary North Beach cafe buzzing since 1958.

Reviews:

• “Very rude manager”
• “reopened!”
• “Great casual jazz restaurant with live music nightly”
• “Great music- absurd service”
• “Sit outside and soak up the sights”

Tips: Live music is performed nearly every night, usually beginning around 7pm or 8pm. Call for a detailed schedule of performers.

Enrico’s

Elegant northern Italian cuisine and luxurious surroundings make this a special-occasion destination.

Reviews:

• “best italian gourmet food in town, possibly in California,no jeans.”
• “great food, wine and service”
• “TIRED!”
• “Great dining experience!”
• “Tired and funky”

Tips: The award-winning Italian wine list is legendary—and priced accordingly. Still, there are bargains to be had if you ask for guidance.

Acquerello

This upscale North Beach chophouse features classic American and Italian cuisine in a nostalgic atmosphere.

Reviews:

• “Great Food, Service — Wonderful”
• “Cheapens the memory of the Yankee Clipper – he would HATE it”
• “Now I have a new favorite restaurant…”
• “Thumbs up on Decor”
• “avoid on weekend enless before 6 o’clock”

Tips: A business casual dress code is required, which allows for jeans, but no tears and holes.

Joe DiMaggio’s Italian Chophouse

Italian standards with a California twist at the Hotel Vitale’s hip restaurant.

Reviews:

• “Great after work place!”
• “We like Hillary!!!”
• “American…oh?”
• “not impressed”
• “Must try the french fries”

Tips: This spot is great for large groups. There’s even a secluded private dining space that can accommodate parties of approximately eight to 14 diners.

Americano Restaurant and Bar

This venerable restaurant has been serving simple Italian and American dishes since 1937.

Reviews:

• “SF location is CLOSED”
• “Best Hamburgers!”
• “My Favorite SF Restaurant for Many Reasons”
• “Joe’s Original Hamburger is worth eathing”
• “Inredible Rib-Eye”

Tips: Park next door on Taylor for four bucks with dinner.

Original Joe’s or email Original Joe’s

Urban sophistication meets rustic tradition at this Northern Italian restaurant in the heart of the Financial District.

Reviews:

• “TO BUTTERMILK”
• “Would not return”
• “Good but not great”
• “No not order any pasta dishes”
• “Wonderful Financial District Restaurant”

Tips: The flaky chocolate tart with dulche de leche, candied hazelnuts and fresh-whipped cream provides the perfect sweet finish.

Perbacco

A North Beach standby still delivers the Italian goods.

Reviews:

• “Horrible Service – Very Unprofessional”
• “Rose Pistola — A North Beach Must…”
• “Rose Pistola a Great Dining Experience!”
• “Love, love, love it”
• “Extremely disappointed”

Tips: Avoid the North Beach nightmare; valet service is offered nightly.

Rose Pistola

An upscale take on unusual Italian country fare wows an urban crowd at this Noe Valley favorite.

Reviews:

• “INCANTO HAS DELICOUS FOOD & STELLAR SERVICE”
• “Pretense”
• “Nice dinner”
• “Highly unpleasant expirience”
• “Bad service, 5% service charge is ridiculous, go elsewhere.”

Tips: The enormous all-Italian wine list is truly impressive. The featured wine flights are also fun and a good bargain, and each wine has a little paper collar identifying it.

Incanto

This Venice-inspired SoMa eatery wins fans with classic Italian fare, a posh lounge and versatile outdoor patio and sculpture garden.

Reviews:

• “A San Francisco Gem!”
• “OK restaurant”
• “Great new downtown place for a Night Out”
• “This is IT”
• “Great addition SF scene”

Tips: The bar and lounge stays open until 1am, but dinner service stops at 10:30pm.

Ducca

Homemade pasta stars at this cozy, cash-only Marina hole-in-the-wall.

Reviews:

• “So So Italian Food”
• “BAD SERVER”
• “Overpriced, bad food”
• “Excellent, fresh pasta and sauces”
• “No credit cards?”

Tips: The limited wine list offers a handful of basic, reasonably priced Italian and California bottles.

E’Angelo

Get cozy with friends and family and enjoy an Italian feast at this loved-by-locals restaurant.

Reviews:

• “AVOID ENTIRELY”
• “Authentic as it is… Italian food.”
• “It’s Loud in there, but dependable”
• “Wondeful staff, Delicious food”
• “A little overrated”

Tips: If you have a large party, reserve the circular “Pope’s Table.” Special occasion? Request the kitchen table, where diner’s can watch all the behind-the-scenes restaurant action.

Buca di Beppo or email Buca di Beppo