11 Best Italian Restaurants in San Francisco

Image by Jan Vašek from Pixabay

11 Best Italian Restaurants in San Francisco

Nowadays, Italian restaurants can be found all over San Francisco, as the Mediterranean climate and plentiful bounty of Northern California allow for the creation of Old World dishes with local ingredients.

San Francisco is as famous for its restaurants and food trends as it is for its Golden Gate Bridge and cable cars. Among the unique or regionally typical foods to be sampled in San Francisco are abalone, Dungeness crab, sand dabs, bay shrimp and crusty sourdough French bread. Many local restaurants serve Joe’s Special.

The first significant wave of Italian immigrants came to California during the Gold Rush. Those who came quickly moved to buy land or work in service industries, rather than stay in the mines. In 1850, there were 229 Italians in San Francisco.

Nestled between Fisherman’s Wharf and Chinatown is a neighborhood known as North Beach. The neighborhood is San Francisco’s “Little Italy,” packed with legendary pizzerias, cafes and gelato shops.

In 2015 – Bon Appétit, America’s food and entertaining magazine since 1956, has named San Francisco “The Best Food City in the Country Right Now.” Looking for the best Italian restaurants in San Francisco? Look no more we have created the list for you.

1.  Acquerello Restaurant

Chef preparing Italian food in San Francisco. Image by Restaurant Nuovo Antica Roma, Wittenbergplatz 5 from Pixabay

For 30 years, Acquerello has offered an unparalleled Italian fine-dining experience in San Francisco’s Nob Hill neighbourhood. The restaurant, operated by Giancarlo Paterlini and Executive Chef Suzette Gresham, has been heralded for its cuisine, wine and service.

Keeping ahead of the ever-changing dining scene in San Francisco, Acquerello showcases its brightest young talent in the kitchen as well as with its wine program. 

Their desire is to provide their guests with an experience of classic and contemporary Italian tastes in an elegant dining atmosphere.”

Acquerello has received countless awards, including two Michelin stars since 2014 and one Michelin star since the first-ever 2007 Bay Area guide. Our extensive Wine list is the recipient of the Wine Spectator Grand Award in 2012-present.

Order: exploretock.com

2. Original Joe’s

Italian Restaurant booth. Photo by Arturo Añez from Pexels

Original Joe’s is the quintessential, classic San Francisco dining experience. A fabric of the City for over 80 years, it is located in the heart of the historic and majestic North Beach, a mecca for natives, tourists, and culinary aficionados alike.

Original Joe’s is the oldest of all existing Joe’s restaurants in the country and is the innovator of what is now nationally known as the “Joe’s Concept”.

With its signature red leather booths, legendary smooth cocktails, and renowned Italian American menu, Joe’s has come to signify its own Northern Californian category of food and symbolizes classic Italian American comfort food at its finest. The Westlake location also has its own following among locals.

Order: postmates.com, ubereats.com

3. Penny Roma

Italian Pasta. Image by 1195798 from Pixabay

We could probably just tell you that the folks behind Flour + Water have a new restaurant that’s all about classic pasta and rustic Italian fare and leave it at that since

Dinner at Penny Roma is everything you want out of a meal. A warm and inviting space in an enclosed courtyard with dim lighting and a lively atmosphere, friendly service and a menu of nonstop hits.

Including some fantastic crudo, pastas—all made daily—like Tagliatelle Alla Bolognese and Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe—and mains, like a Grilled Trout and a Half Chicken Al Mattone—that deserve an order

They have some of the best focaccia in the city thanks to the perfect crunch to chew ratio. It’s the perfect spot for a date or a night out with friends. Just be sure to plan ahead because reservations are hard to snag.

4.  Norcina

Italian Restaurant. Photo by Ceyda Çiftci on Unsplash

This city loves great Cal-Ital, so we welcome Norcina. The Marina restaurant turns out creative handmade pastas and pillowy Neapolitan pies that are perfectly charred.

But the salads, snacks, and large plates aren’t afterthoughts, which is exactly why this spot rises to another level.

The toasted little gem with poached egg, boccarrones, and bread crispies is warm and creamy. Impressive-looking pork shanks, chicken milanese and sausage-stuffed pork snouts come over well-seasoned grains.

For dessert, roast your own marshmallows at the table for s’mores. The experience might seem hokey, but it perfectly matches Norcina’s “just hanging out on the beach” aesthetic we’ve also fallen for.

Reservations: resy.com

5. Perbacco

Handmade Pasta in San Francisco. Photo by Jorge Zapata on Unsplash

It is a well-respected, successful Italian restaurant in San Francisco’s Financial District. Perbacco, an Italian word expressing pleasure and surprise (as well as a reference to Bacchus, the god of wine), is the perfect name for a ristorante steeped in Italian culture.

Located in the city’s Financial District, Perbacco is a spot trusted by everyone from big-money bankers to those tourists who are looking for an authentic Italian meal.

Chef Terje has created a menu focused on the refined cuisine of Piemonte; he offers pure, ingredient-driven dishes reflecting the commitment to handcrafted food.

He often visits the local farmer’s markets himself to make sure he’s getting the freshest locally-sourced ingredients.

Order: exploretock.com

6.  Sotto Mare

crab dish in an Italian restaurant in SF. Image by Alexander Jungmann from Pixabay

Sotto Mare’s old-school Italian ambience and incredibly fresh fare receive rave reviews from North Beach natives and Bay Area visitors alike.

The restaurant is known for its traditional baccala, savory crab cioppino and Boston-style clam chowder, but the menu also features oysters and clams on the half shell, seafood risotto and daily fresh fish selections.

Imported beer and wine pairings round out an excellent meal. Patrons can also purchase fresh fish for retail value.

Sotto Mare is a wonderful example of San Francisco’s bountiful bay meeting up with the Italian joy of cooking, so you’ll get a healthy bite of both cultures at this memorable restaurant.

Order: postmates.com, grubhub.com, doordash.com, seamless.com, ubereats.com, trycaviar.com

8.  Jackson Fillmore Trattoria

Enjoy Italian wine in San Francisco. Image by djedj from Pixabay

A Pacific Heights local favorite since it opened its doors back in 1985, the Jackson Fillmore Trattoria is a cozy and classic Italian food restaurant with a large wine list.

Expect hearty traditional Italian mains like Pollo al Noci, chicken with pine nuts, walnuts, mushrooms, sherry, and a touch of cream, and a full list of pastas and antipasto starters.

One of the best Italian restaurants in San Francisco, according to both critics and locals, the Jackson Fillmore Trattoria actually has its roots in New York City’s Little Italy, where the chef cut his teeth before moving his operation here.

9. Beretta Restaurant

Italian restaurant bruschetta in San Francisco. Image by RitaE from Pixabay

A sleek and modern with dark wood, clean lines and vintage chandeliers, this sophisticated cocktail and pizza enclave attracts a hip crowd.

Seasonal, two-to-three-bite plates lean toward Roman flavors and preparations—peppery, strong, mostly unrefined, including a good bruschetta and tangy eggplant caponatina.

The restaurant should be called “burrata” for the cheese’s many appearances, and it steals the show most notably on the pizza margherita where we would like to taste a bit more sauce and flavor.

Service can seem a bit overwrought given the large and lively crowds, but no matter: best to secure a spot at the long communal table near the bar, watch the action and make new friends during the wait for shared nibbles.

Order: doordash.com, trycaviar.com

10.  Che Fico

Photo by Vita Marija Murenaite on Unsplash

Highlights on the menu include handmade rustic pasta dishes, an SF take on Neapolitan pizza, housemade salumi, and several dishes reflective of the Jewish-Roman heritage known as “Cucina Ebraica” (noted by a Star of David on the menu).

Che Fico also has an excellent cocktail program and seats at the bar reserved for walk-ins, so if you can’t land a reservation, you can always pop in for a drink and snack. A

 Che Fico’s downstairs sibling, Che Fico Alimentari is a wine bar and Italian market with dim lighting, cozy tables, rustic Italian dishes and a ton of Italian wines.

 Che Fico Alimnetari is now the only place you can get the pineapple pizza that instantly won our hearts and stomachs when it first arrived at Che Fico.

11.  La Ciccia

Image by Pierluigi Gazzoli from Pixabay

It’s a small neighbourhood spot in Noe Valley with Sardinian food that surpasses almost anything that some of the bigger, fancier places around the city charge way more for.

La Ciccia is a cozy and intimate restaurant. The chef is committed to using the freshest and the most authentic ingredients from Sardinia resulting in pungent, lively, flavorful food.

The all Italian wine list, 150 labels selection represent every Region with more than a quarter devoted to Sardinia in order to pair the traditional earthy flavours as well seafood influence of Sardinia cuisine. La Ciccia is a tribute to Sardinia an experience not to be missed.

But what sets La Ciccia so far apart from other places is that every single time you go here, the staff is nice enough to make you feel like you’re family coming home from a long vacation.

From fast-casual pasta bars and neighbourhood pizza spots to very fancy restaurants that require you to make reservations weeks in advance, there are lots of fantastic Italian spots in San Francisco.

The next time a craving for tagliatelle bolognese or eggplant parmesan hits, avoid the tourist traps. and just use this guide.