50 Best Italian Restaurants near El Cerrito

“The fare has declined. The salad only had slithers of carrots and lettuce not really a salad. The male waiter was terrible but he was doubling as bar tender. I'm had gotten use to the great service from Dolly. The food has been better and the bread was old and stale.“

“After a invigorating hike at the Hawk Hills in San Francisco, my family and I sought the perfect culinary reward, and we found it at Tony's Pizza Napoletana. Nestled in the heart of the city, this eatery is a haven for pizza enthusiasts, and our experience left us craving more.The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the Piccante pizza, a fiery masterpiece that catered perfectly to my love for spice and bold flavors. Loaded with banana peppers and serranos, each bite delivered a tantalizing kick that awakened the taste buds. The addition of fresh mozzarella elevated the pizza to divine heights, balancing the heat with creamy perfection.Despite visiting on a bustling Sunday afternoon, we were pleasantly surprised by the efficiency of the waitlist system on Yelp. Within no time, we were ushered to our seats, ready to embark on our culinary journey. Our waiter, ever attentive and friendly, kept us informed about the status of our pizza, ensuring a seamless dining experience.Tony's Pizza Napoletana offers more than just great food; it embodies the essence of authentic Italian pizza culture. From the warm hospitality to the expertly crafted pies, every aspect of our visit was a testament to their commitment to excellence.In conclusion, for anyone craving an unforgettable pizza experience in San Francisco, Tony's Pizza Napoletana is a must-visit destination. Prepare to indulge in a symphony of flavors that will leave you craving more, long after the last slice is gone.“

“Everything about one’s experience here is superb. From the moment you walk in until the completion of the meal - it is top tier service. They care about all the details, from the freshness of each ingredient to the suggestions and pairings of items. We started with the olives and avocado salad - the olives were warm and juicy, and the salad was fresh and light. Paired well together! We also ordered both the squid ink special pasta and the truffle - they were absolutely delicious. We also ordered the garlic Parmesan focaccia and finished off with the chocolate mousse dessert. 10/10 recommend, everything was perfect!“

“The best italian food in the city in my opinion! You need to make reservations well in advance but they’ve also been able to accommodate us at the bar when we walk in which is just as nice, so definitely recommend that if you’re a party of one or two. The bread is delicious, their classic ravioli is a must-try, and the gnocchi was also amazing. Indoor and outdoor seating are both super nice and comfortable, and we’ve gone for both lunch and dinner and they’re equally great experiences!“

“We had the best time at Sorella! The food was amazing and we left feeling full. The cocktails were perfectly balanced and delicious and the wine recommendations we had paired with our meal so well. Our favorite part about the dinner though was the service! Our waiter was extremely attentive but not over bearing. He was also hilarious which added to the experience! Everyone was so respectful and happy. Truly a great experience- we will be back!“

“The food is so delicious, and comforting. The focaccia is amazing, I recommend adding it to the meal. The only downside is at the end of the meal there are two additional surcharges you must pay, one being a 20% service charge. Which almost doubled the price of the whole meal.“

“This place is a gem of a restaurant. Started at the bar with some wine and oysters. A great selection of super fresh oysters were available.Dinner was delightful. Great Cesar salad, bread and butter was so good, and the roast chicken is worth the hour wait. Wonderfully crafted cocktails were consumed and enjoyed.Highly recommend this spot“

“We had an incredible date night experience at AltoVino! The food was absolutely amazing. We had an appetizer per the recommendation of our lovely server Christine that was maybe the best thing I’ve ever tasted and then my husband and I both had the Pappardelle entree that definitely lived up to the hype. More than the food though, the ambiance and service really made our experience. When we had a question about what wine to get, they sent the sommelier over for us to discuss with. Both the GM and owner checked on us. It felt like a cozy family owned restaurant meets fine dining. We will definitely want to go back as soon as we can! 10/10 recommend!“

“Super yummy pizza at a pretty great price. Only thing stopping from a five star is the combo slice was a little soggy from being over topped w/ veggies (tomato slice, zucchini, mushrooms, onions). Definitely stick with the classic pepperoni.“

“We go here about twice a month and always love it. Shout out to the staff on Saturday April 13th at about 5:45pm. My wife and I were at our friend's 40th bday party at a bar on Grant. We only had two drinks when she got the text that our table was ready. When we enter the restaurant she sits down on the bench near the host stand and starts mumbling "I don't feel good I don't feel good" and then became dead weight. I didn't know what was happening, just knew it wasn't right. The staff was so concerned and so helpful. Helped me get her outside and kept bringing us water. Luckily I was able to call our friends to help move her and help me handle what was going on. Turns out that she had been roofied at our friend's birthday party. So thank you once agin to everyone working that night who treated us with compassion and helped me handle the confusing situation I was in.“

“This is my favorite italian restaurant in San Francisco, the closest thing you can get to authentic italian cuisine. The environment is very cozy (that of a traditional trattoria), and the staff is super friendly & helpful, Milo is the best :)“

“This was a celebration of International Women's Day for a group of close neighbors, some of whom had not experienced Corso before. The hostess greeting was perfection, as was Vito, our server, Michael our expeditor, and the food was superb❣️ The perfect evening for gratitude to our Women!“

“Wow, this restaurant really does live up to the hype! It’s such a relief when that happens. lol.We’ve been wanting to check out Belotti for a while and finally came in for dinner. Outside seating was pleasant in the spring and the ambiance had a gentle, upbeat buzz. Wine list was nice and I was grateful for the thoughtful, well-balanced mocktail on the drink menu (I’d love to see them expand their NA program because the one I had was excellent).Food was authentically North Italian. Pasta was delicate, sauces were flavorful, courses were indulgent without being overly heavy. There were also some interesting dishes that I haven’t seen on Bay Area menus before, so that was pretty cool.Overall, it was a good time. Definitely keeping this restaurant in our rotation.Vegetarian options: Overall menu is meat oriented, but plenty of clearly-labeled vegetarian options that are fairly vibrant. They could probably stand to add a little more veggies to their dishes, but definitely have options for vegetarians.“

“Important news flash: they do BRUNCH in addition to incredible dinners. I could write a whole post on how amazing and lovely this is as a date spot for dinner and how much I freaking love their salads and gluten free pizzas (possibly my favorite one in the bay), but this is about brunch.We had no idea they did brunch and when we looked at the menu for it online, it didn’t list any mains. But we went anyway and were blown away. I’m adding a pic of the actual brunch menu so you can see the real selection offered.Y’all, they have a BREAKFAST PIZZA and I promise it’s even better than you would imagine. Do you like breakfast? Do you like pizza? This is a heavenly chimera of two of life’s greatest joys.?? Don’t sleep on the brunch! But also the perfect date spot. Get yourself a restaurant that can do both, and support local.The owner was there during our visit and went out of his way to create an excellent experience. Also, the patio is very dog friendly ?Dietary restrictions: The best gluten free pizzas in the area“

“From the moment we peaked in to check on a table the ambiance was warm and inviting. The food exceeded our expectations : roasted chicken quite flavorful and delicious ; strawberry salad freshest veggies and then to top off the palette...coconut sorbet and lemon cake was undeniably the best .. homemade and delicious Ambiance is romantic and nice San Francisco locals vibe“

“Pinsa Rossa is absolutely amazing! Their appetizers, salads, and, of course, the pinsas with their crunchy, flavorful crusts are all top-notch. Ken and his team have done an incredible job creating a dining experience that’s simply outstanding!Dietary restrictions: My daughter, a brand new lactating mom who can’t consume lactose products, asked for a pinsa with vegan cheese, and we couldn’t tell the difference, it was great!Parking: There’s parking available half a block away from the place.“

“I was so taken aback by the overall atmosphere and food here! The foccacia was so fluffy with mascarpone. The pizza and pastas were delicious! I loved the plants and decor and all around vibe. Will come back for date night or birthday dinner!“

“Came here on a little girl date with my friend on a Saturday. I liked how it was easy to get a reservations a few hours before. We had reservations @ 6:30, it was not too crowded yet but the whole small restaurant was full when we were finished eating. We started off with the salad which could've had some more flavor but it was still good and fresh. The squid appetizer was perfectly cooked & charred to perfection, I would order this again when I come back. We got the mushroom pasta which was a great choice. For dessert we had the poached pear with vanilla icecream. This tasted like Christmas, I loved it. This restaurant is a bit far from my house but I would come back regardless. The service was on point and fast.“

“Food was amazing also the vibes in this restaurant are spectacular it's very lively. I had ended up having a cocktail over wine of course the gimlet there was bomb I ended up having two. Service was overly great I must say like a little too great not saying that I don't like to be checked up on but any given moment things were cleared and we were asked how is everything ...glasses were always full. The potatoes were alright and the brussel sprouts the same. I wasn't really digging the beef short rib but the agnolotti dal plin ugh was so good I will come back just for this.“

“We are always looking for good cacio e pepe and this place definitely won us over! This is one of our favorite Italian restaurants in the city. The restaurant is so cute and intimate and perfect for date night. The service was great and the staff is super nice and helpful. We ordered the black pepper bucatini and the nor-sting-ya pizza. The pasta and the pizza were so good! This is one of the best cacio e pepes I've ever had. I love that they use bucatini noodles. The pizza was bomb and spicy! This will be our go to whenever we end up in the Marina.“

“I visited last week for dinner with my family. We didn't make a reservation and arrived around 6pm. We got seating in the back, which was an outdoor area. Right away they told us there were reservations so we would only be able to eat till around 7:15ish, which was totally okay. The back area was very cute, and extremely warm with the heater.For the food, we got 2 pizzas - honey pepperoni and the one with mushrooms. They were both good, but the crust was the best part. And the honey pepperoni said spicy on the menu but wasn't spicy at all.For appetizers, we got garlic bread and burrata cheese salad. The bread was on the drier side, couldn't taste much garlic. But the salad was very good.Overall, nice experience!“

“My first time here, everything was great. My only complaint was its very crowded meaning that the tables are very close together. Our waiter said he has been working there for 20 years. That's impressive. Overall, it's a great spot. The food is wonderful, the other 3 I was with got the roasted chicken and I went with the steelhead.“

“Hands down, literally the best dinner I've ever had! From the wine, to Bruschetta appetizer, to meat canneloni and the best tirimissu I've ever had. I'm remember this dinner for a long time! The service was unbeatable as well.. hidden gem!“

“First time eating a deep dish chicago-style pizza as it's my first time in the US, and this was something else. Very nice, definitely different than a good old Napoletana I am used to :) the thin crust pizza was also very nice! For the two of us (one adult man and one woman), we've ordered a 10" thin crust pizza and an 8" deep dish pie (old Chicago style), and it was more than enough for us. The full-sized deep dish pie looked huge so I'm glad we didn't order it! It seemed like it would fill 4 adult men.“

“Few Saturday ago I had lunch here with some friends that they had already tried it. The owner is Italian and I spoke a little bit with him. The three of us shared the risotto of the day (seafood risotto), the octopus and the veal parmigiana, while my husband just the lasagna that he really loved it (and he is very picky about it). Risotto was good even though it was more similar to paella (speaking of taste it was good), octopus was good too, while the parmigiana wasn't my favorite but just because I don't like this dish in general (my friends really liked it). The owner was very friendly and gave to my baby a cup of ice cream. I was so busy to eat that I forgot to take pictures. Next time!!“

“I’m here for business from Canada. Was taken here for supper by a coworker. The quaintest little restaurant, the owner and his wife are just awesome. The food is gorgeous! And his limoncello is the best I’ve ever had. Will be going back before I head home. ❤️❤️❤️“

“We had the pan-seared scallops and the Tagletelle special dish: tagletelle, snap pea segments, mushrooms, smoked prosciutto and a light cream sauce. And the Tiramisu for dessert. All were superb! And the service was impeccable. Highly recommend.“

“Excellent espresso coffee, friendly service and a lovely brunch menu. I look forward to returning sometime for dinner. The chef’s were prepping a range of fresh looking ingredients and the smells emanating from the kitchen were beautiful!“

“First time I had Lucia's pizza was at their pop up at the Grand Lake farmers market in oakland, and completely fell in love with the 4 cheese pizza! Decided to try the restaurant a couple of months ago and the didn't disappoint! Pizza was delicious and staff were super nice and friendly! Totally recommend them if you're looking to have a legit Italian pizza experience!“

“I had one of the best restaurant meals ever in San Francisco last night at Sorrel. The pictured dish is described as maitake / potato / dashi, the first course of seven and my favourite. The wine pairing was very good, and the service outstanding. Great celiac accommodation for me. Instead of the pasta based crab dish I got a stunningly excellent sun-choke risotto. Highly recommended for a special occasion.Dietary restrictions: I had excellent accommodation for my celiac affliction. Instead of the pasta based crab dish I got a stunningly excellent sun-choke risotto.“

“i came here on a friday evening with a friend around 5:45 pm. there was no line so we were seated immediately. when we left an hour later, there was a line. we came during restaurant week and they were doing a $45/person dinner menu, but i opted to just order from the regular menu since i wasn't a big fan of the appetizer options and really wanted to try the bucatini, which wasn't on the restaurant week menu. when our food arrived, the portions seemed slightly on the smaller side so in retrospect i felt like it would've been nice to get an appetizer to share, but none of the appetizer options were that appealing to me. i like burrata but it came with mushrooms and i don't like mushrooms (this is just a personal preference, though). even though the portions were small, i wasn't hungry but i also wasn't full, which left plenty of room for dessert. we ordered the nutella sundae - it felt a bit much for 2 people (3 is probably a better number), and there was a LOT of syrup. as for the ambiance, the biggest impression i got was that the music was pretty loud. this made the atmosphere not conducive to intimate conversations, so i would mostly go here if i wanted a fast dinner at an early time. otherwise, i feel that the atmosphere is not worth the wait.“

“Loved the cioppino. Truly big enough for two: a flavorful and rich tomato broth full of fresh crab and shellfish with pasta mixed in. The seafood and broth were so hearty the pasta seemed unnecessary. Loved soaking up the broth with the complimentary fresh bread. This place is bustling: we sat at the counter. It was loud and our stools got bumped around quite a bit. That said, enjoyed the lively, casual atmosphere overall. Our party of 2 went on a Saturday during off-peak hours (around 3pm) and we didn't have to wait long for a seat. Seafood prices but nothing outrageous. Would happily return.“

“After 20 years later my husband and I back to enjoy the pizza, a bottle of wine , espresso coffee and they delicious Tiramisu OMG this restaurant sill with the best food and the best service, a Italian gentleman and a Yucatán gentleman make us totally happy with our meal.????“

“I have to start by saying that it’s been quite a while that I’ve had such good Italian food.The taste is so balanced and full of flavors across the board. The menu selection is very wide, based on the dishes we enjoyed, this place needs several visits, I wish I was in town longer.Here’s what we had:Instalata con Endivia Belga e Prosciutto, this is a special dish outside the menu, but very refreshing and light.Our mains were the Fettuccine Carbonara, the Linguine con Cozze e Vongole, the Gnocchi di Patale, and the Pollo alla Parmigiana with a side pasta. Guys, the above is not in any particular order of taste, the food was seriously amazing, this place should definitely be on any Italian food lover’s list.Hope you would be able to visit, and enjoy San Francisco ?.Oh, and the by the way, the service is the cherry on top, it was a pleasure for us meeting Charles and chatting about our menu options.“

“This was a fabulous Italian restaurant in the marina! Unfortunately, you can't make a reservation before hand so you need to queue on the yelp waitlist. However, if you're flexible the wait time is not too bad. We were a party of 3 looking for seating on a Saturday around 8 and waited about 30 mins. Besides this, the restaurant is adorable with beautiful dish wear and cute decor. We got some white wine for the table which was delicious and the waiter was great with recommendations. I ordered the bolognese which was so flavorful and the pasta was perfectly cooked. However, I do wish there was an option for more cheese on the pasta. We finished our meal with complimentary lemon gelatos which were very refreshing. Highly recommend Casado Osteria for your next date night or dinner with friends!“

“My husband and I came to San Francisco for a short vacation and the concierge at our hotel recommended we find this alley where we would have many choices of what kind of food we wanted. We chose Cafe Tiramisu and were so happy we did! The pizza was perfectly thin and the gnocchi was delicious!!“

“Perfect Italian authentic restaurant when enjoying North Beach neighborhood. zor my friends birthday I got us tickets to dear San Francisco, which is a wonderful show at Club Fugazi just 3 blocks away from this great restaurant! Paolo took wonderful care of us. His wine, suggestions and appetizer and entrée tips were the best! The pasta is homemade and very delicious and special. We tried the gnocchi with pesto, as well as a delicious braised meat, red sauce over fresh linguine. We also enjoyed the grilled (not fried) octopus. The tiramisu for dessert was perfect! I’ve been here before, and I will go back again and again for the service and authentic delicious Italian cuisine.“

“What a lovely little spot! We stumbled across this restaurant when we were in North Beach and wanted to get some Italian. It was one of the few spots that was open late. Boy, were we pleasantly surprised! The owner/chef was so charismatic and kind, made us feel taken cared of. He also gave great wine recommendations for our meals. The gnocchi was out of this world, it was like a pillow melting in my mouth. What a great experience especially when you want traditional Italian food. We will definitely be coming back again and trying more of the pasta dishes!“

“Wonderful neighborhood Italian restaurant. The Italian owners are so kind and attentive and know everyone’s name and their dog’s names walking by or coming in the door. It’s surprisingly hard to find good bread these days and their warm bread with olive oil and vinegar was the perfect start. We had the crab and tomato papadelle special and the truffle halibut that was so delicate and tasty. We Laos loved the busin o! Great place for a casual weeknight dinner or a special date night.“

“I've been going to Sociale since they first opened and they are consistently great. There is excellent variety on the menu giving you lots of options. The pastas are very good, made with highest quality ingredients, as are the meats and fish. This visit we had salads for a first course. One of us has the veal chop and one the pork chop. Both were great. The dining room is cozy and the outdoor area is, too. There is a private dining room that can accommodate 15-20 people for those special gatherings. Plus, parking is easy and free on Sacramento Street. What more can you ask?“

“We had a late lunch with a large party. The food was very good and service was excellent. Our server did a wonderful job providing the suggestions we needed. We split three pizzas, some meatballs, bread and soft cheese.The neighborhood was definitely sketchy but we didn’t have any issues with anyone. Once inside the cute restaurant we forgot about what was outside.“

“Great vibe and service! Outdoor seating is cozy and clean, lovely place to stop by for the midday bites, drinks and some casual chitchat. Loved the burrata crostini, calamari and salami pizza. Would love to go again and try out their dinner and lunch menu some time.“

“Very delicious food! I would definitely recommend coming here anytime of the day. Their breakfast, lunch and dinner is amazing and they have a variety. The service is fast and the waiters and waitresses are very attentive. The location is a small hole in the wall. It's very delicious and would recommend to stop by and try!“

“Great margherita pizza and cold beer. This restaurant has a large dinning area, outside patio and a good size bar.The pizza I ordered was great, good undercarriage, flavorful and still affordable.The bar has a good selection of beer and wine. I decided to pair my pizza with a craft pint and it didn’t disappoint.“

“This is the one! Little Star on Valencia was the polar opposite to this location. Staff is nice, attentive, quick, and professional. The restaurant had a good amount of customers yet our server always came back to check in on us. My favorite is the deep dish. This one came out delicious and had lots of roasted garlic chunks! I will be coming back when I get a craving. I'm not a crust person but I love eating theirs.“

“Napizza is one of my favorite “go-to” restaurants in SF.Their quality of food is 10/10.Their service and attentiveness is 10/10.Their wine list is a 10/10 (primarily Italian reds).I have brought many friends from out of town and guests here to eat, as its ambiance is one of coziness, its intimate (in terms of its size), and fun (they tend to play music towards the evening depending on the crowd / customer vibe).Do go check it out, and don’t hold back on trying different things on their menu!P.s. I love their Caesar salad + anchovies“

“Restaurant closes at ten and we got back to our hotel around 9:30. I always feel like such a jerk walking into restaurants when they're close to closing. I asked the waiter if they close at ten and if they're still seating people or not. The waiter literally went and rearranged a table to make room for my family and insisted it was okay and to please come in and sit down and relax. The food was brought to us within ten minutes. Probably the best food I've had our entire trip. 5/5 stars to the service, the food, and the atmosphere. Will absolutely be returning here on our next trip through SF ?“

“Service is perfect, ambiance and lighting-also perfect. The food is almost always delicious. We go here often, so perhaps the reason I say almost is that we notice even the slightest variations in taste. We wouldn't keep coming back unless we loved it, which we do! Great neighborhood spot -highly recommend!!“

“I could write a multi paragraph love letter to this place. I'll keep it short for now: Eat here. You will not regret it. Go for special occasions. Go for a romantic dinner. Go on an ordinary day, just to enjoy yourself. Just go and eat here.“

“About a week ago my family and I decided to try Presidio Pizza located on Divisadero St and we all loved it! There were so many options on the menu and it was hard to choose since it all looked so good but we ended up getting the grandma style pizza. The pesto drizzle was a nice touch and the pizza was so soft and warm and definitely satisfied my pizza craving! All the ingredients were fresh and evenly distributed on every serving. I would recommend this place for people to try definitely!“