50 Best Italian Restaurants in San Francisco

“everything about the restaurant, from the heated outdoor dining, people who work there, the food so deliciously great especially the one that prepares and cook it, THE CHEFS, amazingly incredible they are and not so pricey above all.“

“Food was very tasty and well prepared, staff attentive and responsive, ambience is perfect“

“Only reason I'm saying four stars is that now they've added an automatic 20% gratuity on top of the 5% SF mandate. I get that you have to compensate for people who might never tip, but I always tip 20% anyway, but I hate the automatic-the service definitely doesn't feel the same, less personalized and more cookie cutter.“

“Awesome yummy food with a friendly atmosphere and Great Service“

“Great atmosphere, impeccable service, friendly & welcoming staff. Most of all, great food. This is our second time and it didn’t disappoint. We’re visiting from SoCal in Orange County. Thank you!“

“Great leisurely lunch with girlfriends. Staff was friendly attentive. The butternut squash ravioli was to die for! Nice ambiance (we sat outside). Enjoyed!“

“Always creative, delicious & seasonal, the level of excellence at Sorella is worth more than they charge. Consistently superb, with wines that perfectly complement the food and inventive harmonious cocktails that add novel delicious tastes to your experience. Sorella is a neighborhood gem, a date night delight, and a regular place to feel pampered.“

“Lovely friendly Italian wine bar and delicious restaurant. Fresh innovative salads, pastas and main courses. Highly recommended.“

“Food is incredible and the service is second to none. Best place in the marina.“

“Loved every second! From the Gracious hostess who welcomed us early at the bar to the lovely waitstaff ... and damn. That food! Incredible flavors and textures. Just joyous. Best Italian I've had in SF in a long while and the old school ambience... people eating lustily and having fun. No one taking food photos. Too busy eating. Perfect“

“Food was amazing! Great atmosphere and friendly attentive staff!“

“We had the pasta tasting menu. A couple of items were absolutely awesome, but overall we found it a bit off balance. Some vegetables (I'm not a chef) or something to cut through the constant starch and fat profiles would have been better. We thought the vegetarian course was in some ways better than the other one. Worth stopping in for a fancy treat any time!“

“One of the best tasting pizza I’ve tasted I highly recommend this place.“

“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!“

“Everything that we ordered did not disappoint. You can tell that everything here is very intentional. From the wallpaper, the plants, the cocktails, the napkins, the dishes…all of it connected so well. Very quirky wallpaper in the bathrooms too. The salad itself was all I really needed. And the chefs behind the chef’s counter were so focused on all the details. Whoever was in charge of the music did not disappoint either. Good job Che Fico!“

“Amazing service and food!!!!“

“Another brilliant visit to Sorrel and Alex Hong continues to reign as my current favorite Chef! 🤘🏼If you haven’t been to Sorrel, go. Total genius.“

“Excellent food and service. My friends from NYC enjoyed their dinners as well. Will definitely be back!“

“(Make a reservation)
We arrived at Capo’s around 7:20 pm on a Saturday and were told we would have to wait 40 minutes for a table.
As hungry travelers, we said thank you and as we were about to leave, the hostess finds a nook and sat us down outside. I appreciate the fact that she did us that favor.
There were no patio heaters, so if sitting outside or walking in during busy hours, expect to dine outside in the cold with no heat (during winter).

(The Staff)
It was a very busy night, but the staff did a spectacular job in checking in on us.

(The Food)
The appetizers come in a reasonably sized portion, we ordered the garlic bread with mozzarella and was given a complimentary dish of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
My partner ordered the meat lasagne and I ordered the rigatoni alla vodka with smoked pancetta. The food was really good, it’s unlike anything I have ever had.
Take in mind that the dishes do serve up to 2 people, on busy nights it make take a bit to get your food, and regular pizzas take up to 20 minutes to bake, deep dish pizzas take up to 45 minutes to bake (but they look like they are worth the time!)

(Conclusion)
I would have loved to sit inside, the vibe is really nice. If you are looking for authentic Italian food with a nice atmosphere and friendly staff, book a reservation at Capo’s.“

“Truly incredible pasta. Doppio pasta dish is one of the most delightful plates of food I've been served in 20 years in the Bay Area. Artwork on a plate. Perfectly balanced. No notes. I feel like this place is getting slept on. Go yesterday!!!“

“My husband and I enjoyed our dinner very much! He had the Paparadele and I had the beet salad and pizza. They were both delicious! We definitely will be going back!🍷“

“Excellent service and great food!“

“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!“

“We had my wife's birthday there for a group of 15. The food was great, the service outstanding (Kira was our server and the rest of the staff was friendly, helpful and welcoming) and the general vibe was on! Highly recommend!“

“Really nice fair..lovely Americana incredible surprise in the Sunset.exactly what soccer player needs for good fuel.from salads to wings to DIE FOR!!!this place is 55.or even 5.2/5..craft well and sauces..REALLY...great street vibe or in back quiet.“

“Rose's Cafe is one of the best places in SF - Cow Hollow but a quieter end of Union St , it's a favorite for locals from The neighborhood. Fantastic home made pasta dishes, fresh salads, crispy thin crust wood fired pizzas and amazing Chocollate cake - YES !!! Love the ambience and staff are perfection. Already looking forward to going again...“

“My friend and I went to brunch here avoiding the line at Lucho's and we were not disappointed. I had an eggplant sandwich which came with pickled veggies, and a side salad. My friend who trained as a chef had an omelette with a side of potatoes. The salad was generous. So were the potatoes. The sandwich was delicious and the omelette was well executed. (My chef friend said "it's good.") We sat in a booth while the place was empty on a Sunday and it was comfortable. I would definitely go back.

One recommendation: use an air fryer for the eggplant as it was a bit greasy. But it tasted great and I ate the whole thing.“

“Very nice portions and very friendly! Enjoyed the people and the food!“

“Had a luncheon @ Perbacco with my 9 coworkers and Manager to say “goodbye & farewell” to a retiring coworker and “welcome” to a new coworker. Started with a round of hors d'oeuvre’s. The thin sliced veal with a sauce and capers was delicious! The fried shrimp, veggies and olives/anchovies…also with a sauce was awesome as well. For my main, I had CRESTE DI GALLO - semolina pasta - wild mushroom ragu - spinach - ricotta salata. Our waiter was the best! I saved one of the sugar cookies from my deserts…Burnt Carmel Gelato. Mentioned it to our waiter and as we were leaving, I heard “Sir! Sir!” He brought me one of their meringue cookies to also share with my partner! I thought that was just awesome! Top notch food and customer service. We’ll be back!“

“Truly authentic Calabrese style Italian cuisine takes us back to Nonna’s kitchen“

“Great fun!!! Hosts and servers were super nice!!! Cocktails: YUM!!!“

“Delicious food and excellent service! Highly recommend!“

“Tomasso’s pizza is among the best I’ve ever had. Been coming here for 30 years.“

“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.“

“Absolutely fantastic place, really friendly staff an absolutely excellent food had a really good experience“

“We saw there was a long line and figured it must be really good? We got a slice of pizza and it did not disappoint! The pizza melted in your mouth and had so much flavor! We really enjoyed trying it!“

“The food was very good. Excellent gluten-free bread. It seemed expensive for the size of the sandwich. I was expecting something 1.5-2 times larger given the price. We ate outside in one of the sidewalk booths. It was a bit cold and breezy, not sure if you can eat inside in the wine bar or not, so might want to watch the weather.“

“Delicious. And great service!“

“excelencia en alimentos muy buena preparación. y gran servicio“

“Nice vibes, good pizzas, great meatballs. Small and focused menu, easy does it, with a few creative pizzas. Quick service, friendly floor staff. Busy but still possible to get a reservation or walk in on a Friday night. The glass of wine I got ended up not being my taste, but they have a narrow and local selection that seems decent.“

“Made reservations for brunch days ahead. Arrived a few minutes early and was seated immediately. The bathroom was nice and clean. The host was welcoming. The person who seated my party was communicative. Megan, the waitress, was very intuitive. I love how Megan inquired about dietary restrictions before the order was placed. Megan was able to highlight each section of the menu, clearly and succinctly. Tried the Prima Felicita, melon mimosa (the daily acqua fresca), TOAST FRANCESE, Bistecca E Uova, and blueberry focaccia. Everything thing was FULFILLING! love how the Toast Francese (French toast) was a hybrid of french toast and bread pudding; it had a light custard feel to it yet still flaky. The food was served at a reasonable time. Had the opportunity of speaking with the manager, Jennifer. The entire staff was very engaging and delightful. I like how the staff collaborated seamlessly with each other. Excellent first impression. The manager even gave my party a Brutti Ma Buoni to go and it was delicious. Excited to try the dinner menu next time. The ambiance was brunch approiate and fitting for an Italian restaurant. It was an enjoyable experience from start to finish. No hiccups or issues.“

“We love the crispy pizza crust the cheesy polenta & ricotta cheesecake! We appreciate that the staff is really fun and friendly as well. we love it here!!“

“I had a thicker crust pizza with pepperoni and sausage, and it was very good. I ended up paying around $8. The 1 slice alone was very filling, and they offered me a cup of ice to go with my Dr. Pepper. It was very clean and the employees were very kind and greeted me when i came in. Overall, it was good and definitely worth a visit if you're near by.“

“Amazing service and food!!!!“

“Nice appetizers , pizzas and drinks! Friendly bartender and staff! Nice place for a bite before a movie!“

“From the moment we walked in everyone was so kind and attentive. We had the beet salad: light but delicious and fresh,
Pappernelle Pasta with Oxtail was simply pneominail (melted.in my mouth), sausage pizza (very flavorful)
Worth the visit and loved chit chatting with Chantel!!“

“Went here with pizza lovers when the wait at Tony's was over an hour....

We were seated immediately. The dining room has a few smaller tables for 2 and 4 and one bigger high table.

We got 3 pizzas to share. They are 6-8 slices depending on the cut. Crust is good and thin and chewy but the toppings lacked some oomph. Not enough sauce, egg plant was a little off.... The star was the broccoli rabe.“

“The best pasta and sauces in San Francisco. Authentic Italian cuisine! Highly recommend. Father and son team are amazingly warm hosts!“

“Fresh, delicious. Some of the best brown butter & sage sauce I’ve had in a while.“