50 Best Italian Restaurants near South San Francisco

“First time coming here and I loved it. The waiters were attentive and the ambience was nice. I am looking forward to trying everything on their menu. I had the lamb this time. Everything was cooked perfectly. What a delicious and beautiful dish!“

“Went there for date night. Between the food, the service and the atmosphere, we were both made to feel special. Thank you Buon Gusto!“

“The largest sandwich I’ve ever had at a deli, love the garlic spread. Excellent sandwich!“

“We got Esposto's name from the venue where we were hosting a large funeral reception. After contacting other catering companies, I was confident about going with Esposto's. Their quote was the lowest; Kate, in the office, was so responsive and helpful for someone who has never planned a large event on short notice; and I heard good reviews of their food. Planning was easy, service on the day of the event was seamless, and the food was delicious.“

“The nachos with carne asada and a michelada! That is a perfect meal.

Vegetarian options: There are vegetarian and seafood options.

Kid-friendliness: We come with our grandkids and the staff is welcoming to us.

Wheelchair accessibility: There are no steps and the restaurant is at ground level.“

“This is the spot if you are craving munchies when your off the zaza or really hungry. After working a double shift today, I decided to give this place a shot. The lot was small but you were given the option to eat at their outdoor tables or wait in a parking space till your food is hand delivered to you. You drive up to the window and order from there after looking at the menu. I ordered a Philly cheese steak sandwich that came with bussin fries and I believe homemade avocado ranch sauce. Though the sandwich was messy but it was also filling for a meal. The fries were crispy and soft but not soggy or burnt unlike some places. The avocado ranch was great! Coming from a small spot in the area, I'd give them props for holding it the best in my books. I'd definitely come back and try other menu items. Thanks!“

“Wow , wow! You guys are amazing. From customer service to the good. We ordered the zorbas pizza, spaghetti pesto, zorbas seafood pasta and a Ceasars salad.... everything was soooooo good!! We were asked to move because a lady of 25 were attending and need the space we were at. We didn't mind moving off course, but they were so kind and decided to stick around and finish our wine with a delicious canoli and tiramasu! Omg cherry on the top. They were kind enough to compensate us with the desserts for the "inconvenience" none at all. We will definitely be returning.

Kid-friendliness: High chairs available“

“Amazing service and food!!!!“

“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“

“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.“

“(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!!!“

“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!“

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

“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!“

“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!🍷“

“Amazing service and food!!!!“

“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.“

“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!“

“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!!“

“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.“

“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!“

“It was our first time and the service was amazing. Our dinner was more than excellent, the grilled pork chops with sweet potato puree best ever tasted. Great selection in red wine and great atmosphere! Owners were there and were very welcoming and down to earth! 100% recommended“

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

“Best Gnocchi in the world!“

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

“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.“

“Consistent, delicious, and beautiful experience. My neighborhood gem! Had my best friend from Arizona up for weekend, who was looking forward to returning to what he considers one of the best restaurants in SF, as do I....we sat at the Counter which is great as you really get to see the culinary team creating the dishes. It's so easy to write so positively about Che Fico . Given the challenges facing the restaurant business in San Francisco, even the spirit of the room defies that. The staff from arrival to departure is super friendly and attentive, and reliably cares about what they are doing: the evening runs like a well oiled machine, and we were graced with our server Brian who is just great at who he is and what he does. The food is just beautiful: to look at, and to eat. We had a spectacular Cicoria Cesare, a robust take on a Caesar salad with chicories and anchovies galore, a cold carrot dish with citrus buttermilk and pistachios, and perhaps my current favorite Carne Cruda, which is a raw sirloin with aioli and black truffle and Parmesan that you stuff into delicious small rolls. Simple and spectacular...finished with delicious seasonal asparagus and a delicate gnocchi with an asparagus pesto....Eat at Che Fico now and forever, Amen!“

“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!“

“Superb 4 star in my book.“

“GREAT SERVICE! They made me feel like family! The owner Carlos is such a nice and friendly man and the bar tender Gio was the sweetest gal! Everyone was so kind! And the food!!! 🤤🤤🤤 So good!! Like…memorable! Highly recommended! The desserts were just as good! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Fantastic red sauce, great eggplant parmesan special, good selection of wines at reasonable prices. A great addition to the neighborhood.“

“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. ❤️❤️❤️“

“My wife and I went here for a Italian supper and wow was it good! Only good things to say about this place, and the best service we have had In years. We were very impressed!“

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

“Great food and great service“

“A really wonderful, romantic oasis in downtown Burlingame. All the food we ordered here was delicious. The Italian sausage lasagna was my highlight. The pomegranate and arugula salad was also wonderful. The Bolognese lasagna was solid but not as standout. The complimentary focaccia bread at the beginning was just so-so.

The staff and service are extraordinarily welcoming and friendly. I'd highly recommend a visit!“

“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!“

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

“This is one of my favorite restaurants on Clement street. The food is so good and they have lots of options to take home with you, and the actual environment is super pretty. The menu is fairly small, but it definitely makes it easier to choose what you want, I still have a hard time deciding between the few pasta dishes available. It's also really cool that they don't have tipping, so you pay what you see on the menu.“

“great service from the staff , good food , good ambience“

“Serafina is an excellent neighborhood restaurant with a focused, yet varied menu offering both classic Italian dishes as well as imaginative riffs which keeps the food interesting and guests coming back. The kitchen's execution is consistent and sharp with all dishes that we had very enjoyable. The host / owners take considerable pride in their restaurant and that shows in their hospitality as they make you feel welcomed. The restaurant has an inviting / cozy atmosphere, but is small, so has limited seating. It attracts a mix of neighborhood regulars as well as out-of-town visitors because they deliver a delicious meal in a friendly setting at a substantial value.“

“Cocktails and Wagyu - soooo good!“

“Excellent food every time we have been… will be back. Everything is great on their menu. 🥰 Tonight we had guest from Montreal, celebrated Mother’s Day and our 23rd Wedding Anniversary! We couldn’t be happier to eat at Vespucci. Manuela and Francesco feel like my southern Italian family. Warm, welcoming, good food and wine and genuine conversation. Love them.“

“Amazing food!!! Fantastic find in the heart of the city!!! Can’t wait to return!!“