50 Best Italian Restaurants near El Cerrito

“My husband and I were recently recommended to try Dolly’s restaurant and we’re so glad we did. From the moment we walked in, the whole experience felt relaxed and welcoming. The hosts and owners were incredibly warm and friendly.

The food was delicious. We loved the cheese wheel pasta, the bread and tomato salad, and they also had a really good wine selection. As a small business owner myself, I always appreciate supporting local family-owned spots that truly care about good food and good service. Dolly’s is definitely one of those places. We’ll absolutely be back.“

“One of my favorite local spots. Tonight had the seafood ravioli with shrimp…delicious! Our server was Dolly! She made me a good Manhattan and gave me sweet dessert for my birthday. Thanks Dolly for the wonderful service.“

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

“Amazing service and food!!!!“

“Food and drinks were amazing. We had oysters, calamari, Caesar salad, lobster lasagna and hanger steak. For dessert we had the sorbet and tiramisu. The star of the show: the staff but specifically our server Maggie was also sooo amazing. We were celebrating a birthday and a farewell dinner and she made sure we had the best time! As a F&B manager, I love a good dining experience and this was it!“

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

“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!“

“Iconic SF chicken spot surprised us with other tasty treats. Don't sleep on the flourless chocolate cake, chilled shrimp, or fritto!

Food: 5. Service: 5 Atmosphere: 5
Cost to worth it rating: 3
Opentableable: yes
Return worthiness: yes

Highlight:
- Charley: most amazing waiter. Friendly and so on top of it. Anticipated what we needed and paid attention to details. Realized an app I mentioned was lost in a service handoff on his own and said he'd make it happen.
- Flourless chocolate cake: fluffiest version I've had with just the right amount of subtle sweetness. 5 stars
- White shrimp: fantastic chilled starter can order by the piece. 5 stars
- Fritto: lightly fried crispy calamari, broccolini, and the surprise star; eggplant. 5 stars
- Anchovies: not too salty or briny and my friend enjoyed them. 5 stars
- Chicken: well cooked and appreciated the brine: 4.5 stars
- Roasted tomatoes and peppers: as sides for the steak were almost Chez Panisse worthy wonderful. 4.5 stars
- Acme bread and butter: solid and appreciate no bread plates to encourage using the paper on the table. 4 stars
- Bavette steak: cooked nicely with flakey salt on top. 4 stars
- Squash and bresaola: unique dish and appreciated the almonds for texture. 4 stars
- Pavlova: unique with fennel and raspberries. Great texture not too crunchy and not too soft. 4 stars
- Atmosphere: simple yet comfortable with several hidden dining rooms upstairs in addition to the downstairs area
- Wine: short list but enjoyed what we had: extra brut, gamey, unique white varietal, and white label house pinot.

Midlights:
- If Barting not the most fun 10 minute walk down market, but could muni closer.

Lowlights:
- Chicken did stay true to its long wait of over an hour which is quite a while. Like that it's done fresh but with most people ordering them you'd think maybe they could have them ready and have a steady stream of fresh ones.
- I've lived in the area all my life and have been meaning to visit but have never been here--been missing out“

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

“Excellent service and great food!“

“Amazing service and food!!!!“

“Short wait on a Friday night for 7 of us. Really small place but the wait staff and owner very friendly and everyone was very happy with their meal. If I lived here I would go back.“

“My daughter took me and the hubby here for our Thanksgiving celebration since she couldn't come home (Sac) for actual Thanksgiving, we went to her. This was a night I won't soon forget! Having a nice meal with our daughter was a treat, the service was amazing and the food....OMG! Every bite of every dish I tasted was so so delicious! I can't get the butternut soup out of my head it was THAT good! We all ordered different food & shared bites with one another. This night was so enjoyable! Thank you, Sis & Thank you Mama Oakland!“

“Very solid and unassuming Italian restaurants! The rigatoni with pink sauce reminds me of the pasta from Aquarello, which holds two Michelin stars, but is much more balanced in flavor. Their polpo is super tender, and I have to say that their panne cotta is probably the best one I’ve ever had! Perfect balance in sweetness and texture. Will definitely come back!“

“Great atmosphere and delicious food! Outdoor dining, too!“

“When paying for the food, I had to choose or enter a tip amount. Since it was a takeout order, I didn't really have to leave anything. But I decided to give a 10% tip ($3.05) just to say, 'Please take good care of my order' haha. And wow, it totally paid off!“

“This is a classic Italian restaurant with a lively atmosphere and excellent service. The portions are generous and the food is delicious. We ordered the classic pepperoni pizza, the classic cheese and bacon pizza, as well as the lasagna and carbonara. The pizzas were cooked to perfection, with a crispy and delicious crust. The pasta was cheesy and filling.“

“The Food that i ordered was fantastic specially the seafood pasta in tomato sauce , rich in taste, large serving.

The staff are friendly and very accomodating.
Ambiance was pleasant. I do recommend this place, i enjoyed my visit.“

“Great atmosphere, very friendly servers and of course Delicious Italian pizza😋“

“Very tasteful and delicious real Italian food. I definitely recommend the gnocchi al Gorgonzola and spaghetti alle vongole. They also have a traditional home made Roman style pizza, which is marvellous. The service is also great. Reservation is recommended.“

“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“

“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’re visiting from out of town, and I came here with a friend who drove in from San Jose to spend the day with. We went on a Saturday for brunch, and we got the breakfast pizza to share with a side of bacon and roasted potatoes. The pizza and bacon were delicious, but the potatoes I would pass. I think they were over cooked and bland.

Also got a cafe au lait, and it was served in bowl! Super cute.“

“The lamb chops were phenomenal!“

“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!“

“(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.“

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

“Perfect Italian authentic restaurant when enjoying North Beach neighborhood for 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.“

“Honestly one of the best pizza crusts I've ever had. I had the focaccia spring special pizza - with squash blossoms and burrata. The Pear Basil Gimlet is one of the best mocktails I've ever had. The brussels are dark brown and crispy and melty. Plus - LOTS of gluten free options!

I rarely have a meal where every single part of it is delicious. This place is a treat, I'd highly recommend it.“

“Hands down the best meal we’ve had in San Francisco in many years. Everything was just perfection, true Italian food and hospitality at its very best. The place was packed and they had a huge birthday party of 20+ to deal with, but the manager and servers were so nice, so efficient and so welcoming. And the food! OMG delicious doesn’t even begin to describe it. We had the salmon carpaccio to start and it was so fresh and tasty. Don’t skip the amazing house made bread for sopping up all the different sauces you’ll have with every course! We got a 1/2 portion of that night’s house special pasta - something similar to rigatoni, with lots of sausage in a rich brown sauce, this was our favorite part of the meal. All pastas are house made and cooked to perfection. For our main courses we had the misto mixed seafood, with seared tuna, calamari, and shrimp. All fresh and delicious. And I had Petto Di Pollo, organic sliced chicken in a decadent butter-lemon sauce. Unbelievable. Even the sides on these two dishes - crispy rosemary potatoes and fresh organic vegetables - were so fresh and beautifully cooked, everything coming out of the kitchen is perfect. Save room for the tiramisu, it’s the most popular dessert for a reason. Also a wonderful and reasonably priced wine list.

The noise level was pretty high, mainly because of the birthday party I think, but the atmosphere is festive and fun. And it’s a great neighborhood location that clearly brings in a lot of regulars (no tourists that we could spot.) Reservations highly recommended, the place is intimate and every table was completely full by 6pm on a Saturday night. Walk-in’s weren’t turned away but had a lengthy wait out on the sidewalk. Serafina is officially at the top of our favorite restaurant list in SF. We will be back soon!“

“The best Italian I’ve ever had. Great service great drinks as well.“

“I loved that the menu happened to be all vegetarian when we went. The fact that they have a seasonal rotating menu will also definitely keep us coming back. The mushroom bolognese sauce was so rich and filled with umami. I didn’t take a picture of the saffron poached pears as I took it home to eat but I really enjoyed it - the flavors were very reminiscent of the Indian dessert Srikhand. There’s limited seating so it felt a little loud and crowded inside but I did enjoy the open kitchen concept.“

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

“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!“

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

“Exceptionally helpful & friendly staff cooking superb food in a very chill environment. A must visit in the city.“

“During our visit to SF we were looking for food close to homemade. This was the place! Char-broiled chicken was very good, fresh made fried potatoes were absolutely delicious, not a regular “french fries”.
Service was excellent. Highly recommend the restaurant for casual and delicious food.“

“This place was one of the best highlights of our trip!! Real Italian food. The owners were real gentlemen. The way that they worked that restaurant was amazing. I was amazed by their food and service, both authentic. My friend and I had the best time. We would go again and again!“

“Awesome food and outstanding service“

“While visiting San Francisco for work, I had the pleasure of dining at Cafe Tiramisu, and it quickly became a highlight of my trip! From the moment I walked in, the staff was incredibly welcoming – Giuseppe and Christian went above and beyond to make me feel right at home. Christian, my server, recommended the lobster escargot, and I have to say, it’s one of the best dishes I’ve ever had! The Spaghetti Nero with house-made pasta and local seafood was equally outstanding. This family-owned restaurant prides itself on creating as much as possible in-house, and it truly shows in the quality and freshness of the food. As the name would suggest, the tiramisu was also top notch. The ambiance is warm and inviting, with both cozy indoor and charming outdoor seating. Whether you're looking for an intimate meal or a great spot to relax after a long day, Cafe Tiramisu is a must-visit. You won’t be disappointed! I will absolutely return anytime I’m in San Francisco.“

“Exceptional food, memorable staff, with warm music“

“Beautiful ambiance, attentive service, delicious food and drinks, and VERY memorable tiramisu. An all around excellent choice when dining out for a special occasion! Would highly recommend.“

“Great Service and food. The waiter was amazing and recommended great wine and food“

“Beautiful locale, cozy and delicious food.“

“Great food. Great experience“

“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.“

“I once ate here with my family .“

“I recently dined at Da Flora and had a truly wonderful experience. The restaurant offers an intimate and charming atmosphere that makes every meal feel special. From the moment I arrived, the staff was warm, attentive, and dedicated to providing exceptional hospitality, creating a welcoming environment throughout the evening.

The food was outstanding, featuring fresh ingredients, authentic flavors, and beautiful presentation. Every dish was thoughtfully prepared with great attention to detail, showcasing the quality and care that go into the menu. I also appreciated the variety of options available, including accommodations for different dietary preferences.

The restaurant was impeccably maintained, comfortable, and full of character, making it an ideal place for a relaxed dinner or a special occasion. Combined with the excellent service and memorable cuisine, the overall experience exceeded expectations. I would gladly return and highly recommend Da Flora to anyone looking for outstanding food, warm hospitality, and an unforgettable dining experience.“

“Delicious food and excellent service! Highly recommend!“

“When I can’t sleep, I remember the time I had dinner here and I miss the taste of this place.“