50 Best Italian Restaurants in San Francisco

“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!“

“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.“

“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!“

“It's been a classic in SF for so long for a reason. This is a must visit. Book early or you will not get in. If you fail to get in look up their sister restaurant penny roma, also incredible. The best deal here is the tasting menu. You 100% get your money's worth and get to try several off menu items. I live a 2+ hour flight away and I'll always try to get a table when I visit.“

“We were sat up the stairs in the corner, we loved it. It felt like a private corner to enjoy our really good food. We got the Cesar salad, bread, and chicken for 2. Everything was delicious. The chicken for 2 takes at least an hour so plan accordingly. We paid $142 total and that includes a mandatory 25% additional charge to your bill. So take that into consideration for your budget. Overall the servers, food, and atmosphere were all fantastic.“

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

“Excellent service and great food!“

“Such an amazing restaurant! This is how restaurants were before instagram. You come here for the delicious food and friendly service, then you come again. The octopus was a standout dish, served in olive oil where you can dip your bread. The menu is Italian focused on seafood, very authentic.“

“Amazing service and food!!!!“

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

“Great food!! Service was fantastic. Consistently good!“

“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!“

“Simple, Delicious and Friendly!
Stopped by Golden Boy Pizza and tried their Veggie Pizza in a small size — and it absolutely hit the spot! Tasty, fresh, and just the right amount of satisfying.
What made the experience even better was the staff courteous, helpful, and genuinely great at walking you through the options and recommendations. A small touch that goes a long way!
Definitely worth a stop if you're in the area. 🍕“

“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.“

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

“Great food with awesome service! Definitely a San Francisco go to restaurant.“

“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.“

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

“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. ❤️❤️❤️“

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

“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 food is absolutely stunning. Everything is fresh and the flavors mix amazingly“

“Great team of real Pros! Husband Chef, Wife Wine Steward & Saul, my friend, Front of House…Outstanding!“

“We had a superb dinner at Rose's Cafe last night. All of the dishes we ordered were delicious, and the whole staff was extraordinary. Everyone, especially our server, Layla, made us feel welcome, comfortable and unrushed even though we arrived only twenty minutes before the kitchen closed (not on purpose, we were delayed arriving into SF). This lovely neighborhood eatery will be our go-to restaurant from now on while visiting our kids in SF. I enthusiastically recommend it !!“

“Always a hit! You are welcomed like family!“

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

“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!🍷“

“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.“

“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!“

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

“Great food 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.“

“My family gave them a try a coue weeks ago and this restaurant exceeded our expectations in every way. Friendly service, relaxed atmosphere, delicious food. Highly recommend 👌 👍 I have eaten in restaurants and homes from Milan to Catania and this place is on par with the best food I've had in Italy. We'll be back!!“

“I ventured out here several times, as a recommendation from a friend, and it was so good! Their Cacio e Pepe with added grilled chicken— SUPER.“

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

“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!“

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

“Positives were the little gem salad and really very delicious porcini ravioli. Margherita pizza was pretty good, maybe needed more cheese and sauce. Orecchiette pasta was very good, but needed maybe some more seasoning and sauce. Our server Kelsey B was excellent. Lovely ambiance and great value. For a small neighborhood restaurant, this place was really a nice dinner! Wish they had real cocktails, but just wine beer and low ABV, which I understand is the case sometimes!“

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

“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.“

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

“I'll start off with a shout out to the super friendly and helpful staff and how they manage fitting in parties of all sizes in the small dining room.

I loved the pasta. The spaghetti and meatballs were cooked perfectly and really showed off the fresh pasta, delicious meatballs and elevated sauce. I also recommend the corn ravioli as a well balanced and flavorful dish, and the grapefruit olive oil pana cotta. The lasagna was solid, expect many layers of pasta but not as much meat and not a must have for us.

Next time i think we could pass on the side dishes and sadly the garlic bread was not particularly amazing.

it's the pasta supply company, go for the pasta (and the dessert!). These dishes are perfect for sharing.“

“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“

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

“Delicious food, great drinks and amazing service.“