SPQR

1911 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 771-7779
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Situated amongst the clusters of chic boutiques that dot this busy stretch of Fillmore Street in Pacific Heights, one could easily make the mistake of walking past this charming Italian restaurant with its unassuming black exterior and matching black awning. The name SPQR, which is an acronym for Senatus Populesque Romanus, and translates to “The People and Senate of Rome”, should explain its menu of rustic Italian dishes and great selection of Italian wines.

|Chef Matthew Accarrino| and his team have been hard at work, creating a diverse menu of dishes that change seasonally to showcase the best local ingredients. Much time and care goes into every dish, preparing everything including their pastas from scratch. Read more »

Submarine Center

820 Ulloa Street
San Francisco, CA 94127
(415) 564-1455
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Long before sandwich chains drew national acclaim for adding toasted sandwiches to their menus, Submarine Center has been serving them quietly here for over 25 years. This West Portal district staple has gained a loyal following from locals and jealous out of towners alike for their freshly toasted sandwiches.

Eating at one of the wood tables inside, it’s cool to see the various autographed San Francisco 49′ers memorabilia that adorns the wall; telling an interesting story of the affinity this sandwich shop shares with its fans on the team. Favorites include the BBQ Beef, Italian, and Pastrami sandwiches served with all the fixins. Read more »

Delarosa

2175 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 673-7100
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From the owners of Beretta comes Delarosa, a modern Italian restaurant that’s conveniently located on Chestnut Street in the Marina district. Though the signage looks more at home on a stainless steel Italian espresso machine, the interior is warm and inviting, with its share of high top communal tables encouraging conversation amongst diners.

Chef Ruggero Gadaldi’s menu features a mix of antipasti, salads, pastas, and Roman style pizzas, all complimented by a large selection of draft beers, wines and cocktails. Read more »

Farina

3560 18th Street
San Francisco, CA, 94110
(415) 565-0360
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One of my favorite restaurants in the Mission for its sleek and modern design, Farina’s ambiance is so inviting it just exudes cool. The curved curtain of glass that wraps around the frontage is beautiful yet functional, able to slide fully open to allow the breeze to circulate through. Skylights help keep the space bright with natural light, while the comfortable designer furniture helps to define the setting. Read more »

Perbacco

230 California St
San Francisco, CA 94111
(415) 955-0663
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Italian for “by jove”, “wow”, or just sheer astonishment, Perbacco strives to pleasantly surprise the senses with their take on regional Italian cuisine from Piedmont and Liguria. Read more »

Joey & Eddie’s

1652 Stockton Street
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 989-7800
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On a warmer than usual evening in North Beach, a group of hungry friends happened upon a blue neon glow coming from Washington Square Park. The iconic Moose’s sign that used to shine brightly here has since been removed, being replaced by the names Joey & Eddie a couple years ago. Such changes, while unexpected, seem to reflect the neighborhood better with its family-style menu of Italian favorites like Spaghetti and meatballs, chicken parmesan, and seafood linguine. Read more »

Subs Inc.

1300 Castro Street
San Francisco, CA 94114
(415) 648-4256
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Located on the corner of 24th and Castro in the Noe Valley district, Subs Inc. combines choice deli cuts, freshly baked bread, tomatoes, crisp iceberg lettuce and onions, all to create a satisfyingly delicious sandwich.

A good sandwich always starts with the bread, and Subs Inc. has some amazing Dutch crunch. Try it with their roasted turkey and cranberry sauce or their hot pastrami. The meatball sub is also delicious, perfect on a sweet roll. For dessert, there’s plenty of ice cream to sample. Read more »

Pizzeria Delfina

2406 California Street
San Francisco, CA 94115
(415) 440-1189
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It’s not often I recall actually dreaming about something I ate, but Pizzeria Delfina’s Margherita Pizza did exactly that. Sometimes it’s the simplest of ingredients that can make a lasting impression; mine came from the perfect combination of tomato sauce, fior di latte mozzarella, fresh basil and a thin Neapolitan pizza crust.

Inspired by eateries in Napoli, Pizzeria Delfina’s open kitchen and dining room is well lit, simple, functional, and modern. Read more »

Mocca

175 Maiden Lane
San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 956-1188
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For those crisp and sunny autumn days spent shopping in Union Square, an outdoor lunch on Maiden Lane is the prefect break from the frenzy of holiday shopping. Dining here amongst the boutiques and art galleries feels like areas of SoHo, while the live jazz helps to muffle the harsh noises of the city. Read more »

Lucca Delicatessen

2120 Chestnut Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
(415) 921-7873
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Owned and operated by the Bosco family since opening in 1929, Lucca Delicatessen has been a Marina staple, satisfying local cravings for gourmet Italian sandwiches, premium deli meats, homemade pastas, and focaccia for generations. Lucca roasts and ages many of their own meats; their homemade ravioli, gnocchi, tortellini, and bread sticks are all worth sampling. Read more »