21661 Tue Oct 15 13:19:56 -0700 2002 10 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 78721 I'm new to the city from NY and I'm looking for a store that has oils, vinegars, cheese, sausage, pasta, meats, etc....Does this exist here? I looked in North Beach and couln't find anything. Maybe I'm not looking in the right place. I would appreciate any help. Tue Oct 15 13:19:56 -0700 2002 0 susiec 1 78723 You didn't look hard enough! Molinari delicatessen at Columbus & Vallejo fits your description to a "T". Their dry salami is so good they export it to Italy, and don't forget to try their tortellini and ravioli. Tue Oct 15 13:32:18 -0700 2002 78721 0 Gary Soup 2 78724 Yes, that place is loaded with Italian goodies for sure. Don't forget their sandwiches which is excellent ! I tried their tortellini and they're quite good - don't know in comparison with other places. You have to take a number and wait your turn at that place or you will be standing around forever. Tue Oct 15 13:41:45 -0700 2002 78723 0 Han Lukito 3 78726 Yes, Molinari is the best. However, DO NOT buy their dried pasta. I've found bugs in mine every single time I've purchased a box there. Too bad too because they have great shapes that you can't find elsewhere. Tue Oct 15 13:57:46 -0700 2002 78724 0 jane 3 78831 I love Molinari...this place is your best bet...as a gal if you go in and speak a few words of Italian and flirt with them (in Italiano!) you will be gifted with assagi (tastes)--it's like being in Italy. Their proscuitto is divine; pretty good selection of Italian wines at a good price too. There's also a small place on Columbus as you walk toward the water from Molanari's on the same side of the street that has a few little Italian treats--candies, jams, oils. VERY friendly people. It's right near L'Osteria (stop in for lunch and have the Napoletana!) Wed Oct 16 17:32:03 -0700 2002 78724 0 ciaogina "Jeanne B." 1 78732 Try Lucca's, on Valencia and 22nd. Good cheese, meats, fresh pasta, and dry goods. It's where I buy tonno, San Marzano tomatoes, buffalo mozzarella, and biscotti. I'd buy their sausage, too. Reasonable prices. They're more a traditional market than a yuppie store. Parking in their own lot off Valencia! But they're only open 9-6 Mo-Sa. Tue Oct 15 14:21:29 -0700 2002 78721 0 david kaplan 2 78749 Great recommendation. It is a great shop and they carry many of the same products as A.G. Ferrari's for half the price. I prefer it to Molinari's since they have a larger selection of food products overalln and no stale products (Molinari's has problems with dried goods). The people who work there also know how to slice salumi. Their prosciutto di parma is consistently very fresh and sliced perfectly. (They also sell Molinari salumi such as their sopressata and toscano.) I would also add to your list: farro, carnaroli risotto, capers packed in salt, anchovies packed in salt, ricotta made from buffalo milk, excellent quality parmigiano regiano and various pecorinos, imported mortadella (one of the few places that sells the imported one) and WINE. They have a good selection of inexpensive and moderatly priced Italian wines that are not common in other stores, e.g. Librandi Ciro, Bosco Montepulciano d'Abruzzo riserva, Cumero Rosso Cornero Riserva, etc. If they would sell higher end olive oil (for use in salads) and balsamic vinegars, I would never need to set foot at A.G. Ferrari's...then again the hazelnut-chocolate spread that Ferrari's imports from Piemonte is so much better than nutella that it is worth a trip once in a while to Ferrari's as well. Tue Oct 15 15:39:57 -0700 2002 78732 0 vlibin 3 78788 I was also going to recommend Lucca's. The quality is excellent, the prices are cheaper than North Beach deli's prices, they have a great selection of all sorts of Italian products, and the guys who serve you are professional and very nice. And the free parking in the lot next door (just south on Valencia) puts them over the top! Wed Oct 16 12:14:22 -0700 2002 78749 0 Nancy Berry 1 78751 Also, there are various A.G. Ferrari locations throughout the Bay Area. In San Francisco, there is a location on California Street in Laurel Village. They carry high quality imported goods from Italy. Tue Oct 15 15:46:06 -0700 2002 78721 0 anna r 1 78776 If you are interested in focaccia, be sure to check out the Liguria Bakery on the northeast corner of Washington Square (Stockton & Filbert, I think). The best focaccia in the Bay Area, maybe the whole West Coast. It comes in 4 or 5 "flavors"- plain, onion, tomato, raisin & garlic. Be sure to get there by 12noon, because they usually sell out of what they bake every day by mid-afternoon. You should also check out the Lucca Deli (2120 Chestnut Street) if you ever find yourself in Marina District. Tue Oct 15 22:59:59 -0700 2002 78721 0 DavidT 2 78778 I'll second that, enthusiastically! I've been eating the stuff for 35 or 40 years. Focaccia is ALL they make, and they "export" it to delis all over the city. If you are stuck for what to bring to a picnic or a housewarming or whatever, buzz by and pick up some. It's guaranteed to be a hit. Wed Oct 16 01:10:12 -0700 2002 78776 0 Gary Soup