Italian in Mission District?
We will be in SF on Wednesday and will be going out to dinner for my husbands birthday. One of our daughters lives in the Mission Dist so we can narrow our search to this area, though we are willing to drive. We are thinking Italian, so that we all can be happy. We'd like something mid-range and with a fun, festive vibe Any recommendations?.
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We loved it. We came here as a family of 4 for my husbands birthday. We were able to get a 5:30 reservation, 2 days out. We arrived at 5:00 and waited on the benches outside and people watched and visited. We were the first to be seated and the restaurant filled up quickly. We happened to have a bottle of wine that was given to my husband earlier in the day, so that worked out great. Corkage is $18. The atmosphere was just what I was looking for a special occasion and I love the music they play, at a perfect volume. I had the roast chicken with mushrooms and mashed potatoes - very delish! My husband and daughter thought likewise of the brisket. My youngest daughter enjoyed the pasta with wild boar ragu. We also shared, the best brussel sprouts we'd ever had. I guess the secret ingredient was pork fat..no wonder they were so good. The only thing I wasn't impressed by was the spaghetti, but my daughter liked it and ate it all. I thought it was nothing special, but many people rave about it here. We had the grilled calamari with warm bean salad, also good. For dessert, oh my, we had the panna cotta and the warm, filled, donuts, I don't remember what they were called, but were a wonderful way to finish a memorable meal. Service was perfect. Friendly, but professional. Not a hint of snobbery (pet peeve of mine). Yes, it was pricey, but it was a special occasion for us, and we felt it was worth it.
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re: anniediaz
Melanie Wong
Dec 24, 2011 11:59 AM
Thanks for the details on Delfina. The grilled calamari and bean salad is a long time favorite, glad you ordered it.
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Delfina Restaurant
3621 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110 -
re: anniediaz
mariacarmen
Dec 24, 2011 12:15 PM
"the secret ingredient was pork fat" ....ain't it so often the truth?
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Thank you for the recommendations! Delfina was the perfect choice! We had such a great dinner, and the atmosphere was just what I was looking for. We were able to walk from my daughter's apartment, ducking into interesting little shops along the way to the restaurant. I wrote a positive review on Yelp today.
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re: anniediaz
Melanie Wong
Dec 22, 2011 05:50 PM
Glad you enjoyed it. But please do share your review on this board to show your appreciation for the 'hounds who steered you in the right direction. No one in this thread will go over to Yelp to find it. A simple cut and paste as a post to this thread would be fine.
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Delfina Restaurant
3621 18th St, San Francisco, CA 94110 -
re: anniediaz
mariacarmen
Dec 23, 2011 01:52 AM
glad you had a good time! and enjoyed their food i can't think that you would have been disappointed with your parameters and with your choice. have fun with the rest of you time with your daughter!
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Robert Lauriston
Dec 19, 2011 09:20 AM
In the Mission, Delfina or Bar Bambino. Notch down in price, Pauline's Wine Bar, La Traviata, or Specchio. In nearby Noe Valley, Incanto and La Ciccia are better than anyplace in the Mission proper.
Flour + Water and Beretta are more like bars with food, they can be noisy and crowded.
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re: Robert Lauriston
mariacarmen
Dec 19, 2011 09:29 AM
I forgot Bar Bambino! La Traviata, i would say, is not at all festive, however.... very quiet, dark, old school....
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wolfe
Dec 18, 2011 05:43 PM
Check out Flour + Water, Delafina, Beretta, Pizza Delafina, Incanto and a little farther La Ciccia.
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re: wolfe
mariacarmen
Dec 18, 2011 06:51 PM
(psst... Wolfe ... Delfina, not Delafina.)
You're going to have a hard time getting into Flour + Water at this late date. I'd second Delfina and Delfina Pizzeria - both of which are festive (and, for me, both better than F+W). I love La Ciccia but i wouldn't call it festive - more intimate, cozy, warm.... a little further away, but only 1 Bart stop away and a minute walk from the Glen Park station is Gialina - quite festive, great pizza too. May be easier to get into than all the others, tho i'm not sure they take reservations.
Beretta is festive in the sense that it's extremely loud and full of young hipsters - but it's definitely upbeat. their pizza is the worst of the lot mentioned, i believe.... but they have other good dishes.
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