The best Italian pizzerias and restaurants San Francisco & Bay Area

Tony Gemignani is a thirteen-time world pizza champion! As a result, you'll often have to wait almost half an hour to sample the wonders of this San Franciscan pizzaiolo. Let the hostess know that you'd like to eat at the bar, so the wait is shorter. Or take a slice of pizza to go at the dedicated counter on the street. The pizzas are delicious, and seem to come straight from Naples, both in inspiration and in the products used. Tony has also mastered the art of pastas and tiramisu.

A funny name for a café! Originally, this cigar store served just one type of sandwich. Demand was so great that the number and types multiplied. Nowadays, hot sandwiches are the most popular. The meatball sandwich is very famous here, to be enjoyed with a good glass of California red wine. We like the character of this place, which is a welcome change from standard addresses. The music also contributes to the warm atmosphere.

This lively little Italian restaurant, popular with locals, serves traditional dishes that are far better than most of North Beach's more touristy establishments. You can feel the love in the pots and the character in the food! It's a great atmosphere, with authentic decor and a family team who take great care of their customers. Try the chef's specialty, Polpettine Spaghetti, spaghetti with meatballs and flavors that border on perfection. A fine selection of wines from the Botte region are available to accompany your dish.

One of the cheapest restaurants in Tiburon. Soups, salads, pastas and pizzas... Here you can try the Thai style pizza or the shrimp and pesto pizza. Beware, there is also the much disputed Hawaiian pineapple pizza, the source of endless debate within the pizza community. You can also create your own pizza. Regular movie screenings are held here, sometimes even in 3D. But you can also take your order and enjoy it on a bench facing the ocean.

Romantrattoria in the colors of La Botte, with a warm atmosphere. Chef Maurizio Bruschi serves a small but tasty selection of recipes taught by his grandmother. Everything here is homemade, from the bread to the fresh pasta, and it's all very well. Special mention goes to the octopus and, in a completely different genre, the tiramisus. There's also a good selection of Italian and Californian wines, mainly from the nearby Sonoma Valley. One of the best Italian restaurants in San Francisco, you can go there with your eyes closed.

Fior d'Italia was rebuilt in the Hotel San Remo after a devastating fire. A very old-school establishment established in 1886, it is, according to its owners, "the oldest Italian restaurant in America"! The menu, a traditional Italian version focusing on northern Italian specialties, offers a wide variety of antipasti, pasta, meat and fish dishes, served with great pomp and circumstance. The stars of the menu are the perfectly seasoned osso bucco, lasagne and clam pasta. The bill, however, is steep.

For a successful dinner with a changing menu, tinged with French and Italian influences. An address with the appearance of a Mediterranean bistro, much appreciated by the locals. The cable car that passes by at regular intervals adds a romantic note to this neighborhood restaurant. The cheese platter is served with fruit pastes and the desserts are delicious, like the warm black chocolate pudding with hazelnut ice cream, caramel and chocolate sauce. By the way, all these desserts and ice creams are home made. And the wine list is just as good.

An institution of the Fisherman's Wharf district with its Italian colors. You can eat on the terrace near the wharf under the umbrellas or in a large room. It is crowded, but the service is efficient and attentive. The menu features fish from the nearby bays. The speciality of the house: the Cioppino which marries with talent tomatoes, fennel seeds, clams, fish, shrimps, crab... But the pizzas are delicious too. This family business has been in existence for over 20 years and has built a solid reputation.

Flour + Water is an excellent restaurant with minimal but warm decor, offering an Italian-inspired menu with a distinct Northern California influence. Since opening in 2009, chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow have made a name for themselves, opening several locations in San Francisco, including a pizzeria in North Beach. On the menu: revisited specialties such as grilled cod, duck ravioli, rum baba... All washed down with Italian wines, of course. You're in for a treat!

The Pescatore Trattoria at Hotel Zoe, a terrace café on Fisherman's Wharf, is very good. We recommend it for the house specialty, Italian-Californian cioppino, a soup of crabs, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fish, then tossed with fresh tomatoes in a white wine sauce. But you can also opt for fried calamari with shrimp ravioli, chicken fettuccine or spaghetti bolognese. For dessert, tiramisu also works wonders.