Best Italian in North Beach?

[Malik]

So did we reach any kind of consensus on this thread?  I need a place in North Beach for dinner this weekend that is moderately priced and has good pasta (my dining compaion is a vegetarian  ).  L'Osteria del Forno sounds good but waiting in line outside could be inconvenient if the weather is bad.  What would be the second choice?  Steps of Rome?  Da Flora?  Bacco?

Honestly, any of the ones you listed will probably be fine.

Note that Bacco is in Noe Valley, and as such is nowhere near North Beach. Of the places mentioned, Steps of Rome is the only one I've been to. Not bad, but not worth a trip either. I've had better luck with places outside North Beach, but that's a different thread...

[home cooking]

How about this place?

It is suppose to be 5 star.

Ristorante Firenze By Night

1429 Stockton Street

San Francisco, CA

[annachan]

I guess I could be in the minority, but I can't stand Rose Pistola. We went there quite a few years ago and it was so bad that we went somewhere else for dessert! Service was less than friendly and even less competent. The food was way worse than the service.

Anyway, I do really enjoy L'Osteria del Forno. Another favorite of mine is Panta Rei. Great pasta and calzone at very reasnable prices.

[jende]

I guess I could be in the minority, but I can't stand Rose Pistola. We went there quite a few years ago and it was so bad that we went somewhere else for dessert! Service was less than friendly and even less competent. The food was way worse than the service.

Anyway, I do really enjoy L'Osteria del Forno. Another favorite of mine is Panta Rei. Great pasta and calzone at very reasnable prices.

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Anyone been to Rose Pistola lately? I'm thinking of putting it on my list for an upcoming trip.

[melkor]

I can't recall the last time I heard anything good about Rose Pistola. I'd go to Incanto, Quince, A16, or Delfina.

[eje]

I can't recall the last time I heard anything good about Rose Pistola.  I'd go to Incanto, Quince, A16, or Delfina.

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Actually, Carolyn gave them a good notice in a recent writeup in her "Discovering San Francisco" thread:

Oct 16 2006

But, likewise, I haven't been there for years, and would probably go to any of the restaurants melkor lists, L'Osteria del Forno or Antica Trattoria, (on my list to try, haven't been there, yet,) before returning to Rose Pistola.

[Franci]

I used to live in North Beach, now 5 years have past since I left. Being Italian I can say that the Italian food there is pretty mediocre. The only place I had some decent food, at least pizza, is at Maurizio's place: Ideale. On Grant at the cross with Vallejo.

But I don't have any clue now, very far away from Italian standards anyway.

[ludja]

I can't recall the last time I heard anything good about Rose Pistola.  I'd go to Incanto, Quince, A16, or Delfina.

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Actually, Carolyn gave them a good notice in a recent writeup in her "Discovering San Francisco" thread:

Oct 16 2006

But, likewise, I haven't been there for years, and would probably go to any of the restaurants melkor lists, L'Osteria del Forno or Antica Trattoria, (on my list to try, haven't been there, yet,) before returning to Rose Pistola.

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A close friend had a business dinner recently at Rose Pistola and felt it was quite good. I haven't been to Rose Pistola in awhile. My friend and I have both been to Quince, A16 and Delfina multiple times. If I was looking for Italian anywhere in the city I would likely go to one of the aforementioned places first, but based on my memories and my friend's latest report, I'd go to Rose Pistola if I was in North Beach and wanted Italian food. Their menu is not as "artisanal" as the other places but I the menu is still well chosen to my tastes with plenty of emphasis on seafood and Ligurian specialties.

One nice touch, two of us went to meet our friend at Pistola while he was still finishing he dinner. We hung out at the bar and were deciding which wines to order off their pretty extensive wine list of Italian wines by the glass. The bartender offered us a tasting of the two wines we were considering. The space still looks nice--generously-sized bar and bar area and nice looking room that is lively and on the casual/elegant side with an open kitchen and wood ovens.

In North Beach it would be one of my top Italian choices; I haven't eaten at any "newer" Italian places there in about the last 4 years though.

[Carolyn Tillie]

I can't recall the last time I heard anything good about Rose Pistola.  I'd go to Incanto, Quince, A16, or Delfina.

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Actually, Carolyn gave them a good notice in a recent writeup in her "Discovering San Francisco" thread:

Oct 16 2006

But, likewise, I haven't been there for years, and would probably go to any of the restaurants melkor lists, L'Osteria del Forno or Antica Trattoria, (on my list to try, haven't been there, yet,) before returning to Rose Pistola.

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Thanks, Eric... I was just going to pipe up that I had a great meal here just a few weeks ago and you did it for me! Surprisingly better than Oliveto, where I ate the following evening. I love ordering Rose Pistola's whole fish du jour...

[eje]

Thanks, Eric... I was just going to pipe up that I had a great meal here just a few weeks ago and you did it for me! Surprisingly better than Oliveto, where I ate the following evening. I love ordering Rose Pistola's whole fish du jour...

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I have to admit I have a bit of a soft spot for any Italian restaurant that even tries to convince diners to really do the Italian family style thing.

And I have a very fond memory of the first time we got a whole sea bass at Rose Pistola. It was so good. Borlotti beans and fennel. Probably 10 years ago and I still remember it, it was so tasty.

We had a couple mediocre meals after that there, so I haven't been back.

[hankston]

i was visiting from texas over the thanksgiving holidays and had a simple and magnificent meal at L'Osteria del Forno. two of us enjoyed 4 of the antipasti with wine and it was more like an osteria meal that i could have in tuscany than anything i've had in the states. we had roasted carrots and fennel bulbs, roasted tomatoes au gratin, speck and white beans [the beans were cooked perfectly], and the beef carpaccio, which was both rich and delicate. really beautiful food. also, it was a very charming space [try to get one of the seats in the window].

[nduran]

Can any of the folks who seem to despise Fior d'Italia clarify what it is they dislike about it so strongly? I've only sampled a handful of dishes there, but what I had was not bad at all (aside from the bread which is admittedly quite horrible).