During the late 19th century, the North Beach area of San Francisco became home to a large population of Italian immigrants, leading to its establishment as the city's "Little Italy." The neighborhood is home to authentic Italian restaurants, some of which stand apart for having highly rated cuisine or famous founders. These establishments allow visitors to North Beach to enjoy lunch or dinner between taking in the neighborhood's sites like Coit Tower and Washington Square Park.
Albona Ristorante Istriano has served the North Beach area since April 1988 and is less than five blocks from Fishermen's Wharf. The restaurant had ranked among "The Bay Area's Top 100 Restaurants" in the San Francisco Chronicle for eight consecutive years and held Zagat ratings of "very good to excellent" for its food and service and "good to very good" for its decor as of September 2010. Albona specializes in the cuisine of Albona, Istria, in northern Italy, which combines elements of Venetian, Slovenian and Croatian culinary traditions. Istrian cooking is a specialty niche in the culinary world, and the restaurant states it is the only establishment that serves the cuisine on the West Coast. A signature dish is the pork loin, stuffed with sauerkraut, apples, prosciutto and plums. The wine list combines northern Italian and Slovenian vintages with those made in the Californian Napa and Russian River valleys. Albona Ristorante Istriano serves dinner Tuesday through Saturday and is closed Sunday and Monday. Reservations are highly recommended and taken online and by phone. Casual attire is acceptable. The restaurant offers complimentary valet parking for diners.
Albona Ristorante Istriano
545 Francisco St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-441-1040
albonarestaurant.com
Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse is on Union Street in North Beach, across from Washington Square. Legendary New York Yankee center fielder Joe DiMaggio founded and owned the restaurant until his death in 1999, and fans visit the establishment to see the DiMaggio memorabilia on display as much as to sample the restaurant's Italian fare. The restaurant held Zagat ratings of "very good to excellent" for its food, decor and cuisine as of September 2010. DiMaggio's is known for its lasagna and its pizzas, which are made in its wood burning oven, as well as its steaks and chops. The wine list boasts more than 125 selections, concentrating on Italian and Californian vintages. Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse serves dinner Tuesday through Sunday and is closed every Monday. Reservations are highly recommended and taken online and by phone. Business casual attire is the norm. Outdoor seating is available on the restaurant's rooftop and live music is featured regularly. The restaurant has a children's menu for young diners. Valet parking is available for a fee.
Joe DiMaggio's Italian Chophouse
601 Union St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-421-5633
joedimaggiosrestaurant.co
A family-owned and operated establishment, Tommaso's Restaurant has served the North Beach area since January 1935. Zagat previously named the establishment "The Best Italian Restaurant on North Beach," and it held rankings of "very good to excellent" for its food and "good to very good" for its decor as of September 2010. The restaurant specializes in Neapolitan-style pizza, baked in an imported oven, and purports that it was the first in the city to prepare pizza in this manner. The menu includes 19 specialty pies, such as the chicken and artichoke and the spinach and shaved Parmesan. In addition to its Italian and Californian bottled selections, the restaurant offers its own house wines made exclusively for Tommaso's by Dario Zucconi. The cabernet and the primitivo won awards at The North Of The Gate Wine Competition. Tommaso's serves dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Reservations are not taken, so expect a wait, particularly on weekends at peak dining times. Casual attire is acceptable.
Tommaso's Restaurant
1042 Kearny St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-398-9696
tommasosnorthbeach.com
