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Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Financial DistrictMon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
"Incredible Roman-style pizza, and one of the only TRULY DELICIOUS pizza parlors in SF. The thin-cracker crust is baked to bubbling, crispy…" read more »
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I liked it.
Started with the mac and cheese with truffles, which was delicious. The lobster ravioli was also great. For desert, the warm choco cake was solid. Overall, 3-4 stars, great food and nice atmosphere. Only downside was that someone upstairs was moving furniture for the entire time I was eating there. Kind of loud.
Started with bread and humus. Bread was normal, humus was normal, but it was nice to have a change from the normal bread and butter routine.
Opened the menu and immediately decided I will have to come back to this restaurant because there are too many things on the menu I want to try - but can't finish in one sitting unless I (a) don't go back to work, (b) sit and eat for 4 hours, and (c) change out of my monkey suit.
Ordered the mac & cheese as an appetizer to share between 4 of us. Definitely a hit. Probably one of the best mac & cheeses I've ever had. Now I know where to go when I need my mac & cheese fix. Good appetizer to start with, but also a decent meal by itself.
Devoured my sliders next. Crab cake, beef with foie gras, and pulled pork. Side of parmesan fries. The sliders were amazing. Better than good or great, they were amazing. *cue angelic music.* The buns were sweet, perfectly soft, with a slight crispiness to it. Wow. So good. The perfect amount of food, without feeling overindulgent. Went back to the office happy and full, and no food coma. Score!
So why 4 stars? I had to take a star away because of the weird table service. Dude kept taking our plates away without asking if we were done. He took away the mac & cheese, even though there was one bite left. My friend was seriously distraught. He also tried to take away my fries, even though there was still a heap of it left. I had to tell him I wasn't done yet, and then he gave it back to me. Rude.
I went here for my boyfriends company dinner and while I don't expect the food to be great I expect it to be good and along with a fun atmosphere a decent experience.
I got a glass of wine and ordered the crab encrusted halibut which sounded very good on the menu. This was absolutely the worse piece of fish I ever tasted, it was overcooked, dry and seemed like it was frozen before. At least it was small so I didn't have to deal with it. There were a few veggies underneath it and some sort of sauce. This was a very small portion but since it was so horrible, I really didn't mind.
So I decided to order dessert after because I was still hungry. We got the warm chocolate cake. Well it was warm, not hot, overly sweet and tasted like something out of a box.
Where is the chef? Who's cooking the food, the bus boys and waitresses?
I went here with a few friends after happy hour. I love this area in general, the restaurants are… Read more »
I've given this place a couple of chances, and each time have walked away extremely disappointed in the service. Last night had to take the cake however. We're coaxed in by the girl in front telling us about their 'great happy hour specials', and then sit down at the bar and proceed to wait about 5 minutes for the bartender to even acknowlede us (note, we were the ONLY people in there). After our first round of drinks, we ask for a menu and again, have to wait far too long for it, considering how busy the bartender actually was. When he finally brings the menus, we've decided that we'd rather go elsewhere to eat, so just ask for our checks. Again, after waiting quite a while for our checks, we look at them and realize he hasn't charged any of us the happy hour prices. When we question him about it, he basically gets really defensive and gives us this whole schpeal on how we didn't get there in time for happy hour and even if we did, the drinks we ordered didn't qualify. Hmmm....would have been a nice thing to let us know when we sat down, considering the girl out front is agressively herding people in to come enjoy their happy hour. We finally walk out after paying our bills, only to have the bartender chase after us and accuse one of us of not paying our tabs, which was absolutely not the case. When we finally prove to him that we paid (showing him the change HE GAVE US), he simply says, 'oh' and turns around and walks back inside. No apology...nothing. Absolutely the worst service I've received in a while....it was almost funny how bad it was.
They've got a good location, I'll give them that. But considering the fact that there are about 6 other restaurants next to them, and many others in the FIDI competing for after work business, they really ought to step up their game. No wonder they were completely empty when we walked in and practically empty when we left.
On a hot, summery night, Belden Place is alive with diners, drinkers and pleasure seekers of all kinds. I don't suppose folks come here for the food, I know I don't.
Our party of three ordered from the appetizer menu: Truffled Mac and Cheese, Crab Cakes, and Calamari. Nothing special about any of them. They weren't horrible, but they weren't very good, either. And super expensive for the portion size. Not that you'd want larger portions of mediocre food.
I knew all that going in, so I wasn't disappointed. The kicker was when I asked for change and was shorted by 5 bucks ! It's not a lot of dough, but I really don't like being cheated. I usually have a lot of room for human error, but it seemed crystal clear to me that the waiter didn't think we'd be paying attention and he'd get to pocket an extra 5 that night. He was nice enough about making good on the missing 5, but that sort of experience has me running full tilt in the other direction.
Never again shall I eat at Belden Taverna.
We had the Mac and Cheese, which was great; and got the burger and it was very tasty. Nice cool spot to have dinner! Go!
"The STOP AIDS Project and Wells Fargo invite you to the 8th Annual Dining Out for Life presented by San Francisco's own SKYY Vodka, SF Weekly, and CBS 5/The CW Bay Area!"
So of course I have to make the last stop of the night, Belden Taverna, where Patty is making the rounds like a good responsible humanitarian.
This warm/welcoming little gem is tucked away in this alley in the FiDi; next to other Italian eateries. I'm glad that its busy tonight.
What to have here? Patty recommends the profiteroles which were absolutely heavenly. These are basically creme puffs but instead of cream, they are stuffed w/ ice-cream. This was served w/ both a chocolate ganoche and caramel sauce *drool* and a small serving of a berry mix and a sprig of mint.
I was completely stuffed as I ate at 2 places (2 other Italian places at that) previously but this was well worth it. Definitely enough to share w/ a hott date and for $9.50, its not that bad.
Just a few things:
1. I had to flag down a waiter after waiting at my table for 15 mins after I closed the menu. This generally signals that I'm ready to order. (OK fine it was Patty who did the flagging, I was too lame to do it myself ;P)
2. The staff was not that friendly, I know it was a busy night, but Tiramasu was also busy and they managed well.
If they could just work on these things...it would totally be a 5 star place.
*This review is based on dessert only.
If you're not dating a millionaire who can afford to take you on a rendez-vous in Italy, than the next best thing to do is to have your date/boyfriend take you here instead. Belden Taverna is tucked away in the quasi European alley known as Belden place. Their extensive selection of fine wines and orgasmically gratifying profiteroles are sure to set the mood for the dessert after the dessert ;)
Too bad I'm not dating a millionaire and too bad I wasn't on a date when I came here.
I went here with my co-workers for lunchy lunch. First off, I am a sucker for any establishment in this Euro-wannabe little back alley of restaurants, accents, and quaintness. This place is a bit pricey, like all the restaurants in this area, even for lunch. I had the 3 sliders. My favorite was the pulled pork, the crab cake was pretty good, the 3rd one ehhhh...ok. I shared the warm chocolate cake/vanilla milk shake shot (wtf?) for dessert. MMmmmmm! Chocolate. So warm and decadent and delish. Nice variation from your run-of-the-mill dining experiences.
AND...there's a bread guy who sweeps away your bread crumbs. I've heard about this but never really gone to restaurants that did this (i swear im not a country bumpkin)...trip.
Hidden in an adorable alley way in the heart of the financial district, Belden Taverna is a comfortable dining venue that lets you focus on your table while still getting to soak in the ambiance of a true San Francisco night.
I came out last night as part of the Dining Out For Life series where hundreds of restaurants donated 25% of the bill to the STOP AIDS Project.
We were lucky to have Patty P be the ambassador for this particular restaurant and she was a wonderful host.
The three of us dived in head first into the calamari and veggie spring rolls. The calamari was fantastic, with a light crisp and a well seasoned batter, but the spring rolls were attempting to play the role of 'good' when they were clearly packaged, identical, heated and thrown onto a white plate.
The burger was tempting. They definitely don't skimp you on the protein, which was gratifying. Personally as a burger addict, it wasn't the best I've had in the city, but as always, it was finished.
I really like Belden Taverna. It has great character, a spacious upstairs, and the fact that they were part of this wonderful event shows that ownership has a great pulse on giving back.
Great job on getting a fun turnout Patty P!
We made a random choice in Belden Ave tonight and were not disappointed! We did start out on in the outdoor seating but it smelled very strongly of bleach -probably not a bad thing since that means they clean up the alley, but with the heaters and such, we figured it would get to be too much and we moved inside.
Service was fantastic. The tuna sashimi and the butter lettuce salad were delicious. The short ribs were tender but a bit fatty. The strawberry shortcake dessert was AWE-SOME. I could have eaten two or three of those in a row.
Nice stop - glad we picked it!
Dinner at this place is like a nightmare you can't wait to wake up from. It's not the food or the service necessarily, it's the cramped, cramped, painfully cramped space. If I can't navigate through the outside seating area and through the restaurant to the restroom, I can't imagine who can...
On another note, the wine list is decent and it could be romantic if there were less people, less noise, and less overly attentive waitstaff. On my several visits (always at someone else's insistence or reservation-making enthusiasm) I have sincerely been too overwhelmed to eat much or even remember the food. I can tell you the wine list is appealing and that helps reduce the potential for panic attacks. The salads are fine but nothing special and I've had a few meat dishes that were very tasty.
I'm not saying don't go here. You can. But heed my advice: either go at lunchtime or wash a valium down with a glass of wine before heading over in the evening :)
Where can you go where the streets remind you that you're not in the City but maybe somewhere else, say like Europe? Belden Alley!
I had a work lunch here and we were seated outside (thank goodness for NO rain, some sunshine and of course HEATERS) and our server came over immediately. We ordered:
*Braised Meatballs
*Truffle Mac and Cheese (now this was YUMO!)
*Tempura Prawns
*Crab cakes
Since I'm allergic to shellfish I was able to try the mac and cheese (yes, YUMO again) and a bit of a meatball. I cut the meatball in half to share and it was quite pink inside still...hmm that's okay I'm young and healthy and hopefully wont succumb to E coli! eek...
Entrees ordered were:
*Grilled Salmon
*Fish and Chips
*American Kobe Beef Short Rib
*Sea Bass
*Beef Sliders Three Ways
All the food came out at once and everything looked good. I had the fish and chips; the fish was sole and I really wish I could have taken a picture to show (but again work lunch) but the fish pieces were SO SMALL. Semi-reminded me of longer flatter versions of fish sticks. I personally could have enjoyed more than 5 pieces of my fish but it seemed that everyone's portions seemed a little light.
Dessert ordered:
*Warm Choc Cake
*Strawberry Shortcake w/ homemade buttermilk biscuit
Desserts were yummy and the choc cake is very chocolatey. That is definitely a dessert to share. Not sure how much our lunch cost but 2 hours later we all left happy, sleepy and full!
Belden is an adorable little street and the ambiance keeps bringing me back to try new restaurants. That said, I would go back to B44 or Plouf before going back to Belden Taverna.
Service at Belden Taverna is so-so. My boyfriend and I arrived ahead of another couple we were meeting there and offered to sit at the bar until the rest of our party arrived. Instead, we were seated at a table for two and were told that the couple at the adjacent table would be leaving soon. Well, it was awkward when the rest of our group arrived and had to stand around waiting for the table next to us to take care of their bill. I would have really preferred to just wait at the bar and have our group all be seated at the same time. We were also served by a rotating group of servers, so when the food arrived, none of the servers knew who had ordered which dish.
Everyone agreed that the food was delicious, particularly the very tender shortribs ($25). I had the fresh linguine with asparagus and pancetta ($17), as well as the butter leaf lettuce salad ($7). The portions were generous. There didn't seem to be a theme throughout the menu. You can order everything from spring rolls and coconut shrimp to fresh linguine and shortribs. I generally felt that prices were about 20% higher than they should be.
A heads up: wine and beer are pricey. There are no glasses of wine under $10, no half bottles under $30, and no bottles under $45. Beer is $7.50!
The Effen Lemon cocktail: vodka, lemon, sugar and LOVE! How can you not like a cocktail that is made of vodka and love? If you tried that cocktail and you didn't like it and you are my yelp friend, defriend me right now! Clearly you have issues!
The truffle mac and cheese was insane! I definitely recommend splitting that with someone. The meatballs were good, but nothing spectacular. Mixed with the mac and cheese, however they were fabulous. For dessert we had the Profiteroles, which are these creme puff thingies filled with ice cream. Jason C. and the hostess Kim (who rocks by the way and was the reason we stopped here...she just new that we were fat kids on a rampage and liked booze...that's talent!) liked them. Me personally, no thanks. I prefer Vodka and mac and cheese! Those would have gotten 5 stars alone.
Services was good, no complaints. Sitting outside was nice, but they should have heat lamps and if they do, turn that shit up yo!
I had a penne pasta here with a spicy marinara and other stuff. It was delicious! I really enjoyed the pasta (although I had to drink a lot of water to eat it). The service wasn't the best, but the hostess was super nice.
Others got the calamari, a pizza, and something else and everybody enjoyed their meal.
I would come here again, but they need to strengthen their heat lamps! I was sooo cold.
Sometimes, in the office late at night, I find myself on my hands & knees, using my cell phone as a flashlight, searching for the black shoes I removed a few hours ago and subsequently lost when the overhead lights automatically shut off and plunged me into terrifying darkness.
My work-life balance is a little distorted. Instead of partying late at night like the workhard/playharders I admittedly admire, I'm either working or thinking I should be working.
But recently, something changed: I received an e-mail from my boss informing me that I must use (or lose) 8 vacation days this month. Whoa! Suddenly, that preconceived notion I held that PTO is for slackers vanished into thin air - I decided to seize the day.
Thursday, I scheduled myself for a half day off. Yep, that's right. 4 whole hours of lay-zay vacay.
My new easygoing sloth of a self opted for lunch on Belden Lane - a tasty alley lined with a variety of restaurants and affected with endless charm. It didn't hurt that it's centrally located in the Financial District, making it the perfect place to meet a fabulous friend for a much overdue lunch.
Still recovering from a cold, I was pleased to have my hot tea filled and refilled so quickly. The chamomile warmed my insides, while the heat lamps on the patio kept my outsides just as cozy.
Our salmon sandwiches were delicious. Served on a soft bun, which I couldn't devour (carbs have been the enemy since last week when Dr. X. mentioned my pretty face), the salmon/avocado/prosciutto combination was a gastronomical winner.
The french fries were shoestring style and deliciously seasoned. We ate them with forks and didn't come close to finishing them. Although for $15/sandwich, methinks we might have had them boxed up and shoved salt & pepper shakers in our purses to call it even.
I'm not sure I would choose Belden Taverna as a go-to Belden dinner spot, but for a languid lunch between friends it certainly fits the bill. The overly attentive waitstaff lifts this place from good to above average - similar to what a few Grey Goose Martinis do to my personality at Holiday parties.
Okay..more like 3.5 stars.
We went there yesterday for lunch..we had a party of 11. Granted..it is the holidays..so we would expect the place to be busy..but they seemed to have only one waiter handling the entire upstairs area (where the tables were crowded together). needless to say..the services suffered a bit.
We ordered a bunch of apps and I got the seabass for my entree...I should have stayed with something like a burger or sandwich..the seabass just wasn't anything special.
The most memorable thing on the menu was their truffle Mac n Cheese appetizer...I could have just had a full plate of that for lunch.
I am not in a hurry to go back there..and I wouldn't recommend it for large groups.
I can't believe I discovered Belden Place a few weeks ago, what a hidden gem! I have seriously been missing out. Though I dined at Taverna for a business lunch, this is a such a great date spot for lunch or dinner. The entire alley looks so european inspired and the restaurant was great. I love the ambiance of small, private eateries.
For lunch we shared a few appetizers (calamari, ahi tuna, mussels) and they were all very tasty. My main entree was the Hanger Steak and although it was a small portion, it filled me up enough to not be comatosed at work for the remainder of the day. If you don't like rare meat but want a steak, don't go with the Hanger because they cook it very rare there. In addition to the food, the service was impeccable.
Try it out, but it's best to make reservations as any restaurant in Belden Place gets packed fast.
Whenever I am downtown with a work engagement, free afternoon or entertaining, I always turn to Belden Lane for a great experience. Having frequented all of the alternatives down Belden, I must say that Taverna's service, decor and most importantly FOOD is well above the rest -
Get the Calamari, sit inside or out, be prepared to be charmed by the staff and spend your afternoon relishing in the finer things in life. Weather its late in the day (note: Taverna is one of the few options open between lunch and dinner) or the crowded lunch hour, it is a uniquely fine experience in the Financial District. Isn't it wonderful that walking down an alley into such an establishment can be a breath of fresh air in your day!
I went here for a friend's birthday on a Saturday evening. We had a large party of about 12. We were seated upstairs, which was pretty nice and cozy. At the time, there weren't any people, not sure if they get that much business, mostly because it is nestled in an alleyway. However, it was very nice to have the upstairs for your self and the party.
I had the Alley Burger ($12) comes with parmesan fries.. probably the best on the menu for the price. Everything else on the menu is avg. $25-30 a plate, but this burger was huge and came with a good amount of parmesan fries.. definately a bargain for an upscale restaurant. But I did hear the other dishes were exceptional as well.
Overall, I really enjoyed my visit here, the wait staff was great and the food was excellent. I wish they had a better beer selection that was on tap. They have too many beers in bottles and less on tap. But I still give it 5 stars.
Great spot for an event. I was here for a software user group and the upstairs was the perfect location to network, learn, and snack and drink. The room was inviting and despite the heat outside it was cool upstairs because they opened the gigantic windows.
Service was especially good. I'd come back here for happy hour or a bite. If the same software vendor has another event here I'll make sure I drag Boyfriend or some coworkers so they can enjoy the drinks and service too.
DIFFERENT WORLD ON BELDEN AVE.
I usually not eat at nice restaurants in the Financial district because they're over priced and the portions are tiny. But i was treated here twice by work and have enjoyed both times. Everytime I pass Belden, I think of a different country. It's a tiny alley between two major city streets containing nice restaurants. They turned that alley upside down with the heater lamps and seating outside. It's always packed.
The first time we came here I tried the Fried Monterey Calamari and ordered the Grilled Chicken Sandwhich. I noticed the service is very well organized and on point. This is not a typical place I'd eat on a mid-Monday for lunch because it seems out of my pocket and I do not think I'd be able to eat here all the time, so I've considered this place a treat from work!
Fried Monterey Calamari $13- anyone from the pacific northwest knows what good seafood is, especially calamari. that was some good calamari. Monterey is also a great place for good seafood in california so I do have to recommend this dish whoever is thinking of ordering this as an appetizer.
Grilled Chicken $14- i'm not much of a sandwhich person, i prefer rice and chicken over bread and chicken but this sandwhich was OFF THE HOOK. and the fries they serve the sandwhich is cooked in truffle oil which makes the best french fry taste as if its light and not greasy. gives it that perfect crunch. The grilled sandwhich ws nicely portioned, cut in half, and can only eat half the sandwhich.
Two weeks later I was treated here for lunch again by work. I wasn't suppose to go because I've been snacking all morning and didnt have an appetite to eat here. But I came along and had ordered a salad. DANG. this salad was so good. I ordered the House Baby Greens.
House Baby Greens $8 - the salad was fresh. It had a hint of Pomogrante, blue cheese, and Raspberry Vinegarette... i swear I saw a little big of poppy seeds before I asked for fresh cracked pepper or maybe the fresh cracked pepper were mistaken as poppy seeds. but anyways, it was good. Although I was full I was able to try something new on the menu.
Thanks work for treating me twice to this nice restaurant!
Average food, priced higher than it should, but in a great location.
So, the key learning here is don't let them put you upstairs. As others have mentioned, the service is slow and unattentive - even when it is empty!
Party of six for lunch, ordered the vegetable spring rolls (very average - 3 for $9), the mac and cheese (nice - $9) for appetizers. For the main I got the pan fried seabass (average - $23). The portions were a little small for my liking.
Service was slow, because we had 6, they automatically added the 18% tips, which I hate - forced tipping when there is bad service is just stupid. All up, bill came to $165, which is a bit much for what we got.
Went here for my friends birthday. Food is great and that heirloom tomato and goat cheese salad was remarkable. I had the chicken with wild mushrooms and green beans for dinner. Both my salad and entree were tres bien!!
Ambiance was a bit loud upstairs, but we were all having a good time and that's really all that matters in my book!
Service was EXCELLENT:) Timing? C'est parfait!
Do I recommend? Definitely and yes, I'll be back.
Oompah!...Oompah?
I don't know about you, but Belden Place is a frickin' blur to me on weekdays during the lunch rush. There may be eight different operations here, but all you see is a sea of suits and several white-shirted people against the opposite wall with their menus aggressively opened as if you could really see ten-point font while walking past at a brisk pace.
Sure enough, I was here with a longtime colleague to have a leisurely lunch, and it was by happenstance that we ended up at Belden Taverna. Honestly, it had more to do with the fact that they had an open table rather than a major hankering for lamb and ouzo. Talk of hedge funds on the right of us, the benefits of cosmetic surgery on the right of us...yep, this is the higher end of the FiDi, for sure. We didn't waste much time before ordering the $14 P.E.I. Mussels, which came packed with minced chorizo, jalapenos, white wine and shallots, along with a pile of true French fries. Tasty enough for an entree, and we wisely split it in favor of sharing two salads afterward.
The first was the $13 Heirloom Tomato Salad, which came with the tomatoes diced and mixed with melon, red onions and feta cheese, all in a balsamic reduction. Good but not the best I've had, especially since I prefer heirlooms sliced, and I thought the melon was a little too sweet and overwhelmed the tomatoes. The second salad we had was the $14 Caesar with Mini Crab Cakes, which came with avocado bits, croutons and shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. While the dressing was nice, the underwhelming crab cakes were bite-size bits like tater tots. Hmmm, maybe they were...
Portions were satisfying, but the experience leaves something to be desired at lunchtime. They didn't have enough umbrellas to shield everyone dining al fresco from the blazing sun. Besides, their huge awning was making some desperate creaking noises as the strong current of wind howled through the alley. We were all afraid of being bonked by the steel poles holding it up. Dinnertime is probably a better experience here, but I have to admit hanging around Belden Place after work just doesn't thrill me like it used to.
FOOD - 3.5 stars...good though nothing terribly outstanding here with only a passing acquaintance with the Mediterranean
AMBIANCE - 3 stars...bring your sunglasses at lunch...and watch out for that awning when the wind picks up!
SERVICE - 3 stars...they came in and out in pretty stealth fashion
TOTAL - 3 stars...a solid lunchtime option for the white-collar set when you need something to munch on during talk of hedge funds and cosmetic surgery
This place was okay. I think it's just the setting that throws you off. You have to walk through the Belden Place alley that's full of restaurants and stuff. It makes you think the place is very unique which it is but to me, it's just a facade. To hide the mediocrity of the food that is offered.
We ate indoors on the second floor. Inside the restaurant was pretty empty but it was nice and quiet. The waiter was pretty chill. He wasn't the most outgoing but he wasn't a boring one either. Just a calm waiter. No fuss or anything. I got a Stella and waited for our food.
I was deciding between the Potato Gnocchi and the Beef Sliders. I love gnocchi and I love miniature burgers. It was a tough one but I went with the gnocchi. When it was served to me, I didn't think it would be enough, but surprisingly, it was the perfect amount. I was satisfied and appreciative of the pasta.
However, one person in our party ordered the other burger, the Alley Burger. It was just a tempting twelve dollar burger that came with a lot of Parmesan fries. Everyone was jealous of him when they had seared Ahi tuna and kobe beef in front of them.
It was a very simple experience with an interesting menu. The prices are a little up there but what restaurant isn't? You go to the city and you can't expect to pay a little amount at a restaurant. I half regret not ordering the sliders, but I wouldn't make the effort to come back here. Why would I pay twelve bucks for three sliders? I can get a perfect burger from Nation's.
Thank you, Taverna. You weren't bad but you weren't great either.
We came here for pre-halloween party to fortify ourselves. We were all in costume and, as Ron Burgundy, I liberally partook in the scotch selection. In the spirit of the season, I picked the pumpkin ravioli. While excellent, it was not enough to the debauchery that was too follow. Still, I would come back.
And next time, with my jazz flute...
Beware, DO NOT eat their Butterfish!!! It gives you the orange oily butt leak. The dish was very good, the evening was lovely until a few hours later and worse, the next day.
I'm not kidding and I'm not the only one to observe this. Just Google for Butterfish side effects or Butterfish leak, you'll see what I'm talking about.
Too bad, it's some tasty fish.
It's meh. Not worth the dough. Slow service, and too much salt on everything!
My meal started out great with the Heirloom Tomato and Mache salad. I thought the Mache was a little salty, but I didn't mind it. UNTIL, the salt-lick was served. The stuffed pork shop was so salty - it must have been sitting in brine hours-days. CHEF - pork absorbs moisture very quickly. A bath of 30 minutes is more than enough!
The servers were high, or what? No memory of who got what, what goes where. We were only a party of 7 and it was not busy. Dinner was long in arriving, too.
I hate to be a naysayer, but nay to Belden Taverna. I don't send plates back when we are entertaining a group, but if it were just me and my hubby, I would have. I actually felt bad for bringing my guests there, thank goodness we enjoyed each other's company.
The bar and atmosphere are very nice, though.
One of the roomier restaurants on Belden.
Service was attentive, food was just right. Still thinking of the mushroom soup with lobster and the nicoise salad ~ the best I've had so far.
When I booked this place, I didn't know they had a dining room upstairs. Nice space, ample elbow room. Great place for a client lunch.
*4.5*
I thought I died and went to menu heaven. Their selection is so fantastic, it will take you a while to narrow down your choices. They have incredible seafood dishes and they seem to sprinkle everything with avocado (my favorite). No matter what you choose as your main dish, I highly recommend the corn/crab chowder to start. You also can't go wrong with the tuna tartar sprinkled with caviar and avocado.
Belden Taverna is also in a great location: Belden Lane, the European alley lost in San Francisco. A happy four stars!
It's official: there are no decent places on Belden. I've now tried them all (I think) and they all stink. Hey, that rhymes, kind of.
Belden Taverna is no exception. I am embarrassed to have chosen this place. I cannot believe I recommended it to my friend. From now on, this will be my only Belden Taverna recommendation: Save your money and go elsewhere.
It was a nice day in the City, so we decided to sit outside. Tables were set in rows of four, with less than an inch of space between them:
[1][2][3][4]
[5][6][7][8]
etc....
Tables 1 and 2 were occupied, so they decided to seat us at Table 3. I immediately moved our menus to Table 4. I don't need to pretend I am not listening to the conversation at Table 2, and I definitely don't need the extra pressure of keeping my conversation interesting for the sake of Table 2. Table 3 remained unoccupied for the duration of our dinner. Quelle surprise!
At first, they brought us some dinner rolls, butter and hummus. Dinner rolls were so stale, you could easily break a window if used them as projectiles. My incisors worked twice as hard that day.
I ordered a salad, which was a terrible value for $7. It was very ordinary and had no flavor. For my entree, I opted for gnocchi. The menu included gnocchi with shrimp, $18. I don't eat shellfish, and I asked them if I could get the gnocchi with chicken instead. I did, and then I got charged $3 more for what was listed on the bill as "add grilled chicken." Nice, huh? The gnocchi was horrible: it tasted store-bought, and the chicken was sliced up and thrown right on top of it. There was no flavor, no creativity and no presentation.
I felt angry when I had to pay $40 for the meal. They didn't even bother to refill my iced tea. You can get similar quality gnocchi from Chef Boyardee for a fraction of the price.
Avoid this overpriced, fake Italian place.
After enduring a sweep by the Angels and poor Lincecum taking the loss...I needed to find a place to go to eat all the sorrow away...my sister suggested going to this alley called Belden Place...that alley reminded me of Little Italy in New York. Out of the 5 or so restaurants there we picked Belden Taverna. The waitress pulled us in with her charm and friendliness. We had the appetizer of fried calamari which was excellent...I liked how they fried lemon slices with it and the calamari was presented on top of the warm coctail sauce. For entrees we had the shrimp spaghetti, halibut, and strogonoff...they were all very delicous and came out piping hot. Since there was no leftovers it was the perfect amount.
I would recommend this place for a decent meal at a good price. Now I have to try the other restaurants in the alley...
The food here was pretty darn good, and I've eaten at all the Belden restaurants.
I recommend it for lunch!
The atmosphere on Belden makes just about anything taste good, but we were really impressed!
The preparations were unique with all sorts of seasonal produce, which was also super fresh..
The dishes were interesting, like mini-sliders: one beef, one venison, one lamb. Caesar with mini, moist, tasty crabcakes (cute!). Perfectly cooked salmon on sauteed greens and various squash/rutabaga. So good!
Better than the average joe's on the lane....
The Braised Meatballs are served as three large balls the size of a child's fist, and tend to be undercooked and pink in the middle. Ask for them to be well done.The Baked Butterfish is excellent!!! It is my favorite dish here! The Crab Pesto Ravioli has a strong lingering Pesto taste, but not enough crab meat. The Risotto with Asparagus & Lobster is full of various textures and flavors. The mushrooms in that dish are excellent. Their Alley Burger is a favorite at my office.
I was disappointed by the wine list. Mediocre wines that are exceptionally overpriced. I recently chose a crisp glass of the San Simeon Chardonnay because I am familiar with wines from Monterrey County, and would recommend it. The Rombauer Cabernet Sauvignon is a little light in flavor for a red.
Attentive service, water glasses being repeatedly filled, polite server, but this restaurant tends to be very slow. It's nice to not feel rushed and hurried out, but budget your time for this.
Very little interior seating and only one bathroom. Be prepared to sit outside. Don't be discouraged by this as they do have heat lamps.
I came for a work lunch so we were able to try many dishes and expense it to the company - yay! I started with the Carrot Soup w/ beets and apples, which sounded incredibly interesting on the menu. I was picturing something light, sweet, and refreshing... what came out was heavy, creamy, and drizzled with olive oil?? And people wonder why American's are fat - it's a restaurant conspiracy! Seriously, why bastardize a perfectly decent vegetable? It would have been nice to have the creamy description listed plainly on the menu.
Next up, I ordered "Calamari 3 Ways" - the menu clearly stated it was a plate of fried, sauteed, and grilled calamari. Yum, right? What came out was a plate full of just fried calamari and straight out of the bottle tartar sauce. Asked the waiter - turns out they only do fried calamari now. Why do they still have it on the menu, and WHY would he not tell me that when I ordered it specifically as "Three Ways". I was hoping to use this app as my main dish, but who can eat a giant plate of fried, chewy (read: not good) calamari? I felt sick after eating a handful.
My coworkers all agreed that the pork ribs was the best dish. Apparently it was very tender, although because I'm not a carnivore anymore, I didn't try it. One of my coworkers ordered gnocchi (my fave) but it came with meat sauce. First off, there was hardly any on the plate, then the meat sauce tasted like Ragu... as in straight out of the jar (shh I tried the meaty gnocchi, but only a bite I swear!). Gnocchi was pasty, overcooked a bit. Not impressed.
Dessert was fantastic, but then, what dessert isn't really.
Won't come back unless it's another free company situation.
Cute, quaint, and friendly! Came here for dinner last Saturday and love the people and service! It reminds me of being in a small restaurant in Europe! I love Belden Alley! I requested the pistachio-encrusted lamb which was no longer on the menu, which was excellent! Definitely would come back again!
What a difference to have an enthusiastic waiter, friendly busser / food runner, outdoor heater, canopy laden with Christmas lights, and a sweet European girl standing on the street urging people to come and try even if she is confused as to what it is they serve.
It's New American with a touch of Mediterranean comfort, full of aromatic spices like whole coriander. Some pasta is homemade and sides - plump toothy mushrooms, tart kale with bacon strips - are the value at $4.50 for a big bowl for two. Mighty tasty. $20-30 per person without the tax, tip, or wine. Missing is subtlety in cooking and presentation. You could do this all at home if you set your mind to it, and dishes are a big pile of something on a plate rather than an artful arrangement. That's good enough that the food satisfies, which is all you need in such a cool, festive place as Belden lane. Have a good heart to heart with your date, family, business partner, or friend. I'll be back for sure.
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Neighborhood: Financial District
Category: Italian
Neighborhood: Financial District
Category: Local Flavor
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Category: Italian
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Neighborhood: Financial District
Category: Italian
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