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Delfina
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
3621 18th St(between Guerrero St & Oakwood St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 552-4055
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Classy, Trendy, Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
AMY L. said: "We waited over an hour for a table. As frustrating as it was, it paid off. The line was a good sign! Everyone who worked at that restaurant had an Italian accent. They were genuine Italians serving authentic Italian food. Carpaccio…" read more »
1193 reviews for Delfina
Review Highlights
"I'm a big fan of the panna cotta and chocolate cake."
(in 100 reviews)
"grilled fresh calamari with warm white bean salad."
(in 23 reviews)
"Insalata Di Campo - house salad was delicious."
(in 32 reviews)
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1193 reviews in English
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Review from Marilyn T.
Palo Alto, CA
2/2/2012
I can't believe it's taken me this long to get here. Albert was right when he said Delfina is the ideal SF restaurant. It's just the right size, unpretentious, is very reasonably priced for what you get.
Bottles of wine vary in price but start with very reasonable selections in the $40-50 range. Even though there's no formal sommelier, the servers actually know a lot of nuances about the wine list, so be sure to ask them. There's warm bread available upon request, which is awesome for dipping up the last of your sauces in the end.
We started with the Louisana white shrimp in porchetta - it was one of the most plump and flavorful shrimp I've had in a long time. They're served head on, peeled, and have such rich flavor that penetrates throughout the entire shrimp.
We then couldn't resist with the pastas - we ordered 4 of them and then ordered another of the semola baattuta. My favorite was obviously the semola battuta, which is like a thicker, more textured ribbon pasta, topped with a very flavorful lamb ragu and shaved pecorino. It's served super warm, so the pecorino melts as it touches the pasta. This dish was super addictive, and I don't even like lamb.
My next favorite pasta was the squid ink chitarra, which was squid ink throughout the spaghetti-like pasta, tossed in crab butter, slightly peppery, then topped with fresh dungeness crab and a squeeze of subtle meyer lemon to balance it out. This was a close second to the lamb ragu.
The ravioli with a sweet kuri squash filling topped with nutmeg had a nice nutty balance with the sweet puree, but I would have preferred just the filling on its on in another dish. The tripe was just ok for me, since I'm not a big tripe fan, but my friends LOVED IT and soaked up every last bit with the bread.
As for entrees, the pork was well flavored but not as amazing or unique as the pastas. The shortrib was nice in that it was cooked in pieces, rather than the usual stewed fork-tender shortrib. It was firmer, less fatty, and sat on an amazing sauce that I wish there was more of. The accompanying polenta was a bit dry but was much better with the sauce from the shortrib.
We had to pass on desserts since we were down the street from Tartine and Bi-Rite.
I'm usually scared of having too much carbs, but I would happily eat their pasta every night. It's definitely a place you can become a regular at without breaking the bank, and it'll be my go-to place for pasta from now on. -
Review from BarbnSharon H.
Tempe, AZ
2/7/2012
We were in SF for just a few days, and had to make our dining decisions carefully. Delfina easily made all the lists when we asked chef/foodie friends. It did not disappoint.
The place is bustling, and my dining companion were seated in the bar. at first, we asked to be seated elsewhere due to the loud music, but the manager offered to turn down the music and assured us it was the quietest table in the house.
our server was utterly charming and had vast knowledge of the food and wine offered. we started with the roasted Castelvetrano olives, that were served alongside their crusty, chewy, fabulous bread. (keep in mind, my dining companion is gluten intolerant, but broke a year-and-a-half fast and was on special meds just for this carb-loaded dinner). we enjoyed that along with cold Prosecco.
we shared two pasta courses -- the mint tagliatelle, a mix of fresh pasta, mint leaves and ricotta; and the proscuitto/ricotta ravioli with meyer lemon sauce. the tagliatelle was delightful (though could use a bit more salt) but the ravioli were scrumptious. perhaps the perfect plate of pasta. we also enjoyed a bowl of roasted sunchokes.
instead of dessert, we enjoyed a few cheeses and the accoutrements. a fine ending to a fine meal. -
Review from Sabrina S.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2012
Overall, Delfina was a tasty restaurant with a trendy atmosphere. It's not AMAZING blow your socks off good, but you will definitely leave satisfied!
APPS:
Ribollita appetizer was unique & delicious, small portion for $10!
Insalata del campo, fabulous bitter greens salad that was perfectly dressed!
Anchovy salad - Refreshing, delicious and once again perfectly dressed salad
MAINS:
Short ribs were small portion, but luxurious and rich! Served with a creamy polenta.
Spaghetti gets a 7/10 on my spaghetti scale. They serve is a little spicy here which is nice, but I've made and had better. That being said, it was only $13 and the pasta was fresh.
DESSERT:
Profiteroles were mediocre, if you are going for dessert I suggest the Pineapple upside down cake that is served with a pine nut brittle and sour cream gelato - much more interesting and delicious!
WINE:
I suggest you bring your own bottle, corkage fee is $18 but most good bottles hover around $50-60 here anyways! -
Review from Natalie S.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012
We were lucky. We parked right in front of Bi-Rite ice cream shop and walked right into Delfina and got a table for two. Their pastas are home made. I had the spaghetti with basil and it was superb. So good that since i was eating slow, my husband ate 1/5 of my plate! I wasn't super hungry so I didn't order any of the secondi, but judging by the table next to us, they were tasty and a good size.
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Review from Marina S.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2012
IMPECCABLE. Fantastic. Brilliant food and service. One of the few places where I've actually absolutely enjoyed dessert. And, knowing that I am a pastry chef, they treated us to their delicious buttermilk panna cotta in addition to the exceptional budino we've ordered. And, the French Country Bread from next door's Tartine is phenomenal. I can't wait to return! Wish I had gotten our waitress' name as she was courteous, attentive, and knowledgeable. Oh, and decor is very NYC, which is always a plus for me!
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Review from Jon E.
Eastlake, Seattle, WA
1/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
Let me start my review with a comparison. We had a reservation at Spork at 10pm in October. We showed up right on time, but our table was not ready. 10 minutes past our reservation, they brought us champagne, no questions asked, with an unconditional apology. We had to wait 20 minutes more. When we were shown our table, they comped our appetizers, and they were incredibly attentive. And the food was *AMAZING*, and it was an incredibly cool space.
Fast forward to Delfina in November. Same reservation time, 10pm. Didn't have a table for us. 30 minutes past our reservation, while we were awkwardly wedged at a corner of the bar between seated eating people, they asked if we wanted to *order* any appetizers. We're waiting and you want us to pay for it?
50 minutes past our reservation time they sat us.
Waitress comes over 10 minutes later, no apology for our wait. No appetizers. She asks us if we want anything to drink, I ask for wine recommendations, pointing to some bottles under $50. She said she didn't know anything about the wine list, but would ask the sommelier. Instead of the sommelier coming over to help us, she just said this $138 bottle was the best and we should order it. I said no, I wanted one in this section (pointing to it again), and so the sommelier actually came to help us.
I ended up ordering something and after another 10 minutes of waiting they brought a bottle of wine over, but it was the wrong one -- The first time I've gotten the wrong bottle of wine in years -- years!
At this point it was around 11:20, and Delfina had done absolutely nothing to impress us. We'd gotten no food, no free drinks, no appetizers, and they'd screwed up our only order. All we'd done is wait for 80 minutes, WITH A RESERVATION, and we had nothing to show for it.
We left.
Best restaurants are judged by how they deal with problems -- see Spork, above. Delfina completely failed. It was the worst experience I've had at a restaurant in years. -
Review from henry n.
San Jose, CA
2/6/2012
Utterly disappointed....is the only way I can describe my 1st and probably last time here. It took me almost 1 year to finally try this place so I had super high hopes! I figured since the pizzeria next door was so AWESOME this could not fail. Though pizza and the food served at Delfina are at opposite spectrums.
Upon arriving we were promptly seated where i noticed alot of the tables were really close together where you can hear the other party's conversation. It would have been nice to just have a little more privacy. Another annoying thing about the whole table setup was that one of the servers gave me a face full of ass trying to squeeze in to take the other party's order. It's like there was plently of space on the other side of the table!??!?! If i were a werewolf i would have transform that minute! Our server was a lil iffy.....though she was nice and informative she had a very snobbish demeanor...My main purpose here was to finally try the Pork Sugo that was on the 7x& list. Sadly I didnt get to try this because Delfina changes its menu daily.
Dishes we order:
- Vegetable soup with crostini and poached egg - I personally felt this dish was quite pleasant. Very hearty yet if did lack the WOW factor.
- Spaghetti - This was the best dish we had all night. Very fresh and all the ingredient came together. I felt as if they used San Marzano tomatoes for the sauce and the flavors from those are uncanny.
- Chicken and parmesean tortellini in broth - These bite sized morsels were very disappointing. First the casing itself was way undercooked....super al dente....the broth, instead of complimenting the tortellini, overpowered the dish. The tortellini itself was not special. I personally expected alot more flavors in this dish.
- Squid Ink Chittari with dungoness crab - a black pasta due to the squid ink. The dish itself sounded uber tasty when our server explaned it to us. When it came out though it tasted and smelled horrid. The whole dish had this pungent fishy odor to it. Yes i know its seafood but this was just unpleasant. The taste of the whole dish was basically lemons. It was also under seasoned.
My gf and I both left hungry and were already thinking of what we could eat to make up for this meal. Personally the only time I would go back here is if they served the pork sugo....i'd just do takeout this time. -
Review from Sarah T.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 1/15/2012
WHAT THE HECK: I'm saddened to see Delfina associated with food poisoning as reported in the NY Times. Reminds me of a HORRIBLE night of food poisoning my team and I got at Beretta.
NYTimes Unreported Cases of Food Poisoning Reflect a Gap in Food Supply Safety Net
http://www.nytimes.com...1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/10/2011
the quality of taste of the spaghetti here blew me away. my friend and i had seafood ink and spicy… Read more »
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Review from Sung C.
San Francisco, CA
1/24/2012
for 16 months of living in SF, I always had managed to put this place away from my list over other places.
Finally tonight, I decided to venture, and boy, am I glad I did!
their spaghetti was heavenly, I don't know what they did to it but it was simply perfect. also calamari white bean dish was excellent as well as prosciutto with chestnuts was great too.
we tried their profiteroles as dessert, it was delightful. service was great, and i really loved their atmosphere too. -
Review from Kara R.
Seattle, WA
1/23/2012
This place has the WOW factor! Amazing service and food that makes you repeat over and over, "Oh my GOD!!!" Our server explained poetically the process and ingredients of the dish when we ordered it. That really added to the experience.
The Boar Bolognese was something we had never experienced before. It was complex and rich and it made you want to lick the plate. My date who has eaten at many fine Italian restaurants all over the world said it was the best pasta dish he has ever had. The simple spaghetti I ordered was full of fresh flavors and delicious.
Their wine list was fun. We ordered the Ryme Cellars 2007 Aglianico and it was a very exciting wine that was perfect with our meal. -
Review from Albert L.
12/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really think Delfina is the ideal San Francisco restaurant. The ambiance is casual but not the least bit sloppy (the service is as good as just about anywhere). The decor is understated but still intimate. And the food is simple, not overpriced, consistent, and fresh. I've never had less than a stellar meal here.
One of my best friends is moving abroad, and we went yesterday to Delfina for one last dinner out on the town. We ordered the salt cod polpette (aka fish balls), latkes, and mixed greens to start, and we had black-truffle squab agnolotti and their classic spaghetti as entrees.
I can't say enough about the spaghetti. I get it every time I come here, and it NEVER disappoints. It's a little spicy, with a robust helping of basil, yet the pasta itself is always perfectly al dente, and the sauce is fresh tomato-ey without being too watery or too pasty. Just make sure you get the large portion, which isn't even that large (but at $13 is still quite reasonable).
But the agnolotti was a revelation. Count me among those who are tired of the truffle oil fad, and when my friend ordered the agnolotti I winced inside, expecting the usual smoky mushroom flavor overwhelming everything else. Instead, it was ever-so-subtle, and the squab was tender, and the broth was the perfect complement.
Rumor has it that desserts here are great as well, but skip it and get Bi-Rite instead (egg nog with brandy until the holidays are over!). -
Review from Nicole O.
San Francisco, CA
1/8/2012
Positives:
Portions=perfect
Flavor=divine
Service=fantastic
Quality=high
Negatives:
Acoustics=loud
Prices=a wee bit too high for some items -
Review from Jeff N.
12/22/2011
Perhaps it was the hype or the James Beard award, or the misfortune of having called 20 minutes prior to arriving with information that there was no wait at the bar, but having to wait about 40 minutes once arrived, but I wasn't blown away as much as I wanted to. Had I not come in with any expectations, I'd probably have rated this a wavering 4 star, but at best, it's coming in a 3.5 stars for me.
We sat down to an excitable waiter who was helpful and honest throughout the meal. After being informed that it's best to order sides/appetizers if we're going for the pasta because "it takes a while," we went with the honey glazed brussel sprouts and olive oil mashed potatoes. If the meal stopped right then and there, I would have loved it. However, we waited a good 40ish minutes for our pastas to come out after destroying the amazing sides. Note to self: try to cook these 2 dishes.
Once the pasta finally came out, with our server confessing that he was prodding the kitchen staff, it was a small, yet, delicious portion of food. I guess my gripe was that it took so long to cook an unimpressive amount of pasta, where the taste was good, but the price point was not. The closest thing I can compare Delfina's pasta to is Seven Hills or Barbacco, both of which impressed me more.
My girlfriend went with the Rigatoncini with wild boar ragu and I went with the Black Truffle-Squab Agnolotti in Brodo. The rigatoncini was perfectly cooked and the wild boar ragu definitely met my high expectations. This is savory pasta at its best in my opinion.
My agnolotti was pretty much similar to mini ravioli floating in a broth that I liken to beef consomme. It had a watery, yet rich flavor where the broth could have been served as a delicious soup. The pasta, unfortunately, was a tiny bit lacking, where some came out a little soggy and I didn't taste and truffle at all. On top of that, I kind of expected a little bit more to the dish than pasta floating in soup, no matter how unique it was.
All in all, perhaps Delfina is a place to go more for the main dishes rather than the pasta, which is possibly the point of Pizzeria Delfina and Locanda. -
Review from Jeff C.
San Lorenzo, CA
1/3/2012
I've heard a lot of good things about this place, so I thought this place would be worthy of my fiance's birthday. I'll just say that it definitely did not disappoint and it lived up to it's hype. We were a little worried, as we didn't have reservations and it was a Friday night, but we arrived just before 6 and we were actually able to be seated at a table immediately, which was a pleasant surprise.
The waitstaff here was fantastic, making sure we were well attended to, taking time to explain the various dishes and answer our questions, and being friendly and cheerful without being overly obtrusive on our dinner.
We split a few dishes (bonus points for giving us separate plates even without us asking!)- the escarole salad, pappardelle with pork sugo, and the duroc pork spareribs. The escarole was great- the greens were light and crispy with none of the other flavors (cheese, hazelnuts, pomegranates, tomatoes) being overly strong. It was a great blend of flavors. The pasta was cooked to perfection and the sauce from the pork was amazing. The spareribs were fall off the bone tender with great flavor and seasoning as well. While we were eating the ribs, my girl asked me how everything was. I just broke into a huge smile and said, "Wonderful!" I think that says it all.
We ordered the panna cotta for dessert and the waiter told us he'd bring it with a birthday candle. He dropped the dessert off and my girl blew out the candle, but we realized that he actually brought us the wrong dessert (a chocolate molten cake with a scoop of vanilla gelato, I think). When we pointed this out, he apologized and told us we could have this dessert as well. No complaints here, as it was a great dessert. But as good as the cake was, the panna cotta was even better. I liked how it was a bit tangy with a citrus infusion. The texture was perfect, not rubbery or chewy... heaven in every bite!
Five plus stars for Delfina! Yes, it is expensive, but you certainly get what you pay for in terms of food quality, great service, atmosphere, and overall experience! -
Review from Aaron S.
Astoria, Queens, NY
12/31/2011
Delicious food and a great atmosphere!!! Encourage sharing and trying as many things as possible cause it's all so good!!!
Can feel a little cramped...not a huge place. -
Review from Josh D.
Oakland, CA
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
So I made the mistake of booking the wrong day and when I showed up they did not have a table for me. oops. Every table was totally booked on the Thursday I went so I was relegated to the bar.
It ended up being pretty cool because we could see the chefs do some cooking. Overall the food was pretty good, a bit over priced and I will probably stick to the pizza spot next door next time, but all in all it was a good experience and the ambiance was great!
Also, I wish the wine selection was a bit better. I'd still recommend it if you haven't checked it out yet. -
Review from Kathleen T.
Santa Clara, CA
1/22/2012
We had wanted to go to Delfina for a couple of years and chose my husband's birthday celebration as the time to go.
Everything was perfect; the atmosphere, the food, the wine and the wait staff.
We really appreciated our waiter, Aaron. He and his fellow waiters made sure we had everything we needed. Aaron answered many questions about the dishes and delighted us with an outstanding choice for our second bottle of wine.
We would recommend ordering some dishes to split so that everyone in your party gets to sample this wonderful food. It was all delicious but a couple of dishes were outstanding; the wild nettle risotto, the pappardelle with pork sugo, and the duroc pork spareribs! -
Review from Jodi V.
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
The pizza was great. I'm just bummed that there is almost always a wait.
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Review from David K.
San Francisco, CA
12/7/2011
Highly over-rated. Cannot believe it won a James Beard award. We had the fries that were dry and over-cooked. The broccoli rabe and pasta were way too salty, and the service was spotty.
Hope I just hit it on an off night, but was really disappointed. -
Review from Lois A.
New York, NY
1/13/2012
Here are the things I've tried and really liked here-
Insalata tricolore- tangy unique taste with an assortment of three different leaves
Prosciutto- tasty, complemented the salad
Salsiccia Pizza- greasy but worth it, perfect portions of cheese fennel sausage and tomato.
I've only come for lunch so hopefully I can come back and try other dishes for dinner and such. The atmosphere is great, albeit tiny and cramped. I feel like I'm in new york or something. Once you come in, you put your name on the chalkboard to the right of the entrance. In my previous experience, its really eerily quiet and not as crowded before 1pm on a weekday so I've never had much of a wait. The bathrooms are clean compared to most, which is a plus! -
Review from Aaron V.
10/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
For someone that's frequently underwhelmed by fancy Italian restaurants, Delfina was very impressive. This is the best pasta I've had from any restaurant. I tried the ribs and an heirloom tomato salad as well. Everything was excellent and I loved the laid-back ambiance. Unfortunately, I was too full from dinner to try dessert but I'll definitely be back soon.
A special shout-out to our server, Kelly A. She did such a great job! My wine glass was never empty but I never noticed her checking on us either. I felt right at home and never wanted for anything during the entire meal. Kelly is fantastic and I hope other diners appreciate her as much as we did. -
Review from Brian K.
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
I eat out A LOT and have a pretty low bar (my reviews are pretty much all 4 or 5). That being said, there are only a few things that really get me and one of them is too much salt. I think I gained about 5 pounds in the night I ate here because of all the water I was retaining. Holy moly - too much salt. I really want to ignore this, but it's such a cardinal sin that I can't.
Warm Castelveltrano Olives - really salty (but expected)
Spiced Almonds - decent, but nothing special
Insalata di Campo - somehow they made a salad salty - and REALLY salty. Totally burnt the back of my throught because of the saltiness
Spaghetti - the highlight of the meal. +1 just for this dish. Home made and al dente - very nice!
Polenta Valsugana - course polenta slathered with cheese. They really should get some finer ground polenta and add some complexity to the dish. Again way too much salt.
Even the butter they serve with the bread - coated with a thick layer of salt. -
Review from Jessica a.
San Mateo, CA
10/19/2011
Came here tonight for my friend's birthday. It was a last minute choice, but I'd been wanting to visit for a while. The bread + butter they kept bringing us was awesome! We ate so much freakin' bread. TONS. The butter is whipped and sprinkled with sea salt... AWESOME. BUTTER RULES!
I'm vegetarian, so I had the spaghetti and the Polenta Valsugana side. The spaghetti was perfectly al dente and coated with a mild sauce. Both of my dishes were relatively good, very rich, and waaaay too salty. I think the saltiness kind of ruined my enjoyment, unfortunately. On the plus side, our waitress was incredibly nice and the ambience was pleasant. I left with most of my food in to-go containers (I ate too much bread, obviously), and I'm eating some of it now... mixed together. Spaghetti with polenta is not very good, FYI. I feel sort of disgusted with myself.
Basically, I wouldn't come back to Delfina unless it was someone else's choice... and only if they paid for me. -
Review from Julieta A.
Santa Clara, CA
12/1/2011
The food at this place was amazing and the service was incredible as well. I had never heard of this place and when I walked in i thought oh no, another hip overrated restaurant in the Mission. I was wrong!. The service was amazing, the waitress was very knowledgeable and professional and the food was just soooo tasty.
I can't wait to go back soon!. I highly recommend it. -
Review from Jenny K.
9/28/2011
I had a wonderful experience at Delfina. I enjoyed their service as well as their food. Reservations were made at 530pm (the time the restaurant opens for business) and though we arrived 10 minutes early there was already a huge crowd outside. Despite the rush, once seated, we were quickly serviced and our waitress was very attentive- not once did we have to ask for refill on our water or bread.
For starter:
-Insalata di Campo: bitter greens, pancetta, walnuts, parmigiano and balsamic vinaigrette
A small dish with great flavors and textures. A little bit of bitterness from the greens and walnuts, a little bit of salt and crunch from the pancetta and all is balanced out with the tangy and sweet balsamic vinaigrette.
For entrees:
-Spaghetti with plum tomatoes, garlic, extra virgin olive oil and peperoncini
-Saltimbocca topped with prosciutto
For dessert:
-Strawberry panna cotta
Enjoyed every single dishes that we ordered, from the salad to the dessert, but my ultimate favorites are the Spaghetti and the Panna Cotta. I think it's so amazing that something so simple (the spaghetti dish) can taste to Divine. The ingredients are very basic but the flavors were quite complex. The texture of the pasta were truly al dente and the flavor of the tomato sauce were just infused into the pasta. I loved it so much that I tried to do a re-make of it at home but I failed immensely. -
Review from carlie c.
9/28/2011 3 photos
I came to Delfina recently and got lucky to score a seat for two at the bar for dinner without any reservations. I've always wanted to try Delfina, but there was always a line or really late reservations. If you know you're coming here, try and make reservations beforehand.
Delfina is a great date spot or a small dinner party with a great ambiance. If you still have room leftover, you should make a stroll to Bi-Rite down the block!
Food & Imbibe:
We started off with the:
Bottle of Italian Red Wine (Great wine list)
Grilled Fresh Calamari warm white bean salad (definitely order as an appetizer to share)
Insalata di Campo (bitter greens, pancetta, walnuts,
Parmigiano and balsamic vinaigrette)
Salmon baked in a banana Leaf (best entree of the night, the texture of the salmon was perfect)
Spaghetti with Ink Squid (this was a little heavy and overwhelming, but it was rich and had lots of flavor)
Will definitely be back! -
Review from Jaymee S.
San Francisco, CA
10/23/2011
FOREVER, I've been wanting to go to Delfina. So when I found out my mom was going to be in town, I immediately went to their website and booked an 8:30 rez. When we arrived, they informed us they were running about 15 minutes behind. But to make up for it, they gave me a free glass of Prosecco. Immediately, I wasn't as bummed about the extra wait time.
I loved, loved, loved the fresh grilled calamari and white bean salad that I ordered. There was a fresh lemon taste that blended perfectly with the richness of the calamari and beans.
My mom got the Insalata di Campo, which was bitter greens, pancetta, shaved parmagiano, walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette. Well, they forgot the walnuts, and I don't think she was super pumped about the salad in general. (For the record, I had a bite and thought it was delicious).
For entrees, I ordered a house-made rosemary fettuccine with a traditional meat ragu. It didn't look like anything special on the plate, but I was in love with this pasta. The subtle taste of the rosemary in the pasta and the traditional bolognese sauce went together perfectly.
Again, it was a tale of two dinners. My mom got the pork belly with clams, chickpeas, and chard. She didn't exactly enjoy it. She wasn't aware pork belly was so fatty and overall, I think it just wasn't what she was expecting. The waitress was SO sweet. Offered to bring her something else, but my mom totally took responsibility for ordering the wrong thing and turned them down. Still, they sent over some delicious soup to try and make ammends.
Dessert...one last shot to impress mom. And...SUCCESS! Phew! It was lime buttermilk panna cotta with huckleberries and it was seriously like heaven on a plate. My mom loved it.
Long story short...I absolutely LOVED this place. My mom...not so much. Just goes to show everyone has different tastes. And not every highly acclaimed restaurant is for everyone. But I definitely will be back...just not with my mom. -
Review from kim f.
San Francisco, CA
11/22/2011
I crazy love this place. I'd give it a higher rating if it wasn't for the crowded, elbow rubbing, and the excuse-me-while-and-my-big-booty-squeeze-between-t he-tables issue. Oh, and I wish I had a translator for the menu since I don't speak Italian. But I do think that all cuisines should have an English descriptor beneath the sexy foreign language for us foreign language deficient people.
My favorite: Spaghetti. Hands and forks down the best I've ever had. Al dente, freshly made pasta. The sauce is tangy, fresh, with a little heat. Awesome.
Just had the Warm Chickoree salad with egg. Warm, amazing anchovy dressing, velvety egg brings it all together. Yum.
Fries: I think they are fried in rosemary infused oil with fried rosemary and sage thrown in. Skinny, crispy, delectable fries. A PMSers dream! Lol.
Swordfish: Succulent, tender, perfectly seasoned and cooked.
Desserts: Super duper rich & velvety. My only gripe is I wish there were more warm desserts. San Francisco is a cold city (usually). Warm is always good. -
Review from Monelle P.
San Francisco, CA
10/16/2011
Delfina was the last notch on my belt for the gourmet corridor housing Bi-Rite and Tartine. I had been to Pizzeria Delfina before, but the Pork Sugo and Papardelle of Delfina Restaurant had always eluded me.
And.... which it continued to do on my first visit. I was greatly disappointed to find that the infamous pork sugo and papardelle dish was unavailable the Saturday night that I dined there so I was forced to make due with other dishes.
I started off with the grilled fresh calamari and warm white bean salad. The calamari was tender (not at all rubbery) and had an sweet smokiness that nicely contrasted with the butter-soft smoothness of the white beans. It brought me back to a wonderful warm calamari salad I had once at A Cote.
Next, we had the heirloom tomato salad with burrata and anchovies. The mainstay of the dish, the tomatoes, were underwhelming. What really stood out in this dish were the burrata and croutons. There aren't many more naturally perfect combinations like creamy burrata, tomatoes, olive oil, and a crunchy starch. The starch in this dish were the most perfect croutons morsels I have ever had: garlicky, infused with the olive oil dressing, but still amazingly crispy.
I quickly got over my disappointment re: the pork sugo when I started on my main dish: spaghettini nero with uni. Most people would be revolted at the thought of black pasta, but I am obsessed with squid ink. Though the squid ink spaghetti tasted of sea salt and was distinctly maritime, it wasn't fishy at all. The subtle spiciness of the dish was a great contrast to the briny, seafood essence of the squid ink and fresh uni.
Overall, I enjoyed my meal at Delfina, but I'll have to return to try the elusive Pork Sugo and Papardelle. Until next time Delfina! -
Review from mar m.
Palo Alto, CA
12/28/2011
I'd been attempting to go to Delfina for a while now, so when my sister got a reservation for my birthday (if you're a small party open table can get you in pretty easily!) I was ecstatic. Needless to say, after hearing friends rave about this place, expectations were high. Luckily, I found parking within 5 minutes (def leave enough time for parking or take public transportation) and we were seated right away. Some wine, roasted chicken, and risotto later, we left full and satisfied. The chicken was a dry, and the accompanying mashed potatoes didn't stand out, but my sister called the risotto, "the best I've had since my home stay in Florence," and I'd agree. I'll be back, but next time I'll go for pasta and try the calamari everyone raves about. Oh yeah, and you can't forget about trying the pizzeria next door.
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Review from Ralph D.
Fremont, CA
12/31/2011 1 Check-in Here
I really like Tony's, but Delfina give them a run for their money. I had a Salsiccia pizza and it was terrific. There is nothing like a wood-fired pizza. Great flavors and fresh ingredients. The service was quick and the staff was attentive and friendly.
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Review from rob k.
San Francisco, CA
9/30/2011
If I had one restaurant to go to in all of San Francisco, it would be Delfina.
The chicken with a nice mushroom broth and sliced steak with french fries are my stand-bys. I recommend their bowl of spaghetti (comes in two sizes) for its simplicity and yumminess. Their pasta and fish dishes are also consistently good.
If you need a good meal for two, I recommend you get one of the entrees above, a small bowl of spaghetti and a couple of their yummy side vegetable dishes.
And quit complaining about how hard it is to get a table. Go there at 530pm when they open and you'll either get a table or sit at the bar (any night of the week). -
Review from edith g.
Long Beach, CA
12/30/2011
I don't know, honestly I thought this place was way over priced for pretty mediocre food. We had one course that was delicious, some sort of home made mozzarella with peppers for an appetizer. The rest was pretty forgetful, since I don't even remember what we had! The fish course was too fishy (old) and over cooked (dry). The pasta course was not as spicy or garlicky or fresh as I like. The wine, desserts and cheese were all great and service was good for a busy friday night. The ambiance was very nice too. Overall, just too pricey for the level of cooking.
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Review from Pierre W.
Portland, ME
9/29/2011
So much potential. And popularity. But our experience was much better at the pizzeria, than the restaurant. The service was uneven - water, wine and bread arrived too slowly. The starters were excellent. Entrees less special.
Overall, both pizzerias are how best to experience Delfina. -
Review from Jayne W.
Los Altos, CA
11/19/2011
Great ambiance, friendly service, amazing, fresh and fantastic food.
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Review from Vivien L.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Finally came here to try it out, but I was disappointed :( After 45mins of finding a parking, I was ready for a glass of nice wine and good food. My wine was not as impressive as I thought and the food was so so. We got tripe and sunchokes as our appetizers, and it was just ok. I had the Chitarra Integrale and what happened to the spicy?? I thought the food was a little on the salty side.
Seatings was not great because we waited half an hour though we had reservations. Then, we were kicked out of table by an Italian lady because she claims that the table was hers. The service made us a little happier because the staff was very apologetic and gave us the mozzarella with Heirloom Tomatoes on the house. Overall, I didn't like the seatings at all because we were so close to the neighbors that we can hear every conversation.
Well, sorry but this place is definitely not my kind of Italian place... -
Review from Elizabeth G.
San Francisco, CA
10/19/2011
Totally bomb. Totally long waits at both locations. Totally worth it.
Best pizza in SF and GREAT seasonal apps. The Fillmore location plays some great music and the 18th street location is right near Bi Rite and Dolores Park.... so you can't really go wrong no matter which one you choose.
The bread they bring while you wait for your food is super good (from Tartine next door) and the wine selection is good too (price range is reasonable as well). The mozzarella/arugala dish (don't remember what it is called) is UNREAL. And you really can't go wrong with the pizza selection...
Go to Delfina, just do it. And yes people are always going to complain it's overrated, but they might not have tastebuds... -
Review from Mark M.
New Haven, CT
12/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here for an early dinner with a relative, who is a cook. She said this was one of the few places in the area that consistently executes - boy was she right! Even the sides were right on point. The mashed potatoes and the brussel sprouts were the best I've ever had. I got the tripe, which had wonderful texture and flavor. Although we started dinner at 5:30 with reservations, the whole venue was bustling within half an hour. I certainly hope to visit this place again next time I'm out here!
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Review from Angela P.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2012
My favorite restaurant in SF! Absolutely the very best.
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Review from Patrik D.
CANAL STREET, NY
10/20/2011
Whats italien food about? good groceries and nice naturally flavors.
As a fine dining Italian restaurant its totally out of flavor and good groceries.
Everything was mediocre, except the wine.
Sorry Delfina but your not good.
