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Tue-Wed. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Tue-Wed. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Thu-Fri. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sat. 5:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sun. 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Sun. 5:30 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
"Love Love LOVE this place! NY meets Napa, in SF--you get the chic, upscale NY atmosphere plus 8 Napa wineries, all in the convenient…" read more »
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I only care about Neighborhood Night on Sunday evenings at Local. I'm not reviewing their wine selection or their normal lunch or dinner menus.
I've been here on a date with my boyfriend and with a group of friends, and it's always been a good time. Rincon Hill is pretty low-crime, but it's also incredibly quiet at that time of week. That only makes it more of a pleasure to push (or was it pull?) open the giant wall-door and step into a classy, indulgent restaurant.
We've been seated without reservations without having to wait, but we went a bit late (8 pm). Both times, service was prompt despite the restaurant being pretty full when we arrived.
If you have at least one other person to share with, the parmesan truffle oil fries are totally worth it. Small-cut fries that are crispy and have really fresh cheese on them? Oh yes. They offer ketchup and (I think) mayo to dip, which my friends thought was weird but makes perfect sense to me. They combine really well, too!
The pizza is the point of going here, though, and it always satisfies. Mmm. They offered us at least 6 or 7 different types of pizza while we were there, and at a leisurely pace -- which was great for me, because I don't do all-you-can-eat very well, and chose my flavors slowly. I wish I remembered all the toppings so I could list them, but it's a pretty good assortment. They don't have pineapple, though :(
I chose Local since it was just down the street from Terra, an event space where the "Celebrate the Macallan" tasting was being held that evening. It is sleek and modern, loft-like with huge floor-to-ceiling doors that don't seem that they are intended to be pushed for entry.
The menu read well, a nice selection of appetizers (salads, salumi & shellfish), some pasta dishes, a long list of pizzas, and some rotisserie items. Simple, supposedly local (though we couldn't really tell from any description the provenance of any of the items on the menu).
We ordered the PEI Mussels (aren't these technically from the Eastern Seaboard?) and opted to "upgrade" the accompanying frites to truffle and parmesan ($2 extra.) When they arrived, the upgrade apparently did not get communicated well, but they were rushed back to the kitchen and returned to the table enrobed with the aromatics quickly. The sauce pooling around the mussels was the best thing that evening - a rich broth of beer, garlic, tomatoes and chorizo. We could have been happy with just that all evening, slurping the whole lot up with empty mussel shells, dragging our fries through that richness... I almost forgot about a tiny bit of grit in my first mussel.
Frisee salad came with a poached egg, a *lot* of crouton, pancetta lardons, and teeny cherry tomatoes. I thought the salad could have used a bit more acid to cut the richness of the egg and pancetta.
Our entrees and the fries were very salty. The fries by themselves (or with the mussel broth, catsup or aioli) were fine - you want that crisp saltiness enhanced by the truffle oil and umaminess of the parmesan. But as the entrees were introduced, the salty goodness of the fries magnified the overseasoned duck puttanesca and rotisserie roast duck. Both could have been good, solid dishes - the duck was a generous portion of breast and leg - cooked all the way through but still tender and flavourful, a layer of unctious fat under the skin still extant. The puttanesca, despite its capers and olives, needed more of a kick. It tasted a little too uniform, too one-note.
Service can be spotty and was a tad slow, though the apps and entrees arrived fairly expeditiously. We had to wait a terribly long time for bottles of water; we asked multiple times (and we were exceedingly thirsty due to the saltiness of the dishes). When I had called back earlier in the day to confirm our reservations, the person who answered the phone seemed irritated and rushed, as if I had interrupted her in the middle of something important.
Local, alas, we won't be in a hurry to be back, not with other restaurants like Starbelly and Flour + Water in SF.
OK. I'm possibly biased because this place was literally right across the street from where I was staying in SF, and convenience gets extra points.
Besides that, the locally sourced ingredients make for a delicious salads and tomato burrata. The portions for the pastas are generous.
My pappardelle wasn't al dente but in the subtly flavored tomato sauce was quite comforting.
The wine selection is quite big for such a small place - since their wine shop is right next door, and the $20 3-glass flight is also generously poured.
I'm not understanding why this restaurant as 3.5 star. The interior alone adds at least a star. The door is quite creative and playful which gives off a good start in my opinion. I also like how there is a winery on the left side of the restaurant. It gives you something to do when you are waiting and you can also get help to find out what you want while you eat.
On to the food, I ordered their pizzas and had no problem. I've had all their pizzas and what can I say, it is amazing. The portion is just right and it is flavorful without all the oil. They employees were very friendly and welcome.
Everytime I go here I enjoy my experience. Everyone is very nice and friendly, the food is always awesome and hey they have really cool hip tunes playing in the background. A cool mix of hip nu jazz and funky downtempo type tracks. What more could I ask for?
Friendly folks
Great food
Awesome music
The winning combination! I'll keep going back here often as I love their pizzas. Especially on a Sunday eve as their all you can eat pizza deal rocks! Check it out if you haven't - you'll love it!
I'm hard to wow with a salad, but the frisee with a poached egg and sauteed panchetta is the most memorable salad I've had in a while. I know what you're thinking: bacon makes everything better. While that may be true and turns a crappy salad into an "ok" salad, it doesn't always make me reach over the table and steal my cousin's salad while ignoring my watercress and fennel (definitely more watercress than fennel) salad.
The pastas are very, very tasty, but not exactly sublime. And the pizza is on par with Delfina and Baretta. IDelifna's crust might be a little better, but I prefer Local's sauce. If I had to rank them, Local would definitely come out on top because of variety, ability to take reservations, and total absence of 'tude from the wait staff.
Keep this in mind -- Local is almost subterranean and nearly devoid of windows, which means that during heat waves Local stays relatively cool.
We were able to get a last-minute seat at the counter for lunch, and I was so glad. Really, really tasty food, top-notch service, and a good show watching the food be prepared.
Of course, my favorite thing (aside from an organic fried egg on my thin crust pizza) was the PIRATE SHIP STICKER (yes, I'm yelling) on my leftover box. How did they know?
5 stars on Yahoo = "As good as it gets."
2 stars on Yahoo = "Meh."
1 1/2 stars for Local Kitchen, which is "as meh as it gets."
The restaurant is difficult to find - not because the address is difficult to find, but because they didn't bother to mark it with decent signage. So there's a big plastic sign at the corner of First and Guy, but no sign over the actual restaurant itself, which is maybe 10 yards up the street, with an unmarked entrance. After a couple of minutes looking first down Guy Street, then up First Street, we finally located the front door.
(Similarly, there's no indication of how to get out of the place. The doors don't look like doors. So I actually walked into a closet that was marked off by a large piece of cloth that might have been a door before locating the door itself.)
I imagine some Lisa Simpson type thought that was a cool design, but for me, nothing quite beats being able to find a place and then being able to easily identify the doors and get out. It is nice to be able to do so when one has finished eating, and it is very nice to be able to do so when one is prompted to make a quick getaway in the event of a fire. (Fortunately, no fires occurred on this particular visit to Local.)
We were the first to arrive for lunch on a rainy Friday afternoon. The host pointed us to us the worst table in the house (right next to the front door, thus drafty), saying it was going to be a zoo, then when I objected, offered us the second, third, and fourth worst tables, before I finally pointed out the table I wanted. He grudgingly agreed to seat us there. It was never a zoo, either - the place never got more than half full at Friday lunch.
The service the rest of the meal was indifferent. Not bad, just indifferent.
The food matched the service. Nothing was truly awful, thus two stars instead of one, but the food was pretty generic and nothing special. The food is not that dissimilar to Firewood Cafe (Firewood's pizza is better), but runs about double the price.
My friend's comment about his linguini with seafood: "Well, it was linguini."
Another down side - no vegan choices on the menu. Not a problem for me, but a problem for my friend. He prefers vegan whenever possible but had to settle for the linguini.
On the other hand, the wine list and beer list appear to be very good and my friend indulged in a beer he says is difficult to find in the US and really enjoyed it. It makes sense, since Local was recommended to us by a woman I work with who says it's been a great place to go to for happy hour.
Local Kitchen makes a big deal on their web site about how "we are dedicated to sourcing as much of the food from local farms, artisans, and fishermen as possible. On top of that, we seek out those with the same food philosophy that we have and buying from those who use organic and sustainable methods." Given the quality of the food, this is a joke. Pure hype. Don't buy it.
So there you have it. Local Kitchen: a $10 lunch for $26. Meh.
I live on the same block and saw them remodeling this space when they were preparing to open. The first time I tried Local over a year ago, soon after they had opened, I remembered being pleasantly surprised by the space, and the feel of the interior decor. It's a successful combination of cool and modern stylishness with a casual warmth. The entry doors are beautiful, if confusing. (Where is the door??!? Oh! This entire part of the wall IS the door!)
I've eaten here many times since, for brunch, lunch, and dinner. The food has been consistently good, the ingredients always taste really fresh. Compared with many other restaurants, most things actually tend to taste on the light side, especially light on the salt. It's the first restaurant where I've actually thought that, but I think it's actually a good thing. Rather than relying on salt to make things "tasty" you really get to taste the food itself.
Their pizzas were a surprise - in a good way! The olive and mushroom pizza is delicious. It's got garlic in it as well and is topped with arugula. A wonderfully balanced combination of flavors. Light tasting cheese. The mushrooms are tasty, the olives at some punches of salt and flavor, mixed with the garlic and the nuttiness of the arugula. Mmmm. They have several other pizzas as well. And one way to try all the pizzas is to go for their all-you-can-eat pizza nights on Sundays.
The fact that it's also a wine shop makes this place even more fun. I'm not a wine expert, but they have quite a selection of wines, and offer tasting portions. I've tried Chinese wines and Indian wines here. All in all, it's a place I'm really glad to have in my neighborhood. An easy no-brainer place to take my friends when they come visit me since it hits all three of food quality, style/ambiance, and convenience.
I really like the concept of this restaurant; food sourced from local wineries, butchers, and farms from the san francisco area. I guess the food would be closely related to italian food, but with an american twist.
I ordered the cheese and fungi pizza, and had the cheese plate. Dangerous for someone that is lactose intolerant, but some of the best pizza I've had. I didn't realize how filling all the food would be, and didn't get around to ordering the dish I really came for, the Risotto. I expected the cheese plate to come up crackers or bread, but it didn't. Other than that, it was a great meal.
I honestly think that the $5 wine tastings on Thursday are the best thing about Local. You get to catch up over tasty wines, compare/contrast the flavor profiles, and learn from hopefully an expert. The Chimney Rock man was courteous and regaled us with interesting stories about the winery's history. I feel more inclined to purchase their wine the next time I see it, given this experience.
The service was excellent. Friendly, timely, and not overbearing. The space itself, with its low ceilings is sexy, but makes me feel like I'm in a cellar, albeit a warm, cozy one.
The food: The breadsticks may just have been pita chips shaped like a long, flat twisty breadstick. I enjoyed them, but am still unsure if that was the original intent. The truffle fries arrived with a delicious aioli dip and ketchup (which I studiously ignored). The fries themselves were good, but for a point of comparison, I like the regular fries more at Slow Club - more crunchy with better flavor.
Funghi pizza - cheese, green olives, and mushrooms, no sauce. Those components together were tasty but the crust was a failure. All thin crust pizzas are not created equal. Look to Pizzeta for a nice crust. My conclusion during dinner likened Local's crust to chewier crackers minus the salt.
Bolognese pasta was more enjoyable than the pizza. The meat sauce had a hint of spice and delicious basil. I would have preferred the fettuccine pasta over the penne. The closer for the evening was a delicate lavender creme brulee.
Final conclusion: The food is alright. Don't expect to be wowed. I've been wowed by food served on a loading dock for less. However, I would return for the ambience with a friend to enjoy another wine tasting and maybe some dessert.
The feel of the place kinda hypes up the food. Food was not bad - just not memorable. I had some linguini that I don't remember much at all. Their pizza was good, but I've had better. Their truffle and parmesan fries - that was really good. I'd get that again.
It's nice to finally see some life going on in this part of SOMA. If you can fight the bridge traffic after work to stop by (and figure out how the door works), this might be an ideal spot for happy hour or a company event. I came at 7PM a week day and there were plenty of free metered spots all around.
We were a table of girls under the age of 30 and our server was a guy who really knew how to work the table. He turned on the charm right away, and his other server friend was just as charming during the times when he would intermittently come by to reflill our glasses.
The wine selection is decent, and they also give a very generous pour. VERY generous. The food is mediocre, esp by the standards of a city like SF. I ordered the shiitake mushroom/green olive pizza, and while the ingredients were fresh, there was absolutely no taste. The rest of the table also got a variety of pizzas and entree dishes, and no one was raving about the food.
This is a good option if you want to step away from more popular SOMA wine bars like District or South. It's more spacious and they have good happy hours specials. For a more flavorful dining spot, however, I would recommend going elsewhere.
There isn't anything to write home about here. I was pretty disappointed and won't be back for a long time. The food was fair at best and the service was incredibly slow! As a matter of fact, the mussels that were in my pasta were foul! What the hell?!
This was on a Friday night and there were a handful of tables that weren't occupied so I couldn't understand what the deal is with the slow service.
The food wasn't worth the wait.. Oh well..
Went here on a weekday evening for dinner and dessert. We choose to sit at the bar overlooking the open kitchen, even though there was ample seating in the loft-like, well-decorated space. I enjoyed walking through the stylish heavy doors, past the little wine shop and a few other patrons. We looked over the wine list and were tempted by a few of the bottles and wine flights, but were in more of a beer mood so we got a couple of pints.
It took some time for our order to be taken, which was odd because the restaurant was pretty empty and there were several servers around. We hung out and watched the chefs make yummy food in the meantime. We ordered a mozzarella and green tomato appetizer that was stacked like a napoleon - really delicious! We also had the margherita pizza, which was also very good. We ordered the large but could have gotten the smaller one for two people since we ended up taking a few slices home. Finished up with fresh berries and sorbet with flavorful wine poured over the top - all very good.
We finished up, waited a bit, then put our napkins onto our plates and waited some more. After a very long wait again, we finally had to flag someone down and ask for the check. I originally thought the lag in ordering/check was due to us deciding to sit at the bar, but looking over some of the other reviews, not so sure. Other than that, a very nice experience overall. They also have a nice private room at the side that would be great for a work lunch or small event.
What is not to love about Sunday night $12.95 all you can eat pizza?
The pizza is all amazing, you get to pick and choose from all the varieties they make. Think about a dim-sum situation except pizza by the slice. They come to your table, show you the delicious just out of the oven pizza and boom! you are on your way to a satisfying dinner.
Local keeps me coming back because they are a great value, service and pretty descent wine selection.
This restaurant is the epitome of trendy dining in San Francisco. The concept is different, there is a wine bar attached to it so you can do tastings. They offer a happy hour from 4:30-6:30 with $5 dollar wine and $5 plates. We didn't actually have any of that since it is only offered in the wine area. The place itself is beautiful, I loved the GIANT heavy door that was at the entrance. The tables are very wide, which is rare in the city - I'm always sitting SO close to the table next to me that I can hear their conversations! The wine selection is also very affordable at around 40-50 per bottle. Our table of 6 girls enjoyed the heirloom tomato salad, the cheese plate, the truffle fries, the gnocchi, the spicy sausage pizza. The truffle fries were my favorite and I highly suggest getting two orders if their are more than 2 people =)!
Tip: Do not, I repeat, do NOT go around rush hour on weekdays. This place is located right before the highway exit and on this particular night it took us an hour to drive their from within the city.
A little less impressed this go 'round...unfortunately.
After leading my dinner crew astray (way outta the way, ooops), we finally meandered into Local Kitchen in great need of booze 'n sustenance.
Waitress: A bit...unaffected. Apathetic? Quiet. Uninvolved? Sort of, slowish and uninspired. Not entirely unfriendly, but not entirely friendly either. I almost sometimes WISH people would just pick a side and be brilliantly vibrant, or a complete and total jackass. Pick a passion, people...average is so overdone.
Food: Obviously, it's locally sustainable...which of course I can get on board with...but must we put cherry tomatoes in EVERYTHING? I like them, but this was lycopene overload, most def. Less is more, friends. Less is more.
Ok, besides the tomato infestation...our food was quite good.
Duck Pizza (love, sweet/rich with balsamic onions)
Ceasar Salad (with real anchovies)
Halibut (perfectly done)
Organic Chicken (good, but bland)
Risotto (rich 'n wonderful)
Pork Chop (Petey polished it, so...it must've been good?)
Overall, decent...but I was somewhat regretful of my choice, no one in the group was "wowed," but it was adequate, and we did leave slightly tipsy and well fed.
Cava: $9 a glass, chilled to perfection, absolutely necessary...but SLOW to the table.
When I am allowed entrance into a restaurant through a towering glass door, I generally think this… Read more »
Let it be known that I am a sucker for heirloom tomatoes.
When I saw a fancy risotto made with heirloom tomatoes, parmesan cheese and black tiger prawns on the menu I squealed and had to order it (prawns on the side, for my tablemate's enjoyment). I had to contain my excitement though as I barreled through my starter - caramelized bosc pears, Point Reyes blue cheese (mm) and black pepper gastrique (sort of like an arugula sprout).
The risotto was a large portion and easily shareable between two people. It was perfectly prepared and the heirloom tomatoes (red, yellow and some little cherries) were divine. The dish did require some heavy-handed seasoning on my part.
Also, I love the front door. It's 30 feet tall and you'd think it weighs two metric tonnes, but it's actually very light and rests on a simple, human-sized door hinge.
Service was impeccable!
I don't know why it has taken me so long to review this place considering we go at least twice a month. Local is conveniently located right near our house so we love to just walk over whenever we don't feel like cooking.
So the deal with Local is that the food was not over the top fantastic at one point however in the last few months I have seen a significant change and now I absolutely LOVE the food. The menu is constantly changing and the ingredients are always fresh and delicious. The incredible service is what brings us back. We love walking in only to be greeted by people who know us by name and who always provide such professional service. Kai is our favorite because not only is he very passionate and knowledgeable about the wine but he is such a nice guy!
I highly recommend visiting local on Sunday as they have all you can eat pizza for $12.95. It's the best deal and the pizza's are always delicious. I recommend any of their pasta's, the Caesar salad and they always have some great special that is not listed on the menu.
Great wine list which is always changing so you have the opportunity to sample different varietals. If you are not familiar, just ask because they are very knowledgeable and always recommend a great wine. They also have a unique selection of beers that I have never heard of but are simply fantastic.
Overall, we visit this place frequently for the good food, wine selection and impeccable service.
I was really pulling for this place. A rare find in a rather desolate section of SoMA/FiDi/South Beach. Large inviting space with tons of tables for friend gatherings. A fine selection of wine and abutting wine store. Given the large wood ovens, I was motivated to try the pizza over the pasta and meat dishes. Unfortunately, it seems like the food is secondary... pretty mediocre. But sometimes that's the mood of the evening, mostly wine with a little bit of nibbles!
Truffle Fries: Used to be novel, but now done at so many places. Still though, there is magic to crispy fries with truffle oil and freshly grated parmesan cheese! The aioli dipping sauce is always welcome. Definitely did not disappoint.
Roasted Meatball Pizza: Almost got the pepperoni and coppa, but the waiter talked us into this one. The meatballs weren't huge grandma style, but more of tiny nuggets like you'd find a pizza in the freezer section. The roasted onions were a nice accompaniment, but were not enough to save the pizza. I just did not feel much flavor from the meatballs on top of the pizza. Also way too stingy with the tomato sauce.
Brussel Sprouts: Loving that so many restaurants are having a brussel sprouts renaissance to break childhood phobias. Pan frying to achieve crispy browned edges is far superior to the mushy boiled booger consistency that parents used to make. This rendition was a tad heavy on the lemon and capers, only a little is really needed to add flavor without overpowering.
This restaurant is kind of away from everything else in the city, which makes it not a priority to go to, but for the first time, I decided to check it out for lunch. Street parking seemed to be readily available on a weekday as there's really nothing else around.
The entrance was through a giant door. Their wine store was on the left, but it was closed when I visited. I liked how you could see the kitchen, where they had bar seats. When we got seated, the architecture and light fixtures caught my attention. Loved the high ceiling too.
Instead of bread, they brought out an interesting selection of breadsticks. I tried their mussel and clams in a white wine tomato sauce. On their menu, this was an appetizer, but I enjoyed it as my meal. The broth was really tasty and the dish was full of clam and mussels. It was a little messy though since I had to use my hand to hold the shell and it was a red sauce. The fries were light and salty. Kinda addicting.
The only negative experience I had was that the service was extremely slow. It took forever to place an order, wait for the food, get refills, and get our check. I think I was there 30 minutes too long.
*NOTE:* OpenTable reservations available and Passport cards accepted.
Recap: we had a horrible experience the last time we were at Local (back in May. From then until now, I haven't heard many good things from other coworkers.
The manager contacted me after the last Yelp review. With a gift certificate for two in hand, we decided to give Local yet another chance.
Our team of three (E, L and J) came back yesterday for lunch. We were greeted and seated promptly. The server was quick with the water, bread and the specials.
The only hiccup was that E was given a flat diet Coke that was remedied by the exchange for another, way more bubbly diet Coke.
No appetizers, went straight for entrees. We had the bolognese, calzone and chicken.
Ended with the chocolate bread pudding and the tiramisu.
Food: 4
Service: 4
Not sure if we'll return anytime soon, but my faith was restored that they definitely can do a good job and perhaps the last visit may be a stroke of bad luck on top of accidents on top of flukes.
Food: 5
Service: between a 1 and 2.
E, J and L came here for lunch to celebrate AdminProf Day. Yay,…
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I went to Local the other night and fell in love with it yet again...
I met my friend there for the Roshambo wine tasting (excellent wines btw..) and we stayed there for a plate of burrata....
The burrata was plated with a delicious savory bread...and paired well with just about every wine I tried. I asked the bartender Carl for a spicy red..and he had me taste about 5 different red until we came to the Carmenere--a wine from Chile with a perfect blend of spice and sweetness.
Everyone at the wine bar seemed to be regulars--friendly and conversational.
Full disclosure: I happen to be friends with the beautiful proprietress who runs this place but our friendship aside I love this place!
I think the locals are going to like this place ;-)
I went here for a "preview" dinner last night and…
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A group of friends and I dined here last weekend and had an excellent experience. It was about 9pm on a Saturday and we walked in with a group of 6 and were seated instantly despite not having a reservation. Our team of servers were gracious and attentive and helped us navigate the menu in a manner appropriate for family style dining even though it isn't necessarily that kind of place.
There were so many plates on the table its hard to remember what all was ordered, but I can tell you that the risotto was Divine. The pizza's, minestrone soup, and truffle fries were delish as well. To end things on a high note we ordered the bread pudding and it was as if conversation stopped for at least a couple minutes while we all devoured the dessert. Kudos to the chef.
I enjoyed Local!
It's a beautiful, small, casual/contemporary restaurant with reasonably priced food.
we tried a variety of dishes that were all wonderful. The gnocchi was a particular standout, as were the pork pasta (I forget what it was specifically called) and the pear with cheese appetizer. The chicken and pizzas were about average....I've had a lot better. They have specials scribbled on a black board, but it's hard to see unless you're near the bar.
Service was slow, but VERY friendly.
It reminded me of a mini Foreign Cinema with a Fringale feel....do I make sense? Sorry dude, I'm buzzed
Finding Local Kitchen was such a pleasant surprise :-)
We were in SF only for the weekend and stayed at a hotel close to Local Kitchen. The concierge gave us a list of restaurants in the area and somehow the name 'Local Kitchen" caught my attention. Perhaps it was the simplicity and minimalism in the name.
Breakfast before heading back to LA was a must so we gave in to feeling adventurous and head on out to seek this cool sounding joint.
We arrive at Local Kitchen and did not recognize that the huge wall of glass is in fact a door- hehe. I loved the interior immediately... clean lines, high ceiling, mellow lighting... perfect.
Browsing through the menu... first I thought.. wow, they are pretty pricey!
After having a taste of what we ordered though, the price was more than worth it. They know what they are doing in the kitchen and I admire that they have a style all their own.
Huevos Rancheros was insanely good! It was heaven in a bowl. All the Huevos Rancheros I've ever had in the past are all put to shame!
Their breakfast pizza was also delicious. The food was so good that we could not help but get ourselves a celebratory mimosa...
Cheers to Local Kitchen!
A beautiful space in a constantly gentrifying south beach locale. They have an incredible wine list, as well as inventive cocktails.
I'm a huge fan of their truffle fries. I'm actually drooling just thinking about them as I write this. They also have a side room that is fantastic for mid-sized private parties. Order some bottles of wine and pizza to share.
My only gripe is that their menu is focused on meat, pasta, and pizza- with little option for vegetarians. I'd love to see them adventure into some California variations of Italian classics.
Sunday night all-you-can-eat-pizza night for under $15 sounded like a brilliant idea. However, the service sucked so bad that I'd have to give it just 3 stars.
The servers that walked around offering slices kept going to the same tables and by the time they got to ours, there were only 1 or 2 slices left for the table. They need to work out a better system in making sure that certain tables are not overlooked. We were super hungry when we came in and it really was a bummer to see the pizzas come out and for your table not to get any.
The pizza was hit or miss. Some were wonderfully executed with crispy thin crust; some pizzas had soggy crust. The variety was good, as I don't think we got any exact pizza twice. However, I feel that too much pizza had goat cheese as a topping and by the end of the night, I didn't want to eat or smell goat cheese for a while.
We figured out by the end of the night that you can make special requests on pizzas.
Good value, and if service were better, I'd consider making it a Sunday night tradition.
On this occasion, Local revealed itself to be fairly consistent in the good food department but let down by painfully slow, slightly sloppy service. Granted, it was primetime on a Saturday night. But do NOT keep a hungry pregnant lady waiting over 2 hours for her entree!
On the plus side, the place has a welcoming vibe which successfully melds cosy with sophisticated; very respectable pizzas; and handcut pasta dishes that went down a treat with our crowd.
I'd consider going back for the food. Just not on a weekend night.
Hit this place 2x since location not convenient for me. Doubt will return.
1st time in 2008: Great wine by the glass special $4/$5? (can't remember). Pizza was good - liked the crispy not cracker crust. Duck leg was crispy & delish - just wish it wasn't so small. Dessert - described as super chocolaty but was disappointing. My date actually told the server that my desserts are much better. Service ok/good.
2nd time in 2009: Hostess chick with attitude on a slow weeknight - gimme a break. No wine by the glass special. Started with the fish & chips - great but what fried food isn't? Only got 1 shrimp though - despite being told we'd get 2 each of shrimp, cod & snapper. Both of us had too much pizza recently so both ordered the penne bolognese - highly suggested by the server. What a let down. We barely touched it because it was so bland. I even added black pepper & more parmesan cheese to try to add flavor - to no avail. I usually don't further season a dish when dining out because that's the purpose of eating good food - it comes out of the kitchen already yummy. Literally it was tasteless = pasta w/no sauce. Even the bolognese at Pasta Pomodoro beats it hands down. Very bad at $18 each = $36 added to our bill. To compensate the server comped 1 dessert ($8 value). In retrospect, we should have paid for dessert & have both entrees removed from the bill. Service ok/good.
The small space is well done, cozy. BTW, the menu on the website it outdated.
I've been coming to local since the opening. I think that says a lot. Their regular staff is incredibly nice and friendly. My crowd usually asks for Kai or John, they rock. I always seem to run into someone I know in the dining room so there are definitely a lot of locals eating here.
The food is consistent. Some favorites are the pasta Bolognese (handmade!) and blue cheese and apple salad. I've been here for pizza night and brunch but I prefer the dinner menu. My only gripe would be that there is no hard alcohol. Oola, their sister restaurant has a full bar and that helps in my enjoyment of the evening.
The wine bar is really nice and intimate. I've done a private event there before and the staff was impeccable. Everyone had an amazing time and everything just felt really special and not called in.
Did anyone have trouble finding the entrance? I didnt realize I was standing infront of the door until someone pushed it open from the inside which scared the $hit outta me. I must;ve looked like a complete idiot as the couple walked by. Oh well...Other than the camoflagued entry- the place is modern, chic and sleek. I love the minimalist decor. It's a great spot for dates.
There were 6 of us so we each ordered an entree and shared it family style. We had a few pasta dishes, a tomato and basil pizza w/ organic egg, pepporoni & coppa and roti organic chicken with roasted pearl onions and carrots. The pasta dishes were pretty good, however, the portions were skimped for its price. The pizzas here are tasty.. the thin crust allows the flavor and ingredients stand out without having to deal with the thick dough. The roti chicken with the veggies is a must-try. The veggies were sweet and flavorsome which complimented the chicken well.
There isn't quite a spot like Local Kitchen which is why I find this place interesting and will definitely be coming back.
Wow what a HUGE disappointment.
First, all of the food was mediocre. The butter lettuce salad was completely drenched in dressing to the point where all other flavors were drowned out. The pork sugo and the bolognes were both bland and flavorless. The truffle fries were overfried and underflavored. We spent $120 for dinner for 2 for an incredibly disappointing meal.
But what really brought this from a 2.5 star to a 1 star is the fact that at 3 a.m. my boyfriend and I both woke up with terrible stomachaches. Yes, whatever we ate at Local gave us both food poisoning and kept us up half the night.
I'm still seething at what we had to go through. I'm guessing it was either the pork or the ground beef. I hope someone from management is reading this because all of the email links on their website conveniently don't work.
Absolutely outrageous.
Another meal, another instance where the space was better than the food. Took some co-workers, and I am glad they were impressed with the surroundings as well as their eats (pizza and paninis). As for me, found the chicken in the caesar salad could have used more meat and less skin. Bland overall, but I should know better when I order one without the dressing.
Still loving the service and decor, will give it one more shot for dinner. Someday.
Let me begin with areas Local hits it out of the park - decor and service. This is one of the most… Read more »
local is just that -- local to my work place! great local lunch spot just one block away.
my work bff and i had a wonderful meal. we shared the goat cheese salad appetizer (alittle too spicy greens for me but still tasty) and the mushroom with arugula pizza (delish wood oven pizza).
we also shared the amazing chocolate bread pudding for dessert. as my bff would say "that looks naughty!" and it was indeed naughty goodness.
and to top off our meal, we couldn't resist on some bubbly and red wine.
we can't wait to come back for more. happy hour starts at 5:30pm.
Never again. There are too many great restaurants in the city to waste your time there.
We had a table for 8pm, got seated way after 8:30 and food at 9:30.
Come on.
The more I go there, the more I like it. Read more »
Sweet little spot, well worth the walk from dowtown for an extended weekday lunch. Amazing thin crust pizza, the one I had came with some seasonal mushroom mix that was topped with olive oil and was heavenly.
Great for an after work drink too... although only beer, wine, and sake. Love the enormous front door and the wine shop next door (affiliated?) which had some rare organic wines.
Local is so quintessential Californian gourmet pizzeria... oh my bad, not pizzeria, not even restaurant, but kitchen + wine merchant.
Had the all-you-can-eat pizza for our large party. Here's how it went:
3 small pizzas are put down on the long table (~15 ppl?)
2 mins to pass them around, get a slice
1 min to eat the slice (the guys pretty much ate their slices in 3 bites)
wait wait wait wait wait wait
repeat
These pizzas are not the big, fold'em-in-half, cheese-stringing kind, but the small, thin-crusted, knife-and-fork, fancy-toppings kind (I love both kinds of pizza). We had lots of diff toppings, some better than others, but overall, quite good. I usually love olives, but not a fan of the green olives they used for their pizza. The slices are small and thin, so you can eat a lot, but the pizzas couldn't come out fast enough before they were quickly divided and consumed. Initially we waited quite a long time in between pizzas, and the waitstaff was not particularly attentive, but they got better at it.
Nice, comfortable lofty space to enjoy the good food and still be able to talk/hear your company. Friend joked that on one of the walls in the loft area would be perfect for a basketball hoop to shoot baskets while we eternally wait for the next pizza to come. Maybe we were too hungry. Aren't you supposed to be hungry when you go to an all-you-can-eat place? And what is up with those weirdo glass doors? Feels like some sort of test for a lab rat.
I came here expecting it to be more of a wine bar than restaurant but I got it wrong. It's a restaurant that serves wine. And their list was only so-so in my opinion.
The pizza we had was ok. Nothing great. The fries were good but they should have knocked my socks off for the price. Our waiter was friendly but a little too present and pushy with the next glass of wine.
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Neighborhood: Union Square
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Beer, Wine & Spirits
Neighborhood: Union Square
Category: Lounges
Neighborhood: Western Addition/NOPA
Category: Lounges
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