Molinari Delicatessen
Categories: Specialty Food, Delis, Sandwiches [Edit]
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill373 Columbus Ave
(between Grant Ave & Vallejo St)
San Francisco, CA 94133 (415) 421-2337
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Fri 9:00 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
Wed-Thu 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Sat 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. - Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Attire: Casual
- Good for Groups: No
- Good for Kids: Yes
- Takes Reservations: No
- Delivers: No
- Take-out: Yes
- Waiter Service: No
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: Yes
- Good for: Lunch
- Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
94 reviews
Neighborhood: SOMA
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195 Reviews for Molinari Delicatessen
112 years old, same family. can't get any more authentic. mmmmm, their veggie sandwhich is awesome.
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Considering this is in a tourist neighborhood with generally over priced and average food, this is a good find. It's a very respectable Italian deli, that makes me think of NYC \ though like Disney World it just doesn't have that same real feeling, even if it is an old school place.
I can't give this five stars--Little Lucca is still my favorite sandwich--I can give this a solid four. They have tables outside, very nice for people watching. The service is fast, prompt and friendly.
Also, know that if you go in to order a sandwich you have to pick your bread out yourself.
I'm a little less impressed with yellow mustard (new yorkers would use brown mustard), but the meat to bread ratio on my Italian combo was respectable if not NYC style big (so at $6.50 I'd say the price to value ratio was a bit high) and the meat was high quality. I also got some dry salami to take home. Next time I'll order extra peppers and no mustard. And I'll try the meatball sub as well.
They should can the dean martin though--it makes the place seem like a tourist trap.
I'll go back, it's nice to have a good sandwich place to walk to.
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Do, do you have some fresh-sliced meat handy?
Do, do you know how much i like provolone cheese?
Are-are-are you patient for the mustard, hold the mayonnaise
Cause I might need some time to fill the hole in my stomach and I
I've tried every sub deli
Nothing seems to work for me
Baby, your special subs are driving me crazy
And I really wanna not be so lazy
But Molinari's makes me want their
sandwich
their sandwich
And I thought I'd yelp to let you know
My heart for a sandwich, a sandwich
And they can make it wonderful.
So ... how you gonna fix it, fix it, fix it?
:)
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They have great deli meat and good bread. But the people who work there are really careless and grumpy. My sandwich today had so much mayo, that it was bordering on being inedible. When I opened up my bag, there was mayo overflowing everywhere. I think the guy who made my sandwich put 4 to 5 times more mayo than needed. And this is coming from a guy who loves mayo.
In addition, most of the time I go here, the workers look so annoyed that it's hard to maintain any kind of a good mood when I visit. I always wonder why these guys just don't quit. I'd probably rush back to Molinari's if I didn't think some angry old man was gonna get annoyed at me.
I still think the best sandwich is from Andronico's. Their products are as good if not better than Molinari, and their staff always has a smile on their face.
These guys just might have,
The best meatball sub ever,
Toasted grilled squeezed shut.
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So I work about 5 blocks away from this place and have to pass by on the way to Wells Fargo. I have alway seen it, I have heard it was awesome, but I have always been in a rush and therefore never stopped inside since there was always a line.
But today I had the time, so I went inside to discover (to my surprise) that there was no line.
"What can I get you?" the guy behind the counter asked.
"I don't know" I said, looking slightly confused at the selection of meats, cheeses, vegetables, oils, pastas and various things offered.
Luckily, there was only one other person in the shop, so they were willing to put up with me. I let him go first, of course.
"Would you like to try the prosciutto or turkey or salami?" he asked.
"Sure..." I respond still looking stupidly at the huge selection.
He cuts me a thin slice of each meat and hands them to me over the counter. Wow. what quality. The salami was the best I've ever had and it's been so long since I've had prosciutto that it was perhaps one of the greatest things I've tasted...not too salty
I got the North beach special (prosciutto, provolone, marinated bell peppers and sun dried tomatoes) and it was damn good. Price is reasonable for the quality and service ($7.50 for a decent size sandwich) but I was amazed because this is one of the few authentic delies still around (the only italian deli i've ever seen). I got it with this amazing basil garlic sauce that I recommened to everyone as it improves everything tenfold.
More than that, they're like a little import grocery store at the same time. I'll have to come here next time i need olive oil or dry salami.
Fun staff and a great place to go during the off-hours. They can be a bit soup-nazi-esque during lunchtime.
Will totally come back again if i didn't think the prosciutto would wedge itself in my arteries. Oh hell, I know i'll come back again.
One of the few great delis in SF.
I got a haircut at Chong's (cheap and good at $9) up the street on Kearney between Vallejo and Green and decided to celebrate with lunch! I anxiously strolled into Molinari's Delicatessen and read the big board and figured out the system.
As tourists stand by dumbstruck trying to decide, here's how the whole thing works. It is simple. Grab a number. Do it no matter what. Figure out what you want - there's a North Beach Special Sandwich there which is wonderful. Go to the bread bin opposite the meat case and select your bread. Use the tongs - what are you, an animal?
When Mister Man calls your number and asks you 'whaddaya want' Soprano-style, you counter with your memorized answer and give him the bread you've selected. Hopefully, the sandwich will include their outrageously tasty sun-dried tomatoes and peppers. Just typing that made me weak in the knees.
While your sandwich is being created, go to the refrigerated case and get your drink. I got a Vitamin Water. Order something else to go with your sandwich. I got 1/4 pint of mozzarella/tomato salad which is my favorite. Oops I think I just drooled.
They take credit cards, debit cards and cash. It is at this point that you can marvel at the fact that all this will cost you around $12 or $13 - and if weather permits, you can eat outside and watch trippy North Beach go by. Cheap food of exceptional quality - PLUS cheap entertainment.
How can you go wrong? You can't. Cheaper and just as authentic as lotsa places in New York's Little Italy. Actually, there's no comparison because we're saving ourselves airfare and other transportation costs. Plus, we're not dealing with the airport's righteous TSA idiots. Here, you can eat well AND you can keep your shoes on.
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6/12/08: Finally I made it to the mecca of italian dry salami (at least from my frame of reference). My wife and I have bought their dry salami all over the bay area never realizing ot thinking that the original location would be right in the middle of north beach. i stopped by this afternoon and grabbed some fresh pasta (homemade ravioli's and gnocchi's) plus a half pound of pancetta. Will have to update my review after cooking the pasta, my mouth has already strated watering...
They have the best of my favorite food of all time.
Two words: Parma Prosciutto.
Okay, six words: Parma Prosciutto on a French Roll. That's it.
No condiments.
No produce.
As a matter of fact, I only eat the bottom of the roll. So it's really Parma Proscuitto and HALF a French Roll. So, I can get my favorite sammich here, pick up one of their amazing salamis for my hubby AND a bottle of Brioschi for the after-affects of said salami.
If it's a nice day, I take my sammy and eat it in Washington Square. If it's a lousy day, I eat it in the car. In either case, I eat it ALONE. I don't share my Parma Prosciutto. So don't ask.
This place is heaven on a corner, I'm telling you.
Full disclosure: I was a vegetarian for 15 years. I still ate prosciutto on the sly. Don't tell anyone....
Delicious sandwiches. Awesome side dishes like the asiago pasta salad. Take a number, pick out your bread, order off the specials board, and try to find a spot outside. My trick is go with someone else and have one person order while the other tries to nab a seat and one of the several tables out front. When all else fails, walk a couple blocks down to the park and enjoy your food there. You can't go wrong with Molinari's!
There's just something about this place. I don't know what it is. Oh wait, yeah, I do. It's that it's an Italian deli. OTHER things I love about Molinari?:
-- Picking out my own bread out of the bread box
-- The sun-dried tomatoes & peppers
-- The sandwiches are good but are probably not nearly as good as the deli meats and cheeses
-- The fact that one time I saw one of the employees slip an old seemingly senile man in a well-fitting suit speaking Italian a free sandwich
-- Being close to Washington Square Park
It's places like this that make me wanna call up my NYC-residing sister and be like "Our Little Italy kicks your Little Italy's ass. Yeah, we rock, you suck, neenerneenerneener". Then I remember a) Brooklyn b) Mario Batali and c) we're not 12.
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Wow, just thinking about writing this made me decide to go here for a lunch of caprese samdwich... SOOOO good, but sometimes really really busy. The guy from Philly in the office thinks this place is the business, and as I have never really known anything but Genova in the east bay and the odd pizza shop in NYC... I'm happy with what I get and what I can buy there!
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One of the few original Italian delis still left standing in the neighborhood. I'm not a great fan of their hard but crunchy bread (Snobby me prefer Boudin's) even if you're made to somehow feel special by being able to select your cut of bread out of the bin (what to do, what to do, end or middle, end or middle?). They do have seeded, soft and Dutch crunch ones in there. Their roast beef isn't too bad, tender and not overly salty and the mustard they use is quite good. It's a great place to get a sandwich for under $7 while some are over $8 and even better to pick up a box of the imported La Florentine Torrone from Italy for only $8.49! (Victoria's Bakery on Stockton St sells it for nearly $10!) I love the delicious individually foil-wrapped then boxed orange, vanilla and lemon with almond nougat pieces. They are heavenly and have no preservatives. The boxes of La Florentine Torrone are located on the shelf right above the bin of bread. Some stores sell the individual boxes for 50-75 cents a piece for just a bite! They're hard to find except in Italian delis or specialty stores. I didn't have enough hands to get a box of their store made ravioli to carry home, but they sure look like the ones that Lucca Deli in the Mission sells.
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Came here at noon on a Tues worried about the line. Surprisingly, there were only a few patrons so we were helped right away. Maybe the loud construction outside is driving people away.
I was overwhelmed by the selection and asked the guy what their most popular sammie was. Ended up ordering the $6 special on french bread - yum and oh so cheap! They sure do give you a lot of meat in that sandwich.
Will definitely come here again - I've paid much more at lesser joints so it's a great deal if you don't go nuts with one of the fancier sammies.
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I have to admit. I have never eaten at sandwich here. I don't come for the sandwiches. I come for the spaghetti's, the cheese, meat ball, pepper chines, lasagna, and other delicious items. If you come on Saturday or Sunday at least get a number and wait almost 20 minutes for your turn. every Sat when I shop here I wait at least 20 minutes.
The service is great and they have great sandwiches which most people come only for.
I also buy Italian chorizos here. spicy and regulars.
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Other than Freddie's Sandwiches, Molinari Delicatessen of Columbus Street was another of my favorite spot to have a good sandwich. My favorite sandwich would be a sourdough bread with salame and mortadella and mozzarella cheese with mustard and mayo on top.
The one thing, that I like about Molinari if it starts getting really crowded you would have to take a number which is good because that makes it easier for the sandwich makers to call out the number other than the customers waiting on a very long line to order on what kind of sandwich that they want to order.
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the best deli ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The last of the true Italian delicatessens in North Beach, and almost the last vestige of the neighbourhood also known as the City's little Italy, Molinari is a treasure...a truly old-school deli, replete with salame hanging from the ceiling above the counter.
Molinari has just about everything you need to create an authentic Italian meal, from myriad imported and domestic cheeses, imported Italian wines ranging in price from very expensive to quite cheap, more olive oils than you thought could exist, vinegars, as well as the staple fresh mozzarella, marinated sweet peppers, stuffed olives, handmade meatballs, fresh pasta, chicken cutlets, etc. Also, this is one of the few places you can find imported panettone for the holidays.
Of course, what causes the line to fill the space are the sandwiches. Definitely the best in the city, Molinari's reputation is based primarily on the quality of their cold cuts--mortadella, coppa, salame, roast turkey, cured roast beef, and particularly, prosciutto (even head cheese, if you're into that). The trick with the Molinari sandwich is to avoid frills. The idea is to appreciate the flavour of the meat itself (in Italy, a sandwich is typically just bread, meat, and cheese), therefore, when it comes to a Molinari sandwich, mayo and mustard are an abomination...this is the best tip i've ever been given. Always say, "No mustard, no mayo, only olive oil," and you can't go wrong. The staff are fast, efficient, and friendly, and the place has a great old-world charm that seems to have largely gone missing in North Beach. It's the best quick lunch i can think of, and the outside seating along Columbus is a great place to dig the neighbourhood.
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Oh I love this place.
They have all the regional italian food here. Prociuto di parma was awesome!! The cheese selection is awesome, the deli line is awesome, the sandwiches are awesome, the home made pasta is awesome, even the frozen pasta is awesome. Everything's awesome! Hearing the conversations in italian is awesome.
Here's a conversation with the owner:
"Ha la mozzarella di buffala?"
"No, you ask me? no."
"Do you know where I could get it in the city"
"No, you ask me? no...e...no! you try trader joe's, you ask me? no. I have no mozzarella di buffala. You ask me? no. no. no."
(......m......ok......i hope you don't kill me cuz you look like a mafia in the Gad Father.....)
I love it here.
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Have been here a couple of times while hanging out in North Beach and I have to say it's wonderful. Can't beat the smell when you walk in and peruse all the wonderful Italian Meats and Cheeses...Great sandwiches!
Molinari's hasn't been my sandwich spot of choice the past few years. I actually prefer Freddie's and Petit Deli when I'm in North Beach, but both places were closed when I was hungry for a sandwich- it was after 4pm.
I enjoyed a salami sandwich on a sourdough roll, less the mayo and onions. And sitting outside is always a treat, unless it's too cold. People watching on Columbus can be very entertaining...
While Molinaris can rightly be called touristy it is by no means a tourist trap. A stop here on the way back from work is a must for me. I pick up a pound of fresh pasta, some pesto sauce on occasion, some fresh mozzarella, etc. Also, great olive oil, a step up from TJ in quality and much more reasonable for the quality than Safeway IMHO. Yes standing in line during lunch is lame, but the sandwiches are phenomenal. Also, try some of their more unique cured meats like the bresaola (cured beef) it's worth the steep price. I also prefer this place to Palermo deli, which is less touristy but somehow also less satisfying.
Minus one star however for being closed Sundays and the early closing (5:30, but I've come by at 5:15 just to find them closed).
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Molinari's is one of the cornerstone establishments of North Beach. Authentically Italian, the place might be busy and packed but the guys behind the counter always keep their cool and crack a joke every now and again.
We have been buying their fresh pasta for the last couple years, and it's always fantastic. Two boxes of their fresh raviolis, with a matching amount of the meat sauce, is a perfect, simple meal for three (+ leftovers for lunch).
They have a great selection of olives, salamis, cheeses, and other Italian foods to accent your meal. The biggest problem is that they aren't open very often. The place closes down early, so the best time to get there is during the day on the weekend.
Sandwiches are great too, by the way, but too many people end there - this place has so much more to offer!
Molinaris has a lot going for it:
1. Location right in the epicenter of North Beach.
2. History - Been in Biz since 1896? I wonder what it was like then.
3. Ambience - has that old school hanging salami thing going for it.
4. Thriving (surviving?) in a town where most italian deli's generally have no clue.
The only bad thing I can really say about it is that it ain't NY. Growing up on italian deli's that were owned and operated by people that looked and acted like real life soprano's, I've seen and tasted better. Not because they looked and acted like sopranos silly, because they knew how to do italian food. This isn't a knock on the place, it's just the facts. Bada bing bada boom.
Regardless of what it ain't I still think it's one of the better places to grab a sandwich in all of SF.
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The people who slice here put on a great show and the selections are too many, too awesome, to work your gut through without eating here twice a week for a few years. That's a lotta pork.
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Allow me to join the chorus of reviewers who love this place.
This place is super cute. Molinari's reminds me of the little Italian deli I grew up with in my tiny south suburban hometown. As everyone has said, their staff is so friendly and helpful. The deli guy always helps me plan out my whole dinner, complete with cooking tips and all! And the deli really is as fresh and delicious as everyone says - many of the items are their own special recipe. The fresh pastas and raviolis and sauces are the best and time saving to cook.
I ordered the Italian sausage and peppers sandwich. It was this delicious a long sub with Italian sausage, tomato sauce, sweet peppers, and crusty bread. For $6, this was a great deal!
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Sometimes, I miss the east coast. Not the cold winters or the humid summers...not the fast pace...or the traffic on the NJ Turnpike. What i miss the most are the great Italian delis. Molinari has the best Italian sandwiches in the city and by far the best ravioli (no offense grandma!) If you haven't been here, get there (and bring an appetite).
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This place gets busy on the weekends, but, their system is pretty efficient and the wait of 12 people in front of you goes by super fast as the staff is quick yet the quality of the sandwich is preserved. Hard to find service like that these days.
Tips:
1. As soon as you get there, make sure you grab a number.
2. After you grab a number, make sure to go to the bread bin and pick your choice of bread.
3. Be ready when they call your number. They call em quick.
4. Make sure you know exactly what you want to keep the system rolling.
As far as the sandwiches go, I'm pretty sure you can order pretty much any type of sandwich from here and be 100% satisfied.
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Best Italian sandwiches....HUGE! with the roasted peppers, olive oil and vinegar....YUM! You walk in and feel like you are watching an episode of Soprano's....seems everytime I go there is usually older Italian women doing their shopping....variety of cheeses and meats.....
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I get cravings for coppa from Molinari. The staff is helpful and nice, they know their shit, they call my number in Italian, and they love that I love their meat.
Their wine selection is also fantastic--it's the first place I've seen a vermentino from Liguria in the US--ever.
The only thing is that I get a little sad when i forget they're closed on Sunday and show up hoping to stock up.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
This is the second best vegitarian sandwhich in the city of San Francisco! I love how they put it all together with marinated and roasted vegetables. The portions are ginormous and more than fullfilling.
Great little Italian deli!
If you are hungry, there is no question, San Francisco is a place that can feed you, and feed you well. Whether it's cheap eats or gourmet dining, San Francisco can be called a food mecca. Am I biased, not at all, but I live here!
When I moved across the continent to the East Coast in 1999, after a short while, there was one thing I really missed, one thing I hungered for. My mouth watered for bacon and not just any bacon, pancetta Italian bacon. A delicacy not unique to San Francisco, surely? Of course not, depending on where you live, there is usually a good italian deli, usually an ability to find a decent salami and succulent italian sausages. But good hand cured pancetta, that's an entirely different story.
I lived too far from Washington D.C. to get to Dean and Deluca for goods and let's face it, good though they may be, they are also overpriced. I also lived out in what would be considered the sticks, so I was nowhere near a deli and Safeway's deli counter had nothing so esoteric as pancetta. What's a girl to do?
I did what any hungry person would do, I found a way! If I was flying back to San Francisco for a visit, I always included a stop in North Beach to my own holy grail of an italian deli, Molinari's for pancetta, which I then froze and carried lovingly in my luggage and doled out as slowly as I could manage. At this I was not successful and it never lasted nearly as long as the cravings. I induced friends to do the same, or people in the San Francisco branch of the law firm I worked for, yes, I was desperate, I would have them freeze and send me pancetta through inter-office fedex.
So, now eight years on, I am returned home and it was not too long before I found myself making a pilgrimage to the mecca for all things good that are Italian. Molinari's on the corner of Columbus (cross Vallejo). It is a well known spot for people working in the Financial District to take a short hike to Molinari's for a delicious hand-made sandwich at lunch time (remember, take a number and pick your roll for your sandwich in advance folks).
Enough about me, though.
Molinari's has all sorts of delicious prepared foods, fresh pasta and Italian goods on the wall, you almost feel like you've stepped back in time to an old-fashioned grocery. As a matter of fact, you have. Molinari is 100+ and going strong, Thank God. If it's a sandwich you want, go here, if you want to stock your pantry, go here, if you want the most delicious domestic salami and other delicate cured meats, go here. There is no better spot in SF to satisfy that rustic craving for cured meats and cheeses. The wine selection is pretty good. The guys are friendly, helpful with questions and quick as they can be and it's entertaining just to shop there. I love Molinari and, unless you're a vegan or dead, you'll love them too, trust me on this one.
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Great sandwich. If Roxie did not exist, could be #1
If you live in SF, go during the week. If you want a good ravioli and meat sauce, this is the spot if you can't get to LUCCA on Valencia. Family style deli that is more famous than you may think outside of SF.
Chicken cutlet, add spicy copa, swiss on soft roll. So good.
Grab a number, know what you want before your number is up.
This is absolutely, bar none the best Italian shop in San Francisco.
Let me tell you why.
Every weekend or so a few buddies and I (we all live around inner richmond) jump on longboards and make the trek across the city to eat here. It's a long way, but it is well, well worth it.
The breads are fresh and tastefully chewy in the middle with just the right amount of crispiness around the crust. The meats are sliced thin to perfection while you wait. Never have I had such a great combo of sun dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts. The spicy meats are particularly delicious. Walking into the place is great as well, as it is adorned with swinging sausages and dried veggies.
Granted, the guys behind the counter aren't going to give you lovey attention like you get at starbucks. They are there to make you your (delicious) sandwich and take the next number. There's a bin to pick up your bread and once you take your number be ready. They are good at what they do and they are quick, help them along.
Bottom line: This place is an absolute jewel. Here's to its continuing success!
obnoxious sandwiches.
pepper shooters, marinated shrooms and arties.
Rosemary foccacia.
Awesome wine.
Chicken-parm to die for.
Originally from the northeast, I love my new home in San Francisco and hate those implants who talk about how things are better elsewhere. However, great bagels, pizza, and sandwiches are few and far between here in SF. Molinaris has taken sandwiches off that list for me.
The grilled focaccia sandwich is one of the most delectable things I have ever put into my mouth, and although my friends swear the italian is amazing, I have yet to gather enough strength to go there and get anything but the grilled focaccia....
As expected, it was packed but what's a little wait for a good sandwich?
If you are new to this place, be sure to grab a number first THEN go pick out your own roll in the plastic bin. When your number is called, please promptly hand over roll and order - do NOT be undecided when your number is called, it's very annoying for others waiting in line!
The Italian combo was good (but we still miss Panelli Bros. - they used to slice everything fresh when you order the sandwich). The Luciano looks very good and will have to try next time among other stuff.
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Molinari's is way high on my list of favorite places to eat in the city.
The best way, IMO - go a tiny bit after the lunch rush, on a weekday, late spring or summer. Grab a roll from the bin. Hand it to the guys behind the counter and tell them what to put on it - preferably something with salami and provolone. Go with one of your favorite people or with one of your favorite novels. Sit at one of the rickity little tables out front, eat your amazing sandwich, and watch the world go by.
Repeat as needed or (if you're me and have to live somewhere else) whenever you're in the Bay Area.
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My quest for the new "Phat Hippos' Best Deli" is still an ongoing failure. One big reason, Molinari's. Few come close to Molinaris, and many have failed. So snag your number, head for the bread trough, and make sure you know what you want. Don't be an idiot and ignore the boys behind the counter calling your number.
Hands down, my favorite deli in San Francisco. It's even better than Genova's Deli in Oakland. Monster sandwiches, with premium meats hand sliced to order. The herb seed bread is my favorite, but the foccacia upgrade is always another great choice. The cold foods are a plenty. The pasta salads are creamy and darn tasty. Mortadella, Head cheese, Roast Beef, supreme slices of Prosciutto, Coppa, Salami, you name it baby; the meat is all that, and a bag of chips. They're always consistent with the right amount of everything. My father told me stories about an amazing ox tongue they used to carry back in the days. I'm sad that its not there, but I mean this place was up and running since the 1800's. If your unsure, the Italian sub is a must try. A little bit of the best they have all in one packed sub.
The fresh pasta's are a must take home for the home cook. Light, almost airy with a heavenly texture, the reasonably priced pastas are ohh so yummy. Fresh pastas cook fast so be careful not to over cook. There are many great selections of wines, specialty cheeses, oils, vinegars and other specialty items. I've had my eye on the big bag of dried porcini mushrooms.
Women, I suggest flirting with the boys behind the counter. The boys seem to provide a "little extra" for a smile. It's sad that it doesn't work for me, but I'd come back any day. It's worth the wait, and the money. Molinari's please don't ever close, for I have no other to turn to. Thanks for being the most amazing deli in San Francisco. This place does it right.
