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Pizzeria Delfina
Category: Restaurants Pizza Pizza [Edit]
3611 18th St(between Guerrero St & Oakwood St)
San Francisco, CA 94110
Neighborhood: Mission
(415) 437-6800
- Hours:
Mon 5:30 pm - 10 pm
Tue-Thu 11:30 am - 10 pm
Fri 11:30 am - 11 pm
Sat 12 pm - 11 pm
Sun 12 pm - 10 pm
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
1445 reviews for Pizzeria Delfina
Review Highlights
"This is by far my favorite place for thin crust pizza."
(in 273 reviews)
"I'd love to come back and try their Prosciutto Pie."
(in 51 reviews)
"The housemade fennel sausage is delish."
(in 25 reviews)
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1445 reviews in English
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Review from Chi D.
Fountain Valley, CA
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Thank you Pizzeria Delfina for delivering me the best pizzas I can ever remember!
Got a pick up order of the famous fennel sausage pizza, margherita pizza, and the short rib arancini. The sausage pizza was so delicious. I could have inhaled a whole pizza pie that sausage was so addictive. Even my picky two year old nephew was a big fan of their sausage. The crust was thin and crispy and the tomato sauce was made from love. Hands down my favorite pizza.
The short rib arancini was good. It was nicely fried and crispy on the outside with a gooey, cheesy risotto center. I think we didn't get our short rib because there was barely any in there.
Whenever I'm in SF, Pizzeria Delphina is going to be on my must visit list! -
Review from Ashley J.
1/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
I've been meaning to come to this place for a long time now, but it's always so packed. I came around 5:45 on a Saturday, and we had a 10 minute wait or so, not bad. The place was surprisingly packed at that time, but it's way better than coming at 7 and waiting over an hour. Write your name on the chalkboard with the number of people in your party as soon as you get in.
Some nice features include outdoor seating, fresh seasonings for your pizza, and yummy salty breadstick crackers already at the table for you. My friend and I ordered 2 pizzas, the Salsiccia, and the Margherita. Both were excellent. Our waiter was wonderful, and very knowledgable about the entire menu. He had a great personality, and made our experience enjoyable.
The pizza's around about $13-17 each. A bit pricey for the size of the pizza, but you can tell the ingredients are very fresh, and everything is full of flavor. I'll be back!Listed in: Favorite Dinner Places: SF, Favorite Lunch Places: SF
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Review from Sofia R.
I was out with a friend and we were in the neighborhood so we decided to grab lunch here.
Staff was attentive and friendly. Our plate of parmesan/chile flakes/oregano was a little dirty. We sat outside because it was a beautiful day. We were approached by passing hobos and my friend ended up giving them a slice of pizza to go away. For this, I was irritated but this isn't something that the place itself is responsible for. HEADS UP THOUGH, IF YOU SIT OUTSIDE.
We chose to get the margherita pizza because it wouldn't be too heavy on toppings. I chose to get the grilled fennel antipasto because it just sounded really good
The grilled fennel was tasty. Fennel is kind of like an onion but more mild and with a bit of a spiced/sweet flavor. They serve to you salad style. It's quite good!
The margherita pizza here is always delicious. I love their thin crust a lot and their fresh ingredients are always something I look forward to.
This isn't the place to go if you want to gorge on pizza, but it's great if you want to split something good with a friend!
My favorite pizza place thus far.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/9/2011
I took my friend out to lunch last week and decided to take her here. We decided to split a… Read more »
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Review from Andre D.
San Jose, CA
2/8/2012
I am an addict...complete with cravings and withdrawal symptoms. From simple to the daily special pizzas, I love the flavors and chewy flavorful crust on the pizzas. Staff is always friendly and helpful when choosing a wine to go with the meal. If they have the sand dabs as the fritti item you must try it!! I've tried a bunch of other places in the Bay Area and NYC... this is hand down my favorite place I always go back to.
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Review from Sung C.
San Francisco, CA
1/28/2012 2 photos
I was ready to be blown away by this place.
It might be the pizzas we tried last night, but i found their pizzas a bit on the bland side and boring. it didn't help that i am not a huge fan of brocoli raab (my friend ordered it.). proschutto pizza was good but nothing special about it. I will keep it with 3 stars until i try their tomato sauce based pizza.
but one must try their spicy cauliflower appetizer, it was delicious! I will eat that everyday. he capers were perfectly cooked and complimented nicely to the dish. too bad it's "pizzeria" delfina... -
Review from Diana V.
Sacramento, CA
This my favorite pizza restaurant for sure. I live in Sacramento but every time we go to SF I want to stop by. The authentic fresh grated cheese and herbs that accompanies the pizza is awesome. And so are the salads. One thing that I kind of don't like is that the place is tiny and stays crowded. People are practically overlapping one another, but its way worth it for the food they serve.
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Review from Rob P.
1/9/2012 1 Check-in Here
Oh gosh... I love pizza! My trip to Pizzeria Delfina was a little random. I was meeting up with one of my good high school friends and her only stipulation is that she wanted to go to Bi-Rite Creamery after wherever we eat... as you can see she has her priorities straight! So I set out to find a good place to grab lunch in the area and Pizzeria Delfina looked like a winner.
I got there just before noon and added myself to the waitlist. The restaurant is small, only seating maybe 20 inside and another 8-10 outside. It ended up being around a 20-30 min wait before we were seated... it wasn't too bad.
THE FOOD
My friend and I split a Salsiccia which has their housemade fennel sausage, tomato, bell peppers, onions and topped with a nice amount of mozzarella. WOW! Easy 5 out of 5! The crust was super crunchy and hand a nice hint of "woodiness" from the wood fire oven. The sausage was the real star of the real star. It may be the best sausage pizza I've ever had. The fennel in the sausage gave it a nice sweetness and depth which played well with the tomatoes, onions and bell peppers. This is how thin crust pizza is done!
SERVICE
This was the real downer of the downer of the day. Once we were seated it took at least 10 mins to get menus and another 15 mins before we put our order in. I kept looking around for a server, any server to flag down, but there was no one. Once we got our pizza we were happy, but when it came to trying to get the check.... oh boy! All in all we were at the restaurant for almost an hour and a half...most of it just waiting.
OVERALL
Service issues aside, I do want to go back and try more of their different pizzas... I may just get them to go thought....Listed in: Me Oh My...Pizza Pie
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Review from Daniel M.
Oakland, CA
2/3/2012
Worth a special trip, even now that I am living in Los Angeles. I can't fathom how, if you like pizza at all, you can't be bowled over by theirs: thin crust, quality toppings. Before I die, quickly wheel me here so I can die happy.
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Review from Ali A.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012 1 photo
Wow, had a great evening here with our friends last friday nite! Very small pizza spot next to the elegant Delphine restaurant, does not take reservations. Arrived 7.30 pm, put names on list... Seated 7.45
We were two couples and split two appetizers and two pizzas, portion wise. They had a special breaded baked cheese on skiewers, t he names escapes me, Yum!!! We then has a beautiful salad whose recipe im stealing for my next dinner party... Blood oranges, valencia range rounds, sliced fennel, arugula, walnuts and some other herb in a lite oil.
Pizzas we had their sausage pizza and their green herbs vegetarian pizza. Both were amazing we finished them and there was nothing left on the table. Very satisfying meal with high quality ingredients. It doesnt matter what time of day or how hungry i am, ill wait 45-60 minutes for that food and oh yeah it all was made fresh and came out quickly.. We were across the street walking in. The rain 70 minutes later.
A delicious evening -
Review from Nicole K.
San Francisco, CA
1/22/2012
Ambiance = super cute
Service = great. The waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable.
Food = I think I might be the only one to say that the pizza was just okay. It didn't blow my socks off. I'm from LA, home of Pizzeria Mozza, so every pizza I eat is compared to that. And Delfina pales in comparison. I ordered the special "Gricina" pizza - onions, panna (cream), guanciale (bacon) and black pepper. The thing was more like a thin flatbread than a pizza. Flavor was good. Just not a fabulous pizza. My husband ordered the fennel sausage pizza, which everyone hypes up. The fennel sausage was delicious and flavorful. But wtf, where is the cheese? There was like 2 small blobs of mozzerella on the entire pizza! Pizza is supposed to have a generous amount of cheese. Hello?!?! This was all pizza sauce and sausage. Meh. I won't go back. -
Review from Jo M.
San Bruno, CA
2/8/2012
If you love thin crust pizza, you'll definitely love this place! My usual is the Panna. Sometimes with a little prosciutto! mmm mmmm. The crust is just the right crispiness and I eat the whole thing. Usually, I hate eating that end part, but not this place. Just the right amount of cheese is shaved onto the top and it definitely goes well with the mildly tangy sauce. So good! Only reason why I didn't give 5 stars is because I haven't tried enough of the other items on the menu to fully say. Although, they have this spicy cauliflower that is really good, but they always run out.
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Review from Bryan H.
1/3/2012 1 photo
You've heard of this place before. You know it exists. And yet you haven't gone yet. WHY?
Ambiance: This place is pretty sleek, yet small. The inside is comfortable, with a very basic design that doesn't overload your senses or distract your attention. No matter though; from anywhere inside (even the bar), yours eyes will most likely be drawn to the people outside. Still, with full-length windows allowing for people watching, I suggest that you try try try to get one of the seats by the window. ESPECIALLY on a warm day.
Service: Top notch. They know what they're talking about when they make recommendations regarding the pizza. When a friend and I went, we sat in the window was prescribed and we ended up ordering a special - the Amatriciana - which I'm not sure is on the menu regularly. The ambiance + the service + the food made for a very pleasurable experience. I've been back a couple times since, but there is usually a line.
TIP: If you want to avoid the line, order out (because they do that), or go at an odd time. Otherwise, you may have a little bit of a wait. This is okay though -- consider walking down the street to Tartine Bakery or Bi-Rite Market to browse while you wait. Don't go too far though, as electronic buzzers are not present here.
Food: Seen above, we had the Amatriciana. I also posted a photo of it. Now this pizza was exceptionally good, but I am also a firm believer that food is only as good as the rest of your experience. Since I was with good company, and because we were sitting in prime seats on what was a warm day, it's entirely possible that my senses were being tampered with, and that I was on some euphoric high. But who cares? The pizza, again, was exceptional. Perhaps one of the best pizzas that I've ever had. I'm not sure whether this particular pizza is on the menu regularly, but if anyone is interested, the ingredients were: Guanicale, tomato, chili, pecorino and black pepper. It really was to die for.
All in all, 5 out of 5. When I think of good pizza now, I think of Delfina.Listed in: My Favorites, Cultured Eateries, Best Pizza
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Review from Monica D.
12/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
These ladies and gents were so nice to a wannabe foodie all by her lonesome one psuedo-rainy November afternoon, that's definitely a good portion of the star rating right there.
But my to-go boxed-up homemade lamb sausage specialty of the day (or week?) pizza... Consumed in my car partially because I was listening to a football game on the radio but partially because I tend to be antisocial in my most intimidated hello-I-am-an-obvious-outsider state? UH MAY ZING
Not only is it a gorgeous pie, with just the right amount of fresh toppings and a particularly beautiful charred crust adorning the bottom, but it tastes remarkable. The sauce is seasoned well and the crust is just the thin way I like it. Just make sure to eat up right away so things don't get to soggy proportions.
Minus one star for being a tad expensive for one person, but hey, it was completely worth it this time around to lose my Pizzeria Delfina virginity. Parking's a beeyotch and the joint's pretty small so I can see that seating can be quite a wait at times. But otherwise, I can see how this place is quickly becoming a Bay Area icon. -
Review from Lisa Q.
Updated - 12/23/2011
They wrote their soup of the day as Porcini Brodo with Chicken, Morels, Chanterelle, and Smoked Mozzarella $8.
The soup got to the table and it was chicken pieces in chicken broth with cardoons. Not a single piece of those lux fungi in sight.
I asked one server and they claimed it was in the brodo. Another server said they switched must've switched the soup. She asked if I wanted a box for my soup since I didn't touch it--- no, thank you.
And guess what, she still kept it on the check.
Zero stars for Pizzeria Delfina.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/9/2011
I have yet to find a pizza place in SF that blows my mind. Delfina, which came highly recommended by… Read more »
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Review from Alexei B.
Mountain View, CA
Updated - 1/15/2012
Whoa! I don't know what happened, but the second time I came here, the place felt totally different. There were tons of people everywhere. Poppy electronic music was playing on the radio. I was forced to sit at the "bar", which is actually one of the better seats in the house: you get to see the chefs making delicious food throughout your meal.
Okay, now that I've tried Neapolitan-style pizza at a bunch of different places in the Bay Area, I can definitely say that this one is one of my favorites. The crust is very solid, and even though the cheese is melty and has a tendency to slide off, you can hold up a slice with one hand. I always get the margherita at these sorts of places, and it's wonderful here; but the last time I went, my friend decided to get a four-cheese pizza and we split it. I was very impressed: I think I might have liked it even more than the margherita! It was salty, savory, and flavorful, with that same lovely tomato sauce that comes on the margherita. I remember having that kind of pizza in France when I was younger.
I love the little dish of parmesan/spices and the tin of breadsticks they give you. Your water comes in a glass bottle. Everything just feels so classy!
Emilia's in Berkeley will forever be my pizza darling, but whenever I go through SF, I'll definitely be stopping here.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/25/2010
I came here because I heard this place made one of the best Neapolitan-style pizzas in the Bay Area,… Read more »
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Review from Haleh H.
Mountain View, CA
1/29/2012
One of the best pizza places in the city. We had the crispy breaded cheese appetizer, amazing... The fennel and blood orange salad with walnut was very unique and delicous, highly recommended. We ordered the saussage pizza and the vegi one, they were both very tasty.
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Review from Raul N.
12/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pizzeria Delfina has been on my "to try" list for a while--too long a while--and I finally took the plunge when my friend and I were up in the city for a concert.
We didn't have to wait too long--we got there right at the start of the dinner rush and got our name in before the crowds arrived, so it was less than a 10-minute wait for a table. (Score!)
We started dinner with the fresh-stretched burrata cheese. Burrata is one of my favorite cheeses--it's so creamy and so flavorful.
Next, we tried one of the daily pizza specials--today, Pizzeria Delfina's famous Purgatorio pizza topped with mozzarella, chili oil and egg.
The crust was thin, with that slight touch of wood-fired char. The sauce was flavorful, topped with a generous helping of mozzarella, melted nice and gooey in the oven.
The runny egg yolk added a touch of richness to the pizza, accented nicely by the spicy chili oil. (A bit too spicy for my friend though--this pizza has some bite to it.)
We finished dinner with one of the daily pasta specials--nettle cannelloni. This one might be an acquired taste for some--I loved it, but my friend was on the fence. The first bite was a tad bitter, but each progressive bite mellowed with more of the nettle's subtle flavor.
Despite a full house, the servers were prompt and helpful. They never made us feel rushed and were patient with us as we debated what to order.
My only complaints would be about the tables. Oh, the tables.
First, they are way too close to together. When I got up to leave, I had to apologize to the table next to us in case my posterior got a little too close for comfort.
I also think the tables are a tad too small. Pizzeria Delfina use the same tables, just rotated to a different orientation, for both doubles and four-tops. It's the same surface area for double the number of diners. Considering I like to spread out, I can't even imagine trying to come here with more than one dining companion.
But these minor table grievances aside, the food at Pizzeria Delfina is top-notch. I'm definitely looking forward to coming back to try more of their pizza. -
Review from Lauren S.
San Francisco, CA
1/16/2012
This place is always really crowded and you'll have to wait a long time for a table. However, this time can be spent drinking copious amounts of white wine, which goes well with pizza and is also an efficient way to really get the ball rolling on ruining your life because even though you're pushing 30 you cannot handle your booze. After a few drinks you will inevitably turn into a mess, posting obscene messages on your various online social networks, calling and/or texting exes and that dude who was totally into you that never called you (what the hell is his problem anyway? Did you have bad breath? WHY DIDN'T HE JUST CALL?), and then hitting on literally any man or woman within earshot.
Once you are seated, your server, who is probably good looking and just getting out of their hipster phase but struggling to figure out how to still dress like they don't care because this is the Mission, will quickly take your order. I would recommend the appetizer that is essentially a cheese filled breadstick that some genius decided to deep fry (give that guy a goddamn Nobel prize! Do they give Nobel prizes for food? In my perfect utopia they would). However if you order the deep fried cheese bread and then complain to your girlfriends about how fat you are, you're an asshole, Lauren.
You'll probably need 2 pizzas if you are splitting them with 3 people, because if you insist on drinking that whole bottle of wine you will need something to soak up the alcohol before you quickly lose your fucking mind and everything becomes a blur, and when you inevitably piece together just what the hell happened last night, you're pretty sure the last thing you can clearly remember is your friend insisting on seeing the tattoo that you got last summer, also while drunk (maybe you should consider AA? Yeah? Just a suggestion?), and she makes fun of the $3 lace thong you're wearing because it's so adorably slutty. After dinner, make sure to hit up a nearby bar and flirt with a guy who happens to be a chef at Delfina who probably just made your food, and remove all subtlety when offering a quid pro quo exchange of sex for Delfina-style pizza cooked in your own home. Wake up the next morning in bed with your two most reliable friends, Shame and Regret. -
Review from Cathy G.
Santa Clara, CA
12/21/2011
We really went out of our way to dine here. My mom wanted pizza and my brother recommended Pizzeria Delfina. Dave and I dropped off the family at 7pm at the restaurant while we looked for parking, which was difficult to find in the Mission on a Saturday night. 30 minutes later, finally able to park. The restaurant quoted us a 45 minute wait (we had a party of 5). We ended up waiting over an hour and got seated outside on the sidewalk under some heat lamps. The lamps were quite warm and made it bearable to eat outside in the middle December.
We got the deep fried mozzarella balls, Salsiccia and Prosciutto pizzas. Everything was tasty but not really that amazing or special. The pizza is thin crusted, similar to the pizza in Italy, except the crust isn't as chewy. I also order two glasses of wine off the black board and neither were very good.
Overall, ok restaurant but not really worth the hassle with the lack of parking and long wait time. -
Review from Ruchi M.
1/23/2012
We got takeout from here - a perfectly executed panna pizza that is likely one of my favorite slices of all time. 5 stars for takeout pizza!?! It was that good. They put cream on top of a tomato sauce, basil, and parmigiano topped pizza and bake it. It tastes like heaven, and doesn't even need the crushed pepper and oregano I add instinctively. My bro in law rejected another pizza establishment after they refused to make a sausage pizza with chilis on it and Delfina complied. Great service and fantastic pizza - what's not to love?
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Review from Carleen W.
Burlingame, CA
11/29/2011
This is by far the best place ever for pizza. it's really small inside and you always have to wait, but besides that it is completely worth it.
the pizzas are incredible. another thing i really loved was the tri-color salad. it's a must try!!!
I have to come back here soon. don't forget the mission has crap parking. -
Review from Taylor A.
San Francisco, CA
12/30/2011
Sooo delicious!
Downside: very small restaurant, so you will almost certainly wait in line but trust me - it's worth it! I've eaten here several times, ordering a different pizza each time and ALWAYS with a rave review.
Tip: Heat to Bi-Rite Creamery after your meal for the perfect end to the evening! -
Review from Stephanie C.
San Mateo, CA
11/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was brought to this place by a friend. I'm not a huge pizza person, so you can read this review and take whatever form it. When I first saw the restaurant ANd the restaurant.. I got a feel that this place is very authentic italian. The pizza LOOKS like the pizza I've had when I visited italy. The think crust was pretty perfect, the way its suppose to be. our dough on the end was burnt a bit... and tbh i thought was a bit hard to chew by the ends. This is surprising to me that a whole slice was burnt at the end as we had to wait t bit longer since the first pizza we were suppose to get was also burnt. THE GOOD NEWS is the actual pizza part where the cheese is.. was melt in your mouth good. We got the margarita pizza and it had the perfect amount of cheese and it was super flavorful.
I would come here again if I'm in the area... but is it the BEST pizza i've had? not really... but once again.. I'm no pizza expert... Oh.. btw the location is quite small, so I heard on the weekends you have super wait... -
Review from Anthony H.
New York, NY
1/11/2012
When this fist place opened up years ago, I thought to myself why is Delfina doing just pizza, but after I tried the pizza on multiple occasions I thought why not earlier. Great little pizza joint in the Mish that is often crowded so take out is the usual order for me. I typically go for the Napelotana or the Margherita, but have tried other toppings based on the preference of my company. Good overall style of pizza with burnt, crispy portions of the crust. Fresh ingredients and overall great quality.
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Review from Alex L.
San Francisco, CA
12/12/2011
The broccoli rabe pizza left a lot to be desired for the amount of hype it had (also, it's a white pizza-no tomato). That being said, the salcicca and prosciutto pizzas were fantastic. Great crust, obviously fresh ingredients, very flavorful sauce.
Pro move: get extra fresh parmesan on your pizza or italian ham on the napoletan.
No reservations but its a tiny place-be willing to sit under the heat lamps outside! (they're warm!) -
Review from ned l.
San Francisco, CA
12/19/2011
all i can say is, YUM!
Marinated olives, tricolore salad, margherita pizza and a bottle of red wine is where it's at! -
Review from Tom D.
Washington, DC
12/29/2011
Best pizza I have had outside of NY and on the very short list of best pizza in any city, state or country....loved, loved, loved the panna, but magherita and the rabe were also outstanding.
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Review from Paul T.
San Francisco, CA
1/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
Outstanding pizza, as all the other reviews point out. The spicy cauliflower was excellent as well. I had a few small problems when eating here. We waited an hour for a table, instead of 30 minutes, as suggested by the waiter. We had a pizza with an egg on it and the whites weren't cooked all the way through . None of us got sick and the pizza was otherwise delicious. Lastly, we got four pizzas and they didn't really fit on the small table we were sitting at. Seems like they should invest in some of those tiered pizza racks other places have. Still, this place is delicious!
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Review from Bayarea K.
Berkeley, CA
12/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pros: friendly service
Cons: ok food. Flat in taste.
Cheeseboard pizza still tops in the Bay Area, IMO. -
Review from An P.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2011
Wow, wow, wow. This is the best pizza I've ever had. My taste buds were singing!
(only tried the pizza, but good lawdy.) -
Review from Ryan G.
San Jose, CA
1/17/2012
I recently went here for a friend's birthday party, to be fair to the evening a play by play is in order.
It was January 15th, 2012 and the night was cold.
I left San Jose around 6 to get to Delfina around 7 after finding parking and what not. Drive was easy, parking even easier to find. My friend is incredibly excited by this place from his past visits and was intent on getting us to eat there as well. We walked the 5 or so blocks in the cold and arrived unscathed. This is the last of the pleasure taking place in the evening.
When we arrived the place was slam packed, every table was filled and there were people lining the side walk waiting to get in. I thought it odd that we couldn't put in reservations for this place but my friend explained the system and it seemed fair enough; you write your name on a chalk board, how many is in your party, and whether you want to eat in or out. They cross names off as they help people and we were 12th in line. Since every group seemed accounted for I assumed the wait was short and we would be seated promptly.
One and a half hours later, my phone is dead from playing words with friends with my fiance and the friend who suggested this place. Not once has a server come up and told the crowd how long the expected wait is, but they are more than excited to fill glass after glass with wine for the couples that wanted it for the entire hour and a half. Not for free of course. Around this time we were told that we would be seated "soon" but if we wanted to be seated "now" we could eat outside underneath one of the heaters. I had been under one such heater the entire time i was waiting, still pushing my hands deep into my hoodie for warmth so that wasn't an option. We told her we would wait and another 15 minutes pass and we finally get inside.
We are sat down against the wall, but first we have to move the table out of the way so that me and my fiance can sit down in the first place as there was no room to get out from the wall once the table was in place so forget going to the restroom. another couple is sat to my left and right and we are squeezed in as hard as we can go. One positive for the evening is that i never didn't have water on the table. The waitress comes to the table next to us and takes their order, then swings to us and grabs ours. I order the 4 cheese with pepperoni and a stretched mozzarella ball for an appetizer at my friends suggestion. Needless to say he won't be making anymore, as the last thing i could have actually wanted to eat was a cold ball of cheese smothered in colder still olive oil and a leafy green with a luke warm chunk of bread after standing outside in the cold for nearly 2 hours.
Our appetizers arrive after the table to our left has already received their pizzas. Maintaining my mood for my friend I don't make a mention of it, but then i receive a peroni beer i never ordered. I grab a different waitress to my best effort(i'm trapped behind a table) and tell her about the mix up. She then goes to the our waitress and asks what the order was. She apparently confused pepperoni with peroni, an honest mistake, but then she goes on to tell me I'm wrong and that's what I ordered. I tell her no, it was a 4 cheese WITH pepperoni not A peroni. It wouldn't of hurt her to check to be sure as the words are incredibly similar.
Our pizza's finally arrive after the 2nd table has already been served. My 4 Cheese is good, pepperoni are delicious, but all in all i'm missing where this costs $18.75 for what appears to be just a personal pan pizza. My fiance's margherita is too fresh, and milk is coming out of the cheese into the sauce making for a massive wet pool in the middle. Completely disgusting looking but still nearly 15 bucks! Robbery!
After being thoroughly displeased with the service, the food, and the wait. I begin to look around. The people outside are constantly drinking wine, all of them, literally. Everyone is wearing the same coat, has gelled hair, is on a date, or a double date. This was chosen by everyone just because it's popular and for no other reason than to be seen here. Going through the reviews my fears were confirmed and this place isn't a place to eat, its a place to be seen eating. Its a popular spot created by pretentious pricks to be "cool" and to "be cool to be at". More reviews on her talk about the scene and the crowd than the food which is obvious because if it was actually rated on service and quality it would get one star across the board.
TLDR: Save your money and go to pizza my heart. You won't get out of here for under $60 for mediocre pizza. -
Review from Steve L.
Oakland, CA
1/14/2012
Love this place. We went on a Friday night. The place is tiny and popular, so there was a wait. "Would you like a glass of wine or a beer while you wait?...Sure...No need to give us your credit card, we'll bring it outside (to the street) for you." Unbelievable! The servers were all busy, but they still made time to come out and check on us periodically...and were both incredibly friendly and chatty.
The menu has a few specials every day, and this night the sautéd chard appetizer and wild mushroom pizza looked amazing...but I was in the mood for a salad as a starter and my partner isn't all that crazy for mushrooms. So, we started with the burrata...delicious, fresh mozzarella light as an angel's pillow. I had the tricolor salad which was loaded with arugula, fennel, radicchio, and shaved parm tossed in a lemon vinaigrette dressing...yummy! My partner had the soup of the day which was a pumpkin sort of thing which he said was awesome.
For our main we ordered the prosciutto pie with prosciutto de Parma, and arugula. The thin crust was nice and crispy, and the pizza was good, but in my opinion it needed just an extra punch of something...some truffle oil would have been awesome. That said, the pizza was still very good.
Pizzeria Delfina is worth checking out. The staff is great, the atmosphere is fun, and the food is worth the wait that you are sure to have. One recommendation - parking in the area is a bitch. You would probably do better to take public transportation or park in a lot a bit away and take a cab (which is what we did). -
Review from Mildred A.
Bay Area
10/23/2011
The service is attentive and speedy which does nothing to explain the long wait.
And wait you will...wait and wait some more and by the time they call you name you have grown 2 inches of hair. Twosomes get seated at a higher rate so don't come here for your family reunion.
Pizza is pretty fabulous from the thin crust to the delicious toppings. They're big pies (they better be for that price ~$16). Many pluses for the selection of beers.
But by far the star of the show are the Arancini which if you don't know (I didn't) are small deep-fried balls of risotto filled with meat. They come 3 to a plate and may-I-make-a-humble-suggestion-and-increase-the-se rving-to-twenty-one it's still a multiple of 3). No sex needed. Yeah, it is THAT good.
Vibe is Mission hipster with SF smug. -
Review from Robert H.
Concord, CA
11/30/2011
Whoa nelly!!! If you want a pizza that rocks the house, then you gotta get some of this! The "Purgatorio" - Spicy tomato sauce, 2 farm eggs, pecorino romano was stellar. The Napoletana is also very good. There is a special right now - Arancini. In short, fried Risotto Balls. Do not hesitate when the staff offer these little gems.
If you read my reviews then you know I'm way too much into food. I like to talk about it. Eat it. Marvel about it. This is a "Must Visit" restaurant..... -
Review from Emily S.
11/5/2011
We followed our Yelp senses when we were in San Francisco for a quick weekend trip and found Pizzeria Delfina in the Mission. Since we took the Bart we didn't have to worry about the hassle of parking and walked right in, put our names on the chalkboard and waited impatiently while watching others enjoy wonderful slices of pizza and glasses of wine. Luckily we didn't have to wait long and we were seated at a small table inside the restaurant. Our waitress was so helpful and kind (even when I changed my order, oops!) and made wonderful recommendations on the wine list.
Although the tables were tight in the restaurant it only added to the appeal for us and we enjoyed our delicious Margherita pizza. Next time we travel back to the Mission we will definitely be back! -
Review from Justine W.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I had to take a star off because I stood in the cold for almost a good hour in SAN FRANCISCO, a city covered in fog and because I had an off dish.
Have someone in your party drop you off while the driver looks for parking because most likely you'll end up waiting as I did.
My friend and I parked on 20th Street on the hill. It's about a 5 minute walk since we weren't lucky enough to find a closer spot after circling for about 20 minutes.
I had the Salsiccia pizza which was maybe 10 inches in diameter. It's a good size for sharing. I would definitely recommend this dish if you prefer a simply delicious sausage pizza!
The pizza I imagined wouldn't be enough for two, so we also ordered the 3 meatball special and this fried mozzarella dish. I forgot the names of both. The meatballs were good, but I was expecting penne to come along with the dish because the waitress said so, at least I thought she did. (Loud environment). Instead it came with two pieces of bread and a whole lotta pasta sauce.
I wouldn't recommend the fried cheese. It was pretty bad. You can TASTE the oil in your mouth. It was OIL then cheese. Not a very pleasant taste for your buds.
OH! I saw Cannolis!! -
Review from Brian L.
10/8/2011
Damn, Delfina is cute. With your cute little outdoor seating and bar seating around the kitchen- my head is filled with little kittens and floating rainbows!
Meatballs were just awesome and the margherite was exactly what I wanted with fresh basil and delicious tomato sauce. And those freaking breadsticks are addictive. I need a box to go, please! -
Review from Megan P.
San Francisco, CA
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Finally! I think I've had Pizzeria Delfina on my "to try" list for...well...forever. It did not disappoint.
Was wandering through the Mission with friends one late afternoon, and we just happened by Pizzeria Delfina. We'd yet to eat that day, so we decided on an early dinner. Good move, because by the time we left, the line was super long.
We sat at the bar and watched all the pizza action in front of us. Great Italian wine list, creative pizza menu, and terrific apps and salads. I shared the prosciutto panna and my friend had the margherita. Both were excellent. Thin crust, slightly crispy, fresh ingredients. -
Review from Alissa A.
Updated - 9/27/2011 5 Check-ins Here
PURGATORIO. You want this.
No? Well, I do. Two eggs, spicy tomato sauce and shaved pecorino.
It's not on the menu, but just ask and ye shall receive.
***
All hail the mighty olio di oliva here. It will drizzle it's way over your bubble-crusted pizza, calzone, butter bean soup, insalata tricolore and the daily special. You may as well rub a little on your skin for good measure.
And suddenly, after consuming countless pies (red, white, meaty, fishy, cheesy), salads, soups, bit and bites, along comes the humble grilled corn, slathered and swimming in chile butter. Butter. Butter!?! At Delfina? That thing I didn't think existed in this kitchen is suddenly dripping down my chin - I can't decide if this is food porn or gluttony. But there it is, equal parts matte and gloss, a red chile specked layer coating the plate and brushed over a (yes) butter-colored cob.
Enjoy this. and then lick your lips.
Oh, and that Purgatorio you ordered... leftovers make an amazing breakfast.Listed in: Fresh off the farm, First Date, Carb Happy
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/29/2008
Eggs on a pizza?!? Brilliant!
Who hasn't had pizza for breakfast anyway? Breakfast for pizza?
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Review from Nadeem A.
Union City, CA
10/21/2011 1 photo
Pizzeria Delfina was once described to me as a "great date" place, so I took the missus for a pizza date.
The places isn't that big and the wait is really long if you go at normal lunch or dinner times, but that gives you a chance to look at the menu and look to see what other people are having. Then you can repeat looking at the menu and what others are having about 100 times.
So, we did a little bit of Yelp researching to see what we should get. One thing that stuck out for us was the recommendation of getting a side of sauce with crostini. That was definitely the best decision of the night, since the sauce is really flavorful. By the end of the night, we were dipping our pizza slices in the sauce.
Anyway, for pizza, we went with simple. We ordered the margherita, which we thought was bland on it's own, so we spruced it up with some salt, parmesan, and crushed red chile peppers. Once seasoned to our liking, the pizza was pretty decent.
Neapolitan style pizza isn't our thing and the wait was long, but it's really good for what it is. If Neapolitan pizza is your thing, this is probably one of the best you'll get.
So, go, take a date, get your pizza on, and get a side of sauce.
