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Vino e Cucina - CLOSED
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
489 3rd St(between Bryant St & Stillman St)
San Francisco, CA 94107
Neighborhood: SOMA
(415) 543-6962
19 reviews for Vino e Cucina
19 reviews in English
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Review from ross g.
Oakland, CA
7/25/2007
THE BIG FAKE TOMATO PLACE!
I'm sad that you are closed and I never got a chance to see you when you were young and beautiful, but I LOVE LOVE LOVE your big fake tomato that still hangs above your door. You inspired me to start photographing big fake food items.
Your legacy lives inside my spirit. -
Review from Ted R.
1/14/2008
5 stars for reminding me of the Dot Com Days - Version 1.0. When the Wired HQ felt like the center of the revolution and this was a great place to grab a bite with friends from the front lines.
1 star for being closed, 'cause the food was actually pretty good. -
Review from Toro E.
San Francisco, CA
5/15/2006 4 photos
The chef from Milano offers fairly authentic Italian dishes including Italian style pizza, which perhaps is better than the ones served down the road at Pazzia (http://www.yelp.com/bi...). Unlike Pazzia, you can often times walk in to Vino e Cucina without a reservation and easily get a seat. 3rd Street in SOMA around this restaurant isn't Disneyland, but I din't feel unsafe. In fact, I liked the fact street parking was easy to find. Just make sure you lock your doors.
They had a decent selection of wine by glass at $6-7 per glass.
While many people come to this place by attraction of the big tomato in the front, I went here because it was one of the few restaurants on Entertainment Book that I didn't mind trying. The book was for most part useless; the only reason we bought it was because savings from their rental car coupon paid for the book. Entertainment card did save us $14, so it was quite nice.
Atmosphere was casual and comfortable. I don't know if I would call it romantic, but certainly did have some European flavor.Listed in: Best of SOMA (Eats)
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Review from a w.
San Francisco, CA
4/10/2006
THESE GUYS ARE MOVING JULY 15TH TO BERKELEY. GET IN THERE AND TRY 'EM QUICK!!! it will be sad to lose this italian fixture in soma. sniff!
when I was a kid and came into the city with my parents we'd get off the freeway on bryant and head up third street. i always remember seeing the giant tomato at vino e cucina and would know we had arrived in sf. many years have passed and, ironically, I now work in the neighborhood. it is another office favorite. we venture down third to this cozy sanctuary and everyone orders the same, simple thing. spaghetti and meatballs. those meatballs are soo tasty. it's the sage. sometimes we stray from the norm and order other things which are equally good.(pumpkin ravioli with butter sage sauce.mmmmmm) the staff always recognizes us and we seem to end up with free dessert. the desserts are fabulous. I recommend the wine soaked pear served with ice cream, or the apple tart. affectionately dubbed "the tomato" vino e cucina holds a special place in our hearts. -
Review from Alicia W.
San Francisco, CA
6/26/2006
Thank you Vino e Cucina, I'm sad to see you go!
Is a great place to come for a low key Italian dinner where you will leave happy, satisfied and mellow. The rolled lasagna with ham, spinach and bechemel - topped with parmigiana was so inspiring, I felt the need to try to re-create it in my own kitchen.
The friendly staff at Vino e Cucina are moving at the end of June to Berkeley where I wish them much success, but am so so very sad to see them go!
All the best to you! Your restaurant had all the right stuff, and I told everyone to go. -
Review from Jenny M.
Minneapolis, MN
5/19/2006
Went here off a recommendation in my Lets Go book. It definitely did not live up to the hype. The walk to the restaurant was interesting to say the least--under an overpass & past several vagrants. The restaurant itself was quaint & it was above-average Italian food.
I live close to Pazzia as well & given the choice, I would rather pay to eat there., especially since the price of food is about the same. -
Review from J P.
San Francisco, CA
8/11/2005
You know that litte "find" that you just love taking friends to? The one that it unexpected and they've never heard of. This is it. Very traditional menu with a bit of flair. The inside is rustic and much nicer than the neighborhood outside. Simple wine list. Penne Arrabiatta is deliciously spicy, and the eggplant caprese is a good creative innovation. Super comfy casual dining with great food. WOrth a trip into the depths of SOMA, or a walk a block past the more popular places if you're a local.
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Review from Nate B.
San Francisco, CA
8/23/2006
This restaurant has closed. Too bad, as I really enjoyed it. Apparently the owners will be opening a new place, Misto, in Berkeley in September.
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Review from Andi T.
7/10/2005
I go to this restaurant on a regular basis because the food is good and the service is excellent. There's usually plenty of parking, you rarely need a reservation, and you can count on having a great meal in a cozy environment. The bread pudding is excellent, and it's HUGE!
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Review from Tami Y.
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2005
I've eaten here so many times with my boyfriend we probably have most of the menu memorized. Friendly service, fresh pastas and solid desserts keep us coming back for more. Definitely get the bread pudding - this house dessert is just the perfect thing to warm you up on those cold windy nights...
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Review from Lynn S.
6/24/2005
Who would expect to find an Italian trattoria with class across from the ball park? No beaded curtains or strands of fresh garlic dangling from the rafters clutter this gem of a restaurant! It is small, reminiscent of the myriad of little dining spots tucked along the sidestreets of Italian cities. The reason it was not crowded with guests is probably because it is nestled amidst paint-peeling storefronts with their not-very-inviting iron gating. However, once inside, it offers atmosphere, superb service, excellent food and a reasonable price point. You might like the Caesar salad, lamb chops or seafood pasta. It's a comfortable setting for a first date and is sure to be discovered by the general population soon.
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Review from Reza E.
San Francisco, CA
8/3/2006
Some of the best pasta I've had has been here. The lasagna is not like any lasagna you've tried before but its delicious and extremely rich and fattening!! It will be a shame if they have closed their doors for good. I was hoping that it would only be a temporary closure while the bay bridge retrofit is going on.
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Review from Jeremy S.
3/20/2005 2 photos
God only knows how many times I've walked past this place without going in. My primary reason for avoiding it was the simple fact that vagrants tend to hang out by the convenience store next door. Well, I finally tried it and I think I found something pretty special. The fresh Italian food was excellent and moderately priced. Service was also great; our waitress was very friendly and responsive. For a casual dinner in SOMA, definitely give this place a try.
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Review from Michael S.
San Francisco, CA
3/20/2005
Pretty nice italian place, food was fresh and staff was friendly. Nice mid-priced about 40-50 bucks for dinner for two.
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Review from mike b.
1/4/2006
Hmm, not sure what all the yelping is about. This place is just okay. I've certainly had better Italian in the city for around the same price. To start, although the bread was very good, the dipping oil consisted of what tasted like vegetable oil with some dried up oregano sprinkled in it. There was no olive flavor at all. The pasta I had was a rigatoni with sausage, peas and mushrooms. The pasta was al dente perfect, the sauce was great, but the peas tasted either canned or extremely overcooked. A dish like this deserves better.
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Review from Michelle S.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2006
Our favorite neighborhood restaraunt! There's always a table, attentive service, super friendly host and we've never had a bad meal. My favorite is the Saltimbuco and the Pork Chop dish. We also recommend the pasta with shrimp. The spinach salad is the best in town with Sundried tomatos and goat cheese and a light dressing. Parking is available, but not always in a well lit area. Neighborhood is urban hip, but this is down home Italiano.
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Review from Scott B.
San Francisco, CA
7/10/2006
This was a local place that we would visit every so often because we could always get a table and the food was above average. I always loved the wait staff, as they seemed to have been there a long time and just in a routine. The food is consistantly very good, and the prices are very reasonable. Always have left happy.
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Review from Sunny Y.
Boulder, CO
11/18/2005
Decent Italian restaurant tucked away in an unassuming spot in SOMA. I ordered the gnocchi bolognese, and found the gnocchi rather mushy and the sauce overly salty (although I wouldn't say it was bad, it wasn't particulary great either). The entire experience was somewhat disappointing given the high marks most of the other Yelpers gave this place. This place would be good for groups, and not was not very busy on the weeknight I went with a party of 6.
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Review from Derek D.
Stevensville, MD
4/26/2005
I've been here several times now and never have I been disappointed. Excellent service, food and atmosphere! The location is good for me since it is just around the corner but 3rd Street between Harrison and Bryant isn't the greatest. If you like genuine Italian it's a must for you to check it out. If you are a cheese freak like myself drop everything right now and go get an order of Gnocchi al Gorgonzola for a little taste of heaven.
