B Y J ES S I CA GL AV I N

Restaurants + Bars
May 9, 2013
When San
Franciscans
want pizza,
they head to
one of Chef
Tony
Gemignani's three Bay Area pizza spots. When Gemignani wants Italian, he heads for San Francisco's North Beach, where
generations of Italian-led businesses serve up Boot-approved focaccia and some of the best old-school Italian in the new
world. Here, Tony's favorite Campari cocktail, cannoli, and cioppino in the Bay, plus the one coffee shop every legit Godfather
fan must pay a visit to.
1. Caffe Trieste
601 Vallejo Street, 415-392-6739; caffetrieste.com
"Trieste is my go-to neighborhood coffee spot. It's famous for Francis Ford Coppola writing part of The Godfather in it.
Everyone from poets to beatniks to politicians have gone thereand bums are still hanging out front. I've been drinking a lot
of their famous Africanos lately. [Africanos are short lattes with twice the horsepower: Caffe Trieste's Africano is a double
shot of espresso served in an Africano glass and topped with half the amount of steamed milk as a latte.]"
2. Gino & Carlo and Tony Nik's
Gino & Carlo
The Short Order: Tony Gemignani's Guide to the Best Italian in San Fran... http://www.gq.com/food-travel/restaurants-and-bars/201305/short-order-...
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548 Green Street, 415-421-0896; ginoandcarlo.com
Tony Nik's
1534 Stockton Street, 415-693-0990; tonyniks.com
"After work, I'll head to Tony Nik's or Gino & Carlo for a North Beach cocktail. It's a Campari soda with a brandy floater on
top. When I asked Frank Cola, one of the owners behind Gino & Carlo, why they add brandy, he said that back in the day the
American version of Campari was (according to the neighborhood's Italian immigrants) slightly weaker than the Campari
served in Italy, and didn't have enough kick. The brandy was added to really get you therelike a Campari soda should."
3. Molinari Delicatessen
373 Columbus Avenue, 415-822-5555; molinarisalame.com
"Their sandwich guy here, Vince Balistreri, makes the best sandwiches in the city. Their fresh mozzarella with sun-dried
tomatoes, olive oil, and sea salt is awesome, as is any sandwich with their salami, so you can't go wrong. Just pick your bread,
tell Vince to make you something good, and he'll deliver."
4. Perbacco
230 California Street, 415-955-0663; perbaccosf.com
"The dinner spot you can't go wrong at. The antipasto and pastas are my favorite here, especially the slow-cooked short rib
pappardelle."
5. Stella Pastry & Cafe
446 Columbus Avenue, 415-986-2914
"At our wedding, my wife and I served Stella's Cucidati fig cookies. We get their house specialtySacripantina [a
dome-shaped vanilla sponge cake layered with Zabaione cream and rum]for staff birthdays."
6. Victoria Pastry Co.
700 Filbert Street, 415-781-2015
"When it comes to Victoria's, it's all about the cannoli. If you're looking for something different, the Vanilla Ossi Dei Morti, a
crunchy meringue cookie with almonds or hazelnuts, is also awesome."
7. Lucca Delicatessen
2120 Chestnut Street, 415-921-7873; luccadeli.com
"Lucca Deli is great when you're shopping for special imported tomatoes, cheeses, and olive oil. They stock one of my
favoritesFrantoio, an olive oil that strikes the perfect balance between fruitiness and a slightly peppery finish."
8. Liguria Bakery
1700 Stockton Street, 415-421-3786
"This is where you go for focaccia. Liguria's been around for over 100 years, and they're still making the same recipes in the
same ovens. Their pizza focaccia, with a simple tomato sauce and a little oil and onions, is my favorite. Go early because when
they sell out, they close up shop (usually around noon or 1 p.m.)."
9. Capannina
1809 Union Street, 415-409-8001; capanninasf.com
"Pretty much everything the owner Michele does here is amazing, especially the pasta dishes (and particularly when they ship
in imported Italian truffles each season). He's from Capri, Italy and his restaurants are a staple in North Beach. I've been
going to his spots since I was 18 and dating."
10. Sodini's Green Valley Restaurant
510 Green Street, 415-291-0499
"A great glass of Sangiovese and their seafood linguine (it's got everything clams, mussels, shrimp, and calamari) is what
keeps me coming back to this neighborhood spotthat, and Mark Sodini, who runs the place. He's one of the coolest Italian
guys in the neighborhood, and he always makes you feel welcome."
11. Scoma's at Fisherman's Wharf
Pier 47 on Al Scoma Way, 415-771-4383; scomas.com
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TAGS
Short Order, San Francisco, Food, Bars, Tony Gemignani
"I've been coming here with my dad since I was a kid. He's the one who got me into calamari. I always get their pan-seared
calamari steak which is loaded with butter, but their "Lazy Man's" Cioppino [a hearty, tomato-y seafood stew San Francisco is
credited for inventing] is a classic, too."
The Short Order: Tony Gemignani's Guide to the Best Italian in San Fran... http://www.gq.com/food-travel/restaurants-and-bars/201305/short-order-...
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