Cafe Zoetrope — Restaurant in San Francisco

it goes without saying that Cafe Zoetrope is an excellent establishment. Some of the best Italian Food you can ever get in San Francisco. I have come to Cafe Zoetrope a handful of times ranging from 2009 - present day and they are exceptional. Their Pizza and their salads and pasta are on the level of Italian Food in Italy.

Francis Ford Coppola, while arguably one of the greatest filmmakers of all time; is also a purveyor of some of the most inarguably best Italian Food, especially Pizza, in San Francisco. If you understand how Italian Food in Italy is or you are Italian I am sure you would agree but if you don't, what can I do? I went to Italy and think this food is exceptional and on that level as much as anything can be in San Francisco. Plus, the building is beautiful and the staff is very professional and has a good decorum. Well mannered and efficient. Extremely good customer services skills. Hard working Chiefs in the Kitchen who are doing a very honorable service to the City of San Francisco. Lots of respect to these people.

This place is also a standard bearer for how a business should be run, at least on the surface towards the customer and in regards to the quality of their food and value per cost. Their prices are reasonably, responsibly and correctly priced for what they are from an objective standpoint.

In my humble and honest opinion, I wish more Pizza Establishments would study and analyze and assess Cafe Zoetrope in a variety of ways such as their product, service and pricing. A lot of struggling businesses could resurrect themselves if they were willing to take a page out of Cafe Zoetrope's book. That is just my objective perspective on it, but who am I?

Blessings, Cafe Zoetrope. May you...

This restaurant has been our favorite dining spot in San Francisco for the past few decades! The historic building - both exterior and interior - are fabulous to set the stage for a truly delicious and memorable meal. We always start with the great Caesar Salad and it is excellent! I typically order the Spaghetti Alla Carbonara Classico which is made perfectly in my opinion - not overly creamy but extremely flavorful, the way I remember it from dining in Italy. My husband often orders the Linguine Alla Vongole and the fresh clams are always wonderful in this pasta. We have had the fabulous Tiramisu in the past plus love their espresso and Coppola wine. Service is great and the ambiance is unique and fun. We especially enjoy all of the photos and it doesn't hurt that I used to help market The Godfather when I worked at Paramount. To me, this is an outstanding destination restaurant that should be included in every visit to San Francisco. Bellissimo!

Visited again in May 2024: We believe that a visit to San Francisco should ALWAYS include dining or obtaining food to go from Cafe Zoetrope. Dining in this beautiful historic building built in 1907 allows you to step into and truly enjoy a European cafe-style vibe, including an outdoor dining space with a gorgeous sidewalk. Our favorite salad is the Caesar Salad which was evidently created originally in this building at Caesar’s Grill in 1924. Following the salad, we enjoy scrumptious cooked to order pasta dish such as Spaghetti Alla Carbonaro Classico and Spaghetti Pomodoro Basilico. A glass of Francis Ford Coppola Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon wine and an espresso completes a perfect meal! The staff is friendly and professional, too. VERY highly...

I came here for the first time with a group of friends for Cafe Zoetrope's 20th anniversary. I've always wanted to try the restaurant out due to its history, wine, and Caesar salad. I knew there was a special event taking place the week of their anniversary, but my friends and I weren't sure what to expect besides live music and a "special dinner." I called ahead just to make sure we were confirmed for our reservation and everything seemed okay. When we arrived, the band was setting up and the place was packed. The music started off with a very loud band that didn't fit at all with the atmosphere. Unfortunately we were sat right next to them as well. The restaurant is small, so I'm not sure why the band needed an amp to project their music right into our ears. We were then handed the dinner menu and the special dinner menu. As we were getting excited to order some pasta, pizza, and Caesar salad, we were then told that the menu consisted of ONLY the special dinner menu. This came to us as a complete shock and honestly ruined the night since there were only 3 entrees. I'm usually aware of events like Valentine's day where restaurants change the menu, but come on, they didn't even have their signature Caesar salad. To make it worse, the food came cold and was overpriced in my opinion. I would like to come back, but what should've been a celebration for their anniversary felt more...