Piccolo Forno — Restaurant in San Francisco

Yesterday, I brought my Italian friends to a restaurant I have always enjoyed because of the owner’s dedication, hospitality, and care for his guests. I was introduced to this place by my priest from the church next door, and we used to have lunch there regularly, appreciating the great food and warm environment. Unfortunately, the experience yesterday was entirely different and extremely disappointing.

The owner was not present, and instead, a server with long hair and a beard was handling the guests. He appeared tipsy and greeted us without the respect I was accustomed to, simply saying, "Sit there." After seating us, he brought menus but did not offer water for over 10 minutes. When I ordered chicken pasta with Alfredo sauce, he questioned my choice, saying, "Why?" and added, "You’re not Italian. Americans don’t know this, but this meal isn’t Italian. Get the pasta pesto instead." I found this highly inappropriate but agreed to his suggestion.

I also ordered a Caesar salad and an Aperol Spritz alongside my friends' orders. The server showed clear attitude when I asked for the anchovies to be removed from my salad, and I had to remind him about my drink, which he admitted he forgot. Meanwhile, he loudly criticized Portuguese-speaking guests, mocking them for asking for a discount. This behavior is unacceptable and unprofessional, completely at odds with the atmosphere the owner would want in his establishment.

When the pesto pasta arrived, it was watery, and the pasta was overcooked. I decided not to complain further and set it aside. My friend tasted it and said it was "disgusting." The server later asked if I liked the pasta. I politely told him "no" and assured him I didn’t want anything else. He became upset and continued to show unprofessional behavior.

My friend overheard him speaking disrespectfully about me to a coworker and confronted him, calling out his unacceptable remarks. The server denied it and tried to deflect. Then, shockingly, he brought the discarded pesto pasta back from the garbage, ate a bite in front of my friend, and insulted him in Italian, calling him “empty head.” My friend, deeply offended, stood up to confront him after further insults. The situation escalated, almost leading to a physical altercation, which was humiliating and deeply upsetting.

As we decided to leave, the server made another racist comment, saying, “I know you’re Italian and don’t like to pay.” This was outrageous. My friend asked for the check, but the server responded, “No, I will take care of it,” further escalating the situation.

This was an appalling experience, and the server's behavior was rude, unprofessional, and outright racist. This individual’s actions tarnish the reputation of what I know to be a wonderful restaurant. The owner should be made aware of this incident immediately, and this server should be removed from the establishment. No guest should have to endure...

A few weeks ago, we had dinner at Piccolo Forno in North Beach, San Francisco, and it was a very pleasant experience. The food and service were excellent.

We chose to sit outside, and the weather was perfect for relaxing and soaking in the North Beach atmosphere, which is gradually returning to its pre-pandemic levels.

The menu offers a wide selection of authentic Italian dishes, and we enjoyed several options. From appetizers to desserts, each dish was delicious.

To start, we had the Insalata Caprese and Burrata. I paired mine with a glass of white wine. Both salads were fresh and delightful.

For our main courses, we ordered Lasagna Classica and Spaghetti Alla Carbonara. Both were delicious; however, be sure to come with an empty stomach if you choose the Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, as it is very filling. We could not finish more than half of our plates because we wanted to save room for dessert. We decided to share the Tiramisu, which we enjoyed alongside a cup of cappuccino. The Tiramisu was perfectly balanced, and the coffee was so good that we asked about the beans they used.

In conclusion, the quality of the food was outstanding. Every dish was prepared with care, showcasing fresh ingredients. The pasta was rich and flavorful, the sauces were well-balanced, and the meat sauce was cooked to perfection.

The service was excellent as well. The staff was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable, providing great recommendations. They went above and beyond to ensure our dining experience was enjoyable and made us feel special.

Overall, our evening at Piccolo Forno was a lot of fun. The restaurant excels in both food and service. If you find yourself in North Beach, San Francisco, be sure to visit Piccolo Forno—you won't be...

Wow. This restaurant is a gem. Be warned, this place gets busy and a line is formed everytime I went and passed by here. Expect more than an hour delay on busy nights. We had the pleasure of coming here twice, and we were impressed both times. I love pizza and I've had very many in my life. The most important ingredient is the sauce and this place does it superbly! It is sweet, tangy and tastes fresh. I've had the Margherita pizza and the mushroom and sausage pizza, and the ingredients don't even matter because the sauce was so good. I'll give the tip to the Margherita, but only marginally. We also tried the Al vongole (clam) pasta and the carbonara, both prepared with a lot of love and clearly tasting very home made. Pasta is not so much my thing, so I recommend the pizza first and foremost. Then we ordered dessert. We had a house made tiramisu and it was done perfectly. But the star of this whole restaurant and the reason why anyone should go is the panna cotta. Words cannot describe it, just go there and taste it. It's too much to express it here.

Service was intense, the owner fills in the gaps as waiter and chef depending on what is needed. He is kind and clearly loves what he does. The other waiters might seem cold when you are waiting in line and you want to know how many people are in front of you, but they don't care to answer those things. They know exactly in which order everyone came in and they are focused on the patrons sitting down.

Overall, I would tank this among the best restaurants I've...