A. Welcome. Surprise. Nestled just a short walk away from San Francisco's famous North Beach district, or "Little Italy". This Italian restaurant looks like a well kept secret. As your able to slowly dine post Covid-19 pandemic, the City is allowing residents and visitors alike indoor dining at 50% as of this post. This restaurant is located next to a hotel, once you walk in the host seats you safely in a well spaced area but not isolated. The menu is standard. Would go back for further entree options to choose from. read more

This is a strong, balanced review already--honest without being harsh. I just smoothed the flow a bit and elevated the tone while keeping your voice: I had a good experience at Flor d'Italia. The service was friendly, the wine selection was nice, and the menu offered a solid range of options. The cuisine leans more Northern Italian rather than Sicilian, with lighter, more Mediterranean flavors. While it's not the best Italian food I've ever had, everything was well-prepared and enjoyable. Overall, a solid dining experience and I would definitely come back. read more

Fior d'Italia is a long standing historic Italian restaurant in the city. This restaurant was selected for a celebratory occasion and was a good choice! We arrived on a weekday for dinner. The restaurant wasn't too busy, but we had reservations. The ambiance is definitely old-timey and has a neighborhood charm. There's a bar plus lots of tables to sit at for various party sizes, plus private rooms. It's much more spacious than I expected. The service by our waiter was great! He was friendly, honest, and great to talk to. For food, we got complimentary bread that was warm and crunchy. For my meal, I had the Ravioli Di Zucca, which were pumpkin ravioli. I don't know why I expected it to be more savory, but it was quite sweet. The sauce was light, and the portion was a decent size. I had a bite of my companion's pasta and enjoyed it. Everyone seemed to enjoy the meals. We finished off with dessert. We shared the Velluto Di Cioccolato, a chocolate mousse. It was airy but extremely rich and chocolatey. We couldn't finish it. If you want history and are seeking Italian cuisine, Fior d'Italia is a classic in North Beach. They've been around for 140 years, which is impressive! Good food and service can be found here. Since they're off Mason Street, street parking is out front. read more

Fior d'Italia - Velluto Di Cioccolato - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Great meal here. Nice classic atmosphere with a rich history. Server was professional and welcoming. Gnocchi (kitchen made ) was soft and pillowy. Calamari was perfectly fried and was a generous portion. Wine selection was good and reasonably priced. Cool bar area with a lot of locals. read more

Fior d'Italia - Fried Calamari and Wine - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

We would definitely come back. Good food, massive portions, very fair prices. Make a reservation. The pasta dishes seem to be more regional than just Napolentean or what I normally see in American Italian restaurants. The noodles were good even the next day. Get what you like, they all seemed good. Hard to tell but very huge basket of calamari. Best for 5 or more people to share! I also liked their free bread and mushroom main, though we got it as an appetizer. Service wasn't slow for us like some reviews mention. Quaint ambiance with some live piano. read more

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Went here with our group last night - while the front of the house didn't see our 5:30 reservation for the godfather room (which was confirmed by their staff over email), they made arrangements for our group to still have a private dining experience. I'm glad we were able to overcome this hiccup. The server was polite, cordial, and attentive. He ensured our glasses were full whether with water or wine, and even swapped out our wine glasses for new ones when we moved to a new bottle. He closed out our night with kind words of gratitude. Food was tasty and reasonably priced. I had the osso bucco con polenta, and it was delicious. The restaurant has been around a long time, and has a rich history. Photos and decor are reminiscent of classic San Francisco and Italy. I wouldn't mind coming back to this restaurant again. Thank you, Fior d'Italia, for a great night with our chosen family! read more

Fior d'Italia - Is Osso Buco Con Polenta - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Keep coming back ! It starts with the warm service by Lalo's consistent warm greeting to the lovely bartenders Erick and Alfredo. We had a small networking group recently at the bar and everything was simply amazing from the drinks to the food. Can't get enough of this place ! read more

Came here for a Valentines Day dinner date. We arrived for a 6:30 reservation and it wasn't busy. They had live music (piano) and it wasn't too loud. I ordered a vodka martini (dirty...pretty good). All the food was very good. I recommend the procussito w/ melon.The service here was super super slow. I kept having to wave down our waiter (or someone) just to get more water. When we left (8ish), it was getting quite busy. Would recommend, but perhaps on a weekday early evening. read more

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Location for the restaurant was very easy to find/get to while walking from the wharf. Very retro vibe, which was fun since many other spots decide to go contemporary or industrial now. Live music was going on while we were there, which was a bit loud but fun. Food was delicious and you could tell the pasta was fresh. Every bit of pasta was perfectly sauced and flavor gave all the comfort feels needed on a rainy day. Service for us seemed slow whenever we needed anything, but their regulars got a lot of attention so I'd recommend they learn how to spread their time better to each table. read more

Fior d'Italia - Fettuccine Ai Tre Latti (Alfredo) - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Got takeout on a rainy night. Definitely need to be back as the vibes were incredible when we popped in for our food. They missed some of our order but they sped the last items through - super appreciated. We ordered a number of pastas as well as the picatta and eggplant parm. Every pasta was absolutely delicious and the picatta was delicious w the sauce the exact right consistency. Can't wait to dine there - looks like they make a mean martini read more

I do wonder if this is truly the oldest Italian restaurant around. Either way the food is always delicious. Eric at the bar is excellent and his service is never short of amazing. Food came out quickly and tasted fresh. Prices are quite high for the portion sizes but I'd still highly recommend for anyone looking for authentic Italian food. read more

Fior d'Italia - Tequila and Cranberry - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Made a 4pm reservation which is their first opening since we had time to kill before a work meeting and it did not disappoint. My friend had been talking about this place ever since she came here for her anniversary dinner and it exceeded my expectations!! From the fresh baked break to the main dish itself! Our server was very nice and was happy to help us. the portion size is amazing, i even had some left overs. Usually when you get chicken with pasta they put like 4 slivers of tiny chicken but this was perfect. it was my first time here but i'll definitely be back for a later dinner next time to see the live music i heard they have :)! 10/10 read more

Fior d'Italia - menu - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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We love Fior d'Italia! This restaurant is an institution in North Beach. We love coming here for the bright ambiance, natural light, big windows, friendly and affordable service, and delicious food. We brought our family here after our courthouse wedding and they set us up with a semi-private room. They really helped make our special day even more special. I love ordering any of their delicious pastas and adding a side of grilled chicken breast on top. This restaurant is set up beautifully for a cozy evening at the bar, an intimate date night, or a large group gathering. It's a wonderful place to celebrate any occasion, and it's never been too loud. I've always been able to easily enjoy conversation with my party, no matter the size, which is hard to find. Basically, it's comfortable, cozy, and most importantly - delicious. Enjoy! read more

We came by for an early dinner and were absolutely delighted! The service was impeccable, and everything we ordered was delicious. My friend had the veal chop, which was HUGE, perfectly cooked, and came with generous sides. My gnocchi was impossibly fluffy and tender. Topped off with tiramisu and a nostalgic crooner soundtrack throughout, we couldn't be happier! read more

Fior d'Italia - Calamari - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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While many restaurants in the Fisherman's Wharf and North Beach neighborhoods are tourist traps, Fior d'Italia is the real thing. I've had several outstanding meals here over the past 20 years. The food and service are both impeccable. My waiter tonight was decisive in his advice about standout choices on the menu, both food and wine. His service was attentive and highly competent, without being intrusive. The Caesar Salad, his recommendation, was creamy without being runny. The anchovies were rich without being over-salted. The Veal Chop was perfect Medium Rare, and the vegetables with it were perfectly al dente. The wine, a Sangiovese, was a lovely complement. Of particilar note, I showed up as a party if one on a busy Friday night. The maitre d' didn't send me on my way, nor did he send me to the bar. He found me a table. I wasn't rushed during the meal. After dinner, on the way out, I was stunned to see 20+ members of a wedding party waiting to get seated. The maitre d' had no incentive to give me a table, knowing what the night held in store for him. And yet he did. So what's it all about? Hospitality, good food, and goodwill. Amazing in today's world! read more

Fior d'Italia - A perfect veal chop! - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Found a last minute reservation here with a big group for dinner on a Saturday night at 5pm. Starting out, we got calamari and bread as appetizers. Calamari was tasty so I had high expectation for the pasta. My bf got the mushroom risotto and he really enjoyed it but felt it was lacking something. I also agreed with him as I felt the risotto was water downed and felt like it was congee with Parmesancheese on top. I'm curious if they used vegetable broth to simmer it down with the risotto. The menu states that they make their pasta fresh daily so I opted for the egg pasta with meat tomayo sauce. I felt the egg pasta might've been over cooked so it was a bit soggy to me and I just didn't enjoy the meal personally. I sauce was a bit lacking as it was dry so it didn't taste like much. I was expecting more pasta sauce ask this wasn't a dry pasta. Overall- the service was nice but not sure if I enjoy this Italian meal. read more

Fior d'Italia - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This restaurant was incredible, and an extra surprise that I really enjoyed was reading about the history of the restaurant after our visit. The food was fantastic, with delicious, hearty sauces, and pasta made from scratch. The service also was incredible! We were from out of town and every single person at the restaurant made it an incredible dining experience. We loved the historic feel and beautiful appointments of the restaurant, as well. We will definitely be returning next time we are in San Francisco! read more

Great staff! Good food! Comfortable ambiance. Piano music and musician takes requests! Will definitely return!

We tried this place based on a recommendation and we're really happy with the food and vino. The homemade rustic Italian bread was fabulous and the olive oil was delightfully fruity. Our entrees, tagliatelle bolognese and Clam Spaghetti was really good. The homemade tagliatelle pasta was super tender and the bolognese sauce not too heavy or greasy. The clams were a perfect size and well seasoned. The side of garlic spinach was a perfect accompaniment. We loved our server too! read more

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Base on the food we ordered the pesto ribbon noodles was good it was kinda confusing though coz it's says it had chicken but came without it, I had the seafood pasta the flavors was good but the seafood was a bit overdone . It's had to cook then perfectly but given that it's one of the oldest Italian restaurant in SF they should probably know by now . Calamari was good along with the side sauces . Service was good they are very friendly and the ambience bring homey vibes and there is music that add a plus read more

Fior d'Italia - Pesto - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The food is top notch the pasta is good and gelato is amazing.The service is insane for just a small restaurant, with a lot of old pictures to make the ambiance good with historical images and statues. read more

I had dinner here in New years Eve. Not often you leave a restaurant with such nice experience. First of all, service was amazing. Host was very kind and friendly, felt like if I knew him for years. Waiters had excellent suggestions for wine, food and desserts. All three main entree's were amazing, but my personal favorite was Tagliatelle alla Bolognese. Simply one of the best pasta I have ever had. Desserts were out of this world too. The panna cotta was amazing for me since it wasn't too sweet. I definitely recommend this place and will be back soon myself read more

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Giorgio, the best maitre"D" He was very friendly and accommodating! He knew the history of establishment! Which is always a welcomed conversation as My 94 year old father had dined at the restaurant over 60 years ago with my uncle ! Giorgio helped with selection of our dinner also which was very much appreciated and needed! The location is perfect the decor was fabulous thank you for sharing your story with us ! read more

Fior d'Italia - Restaurant - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Everything was great. An enjoyable experience. Would go again. Fresh pasta a must. Also the bread was great. read more

This is a definite dining stop when you are visiting San Francisco. It is off Little Italy Restaurant Row which is a good thing. This is the spot for you if you like an old-style Italian dining experience. If anyone had experienced dining in Boston's North End before it was gentrified, this restaurant will bring back some fond memories. Our Ceasar salad and Pasta e Fagioli soup were good starters, as were our ice-cold martinis. My Ceasar lacked that anchovie taste that defines a good Caesar but it was AOK. Plus One's soup was 5-star and nice and thick which was good for dunking with their fresh bread. I was fished out so I ordered the veal scallopini and was not disappointed. My dish was chock full of thinly sliced veal in a light but creamy sauce. Plus 1 ordered the lasagna bolognese. This dish was generous lasagna topped with a hearty amount of perfectly spiced ground meat. We finished our dining experience with tiramisu and a 20-year port. This completed a wonderful dining experience. Pro tip: Reservations are required and if you have time check out the old-school hotel next door. Pro tip II: A lot of regulars were ordering steaks and they were Texas-sized and looked awesome! read more

Live piano player. Nice touch. Excellent wine list. No sommelier was available during our visit, but server was quite knowledgeable. Veal was outstanding. My caprese salad was wonderful, and plenty big for 2 to share. The caramel flan type dessert was a fitting ending. read more

We really enjoyed the New York steak. Three of us ordered it on a business trip. Service was quick. We booked reservation through yelp, which was very helpful. The calamari was fresh crispy and quite good. Caesar salad was OK. The overall ambience was nice but a little dated. There were several couples there that looked like they were in a date. read more

Spectacular time at the coolest and oldest Italian restaurant in America. The calamari is TO DIE FOR! The entire restaurant is reminiscent of old school Italy with a wonderful nod to local heroes like Joe DiMaggio and the San Francisco 49ers having their own dedicated booths to sit and lounge in. The wait staff is incredible and so warm and welcoming. Gil is an absolute treasure and had remembered a time I had been visiting with my nephew a few months prior and was able to reminisce with me that particular visit in real time. It really was magical. Our table ordered the Pesto penne, Misti salad and two orders of the calamari. We were all set to order more but our wonderful waiter stopped us and said that would do us three just fine and he was right. I remembered how great the calamari was from a prior visit so I ordered two for the table and I ended up inhaling most of one basket and some of the other. Yes, I was stuffed to my brim but ate every last piece of crispy, fried goodness that was the best calamari I've ever had. No sauce needed-just a spray of lemon and it was absolute perfection. This restaurant has been doing Italian food for generations and they have perfected every part of the experience. Go to Fior D'Italia NOW and experience it for yourself. You will NOT be disappointed, I promise you. You can come for me if you disagree. I will wait. Enjoy Fior D'Italia as often as you can and make it a daily stop on your way home or a quick stop for Happy Hour. Love, love love this restaurant and the people in it. Thank you for such great memories. read more

Everything! The restaurant was tired with broken down old, damaged furniture, food splattered all over the wall walls, terrible food, including wilted, rotten lettuce with overdressed with Caesar dressing, fermenting marinara passed off as cocktail sauce for calamari--- it was spoiled, and the worst dirty vodka martini I've ever seen. It was so cloudy I couldn't see through it. Obviously, the extra olive juice that they use to make the martini dirty was spoiled because it doesn't turn cloudy like that unless it's very old. The bathroom had not been cleaned and was filthy. I won't include photos just because I don't wanna look at them again. This is no way the legendary Fior D' Italia restaurant that my grandparents and parents went to in the city back in the day. We knew the location had changed, but thought that it would be still a quality restaurant. It is not! Very disappointing. We will never be back. Only giving two stars because the dessert was decent as was the red wine. We were very disappointed and we did not feel that the server cared at all that we weren't enjoying the food. She did not offer to take any of the other problematic and unfresh/spoiled food items off of our bill, even though it was clear, we had not enjoyed or eaten them. read more

This place has moved around a lot in 30 years. But currently it's just a place you get reservations when all the other restaurants are booked. It's a good place if you like spending $200 on two plates of spaghetti with ketchup and chewy veal covered in the gravy you buy in those little packets at the store. And that's two hours of your day with one waiter and no people in there (except at the bar). Avoid this place. read more

This restaurant is classic Italian with European style service. We were greeted warmly by the host, and ushered to a cozy and plush booth. Our server, Tony was warm and welcoming and professional. The food was delicious and authentic. A wonderful dining experience! read more

Came here for an end-of-year dinner with family. We arrived at 5:30 pm so things were still pretty slow, as it got later more people came in and almost all tables were occupied. The lights were pretty dimmed, good for the atmosphere but it was pretty hard to read the menu There was a pianist playing live music and grandma absolutely LOVED it (all the songs played were songs from the 50's and it matched grandma's taste). For starters we got the Caesar salad and fried calamari. The calamari was a huge basket and the tartar sauce that came with it was a good addition. Salad was standard but the bread that came with the table was AMAZING (yeah we liked it more than the salad). For mains we got Fettuccine ai Tre Latti (Alfredo), Tagliatelle alla Bolognese, Risotto alla Milanese, and Coniglio ai Funghi con Polenta (yes, that's rabbit). I personally preferred the two pasta dishes over the rabbit and risotto. But also that huge basket of calamari made us already half full when the mains arrived. We were already very full after the appetizers and mains but still felt like we had to get some dessert (there's always a second stomach for desserts). As someone that isn't really a big fan of desserts I actually LOVED the cheesecake! Overall the experience was good and I would recommend this place to anyone who's looking for a place with good vibes. read more

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Me and my friend decided to take an excursion to the city , and upon arriving we were greeted by Matteo !The feel of possibly old Italian mobsters might be dining here was the feeling I got when I walked in .We both ordered the Lasagne Bolognese which was superb ! read more

Fior d'Italia - The sign right outside the restaurant - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

A cozy old Italian restaurant with a mixture of ambiance, great food and excellent service. A can't miss.

Old school all the way. Huge portions of good but not spectacular food. Great eccentric wait staff. A North Beach institution

I was visiting SF and staying on Fisherman's Wharf. I wanted to have a couple of good meals so I looked for restaurants within walking distance but a few blocks in from the wharf. Fior d'Italia was one of the search results and I decided Italian Food sounded good. I ended up going by myself after a stressful day. It was just what I needed. They are friendly and the food is delicious. And I love that they've been part of SF for so long. read more

An overdue review - we have hosted my in laws here for either/both Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve for the last 5 years. And each time we arrive - we are greeted with warmth and professionalism from all staff, they pay attention to notes (need for a wheelchair able table) and make it much easier for us to navigate what at times can be challenging. Our wait staff know how to read the room and make sure that the needs of their diners are taken care of without interrupting, filling water glasses without cue, bringing and removing plates promptly. Shoutout to Robin this time for expertly guiding not only my elder MIL through the menu but also informing our choices overall. And the food - the Bolognese is not only reliable but remains inspired which I think is hard to do night after night. My favorite dish is the spinach pasta with paglia and I have tried to recreate it at home. Bread service is excellent, SemiFreddis local, and salads (Caesar and house) were dressed properly and very fresh - the house salad especially, something light to contrast the pasta. I'm not a dessert diner so I appreciated the old school affogato to end our meal. Being a meal with family, I enjoyed a perfectly drawn dirty vodka martini and Fior always has some well drinking affordable wines by the glass. This restaurant has been in business for over 100 years for so many reasons - but the obvious one is that it pairs historic decor with solid cooking that brings diners like me back time and again knowing I will be taken care of. Bravo! read more

I came here with my family for a traditional Italian meal and we were highly impressed. I started with the Tiramisu Martini and it was AMAZING. For appetizer we got the calamari which was a bigger portion than most other restaurants, a bang for your buck. We also got the Cesar salad and bucatini, both were flavorful and filling. The employees were very attentive and checked in on us often. I highly recommend this place for a night out with family/friends or just a comforting meal. read more

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When we were seated, I had a weird sense of deja vu....Growing up in San Francisco, I had dined in many a restaurant in my college days. It turned out Fior d'Italia now occupies the same space as a former Italian restaurant San Remo, a classy old-school Italian restaurant. The diners were regale by a piano player the night we were there. The piano could be a bit softer, but it was possible to converse without having to raise one's voice. The classy (not stuffy!) ambiance was reinforced by the pleasant decor and the staff who came by to check how we were doing. Three incidences disrupted the overall pleasant ambiance: the barking of someone's dog neat the host station, the upsetting of a tray of empty dishes by the waitstaff as they bustled about, and the bad timing of our waiter who checked in on us and interrupted us mid-conversation. The food was good but not exceptional. The salumi antipasto was good and generously portioned. My friend liked her gnocchi, while my osso bucco was tender enough to cut with a table knife. The flavor was good and the polenta was a nice foil for the rich, meaty flavor. What would have made the dish exceptional would be greater tenderness: the meat was not melt-in-your mouth-tender as with other osso bucco dishes I had elsewhere. The restaurant had an extensive wine selection and the table wine is from Francis Ford Coppola. My friend enjoyed her red wine, which was recommended by our waiter. The items on the menu were pricy, but not excessive for San Francisco. Fior d'Italia is a place to visit for a good meal at a pleasant and classy venue where diners can comfortably converse. read more

--The Oldest Italian Restaurant in America-- This place has the old-fashioned 1960's homey vibes you're looking for in an Italian restaurant, just absolutely delightful and great for a night out. When you walk in, you are greeted with decorum and interior design of an old-age Italian Trattoria, plucked right from Rome or Florence. The servers are very courteous and friendly as well. The menu is about as classic as it gets, which could be a good thing or bad thing (all your Italian and Italian-American favorites are here, but there is not much reinvention or creativity in the menu). Some of my personal favorite items I tried were the Pesto pasta, as well as the Risotto alla Milanese (though would've prefered if the Risotto came with the Milanese Veal too). The fried calamari was also a classic and very tasty. Overall I think it's a great place, a little on the pricey side but great for a night out in SF North Beach. read more

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