Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
146
meal. The overall tone of the place is quite gr own-up, with an adjoining, v ery hip bar
next door. Fortunately, the chefs have a young boy of their own, who can be seen running
around the courtyard in the early part of the evening. They've even added a kids' menu,
so arrive early and bring the childr en. Or try the weekend brunch, which is the family-
friendliest meal here.
The best part of the whole experience is that the food is very good—even though this
place is so cool it doesn't need to be. Chefs/parents Gayle Pirie and John Clark are both
veterans of two of the best kitchens in the B ay Ar ea, Z uni Cafe and B erkeley's Chez
Panisse. In addition to 20 different choices from the oyster bar, their seasonally changing
menu may include such appetizers (“premieres”) as beef carpaccio with fried herbs, Man-
chego cheese, and horseradish sauce. M ain courses (“features”) could include sear ed sea
scallops with heirloom tomatoes, bacon aioli, and basil sauce. Their naturally raised beef
hails from Montana and most of the pr oduce is local and organic.
2534 Mission St. (btw. 21st and 22nd sts.).
&
415/648-7600.
www.foreigncinema.com. Kids' menu, high
chairs, boosters. Reservations recommended. Main courses $16-$30; brunch $8.50-$18; k ids' menu $7.
AE, MC, V. Mon-Thurs 6-10pm; F ri-Sat 6-11pm; Sun 5-10pm (9pm during wint er); Sat brunch 11am-
6pm; Sun brunch 11am-5pm. Muni: BART to 24th St., and then walk 2 blocks nor th.
MODERATE
In addition to the option belo
w, y ou can find Café G
ratitude (p . 150) in this
neighborhood.
Pizzeria Delfina
Finds
PIZZA You're in luck. The fact is you really want some
excellent I talian food and y ou may ev en r emember hearing about an amazing Tuscan
restaurant in the M ission district called D elfina (see above). The trouble is your kids are
tired (or loud), and y ou're afraid they just won 't mix with a cr owd of hip diners sipping
wine and talking politics over dishes like local quail with polenta. Well, now you can have
your cake and eat it too. Actually, make that pizza. Delfina's owners Craig and Anne Stoll
have no w opened an irr esistible pizz eria next door to their original, and ev er-popular,
restaurant. At Pizzeria Delfina, your kids may not appreciate just how fresh the tomatoes
and creamy the mozzarella are on their ultra-thin crust margherita pizza, but if it's a cheese
pizza, they're also not likely to complain. You, meanwhile, are sure to savor the “Broccoli
Raab,” with rich ricotta and tangy oven-dried tomatoes, or the “Salsiccia” with homemade
fennel sausage. The salads and antipasti are also impressive and, for dessert, the Bellwether
ricotta cannoli is dreamy. The other great thing about Pizzeria Delfina is that, unlike at its
fancy predecessor, you don't have to call weeks ahead to get a r eservation . . . but y ou do
need to show up early. Arrive before 7pm or you'll be waiting at least an hour.
3611 18th St. (bt w. Dolores and Guerr ero sts.).
&
415/437-6800.
Highchairs, boosters. www.pizzeria
delfina.com. Reservations not ac cepted. Pizzas $10-$17. MC, V. Mon 5:30-10pm; Tues-Thurs 11:30am-
10pm; Fri 11:30am-11pm; Sat noon-11pm; Sun noon-10pm. Muni: J- Church streetcar to 18th St., and
then walk 2 blocks east. P acific Heights location: 2406 C alifornia St. (at Fillmore St.).
&
415/440-1189.
Sun-Thurs 11:30am-10pm, Fri 11:30am-11pm.
5
INEXPENSIVE
In addition to the options below, you can find Osha Thai (p. 137), Burger Joint (p. 142),
and Frjtz (p. 133) in this neighborhood.
Dolores Park Cafe
Finds
AMERICAN/BREAKFAST The setting alone, acr oss
the street from Dolores Park with a spacious fr ont deck, would pr obably be enough to
guarantee this cafe's popularity. But it also happens to serve a terrific cafe latte, and plenty
