Delfina

Delfina on 18th Street in San Francisco's Mission District has been a neighborhood anchor since 1998, when Craig and Annie Stoll opened what has become one of the city's most beloved Italian restaurants. The cooking draws on rustic Tuscan traditions — handmade pasta, wood-roasted meats, seasonal vegetables — but is grounded firmly in California's extraordinary larder. Stoll sources from local farmers and Bay Area purveyors, and the menu changes with the seasons: spring brings asparagus with prosciutto; autumn yields pappardelle with braised wild boar; winter features hearty braises and bean soups in the Florentine tradition. The spaghetti with Dungeness crab and the whole roasted Hoffman chicken have both achieved long-running status as house classics. The dining room is warm and unpretentious — exposed brick, close-set tables, a convivial noise level — and draws the full cross-section of San Francisco: neighborhood regulars, visiting food tourists, and industry professionals. The Italian wine list is exceptionally well chosen and fairly priced, with particular strength in Tuscany, Umbria, and Friuli. An adjacent sibling operation, Pizzeria Delfina, serves thin-crust Neapolitan-style pizzas at lower prices and with a shorter wait. Delfina accepts reservations through OpenTable; weekend evenings book quickly, and walk-in bar seats are available on most nights. At 3621 18th Street in San Francisco, California, Delfina has earned its place as one of the Mission District's defining dining institutions.