Trattoria Pinocchio
San Francisco, CA 94133
Phone: (415) 392-1472
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- Vallejo Street
- Hours:
- Sun-Thu 11:30am-11pm , Fri-Sat 11:30am-12am
Editorial Review for Trattoria Pinocchio – by Gina Goff
The Scene
Diners are wooed into this warm corner eatery by a persistent but friendly sidewalk greeter, who seats couples at intimate outdoor tables under suspended heat lamps or at oversized, round tables in the airy front room. Further back, a waiting area with a large, granite-topped bar leads to a smaller dining room with counter seats overlooking the open kitchen. A faint soundtrack of Italian music is piped throughout the space.
The Food
Authentic preparations of traditional Italian staples are the restaurant's forte. Elegant starters include fresh, smoked salmon served over a pile of spring greens with onions, capers and tangy lemon vinaigrette dressing. Classic pastas consistently satisfy, including gnocchi sorrentina--house-made, fluffy potato pillows tossed in a light marinara sauce and sprinkled with fresh mozzarella--and beef tortellini, topped with a robust veal and pork ragú sauce. Whipped chocolate mousse covered in frothy vanilla cream is a decadently rich finale.
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Insider Tips
Where to SitIf you choose to dine alfresco, ask for a table on the Vallejo Street side. Less foot traffic means a quieter, more romantic atmosphere.
What to DrinkAsk your server to recommend one of the house reds; they're reasonably priced and pair well with almost all the offerings.
Know Before You GoThe hours are often extended during warmer months. Closing times vary from 11pm to 1am.
User Reviews for Trattoria Pinocchio
09/05/2008 Posted by wavewriter
My Italian-American boyfriend & I went here on a whim one afternoon for a late lunch because Cafe Sport wasn't open yet. We were drawn in by the atmosphere, a glance at the menu & available sidewalk seating. I don't usually just walk in to a place like this, but we were pleasantly surprised. Started with the calamari. The marinara sauce was delectably spiced, the calamar lightly breaded, not greasy. We ordered the gnocci with gorgonzola cream sauce (me) & the sausage-stuffed raviolis with mushroom sauce (my bf). Both pastas came with a salad starter. Once we realized that the salad mixta was not dressed (a bit odd), added our own balsamic vinegar & olive oil, & lots of salt & pepper, it was quite nice. We also had bread to dip in the BV and EVOO. The gnocci were really nice. They were light & virtually melted in my mouth. My BF, when he tried them, said they were "almost as good as his nonas" - high praise indeed. His raviolis were actually the better of the two. I don't usually eat meat, but I might make an exception for this. The aroma wafting off his plate told me immediately that they would be good. The mushroom sauce combined with the perfectly seasoned sausage stuffing were to die for. The pasta itself was, I believe, a tomato pasta, which my BF usually does not go for, but he enjoyed this one just fine and he is a very picky eater, Overall a lovely meal, on a lovely day in the city. As far as drinks go, I asked the very attentive (but not overly so) waiter for a recommendation and he proffered a lovely Sauvignon Blanc, which complimented the gnocci perfectly. A glass of Pinot to finish & he bill came to $97, including tip. My main criticism is that the bread was dry and tasteless and, for me, good bread is a MUST (hence the 4 stars instead of 5). I didn't even go inside the restaurant, so I have nothing to say about the interior atmosphere. Bottom line, this place is worth trying & I will return.
Pros: raviolis, gnocci, service, atmosphere
Cons: bread
08/22/2008 Posted by toninoilbello
I am italian from Siena and i write for an important italian news paper called "Il Messaggero"di Roma,i use to go in the restaurants or wine bars to see how those people in the foreing countries use to lie about the italian kitchen and the mediterranean diet,well i have never seen in my life a restaurant worst then this trattoria pinocchio,from when we have came in on the 15 of august for lunch at 12,30 and the owner was sleepping on the chair outside the patio for the pasta prepared before and then just boiled again few minutes after our order and the little ants walking under our table,closer the door ,and don't forget the wines italian unkown labels at too hight or too low temperature,don't ask me about the bread,and to finish when the owner has realized that we were from italy he has said that we can also pay by cash and lower price,is this waht you can give to your citizen for italian restaurant?
Pros: a lot of italian better restaurants
Cons: a lot of mess!
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