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Epicuring.com C.

Joined 1 year ago

I want husband and wife owners Lorella and Massimo to be my parents. The moment I stepped inside, I felt like I was back in Italy. delicious food and such a warm family feel!

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M S.

Joined 1 year ago

distinct Italian cuisine with a difference. You'll appreciate this place most if you have been to Sardinia (Sardegna), the small island state of Italy that is south of French Corsica. It's a place off the beaten path, culturally and politically autonomous from Italy for many years, and of course with its very own regional flare.

I spent a couple of years living in Sardinia in the US Navy many years ago and came to love that island and its delicacies- unique cheeses, wines, apertifs, and local dishes from town to town. I ate wild boar, hedgehog, and various things I can't even describe there. And on hot nights in the summer, "real" gelato in the piazza in downtown Palau, of course. Italian food became my lifelong "comfort food". And La Ciccia became my "special place" where I reward or console myself whenever I feel like treating myself to something that always brings good memories. The owners extend such hospitality and warmth- I work in healthcare so I know how difficult it is to be so friendly every single day while working so hard- but I've known about this place for years and they never seem to fail at the hospitality part of their business- how very Italian- and how very Sardinian. They regard your enjoyment with grave concern. I really do love this place and I'm so glad its there when I need it.

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Caitlin Scholz

Joined 3 years ago

Cozy, Romantic and Delicious!. An excellent choice if you and your significant other, or a couple friends, want to get out of the city crowd. (Please note it is located outside the heart of the city).

While the service speed isn't quite as speedy as I expected, it seemed acceptable since it's a relaxed atmosphere.

Food portions were perfect and delicious. They have interesting menu options since they stick to their Sardinian theme.

Before dinner, I mentioned it was my friend's birthday. After she turned down the dessert menu, the waitstaff was nice enough to bring out a complimentary sweet, topped with a birthday candle. You can easily tell the staff cares about their guests.

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goodfellaNW

Joined 5 years ago

Good food, great service, friendly people, nice atmosphere. The people here are fantastic. They were friendly over the phone and in person, and were authentic about it. Noe Valley is lucky to have such a great place in the neighborhood.

As an Italian foodie and chef, I can be pretty demanding of nice Italian restaurants. This one definitely makes the cut, though more times than not the food had a little too much salt.. but to each their own and it was not salty to the point of unedible or salty to make up for lack of flavor. In fact, the food was very flavorful (even if you were to omit the salt).

Menu changes often, it seems. Wine list is great (maybe too great, if that is possible). Prices for wine seem to be a little high (expect a few bottles in the 30's and 40's, most in the 50-80 range)

All in all, the food was very tasty. The staff was extemely nice and fun to be around. The atmosphere was underdone which made me feel as though as I was in Italy once again. For that, thank you La Ciccia. 4 out of 5 for too much salt on my visit and for slightly pricey wine list.

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seadine

Joined 8 years ago

Wonderful Sardinian restaurant. We are so lucky to have this gem of a restaurant in our little neighborhood of Noe Valley. The food is fabulous, distinctive, while still not straying too far from its roots. The owners are delightful and make their guests feel very at home. The atmosphere is simple and lively (primarily because the place is always packed!!) Have been there several times and have not been disappointed.

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mlewsimpson51

Joined 6 years ago

La Ciccia - Noe/Mission Gem!. Not your parents' Italian eatery, unless they travel a LOT! This is the most interesting small, neighborhoody Italian restaurant we've discovered in many years. Boston, San Francisco, Chicago, Philiadelphia, New York Italian have nothing on this: unusual seafood choices, interesting combinations of meats, nicely selected vegetable dishes, it's terrific. Tomato sauces? Fuggedaboudit! LaCiccia is not really about red tomato sauces (though I suppose they have some). It's everything else! Simple, elegant, small. Not the biggest place, not the biggest wine list, not the biggest selection of dishes. But each is authentic and wholesome. Waitstaff? We've found them outstanding in each of our visits.

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Lorraine Sanders

Joined 8 years ago

A Sardinian take on Italian cuisine and a handpicked wine list are the specialties at this cozy Noe Valley trattoria.. In Short
The husband and wife duo behind this 40-seat destination bypass the usual suspects from the mainland in favor of Sardinia's culinary traditions and fruits of the vine. Starters and first courses like the poached pork, cannellini bean salad and fregula with pancetta and wild mushrooms give way to mains with Mediterranean flair, including lamb stew with saffron and Vermentino-braised tuna with tomatoes and mint. The wine list offers an extensive selection of the region's varietals.

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ljby

Joined 6 years ago

Wonderful, different food and great service. The food is quite unique and delicious. Not at all your typical Italian food. Sometimes the dishes need a bit more salt, like the pasta with mushrooms, but overall the flavors are fresh and tasty. Nice simple green salad and delicious, light saffron cheesecake for dessert. Great service. The one detraction is the interior wall color. It has bothered me every time I've gone there. The most recent time, I polled the members of my group about it with an open-ended question, and no one liked it. It just doesn't feel warm and inviting. Overall, a place definitely worth going to.

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nwkandler

Joined 6 years ago

very excellent and authentic. One of the best restaurant experiences i have had in SF. The dishes were authentic, this is not Tuscan cuisine so keep an open mind and learn a little bit about a really underrated culinary region. the pizza was good, and the homemade prosciutto was amazing. the entrees were equally excellent. The dishes have very unique flavors, juniper with the wild boar stew, what a great idea. very well thought out wine list with great depth and breadth. very highly recommended. well priced for the quality as well.

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pgnetquest

Joined 7 years ago

Great food, great staff, great find. FANTASTIC. I haven't had better Italian food in San Francisco. I haven't had better Italian food in some parts of Italy. The food, the wine, the staff, and the owners were all exceptional and very authentic. I had a fresh pasta in olive oil and porcini, with fresh black truffle (a lot of it!) shaved over the top. The salad, the dessers, I only regret not coming with a bigger appetite. After reading the a couple of the less-positive reviews, I have to wonder if they found their groove over the last few months. I'm looking forward to my next visit.