Perbacco
(415) 955-0663
230 California St
San Francisco,
CA
94111
37.7934
-122.3992
Neighborhoods: Financial District, Northeast
What People Are Saying About Perbacco
The Editor
Gina Goff
Citysearch
The Scene
A steel sign bearing the restaurant's name (an Italian expression that loosely translates to "wow") welcomes diners into this befittingly striking eatery. Soaring ceilings with blond-wood accents and a sleek, marble-topped bar add modern appeal to the 6,000-square-foot, historic warehouse space, which retains its 1912 brick wall. Partially carpeted flooring softens the din from the exhibition kitchen in back, where an eight-seat chef's table resides nearby. Well-versed servers easily transition between power-lunching daytime diners and the more languorous evening crowd: a mix of silver-haired society folk, small groups conducting business after five and well-dressed 30-something couples.
The Food
The seasonal menu takes diners on a culinary tour through Piedmont by way of Liguria and Provence. An array of meltingly tender crudo and house-cured salumi are simply plated to showcase the fresh flavors. Other highlights include the gorgonzola-butter-dressed ribeye and handmade, filled pastas, which are taken to new levels with the ricotta-and-chard-stuffed pansotti in a mouth-watering walnut-butter sauce.
User Reviews
AndrewH
April 07, 2009
I love having business meetings here, since it is right behind my office. All the food is excellent, the portions are just the right size, and ingredients always fresh and seasonal.
read full review
GeraldDouglas
March 06, 2009
I really wanted this review to be better and perhaps the lower rating is due to these high expectations but there were far too many things that were average at best with my experience with the meal. I had looked through the reviews here and on other sites and many people went on and on about the grand experience here so suffice it say, I was salivating. The decor was grand and indicative of a post work eatery in the Financial District of any big city and with its tiled floor and mahogony bar I felt like we were in store for a meal that was so good I'd be tempted to tell my mama. Let's get down to it -- Appetizers 1) Burrata Cheese / Black Olive Condimento / Arugula / Grilled Filone 2) Roasted Octopus / Saffron Poached Potato / Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette / Salsa Verde The Burrata was what you'd expect. Straight forward cheese with a slight bit of resistance when sliced but roasted and creamy when spread on the bread and balanced with the olive. The Roasted Octopus however had some winning moments as it was trying to morph into a foie gras with the soft texture and taste. This was a pleasant surprise. Dinner: 1) Two of us had Liberty Farms Duck Breast / Brussels Sprouts And Apples In Padella / Pancetta / Passato Di Sancrau 2) Coniglio Al Civet – Devil’s Gulch Rabbit / Spiced Red Wine Sauce / Otto File Polenta 3) Beef Short Rib Stracotto / Root Vegetable Purée / Roasted Golden Turnips And Cipolline The duck breast that I and a friend had wasn't tender even though it was presented medium rare and sadly a tough duck really is a mess. The brussel sprouts were decently prepared but didn't bring a redeeming factor to the meal. My wife had the rabbit and the saltiness was a bit overpowering and the sauce didn't compliment the meal in the least. It was as if the sauce was the star as opposed to the pasta portions. The winner of the meal was certainly the short ribs as noted by other posts. It won far and away as the other meals certainly left us flat but also because it's just done correctly. The meat was tender and braised and matched so well with the pasta. If I were to ever go back I'd certainly have that meal but I doubt that I will. There were some great aspects to the restaurant -- the drinks were made very well and were replaced with an easy frequency. And the overall bill was only 200.35 for the food and with a total of 10 beverages. I do have to say that our service was a seriously negative factor with the meal. Our server was hard to locate and hard of hearing, granted the place was full and she was scampering about trying to attend to far too many tables. One really odd part of the evening was when we were totaling up the bill -- we each were paying 60 dollars. So like any we have done in many other restaurants, we threw in a myriad of payment options. One person threw in 60 in cash and the I and another person decided to use a credit card. When we gave the server the bill, I said please put 120 on my card, 60 on the other card and use the cash as well. When I got the bill back I had a total of 140 and the cash was gone. Apparently she was so enamored with her service of avoidance and whispers that she gave herself a sixty dollar tip. Now it's not too far off from the 40 we were leaving but I'd never heard of anything like that before. It was a slight hassle correcting the matter but at least it was done with. Just an odd experience overall. I would recommend this place as a great spot to meet and greet for drinks and maybe eating at the bar but as for a dinner, there are more than enough restaurants in SF to venture to.
read full review
Anonymous
May 18, 2008
Perbacco delivers upscale Italian beautifully. Our waiter was from a young guy from Venice who was incredibly friendly and attentive, understood the menu and wine list very well and recommended great pairings with our dishes. Braised lamb shank was fabulous. My wife had the ricotta gnocchi which was good but not a standout. Beet salad was fresh and good - like it is at most great SF restaurants. Definitely a good date spot despite it's financial district location.
read full reviewThe Details on Perbacco
What to Drink:
A wide selection of quarter liters, half-bottles and by-the-glass options allow oenophiles to taste their way through the wine list. Don't be shy about asking for help with pairings.
Parking:
Valet parking in a secured lot is offered in the evenings for $10.
The Extras:
The flaky chocolate tart with dulche de leche, candied hazelnuts and fresh-whipped cream provides the perfect sweet finish.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Visa, Discover, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Chef''s Table, Special Occasion Dining, Fine Dining, Private Rooms, Historic Setting, Lunch Spot, Business Dining, Online Reservations, Date Spot, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Notable Wine List, Bar Scene
