Caffe Delle Stelle

02/15/2008 Posted by joiedevivre

Enjoyed a special, the NY steak rolled with proscuitto, fontina and sage in a tomato based sauce over polenta (the braciole? I don't remember the name!). Delicious. Friendly service. Sweet atmosphere - nice but not trendy or pretentious but comfortable but still slighty cute. Really good food, VERY reasonable prices. Would be an easy date spot.

Pros: good food, reasonable prices, comfortable environment

11/01/2006 Posted by mhamilt

Man. Our experience was very different from other reviewers apparently. The service was actually pretty charming. I believe we had the waiter from Rome referenced in another review. However, people...the food. My God...it was awwwful. Limp pumpkin ravioli with, what tasted like, canned pumpkin in the middle. Swimming in a sea of oil. A pasta dish with cheese and potatoes that was pan fried but was so salty it was essentially a salt lick. Seriously, I don't know how they stay in business with food like this - there are too many good restaurants in San Francisco.

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

10/09/2006 Posted by ioranna

The food is ok, but really nothing extraordinary. Incompetent, arrogant and unapologetic for both his bad service and bad manners, this is how I would qualify the manager of this place!! I will never set foot in that restaurant again, and I recommend you do the same. Below is why: I'm not one to write reviews or be a restaurant activist, but this time, I have to make my voice heard. I have NEVER (read again: NEVER) been so badly treated by a restaurant professional, let alone a manager than at Caffe delle Stelle. And I have a tough skin: I come from a certain French speaking country in Europe where waiters are sometimes plain unpleasant, naturally... We ate there on the 6th of October, before a performance. The man that served our food (who later turned out to be the manager himself) made a mistake in my order and served a dish I had not order. We had been waiting a while already, the staff was completely overwhelmed, and my wife and I were both hungry. So not to create any additional problem, we decided to eat it anyway. The dish I did order finally arrived 15 minutes later (an appetizer, Im on a diet :) ). When the time came to take away the plates, the waiter/manager repeatedly made really obnoxious comments, some about my weight (quote you did not order it, but you still ate both plates didn't you. Good luck losing weight!!! end quote) or some plain inappropriate to another waiter as he was leaving our table (quote: we are not in Latin America! end quote). VERY RUDE, we could not believe it! Tired of the abuse, we asked the other waiter to speak to the manager. The man told us that this was the manager!!! We asked if we could please talk to him, THE MANAGER REFUSED, saying that he did not want to talk to us!!! Incompetent, arrogant and unapologetic for both his bad service and bad manners, this is how I would qualify this man. I will never ever go back to this place. I recommend you do the same.

Pros: Nice setting

Cons: Manager completely inappropriate, service overwhelmed

0 out of 1 people found this review helpful

07/31/2006 Posted by bennyinsf

We went for dinner on July 4 weekend, and what a great surprise. We walk to the neighborhood from where we live and have gone to the less expensive, Italian, neighbor a few doors down a few times, but this was our first venture to Cafe Delle Stelle. What a great place! The service was fantastic! I wish I could remember our waiter's name. He was from Rome originally. He made a wine recommendation that turned out to be a great choice. I had described my preferences, and he chose the perfect bottle. It wasn't even one of the pricy bottles but was in the average price range. It was declicious. It was hard not to just guzzle it down. The shrimp bruschetta appetizer was delicious. The flavors were wonderful, the texture of the toast, perfect everything. I had a spaghetti baked in parchment paper that was interesting, light but filling and great. I enjoyed the atmosphere completely. It is a little pricier than it's Italian neighbor but it's a classier joint. I look forward to being able to go to both places on a regular basis.

Pros: Great service, ambience, and food

Cons: Can get crowded with Opera/Symphony performance crowds

06/28/2006 Posted by rosegarten

If you want to be harassed and insulted by the manager (Tony Sopranos cousin) and stalked by the hostess, visit Cafe delle Stelle, where the food is average, yet it takes forever and they hardly give you parmesan cheese because "they are running low."

Pros: Location

Cons: Service

06/17/2005 Posted by monroe333

Enjoyed two meals there in as many weeks. The tiramisu is wonderful!

03/29/2004 Posted by diningout

Went there for a small girls night out. Waiter was polite and attentive enough to suit our needs while we were gabbing. The real hit was the Paperdelle with marinara sauce. It was not on the menu, but when I asked for a simple pasta with vegetarian red sauce, the waiter smiled and out came this thick, rich tomato-y goodness! So many places douse their marinara in cheap olive oil and too much garlic to make up for flavorless tomatos. A nice surprise.

Pros: Accomodating, inexpensive, tasty

Cons: , a little too brightly

01/20/2004 Posted by bobmoss

Rudest waitstaff in my vast experience. My companion who holds a Masters Degree in Clinical Nutrition complained about her fish and was told "you do not know what you are talking about".