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La Ciccia
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Seafood Italian, Seafood [Edit]
291 30th St(between Chenery St & Church St)
San Francisco, CA 94131
Neighbourhoods: Glen Park, Noe Valley
(415) 550-8114
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5:30 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Stephen R. said: "Molte bene good old school italian in the North beach area. great service and very attentive food choices are very solid and good variety" read more »
495 reviews for La Ciccia
Review Highlights
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"The octopus stew was my favorite - so very flavorful." In 65 reviews -
"Awesome food, awesome service, awesome wine list." In 91 reviews -
"What a charming and intimate Sardinian restaurant." In 134 reviews
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495 reviews in English
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Review from Sarah Z.
Alameda, CA
5/16/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Amazing. Italian perfection with a twist.
The hubby and I went here on a date night. Yay for babysitters! We'd been meaning to try this place for a long time. And man are we glad we did! They know their stuff that's for sure. Yes the place is cozy and packed always but it's worth it. Make reservations and you're set.
We ordered:
Burrata and fava beans on flatbread - simple but refreshing
Baby octopus stew in spicy tomato sauce - lives up to all expectations and is on the 7 x7 top 100 foods of sf for a reason! I practically licked the plate!
Fresh spaghetti with bottarga (mullet roe) - this was to die for!!! my favorite for sure!!! So creamy and yummy!
Lamb - cooked to perfection and served with cabbage.
Gelato trio- my favorite was fig and goat cheese!
Saffron risotto cake - it was yummy but gelato was better
You must try La Ciccia!!! I want to go back!!! -
Review from Sandy L.
San Francisco, CA
5/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have been dying to try this place eversince watching the Anthony Bourdain episode where he visits his wife's hometown Sardinia, Italy! La Ciccia is the only Sardinian restaurant in SF, and what I heard, the only one in the West Coast! I tried to get Valentine's Day reservations here, but they were completely booked weeks in advance!
Appetizer:
Octopus Stew (must have) - nearly every table was having this dish! You will want to lick the plate, we decided to just dip lots of bread with the sauce until there wasn't any left...so good! There is some kick to it as it is made with spicy tomato sauce!
Entrees:
1) Spaghittusu cun Allu Ollu e Bottariga (Fresh Spaghetti with spicy oil and Bottarga) - this dish was featured on Anthony Bourdain's show when he was having a home cooked meal at a family friend's house in Sardinia! I wanted to try this for a long time and it was sooooo worth it! I loved it so much that I am going to learn how to cook it! Best pasta dish ever!
2) Pasta Cruzza cun Arrizzonisi e Cori de Tonnu (Fresh Fusilli with Sea Urchin Tomato and Cured Tuna Heart) - this dish was good, but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who is not that adventurous with food and not a Uni (sea urchin) lover! The taste is very strong and is an acquired taste!
You must order Sardinian wine to have with your meal! It is different from all the other Italian Wines that you have had...just like the Sardinian Food!
The restaurant is owned and started by a very lovely couple...the wife is from Venice and she manages the restaurant in the dining area and is a lovely host and the husband is from Sardinia and he is the Chef! Dynamic dual! The wife is so sweet, she likes to talk to the customers to see if they enjoyed the meal and to get to know everyone!
I recommend making reservations in advance as this restaurant is packed all the time! Enough said about the quality of food! -
Review from Rebecca C.
San Francisco, CA
5/7/2012 Seated via OpenTable
the wine list is fantastic, also love the flatbread side (thin, crunchy, and slightly salty with great olive oil).
the appetizers and main dishes were solid but nothing to rave about. I heard so much about this place (including Italians who live in SF), but it just didn't live up to my expectation. Disclaimer: Maybe my expectation was a bit too high which clouded my objective judgement.
I had "Pasta Longa cun Pisci a su Nieddu de Seppia" (squid-ink linguini) and it was pretty far from the squid ink pasta that I tasted from Sicily (even though the sardinian treatment could be drastically different from the sicilian one).
Really enjoyed the gelato! -
Review from Lauren M.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2012
I'd give this a 4.5. I was so excited to get a reservation here and overall, it was a good experience. The food is very good.
We arrived early as I figured it would be hard to find parking, but someone was pulling out just across the street, so we ended up being 10 minutes early. They were able to seat us right away. I take .5 off for service. We were seated right away, given menus and water immediately, but it was at least 15 minutes until they came to even get our drink order. They were good about coming back to refill our wine and water throughout the night.
We ordered a salad (special that night) and the flatbread to start and it came out very quickly. My husband said the salad was fine, but nothing special (I don't know why he even bothers to get salad!) and the flatbread was good, but it was huge. I feel like we just ate the top layer and it's not really something you can take with you :) My husband preferred the regular bread they served. I ordered the octopus stew, which as everyone else has said, was excellent. The octopus were perfectly cooked and the sauce was divine - loved the little kick it had. Great to use the bread to soak it up.
It was an oddly long wait between the starters and the main though, especially since the starters came so fast. Finally our dishes came, my husband ordered the gnocchetti (sp?) and I ordered the spaghittusu which is also a house specialty. Both were very good. I enjoyed mine, but it was a bit rich/heavy after what else I had eaten and it got very oily at the end so I left just a little. We were way too full for dessert.
Another issue with the service - dishes are left long after you're finished. Even after they were removed, it took a while for the waiter to come back around to see if we wanted dessert, and then finally, to bring, and then bring back the charged check.
Overall, the food is very good and it's an authentic Italian environment where the staff is speaking Italian to each other. Service was far from appalling but as listed above, could be improved a bit. While the menu isn't that big, I think we'd come back for the specialties I had and really enjoyed. Definitely recommended. -
Review from Sheila T.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2012
My husband and I had such a wonderful dinner here last night! Everything we ate was a magical concoction of flavors and the wine we picked out was amazing. Our waiter was attentive and helpful, and so was the rest of the staff. I'm a huge fan of this place, and I can't wait for my next visit.
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Review from Ches W.
Menlo Park, CA
4/23/2012
We in SF are lucky to have this little gem in our backyards. It's always a treat, and the food is the real deal. It really does feel like a family is taking care of you.
Food is always spectacular, the real deal. Everything everyone says here is correct.
Do note that the place is rather cozy, and there is no fan or circulation. So if it's a hot day, try to sit near the door for some occasional breeze. :) -
Review from Monika S.
4/16/2012
La Ciccia never fails to deliver. I am not a tomato sauce fan, but at La Ciccia I not only eat it, but clean the remaining sauce with bread. This restaurant is so what SF food is about: a husband and wife team who LOVE what they do and love their heritage. Sardinian food is fresh and fantastic--for those of you not familiar, it is fairly seafood heavy and heavy on the olive oil. Yum. This is not a scenester restaurant but a place to take your time and really enjoy every flavor. I have been multiple times but tonight we dined with good friends, one who knows the food inside out. So needless to say for a table of 6 we dined like kings and queens.
Starts: burrata with fava beans that made your mouth water
Seconds: octopus and calamari
Mains/pasta: Fresh Spaghetti with spicy Oil and Bottarga, Fregula with Sea Urchin Tomato and Cured Tuna Heart, ravioli stuffed with lemon ricotta and pork ragu , pork loin slices with a scallion puree and prawns.
Deserts: a trio of sorbet, farro (rice like) pudding and a mousse of vanilla with some almond base.
Seriously if you try NOTHING else at La Ciccia go for the octopus or calamari. No one and I mean NO ONE makes it as well as Massimiliano.
Going to La Ciccia is like eating at one's Italian grandmothers house. You always remember the meal and want to go back for more. Even if you are a nice non practicing Jewish girl who grew up in SF.Listed in: Top Restaurants
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Review from Michelle T.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2012
La Ciccia is my favorite Italian restaurant. That is a bold statement coming from a foodie who eats out often. I started eating at La Ciccia 6 years ago when it opened. It was a hidden gem then and I am only writing a review now that everyone has figured out what a great place this is! I was hopingi t would by my little secret but now its hard to get a table.
Everything on the menu is made with high quality and fresh ingredients. The seafood salad appetizer is a must. The baby octopus in tomato stew is awesome. The octopus is so tender, and pairs perfectly with the salty and slightly spicy soup. The grilled calamari is fresh and delicious. All of the pastas are made fresh. My BF always gets the gnochetti with pork sugo. I like the squid ink pasta. Sometimes they have a special ravioli stuffed with ricotta and orange zest and a wild boar or lamb ragu sauce This is to die for. We also like the pork tenderloin pan fried and lightly breaded with saffron onions.
The wine list is great. All Italian wines and many from Sardinia. The staff is super helpful in helping you pick a great wine to go with your meal. They also let us taste many varieties to make sure we settle on just what we want.
The owners and staff at La Ciccia are so nice and friendly. The chef and owner always comes out to talk to customers and you can tell he takes a lot of pride in his work. Its owned by a husband and wife and they love to chat about Sardinia and the food. We absolutely love them and their restaurant. 5 stars for La Ciccia. I wish I could eat there every day. -
Review from Sasha R.
4/12/2012
after several years of thinking about it, we finally managed to cross the GG bridge and go. WAS IT WORTH IT. dinner there is in serious contention for one of my faves. ever. including the meal my mama made my for my birthday last year.
the calamari with basil oil and spicy octopus are a must -- it is rare to encounter these so perfectly cooked, and still so fresh and light. house-made salami A+. airy crispy flatbread. the fregola with sea urchin was a surprise since I usually prefer my sea urchin raw, but this dish delivered. husband enjoyed his gnochetti with pork sugo so much that he literally hid the leftovers from me the next day so that I couldn't finish them off.
oh and the wine. and the service. and the adorable chef-owner. all in all an amazing meal at a totally unpretentious gem. -
Review from L V.
Seattle, WA
5/5/2012
Great food, lovely, humble harding working owners with a talent for running an Italian restaurant, that has lure in locals and guests from near and far.
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Review from kien m.
The main reason I came here is to try the spicy baby octopus stew (#26 on the top 100 eats). Then I read some article that this is the best Italian restaurant in SF. I figure I had to try it especially since reservation wasn't that easy to get. I ended up with a 5:30pm slot on a Saturday night.
This has to be one of the most unique experience I had with Italian food. The octopus didn't disappoint at all. I never had Italian food this spicy. I wish I could order baskets of bread just so I can dip into the stew, then lick every inch of that bowl.
The next item I ordered was the fregula seafood sugo with squid ink. This dish didn't look too appetizing but actually tasted good. It was rich and had a slight tang. Next, we had the fresh spaghetti garlic spicy evoo cured mullet roe. I don't think I had pasta made this well since my visit to Rome. And finally, we had the oven roasted prawn. I am surprise how juicy the prawns were. I love it when the head is still in tack, got to suck all the gooeyness.
I am saving the 5th star on my next visit. -
Review from Corry F.
San Francisco, CA
3/28/2012 Seated via OpenTable
The girlfriend and I showed up late Sunday night and the place was still packed. Luckily we had a reservation.
The octopus stew appetizer was fantastic. The meat was tender and the sauce complemented it very well.
We split an order of the Gnochetti pasta for a first course and it was a simple and delicious way to start things off.
The girlfriend had a plate of giant prawns with a delicious citrus-y marinade.
I had the Lamb, which was very rich and flavorful. It was a little difficult to cut, but my teeth sank right into it, so the temperature was near perfect for me.
I tried the special imported Amber Ale they offered, and it was quite good. Reminded me of a few of the Belgian beers I regularly enjoy, but didn't compliment the Lamb as well as it might have with the Octopus. I'll order it earlier next time if I feel like another go.
For dessert, we split (and by split, I mean she got 90%) the Chocolate/Nougat/Almond thing. I don't remember the real name of it, sorry. It was very nice and a lot lighter and more subtle of a flavor than I expected.
I would recommend every dish we had that night.
Everything tasted great and was well-executed, but the prices are very steep. I wouldn't say that it wasn't worth it, but I will say that the prices are the only thing that will keep us from visiting this place weekly. -
Review from Mar D.
San Francisco, CA
3/28/2012
Finally, a review after at least 5 visits to this restaurant. The food here is consistently delicious, the atmosphere is cozy and the wine list is so long you should just let them pick for you. Highly recommend the calamari, octopus, and the spaghetti with the cured fish roe. You need to mix the roe into your pasta after they serve it to you so you don't just get a big mouthful of it at once- it is freaking amazing. I have dreams about this pasta and always end up ordering it every time.
This is not a super fancy scene or hipster hotspot; authentic, regional food is the star here. I started making reservations about once a month at La Ciccia well in advance because it fills up very fast, especially on weekends. I don't get some of the comments about the prices being high, I have found reasonable and the portions are generous. Also, I have never tried the pizza so I can't vouch for it. -
Review from Jen K.
San Mateo, CA
3/28/2012 Seated via OpenTable
Well executed Italian food though nothing terribly memorable. My friend and I had the octopus stew and one of the pasta dishes. I probably wouldn't drive to SF from San Mateo just to eat here, but if I was in the area and looking for a place to eat I wouldn't hesitate to return.
Service was excellent. -
Review from Bobby J.
San Francisco, CA
2/21/2012
This place place was a big disappoinmet after reading good Yelp reviews.
To cut a long story short: I ordered the sardines to start. Not bad, but gee, I have had just as good out of a can.
Moving on to the lamb. How bland can you get, and no presentation, just lamb strips on a plate with a little califlower in the centre - uncreative. Lamb was almost cold and advised the server. Manager (owner?) comes over. I explain the lamb is cold, probably either because the plate it it served on is like ice, or it sat there for quite some time before the server picked it it. Manager begins to argue that it would be impossible for the lamb to be almost cold. Says she can take it back but when it is reheated it would go from meduim rare to medium. At this point I dont care. just wanted to get the check and leave. Never coming back.
Server was very nice so giving 2 stars. -
Review from Sam M.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 4/13/2012
I decided to give La Ciccia another star because of their consistency. I've been there many times now, and the pasta dishes are always cooked perfectly. Spaghetti bottarga is still my favorite dish in the menu although the gnochetti is also amazing. I can't get enough of their pasta. Delizioso!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/22/2011
I am a big fan of La Ciccia. I think they have the best pasta dishes in town. The spaghetti bottarga… Read more »
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Review from Christy D.
San Francisco, CA
3/9/2012
The food here is creative, authentic, unique .Ambiance is simple and intimate.
The wait staff are superb, very friendly and knowledgeable (especially for italian wine selection- which I know nothing about), especially the chef, who went out of his way to make sure we had a good experience.
I ordered the baby octopus in a spicy sauce which I highly recommend- perfect for dipping bread into. Also recommend the sardinian flatbread.
The fregula with sea urchin tomato and cured tuna heart was a bit too fish flavored for my taste, but in all fairness, I was warned by the waiter that it was "rich", and was acclimatized after a few bites. However, I dont think I would order this particular dish again.
Also had lamb which was tender and very flavorful- and that was the winner.
I would love to come back here again for some more delicious italian cannonau (extensive selection) and authentic Sardinian food. -
Review from Alice A.
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Finally. I have been looking for a special Italian resto in the bay area and hadn't found it. Until now. You know what I mean. There are many restaurants that offer similar platters of salumi, wood fire oven baked pizzas and pastas in the city. But nothing really sets one apart from another. They are not bad, just not special or memorable.
I took my bff from the east coast here for dinner. I could not find a table through opentable for a Friday evening so I called, with my fingers crossed, and was advised to come early for walk-in seating. I made my jet-lagged bff hustle despite his late afternoon meetings in downtown and long lines of tourists at the BART station and lucky for us beat the Friday evening rush.
It wasn't until after we opened our menus that I realized this place specialized in Sardinian cuisine. My bad. As can be imagined from Sardinia being an island, most of their offerings are sea food based. The wine list was mind boggling and really requires a magnifying glass to go through everything. A handful are offered by the glass.
We had salad with shaved pecorino and anchovies, sardines in spicy garlic sauce, fresh spaghetti with mullet roe in spicy garlic sauce, and fresh linguini with smoke fish in squid ink sauce. I was blown away by both pasta dishes. Initially I was a little skeptical about having fish egg sauce with spaghetti, but it felt more like creamy egg sauce than crunchy flying fish roe I associate with sushi, and the texture of the fresh pasta was just right. The smoked fish pasta with squid ink sauce had the aroma of smoke but the taste was surprisingly mild and perfectly balanced with lemon juice. For dessert we shared a ricotta almond cake with honey. My bff commented that everything was on the noticeably salty side, which I agreed, but I had had the same experience when I was traveling in Italy recently so I am inclined to accept it as being authentic.
The service was great. I just need to figure out how I can be on the regulars list (or special guest list?) of the madame of the house so she will greet me with a warm hug (and sometimes kiss on the cheek) like she did to many who came that night. -
Review from B. Y.
San Francisco, CA
3/1/2012
Wow. I had heard the hype and read the reviews, but this place was actually as good as reported. It was definitely crowded - even for a Wednesday night - but I can see why.
We ordered the special salad (arugula with lemon anchovy vinaigrette and pecorino) and the flatbread as appetizers. I had the octopus stew as my entree (definitely spicy), and my husband had the pasta special (linguine with seafood). Our friends had the fregola and the gnocchi dishes. Everything was delicious. I would definitely return. -
Review from Jillian Y.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2012
I would give this place six stars if I could. Though the space is tiny and it's difficult to get a table at a sane hour, the food is...I don't even think I know the word. Exquisite? Fantastic? Superior to all other food?
We shared the Sardinian flatbread and calamari (best I've ever had, not kidding), then my date went with the octopus stew and I with the oven-roasted prawns - I have never seen prawns that big nor cooked that way, and I was...in heaven.
We also had a completely reasonably-priced ($38) bottle of Sardinian wine...also exceptional.
While I can see why others may have found the service lacking (there did seem to be too few servers), ours was actually great. No complaints here! -
Review from James C.
San Francisco, CA
4/30/2012 1 Check-in Here
Wonderful place. Packed with character and a really nice staff. Fantastic food that you won't find anywhere else - well worth the effort to get that elusive 8pm Saturday reservation.
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Review from Abel L.
San Francisco, CA
2/25/2012
The spicy baby octopuses is where it's at. It's a pretty pristine, up-and-coming (wow People awards anyone upsetting Delfina and Flour+Water?) pasta haven in Noe Valley.
Tips:
- Get reservations, it's a pretty small venue.
- Stick with the pastas and the octopus and you should be in great hands.
- The parking situation is actually acceptable in this neighborhood...for now.
Bottom line, I'm glad I checked out this place, and for any Italian aficionados, this is one of the spots in San Francisco to temper your palate. Real talk. -
Review from monica c.
2/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Oh man their octopus soup is yum yum. Although they give you almost a bit too much. Usually when I love my food so much that I want to eat the actual dish it's served in too, I'm left wanting more of the delicious goodness. This one definitely left me wishing I had eaten less. I felt like I had 10,000 baby octopi/octopuses/octopodes swimming around in my tummy for the next few hours.
Fresh spaghetti with young garlic and roe = win. Super tasty. The roe adds an awesome and slightly unexpected crunch. Definitely no shortage of garlic. Probably my favorite dish of the night, even though the octopus soup was super tasty and tender.
Everything else was lovely...the service, the wine, the decor, but nothing else really stuck out as crazy memorable.
Whenever I'm offered a clearly visible table or told there's another option in the back, I always have an internal debate over which one to take. Usually the table I can see is just fine, but I'm always intrigued by the possibility of an absolutely fantastic mysterious tucked away find.
Well folks, not here. I let my imagination get the best of me and chose the table in the back, which was definitely not so stellar. Right next to the bathroom and wafting smells of mop bucket = fail. Do yourself a favor and go for the perfectly acceptable front tables...there's no hidden gem that awaits you in the back.Listed in: fancy pants grub - sf
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Review from Andrew K.
1/16/2012
Came here because of the great reviews--plus it was highly praised by Gary Danko!
The restaurant has a very charming feel to it. Small space but with a nice ambiance, it felt authentically Italian.
Unfortunately, the food ranged from amazing to average to subpar. As mentioned by previous reviewers, the Baby Octopus in Spicy Tomato Stew is delectable. It's a must-have! My girlfriend ordered a pizza, which was good but not memorable. I had a pasta dish (can't remember the name and I don't see it on the menu online) which was wayyyyy too salty. I tried to enjoy it, and the pasta noodles itself were very delicious, but the sauce was simply too overpowering and overwhelming. I was very disappointed.
Overall, a solid Italian place but in my opinion, does not live up to the high ratings. Perhaps we just ordered the wrong things, but I probably will not be taking a special trip back here again, given I live on the Peninsula and reservations for this place are not the easiest to make. -
Review from Cole W.
San Francisco, CA
4/6/2012
Great food! Excellent restaurant for business dinners. Order one of everything and enjoy the distinct flavors. The lamb is the best dish on the menu. Be sure to start with the baby octopus stew and the sautéed calamari.
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Review from Jeff P.
San Francisco, CA
4/7/2012
We had been looking forward to dinner at La Ciccia for a few weeks after seeing it featured on Check Please! We had the Sardine appetizer, seafood pasta, salmon special and almond cake. I loved the olive tapanade topping on the salmon and cabbage--very very tasty. The salmon was fresh but nothing special. All in all we were a bit disappointed because La Ciccia did not live up to the reviews on Check Please. While the food was OK and expensive given the OK, the service was outstanding. The woman that took the last minute reservation on the phone was kind and accommodating. The woman that greeted us was delightful and our waiter was fantastic--well informed, attentive and full of recommendations!
We won't go back because the food was just ok but are tempted because the service was exemplary! -
Review from Kathryn M.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
So good! I've heard a murmur or two over the past year about this place, but now that it's made the Chronicle's Top 100 it's going to be even harder to get a table. Oi! The good news is that it's totally worth booking in advance. Their wine list is extensive and has some really interesting Italian varietals. Their specialty is seafood, but as a vegetarian I've never been disappointed. I love that the decor is really minimal-- it seems very small town, in the middle of Noe Valley off of a side street. And along with the small town feel is a chef that takes the time to visit your table, asks about your meal, and finishes the conversation with a "Grazie." And bonus points go for the menu thanking diners for not using their mobile phones at the table.
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Review from Ronny B.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2012
One of the best italian food that I ever tasted. It was tuesday night around 8:30 PM and the restaurant is busy. All the seats are full so we have to wait to sit at the bar. We had the octopus stew, seafood salad(special for the night), fresh linguine with squid ink and the special linguine of the night.
All of them are delicious. The chef was there and he is down to earth. Will definitely come back here soon. -
Review from Amber M.
Providence, RI
12/29/2011
Delicious!
This place is such a gem. It's cozy, but not obnoxiously cramped. The service was also excellent. The server gave us two great glasses of wine when we had no idea what to choose. I would totally come back here! The prices are decent and the food is remarkable.
Baby Octopus in Spicy Tomato Stew: probably the favorite dish of the evening. The octopus was tender and the stew it came in was just a phenomenal taste bud sensation. How is it possible to make something this tasty? It was packed with flavor, had just the perfect amount of spice without being overly salty. I wanted to lick the plate clean!
Pasta dishes: Fusilli with smoked trout, fava bean and Rigatoni with veal ragu. The pastas were cooked perfectly and the sauces were just amazing.
Wild Shrimp with Squid Ink: the shrimp was cooked perfectly and tasted juicy and sweet.
We were also impressed with the saffron ricotta cake with almonds. It was light and fluffy and infused with the aromatic, almost floral flavor of saffron. -
Review from Chloe L.
Irvine, CA
12/28/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Yum.
Extensive wine list. Very challenging to read. It's all squeezed into the back of the menu. Possibly hundred different choices. Or more.
We had the fregula tomato sea urchin tuna heart, which was very tasty, and the squid ink pasta which was not as rich but quite tasty too.
It's a small cozy restaurant. Be prepared to be in tight quarters. Flavors are different and definitely memorable. Don't come here expecting Alfredo or bolognese sauce. -
Review from Slim Y.
San Jose, CA
2/29/2012
Wow, this was my first time at La Ciccia and I really, really enjoyed my visit there.
The food was super good. I ordered the basil pizza and my boyfriend ordered the seared lamb tenderloin. For appetizer we ordered the oven roasted calamari. The food is as delicious as their names. The lamb was super tender and so tasty, it was one of the best that I've had in many restaurants. The pizza was really thin-crusted and crunchy with just enough tomato sauce.
I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants good Italian food. One warning, if you have reservations, get there a little early to find parking. It's so hard to find parking near there, after driving around for about 20 minutes we finally found metered street parking one block away but still, it's street parking so I'd recommend getting there a little early. -
Review from Maxwell W.
San Francisco, CA
3/7/2012
I came here tonight with a group of seven to celebrate my brother's birthday; unfortunately, after tonight's experience I don't know if I'll be back. When we first got there, the hostess took our coats and stored them for us, which we appreciated. The hostess (possible owner) was extremely polite and we were very excited to try the food, which we had heard such great things about. Unfortunately, that was the best service we experienced tonight.
After sitting down to review the menu, our waiter came several times asking for our orders. While the attention was initially appreciated, the service soon deteriorated to some of the worst I have ever experienced.
When our waiter Antonio asked for our orders the final time, his curt manner made everyone feel rushed and uneasy. I placed my order and was helping my mother, who was having trouble seeing the menu, remember what she ordered. I realize he was likely busy, but instead of waiting he made snide remarks and rolled his eyes. Everyone at the table saw this and was uncomfortable. Everyone else in our party had unpleasant experiences while ordering as well. This was supposed to be a celebration. If he were just rude I would not have been so upset, but when my father asked for a good wine pairing for his dish -- not an unreasonable expectation at a nice restaurant with an exhaustive wine list -- he simply suggested a "red wine." There is never an excuse to be rude, but it is especially aggravating when someone is rude and incompetent. I felt as if he was looking down on us the whole time, which I did not appreciate. I tried to ignore him and enjoy the time with my family, but throughout the meal he was defensive and rude. I didn't complain, but the server certainly overshadowed the entire meal.
That said, the food was quite good. It did taste authentic and was quite rich. I liked that they had food that was very Italian, but is absent from most traditional Italian restaurants. In addition, the busser was extremely polite. He really went out of his way to make sure our meal was enjoyable. I got the hint that he realized how rude the waiter was. I didn't like that you had to pay for olive oil for the bread, but understand this is common. They did give us a free dessert for my brother's birthday, which was very appreciated.
After such poor service I will not be going back. -
Review from theresa b.
Daly City, CA
Updated - 12/5/2011 8 Check-ins Here
OK, one more five star review, and that's IT.
Just an added tip for insiders: a glass of moscato with the goat-cheese and fig gelato is a taste sensation fit for a God.
Take me now, Lord. I'm ready.3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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7/3/2011
Yes. I *know* there are other restaurants in the city.
But none with Lorella's exemplary… Read more »
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Review from Sumomo O.
San Francisco, CA
4/9/2012
Complex, interesting flavors - not like any other Italian food I've had. The octopus dish was excellent. The sardines were very fresh but the least flavorful dish of the night. We got the daily specials for pasta (one with goat, one with mussels), and they were both delicious. The waiter recommended the sea bream and pork loin for mains: the pork was especially good.
I never knew honey had such a range of flavors until I had the cheese plate. It included a saffron honey. Good, attentive service. -
Review from M S.
San Francisco, CA
3/23/2012
Great food and one of the few remaining places where you get authentic food and genuine non-jaded service
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Review from Vanessa C.
Colorado Springs, CO
12/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I went here for my birthday and it was simply one of the most increadible meals I have ever had.
When you look at the pasta portions, you might think you are being slighted (I mean come on, when you have places like Cheesecake Factory, any portion short of gargantuan makes most people feel they are being shorted, but I digress) but the flavor...oh...my....goodness....the FLAVOR! Every bite is rich and savory and causes you to make those "oh wow this is good" moaning sounds.
Dessert was absolutely fantastic. I don't even think words can do justice to how wonderful this place is. It is one of those rare places where you really can choose ANYTHING off the menu and won't be disappointed in the slightest.
When you walk in it might seem a little loud (since it is a relatively small space), but I had no problem conversing with the other people at my table. Lorella's hospitality is unparalleled, the food is spectacular, and if this place doesn't get listed as one of the best in San Francisco there must be something gravely wrong with the rating system.Listed in: San Francisco
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Review from a a.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2011
If you're from CA, would you take sushi advice from someone from NY? Nope. Well, it works in reverse too, especially in regards to Italian food. This place wasn't bad per se, but with the rave reviews I was thinking I was going to get the Italian I've craved since leaving the east coast. Didn't happen. This place is average at best, 2.5 stars and I will not be going back.
The burrata app and the grilled calamari...eh to both and the calamari had a fishy smell. The sauce was weak and the taste very rubbery. A pizza and the squid ink pasta for mains and average again. Actually the pasta was under salted and almost flavorless. Didn't even want to splurge on desert as the best appeared to be a gelato taster; however, I have 3 Twins Cookies and Cream at home so no comparison there.
Sorry people, the best Italian I've had in this city is Delfina, and it's still not the cream of the crop. 2 apps, 2 mains, 2 glasses of wine and $90 with tip...still left a bit hungry. I respect the cordial staff and family atmosphere, but this place is way overrated. -
Review from Sung C.
San Francisco, CA
2/25/2012
what a gem in the Noe Valley.
this is an excellent example of a great authentic Italian restaurant. we were pleased with almost every dish especially with the baby octopus stew and the tuna heart fregula. they were effing out of this world.
the service was spotless, efficient and attentive.
also, do try the ricotta with saffron cake!! you won't regret it. -
Review from Susan W.
San Diego, CA
10/25/2011
Hands down, the BEST Italian food I have ever had outside of Italy! I was in town recently to run the Nike Women's Marathon and my brother in law suggested La Ciccia (he lives in SF, is a regular here, and has always given great food recommendations) for my Friday night carb up dinner. We had a table for 6 people with reservations at 6 pm and even though two in our party were a half an hour late, the staff never once made us feel rushed or guilty that we had two empty seats at our table for so long on such a busy night.
Now for the good stuff -- for appetizers we had the octopus stew, pumpkin soup, sardines, burrata cheese plate, flatbread, and calamari...did I mention we like to eat?! Everything was delicious...I love when you can taste the freshness and high quality of the ingredients in each bite. Particularly delicious was the octopus stew...it just had this really homey flavor...I'm not sure how else to describe it. Also, the burrata cheese was rich but light and tasty...loved the arugula salad on the side of it.
For entrees we got the gnochetti (not sure of the spelling), spaghetti with bottarga, squid ink pasta, rigatoni with veal sausage (special of the day), and seared lamb with balsamic sauce. Again, everything was delicious, but especially delicious was the spaghetti with bottarga...creamy and rich with just the right amount of fish-bottarga flavor.
Our table also had two bottles of wine. The bill with 20%+ tip came to $62/pp...not bad at all considering how much good, quality, yummy food and wine our table had! This is definitely a place where you feel like the dinner is well worth what you pay. -
Review from Laura B.
San Francisco, CA
4/16/2012
I was so disappointed, and worse was so embarrassed that I made the suggestion based on yelp's recommendation. The salad was good, but each of our four main courses was sub par. It was flavorless and mediocre and way too expensive for what it was. What's worse they insisted they were booked when I called for a reservation, and while we were there (for our entire meal) there sat several empty tables. The service was minimal. The owner was nice enough to ask us how things were, but when we told her we didn't have a great meal, she started arguing with us. It was over all one of the worst meals I have had in recent memory. The food was unmemorable and over priced, but the service is what was really awful. But I blame yelp and those who suggested it. Are these comments filled with family members, because I cannot figure out the disconnect.
