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Italian Cuisine
Bottega Ristorante
was an instant success which we discovered when we were unable to get seated on our first visit without a reservation. Undaunted, a few weeks later we did make a reservation for a late lunch and are glad we did. The wine country décor with brick walls, beamed ceiling and an open exhibition kitchen is fresh and inviting.
Brio
Brio Tuscan Grille
Brio Tuscan Grille Italian Cuisine www.BrioItalian.com is another good choice especially since you can dine outdoors on their patio. We were there on an evening when they had a Salsa band which made it even more fun as many people got up and danced. Once again the drink of choice was a Classic Mojito. They are so refreshing on warm nights.
build

BUILD Pizzeria Roma-Berkeley
We love Pizza and the thought of customizing our own gourmet Roman Style thin crust pizza led us to the new Build Pizzeria Roma. It is located in a Circa 1904 Landmark building on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley near BART. Inspired by Italian Pizzerias with their sense of community Restaurateurs Lisa Holt and DavidShapiro have created a lively, friendly and unique environment

Café Citti
Italian Trattoria
Special Soup: " Raviolini in Brodo." Luca’s homemade raviolini filled with meat, Swiss chard and fresh herbs served in a chicken broth with fresh tomatoes and Parmesan.-just delicious
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Caffe Giostra
Fine Italian Cuisine
Gamberi " Scampi Style"- Large Prawns, Garlic, Butter, White Wine, Touch of Cream. We loved this entrée which was served right from the pan and was terrific.
Carmine’s Family Style Italian Restaurant
Just off Times Square you’ll find a great Italian restaurant called Carmine’s. Places like this are why we love New York ! They serve Classic Italian cuisine, family style with generous portions that are perfect for sharing. Founded in 1992 by Restaurateur Artie Cutler to be similar to an Italian wedding feast
Centouno 101 Taverna Italiana
We have enjoyed going to Jack London Square in Oakland for many years and have seen dramatic changes which has brought growth in both housing and businesses to this beautiful waterfront area. The Historic Overland House building at the corner Broadway and Embarcadero has seen most of the changes, as it was built in 1909. Centouno 101 Taverna Italiana which serves Italian Comfort Food is its newest tenant.
Cucina Paradiso
Homemade Ravioli filled with roasted duck in a sundried tomato, pine nut and basil sauce. A light ravioli filled with duck that tasted terrific.
desco
Desco – Italian Cuisine in Old Oakland
We love dining in Old Oakland as there are trendy Restaurants and Bars which draw a sophisticated crowd. The historic buildings and classic street lamps create a retro American city atmosphere which adds to the overall ambience. We were craving Italian Cuisine so we wanted to dine at Desco which just recently opened. It is located in a Historic 1876 building and is quite welcoming with its big D shingle above the entrance and 1940’s Italian Café feeling.
Donato
There is no better way to spend the afternoon than to enjoy lunch while dining al fresco in a lovely setting on a warm summer day. Downtown Redwood City has seen a renaissance over the past decade and has turned into an upscale dining and shopping area.
Giacomo
Next up was the Bruchetta made with Pesto, Mozzarella Cheese, Garlic and Marinated Tomatoes. Again, very fresh tasting, especially the tomatoes. Gnocchi is usually a good test of authenticity in Italian cooking.
Graziano’s Ristorante
Authentic Italian Cuisine
Portabella Mushrooms—Sauté’ in garlic & sherry- These large juicy mushrooms were actually served in a Marsalla wine sauce, arriving at our table piping hot.
Il Fornaio
We had dinner at Il Fornaio at Levi Plaza in San Francisco where they pride themselves on the fact that they use primarily authentic ingredients from Italy. We dined in their Piazza which is almost like outdoor dining. The focus of the evening was a celebration of the Great Flavours of Abruzzo, which is a centrally located picturesque region of Italy that is famous for excellent ingredients which translates into great cuisine.
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Marchesi De’ Frescobaldi - 700 Years of Italian Wine Making
We were pleased to be invited to join one of Italy’s premiere wine makers, Lamberto Frescobaldi, at North Beach Restaurant www.northbeachrestaurant.com in San Francisco for lunch where we enjoyed delicious Prosciutto, Veal and Tiramisu while we tasted a few of his family’s wines.

 

Original Joe’s - Fine Italian Dining & Cocktails
Everyone in San Francisco is thrilled that Original Joe’s has re-opened in North Beach. First opened in 1937 the same year as the Golden Gate Bridge, it is the innovator of the “Joe’s Concept” of classic reasonably priced Traditional Home Style Italian American Comfort Food. They pioneered and still have an Exhibition kitchen where diners can sit at the counter and watch cooks preparing the food. They also created the Joe’s Special on a late night when a cook added hamburger meat to a spinach omelet.

  Pazzo
Our favorite was the Gorgonzola Crusted Duckling. It’s a braised half duckling which is deboned, crisped, encrusted with warm gorgonzola cheese, and served with a roasted garlic and herb Marsala cream sauce. The flavor is fabulous! We also loved the Chicken Marrakech. The Moroccan spices infused in the half young chicken with garlic, onions, tomatoes, eggplant and almonds made it a delicious entrée.
 
Poggio
We lived in Sausalito for many years and always love coming back to dine. We have enjoyed both lunch and dinner many times at Poggio and consider it to be the heart and soul of Sausalito, as it is friendly, lively and exudes neighborhood charm. It is a Classic Italian Trattoria with a changing daily menu.
 
Partners Marco Palmieri and Chef Fabio Flagiello -- both originally from Trieste, Italy-- have created a fabulous new destination restaurant in Petaluma.? The cuisine features modern interpretations of Mediterranean, French, Italian, Californian and Spanish dishes.
Santi
The first course was their special Antipasti, the Affettati Nostrali, which is Dino and Franco’s daily selection of house-cured Salumi. It included their award-winning Gentile Salami, Lardo, Pancetta and Prosciutto. Truly fine dining in Geyserville.
Semolina
We tried three and loved them all: the Angel Hair Pasta Pomodoro with fresh tomatoes, garlic, and basil in a marinara sauce; the Ravioli, homemade and a house specialty; and the Butternut Squash Ravioli in walnut cream sauce, which was the most unique and a crowd favorite.
Sugo
The Bombay Pakoras, which are rock shrimp deep-fried in a Taj beer batter, were our favorite. They were spicy and had a light delicious papadon crust. We also enjoyed the Samosa. These crispy vegetable turnovers were filled with special potatoes and peas and had a thin flakey crust.
Tavola Italian Kitchen
We love Italian Cuisine and are continually amazed that there are so many unique offerings at Italian Restaurants in The Bay Area. We had heard that East Coast Restaurateur Jon Paul Pirraglia had recently opened Tavola Italian Kitchen in Novato and knew we had to taste their take on Modern Italian Cuisine.
Tuscany
Fantastic Flavors of Italy
Baked flatbread with herbs, garlic and cambozola cheese. This came with one of our favorites- A baked garlic- It worked perfectly with the tasty flatbread and the soft cambozola cheese.
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