Tucked away between the neon lit tourist-trap restaurants and stores on Columbus in North Beach is a little, tiny really, authentic Italian restaurant that is a favorite with the locals. If you don’t know it’s there, it would be easy to just walk by.
True to their Northern Italian roots, the cooks use both locally fresh ingredients and produce, and cheeses and olive oils imported from Italy. Their food is traditional, full of flavor, and distinctly tastes of the home made. They are known for their focaccia and sandwiches, Italian-style pizzas, and their crowd favorite, the “special of the day” – braised pork in milk. There are very few pasta dishes on the menu because they specialize in dishes prepared in the oven, del forno.
The beauty of this little restaurant is its size. Ten tables, at most, with people celebrating birthdays, catching up with each other, celebrating with a romantic meal, or just feasting on dinner. And there is almost always a line at the door. Once seated, there is no one rushing me to eat quickly, no one rushing me to leave a tip and then leave myself. Instead I get to take my time, savor the food, savor the company, and savor the experience.
L’Osteria del forno is owned by two Italian women, one from Varese and one from Bologna, along with a cousin and his wife from the South of France, all of whom work in the restaurant. Their love for their work and the food is obvious.
L’Osteria del forno
519 Columbus Ave. San Francisco, CA 94133
T: 415.982.1124
Cash only.
Restaurant Hours:
M – W – Th – Su: 11:30 am to 10:00 pm
F + Sa: 11:30 am to 10:30 pm
Closed on Tuesdays
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Tags: italian, north beach, restaurant, san francisco
