The Best Italian & Italian-American Recipes on the Internet
A classic from Catania on the eastern shore of Sicily, this wildly popular pasta took on its name in honor of favorite-son Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma 180 years ago. You’ll find it on menus all over Sicilia now. A couple of you asked about this dish …
I love Italian pork sausage. Luckily I can get the best right here in North Beach. The Chronicle tasted 48 house-made sausages from all over the Bay Area, everything from traditional Italian pork sausage to Boudin Blanc and Spicy Georgia Peach Bourbon chicken sausage. Even …
I thought the Central Subway project currently tearing up the streets around Union Square would terminate at the Chinatown station, about 6 blocks south of North Beach at Clay and Stockton. I was pleased that North Beach would be spared from the subway construction nightmare …
North Beach’s Victoria Pastry on the corner of Stockton & Vallejo makes some of my favorite cakes and pastries. They’ve only been doing it since 1914! Victoria’s St. Honore rum-soaked sponge cake with vanilla pastry cream and their domed chocholate Fedora cake are two of the best. For …
Chain stores are not welcome in North Beach. Over the last 2 decades Walgreens and other chains that wanted to open here were blocked by neighborhood protest. Since 2005 chain stores with more than 11 outposts have been banned by the San Francisco ordinance designed …
Columbus & Coit from the Transamerica building. Click to expand. Enjoy a beautiful night in North Beach tomorrow. Celebrate the first day of June with your friends and neighbors. Wander the Village Streets and check out what 18 particpating galleries, shops, restaurants and bars have …
Sausage Deep-Dish Pizza Chicago Style Chicago-style pizza has been on my mind lately and luckily in my mouth too. I had one when I was in Chicago a couple of weeks ago. I love the classic pie with sausage but I lost the vote and we …
I’m back in the Village after a week out of town and was pleased to see the Capos sign was up. Capos is Tony Gemignani’s new place on Vallejo (between Stockton and Columbus). As Tony promised the vintage National cash register sits proudly on top …
North Beach’s Tommaso’s opened in 1935. The Crotti family bought it in 1973 and they’re still serving the original menu from 77 years ago. Agostino Crotti boasts that Tommaso’s was the first to have a wood-burning oven on the West Coast . “That’s written in the books.” …
A Roman friend’s son Luca shot a video of Claudio, the chef/owner of Osteria Dar Bruttone making spaghetti alla carbonara, a classic Roman pasta dish. I had to share it with you. Claudio is passionate about Roma and about its food. His osteria in the …
Tony Gemignani’s Capos in the former Pucinella Pizzeria space on North Beach’s Vallejo Street is taking shape. The brick facade on the front of the building is in place. Soon a big black awning will hang out over the sidewalk. A beautiful custom-built wood Art …
Frittata, an Italian egg pie with potatoes and roasted sausage. Use the basic recipe and include your favorite ingredients. You can have a flavorful fritatta on the table in about 20 minutes.
Fans who took my tour a few months ago called to see if I would do a tour of North Beach for out-of-town guests this Saturday, April 28 at 11:00 a.m. Do you want to join us? Get to know my my favorite restaurants, bakeries, food shops, art galleries …
The farmers markets are overflowing with early spring vegetables so I just had to make Pasta Primavera, farfalle (bowtie) pasta with just-arrived asparagus, fava beans and sweet peas. Pasta Primavera is a classic Italian-American dish concocted by Sirio Maccioni and made famous at his Le …
North Beach Festival Next Weekend
The 58th Annual North Beach Festival is next weekend, June 16-17. Don’t miss this opportunity to revel in all that North Beach has to offer. The weather will be superb. Stroll Grant Avenue, the oldest street in San Francisco. Enjoy music, ranging from The Carol …