S.F. Bay Area - San Francisco, CA
San Francisco Restaurants
North Beach Restaurants
Trattoria Contadina ****

Cuisine: Italian

Description & Atmosphere
Trattoria Contadina is a North Beach institution — it's been around since 1984 and today, it's still going strong. We always feel as if we're back in Italy whenever we dine here.

Charming, casual, family-style, popular with locals and tourists alike best describes this popular eatery, located in the heart of North Beach. It's a fun place to come with friends, family, to celebrate a special occasion, or bring out-of-town guests — portions are large enough to share which is always fun to do if you want to taste a little of everything.

Buon Appetito!

We prefer seating on the main floor of the cozy split-level restaurant vs in the smaller upstairs dining room. It can be a little noisy, especially during peak dining times and weekends, so don't come here for quiet conversation.

Italian cuisine (using organic sustainable ingredients) is always spot on — every meal we've eaten here over the years has been wonderful. And their 80+ selection of fine California and Italian wines isn't bad either!

Food
For starters, we recommend ordering an Antipasto (serves 1-4 ppl) — delicious meats and cheeses, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, warm olives, roasted peppers and pepperoncini topped with a little olive oil.

We like their traditional Caesar Salad or the Caprese Salad (fresh buffalo mozzarella, freshly sliced tomatoes, basil, pesto and a side of mixed greens).

Excellent Pasta entrees — again, great for sharing, especially for larger parties. During one of our recent visits we enjoyed several tasty pastas — seafood pasta filled with mussels, clams and calamari, a special pasta of the day with prawns in a cream sauce, and a pasta pesto with olives. Traditional spaghetti or linguini with homemade meatballs and fresh tomato sauce is always good.

Menu options also include Chicken or Veal Scaloppini, Fresh Fish & Seafood, Lamb Chops... and more!

Save room for dessert — we love their Homemade Tiramisu. If you're celebrating a special birthday or anniversary, be sure to mention it to your waiter (they'll put a candle in it). Little touches like this guarantee a return trip — maybe we'll see you there!

Hours
Sun-Thurs 5pm-9:30pm
Fri-Sat 5pm-10pm

Reservations
Reservations are highly recommended. Be prepared to wait for a table, especially during peak dining times and weekends.

Note: There is only one "round" table (for six) on the main floor — we requested it for a special birthday celebration (and we were lucky to get it). It's usually only available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parking
Limited street parking; North Beach parking garages are located nearby.

Service
Fast, friendly and efficient service

Prices
Moderate

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