Where Are the Italian Families Behind SF's Italian Food Scene?
Eater SF's list of top Italian restaurants shows how few family-owned establishments remain as longtime Italian families have been priced out of SF neighborhoods.
Rosa Alioto remembers when her family’s North Beach restaurant served three generations of Italian families who lived within walking distance. Now, most of her customers drive in from the Peninsula or East Bay, and the Italian families who once filled the neighborhood have long since moved away.
A new list of San Francisco’s best Italian restaurants from Eater SF highlights the evolution of the city’s Italian dining scene — and reveals how few family-owned establishments remain. Of the 15 featured restaurants, only a handful trace their roots to the Italian immigrant families who once dominated North Beach and the Mission.
Little Original Joe’s, which tops the list, represents one of the last connections to that era. The restaurant has served Italian-American comfort food since the 1930s, though it relocated from the Tenderloin to North Beach in 2012 after losing its original lease.
Most of the featured spots — including Cotogna, Bar Sprezzatura, and SPQR — represent a newer wave of Italian dining, often helmed by non-Italian chefs trained in contemporary techniques. These restaurants focus on regional Italian cuisine and natural wines, appealing to diners seeking authentic flavors rather than the red-sauce traditions of earlier generations.
“The rent increases pushed out a lot of the families,” said Tony Gemignani, whose family has operated restaurants in North Beach for decades. “The new places are great, but they’re serving a different community.”
The shift reflects broader changes across San Francisco neighborhoods. In North Beach, where Italian families once comprised the majority of residents, median home prices now exceed $2 million. Many second and third-generation Italian-Americans have relocated to suburbs in San Mateo and Contra Costa counties.
Some longtime establishments have adapted by expanding beyond traditional offerings. Molinari Delicatessen, founded in 1896, now ships nationwide and serves tech workers alongside longtime customers. Others, like Fior d’Italia, closed permanently during the pandemic after 150 years in business.
The newer restaurants often command higher prices — entrees at Cotogna and SPQR typically range from $28 to $45, compared to $18 to $25 at family-owned spots like Original Joe’s.
“Food evolves, neighborhoods change,” Alioto said. “But sometimes I miss the days when Italian food in San Francisco was made by Italian families for Italian families.”