San Francisco, CA 94133
United States
+1-415-677-9455
Molto bene! You don't need to wait in Tony's ridiculous line to get excellent pizza - the margherita is just as good here, and a better price. I've tried pizza and mozzarella in many areas of Italy, and Il Casaro is just as good as any. Imo this is the best pizzeria in North Beach. I had the buffalo mozzarella, margherita pizza, and prosciutto pizza. It's hard to describe the flavor; all I can say is to take my word for it and trust that it's very tasty. The food is comparable to food I've had in Italy. The pizzas are cooked in a wood-fired oven. Sure, many pizzerias in this area have this kind of oven, but few bake it right. Many come out doughy and/or chewy (sorry Piccolo Forno). Il Casaro is just right: thin and soft. Bottom line: if you want pizza, don't wait at Tony's (no wait to sit 12pm on Sunday, whereas Tony's had a long line). Save yourself time and go to Il Casaro. You won't be disappointed.
We only had appetizers here but will be back for some kickass looking (and smelling) pizza, I'm sure! Il Casaro was part of our "tour" of little Italy in north beach so we decided to make this place our first stop, since it boasted being a mozzarella bar as well as a pizzeria. While I was disappointed to find out they only serve mozzarella and burrata but no special variations on either (served simply with arugula, tomatoes, and crusty pizza dough triangles), I was very happy with the quality of the burrata. It was delicious and I could have eaten 3 more servings, easily. We also got the roasted calamari and zucchini which was PERFECTLY cooked. My only critiques for both dishes - a touch of salt would have gone a long way on the calamari and an herb infused olive oil as an accoutrement for the pizza dough triangles - but maybe I'm being picky because other people were just slathering the burrata straight on the triangles. I was just happy eating it straight off the plate, lol. The place is small and packed - we got lucky that we were only two people and got seated at the pizza bar right away. We loved the show! I would probably refrain from bringing a large group, you'll be really cramped.
This place is AMAZING. The pizza was delicious, the service was excellent and the music was perfection. It gets busy so come early. The owner is a doll and the staff will make you feel like a VIP!
This friend of mine used to live in Milan, Italy. She has been on a quest for the most authentic Italian Pizza she could find. She did her own research and found this place may just be the spot to satiate her Italian cravings. Im game for any new place, as you can tell. We had a reservation but there was still a little bit of a wait. We stood outside and the servers come out and ask you if you want Prosecco. Are you kidding me? Yes, I always want Prosecco, in a real champagne glass even. You had me at Prosecco, I swear. We started with the Wild Boar Salamino. This is my new favorite thing. If you've never had it, go and get it immediately! Its amazing on every level. My friend got her Pizza Margherita. All of their pizza's are wood fire grilled right there in front of you. The place does get rather hot, even on a cold night in San Francisco. You will not need a coat inside. I had the Spaghetti Carbonara. It was so buttery and rich. The pancetta was cut so small and melted in your mouth. It had just enough pepper to give it a little kick. I was told that my dish was a very typical real Italian Carbonara. I had zero complaints. Service was excellent. It helped my dinning partner speaks fluent Italian with the servers who are also, really Italian. If this is the most authentic Italian you can get out of Italy, Im convinced.
I am not big on pizza, but you haven't tried pizza till you've been here:) DRINK: Not a big selection of beer and wine, but they have really good options. Any of their red wines is a good pair with the pizzas. FOOD: Try the prosciutto pizza! It is amazing! All of their pizza is made with really fresh ingredients. You can literally taste the freshness. The Kale Caesar Salad was one of the best salads I've ever had. I would recommend trying their calamary, rice balls with cheese, and meatballs for appetizers as well. ATMOSPHERE: This restaurant is really tight and cramp, but it's honestly part of the aesthetics of the restaurant. The dim lighting at night, aroma of pizza, and loud noises causes an intimate setting. The staff are amazing at what they do.
Stopped by during North Beach fest to escape the heat (which didn't actually work because like all old buildings in San Francisco, this place doesn't have air conditioning) and take a break for some lunch. We got the lasagna, the carbonara, a salad, some fried risotto balls and a mozzarella flight..... Lasagna was great, with a really rich, meaty sauce. The carbonara was impressive-- often times I feel like carbonara feels over wrought-- just too much oil or too heavy with cream or cheese, but they got this perfectly done. The risotto balls were not oily at all, and were able to retain a lot of their flavor even though they had been deep fried. The mozzarella flight I did not really partake in, but my friends assured me that it was the creamiest, silkiest mozzarella that they have had. I took off one star because our server didn't really check on us, so it was hard to put in our order or ask for more water, get drinks, etc. I also really liked this place though because it's not pretentious at all and is in the heart of North Beach! It takes a lot to stand out in a crowd, but this place definitely does it.
I was pleasantly surprised with this small pizzeria. A friend had a craving for fresh mozzarella so we decided on this restaurant. Reminiscent of small cafe / market which happens to serve pizza. The menu is expansive. You can stop in for a quick snack or enjoy a full of meal. I ordered the affettati di coppa along with castelvetrano olives to start. The antipasti plate is served with a small bed of arugula and a few slices of warm baked pizza bread. The salad was a bit salty but the remainder of the dish was delicious. Spicy coppa was amazing (perfect portion amount) and the bread was tasty. Almost made me wish we had ordered a small pizza. The mozzarella was ok. I've tasted fresher buffala but not entirely bad considering many Italian restaurants don't offer this menu option. Castelvetrano olives was fresh and perfectly brined. Overall this place is pretty solid given we were only looking for an afternoon snack. I will definitely be back!
This place was really interesting during our 2nd visit to San Francisco. Located in North Beach (Little Italy), it is right off the main road leading into the area, Columbus Ave. We get there on a Friday night and had to wait for an open table because it was packed, but we didn't wait long though. Anywho, once we got seated, the service was great. There was a bit of a language barrier there because I'm sure these guys were straight up Italian, like from the old country Italian, :) because when we put in our order, I think something got lost in translation, because our first set of pizzas were all wrong. I think we screwed them up because we ordered 2 pizzas, with half this and half that, and add this and not that type of order and I think they aren't used to that, plus the dude didn't write any of it down either, sooooo. Well needless to say, they didn't take it too well by us sending food back, but hey the pizzas were all wrong. So this waiter gets insulted and complains to his manager, then comes back to our table and says that his manager will be taking over because apparently he can't get our order right. So then she comes to our table as if it was our fault or something and then started to take our order again, and again she didn't write it down either, so what the heck!? And that's when the service declined. We did get our pizzas how we ordered them, but with an attitude, LOL!! Now to the food: The pizzas were great, as any neapolitan pizza would be and the pasta carbonara was decent. You can tell the pasta was old school style, nothing fancy, but still good. As a matter of fact, the whole place was old school, nothing fancy, just a cool little restaurant to have some good Italian food. At any seat in the house you'll be able to hear and see that hustle and bustle of Columbus Ave. I would recommend this place to anyone out there, just don't order a half this, half that pizza. :) I would have given them 5 Stars if it weren't for the attitude.
SHOULD BE THE #1 SPOT FOR PIZZA IN NORTH BEACH! I was randomly craving pizza on a Saturday night and decided to go a step up from delivery and frozen pizza. On top of that, I decided to head to North Beach (which is little Italy in SF). I was so hungry and determined to find good pizza that I completely forgot that it was the weekend of the North Beach Festival (which means A LOT of people and long wait times- even at 10pm) Luckily, we found this spot and were quoted about 20 mins for a table for two (this is great in comparison to the first place that we went to that told us they couldn't even guarantee anymore seating even though they didn't close for another 1.5 hours) We sat at the bar. WARNING: THERE IS AN OPEN FIRE GRILL SO IT GETS KINDA HOT, SO BEWARE! Ordered meatballs as an appetizer and prosciutto pizza with an egg on top (extra charge $) and both were delicious! Meatballs were to die for and the freshly shaven cheese on top was just the right touch! Once the egg yolk broke, it made the middle of the pizza slightly soggy but this was definitely expected (its YOLK for goodness sake!). The arugula is put on the pizza after it is cooked (they put a lot, so, if you are not a fan order something without arugula. WOULD DEFINITELY COME BACK!
Get the pizza and not the pasta. There's a reason why there's tons more pizza options on their menu and only a few pasta choices. I came with a group of 6 on a Saturday night and even though the restaurant was packed we were seated within 10 minutes. Truffle Burrata- this one is a MUST! The truffle burrata is AMAZING! Comes with a little bit of arugula and cherry tomatoes on the side. Il Casaro pizza- LOVED the cremini mushrooms on this pizza. It was a perfect balance of flavor between the mushrooms, the prosciutto, and the mozzarella and grana padana cheese. The crust is perfection! Probably one of the best pizzas I've had in the city. Canneloni pasta- don't get this. The portion is kind of small and it just wasn't good. Lacked the wow factor.
My husband yelped this place....decided to go here in between times at the convention we were visiting. Greeted right away which was nice. They were friendly, personable, and seated us right away. Not too much longer, we had a server helping us. Customer service....yes, pretty good so far. We sat at the bar top, which was pretty cool because you get to see them make the pizzas, calzones, etc. Everything here is fresh and made to the order. We had the lasagna. Pretty damn good. Filling. Tasty. Delicious. We didn't get to try a lot of the food items . But a clean and nice environment, good food, beer on tap (no alcohol ), and standard city prices. I would definitely come back here....at least to try the pizza.
Hot damn, this pizza is good! Let's start by stating that I have a serious problem. On average, I eat pizza four times a week and mostly for dinner. It's an incredible habit that started long ago in New Haven, Connecticut but, I'm sure glad it started. In my book, Il Casaro is currently the reigning champ for best pizza in San Francisco. It's a perfect rendition of a classic neapolitan pizza and done with such precision that it makes my soul sing. Chewy, light crust that is perfectly burnt, San Marzano tomato sauce and beautiful mozzarella cheese make this pie unbeatable. I'll be back tomorrow. :)
It was our last night in SF. We took the Alcatraz Night Tour and when it ended, almost at 10 p.m., we were hungry. We wanted Italian so we went back to Little Italy/North Beach. Being that it was late on a Sunday night, options were few, but Il Casaro sounded like a neat spot to check out, so off we went. There was one other group in the restaurant when we arrived. Seeing NoBe on a Sunday night gave us a totally different perspective than our Saturday afternoon, very touristy visit. Now, it felt far more local. Our waiter was lovely and recommended a delightful Italian wine. We shared burrata (creamy mozzarella with bread) and olives. It was so yummy with the wine. We were right in front of the wood burning brick oven, so pizza was a must. I tried the lasagna and was not at all disappointed. It was a perfect ending to a super fun vacation in the great city of San Fran!
If the waiters here are Italian, that means it's legit right? I came here after work once and ordered pizza with wine. The pizza was thin crusted, and the toppings plentiful. You can tell they use high quality ingredients. My favorite thing about this place though is the ambience - suitable for a friend gathering or to come with your SO.
Sunday, a little after lunch time, between 1-2PM. You walk into this cute cafe/restaurant where the wide windows let in plenty of sunlight. It smells amazing, like fresh baked bread and melted cheeses. It's a little warmer, but comfortable temperature especially considering SF's cold weather. My boyfriend and I sit down at a table for four near the window since there's not many other options. We're offered sparking and tap water. We split the sotto mar pizza (the one with clams and squid). We're surprised that a) the clams are still in their shells and b) there's no cheese on the pizza. We de-shell the clams and each start on a slice. DELICIOUS. We're a bit too American and feel weird that the pizza doesn't have cheese on it so we ask for some. The servers happily oblige and bring fresh grated cheese (very finely grated, like snow texture) in a small bowl to us. We sprinkle the cheese on top and continue eating our amazing pizza. Splitting one pizza between the two of us was just the right amount for us both to feel satisfied/full but not overly so. The experience was a bit dreamlike. Definitely recommend coming back! Food and ambiance were perfect for a Sunday afternoon with the boyfriend. Plus it's right by City Lights, so great to make a date of pizza + books.
This place is truly a 3-star restaurant, but I had to bump it to 4 purely for the pizza. Seriously, if you're thinking about ordering anything aside from the burrata or pizza, don't. Unless it's wine. They have a great wine list, and wine is delicious. Il Casaro is amore a prima vista. It's an intimate restaurant with windows that open onto the sidewalk for an al fresco feel. There are Italian servers and patrons filling the air with thick accents and clinks of wine glasses. The smell of the wood fired oven lingers like a sweet perfume. The first time we came for dinner in a group of 4. We ordered the arancini, burrata, the tagliatelle carbonara, and the prosciutto pizza to share family style. The burrata was really good. Sadly the carbonara was pretty bland and disappointing and felt like a waste of a dish. Our arancini came out at the same time as our pizza, and was barely warm, so I think they had forgotten about it. The pizza was outstanding and flew off the pan - it was the only thing we really liked about the meal. Service was a little slow, but it was a weekend night so it was to be expected. On our second trip, we had a group of 3 for lunch. Wiser after our first visit, we each ordered a different pizza. We tried the diavola (which was outstanding), a margherita, and the prosciutto again. The pizzas were all fantastic, with the diavola standing out as the clear favorite. The main issue with this visit was the service. There was just one server, and the poor girl looked like she might have a breakdown at any moment. Although it wasn't crazy busy, it was evident that she was scrambling between tables and trying to keep up. She took our order by writing on her hand because she had lost her paper and we went without drinks for most of our meal. I felt bad for her, but it was not a good dining experience. I think if they hired more help, it would make a huge improvement to not just the service, but getting the food out hot and fresh. Still, I'd come back anytime for their pizza. A little pricey, but absolutely worth it!
Il Casaro Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar, at 348 Columbus Ave. in San Francisco's storied North Beach, is a classic Neapolitan pizza eatery, not unlike what you might encounter on a side street in Milano. The restaurant is relatively small, and bustling, so it's best for a casual meal for up to four. Having tried the pizza on several occasions, I'm down with the 4.5 star average reviews. You'll find a highly reliable, authentic, crispy-crusted, delicately yeasty pizza with just the right amount of "bite" to the crust. If you're not certain which pie to order, the waiter will readily point you to the burrata Margherita. Enjoy a glass or two of wine while you're there, and walk off your meal with a visit to the nearby Filbert steps, all 400 of them, all the way up to Coit Tower. Don't be a weenie, start at the bottom!!
Love the pizza here! Got the Margherita today. This was my third visit. Service is so nice and friendly.
Stumbled upon this place the old-fashioned way: I walked by while I was hungry. At just 5:30 this place was packed and the only available seats were at the bar, which was surprisingly spacious and comfortable (sit here if you enjoy watching pizza being made!). My boyfriend and I split a Diavola and it was scrumptious -- the pizza had a bit of a spicy kick and the crust was top-notch. My Italian boyfriend comes from a pizzeria-owning family and he loved this place as well. I'll definitely be back!
I had high hopes for Il Casaro based on all the great reviews... but in the end, it was just another average pizzeria. 3 stars for the beet salad that lacked beets and flavor 3 stars for the grilled shishito peppers that were small and lacked heat 3 stars for the bufalino cheese pizza that was bland 2 stars for the calzone that lacked flavor (starting to see a theme here????) 4 stars for the one saving grace - tuna pizza Despite the disappointing blandness of the food, service was 5 stars
Il Casaro Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar
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348 Columbus Ave
San Francisco, CA 94133
United States b/t Vallejo St & Grant Ave
North Beach/Telegraph Hill, Russian Hill - Phone number +1-415-677-9455
- Business website ilcasaropizzeria.com
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“I saw they had a wood fired stove, and that all pizzas were $12.50 for happy hour, 2:30-4:30 I believe.” in 7 reviews
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“The pizzaiolo is Salvatore Di Stefano, who trained under THE "TONY GEMIGNANI" of Tony's in North Beach.” in 30 reviews
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“Peter Fazio of Vicoletto and chef Francesco Covucci are doing good things at Il Casaro.” in 8 reviews
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- Lance W.
- Millbrae, United States
- 1 friend
- 3 reviews
- 4 photos
Molto bene! You don't need to wait in Tony's ridiculous line to get excellent pizza - the margherita is just as good here, and a better price. I've tried pizza and mozzarella in many areas of Italy, and Il Casaro is just as good as any. Imo this is the best pizzeria in North Beach.
I had the buffalo mozzarella, margherita pizza, and prosciutto pizza. It's hard to describe the flavor; all I can say is to take my word for it and trust that it's very tasty. The food is comparable to food I've had in Italy. The pizzas are cooked in a wood-fired oven. Sure, many pizzerias in this area have this kind of oven, but few bake it right. Many come out doughy and/or chewy (sorry Piccolo Forno). Il Casaro is just right: thin and soft.
Bottom line: if you want pizza, don't wait at Tony's (no wait to sit 12pm on Sunday, whereas Tony's had a long line). Save yourself time and go to Il Casaro. You won't be disappointed. -
We only had appetizers here but will be back for some kickass looking (and smelling) pizza, I'm sure! Il Casaro was part of our "tour" of little Italy in north beach so we decided to make this place our first stop, since it boasted being a mozzarella bar as well as a pizzeria. While I was disappointed to find out they only serve mozzarella and burrata but no special variations on either (served simply with arugula, tomatoes, and crusty pizza dough triangles), I was very happy with the quality of the burrata. It was delicious and I could have eaten 3 more servings, easily. We also got the roasted calamari and zucchini which was PERFECTLY cooked.
My only critiques for both dishes - a touch of salt would have gone a long way on the calamari and an herb infused olive oil as an accoutrement for the pizza dough triangles - but maybe I'm being picky because other people were just slathering the burrata straight on the triangles. I was just happy eating it straight off the plate, lol.
The place is small and packed - we got lucky that we were only two people and got seated at the pizza bar right away. We loved the show! I would probably refrain from bringing a large group, you'll be really cramped. -
- amanda c.
- Santa Clara, United States
- 2 friends
- 77 reviews
- 4 photos
This place is AMAZING. The pizza was delicious, the service was excellent and the music was perfection.
It gets busy so come early. The owner is a doll and the staff will make you feel like a VIP! -
This friend of mine used to live in Milan, Italy. She has been on a quest for the most authentic Italian Pizza she could find. She did her own research and found this place may just be the spot to satiate her Italian cravings.
Im game for any new place, as you can tell. We had a reservation but there was still a little bit of a wait. We stood outside and the servers come out and ask you if you want Prosecco. Are you kidding me? Yes, I always want Prosecco, in a real champagne glass even. You had me at Prosecco, I swear.
We started with the Wild Boar Salamino. This is my new favorite thing. If you've never had it, go and get it immediately! Its amazing on every level.
My friend got her Pizza Margherita. All of their pizza's are wood fire grilled right there in front of you. The place does get rather hot, even on a cold night in San Francisco. You will not need a coat inside.
I had the Spaghetti Carbonara. It was so buttery and rich. The pancetta was cut so small and melted in your mouth. It had just enough pepper to give it a little kick. I was told that my dish was a very typical real Italian Carbonara. I had zero complaints.
Service was excellent. It helped my dinning partner speaks fluent Italian with the servers who are also, really Italian.
If this is the most authentic Italian you can get out of Italy, Im convinced. -
I am not big on pizza, but you haven't tried pizza till you've been here:)
DRINK: Not a big selection of beer and wine, but they have really good options. Any of their red wines is a good pair with the pizzas.
FOOD: Try the prosciutto pizza! It is amazing! All of their pizza is made with really fresh ingredients. You can literally taste the freshness. The Kale Caesar Salad was one of the best salads I've ever had. I would recommend trying their calamary, rice balls with cheese, and meatballs for appetizers as well.
ATMOSPHERE: This restaurant is really tight and cramp, but it's honestly part of the aesthetics of the restaurant. The dim lighting at night, aroma of pizza, and loud noises causes an intimate setting. The staff are amazing at what they do. -
- Lai-Nin W.
- San Francisco, United States
- 115 friends
- 240 reviews
- Elite ’17
Stopped by during North Beach fest to escape the heat (which didn't actually work because like all old buildings in San Francisco, this place doesn't have air conditioning) and take a break for some lunch. We got the lasagna, the carbonara, a salad, some fried risotto balls and a mozzarella flight..... Lasagna was great, with a really rich, meaty sauce. The carbonara was impressive-- often times I feel like carbonara feels over wrought-- just too much oil or too heavy with cream or cheese, but they got this perfectly done. The risotto balls were not oily at all, and were able to retain a lot of their flavor even though they had been deep fried. The mozzarella flight I did not really partake in, but my friends assured me that it was the creamiest, silkiest mozzarella that they have had.
I took off one star because our server didn't really check on us, so it was hard to put in our order or ask for more water, get drinks, etc. I also really liked this place though because it's not pretentious at all and is in the heart of North Beach! It takes a lot to stand out in a crowd, but this place definitely does it. -
I was pleasantly surprised with this small pizzeria. A friend had a craving for fresh mozzarella so we decided on this restaurant. Reminiscent of small cafe / market which happens to serve pizza. The menu is expansive. You can stop in for a quick snack or enjoy a full of meal.
I ordered the affettati di coppa along with castelvetrano olives to start. The antipasti plate is served with a small bed of arugula and a few slices of warm baked pizza bread. The salad was a bit salty but the remainder of the dish was delicious. Spicy coppa was amazing (perfect portion amount) and the bread was tasty. Almost made me wish we had ordered a small pizza.
The mozzarella was ok. I've tasted fresher buffala but not entirely bad considering many Italian restaurants don't offer this menu option. Castelvetrano olives was fresh and perfectly brined. Overall this place is pretty solid given we were only looking for an afternoon snack. I will definitely be back! -
This place was really interesting during our 2nd visit to San Francisco. Located in North Beach (Little Italy), it is right off the main road leading into the area, Columbus Ave. We get there on a Friday night and had to wait for an open table because it was packed, but we didn't wait long though.
Anywho, once we got seated, the service was great. There was a bit of a language barrier there because I'm sure these guys were straight up Italian, like from the old country Italian, :) because when we put in our order, I think something got lost in translation, because our first set of pizzas were all wrong. I think we screwed them up because we ordered 2 pizzas, with half this and half that, and add this and not that type of order and I think they aren't used to that, plus the dude didn't write any of it down either, sooooo.
Well needless to say, they didn't take it too well by us sending food back, but hey the pizzas were all wrong. So this waiter gets insulted and complains to his manager, then comes back to our table and says that his manager will be taking over because apparently he can't get our order right. So then she comes to our table as if it was our fault or something and then started to take our order again, and again she didn't write it down either, so what the heck!? And that's when the service declined. We did get our pizzas how we ordered them, but with an attitude, LOL!!
Now to the food: The pizzas were great, as any neapolitan pizza would be and the pasta carbonara was decent. You can tell the pasta was old school style, nothing fancy, but still good. As a matter of fact, the whole place was old school, nothing fancy, just a cool little restaurant to have some good Italian food. At any seat in the house you'll be able to hear and see that hustle and bustle of Columbus Ave. I would recommend this place to anyone out there, just don't order a half this, half that pizza. :) I would have given them 5 Stars if it weren't for the attitude. -
- Attiana P.
- San Francisco, United States
- 145 friends
- 12 reviews
- 48 photos
SHOULD BE THE #1 SPOT FOR PIZZA IN NORTH BEACH!
I was randomly craving pizza on a Saturday night and decided to go a step up from delivery and frozen pizza. On top of that, I decided to head to North Beach (which is little Italy in SF).
I was so hungry and determined to find good pizza that I completely forgot that it was the weekend of the North Beach Festival (which means A LOT of people and long wait times- even at 10pm)
Luckily, we found this spot and were quoted about 20 mins for a table for two (this is great in comparison to the first place that we went to that told us they couldn't even guarantee anymore seating even though they didn't close for another 1.5 hours)
We sat at the bar. WARNING: THERE IS AN OPEN FIRE GRILL SO IT GETS KINDA HOT, SO BEWARE!
Ordered meatballs as an appetizer and prosciutto pizza with an egg on top (extra charge $) and both were delicious! Meatballs were to die for and the freshly shaven cheese on top was just the right touch! Once the egg yolk broke, it made the middle of the pizza slightly soggy but this was definitely expected (its YOLK for goodness sake!). The arugula is put on the pizza after it is cooked (they put a lot, so, if you are not a fan order something without arugula.
WOULD DEFINITELY COME BACK! -
Get the pizza and not the pasta. There's a reason why there's tons more pizza options on their menu and only a few pasta choices. I came with a group of 6 on a Saturday night and even though the restaurant was packed we were seated within 10 minutes.
Truffle Burrata- this one is a MUST! The truffle burrata is AMAZING! Comes with a little bit of arugula and cherry tomatoes on the side.
Il Casaro pizza- LOVED the cremini mushrooms on this pizza. It was a perfect balance of flavor between the mushrooms, the prosciutto, and the mozzarella and grana padana cheese. The crust is perfection! Probably one of the best pizzas I've had in the city.
Canneloni pasta- don't get this. The portion is kind of small and it just wasn't good. Lacked the wow factor. -
My husband yelped this place....decided to go here in between times at the convention we were visiting.
Greeted right away which was nice. They were friendly, personable, and seated us right away. Not too much longer, we had a server helping us. Customer service....yes, pretty good so far.
We sat at the bar top, which was pretty cool because you get to see them make the pizzas, calzones, etc. Everything here is fresh and made to the order.
We had the lasagna. Pretty damn good. Filling. Tasty. Delicious.
We didn't get to try a lot of the food items . But a clean and nice environment, good food, beer on tap (no alcohol ), and standard city prices. I would definitely come back here....at least to try the pizza. -
- Benjamin F.
- San Francisco, United States
- 3083 friends
- 338 reviews
- 1674 photos
- Elite ’17
Hot damn, this pizza is good!
Let's start by stating that I have a serious problem. On average, I eat pizza four times a week and mostly for dinner. It's an incredible habit that started long ago in New Haven, Connecticut but, I'm sure glad it started.
In my book, Il Casaro is currently the reigning champ for best pizza in San Francisco. It's a perfect rendition of a classic neapolitan pizza and done with such precision that it makes my soul sing. Chewy, light crust that is perfectly burnt, San Marzano tomato sauce and beautiful mozzarella cheese make this pie unbeatable.
I'll be back tomorrow. :)I've been wanting to review this place for quite some time now as I've only been here once before… Read more
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- Ekatarina V.
- Austin, United States
- 154 friends
- 134 reviews
- 104 photos
- Elite ’17
It was our last night in SF. We took the Alcatraz Night Tour and when it ended, almost at 10 p.m., we were hungry. We wanted Italian so we went back to Little Italy/North Beach.
Being that it was late on a Sunday night, options were few, but Il Casaro sounded like a neat spot to check out, so off we went.
There was one other group in the restaurant when we arrived. Seeing NoBe on a Sunday night gave us a totally different perspective than our Saturday afternoon, very touristy visit. Now, it felt far more local.
Our waiter was lovely and recommended a delightful Italian wine. We shared burrata (creamy mozzarella with bread) and olives. It was so yummy with the wine. We were right in front of the wood burning brick oven, so pizza was a must. I tried the lasagna and was not at all disappointed.
It was a perfect ending to a super fun vacation in the great city of San Fran! -
If the waiters here are Italian, that means it's legit right?
I came here after work once and ordered pizza with wine. The pizza was thin crusted, and the toppings plentiful. You can tell they use high quality ingredients.
My favorite thing about this place though is the ambience - suitable for a friend gathering or to come with your SO. -
Sunday, a little after lunch time, between 1-2PM. You walk into this cute cafe/restaurant where the wide windows let in plenty of sunlight. It smells amazing, like fresh baked bread and melted cheeses. It's a little warmer, but comfortable temperature especially considering SF's cold weather.
My boyfriend and I sit down at a table for four near the window since there's not many other options. We're offered sparking and tap water.
We split the sotto mar pizza (the one with clams and squid). We're surprised that a) the clams are still in their shells and b) there's no cheese on the pizza. We de-shell the clams and each start on a slice. DELICIOUS. We're a bit too American and feel weird that the pizza doesn't have cheese on it so we ask for some. The servers happily oblige and bring fresh grated cheese (very finely grated, like snow texture) in a small bowl to us.
We sprinkle the cheese on top and continue eating our amazing pizza. Splitting one pizza between the two of us was just the right amount for us both to feel satisfied/full but not overly so.
The experience was a bit dreamlike. Definitely recommend coming back! Food and ambiance were perfect for a Sunday afternoon with the boyfriend.
Plus it's right by City Lights, so great to make a date of pizza + books. -
This place is truly a 3-star restaurant, but I had to bump it to 4 purely for the pizza. Seriously, if you're thinking about ordering anything aside from the burrata or pizza, don't. Unless it's wine. They have a great wine list, and wine is delicious.
Il Casaro is amore a prima vista. It's an intimate restaurant with windows that open onto the sidewalk for an al fresco feel. There are Italian servers and patrons filling the air with thick accents and clinks of wine glasses. The smell of the wood fired oven lingers like a sweet perfume.
The first time we came for dinner in a group of 4. We ordered the arancini, burrata, the tagliatelle carbonara, and the prosciutto pizza to share family style. The burrata was really good. Sadly the carbonara was pretty bland and disappointing and felt like a waste of a dish. Our arancini came out at the same time as our pizza, and was barely warm, so I think they had forgotten about it. The pizza was outstanding and flew off the pan - it was the only thing we really liked about the meal. Service was a little slow, but it was a weekend night so it was to be expected.
On our second trip, we had a group of 3 for lunch. Wiser after our first visit, we each ordered a different pizza. We tried the diavola (which was outstanding), a margherita, and the prosciutto again. The pizzas were all fantastic, with the diavola standing out as the clear favorite.
The main issue with this visit was the service. There was just one server, and the poor girl looked like she might have a breakdown at any moment. Although it wasn't crazy busy, it was evident that she was scrambling between tables and trying to keep up. She took our order by writing on her hand because she had lost her paper and we went without drinks for most of our meal. I felt bad for her, but it was not a good dining experience.
I think if they hired more help, it would make a huge improvement to not just the service, but getting the food out hot and fresh. Still, I'd come back anytime for their pizza. A little pricey, but absolutely worth it! -
Il Casaro Pizzeria & Mozzarella Bar, at 348 Columbus Ave. in San Francisco's storied North Beach, is a classic Neapolitan pizza eatery, not unlike what you might encounter on a side street in Milano. The restaurant is relatively small, and bustling, so it's best for a casual meal for up to four.
Having tried the pizza on several occasions, I'm down with the 4.5 star average reviews. You'll find a highly reliable, authentic, crispy-crusted, delicately yeasty pizza with just the right amount of "bite" to the crust.
If you're not certain which pie to order, the waiter will readily point you to the burrata Margherita. Enjoy a glass or two of wine while you're there, and walk off your meal with a visit to the nearby Filbert steps, all 400 of them, all the way up to Coit Tower. Don't be a weenie, start at the bottom!! -
Love the pizza here! Got the Margherita today. This was my third visit. Service is so nice and friendly.
I decided to come back to Il Casaro and try a different pizza. I had the "Norma" which is an… Read more
My friend brought me here. I was really excited. We got the prosciutto pizza..it was okay. I don't… Read more
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- Elyse W.
- Santa Rosa, United States
- 39 friends
- 18 reviews
- 15 photos
Stumbled upon this place the old-fashioned way: I walked by while I was hungry. At just 5:30 this place was packed and the only available seats were at the bar, which was surprisingly spacious and comfortable (sit here if you enjoy watching pizza being made!). My boyfriend and I split a Diavola and it was scrumptious -- the pizza had a bit of a spicy kick and the crust was top-notch. My Italian boyfriend comes from a pizzeria-owning family and he loved this place as well. I'll definitely be back!
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I had high hopes for Il Casaro based on all the great reviews... but in the end, it was just another average pizzeria.
3 stars for the beet salad that lacked beets and flavor
3 stars for the grilled shishito peppers that were small and lacked heat
3 stars for the bufalino cheese pizza that was bland
2 stars for the calzone that lacked flavor (starting to see a theme here????)
4 stars for the one saving grace - tuna pizza
Despite the disappointing blandness of the food, service was 5 stars
Business info summary
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- Today
- 11:30 - 23:00 Open now
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$$
- Price range
- $ 11-30
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89
- Health inspection
- 89 out of 100
Menu
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