Pazzia Caffe and Trattoria, San Francisco

Sample Menu

• Appetizer for the table: mushroom pizza
• Entree: pasta of the day, especially if it’s lasagna or gnocchi
• Dessert: tiramisu

When to Go: Since the restaurant is small and fills up quickly, try dining early to avoid the dinnertime rush. Or, make reservations three or four days ahead of time.

Behind the Name: Though Pazzia seems quite traditional, there’s a sense of fun under it all—in Italian, pazzia means “madness” or “folly.”

Vocab Lesson
Carpaccio: thinly sliced raw beef or fish dressed with a flavorful sauce.
Margherita pizza: a thin-crust pizza with basil, mozzarella, and tomato sauce. The green, white, and red toppings represent the Italian flag as a gesture originally intended to impress Italy’s Queen Margherita in the late 1800s.

While You’re in the Neighborhood
In the summer: From May to October, take in a free open-air concert at the Yerba Buena Gardens (Mission Street between 3rd and 4th).

In the winter: See an operetta from Lamplighters Music Theatre at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Theater (700 Howard Street).