Ii Cantuccio

I dined here recently and was disappointed. Nothing about the meal was particularly memorable save for one detail - the salt. The pesto that comes with the bread is very salty. My soup was very salty. My gnocchi was very salty. I was glad I had ordered a large bottle of Pellegrino. There is nothing remarkable about this restaurant except the adorable Italian waiter with his curled locks - he is worth coming back for. Everything else was mediocre.

That's right, enjoy eating in this authentic Italian restaurant located in the Mission on 16th street. Enjoy a glass of vino as you perus...

After dining at Il Cantuccio many times, I have to admit it's one of my favorites in the city. It has the rare mix of delicious food, very reasonable prices, nice service and a cozy, friendly environment. The specials are always a home run but on the regular menu I've had the pumpkin ravioli, rigatoni with sausage & mushrooms and the gnochi and I've never been dissapointed! I've been there on dates and with girl friends and it's been great every time. The service is always friendly even if not perfect (some really cute italian boys in the past). If you want unpretentious, wonderful Italian food, go to Il Cantuccio! I'm hungry thinking about it...

We went to Il Cantuccio on a Tuesday night to celebrate my brother-in-law's wedding. We were given a long table (for 7) at the back. The atmosphere was intimate and the mood was unhurried, perfect for such an occasion. The antipasti were fresh, light and tasty. I had the squid ink pasta with lobster and found it delicious. Dessert was a made-from-scratch gelato; coffee and after-dinner wines were superb. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone who wants a relaxed, delicious meal in a romantic atmosphere. The table at the back was just close enough to the kitchen for me to sense that time and care were given to preparing our dishes while we talked, laughed, and generally enjoyed ourselves. It was a perfect choice for our small group to help launch a couple on a life together and left all of us with pleasant memories of the night.

Went last night and I found it below average, even for SF standards (which is not very high for pizza in general). Il Cantuccio is a bit soggy for my taste. Service is fine.

Yes - the service was good, attentive & polite. Yes - the restaurant was cute, cozy & comfortable. No - the food was not terrible. But the food was a waste of time. There are so many good & great italian restaurants in this city, from the neighborhood faves to the city-wide well-knowns. Il Cantuccio is not one. My squid ink pasta & lobster dish was not bad, but it did not come together. Although I was quite full when I left, I was not satisfied. My friend's calamari was not the right texture & the seasoning left something to be desired. In case you're wondering, she's spanish - not only does she know calimari, but she could have gone back to the kitchen & taught the chef a thing or two about how it's done as she cooks a smokin' good calimari herself. The salads, like the rest of the food, were fine but like a chorus waiting for a prima donna that never arrived. Another person had ravioli & I tried it too. It was tasty, but what's to get wrong with cheese ravioli in tomato cream sauce... Read more

There is a reason Il Cantuccio's rating is so high- and that is only because they deserve it! Michael & his staff are highly attentive and serve consistently flavorful and well cooked meals. You can risk going without a reservation, but good luck. This place is notorious for being packed wall to wall from the moment they open their doors. And after a taste of the food and service you will understand why. Mangia!

I had a group of out of town businessmen dine at Il Cantuccio and we were treated very well with prompt service. The food was very trattoria-like and everything was exceptional. I would definitely go back anytime. I had the veal and it was very nice. The spinach was great. The calamari was good; needed more spice. We had a good meal. No complaints. Everyone enjoyed.

The homemade pasta was superb! We tried the spinach and ricotta filled ravioli and that was delicious! However, I thought that the TAGLIERINI ALLARAGOSTA, blackened pasta with lobster, was a little too seafood-y. The roasted pork loin was very good - just enough sauce to complement the meat. Very good! Overall, a very nice experience. An a extra thumbs up for the scrumptious tiramisu!

I couldn't recommend this restaurant more highly. It's Italian -- with Italian staff. Even the dip for the bread is extraordinary. It is warm, hospitable, and very enjoyable to the palette. The ravioli is tremendous, and the wine pairing menus are splendid. Grazie mille for your wonderful restaurant.

this restaurant is a huge let down. It all started with the bread which was mediocre and unfortunately, the blah factor continued throught the whole meal. The food is flavorless at best, didn't seem fresh and definitely not worth what we paid. The service was okay. Our waitress was friendly, although she never checked in after our food was served, and then gave us an awkward sales pitch to book a spot for one of their fixed price events. In a city with so many options, there is no reason to eat here, ever.

We dined early on a work night & the service was friendly & attentive. The complimentary, delicious foccocia bread was fresh & accompanied by a very garlicky pesto spread. We ordered from the selection of house made pastas. The pumpkin ravioli was tasty & sweet, however the butter sauce was not browned just melted butter so lacked flavor. The melted butter was better used with the foccocia bread & pesto spread. The blackened lobster pasta dish was good albeit a bit salty great if you like strong briny flavors. The dessert (chocolate cake with raspberry puree) looked great on paper but the taste didnt live up to the description it was quite a disappointment. This is a good spot if you live in the area, however dont know if worthwhile on a Fri/Sat nite when parking is a challenge.

My boyfriend took me here on my birthday and it couldn't have been more perfect. The food was excellent, everything from the bread, the caprese salad, the wine, and both of our entrees (ravioli and a black pasta w/ lobster). Very reasonable for how great the quality of food is. Very intimate and charming ambiance.

i don't know if i'd describe the setting as romantic, but the food here is definitely top notch. i had the salmon risotto and my gf had some sort of baked, stuffed pasta, and both were quite tasty. this is definitely one of the better italian restaurants in the city.

The food here is a more honest interpretation of "classic" Italian fair than you'll find elsewhere. Very fresh ingredients and a nice wine menu make for a great meal. My only issue is that many of the dishes are served with heavy cream sauces, however they were able to basically make any dish with the sauce of your choice, which was nice. Service and ambiance was great. From the street I had initially thought this was some sort of corporate chain, but once inside it feels like a real trattoria.

We had such a great experience with the food, wine, service and quaint ambience of Il Cantuccio. The owner Michael was wonderful and we will go back again the next time we visit San Francisco.

I definitely enjoyed the food and they had a great selection of wine. The atmosphere was great, but unfortunately the service was a little disappointing because the waitress was being overworked. However, the waitress was very friendly and apologetic so I didn't mind at all. I would definitely go back.

I cant say enough good things about this restuarant. It is like eating home cooked italian food with your family. The staff is so friendly, there is always a table open, and the food is to die for...and super cheap! Try the fritto misto, the sausage pizza, and the stinco (lamb). I moved here from NYC and never ate like this!

We have been regular customers for a number of months. The other night we made a reservation for 3 people. When we arrived we were told that they would take a small table for 2 people and set it for 3. This was totally unacceptable as it would have required us to eat in shifts as there was absolutely no room at the table for 3 people. The management couldn't have cared less. I like the food very much and have normally found the staff friendly and charming but the attitude last night was in excusable. There are way too many good restaurants in S.F. to go back to this one.

After reading all the positive reviews, my boyfriend and I were excited to try this place. The place was busy and we were promptly seated. The wait staff is friendly and served us a basket of bread immediately (which was excellent). Things were off to a good start. We ordered an appetizer (polenta with gorgonzola) and two main courses (salmon risotto and lasagna). The appetizer took almost 20 minutes to arrive, and the main course another 30. By the time the food came, we were starved. My boyfriend's risotto looked like a mess, and he said it tasted like rice with Campbells tomato soup. My lasagna looked good, but the taste was bad-- imagine eating a can of Chef Boyardee with a soapy taste. Disgusting, but I was so hungry I ate it. Won't go back again.

I absolutely loved this cute little Italian restaurant. Coming from an Italian family that makes homemade food, I am usually pretty picky about eating Italian food out. But this place was really impressive to me. They make their own pasta from scratch and have the most fabulous sauces. I highly recommend the ravioli dish with the walnut cream sauce as well as the crab filled ravioli dish. This place is so friendly and has creative spins that makes you smile and want to come back as soon as possible. (Like getting a bowl of gummi bears with the check and getting lemon sorbetto IN a chilled lemon) I left very pleased and will definitely return in the near future!

I use to get their food all the time through waiters and wheels. Since i stopped using them, I have been down their in person twice. Once their chef was very rude to me, he wanted to know what I wanted because I was getting something to go, but asked in a very demanding and rude way. So I haven't returned. I use to order the same thing, penna in a meat sauce( starts with a b, but I can't spell it). Always good, yet it's nothing fancy. The place itself is kinda small-- but I can see couples there for a quiet dinner.

This is my neighborhood Italian restaurant. I probably eat there at least 12 times per year. I can't speak more highly of this restaurant. The wine list is excellent and their wine specials are guaranteed great wine. The food is lovely and the unusual green dipping sauce the comes with your bread is wondderful. The services is top quality. The staff is friendly and the owner is usually there being friendly and welcoming in an unobtrusive way. A gem in the Mission.

I have been to dinner here, about a dozen times now. I have taken friends, family and business associates to eat at the restaurant. Everyone I have taken has loved it as well. The wine selection is well thought out, and the owner can pair a meal and a fine bottle of wine, very nicely. I can't wait to go back.

fresh food and accommodating staff. Go in expecting to eat well ! They have an amazing wine selection for the size of the restaurant. I have been there for a romantic date and for a party of six birthday. Both were great! If you eat meat, the steak is also excellent!

I have been to many restruants, all over San Francisco and I found the best eating place. Il Cantuccio is the place to get true Itilian food and the price is great. The staf is outstanding and very helpfull . I know if you go there you will enjoy your meal and the people you meet there enjoy your meal.

Small, quaint, personal, simple relaxing ambiance(not too complex), conversational, walk in with interest, return as a regular, service is prompt smiling and reliably suggestable to new visitors, accomadating to small parties couples and singles, clientele is the savvy next door friend, food is filling portioned well and leaves a savoring memory, dessert is a MUST and there is always room-esp. Tiramisu (esp. if your having a lonely night).

I discovered this place shortly after it opened and I continue to be a loyal custormer to Il Cantuicco. The food is always consistent and the prices are reasonable. My favorite on the menu is the pasta with meat sauce... it has the perfect amount of spices to add a hearty taste. I would have to say, although the presentation of the food is not a form of art, it sure has the taste of fine dining! The tiramsu is one of the best I've ever had. It's one of the reason's why I continue to come back! I do have to say the pizza is good, but inconsistent, but I always get the pastas or main dishes such as the pork shank.

We have eaten there many times--we have also had great meals. Our last dinner was the prix fixe menu on Valentine's Day--all the courses were fantastic and the price was right.

I just had to take a moment to say how much my girlfriend and I enjoyed this restaurant. The food was INCREDIBLE!! The pumpkin ravioli were amazing, as was our soup and the rest of our dinner. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable (and recommended a great wine), and the place is very cute and romantic. Its a bit more hidden than some of the city's other italian restaurants, which was great for us, since we were looking for reservations on a very busy holiday. We would definitely go back.

In Short The warm dining room, decorated with hand-painted pottery, comfortably holds a dozen tables. Neighborhood couples, friends and families enjoy the casual service as they dive into generous portions of moderately priced Italian fare. The menu's hallmark is its delicate homemade pasta. Three kinds of remarkable ravioli are offered: Spinach, pumpkin and crab, and all are delicious. The menu also offers straightforward pizza, meat and fish dishes.

Being Italian born and raised, I have been looking for a restaurant that would serve real Italian food for the past 3 years I have been in this city. I tried Il cantuccio for desserts with friends one night, and immediately came back for a romantic dinner with my boyfriend. The food is some of the best, fresh, homemade Italian fare I have had, worth every penny it costs. What a great place- some of the best Tuscan dishes made just the way they are supposed to, and served by a lovely staff in a very warm environment. Great wine too, and no waiters rushing you out to seat more people- we enjoyed a long comfortable dinner, just the Italian way. I finally found the place I was looking for!

Wow, I love this place! The food is so good and so fresh! The cream sauce lasagne is awesome! THe atmosphere is cozy and delighting! I really love it. We don't live in the city, but we come into the city for it!

I went to Il Cantuccio for the first time more than 1.5 years ago, and have returned often ever since. Superb pasta, good wines, nice atmosphere, very good service and delicious deserts. I highly recommend it, both for nice romantic dinners, as well as for larger groups.

I have been to Il Cantuccio at least 5 times in the last year. I have taken family and friends there as well. It was great everytime, and all my friends and family enjoyed the food and had a great time. The service is very friendly and attentive. The wine selection is great. I think they have the best Italian food I have ever eaten.

Everyone seems to love this place, but the crust of the pizza we had was like a frozen store bought pizza. The ravioli was good, but it didn't make up for the bad pizza. I know what a thin crust pizza is supposed to be like, (light and tasty) so that is not the issue.

Food is very good, the wine list has a great selection of italian reds, and the service is great. You will like this place.

I had a lovely experience at IL CANTUCCIO FOR New Year's Eve. I made a reservation a few days before and they called to confirm on the 30th. The restaurant was really busy but we had a nice dinner and exellent service. The homemade ravioli were great and they had a nice selection of italian wines. I will come back soon.

I have been to the IL Cantuccio many times since my first visit, and I am going back this week end, to enjoy another good meal, you dont know what you are missing..

It seems this place is undiscovered, as we can always get a table with no wait. Food is delicious! The editorial review says skip dessert, but we loved our dessert which consisted of cherries and crunchies on top of vanilla ice cream. Everyone working there is from Tuscany which lends to the truly unique experience. I hate to let the secret out that this place is the best, but it just is.

The food and service are outstanding. They have a good selection of Italian wines. They have friendly and amiable staff. You get your money's worth.

I have been to Il Cantuccio several times and every time has been a wonderful experience! The last time I was there, I became engaged, so add romantic to their wonderful qualities! The food served is delicious and very filling...you never leave hungry! The staff is friendly and attentive. It is a relaxing time. The restaurant is perfect for an intimate dinner or for a lively time with a large group. I have referred many friends and family to Il Cantuccio and every one of them loved it. I can't give the restaurant justice in words, so treat yourself to a great time...try Il Cantuccio!

I started going here over a two years ago, when Il Cantuccio was one of the few calm places along Valencia that you could walk into any night of the week. Still calm - yes, walking in - not so fast! Now they are discovered and they deserve it - great service and food value is the order of the day. The pumpkin ravioli is almost too good - I can almost never bring myself to try anything else, because how could it be better? This is a great first-date location - great atmosphere for a nice conversation, amazing food to share, without the Cow Hollow/Marina yuppiness, Downtown starchiness or even Mission trendiness that makes so many other places less than ideal.

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday with eight of our friends and we had a great time! Awesome Awesome Food!!! Try the beef carpacio and the salmon carpacio, they melt in your mouth. Definately try the 'seafood stew' from the appetizer menu, I promise you you won't regret it. The crab ravioli has one of the most delicious sauces I've ever had. The lamb chops were awesome, the steak was awesome. I'm definately coming back. Can I say awesome one more time?

I have eaten at Il Cantuccio twice and was very happy both times. It wasn't even that difficult finding parking. The bruschetta is some of the best bruschetta I have ever had. I completely overate on the bread with pesto garlic dip because it was so good, and the Gnocchi was also some of the best pasta I have ever had. The ambience and service are impeccable, and the only thing I can really criticize is that perhaps the walkway between the bar and some of the tables is a bit tight. An added plus are the gummi bears that are brought out at the end of your meal!

My friends and I visited SF from Orange County, CA and had dinner here. Everything about this place is great!

We celebrated my husband's birthday at this wonderful restaurant. The staff was attentive, gracious and the food was absolutely heaven. The gnocci was delicious and highly recommended. All in all a delightful experience and we will pay a repeat visit for my birthday as well. Prices were reasonable... Service great...what more can you ask for. Parking in the neighborhood is an issue, so get there early for the hunt.

I ate here last night and was most impressed by the authentic Italian athmosphere. The staff are very relaxed and friendly and speak to each other in Italian along with the hand gesticulcations that the Italians are famous for! The waiter Andrea is very attentive and fun. The antipasto dishes were average, but the entrees and the Tiramisu are to die for.

We visited this place on Sunday evening and absolutely loved it. The service was awesome and very friendly. We had to wait for the rest of the party to arrive, but they were really patient with that. We had the gnocchi and the ravioli and they were delicious. The tiramisu was good, and the chocolate mousse was light but rich. Don't miss the pesto sauce that they serve out with the bread at start.

We were looking for something cozy and romantic and we got it. The waiters were very nice and attended to us promptly. The food was delicious and we are telling everyone that they must eat there, I know we will be again!