Caffe Puccini: More than just a espresso.

It's hard to come by a good Italian restaurant, in fact I think the best Italian dishes can be made at home with the right ingredients. But there's nothing wrong with enjoying it while dining out, so long as it comes from homemade, true Italian tradition. 

Such is the case with Caffe Puccini in the North Beach district of San Francisco. Nestled among many touristy establishments with hosts and hostesses beckoning for you to come in, this café/restaurant keeps to itself and tends to be frequented by more locals than visitors. 

At first glance it looks like just a café and nothing more. But you'll most likely see that there are some people twirling pastas or munching on foccacia. If you have a hankering for more than a cappuccino and a cannoli, the mere sight of that might put you over the edge. 

This is a seafood lover's dream. It's called Linguine ai Frutta di Mare ($14.95), a heavenly combination of mussels, clams, and shrimp in a white wine broth. Every aspect of this dish is fresh, from its "hot off the press" temperature to the clean, flavorful finish of every bite. 










This is one of my favorite pastas, Pappardelle alla Lepre ($12.95). It's pappardelle pasta with rabbit in red wine sauce. Rabbit might not be inviting for some, because it comes across as gamey and stringy. I think the rabbit is rich and hearty, pairing well with the pappardelle. 










The service here is great, and on this day in particular, my family and I were helped by a lovely Italian woman who made sure we were well taken care of. Italian hospitality like this just puts the cherry on top of my experience here.


Location: 411 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco