When looking for an Italian restaurant, you can find one that serves both traditional and contemporary dishes. You may also want to try a wine bar, or enoteca. A wine bar offers a variety of wines, and may have a small appetizer menu. These places are a good choice for a pre-dinner drink, or just to sample the food before heading out to dinner. However, a enoteca does not serve traditional Italian meals and may be more of a nightclub than a place where you can eat an entire meal.
In addition to traditional Italian restaurants, you may also want to check out food trucks. Food trucks in Italy often have open windows, and they are paninari. While foreigners may find eating from these carts intimidating, it is completely normal. Most paninari offer delicious sandwiches with cheese, meat, and grilled vegetables. During the day, a paninari will typically have several menu options, and you can even choose what to order based on what’s in season.
Luca Restaurant offers traditional Italian fare in San Francisco. The menu changes daily to reflect the ingredients of the day. Menu items include charcoal-grilled ribeye steak, lamb chops with almond mint pesto, and baked branzino. Veal Milanese is another popular option. Veal Milanese is a favorite, served with smoked potatoes. The atmosphere is family-run and the wait is usually long, so be sure to make reservations.