Craig Stoll and wife Anne opened this sleek pizzeria on July 19, 2005 in a prime Mission District location, sandwiched between top-tier Tartine Bakery and the couple’s other Italian restaurant, Delfina. I was pretty sure the corner couldn’t get any hotter, and the parking situation couldn’t get any worse. Thanks to Pizzeria Delfina, I’ve been proven wrong on both counts.

The space features a few wood tables inside, five more outside, and counter seating. The seat fillers: a mixed crowd, primarily neighborhood hipsters. A blackboard by the door serves as a waiting list. Two benches reside outside for waiting customers. Luckily, we didn’t have to wait long.

A blackboard lists the day’s list of offerings: seven antipasti, six pizzas, three dolce, and wines by the glass. There’s even a column for “In Padella,” daily specials cooked in a pan, such as chicken al cacciatore, pesto lasagna and meatballs in ragu Napoletano. Unfortunately, the last category is unavailable on weekends. Bad timing on our part, but we made due with two antipasti and two pizzas.

Pecorino tartufo with Medjool dates ($7.25) featured strips of delicious hard cheese with slivers of sweet dates, a great combo.

Eggplant caponata ($5) mixed chunks of marinated, diced eggplant, capers, pinenuts, celery, and onion. The accompanying crostini served as vessels for the near-spreadable caponata.

The pizzas were both very good. Salsiccia ($13.25) was made with housemade fennel sausage, tomato, red bell peppers, onions and mozzarella. The crust was puffy but crispy, and held up well to the toppings.

Cherrystone clam pie ($16) featuring finely diced clams, scattered strands of pecorino and a great one-two-punch of zesty tomato sauce and olive oil.

The clam pie came with a dish of whole-leaf oregano, shredded pecorino and hot pepper flakes to pinch onto the pizza.

We were pleased with our selections. The pizza crust probably could have been a bit moister, but the Stolls are only 13 days into their tenure as pizzaiolos, so they deserve some leeway. Not that they need much. The couple is already producing one of the better pizzas in San Francisco.

Warning: As you can tell from this threatening (but hilarious) sign posted on one of the block’s garage doors, which threatens rabid squirrel invasion and “the wrath of the ancients,” parking in the neighborhood is a serious issue. Police are ticket-happy around here, so be careful where you park. And if you see this sign, keep driving.

Related Posts

1. Pizzeria Delfina – San Francisco, CA – August 7, 2009
2. Beretta – San Francisco, CA – July 4 , 2009
3. Pizzeria Ortica – Costa Mesa, CA – July 14, 2009
4. Pizzeria Picco – Larkspur, CA – Sunday, July 15, 2007
5. A16 – San Francisco, CA – Sunday, July 23, 2006

This entry is filed under California, Northern California, Pizza Parlor, San Francisco.