Jason F.
Yelp
A fun lively atmosphere with some affordable pasta and pizzas made to order Barbara Pinseria & Cocktail Bar prefers to call themselves a love letter to the cobblestone street of Roma. And with their luscious pinsa pizzas and hearty pasta dishes I could see why they have succeeded since opening over six years ago in 2018 replacing the longstanding Pantarei. Located in San Francisco's bustling North Beach neighborhood along a prime spot on the corner of Columbus Avenue and Stockton Street, Barbara Pinseria & Cocktail Bar comes from the same restaurant group that brought Il Casaro and California Fish Market restaurants to the neighborhood. Ever since they opened I have wanted to try their pizzas and pastas, as the place seemed like an inviting place for locals and tourists alike looking for a good lunchtime or dinner meal. I finally got that chance when a group of friends realized that Barbara Pinseria & Cocktail Bar was participating in this year's San Francisco Restaurant Week, which is a local promotion run by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association that allows diners to visit local restaurants and get a three course pre-fix meal at an affordable price. This way locals get to support local business owners and get a deal on a full meal and get to sample some of the best dishes that local restaurants have to offer without having to break the bank while dining out.
Making a reservation via the Open Table website was super easy, and although it was super busy when we arrived, thanks to a sporting event getting out earlier in the day and the weather being nice, having reservations was a definite requirement, especially with our large party of five people. Although there was a little confusion from our server on whether they were participating in SFRW this week, which thankfully they were, and our server had to go back to the host station to ask for these special menus, we thankfully were able to order from their prearranged menu with three courses to choose from. The regular menu at Barbara Pinseria & Cocktail Bar is separated into categories including Starters, Greens, Pinsa, which are Roman-style pizzas, Pasta della Casa, or pasta of the house, Secondi, Cocktails, Aperitivo & Digestive, Birra or Beers, Sparkling, Red and White Wines. For our dinner, we were allowed to select dishes from their Appetizer, Pinsa, Pasta and Dessert sections of their menu. I ordered their Carpaccio di Manzo, which was thinly sliced veal topped with arugula, parmesan and extra version olive oil; for my entrée I ordered their Spaghetti Carbonara which was topped with egg, pork cheek and pecorino romano; for my dessert entrée I ordered their Panna Cotta, which was topped with vanilla and raspberry.
For their first course, others in my party ordered their Frittura di Calamari & Gamberi, which were deep fried prawns, Monterey squid, zucchini and lemon; and their Brussels Sprouts, which were fried in a balsamic glaze and lemon zest. For their entrée, they ordered their Burrata & Pesto Pinza, which was topped with pesto sauce, burrata and roasted tomatoes; and their Bucatini Amatriciana which was topped with pancetta, tomato sauce, and pecorino romano. For their dessert, they ordered their Chocolate Cannoli which had a chocolate filling, and covered in a chocolate shell, crushed pistachio and chocolate chips. Our appetizers came out first and we had a lot of Brussel Sprouts to go around, but the highlights were my Carpaccio di Manzo and the Frittura di Calamari & Gamberi, which were both flavorful and distinctive. Our pasta entrées were solid, with my Carbonara being the better of the two options, as the Bucatini tasted way too salty thanks to the pancetta. Our desserts were nice ways to complete our meal, as the cannoli was a sweet treat and my panna cotta featured a sublime finish. The party atmosphere continued with fun birthday celebrations and conga dance lines that kept our hosts at attention all evening long, as our final bill was $256.62, before gratuity was added in, which wouldn't have been as affordable without it being Restaurant Week, so we were very thankful we came when we did. At Barbara Pinseria & Cocktail Bar, authentic Roman cuisine reigns supreme, and with a jubilant atmosphere occurring on a nightly basis, may this party scene in North Beach last for decades to come!