Ristorante Milano

Your friendly neighborhood restaurant with cozy and warm atmosphere. The pasta dishes and desserts are delicious. If you can convince the chef to prepare Zabaglione, you'll enjoy a delightful dessert to cap your dinner.

Wonderful meal. The sole was perfectly lite, delicate, moist and flavored. Salads and drinks were tasty. Had a wonderful time with a friend and a nice glass of chardonnay. March 2023: Still excellent food and great service. Reservations recommended or go when they open. Terrific wine selection. July 2024: 👍🏼spaghetti, ❤️ tiramisu, excellent fish, veg & potatoes. Wonderful meal! Sept 2024: Excellent halibut, veal, and tiramisu!

Loved the poached pear dessert and the belgium warm chocolate cake, the grilled salmon and the handmade pasta italian sausage cream mushroom dish.

Another outstanding evening celebrating a friend's birthday. This time I ordered the lamb meatballs, it was delicious! There is a reason why Aldo has owned a successful restaurant in SF for over 35yrs, BEST PASTA EVER!!!

We went early, 5:30 on a Friday night. Just arrived in SF and still on East coast time. Our daughter booked the reservation and we were happy she did. I had the Tonnarelli Alla Capricciosa. Just the right amount. Soooo good! My wife had one of the fish specials. Didn’t get a pic but she loved it! Ricotta tart for me for dessert was as good as it looked in the pic. But our daughter’s dessert (a pear-centric dish) took the award for plating. Not only was neat to look at, but it was also delicious! Keep up the good work!

We just got back from Italy and were craving some authentic Italian food. Luckily, we discovered Ristorante Milano in San Francisco and it didn't disappoint. We tried their grilled squid with bean salad and special ravioli for starters, and they were absolutely delicious. For our main course, we had the lasagna ragu and veal stew, both of which were incredibly tasty. To top it off, we couldn't resist the poached pear for dessert, and it was amazing. We'll definitely be back when we're in SF again.❤️

Came here unexpectedly but it turned out quite a good job. We were recommended a grilled Calamari as an appetizer. It was nicely grilled and very soft. And we had porcini mushroom pasta and seafood linguine. Everything was greatly balanced and full of taste! Definitely want to come back when I visit SF again. Cons: Tables were very close.

This one of the best meals I have had in a long time. Everything was wonderful. The lasagna was light, home made, and delicious. The pear dessert in this picture was the best dessert I have ever had, bar none. It was so good! Reastaurante Milano is a great choice for any occasion.

Enjoyed dinner here again maybe for the last time as Aldo is retiring in March. Thank You for all of the delicious meals over several decades! My Grandma and I always enjoyed eating at your restaurant! Mille Grazie! :0) Unfortunately, the bruschetta appetizer wasn't on the menu at this time of year so I decided to try the Mushroom Crostini Appetizer. It wasn't toasted at all, nor was it very flavorful so I was really bummed out and disappointed about starting my dinner off with that. My FAV Tonnarelli pasta entree was tasty, rich and delish as always. Glad to have ended the dining experience on a good note. Thank You again for all of the delicious and wonderful dinners at your restaurant Aldo! Take Care & Congratulations on your retirement! :0)

sooo ridiculously fire. literally everything we got was a banger. after banger. after banger. also the guys here are so italian. it's awesome i personally loved the puttanesca but my friends were not as flavorly open minded the mushroom and rigatoni was delishhhhhhh and calamari was v tasty and authentic

*POSTED ON FACEBOOK* Arrivederci from Aldo Blasi at Ristorante Milano I have owned Ristorante Milano for over 35 years. Sadly, yet with excited anticipation about the future, I am ceasing operations as of March 31. At 73 years of age I've decided to retire. Growing up in Rome, Italy, I often accompanied my grandfather, Ugo, to his restaurant Ulpia, in the Roman Forum. I watched how he worked, talking to customers, the waiters, and chefs. I came to San Francisco when I was 19, first to school at Berkeley, then worked in music production and restaurants over the next decade. I met my wife, Louise, and started raising our family. I had a thought about going back to Italy, but how could I give up this city I love? Then the opportunity came up to buy Ristorante Milano. We scraped together the money and embraced the challenge of running a full service restaurant in one of the most beautiful, and competitive cities in the world. I loved being able to put into practice so many things I learned from my grandfather. I developed strong personal relationships with purveyors, created menus, made the pasta daily, and taught several chefs how to prepare the authentic dishes. It was so satisfying to see the recipes I learned from my upbringing in Rome come alive in my adopted city of San Francisco. I am proud to have been able to share the comfort and joy of Italian cooking with so many people throughout the years. Although I have been the visible presence at the restaurant, I am grateful for my wife, Louise, for her partnership in dreaming, creating and sustaining this success with me. I am also thankful to our two daughters for their support and encouragement. Ristorante Milano's staff's dedication has shown throughout the years with the consistent service and caring community they have helped foster at the restaurant. We are a tight-knit group, with a couple of them working almost 20 years with me. We worked shoulder to shoulder through some pretty tough times like the pandemic, recessions, even the street collapsing. I will miss seeing them nightly, working together, and sharing our nightly meal. I am very grateful for all their hard work. We have been fortunate that Ristorante Milano is located on the border of beautiful Nob Hill and Russian Hill. We know our neighbors and care for each other. Many of my customers are within walking distance, yet we get guests from all over the world. I enjoy talking to the customers, and have made some long-term friendships over the years that started with someone walking in for dinner. What a beautiful city we have here and I am proud to have been a contributor to the food scene in such a marvelous community. I am so grateful to this city I love, and my customers, for supporting me and our staff at Ristorante Milano all these 35 years. People will ask me what I will do when retired. Will I go back to Italy? I will certainly visit often and for longer periods. But I love San Francisco and its people, and look forward to enjoying everything this city has to offer too. I wish the best of luck to all the owner-operated businesses. You are participating in and contributing to a beautiful world here. With love and gratitude, Aldo Blasi

Cozy, friendly and romantic Italian restaurant with classic food. Was equally blown away when I ate here in person!

Found another my new great italian in the city!! Tonnarelli alla capricciosa (porcini mushrooms w sausage cream sauce) was our favorite. It was so creamy and went really well with their Rigatoni all Amateiciana (pork cheek w tomato sauce). They perfectly complement each other. Super authentic Italian and very sweet staff. Cant believe i lived in nobhill many years in the past and I am just discovering this place. Cozy intimate vibes!

I will miss this place a lot. Thanks for the decades of great food, wine, and hospitality. So many great memories.

Came here on a little girl date with my friend on a Saturday. I liked how it was easy to get a reservations a few hours before. We had reservations @ 6:30, it was not too crowded yet but the whole small restaurant was full when we were finished eating. We started off with the salad which could've had some more flavor but it was still good and fresh. The squid appetizer was perfectly cooked & charred to perfection, I would order this again when I come back. We got the mushroom pasta which was a great choice. For dessert we had the poached pear with vanilla icecream. This tasted like Christmas, I loved it. This restaurant is a bit far from my house but I would come back regardless. The service was on point and fast.

BEST GRILLED CALAMARI BEST BURRATA BRUSCHETTA Pastas so good Cappuccino & passito You know it's real when the wine pours are heavy like they do it in Italia & the servers are Italian & take your orders like they dgaf because they're so busy. Brings me back to Roma. I appreciate it! Definitely coming back.

Came here with a small group of friends for a Friday night dinner, and it's such a cute little spot that kinda makes you feel like you're in Italy :'). The interior is cozy and cute, and they have enough options for everyone. I tried both the Lasagna al Ragu and the Tonnarelli alla Capricciosa, which is a cream-based mushroom pasta. Both were quite delicious. I will say the portions are fairly small for the amount of food you may expect, but the pastas do not lack in flavor and the texture of the noodles was perfectly al dente. For dessert, we got the Ricotta Tart. Big fan of cheesecake, so thought this would be similar, but it was a lot airier than I was expecting. Still a great dessert though. The Granite Di Caffe also packed a punch -- this definitely did not skimp on the coffee flavor.

So sad this place will be gone at the end of the month. Brought all my friends and they said the rigatoni was amazing! It was my pick so I was proud. The service was amazing, we were helped the whole way through. It is a smaller place and felt so cozy. You will be missed

Absolutely wonderful and authentic neighborhood restaurant. As good as the trattoria we've loved in Italy. Attentive staff encouraged us to take our time and enjoy the evening. The calamari app was a highlight - grilled calamari, warm cannelini bean salad - so fresh. The gnocchi was heavenly; the scallopini with mushrooms was great. We finished with tiramisu - so light and flavorful. One of our best meals in SF over the past 10 years. Small restaurant with 15 or so tables. Lively, casual atmosphere. Personal service. We will definitely return and recommend to family.

Went with friends since I'd heard the restaurant was closing. I used to live in the neighborhood back in the 90s...sure wish I'd known they were so good. Great pasta, great fish, fabulous sardine starter and the chicken liver starter was excellent. Good wine selection...simple but ample.

We went here on a Saturday at 5:30pm and there was no wait! There were only like 2 or 3 tables full at that time. However, by 6pm I noticed the restaurant got crowded! The workers here let us choose a table we wanted to sit at and we sat at the very back on the right side after the stairs. It took awhile for us to decide on what we wanted to order since we're not used to ordering with all those fancy Italian food words since we didn't know what it was. We ended up ordering the Rigatoni all'Amatriciana, the Fettucine al Sugo di Carne alla Milanese, a Side of Bread and EVO, and the Soup of the Day which was Minstrone soup! First, our soup arrived and I loved how the waiter asked us if we wanted cheese and pepper added to it. The Minstrone soup had big chunk of veggies and potatoes which is something I like for my soups. That soup also had a bunch of lentil beans too and made it more filling. Soon after that, our Bread and EVO arrived and it was good too, but I usually prefer my bread with butter for an added flavor instead of oil. Then the main items we ordered arrived! The Rigatoni all'Amatriciana was very meaty and flavorful! The rigatoni reminded me of a meat sauce pasta dish and the sauce had meat pieces that gave the sauce a unique meaty pork flavor. The Fettucine al Sugo di Carne alla Milanese was good too, but was more on the simple side. I did like the how many meat pieces the sauce for the fettucine pasta had though! After we finished our main items, we asked for the menu again to order dessert! For dessert we ordered a Torta Caprese and a Pera Cotta al Marsala. The Torta Caprese is basically like a small chocolate cake with whipped cream and almonds, and I liked how it wasn't overly sweet. The Pera Cotta al Marsala was cool too. I thought it was cool how the presentation for the Pera Cotta dessert looks and is a poached pear, so that made it fun eating that dessert item. I'd recommend this place! All the food was good and the service here was great too! Our waiter checked on us multiple times to refill our waters and made sure we liked our food.

I went here with a group of friends and ordered family style. I really loved that the waiter gave us recommendations on everything from wine, to appetizers, and main courses and he excelled at it! My favorite dish was the gnocchi but everything was amazing. The restaurant definitely felt authentic.

This was one of the best experiences and meals I have had in a long time!! A hole in the wall type of spot, cute and cozy atmosphere with even better service from the very thoughtful staff. I loved every bite and left planning the next time I could come back.

Lasagna is the best I've ever had. Delish fresh home-made pasta. Lovely neighborhood chef-owner restaurant.

Owner patrols every aspect, so your water's cold, wine glass is full, and you feel welcome. SIL n I talked through dinner and emptied Ristorante . Stil,l water glasses stayed full while we scarfed tiramisu Special was hearty veg soup, beautiful halibut w crisp veggies and potatoes. SIL had beet raviolis. It was marvelous. Good for couples n families/ groups. Very vegan n GF friendly. We will be back.

One of the best pasta places I've tried in the city. Nice good, super friendly staff, and cozy ambiance - perfect for a date night. I highly recommend making reservations as it might get crowded on the weekend. The parking situation can little tricky as well. I got the Rigatoni all'Amatriciana and it was perfect. There's a perfect balance between the tomato sauce and the saltiness of the guanciale. Would definitely visit again!

Burrata appetizer was wonderful. Fettucine al Sugo di Carne alla Milanese was 8/10 and the Rigatoni all'Amatriciana was a 10/10. Very small restaurant run by Italians which makes for a perfect ambiance. Believe it's a family business as owner came up and introduced himself and asked us how everything was which I appreciate. Came here for Valentine's Day and it was a hit!

Delicious and authentic Italian restaurant in a quiet neighborhood in Sf! Nice, cozy ambiance. There were a mix-aged crowd with people enjoying a nice meal. The wait staff were super attentive and just plain nice and authentic. Felt like we were in Italy in a quaint restaurant. However, the food is better and heartier than what we ate in Italy. Fantastic and decent portions of minestrone soup, bread, pasta with sausage and veal scallopini that came out piping hot! The tiramisu was excellent. It was fun to see the actual written check when it came. Highly recommend for a nice evening meal in a friendly neighborhood restaurant.

We will be missing this wonderful restaurant!! The veal piccata is amazing. I'm not sure I'll find a replacement.

This felt like an authentic Italian restaurant. The pasta I ordered was very good, and the bruschetta special (pictured) was incredible - probably the best I've had in the city! Will definitely be back.

Hands down - incredible food. So sad to hear they're closing in late March but wish the owner the best.

Had a very pleasant meal, starting with the squid appetizer which everyone recommends, and a frisee salad with persimmons and pomegranate. The squid was probably the best dish we had, and the salad was excellent. My partner had the halibut special and I had the veal chop. The halibut was very fresh and light. My veal chop was ok, but a little chewy. Finished up with lemon sorbet, which was nothing special, but fine (Haagen Dazs is probably just as good). Decor was a bit basic, and our waiter was very kind and friendly, from Italy.

This is a small quiet place with delicious food, a romantic ambiance and relatively quick service. I loved the lasagna and my gf enjoyed one of their pastas. Everything seems to be home made. One of the better if not best options if you're looking for Italian food in San Francisco. P.S. the gelato is pretty good for desert as well. Be careful with the crushed red pepper as it's very fresh and spicy.

The food was authentic and delicious, reminded me of being in Italy. The beet ravioli with sage butter sauce melted in my mouth and the seasonal salad was a fresh bright compliment as well as the Monterey Bay sardines. The wait staff is gracious and attentive, and recommended a wine that paired beautifully.

Amazing authentic Italian food!! The restaurant is very cozy inside and the service was great. I started with a salad which was very tasty but might skip in the future so I won't be as full for my main course. If you're hungry enough for both, I'd highly recommend trying it out. The lasagna al ragu was to die for and came with a large portion. Everyone at the table was satisfied with their sections. Some of the best Italian food I've had in the US. I can't wait to return!

DELICIOUS! We ordered take out which is always risky with Italian but man were we blown away. Everything tasted SO GOOD. I honestly cannot wait to go and dine-in here because even just waiting for pick-up, the inside was very nice. We had the Lasagna and the Gnocchi Aurora and both were very fresh pasta with amazing sauces. Really reminded us of our trip to Italy. The Tiramisu was also very good and very pleasant without being overly sweet.

Geez a few years removed from this lovely restaurant and so happy to come back. The best plate of Rigatoni all'Amatriciana probably ever. Like outstanding. The service. The ambiance, all fantastic. Will be back again.

I have been going to this place for years, and unfortunately I haven't been going there as frequently as I would like. But let me tell you the one thing that really drew me in, outside of their infamous gnocchi--it is their squid appetizer and their tiramisu. For someone who is lactose intolerant, and a sensitive system, I am willing to make all the sacrifices to enjoy whatever dish they can recommend. The family that runs this is always so welcoming, and this is been a local favorite for years. So don't be that person that comes in and wants to do an Instagram photos, because it's not that kind of place. Come with a hungry belly, and lots of love and smiles, because this is a place that you will always feel good when you leave.

Beautiful, hidden gem. Beloved neighborhood spot that's cozy and warm. Food is delicious, nice wine list.

Excellent fresh pasta, best bread and great service. Cozy spot. Top choice in the area

Food--5-best Italian Food in SF...Order the porcini mushrooms -but, it's all good-(I won't eat octopus-smarter than us, Orcas, Dolphins, great apes, all Sapients-- Service-Aldo, Roberto, Susannah, Malisimo--the cooking staff--all smiles--it's like a family--they love their job ( or they're faking til they make it)--no--absolutely not- Ambiance--romantic -- Negatives -parking-and I'm a New Yorker--allow 25 minutes to park 10 gold stars-( take octopus off menu-replace from macaroni recipe book most Italians should have heard of in "The Leopard)-kidding

This restaurant is a neighborhood favorite tucked away hole-in the wall restaurant in Polk Gulch. It's owned and ran by some authentic Italians, and they take pride in their menu and what they serve. We always bring out of town guests here. Pastas are my favorite, and they have really cool and interesting nightly specials. Reservations on weekend are highly recommended, weeknights you have a good chance at getting a walk-in.

I think this is the first true authentic real Italian I've ever had and let me say... I'm in love. The appetizer had me at "alp raised" and I thought "cool, let's do it" and I'm so glad I did. My boyfriend and I absolutely enjoyed this restaurant and the customer service was superb. I don't know what else to write other than GO RIGHT NOW!! Make a reservation, though! We came in right at opening. 20/10 100% will be back when in SF area!

Recommended to me by my friend in Milan Marta. Made a reservation for a birthday dinner. Elio provided excellent service as did all the staff! The tiramisu was amazing. We were sat at a table by the window, perfect for people watching. Would come again. Thank you for making this birthday a memorable one! They went above and beyond.

This place is absolutely delicious! It's a hidden neighborhood gem. The food is so unique and to die for. It takes a looong time to come out though. The staff is super duper kind and helpful too.

The service is excellent. The food made out of love. True Italian food and culture. The place is small more like hole in the wall.

Authentic Italian restaurant on a quiet street in sf. We started with the burrata and the sardine which were 10/10! Then for the entree we got the rigatoni and the tonnarelli. We finished with the torta caprese. Everything was perfect! Can't wait to come back and try everything else on the menu!

A group of friends went to Ristorante Milano on Friday, and it was wonderful! I had heard from others that the food and service are great, and I agree totally. We were welcomed by Aldo B, the gregarious owner/host, our table was great, and the service was superb! And the FOOD!! WOW! It's my new favorite place for authentic, delicious Italian cuisine. The pasta is made in the kitchen daily, and the ravioli is hand stuffed. We started with appetizers to share: Crostini ai Funghi, Sardine Gratinate, and Calimari alla Griglak. So good!!. Two of our group ordered lamb shanks, and the tender meat fell off the bone. Two had the Pesce del Giorgio, which was fresh, beautifully grilled halibut. Two of us enjoyed the Ravioli del Giorno, that was fabulous. For dessert, we got three amazing ones to share: Tiramisu, Torta Caprese, and gelato. I'm looking forward to my next opportunity to eat at this lovely restaurant!

Ristorante Milano... what can I say "mi sono innamorato di te" I fell in love with you! The place is a very small but super cozy restaurant, makes you feel like you are in Italy somewhere. Everyone in the kitchen speaks Italian and or Spanish and they are a busy kitchen, hustling to bring out amazing food to the tables. I attended a private event and I was glad that the only decision I had to make was to choose a protein or main course and dessert if any! By the way, I ordered both. And this was a true Italian feast. For appetizers we had crostini with mushrooms, a delicious and super light arugula salad with fresh burrata, a nice caprese salad and grilled calamari with white beans! By now I could barely move on to the pasta course, which consisted of two choices of home made pasta... by now I was in foodie heaven! But they took it even a step further and had an amazing portion of fish with grilled veggies. For dessert we all shared the tiramisu and the pera. Which was by far my favorite. The pear was nicely poached soaked in syrup and served with a side of pear granita or chilled purée. It was be perfect combination of warm and cold elements, as well as sweet and spicy in a very cohesive way. We closed the night with a nice cappuccino. A super memorable experience of high quality Italian cuisine in San Francisco!

Food is incredible, point blank, genuinely no better pasta joint around IMO. The bruschetta is a must order for me in whatever group I go to this restaurant with. The place is always full of people an hour after it opens so unless you go early you may need to wait a bit. And service is definitely a bit hit or miss, waiter can seem a bit disinterested, but to be fair to the guy, he's usually alone taking everybody's orders so I give him a pass. Can't recommend this place enough honestly.

It was our first time trying this restaurant, hands down it was the best experience. The service was great and the foods were delicious. Defiantly we are going back.

Excellent fish tacos!! Highly recommend. Just off the main road it has seating in the front or in the back.

I'm still thinking about this mushroom pasta, it was truly incredible! This hidden gem in Nob Hill is it really cute an intimate space together for a family or dinner date night. It's super intimate, and the staff is very friendly and lets you take your time to truly enjoy your dinner experience. It's definitely mostly locals, so you know it's good! The food was absolutely amazing, every dish we tried was just perfect. I highly recommend trying the mushroom pasta, and if you have space for dessert the tiramisu.

We had an amazing dinner experience this evening. The staff was very welcoming and the food was absolutely wonderful. We ordered the gnocchi, risotto and porcini mushroom and sausage pasta. For dessert we had the lemon sorbet, tiramisu and ricotta tart. All highly recommended! We cannot wait to go back and try other things. Truly one of the best dinners we've had in a long time. Thank you to the staff for making my godmother's birthday extra special!

I am impressed with this spot. It has delicious dishes, from appetizers to desserts. They're all in great proportions, too, leaving you totally satisfied. The Tonnarelli alla Capricciosa is a unique pasta dish - I've never had anything like it. it's rich and flavorful, bringing together minced porcini mushrooms and sausage in a creamy sauce. I've also had one of their pasta du jour of spaghetti (or linguine?) and clams with white wine. You can tell each clam received an appropriate amount of time getting marinated in the juice while cooking. As for the vibe, it's cozy, and intimate and attracts a sophisticated, but down-to-earth, Russian Hill crowd. It has that quintessential, old SF vibe.

Cute restaurant. Came on a weekday dinner. Seems like the restaurant attracts the older crowd. This restaurant has been in the neighborhood for years. Good: The olive oil with the complementary bread is SO good. Definitely ask for extra refills of that olive oil. Loved the Tonnarelli alla Capricciosa: Creamy with tons of mushrooms. Loved the Fettucine alla Ghiotta: Great balance of meat and cream. Great service. Quality fresh pasta. Yum.

Been here for many times, still gold and solid. Our must have are Calamari alla Griglia and Tonnarelli alla Capricciosa, we recently tried their house made Ravioli and it was so good too.