VinDivine

PRO: One of the best Napoli style pies in SF, excellent Linguine w/ Clams, great staff, reasonable prices
CON: None, really.

Finally! Another good reason to come to lower Potrero Hill besides an Anchor Steam Brewery tour. And if any of ya are saying “VdV, what do you mean? Are you forgetting about the new Whole Foods?” Get A Life. Please.

So when a place puts ‘Nostra’ in it’s name, ya gotta take notice. Even though I think Nostra simply translates  to ‘ours’ does anyone not first think about a horse’s head in the bed? Or the epic line:  “Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”

But to be clear, the folks who opened Pizza Nostra – namely Jocelyn Bulow of Chez Papa and Chez Mama fame – just intend Pizza Nostra to mean a humble ‘Our Pizza’.

And although there’s way more than pizza at this place, the almighty pie is what keeps us coming here. Oh yeah, that and the Linguine Con Vongole.

‘Cuz as you know and because we’ve painfully reminded you over and over again, we are pizza bitches and are on the hunt for the best.

So first, this place is located in a small strip mall type of scene literally across from Anchor Steam. And for a strip mall, they’ve done a pretty good job of making it as non-strip mall-ish as they could. There’s bar seating for about 10-12 and tables for another couple dozen. They also have outdoor seating available when the weather permits. And another good thing about P-Hill, they get some of the best weather in SF. There’s lots of natural light, and a comfortable (if not very Italian) atmosphere, and the bar overlooks an open kitchen.

And second, is everyone that works here one of the nicest people ever? From the manager Olivier to the pizzaiolo Giovanni (who BTW finished 6th place in 2007 and 5th place in 2008 in the World Pizza championships in Naples) to the servers, everyone is casual, nice, attentive and very much interested in making sure you have a great meal. Dig it!

So like I said, they have much more than pizza, including a regional menu with a dozen or so Antipasti (some standouts are Meatballs Al Forno w/ Marinara and Parmigiano ($7), Beef Carpaccio w/ Spicy Aioli ($9), and Burrata & Fava Bean Salad ($10)). I love that word…Fava.

Other dishes include: Fresh Salumi ($4), Housemade Potato Gnocchi w/ Veal Bolognese ($14), and drum roll please…

Linguine Con Vongole w/ Tomales Bay Clams, Chili Flakes, White Wine & Parsley! ($16). Damn I wish I had a picture of this dish. It is the best Linguine w/ Clams we’ve had since Capri, Italy. Awesome, tiny, tender clams, with the perfect combo of spicy chili flakes, garlic and white wine. I mean, even if you don’t think you’d like a meal like this, try it. You’ll thank us.

OK, movin’ on. We don’t have all day, people. The Pizza Pie. When you say Naploi style, I take it to mean thin crust. And when you say thin, I want it thin. Paper Thin. Thinner than Sarah Palin’s political CV. Thinner than…you get the idea. Thin.

A little official background: A true Neapolitan pizza must be soft, elastic and easy to fold in two, according to guidelines from the European Union Traditional Pizza Association. It is characterized by its raised, golden crust, soft to the touch and to the lips with the red of the tomato visible through the white spots of the mozzarella the style found at Fratelli La Bufala.

Alrighty then. And I’m tellin’ ya right now, Pizza Nostra NAILS IT. This is one of the best thin-crust pizzas in SF, hands down. We absolutely love this stuff. They have about 12 pies, ranging from the classic Marguerite ($10?!) to the Reine ($12, Tomato, Mozzarella, Ham, Shrooms & Oregano), Caprese ($15, Fresh Tomato, Mozzarella, Proscuitto di Parma & Arugula) and more.

First, the crust. The crust is soft, thin, and bendable without being soggy. Slightly bubbled from the oven. Classic. Gets a little thicker around the edges but not too thick at all. The sauce is killer – fresh tomatoes, not runny, with excellent, mild spices. And the cheese. Oh yeah, baby. Top-rate Bufala Mozzarella that just made me drool writing about it.  Talk about Key Ingredient Distribution (for some background, click here). They don’t scrimp on the good stuff, let’s just say that. Take a look!

Oh yeah, they also have imported gelato, a great Italian wine list with about 30 selections and some scrump-dili-icious Dolce. Try the Espresso Panna Cotta!

VdV Rating: 4.5

Hours:
Mon-Fri 11:30a-2:30p, 5:30p-10:00p
Sat 11a-10p
Sun 12p-10p

Pizza Nostra
300 De Haro Street (betw. 16th & 17th)
San Francisco, CA
(415) 558-9493

PIZZA!