CotognaAmazing foodThe food at Cotogna is consistently excellent. In my view, one of the very best in the City. The wait staff, while completely competent, is not friendly. That's the only thing lacking at this otherwise excellent restaurant.6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous FoodAll the food at Cotogna is fantastic, especially the pastas and pizza. We enjoyed a pizza with squash blossoms, cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and pesto sauce that was out of this world - wonderful flavors! I have dined at Cotogna four times in the past year and everything has been delicious. You can't go wrong ordering anything on the menu.6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMCotogna is amazing! I've beenCotogna is amazing! I've been here a number of times and every experience is better than the last! To a first timer I recommend anything with burrata cheese because hey do it better than anyone. Thanks for an amazing experience!6/10/2013 12:00:00 AMSunday Night SupperThe food at Cotogna is always excellent. On Sundays they do something a bit differently, featuring a set 4-course menu at fixed price. Booking it requires a leap of faith, you'll need to make your reservation long before they post the menu for the Sunday you've selected (you'll be able to see the current Sunday menu, but it changes every week).
So you’ll need to be a bit adventurous, you may be trying dishes you wouldn’t have ordered. There are several upsides: a wonderful meal at very reasonable cost, a much less frenetic environment than you encounter any other night, and extremely attentive service.
The wines are mostly Italian, so you may want to do some research, if so call ahead and asking them to email you the most current list.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMCharming Wonderful PlaceLocated in the financial district the restaurant was a short stroll from where we were staying in North Beach. The food is beautifully presented and you can very easily share dishes with another person. Would recommend trying their focaccia bread! Pasta is made fresh each day and it melts in your mouth!
Would definitely go back! Making reservations early - at least a few days before you want to go because it fills up fast!
Enjoy!6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMBest in SF !!Cotogna has become one of our favorite restaurants in SF. We take all our out-of-town visitors here and they have all been thrilled by the food, the service and the overall experience. But we come here by ourselves too whenever we get the chance. We love everything here, even the Heath dishes and the Montgolfier bowls!6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had the Sunday fixed supperWe had the Sunday fixed supper with wine pairings and supplement for cheese course. There were 5 of us and we think we'd go back to quince as for a bit more money, the food was much more sophisticated at Quince.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMAnniversary lunch at CotognaWe enjoyed a casual lunch with our family and were celebrating our wedding anniversary. There were three of us and we chose a variety of items from the menu. So, we were able to sample a pizza, pastas and a great artichoke and finish with dessert. The wine and drink selections had a good variety. What I really liked is how the menu uses the fresh produce of the season. Definitely want to return.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMAlways love CotognaWe always love when we can score a reservation here on a Friday or Saturday night. This was one of the best experiences yet with the service very attentive, warm and enthusiastic. The food was more than outstanding especially with all the spring ingredients at their peak right now. The lighting in this place is perfect- which most restaurants in San Francisco cannot make this claim. Cotogna sets the bar. The noise level is also perfect- a lively buzz but still able to have a conversation with your dining companion at a normal level. We brought our family visiting from the UK with us and they loved it as much as we do. Thank you for a wonderful night out!!5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMDeeelish!One of my all time favorite places to eat in the city and in business development, I eat out a LOT. Hats off to the chef- WOW. The smoked trout pizza & chopped salad were absolutely outstanding.
My only complaint is they are not at all nimble with reservations & when I asked to move from 1:15 to 12:30, since our party changed from 3 to 2, they could only move us up 15 measly minutes. Then when we got there, there were a TON of open, empty tables. Seriously? Not cool. Most restaurants are much more adept at accomodating their customers. I certainly hope that improves, becasue the food is uh-mazing.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMWe've been to Cotogna forWe've been to Cotogna for lunch at least 4 times and dinner once. We prefer to go there for lunch. It seemed the service was better though the food was good at all meals except one dish that I had to send back. I ordered a special pork tenderloin from their "secondi" section. As I started eat my dinner I noticed the pork which was cut into 3 large pieces, consisted entirely of fat. There was no meat at all. I was pretty upset and didn't order another entree. The manager was very apologetic however I can't understand how this dish made it out to the customer. It seems the kitchen didn't really care. Also I ordered a specific sorbet and that got screwed up too. Everyone else enjoyed their meal but mine was forgettable.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMreally really good foodTwo of the dishes we tasted were the best I have ever had for that kind of food -- the octopus dish and the pork chop with rhubarb and chard. The only downside is that the tables for 2 are too close together -- so close together that it was hard to get in and out of the seat near the window....5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMwonderfltasty food, very good service, delightful experience. will be back.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent Rustic Italian for LunchMy wife and I went here for lunch, and it was just excellent. The place is small and chic, fun but not loud, with an attractive bar and a few tables outside.
The food was delicious, fresh (using items from rooftop garden), vibrant, rustic and simple (the most difficult thing to attain). We shared a little spinach soufflé appetizer, reminiscent of my mother's. Then Jen had tortellini and I papardella, both absolutely fresh and bright. All this was accompanied by wines by the glass selected (at our request) by the unostentatious but knowledgeable and attentive servers. This included a Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, fruity, substantial, but somehow light, a perfect complement to the rabbit in my pasta.
We cannot wait to return here.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat neighborhood restaurantGreat neighborhood restaurant with inventive, excellent cuisine. This is one of our favorite SF restaurants!5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMYesterday's Panna CottaI was at Cotogna when it was new and wasn't terribly impressed but this time it was great The 3 course prix fixe offered a yummy, creamy garlic soup (though the crispy potato skins were between tasteless and burnt), absolutely delectable, beautifully cooked and tender octopus in a kind of salad with zucchine and a panna cotta that was okay. I asked them to switch out my dessert since they are all the same price and I'm not crazy about panna cotta but they "couldn't' which means they didn't want to which means their customer service is not super great. We were sitting next to friends of the chef who kept receiving special dishes just for them which made me feel a bit like yesterday's panna cotta but the food was good enough that I'd go back.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMDeliciousSuch innovative, fresh, delicious flavor combinations in the Sunday dinner menu. What a treat! The only quibble is the way-too-high noise level, which makes a good conversation, my other favorite part of a good meal, very challenging.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMThe FoodThe experience still exceeds expectations and this time especially when 2 of us shared a 6 course lunch of nettles sformato, artichokes and burrata and English peas, Agnolotti, smoked trout and creme fraiche pizza and semi-freddo plus arneis and the rose. Each course stood alone for ingredients, presentation and superb flavors, especially the nettles, agnolotti vitello and the unusual combination in the pizza (the crust was supremo that day).5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMBetter last time.I enjoyed lunch and had attentive service.
The pastas were not as outrageously amazing as last visit but the service was so much better.
Will go again as the food is always way above average.5/16/2013 12:00:00 AMAnother great visit to CotognaWe returned to Cotogna this trip after a great visit in Fall of 2012. The Sunday Supper is wonderful. The usual $40 wine list is available or one can get wine pairings to go with each course. Great set menu - and it was all delicious. Neat service, inventive food, local ingredients. Lovely evening.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMAll around excellent experienceWe were there for brunch and were very impressed with both the food and the staff. They were welcoming, efficient and even provided my wife with a taste of a dish that she saw on another table. The pasta dish with crab was outstanding. We're returning four days after our initial visit.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMWe've been there over a dozenWe've been there over a dozen times...one of the best Italian spots in the city. Awesome!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGlad we were able to get a tableI was following Cotogna on Open Table looking for a reservation, when a spot opened up last Friday we jumped at it. My girlfriend and I were very impressed with the Burrata, tortellini, and sausage pizza. The $40 a bottle wine list was a welcome surprise and our server's recommendation paired well with our courses. Definitely looking forward to going back and trying the sister restaurant Quince.5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat ResturantService and food is excellent. Glad we made reservations ahead of our visit, place is so busy. We really enjoyed it!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMexcellent foodFood was excellent and recommendations were solid. Despite many open tables, we were seated next to a full table in the middle of the floor making conversation a bit more difficult than it appeared it needed to be, but otherwise, service was on par with fine dining experience. Need more non-chocolate desserts!5/10/2013 12:00:00 AMAnniversary LunchWe've wanted to go to Quince and then Cotogna for years. Cotogna was excellent in all respects. There were a few minor improvements I could have made with the service bu they didn't affect our experience.
It was a very special meal. EVery dish we had was amazing. It was good as meals that we've had a Chez Panisse.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMWe were seated under an airWe were seated under an air conditioning vent and it was so cold I could not take off my coat for the entire lunch. Also it was extremely noisy but that is to be expected at lunch time. In spite of this, the food was excellent as always. Especially enjoyed the Burrata with peas and mint.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMYUM! Great selections forYUM! Great selections for Vegetarians & meat eaters alike5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMSunday supper successWhile I have been to Cotogna a few times before this was my first time to the Sunday Supper. Phenomenal. Food was delicious and the atmosphere relaxed. Great time, unique twist on very basic, natural food and we discovered some new wines.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMInstantly gratifying withInstantly gratifying with simple but elegant treatment of asparagus, not the usual pasta with unusual presentation of miniature agnolotti del plin, and different ingredients, crescenza and ramps, for the pizza.5/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat fun!Great food, service -- a must-go when in San Francisco. Along with our server, the bartenders are fantastic and very helpful with beverages and food!4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous meal, professsionalFabulous meal, professsional and friendly service.....everything was bliss! Love, love, love the menu....many choices, all excellent!4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMFlawless and enjoyableWe went for the prix-fixe Sunday, for a birthday celebration. Innovative, interesting, italian-inspired food. Special points to the sommelier who found great wine pairings for some difficult dishes.4/28/2013 12:00:00 AMIncredible dining. What aIncredible dining. What a fabulous restaurant...we loved it! Every dish was wonderful.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMOur experience was sensational!Our experience was sensational! A Chef friend of ours in Florida had made the recommendation to us and we were not disappointed!4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMI had a wonderful time inI had a wonderful time in Cotogna, and I am not a foodie! I found their food selection very accessible from a non-foodie's perspective, yet intriguing enough for my foodie girlfriend to have a great, special time!
The atmosphere is laid-back and moderate - easy to be with a couple quietly or with a larger group for a fun time.4/21/2013 12:00:00 AMlovely food, nice location,lovely food, nice location, service was quite good from our primary server but a bit too much attitude from the rest of the staff
It seems like the restaurant suffers from a heightened sense of self importance as a result of good reviews and foodie adulation4/14/2013 12:00:00 AMTables too close together;Tables too close together; lighting is frustrating. Otherwise great.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMthey do not serve their dinnerthey do not serve their dinner menu till 5 pm . reservations done before that time gets their lunch menu4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMSure ShotReally excellent food and great service to go with it.4/13/2013 12:00:00 AMTook a girlfriend there forTook a girlfriend there for her birthday and we both loved it! The nettle pizza, rotisserie cauliflower, and grilled little gems were amazing. We had the Calypso Prosecco concoction and 2 lovely desserts. Great service, they put a candle in a dessert for the birthday girl and helped correct a mistaken order for us.4/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe loved this place! AllWe loved this place! All the dishes we ordered were great. We had the burratta which was creamy and delicious, the pork ribs, sausage and beans dish which is big enough to share for sure, and the special pasta in the brown butter sage sauce which was my favorite. All were excellent. All the staff was happy and friendly and our server was attentive and prompt. We will defiantly go back again.4/3/2013 12:00:00 AMThe food and wine at CotognaThe food and wine at Cotogna are both spectacular and unique.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMIt's been a while but returnIt's been a while but return visit to Cotogna lived up to past dining experience which was wonderful. A very, very special occasion place to dine at.4/1/2013 12:00:00 AMCotogna never fails. One ofCotogna never fails. One of my go to places in SF.3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicate pasta, beautiful wine!Beautiful, wonderful food! Knowledgable service. Perfect portions...just an overall lovely experience3/30/2013 12:00:00 AMDelicious, Creative, DevineThis is our second time to Cotogna. The first time we just stumbled on it had an amazing experience but forgot the name (maybe too much name). So searched OpenTable to find this neighborhood gem. Absolutely divine ambiance with the fire pit in the background, the wood, the stone, the off-white napkins and the terracotta plates. The staff was attentive but not intrusive. We had the buratta appetizer which was beautifully presented with flowers followed by the stake to share. The stake just melted in your mouth. I asked my husband why there was no sauce, he just urged me to try the stake. He was right it needed nothing. All delicious!
I asked for a bartenders special cocktail. He created this flavor that combined the sweetness of elderflower3/26/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good restaurant. ExcellentVery good restaurant. Excellent quality ingredients. I will go back often.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMSunday supper was our firstSunday supper was our first visit to Cotogna. We found attention to interesting flavor combinations and friendly service, while the elegance is deliberately taken down from Quince to trattoria. Sunday supper is a fixed menu and prezzo fisso (although they used the French prix fixe which is, I guess, more familiar to restaurant goers). There were four courses with a fifth cheese course available for an additional charge. The asparagus spears of the first course were a nice start with a touch of meyer lemon and fava bean pesto. Next course was a delicious artichoke pansotti (3 corner ravioli) with candied walnuts and pecorino. The main corurse cod was excellent with veggies al dente. Italian wine pairing also excellent. Rum baba yum.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWe went on a Sunday for aWe went on a Sunday for a fixed price meal. Asparagus, Pansotti with mushrooms, cod with spring vegetables and lemon rum baba with panacotta. Everything was delicious.The service is excellent and friendly, easy to park on Sunday. Relaxing, delightful experience.3/24/2013 12:00:00 AM