“ Go here if you want to feel like you're in Rome for an hour or two! Highly recommend having a glass of wine (house red at $9 is legit) or a spritz and sip it slowly. Enjoy the good smells from the open kitchen and the coziness of the antiques, wooden tables and design - it feels authentic Italian without trying too hard. On my first visit I tried the soup of the day (a velvety hearty white bean and carrots) and the chicken salad sandwich. The roll the sandwich came on is airy and crunchy and the roasted chicken is a stand out, dotted with thin slices of celery and heirloom lettuces for a little crunch, mustard for a punch and no mayo - yum! Service was friendly and attentive - they're happy to answer questions and chat. This is a perfect fit for the neighborhood and I can't wait to go back to 'dolce far niente' here! ”

“ Got to try this place and enjoyed the overall experience. We stayed in the dining area in the front but there's a deli counter in the back showcasing various items to order to-go. We got to try two of their sample platters which gave us a taste of their whole menu before ordering things we liked. Overall, the charcuterie board was very good. The prosciutto, salami, and porchetta were pretty spot on. The dips were flavorful with the bread. As for the main dishes, the favorites were the meatballs, beef lasagna, pesto pasta, and eggplant parm. Good flavor and texture. The arancini, brussel sprouts, potatoes, and chicken were very standard. The broccolini was a big miss as it was soggy and overcooked like collard greens, and the salt cod dip was just too salty to thoroughly enjoy with just a few crostini slices. We ended with desserts and the ice cream and tiramisu were great. The chocolate mousse was good as well. I wouldn't get the pie again as it was very dense. Overall, I like the concept at Bettola and the environment they create. Very nice for some casual yet upscale dining! ”

“ Nice little Italian neighborhood spot. Ambience- I'd call it upscale casual. Half is set up to look sort of like a market - seems like they do a good lunch and takeout business. Other half is fairly traditional dining area with tables and chairs that can be moved around to accommodate different size groups. It was a cold night and their heaters were doing a good job. Dining area is in front and the kitchen and market space is in the back. We came in for dinner - you sit down and they take your order. I thought the lighting was good. They are supposed to play movies on the wall a la Foreign cinema but I spent all night starting at a YouTube pause button because someone wasn't on it Service - I love that they hired an Italian student. From Italy. Adds to the authenticity of the vibe. Alas as sweet as he was he was not a great waiter. Maybe train him? For example, we got the wrong food because he couldn't understand us and we couldn't understand him either. Had to ask for water twice. Forgot the silverware. That sort of thing. As casual as this place is, it's not inexpensive so you know, the basics would be helpful. But he was so nice I'm only dinging them one star for it. Food: What we ordered was all solid but a better waiter would have let us know we were not ordering right. I ordered the eggplant Parmesan which was good. We had the fennel salad as they were out of regular salad (how do you run out of salad?!). It was very nice. My husband ordered their specialty, the rotisserie pork belly. It was good but -- a plate of meat. I don't think he realized that no sides came with it. So not ideal. We also got and paid for a bowl of bean soup which we didn't order - it was also good. Tiramisu was a bit too soggy IMO but flavor was nice. Wine was fine and reasonably priced. Parking in that neighborhood is very annoying. We'll be back to give it another go next time we're in the area. ”

“ I'm betting on a bright future for Bettola! Located in the heart of San Francisco's Richmond District along the busy Clement Street corridor, Bettola is part butchery, part fast-casual takeout, part tavern, and all restaurant thanks to the abundance of casual Italian food on their menu for lunch and dinner and and features a nice variety of groceries and other items for the members of the neighborhood to purchase upon any visit. Credit for this bustling enterprise goes to owner Gianluca Legrottaglie, whose name could not represent more authenticity, who himself cannot describe what he has in Bettola. Is it a bodega? Is it an alimentari? All of which translates into the concept of a bettola is in Italian. Whatever it is, it can be qualified as a certified success. Bettola is modeled and named after Legrottaglie's grandfather's own bettola which served as a local grocery store and tavern for locals to congregate in. What brought me and four other diners here on a recent weeknight evening for dinner was that Bettola was participating for the first time in San Francisco Restaurant Week for the Fall of 2024. For this concept, local restaurants offer diners a multicourse pre-set meal for a set price. For 45 dollars, diners got to choose from two menu items from their Antipasti section of their menu, three courses from their Primo section of their menu, and we enjoyed the same Dolci or dessert course. Making reservations on their website was super easy as it leads you to the OpenTable website and thankfully plenty of time slots were available with advance notice. Parking can be a challenge in the Inner Richmond neighborhood so I decided to take the bus to Geary Street and meet my party at Bettola and that too was super easy to accomplish. The daily menu at Bettola not only have a Happy Hour which is featured from 3 to 5 p.m. from Tuesdays through Sundays, they also have a regular menu that is separated into sections including Gastronomia, which serves as their Starters; their Tavola Calda Rosticceria which serves a main courses and sides coming from their kitchen; Sandwiches; various beverages including aperitivos and wines. With their Restaurant Week menu, our table received a nice sampling of what their kitchen has to offer with a wide variety of dishes. For our first course, I ordered their Polpette Al Sugo, which were beef meatballs served in San Marzano sugo and served with grilled bread. Others in our party ordered their Finocchi e Arance, which is a fennel and orange salad served with black olives, arugula, and pickled red onion. For our entrees, I enjoyed their La Porchetta, which was their sliced rotisserie pork belly, topped with fennel pollen, sea salt, and garlic rosemary. Others enjoyed their Lasagna Alla Bolognese, which was layers of pasta sheets beef ragu, served with bechamel and parmigiano Reggiano; and their Timballo Di Orecchiette, which was a baked pasta served with mushrooms, bechamel, smoked mozzarella and parmesan. Finally for our dessert course, we all enjoyed their Tiramisu, which was a coffee soaked ladies fingers layered with creamy mascarpone. For myself, their first course was the best course as my meatballs were juicy, flavorful and could have been a meal all unto itself thanks to the four slices of bread that came with every dish. The salad offered that nice citrusy taste that was needed for a heavy meal such as this and only made us primed for our main course. The pasta dishes were fine as their lasagna was a nicely composed dish. My entrée was unexpected and not in the best way imaginable as it was literally sliced pork and that was all there was. There was a lot of pork, and a little salty at that as the brining from the exterior of the pork loin really shined throughout, but I wish that there was more variety to this dish to balance all of the meat that we were served for this one entrée. Thankfully their tiramisu dessert was able to balance out the rest of our meal as we enjoyed ourselves sitting at a communal table with other diners as they enjoyed their own meals right next to us. It gave us an opportunity to gaze upon their Pollo Allo Spiedo which was their signature rotisserie chicken, brined and air dried and rotating away, many at a time in full view of customers. Their Tagliere Misto which was their version of a charcuterie and cheese platter also looked nice and inviting when paired with a nice glass of red wine. With a bill that was 45 dollars a person, this was a deal to be enjoyed by all. Bettola lives up to the notion of being everything to everyone, as it is part restaurant, part rotisserie and part marketplace. Inviting by serving delicious food to enjoy there and to take home, they are the perfect addition to the neighborhood that would certainly utilize this unique concept. Here's to many more years of success for Bettola and Gianluca Legrottaglie and his hard working team! ”

“ I recently returned to Bettola. It appears as though they changed their service model. Now the restaurant offers a traditional process of sitting down, ordering off the menu from a server, and receiving plated food from the server. In the past, customers ordered at the counter. I'm indifferent about this service model, but I did notice that the meals appeared to be in a higher pricing tier. For example, my friends ordered lasagna for lunch and it was $19 each for a plate containing just the lasagna- sides are additional. Anyway, the decor is cute and fun. The atmosphere is lively. The little market area is fun and offers unique grocery items to take home or to gift. ”

“ Homey Italian restaurant in the Richmond! Feels like i'm eating at someone's nonna's house and I absolutely love the movies projected onto the walls in the main dining area. We came for SF restaurant week and loved getting to have 3 courses for $45. To start - fennel salad or meatballs. I chose the fennel salad because I needed to eat some vegetables and it was a delightful combination of flavors. Peppery, vinegary, garlic-y, and sweet. Very refreshing! My friends had the meatballs and it was an AMAZING portion size. Almost could've been a full meal on its own. Meatballs were juicy and smothered in sauce, served with a side of bread to soak up everything remaining in the dish. Mains - I had the Mushroom Orecchiette, which I don't believe is on the menu but was delicious and comforting. However, it is VERY rich and creamy. If you're lactose intolerant, beware! Friend had the porchetta, which looked well seasoned and came with some of the crispy skin. If you're only ordering the porchetta though, be warned it is just a plate of meat with no accoutrements. Dessert - Tiramisu. I love a tiramisu with sweet sweet mascarpone and less of the espresso/liqueur taste and this met my needs. If you want a more "traditional" tiramisu this probably isn't what you want but I loved it. Our server was hilarious and made dinner very enjoyable. Great banter that sent me right back to nights eating out in Italy! I will definitely be back here for a glass of their $9 house wine and a porchetta sandwich at some point! And maybe grab a few italian pantry items and slice of fresh focaccia :) ”

“ Bettola is my new favorite spot for Italian food! The ambience is amazing--think cozy yet chic with the perfect music to set the vibe. The staff? Absolutely wonderful. Not sure if they're all actually Italian or just nail the accent, but either way, it works, lol. Food is fantastic. This isn't your typical pizza, pasta, and ravioli joint. The menu has so many unique dishes that make you wonder which region of Italy they're from, but honestly, it doesn't matter because it's all so good! The arancini is a must-try. Seriously, it's bomb, soooo good! Plus, the prices are super reasonable, which is a nice surprise for the quality. Highly recommend if you're looking for something a little different in the world of Italian food! ”