A 16, on Chestnut Street in the Marina, is beloved by its neighborhood and attracts food lovers from throughout the city and beyond. It’s an unassuming treasure, a salty and olive-oily gift of San Francisco’s food scene. The food and the wine showcase Southern, Italy, the Compania region, and, in fact, A 16 is named for the highway that runs from Naples to Canosa, Puglia, which has to be one of the greatest food drives in the world. More to the point, for us here, this means thin, crust, wood-fired pizzas, fresh pasta and rusticly prepared, deliciously-seasoned, love-infused meats.
Like a lot of Italian menus, the food is divided into starters, pizza, pasta, entrees, and side dishes; and choosing ain’t easy. The menu changes regularly, but the quality never wavers. Start with the burrata, covered olive oil and sea salt, or with the braised artichokes, or the house-cured salumi. The Bianca pizza, with green olives, basil, chilies and no sauce, has to be among the best salty, cheesy bites in the city. The pastas all seem to melt in the mouth, but the maccaronara with the house-made ricotta salata is divine. Sometimes ordering chicken can feel like a bore, but the braised chicken with bitter greens, spring onions and favas is an testament to getting great flavors simply.
What else: Like its sister restaurant SPQR, A 16 is the kind of place you want to go with big groups, on special occasions, on dates — any excuse really. The wine list is award-winning and meticulously put together. If you can, grab a few seats at the chef’s bar, and watch as the magic is prepared.
Getting there: A 16 is located at 2355 Chestnut Street. Street parking is possible but can definitely take a while. The 24, 22, and the 30 all top close by.
Hours:
Dinner:
Monday–Thursday 5:30pm–10:00pm
Friday 5:30pm–11:00pm
Saturday 5:00pm–11:00pm
Sunday 5:00pm–10:00pm
Lunch:
Wednesday–Friday 11:30am–2:30pm
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