"Open for: LunchPrice range: $$To dine here is akin to making a religious pilgrimage: It takes patience, practice, and prayer. The once “secretive” spot in the gentrifying “mechanical-industrial” strip of Geary Street is no longer under wraps. Swarms of people congregate and wait at least an hour outside before opening, a fact not lost on owner and chef Leandro Baldassarre (formerly of three-Michelin-starred Dal Pescatore). With a collected demeanor and without gimmicks, Baldassarre offers what’s considered the city’s best fresh pasta, along with rustic Southern Italian dishes. The cushy gnocchi, graced with shaved black truffles, tastes like a woodland retreat; ravioli are pleasure pockets filled with ricotta and spinach; and rustic tomato-beef ragu intertwines with thin ribbons of tagliatelle. To complement the heavenly pastas, Baldassarre sources prime ingredients for grazing, such as fior di latte, salty-sweet crudo di parma (aged 18 months), and zingy fagiolini (green beans imbued with mint, olive oil, and vinegar).Know before you go: It’s tiny inside; my best suggestion is to visit on Wednesday, when it’s not as busy, and arrive an hour before the shop opens." - Tiffany Leigh
