Folks in the know from Dog Patch and Mission Street are climbing Potrero Hill—still San Francisco’s great tourist-free zone—for the straightforward cooking at this little neighborhood gem. True to its name, Aperto openly embraces the honesty of the Italian table with deceptively simple cooking that’s heavily influenced by California. (Think real osso buco, not deconstructed pig parts.) The dining room stays on message, too; it’s comfortable and inviting, the type of place you’d go to to catch up with an old college roomie, meet an ex whom you really do still like, or share a meal with friends who are saddled with young kids. House-made focaccia starts off each meal (try not to hoover every bit of the warm, puffy and highly addictive bread). The panzanella salad is chock-full of ripe tomatoes, bacon and grilled bread—a healthy version of a BLT. A sprinkle of jalapeño lends a nice edge to the tagliolini pepati, and lemon zest ramps up the power of the chicken. We hear intrepid hill climbers are returning to SoMa with reports that the food up there is just as good; more expeditions are sure to follow.

Heirloom tomato panzanella
Tagliolini pepati with bacon and jalapeño
Roasted Fulton Valley chicken
Braised lamb shank with cranberry beans view full menu here

Beeline for the wooden counter along the window overlooking 18th Street, where you can watch folks in the neighborhood navigate Potrero Hill’s restaurant row.

Beeline for the wooden counter along the window overlooking 18th Street, where you can watch folks in the neighborhood navigate Potrero Hill's restaurant row.

lunch: Mon.–Fri. 11:30 AM–2:30 PM
dinner: Mon.–Sat. 5:30 PM–10 PM; Sun. 5 PM–9 PM
brunch: Sat. 11 AM–2:30 PM; Sun. 10 AM–2:30 PM

$14 (tagliolini pepati) to $18 (lamb shank)