BBE Editor's Pick

Mozzeria

3228 16th St., San Francisco (Mission)

By Laura Fraser

Eating at Mozzeria is like eating in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language, only here it is American Sign Language. It’s a welcome change to be freed from the usual long discourses on preparation or ingredients (someone once estimated New Yorkers spend a total two months of their lives listening to daily specials). The focus is on the food, which is simply prepared, and on the company—as it should be.

menu musts

Mozzeria Bar
gnocchi with pork, broccoli rabe, and burrata
lamb curry pizza
roast duck pizza
japanese funghi pizza
view full menu here

the crowd

Owners Melody and Russell Stein are deaf, as are three of the servers; all are fluent in ASL. The restaurant is rather refreshing, energetic, and—of course—quite quiet.

... on the side

eye for design
This simple, spare black-and-white restaurant is dominated by a black-tiled Neapolitan Stefano Ferrara pizza oven, located in the back. The warmth sends a glow to the surrounding tables, and makes the restaurant cozy and familial. Walls feature artwork by deaf artists.

at your service
Friendly servers communicate with the help of iPad technology, gestures, and pointing to the menu, which makes for a charming exchange and a lot of smiles.

beans to spill
For the authentic Neapolitan pizzas they use 00 flour and fresh mozzarella, and cook the pies over aromatic almond wood—they have all the ingredients for success.

decibels
Low

hours

Dinner: Tue–Thu 5:30 PM–10 PM; Fri– 5:30 PM–11 PM; Sat- 5 pm - 11 pm

price range

$4 (meatball- small plate) to $20 (roasted asparagus pizza)

3228 16th St. (between Dolores St. and Guerrero St.), San Francisco, CA 94103; 415-489-0963 www.mozzeria.com $$