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Gialina Pizzeria

4 star rating
based on 250 reviews

Category: Pizza  [Edit]

Neighborhood: Glen Park
2842 Diamond St
(between Kern St & Wilder St)
San Francisco, CA 94131
(415) 239-8500
  • Hours:
    Mon-Thu 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
    Fri-Sat 5:00 p.m.-10:30 p.m.
    Sun 5:00 p.m.-10:00 p.m.
  • Price Range: $$
  • Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
  • Parking: Street
  • Attire: Casual
  • Good for Groups: No
  • Good for Kids: Yes
  • Takes Reservations: No
  • Delivers: No
  • Take-out: Yes
  • Waiter Service: Yes
  • Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
  • Outdoor Seating: No
  • Good for: Dinner
  • Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only
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250 Reviews for Gialina Pizzeria

Review Snapshot   

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"Hey, all I really cared about was the Bi-Rite ice cream flavor." (in 14 reviews)
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"I literally wake up some mornings with the Atomica pizza on my mind." (in 54 reviews)
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"Probably the best thin crust pizza in the Bay Area." (in 47 reviews)
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Photo of anna c.

Elite '08

788

560

anna c.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
10/14/2008

Hubby and I came for dinner a few months back. Quite a few items looked really good and I had a hard time deciding what I wanted. I finally went with the atomica pizza and hubby got the portobello mushroom pizza w/ speck. I like to have meat on my pizza as well but couldn't settle on one, so I got the salume plate. Both pizzas were good. Nice crusts with just the right amount of toppings. Not as good as A16, but not bad for a neighborhood place. The salume plate was wonderful.

Our server was really nice and made sure we got all we needed. Prices are a little high though. With a beer, tax and tips, it was $70+. For that price, I could get pizzas at A16....

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Elite '08

124

106

Jamie M.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
10/09/2008

I have a crush...on the pizza boy.

We all get these types of crushes - whether it be on the barista at our local coffee shop or the check-out girl at the market down the street. Its perfectly normal. We develop our own little fantasy life. "Do they like me too?" "He gave me an extra shot...it must be love!" etc.

Just around the corner from my best friends house is Gialina Pizzeria. On my weekly sojourn to Glen Park to watch Project Runway, I must stop here to pick up dinner. There is an absolutely adorable guy who works here. Crazy hair, thick black glasses and the ubiquitous skinny jean mark his Mission Hipster beauty. I don't know his name..that would ruin the mystery. All I know is that every time his says "Thank you. Have a nice night." I swoon.

Be it the fig pizza with speck or the summer squash with ricotta, he boxes my pizzas with such care and precision. He must love me.

Now, if only they delivered.

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9

21

M W W.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
10/15/2008

I was looking for a good (and different) place to have dinner -- and in Glen Park.  Gialina Pizzeria came "highly recommended" by other Yelpers, so it was a go!

Yelpers did not let me down, nor did Gialina!  Delish!!  There was a short wait at 7pm on a Tuesday but expected.  It was a bit noisy, and as I said to my friend "welcome to San Francisco" (read: expected) -- however the noise seemed a bit less at our table for two in the front corner.

We were hungry but decided on two starters and a pie to share for the two of us -- and that was "just right".

We started with:
 . Meatballs w/ tomato sauce, pistachios & Parmigiano Reggiano
 . Mozzarella di Bufala w/ Heirloom tomatoes, Cucumbers & basil

Meatballs were little balls of heaven!  And while the Mozzarella was good the Heirloom tomatoes stole the show!

Then our pie arrived:
 . Black Mission Figs w/ caramelized onions, speck, fontina & arugula

Being an "East Coaster" I am partial to the traditional NY cheese "pie" (read: Pineapple has no business on my Pizza) -- ok sausage -or- mushrooms (-or- pepperoni if that's your thing) can be added but if you can't do a straight up cheese pie right you have no business masking your mistakes with tons of toppings.  But I digress...

I don't know if it was "in the air" or my traditionalist side was left at home - I was really digging the Fig pie description and it did not disappoint!  I found a "new love" of sorts.  It was just indescribable how the flavors melded and the thin crust 'crunchy/chewy' combo was so just right!  Go try it for yourself!

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Elite '08

24

105

Yanny S.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
10/09/2008

Yum.  Surprisingly good since I'm not a big pizza fan.

I shared the fig and speck pizza.  I had my doubts about the fig part; cooked fruits, outside of a pie, are weird. But this works really well with the saltiness of the speck, read the menu for a good description of this meat product. I also love the thin crust; crunchy is my favorite texture.  The others were quite happy with how crisp their pizzas were.  They told the kitchen to "make it really crisp. Like, burn the bottom."  

My table also shared the salume platter for an appetizer.Some were spicy and some were soft. Included was bread and ricotta cheese (I think). Good overall.  Dessert was okay. Everyone else loved the hazelnut chocolate dessert pizza.  Nutella, that's what the server told the table next to us, on top of thick pizza-like dough with large dollops of mascarpone cream.  It was a decent size. They also had Bi-Rite creamery ice cream for $6, which I suppose is for the convenience. Still delicious.

Pricing is decent: it's comparable with the chain pizza places ($15-20ish per pie) but much better flavors and quality. Service was nice, friendly.  Quick turnover.  The place was crowded when we arrived but we got seated within 15 minutes. I really want to come back and try the nettles pizza.

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6

69

Michele G.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
10/09/2008

I went her last night for dinner and the food was fantastic we ordered the corn salad with basil and a vinegrette, very good. The Tomato pizza with pancetta and arugala, surprisingly super awesome, it was fresh tasting and the bits of pancetta  filled my meat craving.  I would definetly recomend checking this place out.

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Elite '08

279

847

Jill S.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
10/11/2008

I realized after eating at this place that I have never eaten in or visited Glen Park before. Huh. It seems like a cute little suburban outpost of SF and this little pizzeria is a gem. There's no pretension and the food they offer is just honestly GOOD. Artisan styled wood-fired pizzas with great ingredients and options. I went with the Speck (an amazing cured meat I fell in love with in Europe last year), fig (it's fig season y'all!), arugula, Pecorino cheese and added an egg to it. It was delicious! My companion went with something a bit more basic and added Speck to it. Speck makes everything better!  The portions were just right enough to allow for a few leftovers which were just as delicious the next day since I got to take both sets! The service was prompt, polite and just attentive enough. Prices were reasonable and I'd definitely recommend it if you are ever in the area but I'm not sure if I'd make it a destination since it's so far from the more happening parts of SF.

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Elite '08

100

169

Sam T.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
09/20/2008

Came by Gialina at the tail end of a night of food splurging. I was already pretty stuffed from mini burgers and truffled fries. So, I'm thinking my taste buds might have already tapped out by then.

The Margherita that I tried wasn't that good. I thought the sauce was pretty underwhelming.

It's a pretty nice little establishment in Glen Park though. I would give it another try the next time I'm around.

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3

31

Keromi K.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
10/08/2008

The pizza is delicious - the atomica is a favorite but my husband and I always try to try a different pie when we are there. All have been excellent and my daughter loves the kids cheese pizza that they have but isn't on the menu. The wait staff can be moody and sullen but there is one waiter who is awesome - very attentive without being pushy. The guy pouring the water is a little scary though - he just stares at you with these cold eyes. Anyway, the pizza is what keeps us coming back. I just wish there were more places like this in the city.

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10

Parker L.

Fairfield, CA

5 star rating
10/09/2008

WOW.   Aside from amazing pizza, they have good "other" food, too.  My friend ordered the slow-roasted pork shoulder, which was unlike any I've ever had before.  They also have Bi-Rite Ice Cream, and who doesn't love that?  I wish I lived closer...

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3

43

Mickey D.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
09/07/2008

Ok. It is not the best pizza in the world, nor is it the best in SF.  But the place is pretty good, very fresh and delicious ingredients.  The pork chop looked amzaing as it passed by our table.  Service was friendly and warm.  If you are seeking a great pizza, try other places in the city, but if you want decent pizza this is a good option.  There is just something about the crust, a little too thick at the edge, & the center was too chewy, not a woodfired pizza, for sure!  Maybe they need a more powerful oven?  But go and enjoy the great salads and apps.   And try a pie, not the best but ok.

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8

Lacy T.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
09/24/2008

Before trying Gialina, I have to admit . . .I had never even been to Glen Park before.  Now I know, of course, that it is well worth the trip.  Pizza Atomica. . . .amazing.  That is all I have to say.  Oh yeah, and my server Ned was very attentive--always keeping my water glass full and great with suggestions.

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Elite '08

126

95

Alexandra M.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
09/07/2008

They really need to work on their crust dude, but other than that I would revisit. Yes indeed. My friend and I ordered the squash pizza which was good, but not FANTASTIC or anything. The crostini sampler we started with however was rather heavenly. The sampler comes with three toasted pieces of bread each slithered with a veggie or fruit and different variations of cheese. The bread with blue cheese and figs was especially delectable.

I am definitely interested in how they score on the marinara as I was unable to tell due to the fact that our pizza didn't have any. DARN. Well we got ricotta I guess. Boo.

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59

Mark C.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
09/07/2008

When the doughing gets tough...

The pizzas here had potential. The toppings and the sauces were top notch. Only that the crust is WAY TOO TOUGH!!!!

My jaw was tired halfway into the pie. The couple next to us chatted nonstop even before they ordered their pizzas. Bet they couldn't even finish one slice.

When the crust improves, I will salivate coming back for more. In the meantime, the best pizza crust I've had in the bay area was at Picco in Larkspur and at the Slow Food Tasting pavilion (where members from the Bakers Guild showed off their dough).

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Elite '08

6

73

Faye P.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
09/04/2008

1. Gialina's pizzas are tasty. I thought the Portobello Mushroom was missing something. I can't pinpoint what exactly but for some reason it just wasn't entirely satisfying. We also ordered the Pesto with braised greens minus the cheese (and maybe started a trend with the nearby table?). I think that was a winner. Nice texture and balanced flavors.

2. The crust was chewy yet crunchy but altogether delicious. I like the combo of thin pizza with a hearty/medium sized crust.

3. The bus-girl was QUITE attentive to keeping that water glass filled. I have a problem of drinking water like a fish. Refill that glass and it's sure to be empty in two minutes. I guess I drank my fair share of water that night...

4. The place is small. Cute. Chalkboard for the kids by the bathroom. Narrow. Clean design. Very tasteful.

5. I wish I had ordered the Summer Squash pizza. Well, I guess just another reason to go back.

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8

99

M M.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
09/04/2008

I thought it was good.  Not mind blowing but good.  I don't generally like pizza much but I can't blame Gialina for that.  The toppings were tasty on the Atomica but I thought the crust was too tough.  Good flavor but tough.  I also enjoyed the farro salad, light and flavorful.  

The main thing I didn't like was the service.   I found it to be a bit off-putting  The staff were constantly chatting up the (I'm assuming) regulars and generally giving them more attention than us first timers.  It was very obvious to me.  And while I can appreciate the fact that the regulars enjoy the attention and the Cheers-style atmoshere, it leaves the rest of the patrons feeling like outsiders.  Plus, it seemed to take way longer to get our single pizza than some other parties of regulars who arrived after us.  

So all in all, the food was mostly good minus the pizza crust but the service gets a big no.  I'm not opposed to going back but I won't be rushing.

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3

Bert J.

San Francisco, CA

1 star rating
08/20/2008

Awful. The crust was like an overcooked ciabatta. Hurt my mouth to eat it.
Sauce was bland. Cheese was forgettable. I tried to give my leftovers to a homeless dude in the Tenderloin and he refused it. Stick with Delfina or Amicis.

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11

cristina s.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
08/12/2008

i mean, WOW. I'm picky with my pizza and this place blew my fucking mind last night. We started off with the arugala, goat cheese, beet, and pistachio salad (half) and the fried green tomatoes. both delicious! Our waiter was super attentive and really helpful, he let me taste different wines and was happy to offer suggestions. He told us to get the pesto, riccatta, summer squash pizza. it was so good. I cant wait to go back and try the others. I am so glad I dont live near this place, I would easily eat here twice a week.

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1

Shawna S.

San Bruno, CA

5 star rating
09/08/2008

I happened to be having drinks with friends on Sat night at Glen Park Station when all these pizzas were delivered to the bar from Gailina Pizzeria next door. So we got one, too, with fresh roma tomatoes and basil. It was fantastic! One of the best pizzas I've ever had: the thin crust was very crispy with a little bit of chewiness, the tomatoes juicy and tasting like they just were picked from a garden, just the right amount of cheese and the chiffonaded basil added a fantastic flavor. It was like eating a warm caprese salad on crusty, thin bread. Delicious!

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Deborah R.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
09/07/2008

I thoroughly enjoyed our dinner here.  The pizza, while not the thinnest thin-crust I've ever had, was fantastic.  

My pizza-loving boyfriend and I ordered the caprese salad to start.  It was delicious -- I especially appreciated the sprinkling of sea salt on top, the tomatoes were perfectly ripe and had excellent flavor and the mozzarella was some of the creamiest we've ever tasted.  We actually commented on that mid-bite.

We ordered the fig/caramelized onion/basil/fontina pizza.  It was very, very good.  They were not skimpy with the toppings, and there was a nice even distribution across the top of the pizza.  I liked the chewiness of the crust -- perhaps it could be thinner -- no complaint from me though.  One pizza was just right for the two of us.

While their wine list is quite short, they had a by the glass offering of my go-to-pizza-wine, Dolcetto-- I enjoyed every last drop of it.  

For dessert we tried the polenta and pistachio cake.  Simple, not too sweet, topped with homemade whipped cream and delicious.  It was gone in seconds.

The waitstaff was very friendly and attentive.  I'm going to tell all of my pizza loving friends about this place.

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62

72

Jack S.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
07/31/2008

Now that I live in the Castro, it's time for me to have man-dates.  My first one was to Gialina.

It was full, but we were seated at the bar right away.  I picked out the Atomica, but my "date" had already had it, so we went with the pesto-summer squash instead. Supposedly, one of the bartender's favorites, but forgive me my skepticism of everything every waiter has ever said.  Not exactly according to plan, but so far so good. The bartender, cute and with accĂ©nt, paired our vegetable-y pizza with a carafe of a light, fruity red, which is pretty much what I was thinking exactly.  Sitting at the bar was extra fun, as we got to watch all the pizzas go by and mentally note what looked good for next time.  FYI, they pretty much all look delicious.

The food was close to perfect.  The pesto, ricotta, summer squash and sundried tomatoes were, instead of being "squashed" together, each isolated in clumps, so that each bite was a little different.

$40 for two with wine?  And I got driven home afterwards?  Maybe my neighbors are on to something; women are never this easy.

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0

4

Jonathan M.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
10/02/2008

Rocking pizza. Been going since it opened. They took a dive of an old Indian food/pizza shack and cleaned it up and made the space very nice. Their pies are great. They change them up based on what is fresh, but they have some standard ones that are always solid. The Atomica, the potato pies are my favorite. Their mix salad is also great.

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3

62

Yo B.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
08/20/2008

We ordered two pizzas and when they came, one of them was only half a pizza.  The server then explained that because the dough is spread very thin, sometimes they get burned in the oven, so they take out the burnt pieces and make another (whole) one for the table.  Great service!  

Taking the above note into consideration, you will definitely get a crispy, crunchy crust.  IMHO, the crust is much, much too crisp and hard.  The pizza is great when it first comes out of the oven, but after a mere few minutes, the crust becomes very hard that it crunches much like a cracker when you chew it.  The inside of the crust itself can still be soft though, but still the outer crust is so hard that it hurts the roof of my mouth.  This is byfar the only pizza place where I do NOT eat the crust.

Nevertheless, the toppings are great.  We tried the portobello mushrooms (with roasted onions) and the summer squash (with pesto and ricotta).  Both were superb.  Next time will try one of the meat, and (maybe) put an egg on top.  I'm calling the middle part without crust!

Did not order salad, but the ones in surrounding tables look good.  They also have salumi plate from Incanto, bonus point!  Dessert is on the tiny side.  Tried the ricotta whipped cheesecake, good and creamy, but need more nectarines.  

The place is tiny and no reservations are taken, which means it's best to come early or get take-out.  Very laid back in a classy kind of way.  Parking may be hard but bart station is less than a block away.

Bottom line: good toppings, but crust is too hard.  Three star, but gets an extra star for giving great service and being classy without being stuffy.

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sarah H.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
08/21/2008

The Pork Belly pizza is magnificent.  The pork belly is the perfect width--thick enough to be a substantial pizza topping yet thin enough to melt in your mouth.  The pizza overall was a bit greasy too.  My friend and I were trying to figure out if all their pizzas are like that or if it was b/c we got the pork belly pizza.  Anyhow, I highly recommend this place.  Be prepared to WAIT though.  We went around 9:00 on a weekday, and we still had to wait outside for about 20 minutes.  
Service was prompt and informative.  Oh and the regular patrons we met outside were really nice too.  
Great ambience too.--warm and inviting.

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16

87

Sarah C.

San Mateo, CA

5 star rating
07/27/2008

The BEST pizzza!!!! I wish we had a place like this closer to our home in San Mateo, but to quote my husband, "it's worth the drive."

After hearing about Gialina and reading all the great reviews, we shared two great pies and some wine. The atomica lives up to all expectations- great flavor and right amount of heat. The three cheese (with ricotta, provolone, and pecorino romano) was delicious as well. Two pungent cheeses and one creamy made a great combination. Our wine paired really well; we didn't do dessert but we'll have to try it next time.

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Elite '08

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Beah B.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
07/19/2008

Simply put, the Atomica is possibly the best non-Thai, not-from-The-French-Laundry dish I've every eaten. I literally wake up some mornings with the Atomica pizza on my mind. Of course everything else at Gialina is delicious -- I've never had a less than fantastic dish there. My ONLY complaint is about the choice of wine glass, which would be perfectly appropriate were I ordering apple juice but doesn't do much for the nice and reasonably priced Italian and Californian reds they stock.

Actually, my other complaint would be the increasing difficulty of getting a table. Even on week nights, expect at least a 30 minute wait. Actually, do me a solid and just don't got to Gialina. Don't go there ever.

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92

Kai H.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
08/10/2008

The crust was fantastic! Gialina pizza reminded me of a place in Florence, Pugi, the crust had similar great flavor and crustiness. We tried the atomica and the sausage and broccoli rabe, they were both delicious. The large arugala salad fed four of us, but could probably feed 6. The atmosphere was casual and comfortable, and somewhat remeniscent of Dopo in Piedmont.

It is a great neighborhood spot, you are lucky if you live in Glen Park, we came all the way from Potrero and it was worth it.

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5

3

Colleen C.

San Francisco, CA

1 star rating
07/27/2008

Gialina's staff was attentive and friendly.  The pizza lacked all the qualities that make a thin crust pizza stand out.  The crust was soggy.  From the menu the pies sounded delicious but the execution was dissapointing.  Bacon on a pizza seemed like a novel idea but grease from the strips of bacon left entirely in tact on top of the pie, soaked through the crust.  Pizzetta 211 and Pizzeria Picco are far more superior.

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3

83

Moo N.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
08/08/2008

I was on my way to the Asian Art Museum for MATCHA, and I stopped off in Glen Park to try Gialina before heading to the BART station towards downtown.  It was just me so I took a counter seat and had fun talking with the restaurant staff, asking questions about the menu and about the charming black and white pictures on the wall, and watching the orders come through - lots of pizzas and salads galore!  

It was just me so I ordered  the Pan Roasted Chicken Breast w/ basil butter & broccoli rabe and a glass of red wine (oh I needed that wine!).  The chicken was quite tasty - easy to cut and it was balanced nicely with the broccoli rabe.  But my favorite part of the meal was dessert! - I ordered the mint chocolate chip Bi-rite ice cream and loved it!  I waddled over to the BART station as I was officially full after that!

Next time, I'm bringing my boyfriend with me so I can order a pizza (too much for one little girl - me!) as they looked yummy.  The one that caught my eye was the Summer Squash w/ sundried tomatoes, ricotta, ricotta salata & pesto.  Yes, I'm going to try that one next time! - til then, Ciao!

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Laurence W.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
07/03/2008

It's probably the Bay Area boy in me, but I need a little flair in my food.  "Traditional" just doesn't cut it for me.  So I was thrilled to see that Gialina takes everything that's good about traditional, Neopolitan pizza like you might find at Delfina or the other pizzerias that are currently in vogue -- blistery, crispy, chewy crusts -- and dramatically improves it with local, creative toppings.  It helps that they don't over-glop the thing with cheese, while still being a little more generous with the toppings than their Neopolitan brethren.  It's "Cal-Ital" pizza, and I love it.

We had the "atomica" and the "speck" pizzas.  The atomica was the clear winner: a spicy tomato sauce with huge mushrooms and red onions.  The speck was also good, but leaned toward the traditional: speck (like prosciutto) with arugula.  We had a beet salad too which did everything it was supposed to do, and ended the meal with a heavenly ricotta, apricot, and pistachio dessert.

Gialina rocks, and for this pizza fanatic, it enters the pantheon of great local pizza alongside Zachary's, Cheeseboard, and Pauline's (all different, equally delicious styles in their own right).

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1

8

Suzanne P.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
09/22/2008

The pizza is delicious, and the staff is very nice. Watch out for the cute photos on the wall--you may get fixated on the little party hat. The only down side for most people would be that seating for more than two people can be a challenge at times.

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42

174

lauren y.

Foster City, CA

4 star rating
07/13/2008

Would mos def return, but wouldn't order everything again.

6 of us, at 6pm on a summer-y Saturday in SF. We waited about 20 minutes which was perfect since one of use was still BARTing over. There's a parking lot on Kern, so it was easy.

Sat down at this busy cute restaurant and the waitress took our order without writing anything down...

1 Blood Orange Soda
1 Red Wine
1 Cauliflower Salad
1 Large Frissee Salad
1 Black Cod Cake
2 Potato Pizza
1 Broccoli Rabe Pizza
1 Speck Pizza
1 Pork Belly Pizza
1 Summer Squash Pizza

I loved the appetizers. The pine nuts made the cauliflower salad and the fried egg and bacon for the frissee. can't say anything about the cod cakes since i'm allergic to fish.

In best tasting pizza order, i'd say, Potato, Pork Belly, Broccoli, Summer   Squash and Speck.

Speck was just that.. nothing else. It was missing a cheese to bring out its hammy flavor. Summer squash had too much ricotta.. maybe its because they had 2 types. Broccoli is def for broccoli lovers like myself. Pork belly reminded me of one of my fav Chinese dishes, hehhe and Potato doesn't compare to anything. Not too starchy, perfect amount of herbs.. tasty in every bite.

The pizza crust on all these pizzas were very very thin and still crispy.
As other Yelpers mentioned, they are professional water fillers. No glass at our table was dry.

thumbs up: appetizers, choice of pizzas
thumbs down: be ready to wait.

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Elite '08

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tiffinie m.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
Updated - 06/25/2008

While still good, Gialina's pizza seems to have lost some of the depth of flavors I'd experienced earlier on. Also, the crust seemed to be lacking as well.

Maybe I just caught them on a down night?  Regardless, minus 1 star blatant inconsistency.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 4 star rating 06/04/2007

    When I was a kid, we got our pizza on Ventura Blvd., at Antonio's Pizzeria. Always the same. A… Read more »

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8

62

Ben C.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
07/31/2008

Mmmmm... how we love Gialina's.  My wife and I first heard about it through Michael Bauer's "Pizza Blog" in SFGate.  The funny thing was that it wasn't so much his review of the place, but rather the fact that person after person kept talking about this restaurant in the comment section of other pizzerias.  

Every time we've gone we've had a fantastic time.  And we've brought a few friends too who loved it as well.

I personally love the Atomica pizza.  My wife tries to mix it up a bit.  And I always want to get the dessert pizza, but it's a bit too much for two people  and while it reheats nicely, we usually pass.

FYI, on occasional we'll call ahead as we're driving to Glen Park and they'll put our name on the list.

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0

1

Isaac H.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
09/20/2008

We passed by Gialina one night and thought we'd give it a go. The farro salad was lovely, and the pizzas very tasty---with rustic, thin and deliciously crispy bases.

Rather noisy at 8pm on a Saturday, but not unpleasantly so. The interior was clean, modern, and unobtrusive but warm.

I don't personally rate the wild nettle pizza, but we'll go back.

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6

Andrew G.

Berkeley, CA

5 star rating
09/19/2008

Great variety, and everything the serve is delicious.  They have that new-wave crust, juxtaposing a pastry-like texture with the firmness of pizza dough, that you find at places like the Park Chalet or Little Star.  Really outstanding.

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1

12

Dan M.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
08/04/2008

I'm convinced that almost all the best places to eat in SF have no sign out front and Gialina fails to disappoint. Probably the best thin crust pizza in the Bay Area. The crust is so light, crisp and puffy it's almost hard to believe. The menu changes every night, so good luck trying to get the same meal twice. We started out with the soft polenta with goat cheese which I would say even beats out Pasta Pomodoro's version. We then opted for the sweet Italian sausage pie with goat cheese and leaf brocolli. The pie comes in 6 thin slices which we proceeded to devour in about 10 minutes. To finish off the evening we had the Strawberry Crisp dessert which was as good as it sounds.

With top notch thin crust and exceptional, friendly service, we will definitely be heading back there soon. Probably within a fortnight.

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1

7

Cole M.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
07/18/2008

Orgasmic. Way more than pizza Orgasmica (fuck that place). FRESHLY GRATED PARMESAN. The idea of having 1 roast per week is simply ingenious. Plus the Portabello pizza and the DESSERT PIZZA are to die for. Give it try, tell me what u think.

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3

Chris W.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
09/18/2008

Five stars with the qualifier that this is a casual, neighborhood place -- not a dining destination. However, the food rocks and the service was helpful, attentive and appropriately laid back. We showed up at 7:45 on a Wednesday and there was no wait the whole time we were there.

For two people we ordered the small garden lettuce salad and the small arugulla/beet salad ($7 each). Simple, fresh and yummy, dressed with restraint. The tables on either side of us had the faro/corn salad and both cleaned their plates.

Next up were lamb meatballs. Three large meatballs in a thick, rustic tomato sauce. Nice lamb taste without being overwhelming.

Finally the three cheese white pizza. Many of the comments on yelp mentioned that the pizza crust was too chewy. I didn't get that at all, even though I was wary from what I read. Thin, but never sagging with a generous rim that shattered with each bite. The cheeses are pretty rich, so I liked that there was enough crust to temper that.

The Italian wine list was foreign (!) to us, so we told the waitress what we liked and she brought over two tastes. We ordered a bottle of the one she recommended. It was food and wallet friendly.

Waitress was great -- upfront we explained how we wanted the meal paced and that's exactly what we got.  $77 with tax /without tip for two.

For extra fun, try to follow Diamond Street from The Castro to get here!

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4

17

Jessica K.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
07/09/2008

Meh.  I've had better pizza.  The toppings were creative and sounded delicious but the actual pie had very hard crust that was not munchable.  Also the quantity of cheese was definitely lacking.  HOWEVER the service was fantastic.  Ned was very patient and accomodating and even took our dessert ,which we told him we were dissapointed with, off the bill.  The best part of the meal was the apricot bruschetta with goat cheese and basil.  
oh. my. god.

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5

6

Charlage W.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
08/04/2008

Best Gourmet Pizza in San Francisco!!!  It's totally worth the drive if you don't live close by.

small, cute, delicious and very affordable!

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