Giola Pizzeria

There are plenty of trendy Italian restaurants in this area, but if you want a classic, head to Il Borgo. Good pasta, good prices, red checked tablecloths… this place has a charm that’s so refreshing for Hayes valley. Traditional, delicious food!

Very welcoming and cozy look with an amazing home cooked taste! Waitress is also very courteous. The nearby Italian restaurants overshadow this one, but I think it's definitely the best in the area!

In a neighborhood full of new, buzzy, trend-driven restaurants, Il Borgo quietly stands apart. This is the kind of place that doesn’t chase hype. It feels rooted, personal, and genuinely cared for. From the moment you step inside, it feels like a family home more than a restaurant. You hear real conversation, see familiar faces, and sense that people are here to linger. The food is classic, comforting, and clearly homemade pasta that tastes like tradition, not trend. Nothing is rushed, nothing is overthought, and everything feels made with intention. Il Borgo is cozy, unpretentious, and human. It’s a reminder that great dining doesn’t have to be flashy to be memorable. In a sea of “new,” this place feels timeless and that’s exactly why it stands out. A true neighborhood gem.

A charming Italian restaurant, decorated well, and feels family owned. Loved the gnocchi.

Everyone there was really welcoming, and my family and I had a great time with the pasta and salad. The bread stood out—so warm and just out of the oven, and seriously tasty. I’ll for sure be stopping by whenever I’m in town.

Just the cutest Hayes valley Italian ristorante. Nice and attentive staff. Would absolutely recommend

Beautiful and cozy place with delicious food and friendly staff. The woman who welcomed us was super nice and attentive. The lasagnetta was something new and I’m glad I tried it! We also ordered Merlot, great quality!

The ambience gets positive notes: cozy, “old-country” style decor, intimate, candlelit tables, something charming about the décor like murals, Chianti bottles etc.

I love places like this! The house made noodles were great, and I'm obsessed with the bread! Other reviewers have said the bread is salty, and I agree, but I love how salty it is. It also has a beautifully crispy crust and is served hot and presumably fresh from the oven. Other things we loved were the ravioli with sausage inside and the tiramisu. Good amount of food for the price. Don't expect an upscale dining experience, expect food that feels homey and makes you feel satisfied.

Went with my group of friends. It is a great atmosphere and very tasty pasta and their bread has a nice light crisp also delicious.

We love this place! It's a cute family owned restaurant that serves fresh pizza, pasta, and bread. Great service too. We always have a good time here!

I was skeptical because my husband and I were the first to arrive to an empty place. I'm glad I stayed. The wine, bread, food, and service were fantastic. The pasta is homemade, and the woman running the place is friendly. I was able to switch between English and the Italian I learned in college to talk to her, and it was nice feeling welcomed to do so. Highly recommend for both the food and service.

Food was sooooo good. Got the lobster ravioli and it was insane. Super authentic sauces and perfectly cooked pasta. Love and will be back!!! ☺️😋😋😋

Absolutely the best ravioli I’ve ever had. I had the artichoke ravioli. Italian is my favorite food so I eat a lot of it all over the US and out of all of them this place stands out. The bread was freshly made and superb. Service was extremely fast. Such a hidden treasure.

What an unassuming gem, such a cute authentic Italian restaraunt. Clearly family owned. Dimly lit with wooden tables and benches, red checkered table cloths. Romantic for a date or casual enough for a friends or group setting. We were greeted in Italian and there were many phrases said in Italian throughout the service. It’s cozy and warm inside, smells of delicious Italian food. Best bolgenese I ever head. Though it is a dish I don’t eat often. It was a huge plate of homemade pasta and piles of ground meat in a sauce that was not overpowering at all. The meat and pasta were the star. The artichoke ravioli were delicious too, something I never had before. Tasted delicate. I felt so satisfied after the meal, and everyone we ate with liked their meal too. Got a glass of wine and it was filled to the brim. We were left to talk and even after paying the bill were not rushed out. I would definitely come here again! One of the best meals I have had in San Francisco.

Come for the house-made pastas and tiramisu but definitely stay for the hospitality!! I absolutely loved II Borgo! I had the best fettuccine bolognese ever!! Bring a date, your friends, or your family! An iconic restaurant you must experience!!

The most charming and amazing little Italian dream on the corner. The owner is incredibly welcoming and friendly, the atmosphere is warm and food is exceptional! The pasta is homemade and you can taste the chefs magic in the food. Highly recommend!

Once more at El borgo italian ristorante flavor never ever had disappointed. Always great taste, right on point. The environment is always friendly and inviting, the front person she's amazing so friendly and attentive, the cook will always have your foods made with lots of flavour. I had a great experience every single time I stop by to get a meal. Is hard to find places like this, small family owned with lots of flavour and tradition. 100% recommended

This restaurant is on a busy intersection but it doesn't get much traffic unfortunately. But that means it's always easy to get seated! The lady is friendly and the whole vibe is certainly very Italian. It's not very high end bougie, and is much more homie and casual in here. The pasta quantity is great and the food is pretty heavy. Come here with a big appetite and enjoy!

Great atmosphere, good food, and good service. I had the house made artichoke ravioli tonight and my husband had the house made fettuccine bolognese. Both were delicious and portions were generous. The pasta was fresh and the sauce was tasty. We also enjoyed the warm bread to begin. We have enjoyed this place many times- the gnocchi and the pizza are also delicious. Tonight the place was packed and the service was great. Its a nice little spot for dinner. Very comfy and great food. We love this spot.

Always has gluten free pasta. Very nice. Inside atmosphere is charming. Great date spot. Prices are below average for the city but you can splurge on wine. I’m especially fond of the drip candles.

Very friendly people, me and my family really enjoyed the pasta and salad. And the bread was very very fresh and super delicious. I will definitely be visiting every time I'm in town.

Marisa

What an unassuming gem, such a cute authentic Italian restaraunt. Clearly family owned. Dimly lit with wooden tables and benches, red checkered table cloths. Romantic for a date or casual enough for a friends or group setting. We were greeted in Italian and there were many phrases said in Italian throughout the service. It’s cozy and warm inside, smells of delicious Italian food. Best bolgenese I ever head. Though it is a dish I don’t eat often. It was a huge plate of homemade pasta and piles of ground meat in a sauce that was not overpowering at all. The meat and pasta were the star. The artichoke ravioli were delicious too, something I never had before. Tasted delicate. I felt so satisfied after the meal, and everyone we ate with liked their meal too. Got a glass of wine and it was filled to the brim. We were left to talk and even after paying the bill were not rushed out. I would definitely come here again! One of the best meals I have had in San Francisco.

Tim Macalino

Come for the house-made pastas and tiramisu but definitely stay for the hospitality!! I absolutely loved II Borgo! I had the best fettuccine bolognese ever!! Bring a date, your friends, or your family! An iconic restaurant you must experience!!

Cherice Whewell

The most charming and amazing little Italian dream on the corner. The owner is incredibly welcoming and friendly, the atmosphere is warm and food is exceptional! The pasta is homemade and you can taste the chefs magic in the food. Highly recommend!

Kamibabe (Camzi)

Once more at El borgo italian ristorante flavor never ever had disappointed. Always great taste, right on point. The environment is always friendly and inviting, the front person she's amazing so friendly and attentive, the cook will always have your foods made with lots of flavour. I had a great experience every single time I stop by to get a meal. Is hard to find places like this, small family owned with lots of flavour and tradition. 100% recommended

Joshua Yuan

This restaurant is on a busy intersection but it doesn't get much traffic unfortunately. But that means it's always easy to get seated! The lady is friendly and the whole vibe is certainly very Italian. It's not very high end bougie, and is much more homie and casual in here. The pasta quantity is great and the food is pretty heavy. Come here with a big appetite and enjoy!

Sacha O

Great atmosphere, good food, and good service. I had the house made artichoke ravioli tonight and my husband had the house made fettuccine bolognese. Both were delicious and portions were generous. The pasta was fresh and the sauce was tasty. We also enjoyed the warm bread to begin. We have enjoyed this place many times- the gnocchi and the pizza are also delicious. Tonight the place was packed and the service was great. Its a nice little spot for dinner. Very comfy and great food. We love this spot.

Dee Beutel

Always has gluten free pasta. Very nice. Inside atmosphere is charming. Great date spot. Prices are below average for the city but you can splurge on wine. I’m especially fond of the drip candles.

Yao Jiang

The food is very hearty!! Restaurant is cute and cozy!! Such a hidden gem in this neighborhood

A friend of mine told me about this place. It's a solid Italian restaurant with great authentic ambiance. The food is always good here and I recommend you give it a try.

We’ve come here twice and each time it reminds us of our visit to Bologna and Tuscany regions of Italy. The pasta is delicious (lobster ravioli) and we usually ask the server which wine to pair but I don’t feel like you can go wrong with the selection. The restaurant is one of the coziest we’ve found in the city. Will definitely be returning!

Really loved this place. It’s got that down-home, cozy vibe that’s hard to find in SF these days. No scene, just good food and friendly service. You can walk in, ask for a glass of wine and they’ll bring you a generous pour with warm fresh bread. We asked for some red sauce and they brought out this homemade marinara that really hit the spot. Everything felt super relaxed and easy. We liked it so much, we woke up the this morning and are already planning to come back tonight 😂 Definitely a hidden gem

Oh yeah. Properly down to earth Italian food. Sooo sooo good and at a decent price. & the tiramisu… well, now I no longer have to haul cross town to get the real deal 😋 Service was friendly in multiple languages too. Mille grazie?

Such a hidden gem! Had the best time with my friends. The lasagna was great: It’s an unassuming restaurant with great food. They won’t check in on you every minute like other restaurants but it’s honestly better this way. If you want a nice night out with reasonable pricing, come to this place.

Cozy neighborhood red sauce joint. Love this spot for classic pasta dishes and a nice wine. Kindest staff, homey welcoming feel, will definitely be back!

Jordan Vanduyn

We’ve come here twice and each time it reminds us of our visit to Bologna and Tuscany regions of Italy. The pasta is delicious (lobster ravioli) and we usually ask the server which wine to pair but I don’t feel like you can go wrong with the selection. The restaurant is one of the coziest we’ve found in the city. Will definitely be returning!

Bryan Rairie

A friend of mine told me about this place. It's a solid Italian restaurant with great authentic ambiance. The food is always good here and I recommend you give it a try.

Dani victoria

Food was sooooo good. Got the lobster ravioli and it was insane. Super authentic sauces and perfectly cooked pasta. Love and will be back!!! ☺️😋😋😋

Dr Scu

Oh yeah. Properly down to earth Italian food. Sooo sooo good and at a decent price. & the tiramisu… well, now I no longer have to haul cross town to get the real deal 😋 Service was friendly in multiple languages too. Mille grazie?

Melanie Bowden

Really loved this place. It’s got that down-home, cozy vibe that’s hard to find in SF these days. No scene, just good food and friendly service. You can walk in, ask for a glass of wine and they’ll bring you a generous pour with warm fresh bread. We asked for some red sauce and they brought out this homemade marinara that really hit the spot. Everything felt super relaxed and easy. We liked it so much, we woke up the this morning and are already planning to come back tonight 😂 Definitely a hidden gem

Olivia Wu

Such a hidden gem! Had the best time with my friends. The lasagna was great: It’s an unassuming restaurant with great food. They won’t check in on you every minute like other restaurants but it’s honestly better this way. If you want a nice night out with reasonable pricing, come to this place.

Aly Workman

Absolutely the best ravioli I’ve ever had. I had the artichoke ravioli. Italian is my favorite food so I eat a lot of it all over the US and out of all of them this place stands out. The bread was freshly made and superb. Service was extremely fast. Such a hidden treasure.

super friendly staff + yummy food. feels like a homey style of pasta with classic flavours~

Enjoyed my Italian meal here with a bunch of friends on a Sunday evening. Not too busy. Not too noisy. But we did make a reservation beforehand. Shared a bottle of Macchiavelli red wine. Each had our own main course. I had the Lasagnetta Del Borgo. It was not what I expected. Not the conventional layers of lasagna that you expect. Instead it looked more like rolls of tagliatelle. Taste was sufficiently fresh and rich. Could do with a little more spice. Portions decent. Shared a tiramisu. It was not fancy-looking but tasted good. USD28 per pax for a group of 5.

What a great neighborhood gem! Stopped in for an early dinner and it reminded me of some of the non-pretentious local Italian restaurants I grew up visiting. Simple, but quality, dishes with friendly and attentive service.

This old school Italian place was so much fun. I was a little surprised they weren't more crowded on a Friday night. So they took our reservation for 10 and we wanted in one by one. The prosciutto lasagna may have been the hit of the evening. Everyone was quite pleased with their food and we split some antipasto, bruschetta and wine. Would love to visit again.

Decent food and service, and a lovely atmosphere. Quiet and homey on a Saturday evening. Caprese salad was much too salty, and green beans overcooked. The ravioli and potatoes were great.

David Akers

Decent food and service, and a lovely atmosphere. Quiet and homey on a Saturday evening. Caprese salad was much too salty, and green beans overcooked. The ravioli and potatoes were great.

Dine-in service was excellent. The fettuccini was awesome, and the tiramisu was fabulous. We loved the house Chianti and Merlot. However, the Casareccia Insalate and Lobster Ravioli need to be reimagined.

Emery Ville

Dine-in service was excellent. The fettuccini was awesome, and the tiramisu was fabulous. We loved the house Chianti and Merlot. However, the Casareccia Insalate and Lobster Ravioli need to be reimagined.

I was craving Italian i decided to try this place out. The best part was the atmosphere. I loved the old look and darkly lit dining area. Now, the service, which i think was the owner, was a little quiet. I had the gnocchi with meat sauce, the gnocchi was good, the sauce needed more flavor, and would have been way better with fresh parmesan. I also ordered a sparkling was a large bottle there is no way one person can drink that much water. Could have left the cap and I could have taken the rest home. I also ordered an espresso and tiramisu. This thing was huge, and way to much rum. The espresso tasted weird, not sure what kind of coffee they use, but it wasn't good. Not sure if I'll go back.

Genuine Italian food with decent portions and quality ingredients. My lasagna was delicious but the tiramisu outshined everything else. It was delicious and felt like an Italian grandma just made it in the back. My only complaint is the bread, maybe try a different bread.

Let me try to put in words on what I think Il Borgo is and or could be. As so often on one of our long walks through the various neighborhoods of SF we passed II Borgo and decided to give it a try. At first I was a bit hesitant as the place lacked customers. But as we all know the first customer is the most important one and might attract additional customers. The interior certainly resembles many small eateries in Europe and gives a touch of Italy. Rustic, unique, different are some of the words that come to mind. The menu covers most aspects of Italian dining and a taste of home cooking. The owners make you feel welcome in their own way and I certainly can appreciate the ongoing Italian pop songs from the 70s 80s and 90s. So we ordered the Bruschetta, which was a lovely tasty appetizer that went well with the Chianti house wine. The bread served was crisp and warm and a nice way to dip in some of the olive oil. The main courses, one pasta pomodoro and a pizza funghi salsicca . The pasta super al Dante was perfectly cooked but the pomodoro was a bit salty and could have used some more herbs and spice to bring out flavor. The pizza, I watched the chef prepping the dough old fashion style twirling the dough in the air. Major plus points on this one. The dough has a nice crisp and burnt taste to it which I love but I think either the sausage or the mushroom had too much moisture which caused the dough to sag. Bummer , keeping the toppings dry would prevent that. Overall it was a nice experience. I think the place could use modernization while holding on to its rustic touch. A more extended beverage menu could do wonders as well. Portion size to price is certainly a decent deal.

it's decent pizza and has it's own thing going on. I am glad I tried it but I wouldn't recommend this to anyone unless they were Pizza Elitists and aiming to try them all. It's good. Well made. It's just also eh. So chew on that. Nothing that crazy to say about this place. Mid is a good description. Good quality mid though.

Chef Tony

I was craving Italian i decided to try this place out. The best part was the atmosphere. I loved the old look and darkly lit dining area. Now, the service, which i think was the owner, was a little quiet. I had the gnocchi with meat sauce, the gnocchi was good, the sauce needed more flavor, and would have been way better with fresh parmesan. I also ordered a sparkling was a large bottle there is no way one person can drink that much water. Could have left the cap and I could have taken the rest home. I also ordered an espresso and tiramisu. This thing was huge, and way to much rum. The espresso tasted weird, not sure what kind of coffee they use, but it wasn't good. Not sure if I'll go back.

Gavin Hanlin

Genuine Italian food with decent portions and quality ingredients. My lasagna was delicious but the tiramisu outshined everything else. It was delicious and felt like an Italian grandma just made it in the back. My only complaint is the bread, maybe try a different bread.

R M

Let me try to put in words on what I think Il Borgo is and or could be. As so often on one of our long walks through the various neighborhoods of SF we passed II Borgo and decided to give it a try. At first I was a bit hesitant as the place lacked customers. But as we all know the first customer is the most important one and might attract additional customers. The interior certainly resembles many small eateries in Europe and gives a touch of Italy. Rustic, unique, different are some of the words that come to mind. The menu covers most aspects of Italian dining and a taste of home cooking. The owners make you feel welcome in their own way and I certainly can appreciate the ongoing Italian pop songs from the 70s 80s and 90s. So we ordered the Bruschetta, which was a lovely tasty appetizer that went well with the Chianti house wine. The bread served was crisp and warm and a nice way to dip in some of the olive oil. The main courses, one pasta pomodoro and a pizza funghi salsicca . The pasta super al Dante was perfectly cooked but the pomodoro was a bit salty and could have used some more herbs and spice to bring out flavor. The pizza, I watched the chef prepping the dough old fashion style twirling the dough in the air. Major plus points on this one. The dough has a nice crisp and burnt taste to it which I love but I think either the sausage or the mushroom had too much moisture which caused the dough to sag. Bummer , keeping the toppings dry would prevent that. Overall it was a nice experience. I think the place could use modernization while holding on to its rustic touch. A more extended beverage menu could do wonders as well. Portion size to price is certainly a decent deal.

First disappointment the water as it arrived in dirty cups. Then, the god awful bland food. Gnocchi tasted like garbage. Lasganaeta tasted like something I could make at home and definitely not worth 20 bucks. The Margherita pizza was pretty good. Service lady was nice. Atmosphere was good and there was a classic italian aethetic to the place. But overall, NOT worth the price!

Hadn’t been there in 15 years and the menu and decor were exactly the same. Could really use an update. With two noisy groups there, we couldn’t even hear ourselves think. Waiter said nothing other than taking the order and grunting. At 7pm you couldn’t order pizza - they ran out. Food taste and quality just ok, below average for SF. With so many choices around SF for good Italian I wouldn’t go back to this place.