We arrived at The Rustic as a party of four, and we were all thoroughly impressed by the speed, care, and quality of not only the food, but the service. Before I continue, one thing you need to understand is that Owen was the only server on staff, covering all the tables that evening. Even with that workload, he never made us feel rushed. In fact, it was the opposite. We (annoyingly) took forever to order, and Owen was patient the entire time. He gave us a few recommendations that we ended up following (the orecchiette and the Italian sausage pizza), and both were absolutely delicious. Throughout the meal, he also checked up on us and brought us tastes of different wines that complemented our food perfectly. Despite handling the entire dining room on his own, Owen made us feel genuinely cared for and catered to in a way that far exceeded our expectations. We'll definitely be back to The Rustic. The food was fantastic and the decor was incredible, but the real reason we'll return is the standard of hospitality Owen delivered. It's rare to receive service that memorable. read more

It was a somewhat strange experience to go out to dinner in San Francisco on a Saturday night in an empty restaurant. There was no buzz. It wasn't very much fun . The Rustic is a very nice looking restaurant and easy to get to by public transit. I'd have to say the food is ok but very average. My husband got the risotto as a main course and it wasn't a good choice. It was tasty but definitely seemed like a side dish . I got the porcini ravioli which was ok but nothing special. The baby gem salad was very ordinary. Service was decent . The complimentary focaccia was good snd wine was $11 as glass. We were very disappointed because the place is attractive, reasonably priced snd very convenient for us to get to. It just wasn't much fun. Three stars is generous. read more

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I'm surprised The Rustic is not getting more crowd attention! The food is delicious where I'm still thinking about my meal days after! My whole table openly shared how delicious their dish was. Setting was quiet and not crowded. Staff and service were kind, prompt, and attentive. I would go here more often if I lived close by but everything here stands out for me to come again. Highly recommend! read more

Came here for my birthday dinner and the service was excellent and the ambiance was perfect for hosting!! There were mixed opinions about the food but I liked it. read more

The Rustic - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The service is fenomenal! Super friendly and attentive. Food is good as well. Place is really calm, the restroom has a big mirror! Food arrived fast read more

Soup, bread, chicken, and pasta have all been good Cute place with enough people to feel lively but still easy to get in Normally good service, although when I was there this week, there was a new bartender that made my spritz wrong and it was awful read more

The Rustic - Complimentary bread and spritz - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

Found this place on yelp reservations and was pleasantly surprised by not only the warm and friendly ambiance but also the delicious and well priced food and drinks. Food tasted fresh and light, but also filling! Definitely do not skip the focaccia! read more

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We have been to The Rustic a couple time now. Located on Church and Market, a couple blocks away from the 'main' Castro Street area, they are a bit off the hustle of the Castro. Interior is simple and nice, with a large patio in the back. We always choose to be in the patio area. Service has been consistent and attentive. They have a decent variety of menu items for dinner, and the food we have ordered has been good each time. Yes, you can find some other 'specialized' cuisines elsewhere, but for consistently good dining, atmosphere and service, we have enjoyed coming here. read more

The Rustic - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Spontaneous visited for brunch and turned out to be one of the best Western food experience I have ever had! The server was nice and the restaurant was quite (we got street view seating!) but the food absolutely stood out! Burrata caprese was just as expected, soup of the day (mushroom) was very umami but the mussels & beef ragu were STARS!!! Never tasted such a good moules frites before - carefully handled mussels with no after taste, together with flavorful juice/sauce that was perfect for dipping the fries! And the beef ragu on (handmade?) pasta... al dente paste together with that sauce (full of meat and cheese btw) was unforgettable... Will definitely come back! read more

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Ordered here via Uber Eats. I won't be ordering from this restaurant again. My Italian sausage pizza arrived cold (not even lukewarm) and my dinner companion's pasta arrived piping hot. Unclear how they messed the staging up that badly, but it definitely raised questions. The pizza tasted stale even after I cooked it again myself at home. It wasn't what I'd expect for wood fired (no blackening or even browning of the crust). The meat was good but there was very little of it. There was nothing particularly tasty about the sauce and the crust was underwhelming. San Francisco has great pizza and this was definitely not great pizza. The pasta was apparently good. Hopefully others have better luck if they stick to the pasta dishes. read more

Meh. With so many good places to get apps and salads, this place did not deliver. Spanish octopus with frisée and beans The first rule of food is that when you kill an animal for food you are obligated to cook it properly and without waste. There were three tentacles: the thin end tentacle and two 3/4" tentacles. The thin end was overcooked, which makes no sense because it could have been cooked last. The other tentacles were unevenly cooked: hard on the outside and half cooked on the inside. The sauces were orange and green. Some kind of pepper sauce and pesto, both mild and lacking distinct flavor. The frisée wasn't dressed. The beans were al dente - good for pasta, not beans. Frisée and radicchio salad with roasted hazelnuts Very sour and unevenly dressed. Oddly, some lettuce pieces were ice-cold, some room temperature, some very sour, some with no flavor at all. I found one whole hazelnut. The rest were mostly in tiny pieces, lending a powdery texture. This was a waste of perfectly good salad ingredients. We sent it back. Burrata with peaches and arugula This was sloppy mess. The arugula was soaked with dressing and looked like cooked spinach. The creamy interior of the burrata was poured on top of the mass of sopping wet greens, with no outside mozzarella shell to contain it. The wine reduction ran into the burrata in a distasteful brown river. It came with 4 huge, raw peach chunks that were barely sweet. We thought we might come back for the wood-fired pizzas, but as we left we got a good look at the crust that appears bready and soft. Now I know why this place is empty. read more

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4.5 stars! Wonderful restaurant with a classy, intimate interior! Made a reservation for 2 for 6:30pm on a Friday and the restaurant was surprisingly empty. They seated us next to the window and it fun to people watch, and also felt a lot more intimate in the corner. We ordered the two vegetarian pasta options- the ravioli and the risotto. The waiter kindly offered to split our meals for us since we were sharing (pictures are of half portions!). Ravioli- 4/5 interesting lemon flavor! Thought the tomatoes were much needed to balance out the dish and could've used some more Risotto- 5/5 I'm not a big risotto person but this was delicious! Perfectly cheesy risotto, great ratio of veggies, and the asparagus was perfectly cooked. Great place to just sit and chat over a delicious meal. No one rushed us out (assuming because the restaurant was pretty empty) and the waiters kept refilling our waters. Had a great experience. Will be back to try the rest of the menu read more

The Rustic - Ravioli (split into 2 portions) - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Went to Tavola Rustica for an early dinner and had a great time. They started us off with warm focaccia and olive oil. Then we had the fried calamari, super fresh and just served with lemon and marinara. I got the branzino and loved it: crispy skin, oven-roasted so not greasy at all, and it came with a light arugula and fennel salad. If you like clean, light dinners, go for it. I also tried the pesto ravioli, which came out a bit firm, but the staff was super nice about it, replaced it right away, and even took it off the bill. That alone says a lot about their service. Everyone was kind, the vibe was relaxed, and the menu had a solid mix of pastas, pitas, steak, tagine, and wine. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area!! read more

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I've been to the Rustic several times now and feel super confident in my review for gluten free diners. Super cozy ambience in this spot. Great service (especially at the bar!). Nice wine list. Tons of gluten free options. I've tried several pastas and the Orichette with GF pasta is fabulous- only my Italian aunt makes it better ;p they also have several gluten free desserts so save room! Menu isn't marked but staff has a good knowledge about gluten allergies! read more

Came in on a Sunday with a party of 2 with a 11:15 reservation. This is pretty early for brunch, so not many people in yet. We picked a nice table near the window. Perfect for people watching! Food is fantastic, and our waiter was wonderful. We had multiple check-ins throughout our meal. Our initial appetizer (Moules Frites) took a little longer at 30min, but everything else came out at a very reasonable pace. My favorite that we ordered was the Whole Branzino! The skin is super crispy, everything was well-seasoned. We had a great time, definitely would recommend this for a nice brunch with the girls, or a cute date spot! read more

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Came here for birthday dinner. Made a reservation the day before for party of 9. Great location between Castro and the mission neighborhoods. Delicious food and I'd def recommend and go back again. Inside is nice with fun lighting read more

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The second time I ate here was even better than the last time I ate here . The pasta dish I ate was so good. The service was just as friendly if not more friendly than the last time I ate at this restaurant. The ambiance of this place was very fancy. I highly recommended this restaurant. I give them 5 stars read more

The Rustic - Restaurant - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here for a cute little palentines day dinner with my friends and everything was so good! The vibes were immaculate, perfect amount of moody/vibey lighting but not too dark where it's too intimate. The service was so good our server was super helpful in explaining the menu as well as the wine list. The food came out fairly quick and everything was so good from the salad to all the pastas. Such a fun cute restaurant, will def be back! read more

The Rustic - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here for an early evening dinner and was seated immediately- we did have a reservation but the place was pretty open. Everything we tried was pretty good. Service was good. read more

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3.5 stars! The Rustic is a cute restaurant & bar right off the Church MUNI station with good offerings for pasta and appetizers. FOOD [3.5] ========= + Steak Tartare (3/5) Too salty for my taste and the pickles made the presentation look weird in my opinion! + Pesto (4/5) Good pesto! Small portion for the price. The pesto sauce was pretty well done. I think the raviolis could've had more flavor. + Occiattelle (3.5/5) Pretty good pasta, just wish it was more flavorful. :) The ambiance of the interior is gorgeous with pink lighting and great decor. Service is pretty attentive! read more

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Cute brunch & cocktail spot! Quirky decor like a neon "Hotline bling" light and a big bright pink London-style phone booth. I enjoyed my Valentine's brunch there. RESERVATIONS Nabbed just a couple days in advance for Valentine's Day (Friday) brunch. They weren't booked up so we could have walked in as well. SERVICE The owner/bartender (we think) was serving all the tables, yet was very present and always available; he was also energetic and nice. THE COST $105.82 total including tax/top for 2 drinks, 1 starter, 2 brunch entrees. APERITIF & COCKTAIL & SPRITZ * Veso Strawberry Solstice Spritz ($15) - 3 stars. * Mommenpop Blood Orange Spritz ($13) - 3 stars. Both spritzes were a bit sweet and refreshing, but nothing too interesting. * White Korean (gave us samples for free because we asked about this!) - 3 stars. Interesting but the mix of flavors (I forgot what he mixed but it was a Korean-inspired White Russian type drink) didn't quite work the best together. SNACKS * Burrata Caprese ($15, +$5 prosciutto) - 3.5 stars. A little too much lemon/pesto, otherwise fresh and tasty. * Free Foccacia - 3.5 stars. Very soft & nice. A tad dry. BRUNCH * Fried Chicken Sando ($16) - 4 stars. Delicious moist chicken, thick breading, bread soft but was falling apart. The "shoestring fries" were actually not very thin - they were similar thickness to McDonald's fries. * French Toast ($14) - 3.5 stars. The outside of bread was soft but dry, while the middle was very moist and soaked through in butter. Good overall but I wished it were more consistent! read more

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Ambiance: 5 stars The restaurant is beautiful and feels spacious. The tables are spaced nicely so that you don't feel too crowded while dining. Food: 3 stars We tried the octopus, mushroom pizza, pasta bolognese, linguine & clams and chocolate budino. We enjoyed the octopus, which was tender and tasty. The pizza and pastas were okay. I'd come back one more time to try some other dishes. I would love to see if we find something that we love! Service: 5 stars The staff was friendly, patient and answered our many questions. Thanks! read more

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Service was excellent. Food was better than the last time I was here (and it was good enough then that I went back.) Split the little gem salad, beet salad, frito misto, octopus and the branzino. The portion of octopus was huge for the price and it was very good. Yes I've had better but not in the US. That's saying a lot. The branzino was perfectly cooked and excellent. I really liked the little gem salad as well-it had a really bright and atypical goddess dressing which was just yummy. The beet salad was good but I love beets and would have liked more beets! I also liked the frito mixto but would have liked it better if the breading had been more tempura like. Finally, they give you free focaccia but you have to ask. Last but not least, the back patio was lovely. Overall this was a really nice meal. read more

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I've dined here three times, once with my wife and twice with groups of four. Every visit has been consistently excellent! The combination of delicious food, great service, and fun drinks (the spritzes are amazing) makes this a place I will keep coming back to! My favorite foods are Pizza, Pasta and Salad, so this menu is basically my idea of heaven. The Pizza dough if flavorful, perfectly cooked and the crust has a good crumb. The pastas are made fresh in house and you really taste the care that goes into them (the pappardelle oxtail ragu is the best pasta I have had this year). I was impressed by the salads especially the chicories and little gems as the lettuce was fresh and crisp (I have had so many salads that just taste dead). The desserts are delicious as well. I've tried all of them, and while everything was solid, the chocolate budino is my favorite. I love this place! read more

11:30am, Sunday Here to check out the Avocado Toast & linger over the New York Times. Since I was the first one here, didn't feel like I was taking up needed tables. Changed seats twice looking for adequate reading light, settling for the rather cool covered courtyard. The bar area is clearly for day drinking. Why is it bars usually have dim lighting? Anyway, on to the main event, the yummy Avocado Toast. Two thick crust slices of artisanal bread. I wish it was more toasted but it passed the eat with your hands test. Avocado mash, kind of runny, topped with chili flakes & kind of runny poached eggs. Egg preparation is purely subjective, so no deduction here. The plate was filled with a generous portion of perfectly dressed greens. Again, The Crabby Gourmet doesn't understand salad for breakfast. In their defense, it's a brunch item at The Rustic. The service was friendly, no attitude, & the food came out promptly. I've been here before with friends, ordering from the dinner menu. The place was hopping, the music upbeat, including the requisite Castro District vintage Freddie Mercury & disco hits from nightclubs of yore. Pizza, mains all delicious with the only miss being a side of rubbery grilled Spanish octopus. All in all, I will definitely return with friends for the lively atmosphere & varied menu. Just no octopus. No regrets, Support Local! read more

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Solid neighborhood spot. It's the kind of place where you can just walk in for brunch or dinner and get a table, and know that it'll be a good meal. Will it be the most innovative or mind blowing meal? No. But it's good and reasonably priced, and that's what makes it a great neighborhood restaurant. Between brunch and dinner I've tried: Calamari - Solid, I'd get this again. Mortadella - I really liked the creaminess of the burrata paired with the arugula and mortadella. It feels light and yet is creamy and delicious. Don't miss this. Wild mushroom pizza - This was only okay, I'd skip it. Little gems salad - Good salad option. Campanelle bolognese - Quite good, nice pasta texture. Omelette - Pretty standard omelette, nothing to write home about. I don't love this style of omelette where the egg wraps around the loose filling. Service can be spotty - when we came for dinner and were seated inside, we found it took a really long time to flag down anyone to take our order or get us the check. I really like the backyard patio, especially for brunch on a nice day, while I don't love the ambiance inside, feels a bit dark / cold. read more

Prior to this building becoming the chic pasta spot it is today, it housed two restaurants I enjoyed -- Cook Shoppe which closed shortly after opening amid some crazy legal drama & before that, Chow which served a solid brunch spread. Now a pink British phone booth & neon "Hotline Bling" signage welcomes customers into the long, narrow space, which seems random as Italian fare with a Cali twist is on the menu. Anything for the aesthetic, I guess. It must be said -- where I once had the warm & fuzzies for the former occupants, no such emotion lies for The Rustic. Aside from the high-spirited host, service was cold; aloof female server, & the man (smelling of cigarette smoke) who took & delivered our dessert order did his best to be friendly, but was rough around the edges. I could overlook standoffish service (I get not everyone's an extrovert) if the food was exceptional, but that wasn't the case. The pasta in my Campanelle Bolognese ($23) was undercooked, taking al dente a bit too far for my liking. Though the sauce made up of beef ragu & horseradish cream lacked complexity of flavor, its thick consistency held onto the bellflower-shaped pasta beautifully. I tried a bite of my dining partner's Linguini Frutti di Mare ($30) & almost gagged; it was the fishiest pasta dish of its kind I've ever tasted. Limoncello Cake ($10) was quite good; raspberry sauce complemented the subtle tartness. Traditional Marash Ice Cream ($11) described as "milk ice cream with mastic, salep, & pistachio" is a Turkish dessert that uses a type of gum to give the ice cream a stretchy texture. Not my cup o' tea, but certainly unique. A just okay meal I have no desire to repeat. read more

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Burnt my avocado toast. I tried eating about half the bread to be polite, but the other half was inedibly burnt. When I told them about it they took the plate away, and then when the bill came they charged me full price. read more

The food was good. The service was really disorganized disorganized. We had three different people wait on our table and they didn't seem to talk to each other at all. We asked for the complimentary focaccia when we ordered. Instead of it coming before the meal it came with the meal and only after we asked about it a second time. They forgot to bring one of our drinks without a reminder. We hadn't finished our appetizers and instead of asking if we were done, the waiter, tried to clear the plates. Also hate it when the waitstaff takes your silverware off your appetizer plate and puts it on the table instead of bringing fresh silverware. I doubt I would recommend this place or go back again. read more

We recently hosted our baby's first birthday at Tavola Rustica, and it was absolutely perfect. From start to finish, Zoti (the owner) went above and beyond to make everything seamless, stress-free, and truly special. The food was incredible--people were raving about the salad, pasta, and the mushroom pizza. We also had a wine tasting prior to the event, and Zoti's wine selection is top-tier. He really knows his stuff, and every bottle he helped recommend for the event was a hit. Let me repeat, people LOVED the wine. We rented out the entire restaurant, and Zoti offered a very reasonable price for the space and food for our 50 person party. He was so accommodating with all our requests-- 7 high chairs, custom prefixe menus, guests arriving late or needing to leave early, and even making note of every allergy or dietary restriction. He even packed up a nice to go box for my friends who had to leave early for their baby's nap. We brought in decorations and set up a little play area in the back for the kids, which worked out perfectly. When the little ones got fussy, we could bring them to the back to play and then head back for more delicious food and wine. Everything about the experience--from the food, service, and wine to the space itself--was beautiful. Zoti made my vision come to life, and I can't recommend Tavola Rustica enough. If you're looking for a space to host your private event, reach out to Zoti. You will not be disappointed! read more

The Rustic - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is a cute little Italian restaurant that is warmly decorated with rustic tones inside. We were seated at a small table at the window so we could people watch. Since this place is located at the corner of Market Street, there are definitely a lot of interesting characters that pass by. We started off with their steak tartar and split a mortadella pizza for our entree. The tartar was meh - I think they tried to make it very unique with adding in capers, truffle paste, mustard, etc. but honestly, it was too much going on. The pizza saved the day though - the mortadella came with burrata, pistachio, arugula, and of course, slides of mortadella. At first glance, I thought that the ratio of the arugula was off but once we bit into it, all the different ingredients paired together very well. I had never had pistachio on my pizza before this so wasn't really sure what to expect, but the crunchiness of the nut along with the creaminess of the cheese and the saltiness of the deli meat all went well together. We decided to drizzle some olive oil on our slices which really helped to bring out the flavors of everything. The size of the pizza itself is actually a really generous side and was perfect for the two of us to split and still have some leftovers. read more

The Rustic - Mortadella Pizza - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

The food was delicious and it's a really cute restaurant! I really loved the Italian sausage pizza! The servers were very attentive and gave really good recommendations. Can't wait to return! read more

The Rustic - Shoestring Fries - Italian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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The food was great, the service was awesome and the wine selection was very thoughtful and great. We ordered the fires olives stuffed with anchovies, very good. The pizza was a nice size and the dough was great. Also the mussels and fries were lights out! read more

Lovely neighborhood place, though I'm still confused about the pink UK telephone box. We started with the fried olives and two glasses of wine, with oxtail pappardelle and the branzino as our mains. The pasta was split for sharing, a considerate touch. The fish was great, perfectly cooked and the rosemary sprig really went well with the scorched lemon. An arugula and fennel salad paired well. We didn't opt for the bread nor dessert, but will be back! read more

Honesty I came to try their tartare and was delighted by everything else too~~ Walked in and was immediately greeted by the staff. They were super nice and accommodating! We came in for lunch so the tartare wasn't available just yet, but the kitchen was kind enough to prepare it anyways since they had everything ready for dinner service. The restaurant itself has really chill and friendly atmosphere. There's additional seating in the back that gets a touch of sunlight with the top down. Food was great! We got: Steak Tartare - had a lovely flavor and really nice bite with the cornichons Moule Frites - Probably one of the best restaurant fries I've ever had. The sauce on the mussels was delicious too Fritto Misto - fried vegetables are always good! Loved the variety and the sauce it came with Pasta - very meaty and hearty. We added chili flakes and flavor was beautiful read more

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Came here with some friends on a random weekday for lunch. We chose The Rustic because we had a craving for steak tartare. Unfortunately they don't serve steak tartare for lunch, however our server and the back of house were super nice and was able to prepare it for us. We ordered these: Moules frites (5/5): the mussels were tender, the sauce was good, and the fries were probably the best restaurant fries I've had. Super crispy on the outside. Steal tartare (3/5): the steak tartare itself was pretty good, but we felt like it could've used some more acid or something to balance out the fatty meaty flavor, maybe extra pickle? This dish got a lower score too because the bread cracker thing that came with the tartare was super hard. We gave up trying to eat it. Amatriciana (4/5): noodle consistency was bouncy and yummy. Pro tip: ask for their homemade chili oil on the side to add some spice! It's homemade too. Fritto misto (3/5): pretty average, the sauce it comes with is yummy though. Overall, the food was pretty good, but the service is phenomenal. Our server was super friendly and accommodating and the vibes of the restaurant are cute. Would def recommend The Rustic for cute brunch vibes. (Their mimosas are also really strong!) read more

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We were warmly welcomed when we'd entered the restaurant, a beautiful bar to our left as we walked back to the main dining room. If dining alone, I'd happily sit and dine at the beautifully lit and inviting bar. But to the food, moments of brilliance! We split the fritto misto ($16) and hamachi crudo, the yellowtail roughly cut into thin ribbons and finished with finely chopped pistachios and mint and little squares of blood oranges ($17). It was delightful and the perfect counterpoint to the crunchy shrimp in the fritto misto. I highly recommend pairing these dishes with a beautiful mineral white, I Favati Greco di Tufo. I decided that since it was Mother's Day to indulge: I had a glass and took the bottle of wine home. The special wood-fired pizza ($25) of pepperoni, basil, red onion, mortadella and melted burrata was finished with a drizzle of fine olive oil. The special pizza almost overshadowed the savory and delicious spiced ribeye ($39). The steak was so tender and juicy, the compounded butter with mint, basil, dill and parsley melted divinely into the steak. While the potatoes were well seasoned, they were soggy but the grilled broccolini was smoky, roasty and delicious. Perfectly paired with a glass of the peppery red Nebbiolo ($17) the steak - and wine - were a real treat. The citrus infused menu items continued with the lemon blueberry cheesecake ($10) with a big lemon flavor that made the dessert sing. The giant ripe raspberries made me less regretful the slice wasn't just a bit more generous. My son had the tiramisu ($11) and it was all that that dessert should be. I wondered if they added Madeira to the lady fingers but I was too sated to ask. Lovely service, small but excellent menu. After only seven months since opening, I can't wait to see how well they'll surely do. Can't wait to return. read more

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Pretty tasty food and nice vibe. Kinda strange it didn't have a bigger brunch crowd, but maybe word isn't out yet. I highly recommend the French Toast, some of the best I've had! Focaccia: A nice way to start the meal, with some free warm bread made in-house. It's got that fluffy chewy focaccia texture down. Nice olive oil baked into the sides. Good way to get your appetite going. French Toast: A really tasty breakfast dish. The French Toast is fluffy and custardy and full of flavor. Honestly, you don't need the maple syrup on the side, but who am I turn down more sweetness? The toast itself is so moist, plus the cream and fresh berries on top. Really great. Breakfast Pizza: So the two sunny side up eggs in the center are great for dipping the fluffy crust in. Like normally the crust is just a chore, but I looked forward to it here. The rest of the pizza is cheesy with lots of mushrooms and tiny pancetta pieces. Pretty rich. And perhaps a bit too mushroomy for my tastes. read more

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Friend and I had an excellent dinner here at The Rustic tonight. For a weekday at around 7pm, there were plenty of diners. Both interior and ambiance were nice. We were seated in the back patio with heaters above us. The patio also had other diners but we were able to speak and hear each other comfortably. Service was excellent and very tentative. Aside from making sure the table was set up, our waiter was respectful when we needed extra time to decide what to order. We settled for these dishes: 1. Spanish octopus - yum, a great meal starter. 2. Moules frites - though listed under snacks, I found this dish to be big enough for a meal. Save the sauce to dip the fries and the focaccia! 3. Orecchiette -- pasta al dente Speaking of focaccia, they do offer them complimentary if you request them. All dishes were very delicious and filling. We were both stuffed and had to skip dessert, so can't comment on them. Our total bill came out pretty reasonably given the SF inflated dining and the 5% mandate cost. If dining solo, I would definitely get the moules frites again. The pasta is best shared family style, so bring your friends (or family)! read more

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I've been a fan of The Rustic for a while now. It's become a fave in The Castro (adjacent?) for a casual and excellent pizza & salad dinner (a full menu and wine list, too). So when I needed to organize a dinner for 30 for an organization I work with, The Rustic was at the top of my list. I worked with the owner, Zoti, to plan a menu. He proposed family-style service of salads, various pizzas, and a special house dessert. He also readily accommodated a few vegan and GF diners with wonderful pasta dishes. The group loved the dinner. It exceeded my pretty high expectations, both for the quality of the food, the excellent setting, and for the attentive service. We'll be back! read more