A16

I organized a 19-person dinner for my coworkers in early March 2023 here at the Marina location and it was great. I don't have a lot of experience with organizing such events, but the catering representative (Angela Tomey) was patient and offered strong guidance, as well as flexible and responsive in re the array of dietary restrictions and allergies. Of course, the food was excellent, came out and was taken away at a steady and good pace, and the staff was really accommodating and thoughtful in re beverages and more this and that. The "atrium" is a lovely space as well. It was altogether a really positive experience and everyone had a nice time. I would definitely hold large parties at A16 again.

This definitely has a family owned vibe and it has a nice backyard that's great for larger groups. Of course in SF it may get windy and cold even on a sunny day so be prepared for that if you want outside seating. The service is decent but when it gets busy they do forget to bring new bottles of water. We also weren't offered bread.
As for food we only has pizza and dessert so I can only comment on that.
The pizza is very similar to any other Neapolitan style pizza except there is more varieties of different meats they add to pizzas. Tiramisu is delicious as it should. Overall it's a good choice but be aware that parking is ridiculously lacking so be prepared to drive around for a while for street parking even if you park several blocks away.
The name funnily reminds me of a16z but probably doesn't mean anything to anyone who's not a techie.

A cute date night spot or even for group dinners! They have a lovely greenhouse looking room in the back which gave an outdoor feel to it! Pretty straightforward menu with a few interesting items on there!

Smoked burrata: loved the smoky flavor to the super creamy burrata! Great appetizer that can be easily shared!

Pizza: these were my favorite dishes, we got the margarita and the funghi pizzas they were quite filling. The crust was so tasty and the toppings were very fresh!

For pastas we tried the squid ink tonnarelli and the ricotta gnocchi. The tonnarelli was something I've never tried before and the clams and shrimp were a nice touch to it. It's just black in color but you can't even tell that it's supposed to be squid ink! I wasn't a fan of the gnocchi as it was too mushy and could use more seasoning. You can tell it was made in house and super fresh but that dish just wasn't for me.

I usually love Italian food but A16 was a rare Italian restaurant where I couldn't even finish the food. I ordered the orecchiette which was a lamb pasta which had such a strong pecorino cheese flavor that made the dish inedible to me, and I'm someone who loooves pasta. I also had a couple bites of the meatballs and a pizza which was only ok. The biggest disappointment for me was the "Chefs Selection Dessert". It was $11 for an assortment of 5 biscuits that literally tasted like prepackaged biscuits. The food was so unappetizing I didn't even want to take the many leftovers home.

The only good thing about A16 in my opinion is the vibes, there was so much table and bar seating, and heated outdoor seating by the street and in a back patio. The ambiance is very nice, might honestly just be worth it to grab drinks here and not go for the food.

Came here because of a recommendation from a good friend who is also a foodie. Their pizza and pasta were soooooo good and fresh!!!! We loved it so much! Appreciate that they have outdoor seatings with heaters and allowing dogs

Their restrooms are so clean and it smells amazing from their scented candles though it was a little dark haha.

The price is expensive but they are in an expensive area and their food quality is good.

Our waiter, Jeff, was so attentive and kind. Great service from Jeff thank you!

The reviews for A16 are just as mixed as my emotions when I'm riding the cotton pony.

I could of sworn I posted a review 10+ years ago but A16 (SPQR and Mattina's sister resto) still holds a solid 4 stars in my book. If you're looking for solid VPN certified Neapolitan pizza, you've come to the right place.

Since opening in 2004, A16 has expanded to Oakland and Tokyo. Fun fact: Japan has more than 30 VPN pizza joints.

A16's SF location has a Michelin Bib Gourmand award for offering "great food at affordable prices" (not to be confused with Michelin stars). They're open for takeout, delivery, and dine-in. Front patio and parklet seating are dog-friendly. Rezzies available on OpenTable. Not really needed if you dine early (5 pm) and/or don't mind sitting outdoors.

M E N U
South Italian Cuisine. Specialty - VPN Certified Pizzas = Verace Pizza Napoletana: "true Neapolitan pizza" and housemade pastas. Beer and wine only.

6% SF mandate.

Note: The website link from Yelp's page is old. For the updated menu and pricing, the correct website is a16pizza.com.

F O O D
* Braised Pork Meatballs w/ tomato, white wine, basil, grana padano (4 pc - $16): http://tinyurl.com/3w5r4jct

Juicy and bouncy balls (not overworked) but underseasoned and the marinara sauce was on the watery side. Nothing the tableside calabrian chili oil couldn't fix.

* Trippa Napoletana: Braised tripe, tomato, pecorino, breadcrumbs ($19): http://tinyurl.com/4ybv4b7b

Meltingly tender honeycomb tripe in a flavorful stewed tomato sauce and finished with toasted breadcrumbs for texture. Delicious and rustic.

* Salsiccia Pizza: Fennel sausage, broccoli rabe, fior di latte, grana padano, caciocavallo, garlic, chili ($25): http://tinyurl.com/rk5n43zs
--Pizza arrives already cut, no more scissors?

And, THIS is what you come for...

Delightfully crisp and satisfyingly chewy crust with nice blistering on the exterior and undercarriage for a smoky dimension. I liked dipping the exterior crust into the calabrian chili oil. It's topped with stretchy, creamy soft fior di latte and savory morsels of sausage with broccoli rabe that cancels everything out. J/k!

Everyone has different tastes and preferences but since UPN in SoMa moved back to NYC, this is the closest to their pizza that I've found in the city.

* Berkshire Pork Chop w/ saba, hazelnut, mustard greens, orange marmellata, roasted fingerling potatoes ($47): http://tinyurl.com/33e6ymak
--Requested "medium" but was told for safety reasons, they only do well-done (odd).
--Choice of side: cannellini beans, roasted fingerling potatoes, cauliflower, or salad.

Thank goodness for FAT because that fat cap provided flavor and moisture to the well-done pork chop. Love the components - the fruity tang of the saba (grape syrup) and orange marmeletta perfectly complemented the pork, while the dressed mustard greens and hazelnuts provided freshness and crunch.

The accompanying roasted fingerling potatoes were smashed so there was an even, crunchy surface layer. The fragrant rosemary really came through.

* Monte Blanco [sic?]: Chestnut Dessert ($15): http://tinyurl.com/3vhzec7r

Excitement of seeing it on the menu led to disappointment at first bite. I love a good mont blanc dessert but it's hard to find. The roasty chestnut mousse was fine, and the cookie crust was buttery and crunchy. But...the center of the dessert was a block of flavorless gelatin. For $15? Naw, I'm good with the $4 mont blanc from Marukai or Mitsuwa.

S E R V I C E
Charming service from our server, Dario and the young bus boy (sorry, I forgot to get his name). I appreciated that our server asked about coursing our meal and even showed us pics of his cute dogs.

Prompt food service.

A M B I A N C E
Contemporary and cozy indoor dining area (gets loud when crowded) with a back patio that's perfect for a private event. The front patio and parklet is adorned with fairy lights and flame heaters which enhance the vibe.

P A R K I N G
Good luck with street parking. Meters are around $7/hour.

Overall, while the reviews are mixed...A16 remains a staple in The Marina for nearly two decades so they're doing something right.

Hope they add their braised short ribs over polenta back on the menu!

This place is near shops, restaurants, palace of fine arts, and Chrissy Field. It's located in the Marina so parking can be tough. They have indoor and outdoor seating. We ended up eating outdoor at one of the booths. Our waiter was nice and service was great.

The food was really good.

Appetizers:
Olives: tasty & subtle.
Burrata & toast: How can you not love burrata!? Cheese was delicious.

Beet Salad: Delicious & tasty!!!

Burrata pizza: the marinara was good but best if you smothered burrata all over it

Formaggi pizza: this was really good! It had a variety of cheeses on it. The crust was great. Right out of the stone fire oven.

Everything was delicious. I would recommend trying this place

Pizza is good, wine is great, service is good but it's so slow. Just tremendously understaffed. Also we had a reservation for 815 and didn't get sat until 850. I would definitely come back

Came here for my birthday. Hadn't been here in a while. Has been what some might consider as a trendy Marina reputation and somewhat overpriced. Was taken here by my kids for my birthday and it was great. I enjoyed it. I stayed within a low budget (lol) since one is still a college kid, so I got the ravioli and we shared a margherita pizza with prosciutto, insalata, and pesto pasta. Their mother had told them I used to love the budino tart so that was the birthday cake. As good as I recall almost 17 years later.

Despite being surrounded by a slew of newer restaurants that I have eaten at more recently, this place still does the basics very well.

Wonderful dinner on a fairly quiet Monday night
We had octopus soup and fennel salad, and for main courses the halibut and a steak

Very nice side dishes as well

Server was polite but being new a bit inexperienced

It was strange to see so many empty tables, but that is San Francisco these days

We will be back

Such a cute restaurant in Cow Hollow. There's seating in a covered outside area, darker inside area and well lit indoor dining area; this A16 can fit whatever ambiance you're looking for!

Their wine list is extensive and the red we got was amazing. I highly recommend the marilena barbera vero d'avole. The carafe is a good option if you're looking for a glass and a half!

Food is great and service is extremely attentive! My only wish is that there were additional affordable wine selections or more spritz options. Bottles start at $55+