A new round of Italian openings in Berkeley and North Beach have us dreaming of tagliatelle Bolognese and spritzers.
Gio’s hit Berkeley last year with pizza, bocce and a vibrant amari selection. Spritzes and cocktails are served in a massive space that can easily hold you and a group of friends on a Friday night. The pizzas and calzones are good, but the real highlight is the boozy desserts (we like the Angostura amaro mousse cake) which all feature amaro and come paired with a glass of the liqueur, too.
From the Il Casaro crew comes the cozy Pasta Pop-Up, where all the pastas are handmade (think red beet spaghetti rosso or tagliatelle Bolognese), the wines are authentic Italian and nothing on the menu is priced over $15.
Italian Homemade Company
Italian Homemade Company continues to expand with a second location on the Marina and a new spot in Berkeley’s Elmwood ‘hood. Here you can fill up on stellar lasagnas, piadina sandwiches, Italian groceries and handmade pastas to-go.