Reviewed by Caitlin Ginn, Restaurant Review Editor.

When eating in San Francisco, the struggle is often not finding good food, but  affordable food. So when I found myself craving pasta in the city, I thought there was no hope — until I found The Italian Homemade Company. I was shocked by the one-dollar sign on Google Maps: the $10- $20-dollar meal price range seemed too good to be true,  but I decided to try it anyway. And I am so thankful I did, because not only is it an adorable restaurant located in the North Beach district of the city, right next to Washington Square, but the food is incredible.

My first impression of the restaurant was favorable: it was small, with tall, bright red tables and bar stools. There were wooden shelves around the walls displaying eclectic items for sale, from wine and imported pasta to books and sauces. The place was packed with people of all ages enjoying meals with friends or date nights, and the overall environment was warm, homey, and very welcoming — not at all stodgy or excessively formal. 

Like many restaurants nowadays, The Italian Homemade Company has both indoor and outdoor seating.  Sticking with tradition, though, their menu is written on a chalkboard at the front, rather than digitized and accessed via a QR code. They have a wide variety of Italian comfort foods, from flatbreads and sandwiches to salads and pastas. As much as I would have loved to try every dish on their menu, I was on a hunt for pasta.

In the style of a build-your-own-burger bar, the Italian Homemade Company’s pasta menu allows you to customize. First you choose your type of pasta: fettuccine, tagliatelle, pappardelle, gnocchi, ravioli (veggie or meat), tortellini, or the special. Then you choose your sauce from their expansive list: bolognese, pasticciata, meatballs, marinara, pesto, white sauce, butter and sage, or salsa parmigiano. You can stop here or continue to add more toppings, including meatballs, fresh parmigiano, and a few other choices.  I opted for the gnocchi with fresh pesto. 

As I waited for my order, I took in my surroundings. When I placed my order at the front, the waiters yelled it out to the kitchen, where the chefs were yammering away in Italian through the open diner window. I could see the chefs making the pasta in the back: once they shaped the pasta, they passed it to the cook on the front end, who boiled it and tossed a singular serving in a small pot with sauce and quickly plated it. Here, you need to keep an ear out for when they yell your name, because like most food, this is best steaming hot from the pan.

I got to have my gnocchi with pesto and my friend’s fettuccine with bolognese, both topped with extra cheese. They were incredibly different dishes, the pillowy gnocchi with light, fresh basil pesto contrasting greatly with the thin fettuccine and its rich, decadent tomato-based meat sauce. Despite these differences, I would not be able to choose a favorite even if I had to. I can say without a doubt that I will be returning to sample the rest of their menu when I have a chance, and am especially excited about their variety of house salads. 

Overall, I would highly recommend this hidden gem in the city. It has affordable, delicious food — and lots of it (I rode the Caltrain home with a box of leftovers in my hands)!

Other locations in San Francisco (Cow Hollow, Hayes Valley), Berkeley, and Long Beach. Hours vary based on location.