This cool and casual, eclectic Italian restaurant is serving original Italian recipes handed down for three generations. Famous for it's crab cioppino, I doubt there's a sandwich or pasta dish on Rocco's extensive menu that wouldn't make them famous. Owner ("Chef Don") is clearly running the show and making sure each dish is perfection and each customer is happy when they eat it.
I splurged and had a Patty Melt on Rye with homemade Thousand Island dressing and a mound of perfectly crisp-fried french fries. That "melt" was huge, juicy and required more than a few napkins, but oh, so delish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Our "Italian" staff photographer chose the eggplant sandwich on a fresh-baked roll (just delivered from a little North Beach bakery) with Provolone and Parmesan. Rosalie said it brought back memories of her grandmother's cooking. This is the real deal! You can't fool our photographer when it comes to "authentic" Italian cuisine.
This cafe's ambiance is fantastic, with wall-to-wall pictures of family, customers, movie stars and memorabilia. (We thought it was reminiscent of a casual "Sardi's" in NYC.) Even the bathroom walls were covered in movie star posters and old "33" record covers. Rocco's is clearly filled with history, including a huge sign over the front door, welcoming Mayor Alioto to San Francisco.
After the lunch-time rush, one of the customers at the counter performed a magic trick for Rocco's popular, hard-working staff. They invited us to watch, so we eagerly accepted. UNBELIEVABLE!! He turned 6 one-dollar bills into 6 one hundred-dollar bills over and over again. Rosalie snapped a picture of the trick, but we have NO idea how he did it!
This wasn't just lunch. This was a kick!..................and worth every minute and calorie.
Mama Mia!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Go to Rocco's. It's a top pic for us.
(Just for clarification, that's Liz's picture at the end, not our own staff photographer in her twenties - common mistake.)
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