The much acclaimed Rose Pizzeria, a favorite of both the SF Chronicle and the New York Times as well as SFist, has just debuted its much anticipated second location in SF's Richmond District. Let the jockeying for reservations begin!
They've yet to serve their first pizza, to the general public anyway, at the new Rose Pizzeria at 1 Clement Street, and already there is not a single table available to reserve in the next month. Such is the passion for pizza in San Francisco and such is the buzz around this opening, which we've known was coming since a little over a year ago.
This second location of the successful Berkeley operation arrives today in the Inner Richmond's former Village Pizzeria at Clement and Arguello, and will reportedly have a slightly expanded menu compared to the tiny Berkeley flagship.
As the Chronicle tells us, the much larger kitchen at the new location will allow for customizable pies for the first time, with diners able to add things like mushrooms, sausage, pepperoni or pickled chiles to the plain cheese pizza.
Rose Pizzeria is known for its delicious topping combos, however, like the She Wolf pie with burrata, slow-roasted tomato, garlic confit, olives, capers, and Sicilian oregano; and the Old Faithful, with fennel sausage, goat horn peppers, mozzarella, and red onion.
The 14-inch pies are described on the menu as "West Coast style," and by that they mean well crisped, fairly thin, with a flavorful sourdough crust.
And new to the SF location will be even thinner, Roman-style pizzas, tonda Romana, with five topping options — including a riff on spaghetti alla Norma, with eggplant, tomato, mozz, capers, olives, ricotta salata, mint, and a sweet-and-sour agrodolce drizzle. There is also a potentially controversial take on a Hawaiian pizza, called the Beach Club, featuring mortadella.
There are also meatballs on the menu, along with some favorite starters from the Berkeley menu like baked feta, Rancho Gordo beans in broth, and miso-rich Spicy Caesar salad.
Wines lean toward Italian varietals and funky naturals, including a section devoted to "White Orange Pink."
Rose Pizzeria enjoyed a major bump in business in the summer of 2024, after the New York Times included it on a list titled "22 of the Best Pizza Places in the United States." The place had already enjoyed a Chronicle rave review one year earlier, and it remains highly ranked on the paper's Top 100 Restaurants.
The SF location has some walk-in seating, both on the unheated sidewalk and at the counter inside, so expect some waits for those seats in the coming months, and perhaps some lines. Otherwise, it appears reservations will be appearing on Resy one month out — maybe one day at a time? Check back on the app. There currently aren't any available tables showing through May 26.
Do note: They are open for lunch as well.
Rose Pizzeria - 1 Clement Street (at Arguello) - Open Mon-Sun 11:30 am to 9:15 pm (ish) - reserve here
