New Pisa
550 Green Street
415-989-2289
New brings to mind the essence of all that North Beach was when 'Jolting Joe DiMaggio' was a young man working in his family's better known restaurant closer to the Wharf and Dante Benedetti was a promising young boxer later to be inducted into the Italian Sports Hall of Fame for both boxing and baseball. Dante still hosts at this venerable institution bearing his family name. He long ago hung up his boxing gloves, and now stands guard at the dining room doors to New Pisa with a warm smile and slice of the history of North Beach awaiting the next visitor.
Today, Dante's New Pisa is run with a velvet glove, an iron fist and a
heart of gold by Susi Palmer-Griffin, who carried trays of drinks and
food to throngs of thirsty 'Johns' and 'Jane's' from Harpoon Louie's in
Leidsdorff Alley to the legendary Paoli's only a block away, for more
than a quarter century.
Walking into New Pisa's small, comfortable sports-themed bar on the way
to the dining room, one almost always runs into other legends of North
Beach, great publicans like Seamus Coyle, Ed Moose,
Jim Brandt, Bob MulCrevy, Jeanette Etheridge;
the writers and gadabouts like Bellingham, Fimrite,
G.A .Walden, Maupin, local sports heroes flourish here as do the people
who make the City run from the beat cops and firefighters to the bakers
and broom-pushers--all looking to connect where history is alive and being
passed on from one person to another.
One of the great true stories about Dante is that for years he coached
high school sports and only accepted one dollar a year compensation for
his athletic gifts to young aspiring jocks who would one day eat and drink
in his hallowed institution.
The food at New Pisa today is simple, inexpensive, served family style
and very good with lunches all at $9.50 including soup or salad and dessert.
In the pasta category there is always fettuccine alfredo with rock shrimp
or chicken, linguini pescatore with clams, mussels & calamari in a
spicy red sauce. All lunch items can be had ala Carte for just $7.50 as
can soup, salad & pasta.
The portions are bigger than generous, and the quality is very good, so
New Pisa is really a bargain. At dinner delete the sandwiches and add
$2.50 to the entire full price menu items and there you have it.
At both lunch and dinner there are always specials which are gone early
because of both the price and quality. This is truly family style, and
if you're lucky enough to get Susi as your server, you will have an experience
that might make a grown man cry. Susi treats all guests equally, like
children who need to do as they're told, or face a whipping.
Dessert at New Pisa (which consists of ice cream or sherbet) doesn't merit
mention and coffee is a real weak link to times past when we just didn't
know good coffee. However, the bread is great and fresh because it's baked
three doors away about 10 times a day.
There is a good and remarkably inexpensive wine list with names like Guenoc,
Hess Select, Silverado, Beaulieu and Ironstone listed less than at some
discount package good stores. There are private dining rooms for groups
ranging from 6 to 175, and they make almost any special occasion truly
memorable and affordable.
There is a full bar with knowledgeable bartenders and all the best contemporary
labels of spirits, a handful of smart beers and a smattering of all the
other 'stuff' that we demand today as part of the dining experience.
I highly recommend New Pisa.
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