Acquerello

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Thirty-Five Years of Refined Italian Cooking in Nob Hill

Acquerello has occupied its address on Sacramento Street since 1989, making it one of San Francisco's most enduring fine-dining institutions. Operated by Giancarlo Paterlini and Chef/Owner Suzette Gresham, with Chef de Cuisine Gonzalo Agliozzo and Pastry Chef Theron Marrs, the restaurant has built its reputation steadily and without shortcuts — earning its first Michelin star in the inaugural San Francisco Bay Area guide in 2007, its second in 2015, and holding both for over a decade since.

Gambero Rosso awarded Acquerello its 3 Forks distinction in 2026, recognizing the restaurant among the finest Italian tables outside Italy. That recognition sits comfortably alongside a long list of other accolades: Wine Spectator's Grand Award (2012), World of Fine Wine's Best Italian Wine List Outside Italy (2025), and consecutive Star Wine List Global Finals appearances in both 2025 and 2026.

The Kitchen: Classic Italian, Contemporary Techniques

The philosophy at Acquerello is stated plainly on the restaurant's own pages: "refined luxury is always in style." What that means in practice is Italian fine dining that honors classical foundations while embracing modern technique and the best seasonal ingredients Northern California can offer.

Three menu formats give guests a choice of depth. The Seasonal Tasting Menu — the kitchen's most complete statement — moves through dishes like Hokkaido scallop with rhubarb and fennel, rabbit marubini in prosciutto brodo, and Anderson Ranch lamb loin with artichoke and Black Trumpet mushroom, with optional supplements of Royal Kaluga caviar or a curated Italian cheese course. A vegetable-focused tasting offers its own full arc, from glazed baby beets with cocoa-buckwheat crumble to "dry-aged" kohlrabi over Tierra Farms polenta. The Four-Course Menu allows guests to compose their own progression from a broader selection that includes Dover sole with Vin Santo zabaglione and dry-aged Liberty duck with Forelle pear.

Across all three formats, the cooking reflects the same sensibility: Italian flavors as a lens, not a constraint.

The Wine Program

The cellar at Acquerello is exceptional by any measure. Fewer than 100 restaurants worldwide hold Wine Spectator's Grand Award, and Acquerello has held it since 2012. In 2026, Gambero Rosso named it the Best Italian List in Northern California — a fitting complement to the kitchen's Italian fine dining identity. The wine program is treated with the same seriousness as the food, and the pairing options across all menus reflect that depth.

The Room and the Experience

Dining at Acquerello is deliberately unhurried and formal in the best sense. Jackets are suggested; athletic wear and casual dress are discouraged. A four-course minimum applies to every guest, and a pre-paid deposit is required to hold a reservation — all of which signals that an evening here is meant to be taken seriously. Children under eight are asked to stay home. The result is a room where the focus stays on the food, the wine, and the company.