Piccino Unveils New Location in the Presidio
Margherita Sagan and Sheryl Rogat — the masterminds behind Piccino, your favorite charming little neighborhood restaurant — have a lot to celebrate: This year their beloved Dogpatch restaurant turns 19, and now they have opened a new location on the other side of town, dubbed Piccino Presidio.
Located in the former Sessions space on Letterman Drive, the new outpost has the same level of high quality, farm-to-table Cal-Ital fare, with the excellent housemade pasta and crispy pizzas that you know and love. Here’s a rundown of everything else you need to know about this big new project.
The Space
The new location is located in the lush, tree-filled park with views of the Golden Gate Bridge. The restaurant is made possible through a partnership with Skywalker Ranch. “It is a genuine process of discovering shared values, principles, and love for hospitality,” says Rogat. “We have always had profound admiration for this special part of San Francisco and we treasure the opportunity to be here.”
There wasn’t any major construction on the space; however, you will notice some significant tweaks, which will be completed in phases over this month and the next. The biggest thing to know is that there’s now a second PDR in case you need to throw a big party for you and all your friends, and there’s also a new lounge located behind the 22-seat bar. In total, this new outpost boasts over 200 seats.
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The Chefs
In the kitchen, you’ll find culinary director and chef Daniella Banchero. This Bay Area native grew up in a restaurant (her family owned an Italian spot), and she also worked under the great Michael Tusk, where she honed her pasta skills. She’ll now split time between both Piccino locations.
Also in the kitchen you’ll find chef Dayvi Ortiz, an seasoned industry vet who has worked at Gitane and Cafe Claude.
The menu and the new dishes at Piccino Presidio were developed together by the two chefs in collaboration. “Dayvi and Daniella are working on a menu that is a touch more refined, while remaining approachable,” says Rogat. “They want people to feel as though they are eating something comforting yet elevated.”
The Food
Speaking of, the menu at Piccino Presidio will have a similar format to the original Piccino in the Dogpatch: small starters, a seasonal antipasti section, and a variety of pastas, pizzas, and entrees. Popular Piccino classics will make an appearance, such as the mushroom pizza and those meatballs, of course.
“The menu will be hyperseasonal utilizing produce from our own farm, Skywalker Ranch, and the local farms with whom we have worked with for years,” says Rogat.
Exhibit A: A new endive and shaved fennel salad comes tossed in a saffron vinaigrette, studded with pickled sultana grapes, and drizzled with an herby green olive chermoula.
Diners can also look forward to chicken crocchetta, which features braised chicken that has been picked and pressed in its own jus with herbs and alliums that’s breaded, fried, and served with a Meyer lemon and caper aioli. (This dish is a favorite of Banchero’s.)
Pastas are also always a big highlight given Banchero’s background and culinary CV. She’s been working on a farfalle with fava beans and housemade ricotta that’s served with fresh fava beans, braised fava leaves, and a brown butter chicken brodo. The dish screams spring.
Piccino Presidio also will have a grill and plancha, so diners can look forward to some larger format entrees to share.
The Drinks
The drinks are curated by beverage director Tyler Canning in collaboration with the entire bartending team. There will be some favorites brought over from the Dogpatch location, of course, and the focus will be on seasonal cocktails that are meant to pair well with the menu. “They will be bright, complex, crowd-pleasing but surprising,” says Rogat.
Case in point: The Piccino Negroni, a strong start that comes with the holy trinity of gin, a house blend of red bitters, and sweet vermouth. There’s also the Presidio Parrot, a new rum-based drink that comes fortified with ancho chile liqueur, oloroso sherry, and is brightened by freshly squeezed lime juice.
The wine program will focus on small production winemakers who employ ethical farming practices, wines that are made organically and oftentimes with biodynamic and as well as dry farming methods. And there’ll be a strong emphasis on West Coast: “Piccino Presidio will give us the ability to showcase the great terroirs of California, Oregon, and Washington,” says Rogat.
For all the classicists out there, don’t worry — there’s plenty of good Old World stuff, too.
The Desserts
Pastry chef Maggie Guardado will be heading up the program at Piccino Presidio. “In Maggie’s three years here [at the Dogpatch location], she has really blossomed to the culture of hyperseasonality and has grown to be such an integral part of the team,” says Rogat.
Diners can forward to things like spiced ricotta cheesecake topped with fresh passionfruit and salted whipped cream, a housemade speculoos cookie, and classic always-on-the-menu zeppole dusted in sugar and served with a chai caramel on the side. We’ll definitely save space for that.
Omar Mamoon is a San Francisco-based freelance writer and cookie dough professional. Follow him on Instagram.
