Scala’s Bistro

San Francisco, United States

4.1

Closed now

33 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 415-395-8555
Website:
www.scalasbistro.com
Address:
432 Powell St, San Francisco, CA, 94102
b/t Post St & Sutter St
Union Square
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
360 ftBig Bus Tours Stop 16, Union Square North
540 ftBig Bus Tours Stop 5, Union Square South
980 ftBig Bus Tours Stop 17, China Town
Categories:
QR code
Download QR Image Download vCard

Map

Streetview

Activate map

Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
Yes
Delivery
No
Take-out
No
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Accepts Apple Pay
No
Good For
Dinner
Parking
Garage, Validated
Bike Parking
No
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Kids
No
Good for Groups
Yes
Attire
Casual
Ambience
Classy
Noise Level
Average
Alcohol
Full Bar
Outdoor Seating
No
Wi-Fi
No
Has TV
No
Waiter Service
Yes
Caters
No

Today

Today 7:00 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 3:00 pm
5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Closed now
Local time (San Francisco) 16:49 Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 7:00 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 3:00 pm
5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Tuesday 7:00 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 3:00 pm
5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Wednesday 7:00 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 3:00 pm
5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Thursday 7:00 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 3:00 pm
5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Friday 7:00 am – 10:30 am
11:30 am – 3:00 pm
5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Saturday 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
5:30 pm – 11:00 pm
Sunday 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
5:30 pm – 11:00 pm

Description

History

Established in 1995.

A city classic since it opened in 1995, Scala’s Bistro offers diners a San Francisco experience, with views of passing cable cars as they ascend to Nob Hill. Scala’s serves rustic Italian fare prepared with seasonal and house-​made ingredients.

Meet the Manager

Larry F.

Manager

Scala’s Bistro, located in the heart of Union Square, brings a fresh face to the helm of the kitchen, marrying the history of the renowned San Francisco restaurant At Scala’s Bistro, our philosophy in modern Italian dishes that integrate a rustic approach with a use and preparation of local ingredients. Each dish is reminiscent of traditional Italy but is modernized by incorporating the freshest ingredients in an adventurous and sophisticated way.

Related places

Explore similar places:
60
ft
Scala’s Bistro
450 Powell St 1ST FL (Union Square)
430
ft
Roxanne’s Cafe
570 Powell St (Union Square)
560
ft
Uncle Vito’s Pizza
700 Bush St (Nob Hill)
600
ft
Zingari Ristorante
501 Post St (Union Square, Lower Nob Hill)
640
ft
Cesario’s
601 Sutter St (Union Square, Lower Nob Hill)
680
ft
Mocca
175 Maiden Ln (Financial District, Union Square)

Nearby

Near this location:
30
ft
Bar Drake
Inside the Sir Francis Drake Hotel 450 Powell St
50
ft
Society Cabaret
Hotel Rex 562 Sutter St
50
ft
Blueprint LSAT Preparation
450 Powell St
50
ft
City Park
450 Powell St
50
ft
Pacifica Moving Center
450 Powell St
60
ft
Orogold cosmetics
450 Powell St

33 reviews of Scala’s Bistro

No registration required
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
One of the best food experiences I’ve had in a while! I love the menu (especially the lunch!) and the service was simply wonderful. Servers are kind and smiling, hostess was very pleasant and generally had a good time. Will definitely come back!
Place rating: 5
San Leandro, CA
The food here is amazing, especially the bread, to die for! I came here for lunch, they have a really good lunch special. The service is wonderful. I had the soup of the day, half half ravioli. I preferred the white sauce, was much tastier and the apricot gelato. All were delicious!
Place rating: 3
Chicago, IL
This place was suggested by a couple of guides when I was trying to determine what to do in San Francisco. Honestly, it seems very touristy, which doesn’t surprise me since it was suggested by guides. Overall though, for not having a reservation and for being relatively busy, I enjoyed the food, service, and ambiance of the restaurant. For the appetizer, my friend and I ordered the Octopus and it was by far the best tasting dish we both had there. My entrée was the halibut and it was wrapped in pancetta, which sounds good in theory but I just wanted some good tasting halibut! My friend had the salmon and said it was the best he had in a while. The next time, I’m in San Francisco, I won’t be rushing back but it wasn’t a bad experience overall.
Place rating: 1
San Francisco, CA
The food here are very tasyeless. we ordered 4 courses n none is good. will not come back
Place rating: 5
Singapore, Singapore
Highly recommended! Great venue for small or big group. I ordered the squash-​head with truffles & pappardelle — it was delicious!
Food: 5⁄5
Service: 5⁄5
Ambience: 5⁄5
Price: 5⁄5 you pay for quality all around
Place rating: 5
Los Angeles, CA
A truly elegant experience right off Union Square in San Francisco. Old style charm and sophistication, mixed with a contemporary casual style, Scala’s offers the finest in traditional and updated Italian cuisine. The fritto misto, with fried calamari and vegetables was amazing, the halibut so delicate, flavorful and lightly crispy on the outside. Everything was perfect, and the service was impeccable. Highly recommended.
Place rating: 5
Marina del Rey, CA
Great Italian restaurant in San Fran. The food good. Our waitress Ally is by far one of the best servers we encountered in San Fran. Very pleasant. Knows the menu well. Very helpful. I would definitely come back again next time I’m in San Fran.
Place rating: 4
Roseville, CA
I have dinned here about five times and always have enjoyed this place. It is very close to Union Square so a great place for lunch or dinner. I once used Scala’s to host a corporate dinner for about 20 in one of their private rooms. I could not have been more happy with the service and quality of the food. All my guests loved this place.
I will come back when I am in SF — probably for lunch and a couple glasses of wine.
If you are a visitor to SF — try it !
Place rating: 5
Temecula, CA
Description:
We were recommended to Scala’s Bistro by our friends who were attending a conference with us. They had lunch the previous day and were so impressed with the restaurant that they came back for three more meals while we were in town for the week. After we went there, it is no surprise to me why they loved it so much. The entire experience was wonderful and we decided we too would be back again to try more dishes.
Location:
Scala’s Bistro is ideally located on the famous Powell street (cable car street) and sits right next to Sir Francis Drake hotel. It is one short block away from Union Square.
Décor:
The décor is upscale Italian. The dark woods and earth colors offers an overall feeling of warmth to the interior. The tables and booth areas are enough distance to allow for a pleasant dining experience. The large murals along the walls add a special interest to the room as well.
Menu:
The menu is well designed and offers unique and special flavors to the dishes. The leanings are toward Italian fare, however there is a French influence as well. The dishes that we tried were all innovative and had special zests that demonstrates the chef’s artistry. My personal favorites were the pasta dishes. The pasta is prepared to perfection.
Wine/​Beer/​Cocktails/​Champagnes:
The wine menu is plentiful and delivers a good selection of Napa and Sonoma wines. A special nod of appreciation for their choices of sparkling wines. I think all will appreciate that the choices offer something for everyone.

Service:
The service was beyond approach. We were greeted with friendliness by the host upon walking in and our server Juan was extremely attentive and helpful.
Atmosphere:
The atmosphere is cozy and offers buffered acoustics for easy conversations. A good choice for friends, business, date night, etc.
Restrooms:
The restrooms are located in the hotel and you will need to ride an elevator up to the second floor. There is only one restroom for ladies and gentlemen.
Final Thoughts:
Scala’s is a great find on the busy and touristy Powell street. It offers a sanctuary from the bustling crowded feel of Union Square. The food is simply delicious. The service is exemplary. It is an overall very satisfying dining experience and we look forward to trying it again and again to sample more of their menu.
Place rating: 5
Las Vegas, NV
Tried Scala on our anniversary and really enjoyed it. The octopus salad is among the best I’ve eaten. My fish was great, though not amazing. But the steak is as good as I have eaten. The roasted potatoes with chimi churri sauce is downright addictive. The dessert was this chocolate mousse thing that was amazing. Great service, good ambiance and good food. I highly recommend!
Place rating: 3
Surrey, Canada
The menu for me was a little limited. For an Italian restaurant there wasn’t that much of a pasta selection, I would have liked to see more. I ordered a glass of wine ($ 14) and couldn’t believe that the glass was only a third filled, the glass wasn’t extra large either. The pasta was freshly made, I had the seafood one which was okay. Service was good. I’ve been to better Italian restaurants, I don’t think I’ll come back again.
Place rating: 5
Los Altos, CA
My friends birthday was on a Sunday but we decided to celebrate his birthday on a Saturday (so we can be rowdy lol). Anyway, my friend he made a reservation and as we walked into the restaurant we were greeted with warm hugs and welcomes. Our menu was specially printed (they print happy birthday on the menu).
Anyway, we gave the waiter the full charge for our menu. We had 3 appetizers and 3 main entrees and they also have us some special treat to begin with (forgot what the special treat was, but it’s good).
Anyway, appetizers we had the aged beef (forgot the Italian name lol), gnocchi, and some octopus dish. My personal favorite was the Gnochhi. They flavor was really nice and the Gnocchi was perfectly made. My least favorite is the octopus, May be because I don’t like olive and it was on a more sour side? But octopus was perfectly executed.
As for the main entrees, we had a duck dish, steak, and sea bass. The duck is always good. perfectly cook and the stuffing was really good. Others were okay, but don’t remember much about the taste: p
Place rating: 3
Las Vegas, NV
The restaurant was busy when we went here for dinner, so service was expectedly slow. The waiter was friendly though.
Ravioli was delicious, as well as linguini (manila clams), the appetizers were also super yummy (ceasar salad and the beef appetizer (forgot what its called) the only thing is that the steak i ordered wasnt that delicious, and the arugula was plain (they couldve added some dressing but they didnt). They didnt ask me if i wanted it medium or rare or well-​done. They just brought out the steak with the salad and thats it.
Oh, and theres a code for the bathroom which was weird lol the code is 4042 or something like that, make sure you ask the waiter before going to the bathroom.
Place rating: 4
Fayetteville, NY
I came here for a business lunch with three male colleagues, and I split the Pear, Arugula and Feta pizza as well as the Cobb Salad with one of the guys. It was extremely delicious, and the portions were huge. The other two both had burgers, which they enjoyed. Service was prompt and very friendly. I would definitely go back.
Place rating: 4
Kansas City, MO
Met my gal friends here on Friday afternoon just before leaving San Francisco to come back to our KC Artic Wonderland. Had wonderful drinks and a couple of appetizers. Service was wonderful and overall comfortable environment. The pizzette with pancetta on it was super yummy and the fritto misto was delicious… especially the green beans.
Sitting and have drinks and appetizers in this lovely spot will forever be one of my favorite memories of this FANTASTIC city.
Place rating: 4
Fremont, CA
I get lunch here often, they have great salads choices to order from, the derive is good except it takes a good 20 to 25 mins for the food to arrive. It’s located in the heart of union square and has a great atmosphere right when you step outside the restaurant, I like sitting by the window, read a book, and look outside on to the busy Powell street.
Place rating: 5
Los Altos, CA
My friend called me up on a Saturday night and asked if I want to grab dinner in San Mateo while I was at Stanford. I hesitated and stated can we just grab food somewhere close by Stanford University? Then he was like, why don’t let’s go to the city and visit Scala’s Bistro and grab some dessert! Then I was like, hell yea, let’s go! The reason was because I had awesome desserts each time when I visited this place.
So for Saturday night, we walked around downtown SF before visited this place (We didn’t make reservation and believed it might be packed so didn’t walk in right away). Then when we finally came to the restaurant, we were greeted with warm hugs! Then shortly we were seated. We ordered a flat bread which was not the squash flower one anymore, sad face. But the other one with bacon was delicious! I would recommend people to order that! So yummy! We also ordered mussels, but it tasted funny so we told the waiter about it and they just take it off from the table. Then the last dish for the night before dessert was the risotto. Personally, I don’t like Mushrooms at all. But the risotto was so good that I do not care about the mushrooms in the dish. The risotto was really earthy from the mushroom, but you can also taste the stock that was used when cooked the risotto. On top of it, they placed 2 small pieces of filet mignon, which was also perfectly cooked (wish was a bit more rare for me, otherwise was a medium).
As for the dessert I always love their panna cotta (not all of them, but one of the panna cotta but i forgot what was made from but ill provide a picture and you can ask the restaurant!). So for saturday night, they had a chocolate panna cotta. It was good, but the panna cotta itself was too heavy in my opinion. But the fruits and other topping on the side kind of balances off the heaviness from the panna cotta. Overall it was good, but i wish i can get the old panna cotta that i used to order lol…
Place rating: 5
Southbury, CT
All I can say, is wow. I’m from NYC and we always pride ourselves on how great our restaurants are, but the chef at Scala’s blew me away with the overall meal experience. I started with the charcuterie plate and received not only an ample variety of delicious lean meats but also a variety of cheeses and pickled root vegetables. To compliment the meal I ordered a glass of their house red zin– Miro ’13 — a delicious fruit forward yet well structured zin light on tannins. But what really took the night was their duck entrée. I’ve tried comparatively feeble attempts by other chefs to create this dish in numerous countries across Europe, including France, Switzerland, Italy and Poland, not to mention numerous restaurants across the US. My compliments don’t come easy, but I have to admit this is the very best duck I have had. Let me explain why. Medium rare with crisp flavorful skin is a must but chef Finn went so much further. The elderberry jus was nicely balanced between tart and sweet… Yet the berries weren’t killed … so each one exploded in your mouth with flavor. The confit was outstanding, hidden underneath a baked cheddar/​flour crumble topping. The accompanying salad was such a compliment… The apples were warm but nicely situated between crisp and soft along with greens in a well balanced vinaigrette that brought a citric tart to balance the sweetness of the apples. Overall, if you love duck, I don’t believe you can do better than chef Finns creation here. A very strong 5 out of 5. Don’t miss it. You can find over 100 of my reviews on trip advisor. (Just started using Unilocal for reviews).
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Scala’s Bistro is perfect if you are looking for a wonderful Italian/​French restaurant for a nice evening out. Reservations are incredibly easy to make but its never too crowded here, so dropping in for dining is fine too. Their menu changes every season depending on which ingredients are at the peak which is great but that means some of my favorite dishes aren’t always available. My favorite is the butternut squash gnocchi which has a perfect al dente bite to it with a sweet sauce. It comes with roasted Brussels sprouts and apples, kale, cider-​brown butter sauce. The bistro burger is also cooked wonderfully! I came here to celebrate after running a marathon, and the burger filled me up perfectly. I devoured the entire plate with fries and my plate was finished clean. I’d also recommend the saffron linguine with clams which is on the lighter side, if you don’t fancy a burger. It has manila clams, garlic, roasted tomato, white wine, and calabrian chili. The ambiance is also very warm and inviting but the crowd tends to be fairly touristy due to its location
Place rating: 3
Washington, DC
My aunt insisted that we come here on my mom’s birthday for brunch and boy was it a mistake. The service was mediocre (sometimes awful since they took 10 minutes to bring me a soda water), and the food was also mediocre. It was early in the afternoon around brunch time and I didn’t want any breakfast items so I went ahead and ordered the pasta. I forget what kind of pasta it was because it wasn’t even that good. It was basically noodles with barely any sauce and some chicken, not worth the $ 13. My mom ordered the pea soup and seemed to like it and thought that it was tasty. My aunt ordered the mussels and liked those as well.
Nothing really stood out to me at Scala’s. It was packed so I am sure there are other items on the menu that are good but I was less than impressed. There are so many other awesome places to eat in the city and I wouldn’t waste your time eating at a mediocre one like this place.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Scalas has a seamlessly cultivated feel. The ambiance is warm enough that the number of forks doesn’t have to intimidate. The history of old patrons found on wall plaques and traditionally trained waitstaff give this restaurant an immediate depth.
Despite the classic aesthetic, I found the menu rather daring. My meal, the coastal greens salad and the sweet potato gnocchi, married flavors I would have never expected from an Italian restaurant. For example, the gnocchi is both a sweet and savory dish of brussels sprouts, apple pieces and pomegranate seeds. Paired with a nice wine and good friends, it made for an excellent meal.
Place rating: 4
Newark, CA
With over 1000 reviews I consider 3.5* a good spot. I’ve dined here three times and enjoy the vibe. Service was very slow the last time I came. Other times it was faster. Everything I’ve tried have been good to great.
Food:
–caesar salad: leaves of lettuce lightly covered in dressing. One of the best caesar salads I’ve had comparable to the one pizza place in santana row.
–ravioli: Perfectly cooked. Nice sauce to accompany
–Cobb salad: liked the light dressing. It let the toppings stand out.
–bread served at the beginning is delicious and is served with fruity olive oil
–calamari app: I think it was boiled but the aioli and olive brought the flavor. Beautifully plated. Not super great but decent.
The menu has enough options that picky eaters will find something they can or will eat. Kind of pricey but solid choice in union square. Just be aware of a wait during lunch rush.
Place rating: 4
Marin County, CA
Kudos to the staff for asking if we were attending a play (we were) and they made sure we were out in plenty of time. Hubs and I shared the Caesar (outstanding with LOTS of anchovies), a Pork Chop, and the Butternut Squash Gnocchi. The chop was finished off in the wood burning oven and the side of sauerkraut was different and delicious. The gnocchi had a cider brown butter sauce that added a sweetness to the dish. We shared a seasonal pumpkin bread pudding (served in a mini pumpkin) with ginger ice cream. The bread pudding wasn’t heated thoroughly and was bleh, so I’d stick with the other desserts on the menu.
Place rating: 5
Corral de Tierra, CA
I love this place. We have eaten here a million times, and we keep coming back.
Most recently we went and had a large meal. Some standouts were the octopus appetizer and the frito misto! Both were out of this world good! The raviolis with lemon cream are a perennial favorite as well.
Good cocktails as well. We had the «that Dram Cocktail» and the almond something or other, both great on a cold winters night!
Great place to go after a long day of shopping in Union Square.
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
It’s okay… not bad and not great… the décor looks beautiful and the entire place looked like old SF? Started off with the Italian sausage pizza, it was filled topped with a lot of meat. I like meat so I gravitated towards that, but it wasn’t as flavorful as I thought it would be and the grounded meat was too fine and small, I prefer larger chunks. I had the mahi mahi as my main, and it was just okay… it’s probably the fact that I’m not a large fan of radicchio and it tasted just like that. My side were sweet potatoes, they were good but I’ve made better. Also tried the pommes frites, they were good, like they tasted like McDonald’s fries good, which I think is a compliment. It had very similar texture and oil taste haha. I had the classic duo dessert, which had mini boston cream pie and chocolate pecan torte, the torte was delicious, the bostom cream pie was eh, I think I only like to eat them when they’re shaped as a donut. I also had milk chocolate pear tart with gold flecks, gold tastes like NOTHING or it’s very similar to the rice paper candy. The best parts were the bread and the tea! Bread was soft, airy, lightly crunchy and ASK for the balsamic vinegar, it tastes way better mixed than just having olive oil. The tea, you get your very own pot! Overall, it’s okay… maybe I would have enjoyed other items instead of what I got… like the duck salad and the steak panini looked delicious… perhaps another time.
Place rating: 5
San Francisco, CA
Summary (breakfast): If you order the chilaquiles («CHEE-​LA-​KEE-​AHHS») and have Bill as your outstanding waiter, you’ll have a 5-​star experience.
Chilaquiles: My friend from Mexico brought me here specifically because of this dish. He said «I never thought I’d say this, but it’s better than any I’ve ever had in Mexico.» I can see why: in my opinion it is by far their best breakfast dish.
Bill: I think Bill is the most charming man in San Francisco. I’ve been here several times, and when I have Bill I eat with a smile on my face. It’s difficult to describe his sort of old school charm, so just request him when you are being seated.
Place rating: 3
Seal Beach, CA
The first time I came here a few years ago, I thought it was an outstanding visit. This time, I thought it was good but not to the same level. This place is always crowded, which is a good sign and the atmosphere is loud and tight. The food is good, but not memorable. Located in the Sir Frances Drake and a block from Union Square.
Place rating: 4
Chicago, IL
My visit to Scala’s Bistro capped my final night to my stay in San Francisco. The food was quite good, and the service was above average. I had some high-​end scotch with my meal as I felt my trip warranted a high-​end celebratory drink. Scala’s had a great selection of higher-​end liquor to satisfy this desire.
We had the Prix Fixe, which essentially means a «Pre-​Fixed» meal with three courses — an appetizer, main course, and dessert. We had the Bruschetta to start. It was very good — I just wish there was a bigger portion. We had the Roasted 38 degree Chicken breast as our main dish, which was very good. I quite enjoyed it. Finally, we had the Strawberry Rhubarb Sundae for dessert. That was quite an interesting mix — I didn’t think Strawberry Sorbet and Basil Gelato went well together. The cookie crumble in the mix added to the flavor. A very good restaurant and a good representation of what San Francisco can offer.
Place rating: 3
San Francisco, CA
A solid option when you’re doing Union Square.
There was a time when I wouldn’t even think about not stopping by here whenever I was in the neighborhood.
Just off the beaten path around the corner from Saks.
The dining room is very Tuscany. It’s filled w cozy booths & yellow gold hues. A warm space.
The bar is elevated from the main dining room & has a lounge area. This review is bittersweet for me because this bar used to make one of the best Bellini’s in town.
Sadly I recently discovered that those days are gone.
The standouts on the menu are the pastas, the Caesar, & the beloved classic bostini cream pie dessert.
If you’re just stopping in for a drink & a nibble at the bar, then the calamari, the fries, or the mussels will be perfect.
A classic joint in every sense. It was here that I brought one of my bf’s for her birthday lunch…
about 12 years ago.
I still like coming in if I’m doing the square, but my visits have steadily declined over the last decade.
I’m not ready to give it up though.
You still gotta come by when you’re Christmas shopping. The Rotunda, & here.
Bring back the 5 Star Bellini!
3 & ½ stars.
Place rating: 4
Los Angeles, CA
BRUNCH REVIEW ONLY:
My mom was staying at the Sir Frances Drake while in town, and she decided she’d prefer to stay in the hotel to eat. Knowing it was a Kimpton hotel, I figured the restaurant had a decent chance of being better than hotel restaurants you’re used to. I was right. I don’t believe I’ve ever had eggs al forno before, but this was one of the most delicious egg dishes I’ve ever had. I devoured it so quickly that I regretted not slowing down to savor it. My mom’s french toast was good. Our service was great and would have to consider stopping in again for more eggs.
Place rating: 5
Danville, CA
We took my parents, sister, and brother-​in-​law for dinner at Scala’s, the long-​standing Italian bistro on Union Square right next to Sir Francis Drake hotel. I’ve eaten here only once, some 18+ years ago as a grad student with my roomie and a bunch of hungry German exchange students with massive appetites.
Food here was outstanding, and service was impeccable as well. Note that the restaurant is somewhat dark and extremely loud — like a sports bar. A bus-​person mistakenly refilled my bro-in-law’s half-​full glass of scotch with water. Management took off the drink on the bill ($ 21).
Appetizers were great — baby artichokes were super tender and well seasoned with awesome mayo dip. Marinated olives came in all shapes, sizes, and color and were briny but not super salty.
The first dish that arrived was my wife’s Petrale Sole — and they gave the entire beast which was huge and took up most of the plate! Nice crispy breading and perfectly cooked fish.
My dish of orrechiette (little ears pasta) was cooked al-​dente, and had this nice spicy sausage. The sauce and cheese toppings were just enough so not to overwhelm the pasta.
We split two desserts: their famous Bostini (a very decadent riff on Boston Crème) and their dessert duo (a mini Bostini plus pecan tart). Both were good, though the Bostini takes the cake. Definitely pair it with black coffee for balance.
Definitely recommend Scala’s for a night of good food and drinks, but bear in mind its really loud!
Place rating: 4
Schömberg, Baden-Württemberg
Die Preise sind wie bereits beschrieben recht heftig aber wenn man das berücksichtigt bzw ok findet dann muss man sagen, ist das Essen auch wirklich gut … Wir hatten alle Steaks und die waren ausgesprochen gut … Ansonsten… Das Ambiente ist sehr schön aber auch etwas laut durch die hohen Räume …
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
We walked here riveted after viewing Damien Chazelle’s «Whiplash» at the Metreon, a few days prior to the Academy Awards. Italian at Scala’s Bistro would perfectly followup our Oscar night date for an enlightening conversation this pre-​awards night.
Once I wasn’t shaking in my boots anymore post viewing, we ordered the following:
–Fritto Misto: Calamari, peppers, fennel, spring onion, squash, anchovy-​roasted garlic aioli (shared)
–Orecchiette (Me): Spicy calabrian sausage, pangrattato, broccoli di ciccio, parmigiano
–Papardelle (Other half): Pork sugo, tomato, garlic, braised chard, parmigiano
–Rocca Chianti
–Limoncello (2)
Though the calamari dish kind of was not sticking together all too well, our entrées hit the spot. Everything in the orecciette, from the meaty sausage to the texture of the pasta was just the right amount in quantity and flavor to complement our viewing, which would not be a ginormous food fest but a discussion about why we liked or disliked what elements of what we viewed. As avid moviegoers, we liked Whiplash (and Boyhood) more than Birdman. Just throwing that in the ring.
This food did not distract us one bit — rather, it refueled us as we continued to refine our opinions. The limoncello was all we barely had room for at the finalé for dessert, considering the popcorn earlier. But, it, too, was delish.
So glad J.K. Simmons won the Oscar for his ferocious performance. If not, I’d say the Academy might have lost their minds. Doubt they all got to necessarily discuss their opinions over food at Scala, but there’s still future years for that.