Dozens of Italian restaurants open in the Bay Area each year, but none achieve the refinement of Acquerello, which offers a tasting menu format where diners select three to six courses, with choices in each category. Suzette Gresham Tognetti's high-style preparations are as intricate as you'll find at top French restaurants, whether she's arranging pan-seared black bass over several kinds of lentils and shaved artichokes or adding a truffled veal glaze to medallions of veal and chanterelle mushrooms. Co-owner Giancarlo Paterlini shares his vast knowledge of Italian wines and handles the front of the house with old-school grace.

 
Specialties: House-made pasta with foie gras and black truffles; lobster panzerotti in spicy lobster brodo; Parmesan budino over buttery nettles; bourbon caramel semifreddo.

Hours

Dinner: Tues-Sat 5:30-9:30 p.m.

Cuisines

• Italian

Features

• Online Reservation
• Beer and wine
• Corkage ($45; two bottles maximum. Wines cannot be on the list)
• Credit Cards: Accepted
• Parking: Paid Lot (across the street)
• Parking: Street
• Seating (45)
• Reservations: Accepted