Gialina Pizzeria
2842 Diamond St
(between Kern St & Wilder St)
San Francisco, CA 94131
Neighborhood: Glen Park
Rated: ♣♣♣♣
Alas, I’ve finally had a chance to eat at my neighborhood pizza joint. I’ve attempted many a time, but immediately turned away because of their 1 hour wait list. We still ended up waiting an hour, but chose to spend the time at Eggettes with a hot milk tea. I was very impressed with Gialina’s. I think it’s better than Delfina’s to be honest.
The scene:
Gialina seats about 20-30 people max. You’d have to know what you’re looking for if you attempt to come here. The restaurant is a small unmarked shop (logo on the front is barely visible) on the corner of Diamond and Kern in Glen Park. The only way to tell it’s Gialina’s is by the hordes of people standing in front. I don’t remember the staff, but I think they’re friendly.
The food:
Pizzas range from $12-$16 and they have very impressive pizzas. Potato with applewood smoked bacon, asparagus with green garlic, portobello with preserved lemon are just a few of their unique pizzas. I am kicking myself about one thing though. I FORGOT TO ORDER THE EGG! That is the one topping you have to add if you eat at Gialina.
Margherita – You’ve got to try a margherita at each pizza place as least once as a base line for comparison. The pizza was thin and crispy and it had a good amount of cheese (not too much) on top. It’s less chewy than Delfina’s and less gooey than Tony’s.
Portobello Mushroom w/Â preserved lemon, ricotta & truffle cheese – Gialina had me at preserved lemon. That really is one of the most unique pizza’s I’ve ever had, other than the Cal Italia at Tony’s. The combination of the meaty mushrooms, creamy fetta and hint of lemon, the pizza was no doubt, a goldmine. Definely one of my favorite pizzas ever.
