Kenneth Rhee
I used to live in Turin, Italy, and I just found the best pasta spot in the SF Bay Area If you want to taste truly authentic Italian pasta, you won’t regret it.
… moreMohamed Elsankary
Some amazing happy hour deals and these slices were very reasonably priced. Pears on pizza was new to me, but the flavors surprisingly came together well. The dough ferment was very noticeable, complemented well by the oven’s temperature. Great place to stop by for a quick bite to sit down lunch/dinner.
… moreAngye Bueno
If you want to be delighted by flavor and enjoy a good time as well, this is the place!! We organized a lunch with my family and friends at Passione Emporio for my wedding and my daughter’s baptism and they made sure everything, and I mean everything from the food to the ambience and the service was absolutely PERFECT! We loved the menu they created for us and our guests were impressed by each plate’s execution and taste. The portions were also generous and we didn’t have to wait to get served, the timing was just right. I am thankful for the excellent customer attention as well: Fabrizio made sure we were happy and comfortable. Good job, Passione Emporio! No one should leave Berkeley without trying this spot!
… moreJanine Nguyen
Came in with my fiancé just looking for dessert, but we ended up staying to try the pizza too. Service was polite and overall fine. The place got a bit busier while we were there, and it seemed to be popular with an older crowd. Just an observation.
We ordered the Fiori pizza. My fiancé really liked it. I thought it was okay. The truffle oil came through and the prosciutto was cooked well, but the crust needed more crunch. I also noticed a strange aftertaste that reminded me of bleach, probably from the tray being recently cleaned. It’s common at a lot of places, but unfortunately it rubbed off on the food and made the pizza less enjoyable for me.
For dessert, I had the ricotta pistachio cake and liked it. My fiancé enjoyed the tiramisu, but I didn’t. It felt like the components hadn’t come together. The texture was too separated, and it didn’t have that creamy, cohesive feel I usually expect.
Not a bad experience, but I don’t think I’d go out of my way for the pizza again. Maybe just a dessert stop next time.
… moreAH
Real Italian pizza, finally. Since returning from Italy we have been on the hunt fresh, simple ingredients, real Italian pizza and stumbled upon this place. They actually have pinsa and an Italian pizza maker from Sicily who was awesome. The server was very cool and they weren’t busy so we chatted with pinsa maker and server. It was also nice that they were letting us enjoy our meal and not trying to take plates, clean our table, give us the check, etc. to rush us out of there. It was very close to being in a restaurant in Italy again, and we will be returning.
Update- we went back and for whatever reason the Italian pizza maker no longer worked there and you could tell a difference. Still a really nice ambiance and service was good. We tried a new appetizer and it was delicious.
… moreBen Zell
God awful experience. I almost never leave reviews, but this place earned it.
Went for lunch with my mom and the restaurant was basically empty, which should have been our first warning. The waiter barely spoke English and struggled to take even the simplest order.
My mom ordered pasta with a side Caesar salad. I ordered a salad with a piece of salmon. When my mom’s food finally arrived, the “Caesar salad” was literally a bowl of dry lettuce and croutons — no dressing — for $10. Embarrassing.
After waiting a while for my food, we asked where it was. We were told “a few more minutes.” Then we were told they were “having problems with the salmon.” Forty-five minutes later, still nothing. At that point I had to leave to get back to work.
Despite never serving my meal and serving my mom a joke of a salad, they still made us pay $28 for dry lettuce and mediocre pesto pasta. No apology. No comp. No effort to make it right. They truly did not care.
We walked out frustrated, hungry, and shocked by how poorly this place is run. I will never be back, and honestly, I’d be surprised if this restaurant is still open in a year.
… moreEdwin Karlsson
The food was excellent, although service was a little lacking at times, with it taking quite a while to get seated and then placing our order, 20-30 minutes. Upon arriving however, the food was excellent, and although the lasagna was a smidge cold it was incredibly tasty. There’s a wide ice cream and espresso assortment for dessert and the pastas and pizzas were excellent.
… moreGiorgio M
Cute place and varied menu, friendly staff. Pasta and appetizers are good – though both overpriced, especially at lunch. The tiramisù was bad and watery. The octopus was very enjoyable, and a generous portion for an appetizer – can easily be a main if you’re getting dessert or a side. Overall a pleasant experience, but can’t recommend the dessert.
… moreSindy S.
Wow! Never judge a book by its cover. At first, we were planning to get our order to go, but decided to dine in when we walked into this restaurant- so relaxing and calm.
What an unexpected treat to an incredible yummy meal. The food was simple but delicious, like I was in Italy, light and hearty at the same time. Wonderful service! Will definitely come back to this little gem.
… moreLisa Wise
Glad we listened to the reviews. It’s off the beaten track and well worth visiting. Very tasty, freshly made dishes. My pesto gnocchi could’ve used a tad more contrast, but the gnocchi themselves were the fluffiest, freshest I’ve ever had. Lasagna noodles were anazing, too. Sauce was more bechamel than tomato-y, as clearly described. Portions are reasonable and encourage multi-course dining, so go ahead and try the veggies or pizza as an appetizer. And, save room for dessert.
… more