• Although San Francisco's Mission District remains a predominately Latino neighborhood, ongoing gentrification has paved the way for an influx of restaurants offering what "The New York Times" calls "high-caliber Italian." An area originally known for its authentic taquerias and the eponymous Mission-style burrito now attracts chowhounds from other parts of the city and beyond for some of the best pizza and pasta in San Francisco.
  
  

Beretta

• Diners wanting creative cocktails paired with rustic Italian fare might want to check out Beretta, where bartenders mix up Acadians and a host of other fancifully named concoctions late into the night. A lengthy list of antipasti, such as asparagus with fried poached egg and an assortment of artisan salumi, allows customers to fashion a meal from a broad variety of small dishes. Risottos, a daily entree special and thin-crust pizzas--an especially popular choice, reports "San Francisco Bay Guardian" restaurant reviewer Paul Reidinger--help to counteract the effects of the strong libations. Beretta's small, sparely decorated dining room, dominated by a communal table that encourages mingling with strangers, makes for a crowded yet convivial atmosphere.
  
  Beretta
  
  1199 Valencia St.
  
  San Francisco, CA 94110
  
  415-695-1199
  
  berettasf.com
  
  

Farina

• Farina specializes in the cuisine of Liguria, the region of Italy from which the co-owners and chef hail, presented in tony surroundings. The kitchen aims for authenticity by sourcing Ligurian varieties of fresh produce locally, importing olive oil, cured meats and other staples of the Ligurian pantry from small producers, and even going so far as to make all pastas and breads on site. The regularly changing menu features a few mainstays, including the focaccia di Recco and mandilli di seta al pesto, or handkerchief pasta in pesto sauce--the latter of which "deserves its fixed place," according to restaurant critic Josh Sens in his review for "San Francisco" magazine. A decent selection of wines and well-made desserts rounds out the dining experience.
  
  Farina
  
  3560 18th St.
  
  San Francisco, CA 94110
  
  415-565-0360
  
  farina-foods.com
  
  

Flour+Water

• The stellar quality of the food at Flour+Water has attracted the notice of national media heavyweights like "The Washington Post" and "The New York Times," turning what the owners intended as a casual neighborhood joint into something of a destination restaurant. The short list of seasonally attuned dishes vying for the attention of diners lucky or patient enough to get a table includes antipasti, house-made pastas, Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in a wood-burning oven, and a few entrees. The restaurant's philosophy of letting nothing go to waste translates into a few items on the daily-changing menu, such as wood-fired tripe or radiatore with braised beef tongue, guaranteed to appeal to offal lovers and adventurous diners. The well-edited wine list keeps the focus on Italy by mainly featuring Italian wines, with a few bottles of Italian varietals from domestic vintners.
  
  Flour+Water
  
  2401 Harrison St.
  
  San Francisco, CA 94110
  
  415-826-7000
  
  flourandwater.com