San Francisco has never been short of tasty and savory pizzas, but nothing comes close to the handcrafted ones found at Beretta.

Beretta is a pizzeria which has been open since 2008. Located in the Mission District neighborhood at Valencia and 23rd St, Beretta prides itself on being the pioneer of quirky fine dining restaurants that have since been populating the area. Upon entering the restaurant, visitors are greeted with glass chandeliers, black walls in stark contrast, and a generous full bar. With it’s dim lighting, this place is the perfect spot for dates or casual hangouts with friends.

The cuisine mainly consists of contemporary Italian food but also has a handful of good cocktails. Once you get seated, ask the server for the secret drink menu and you will be presented with a full book of selections to start out your dinner. I ordered a Wind Up Bird, which is a mix of Japanese whiskey with curacao, bianco vermouth and salted cacao. The drink was strong and spicy enough to whet your appetite.

One fan favorite appetizer is the walnut bread. This dish comes in 3 pieces and is served with burrata cheese and mushroom truffle honey. This bread’s different flavors and textures blended together in one delicious bite.

For the main dish, I had the classic margherita pizza. The thin-crust pizza was very crispy and the tomato sauce was just enough to balance with the right amount of dough. On top of that, the herbs in the sauce made the slice even more savory. Second was a squid ink with calamari risotto.The calamari risotto was a good add-on because it was aptly rich and the squid ink mixed in so well that it just made you crave for more.

Try not to stuff yourself too full, in order to save some room for dessert. I chose the Bonet chocolate gelato because I have a soft spot for chocolate and it has it’s own twist with the addition of amaretti and caramel. The portion of the dessert is rather big so I’d recommend that it be shared with somebody.

Beretta is definitely hot spot if you’ve ever wanted to try handcrafted pizza without leaving the San Francisco. The price range might be higher than your usual pizzeria but it’s certainly worth the buck.