Flour + Water

Since 2009, Flour + Water has been redefining what pasta can be in San Francisco’s Mission district. This isn’t your typical Italian restaurant—it’s where California’s seasonal bounty meets traditional pasta-making techniques in unexpected and delightful ways. The atmosphere feels like Sunday dinner at a friend’s beautifully appointed home, with candlelight flickering against earthy walls and an understated elegance that lets the food take center stage.

The pasta here is nothing short of remarkable. Forget the familiar shapes you’d find at a grocery store—Flour + Water’s kitchen crafts intricate mezzalune with perfectly crimped edges, hand-stamped corzetti, and delicate scarpinocc filled with creamy taleggio. What truly sets this place apart is their fearless approach to flavor combinations. Cocoa paired with rutabaga, uni butter dancing with sourdough breadcrumbs—these seemingly unconventional marriages work beautifully on the plate. The menu changes daily based on what’s freshest, so each visit brings new discoveries.

For the full experience, commit to the pasta tasting menu and let the kitchen guide you through their greatest hits. It’s an indulgent carb celebration that showcases both familiar favorites and off-menu creations. If you go à la carte, the Taleggio Scarpinocc is a signature dish that delivers pure comfort, while the Duck Tortelloni with its juniper-tinted filling and smoked cherry garnish shows off the kitchen’s sophisticated approach. Whatever you order, save room for the chocolate budino—a velvety dessert crowned with espresso whipped cream that’s earned its reputation as a non-negotiable finale.

Whether you’re celebrating a special occasion, impressing visitors from out of town, or simply craving an exceptional meal, Flour + Water delivers. It’s spawned several successful offshoots around the city, but the original remains the place to experience their most boundary-pushing pasta creations. This is the restaurant that launched a thousand imitators in San Francisco’s thriving pasta scene, and it continues to set the standard.