Although it’s not truffle season (unless the truffles are coming from Australia where it’s winter), there are plenty of places in San Francisco to indulge in the delicious recognizable flavor of truffles. Below, we share our favorite truffle dishes that are available year round.
True truffle lovers should head to the lounge at La Folie. The classic French restaurant on Polk Street offers not one, but three appetizers with truffles. It’s upscale bar food at its best and perfect when paired with a glass of Champagne or a martini. Snack on truffled popcorn, truffle deviled eggs, or our personal favorite, the truffle macaroni and cheese.
Photo Credit: Yelp User Ziyan C.
Speaking of cheese, truffles seem to pair well with it. Case in point: Beretta’s beloved antipasti dish that combines creamy burrata with mushroom-truffle honey. The addictive spread is slathered on top of hearty and savory walnut bread. Order an Aperol Spritz to wash things down and you’ll be in culinary heaven.
With chunks of tender raw beef and an oozing yellow egg yolk, beef tartare is already a decadent dish. However, chef Jason Halverson at Corridor takes tartare to a more indulgent level with the addition of a truffle vinaigrette. The tartare is made with beef, duck liver mousse, and Tokyo turnips and the truffle vinaigrette is poured over the entire dish table side. How sophisticated!
Photo Credit: @foodgaleri
Another restaurant that devotes an entire dish to the truffle gods? Umami Burger. Their truffle burger is a triple whammy of truffles: it has truffle aioli, house truffle cheese, and truffle glaze. Try saying that 10 times fast!
French fries infused with truffle oil are to die for. Truffle fries are found on many a menu in San Francisco, but the best are chef Jennifer Puccio’s at Park Tavern. The perfectly cut fries are served alongside a soft-cooked egg with caviar (for dipping!) and are topped with a generous shaving of rich truffles.
Photo Credit: Yelp User Gina B.
What about truffle pizza? At Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, pizza master Tony Gemignani makes a California-style white pie called the Tartufo. It’s topped with mozzarella, burrata, goat cheese, wild mushrooms, prosciutto di parma, arugula, and truffle oil.
Truffles aren’t just for savory dishes as proven by chef Matthew Accarrino. At SPQR, the Michelin-starred Roman eatery on Fillmore Street, Accarrino makes black truffle gelato. It’s served with bing cherry and Trufflebert Farm hazelnut “clafoutis.” Delish!
Photo Credit: Matthew Accarrino
