Sample Four-Course Prix Fixe Menu

• First course: sunchoke soup with oxtails, brussel sprouts, and sous vide egg
• Second course: duck-and-squab-filled pasta in poultry jus with prunes and yams
• Third course: selection of Italian cheeses
• Fourth course: carrot cannoli with coconut cream and carrot-cinnamon gelato

Inside Tips

• If you notice a server checking out your outfit, it’s not just because you came dressed in your finest (the dress code suggests men wear jackets and women dress equally formally). They do this so they can figure out which napkin to give you. Guests receive either a white or a black napkin depending on what they’re wearing to ensure that any possible lint or threads from the napkins won't show up on their clothes.
• Hire a babysitter—the restaurant only serves patrons aged 8 and older
• The 500-bottle wine list is, according to SF Weekly, “awesomely long and costly." They advise guests to "beg the sommelier's help and be prepared to spend big." Those who wish to save a bit of money, however, can bring a bottle from home; corkage fees are based on milliliters and start at $25.
• Save room, because the meal doesn’t end at dessert—guests receive a complimentary box of almond biscotti.

Fun Facts

• Foie gras production was banned in California in 2012. Fortunately, Chef Suzette Gresham has found a legal workaround. According to Gayot, she "reinvents Acquerello's signature dish, the ridged pasta in foie gras and Marsala sauce, by manually adding duck fat to the duck livers—the result is the same velvety decadence guests have enjoyed here for years."
• The restaurant's name comes from the Italian word for "watercolors," which decorate the walls.
• Acquerello used to be a chapel. A recent renovation showcases the building’s stucco walls and exposed-beam cathedral ceiling.

High Praise

• The Michelin Guide has awarded Acquerello a star every year since 2007. "The variety of tasting and prix-fixe menus may be reliably classic," according to the guide, "but seasonal ingredients and contemporary inspiration keep each course absolutely delicious."

• Though Acquerello opened more than 20 years ago, it has, according to the [San Francisco Chronicle](http://www.sfgate.com/food/article/Acquerello-review-still-a-standout-2314085.php), "changed successfully with the times, remaining relevant."

While You’re in the Neighborhood

For the World Traveler: Before you spend your evening savoring a slice of Italy, you can spend the earlier part of the day exploring Germany’s many cultural contributions at the German Consulate General (1960 Jackson Street), which hosts photography exhibits, films, and poetry recitations.

For the Music Lover: Old First Concerts (1751 Sacramento Street) showcases a host of artists whose work spans genres that include classical, blues, avant-garde, and world music.

For the Film Buff: Complete the classic “dinner and a movie” equation by catching an indie or foreign flick at the Clay Theatre (2261 Fillmore Street), one of the city's oldest movie houses.