I've always thought that it impossible to find great food + nice ambiance + mid-range prices at a restaurant in North Beach, so I wasn't expecting much. Restorante Firenze by Night surprised me in that it hit the mark on all three! This little place is on the edge of Chinatown and North Beach and the owner is a fabulously warm and friendly. He accommodated the changes in my seating arrangement easily and was happy to do so. A good choice for groups- there's a back room that fit my party of 14, along with another large group of 20 or so.
The food is amazing as well- try the award winning pappardelle with rabbit and the homemade gnocchi. I loved all the appetizers we tried as well- bruschetta, snails cooked in garlic, proscuitto with melon, braseola (thinly sliced aged beef) with argula, stuffed mushrooms. Everything was intensely flavorfull and very well priced and for the first time in a long time, nothing bad to report back at all! I'll definitely be back.
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