Alioto's: Five generations of seafood
It’s a safe bet you will talk to at least one Alioto while dining at Alioto’s, one of the oldest and best seafood restaurants at Fisherman’s Wharf. Ten members of the Alioto family work at the restaurant. But you may be too distracted enjoying one of San Francisco’s best restaurant views of the Golden Gate Bridge—and the straight-off-the-boat fresh seafood—to take names.
You may run into Nunzio Alioto III, who’s one of only 124 practicing Master Sommeliers in the U.S. (The wine list encompasses a generous range of California and Italian varietals, from a $5.25 glass to a $120 bottle.) And Nunzio’s son, Alexander, may be your waiter. They are among the dozens of Aliotos, spanning five generations, who have made the restaurant a landmark while keeping pace with the changing tastes and trends in California cuisine.
The third-floor restaurant, accessible by elevator or two flights of stairs past historic Wharf photos, affords views of the Golden Gate and the Wharf in a sunny, window-lit space. Families or budget-minded travelers should go for lunch, when you can feast on the same seafood items for generally lower prices. Lunch specials, which feature locally caught prawns, scallops, mussels, shrimp or calamari entrees, are just $9.50-$12.75. For $3 more, you can add clam chowder, a shrimp cocktail or a salad. Little Fishes (under-13) lunches are $8.75. And all meals come with Boudin sourdough that’s delivered twice daily from the bakery where it’s made across the street.
At whatever time you dine (meals are served 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.), you’ll have a choice of signature Italian seafood appetizers and entrees such as the tender Dungeness Crab Cakes with mixed greens ($13.95), a delightfully spicy Sicilian Calamari ($12.50) and the inventive Cappelini with Seafood Sausage ($17.25). (Seafood Sausage has the appearance and texture of a meat sausage, but contains only local shellfish—shrimp, prawns and scallops.) For dessert, try the creamy Sicilian Cannoli—easy to find in Boston, but rare in San Francisco.
Whether the Aliotos are better known for the restaurant or their politics is a tossup. It started with the restaurant, when Sicilian immigrant Nunzio Alioto Sr. opened a fresh fish stand in 1925. But the Aliotos proved equally adept in local politics, with Joe Alioto becoming a two-term mayor (1968-1976), his daughter Angela serving as a Board of Supervisors president and her niece Michela on the current Board of Supes. Like the restaurant, where they still come together for family gatherings, they have become part of the rich fabric of San Francisco.
- by Bob Cooper, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro
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Bob CooperBob Cooper is a full-time freelance writer (www.bob-cooper.com) who writes about travel, outdoor sports and health. He is a monthly contributor to Runner's World and has written recent articles for other national magazines such as Continental, Ladies' Home Journal and Inc.
