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5 Best Lasagna Joints In The Bay Area, And No, They're Not All In San Francisco

Pizza and simple pasta dishes seem to get all the attention when Italian food is mentioned, and no one thinks lasagna will be the next food craze. But the classic Italian baked dish remains a favorite for many, and happily, Bay Area restaurants offer lasagna to satisfy everyone's taste.

Marcella's Lasagneria
1099 Tennessee St.
San Francisco, CA 94107
(415) 920-2225
www.marcellaslasagneria.com

Marcella's Lasagneria serves house-made lasagne and pasta shaped and designed to go with whatever fresh produce is available locally each week. The chefs at Marcella's want to focus on the best relationship between the texture of the pasta and the flavors and textures of whatever ingredients are combined, along with the sauce. Owner and chef Massimo brings along history of cooking and working in the hospitality world to his sweet dining spot, Marcella's Lasagneria, in San Francisco's Dogpatch area. The true Italian menu boasts seven lasagne ($9.95 each) with something for everyone. The lineup includes Abruzzo with Italian sausage, Sicilian eggplant, Bolognese (sirloin beef), butternut squash, verdura with pesto and zucchini, and Bianca made with pancetta and béchamel. Marcella's offers Lasagna by the Pan ($60-$65), perfect for an office occasion or to take home, plus lunchtime catering is available. Visit the website for menu and full details.

Tommaso's Ristorante Italiano
1042 Kearny St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 398-9696
www.tommasos.com

Home to San Francisco's oldest and well-beloved wood-fired pizza oven, Tommaso's opened in 1935 in San Francisco's popular North Beach neighborhood. With a rich restaurant history in the City by the Bay, many restaurant guides have applauded Tommaso's over the years along with the praise of celebrities who have eaten here. One of the highlights at Tommaso's is its Lasagna ($16.50), a classic with fresh, soft, tender noodles, spinach and cheese in saucy layers. The restaurant is smaller than visitors generally expect, with tables packed in to accommodate the crowds that flock here for its history and old world ambiance. Read a brief history of Tommaso's here.

BaoNecci Ristorante
516 Green St.
San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 989-1806
www.caffebaonecci.com

BaoNecci Ristorante occupies the site of the former Danilo Bakery, known for its old world Italian baked goods. In 2005, the Gambaccini family moved to San Francisco and bought the Danilo Bakery site. Stefania does the cooking in the same way she cooks for the family, serving some of the typical dishes from Italy's Lucca region, the Gambaccini family's birthplace. The BaoNecci Ristorante menu offers dishes made from family recipes handed down through generations, including Lasagna Casereccia ($18.95), described as "Stefania's meat sauce, parmesan cheese, [and] béchamel." In addition to the fine regional cuisine at BaoNecci Ristorante that includes various pasta dishes, pizzas, calzones, soups, salads and appetizers, the Gambaccini family continues to offer baked goods of the original Danilo Bakery, plus several new products they have created and added to the mix.

Related: Best Pizza In The South Bay

Dopo
4293 Piedmont Ave.
Oakland, CA 94611
(510) 652-3676
www.dopoadesso.com

Dopo is a different kind of Italian spot using ingredients not common to the Italian cuisine we are used to, such as pasta with uni (sea urchin) or a plate of mackerel with pomegranate and oregano. The Lasagnette ($18) at Dopo is not the typical, saucy lasagna Americans are used to, but a baked, meaty portion without sauce on the top, yet cheesy, tasty and filling. Visit sister restaurant Adesso, next door (4395 Piedmont), for coffee and breakfast, lighter dinner fare, drinks and dessert.

Doppio Zero Pizzeria Napoletana
160 Castro St.
Mountain View, CA 94041
(650) 938-4147
www.dzpizzeria.com

A favorite spot in Mountain View, Doppio Zero is best known for its pizza – the authentic Neapolitan pizza that Master Pizzaiolo Alberto made in Naples, Italy for 20 years before transplanting to California. But restaurant fans stress that they come for more than the pizza, as Doppio Zero serves fine cuisine from Campania and the rest of Southern Italy, crafted using the freshest ingredients, locally sourced when possible. Food items are also imported from Italy as needed for authentic taste. The solid menu includes several special dishes such as fettuccine wild boar, along with more familiar plates cooked deliciously Southern Italian style, as in lasagna ($14) homemade Neapolitan style with meat.

Related: Best Italian Food In San Francisco

Melanie Graysmith is a writer, artist and educator based in San Francisco. She writes on adult education, art and lifestyle topics, and enjoys writing short stories and poetry. She is also a member of an independent filmmaking group. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.

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