Inside Fiorella’s New Russian Hill Location, Serving Pizza and Pasta on Polk Street

Eater 38 Essential SF restaurant Fiorella, est. 2016 in the Richmond, is poised to become a new essential dining destination in Russian Hill, too. Partners Boris Nemchenok (managing director) and Brandon Gillis (culinary Director) open their new Polk Street Fiorella location this Thursday, March 7.

Melinda Turner designed the new Fiorella, with darker hues than the original (they’re more reminiscent of Fiorella’s new Richmond District sister restaurant, Violet’s Tavern). But the new Fiorella Polk still sports a splash of the same, vibrant wallpaper as Fiorella Clement: A toile from Brooklyn’s Flavor Paper with repeating portraits of Bay Area sites (like Alcatraz and Fairyland) and local royalty (such as E-40 and Alice Waters).

For existing fans of Fiorella, “You’ll walk in and be like, okay this is Fiorella — but it definitely has it’s own characteristics,” says Nemchenok.

The new space (formerly Gioia Pizza, which is moving to a smaller Hayes Valley location) seats 35 in its dining room, with space for 12 more at a marble bar. Bar seating boasts views into an open kitchen and the restaurant’s beating heart: A custom Mugnaini wood-fired oven imported from Italy.

Like in the Richmond, that oven will turn out thin-crusted Neapolitan pies, calzones, and plates like octopus and pork chops — though with some neighborhood-specific menu items from executive chef Eli Franco and chef de cuisine Matt Donnellan. New areas of emphasis include house-made pastas and charcuterie: The whole menu is here.

Starting Thursday, Fiorella is open at 2238 Polk Street from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and till 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday, with brunch service to come.