Flour + Water Is Officially the Newest Pizza Powerhouse to Stake a Claim in North Beach

There’s no shortage of excellent pizza options in North Beach, the neighborhood often referred to as San Francisco’s own Little Italy. For a classic experience, try the walk-up window at Golden Boy, where locals and tourists queue for a square of Sicilian, or Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, a mecca for fans of the soft and saucy slices of Margherita.

But as of June 28, a new competitor enters the ring: Flour + Water Pizzeria, sister restaurant to the city’s finest pasta destination in the Mission, is making its long-awaited return a full 13 months after closing its doors on Valencia Street. And there’s a lot to note about the big comeback. For one, the new location includes not only a full-service restaurant, a resurrection of the original Flour + Water Pizzeria, but also a Pizza Shop with a separate entrance and special menu items. There’s also a glass-encased dough room meant to give diners a view into the pizza production process. It’ll also serve as a jumping-off point for the company’s expansion down the line, with future pizzeria outposts bringing in dough made at the North Beach shop, and can function as a private dining room should the need for a pizza party arise.

For anyone who’s eaten at either Flour + Water or the spinoff pizzeria, the menu should feel like being reunited with an old friend. The pizza list splits into red and white pies, including classics such as Margherita and pepperoni. But there’s also a (somewhat controversial) pineapple, capicola, and chile crisp-topped number, a smoky eggplant pizza, plus a cacio e pepe pie buried under four kinds of cheese and ample black pepper. As a nod to the original restaurant, the OG Osso sports a powerful combination of bone marrow, fresh mozzarella, garlic, mustard greens, and fresh horseradish.

Diners will also have the option to add an order of stretchy mozzarella sticks. The order includes a side of marinara for dipping, though you do have the option to order a side of house-made ranch — because this is a real pizzeria after all. For dessert, the team is once again pulling cups of Double 8 Dairy buffalo gelato soft serve, too, with the option between either fiore de latte or salted caramel.

The space will similarly be familiar to longtime San Francisco diners. Formerly home to Rose Pistola, the new Flour + Water Pizzeria sits at 532 Columbus Avenue and spans 75 seats. There’s a full bar (more on that later), plus a mix of high tops, leather booths, and standard two- and four-top tables. As with Flour + Water, which got a refresh in early 2022, the team worked with Lundberg Design, as well as project architect Gavin Knowles on the look. They kept the existing mosaic tile floor, in all its imperfect glory, and added neutral and natural elements to fill out the space. For example, corrugated cardboard serves as the foundation for pendant lights, and custom-made metal racks function as pizza box storage and an eye-catching element of the design.

Flour + Water Hospitality Group’s Beverage Director Samuel Bogue put together a manageable list with about a dozen options by the glass, including Flour + Water’s own white and orange wines made in collaboration with Richmond’s Subject to Change. The bottle list features mostly Italian selections, with a focus specifically on smaller producers who favor sustainable practices. For those not feeling wine, there’s a tight beer list too, but you’d do well to try a cocktail; local barman-about-town Elmer Mejicanos consulted on a list that includes riffs on familiar classics, plus a boozy slushie made with Fiero aperitivo, passion fruit, and prosecco.

For those who want to take their pizza to-go or pop in for a “Big Slice,” a daily-changing giant slice exclusive to the Pizza Shop, to take to the park, the Slice Shop entrance can be found at 1533 Stockton Street. There are a dozen seats for a quick bite, beer and wine to take with you, and, importantly, a vintage Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game to cement the neighborhood pizza shop vibe.

Flour + Water Pizzeria (532 Columbus Avenue) and Flour + Water Pizzeria Shop (1533 Stockton Street) open on June 28. The restaurant will be open for dinner only from 5 to 10 p.m. to start, though the team plans to expand to 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily by mid-July. Reservations are open and available via Resy, though some seats will be available for walk-ins.