Pizzeria Delfina

About Pizzeria Delfina

Pizzeria Delfina is a San Francisco pizzeria with a branch at 651 Emerson Street in downtown Palo Alto. It belongs to Annie and Craig Stoll, who already owned Delfina, a James Beard Award-winning restaurant in San Francisco, when they opened the first pizzeria in 2005. That first Pizzeria Delfina was a 600-square-foot space annexed next door to Delfina. Since then the pizzeria has added four more Bay Area locations. Today the company lists the Mission District, Pacific Heights, Burlingame and Palo Alto.

The company describes its pizza as Neapolitan-inspired, drawing on both New York City and Naples. It calls its approach farm-to-table, with seasonal antipasti and small entrees, called piatti, that change often. The Palo Alto menu is posted as a sample for that reason.

What is on the menu

The pizzas split into white pies and red pies. White pies include broccoli raab, a prosciutto pie, funghi, a carbonara pie and the Pizza Affumicata. Red pies include the Napoletana, Margherita, Margherita DOP, panna, a clam pie, 4 Formaggi, salsiccia, pepperoni, a burrata pie and a pizza alla vodka. Add-ons include hen of the woods mushrooms, a farm egg, housemade fennel sausage and Delfino anchovies.

Antipasti cover warm citrus and herb olives, burrata, mozzarella di bufala, saffron arancini, Romano beans stracotto, eggplant caponata and Full Belly Farm turnips with their greens. A chilled tripe "streetcart-style" and prosciutto San Daniele with persimmons also appear on the sample menu. Salads include an insalata tricolore and a Jersey-style chopped salad. Pastas are made in house with organic semolina, such as spaghetti pomodoro and tonnarelli with a duck ragu. The piatti include Neapolitan meatballs, chicken alla diavola and eggplant parmigiana. For dessert there is tiramisu, buttermilk panna cotta, soft serve and almond biscotti.

Wine, beer and cocktails

The drink list is mostly Italian. Wines by the glass run from Ribolla Gialla and Greco di Tufo to Frappato, Primitivo and Aglianico. Aperitivo drinks include a pomegranate Bellini and two spritzes. There is also a short list of house cocktails that includes a Negroni Nostrano. Beers come largely from Bay Area brewers such as Barebottle, Cellarmaker and Fieldwork, plus a nonalcoholic kölsch. Zero-proof options include housemade lemonade and a pomegranate mint soda.

Dietary notes

A gluten-free crust is available on the white and red pies. Gluten-free pasta is available on request. The Vegan Pie comes with tomato sauce and three vegan toppings of your choice, though it cannot be made on the gluten-free crust. Several pies and the eggplant parmigiana have no meat, but the menu does not label vegetarian dishes, so ask your server.

Booking and ordering

Pizzeria Delfina takes reservations through OpenTable. It also hosts large parties and private events and offers catering. For takeout, order pickup directly through the restaurant's Toast page. Delivery runs through DoorDash and Uber Eats. Takeout and delivery hours differ from dine-in hours. For example, takeout starts at 4 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, while the dining room opens at 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday and at noon on Wednesday. A 5% surcharge is added to all checks, which the restaurant says helps it comply with employer mandates. The company also sells gift cards. It ships pizzas nationwide through Goldbelly.

The restaurant runs occasional events. In 2026 it booked a Summer Pig Roast through OpenTable.

Who it suits

Pizzeria Delfina works for a casual dinner downtown, a family meal or a group that wants to share pizzas and antipasti. The mix of pizza, pasta and small plates lets a table order a little of everything. Gluten-free and vegan options help mixed groups. Because it takes reservations, you can lock in a table ahead of a busy weekend night rather than hoping for a walk-in spot.

Tips for visiting

Note the weekday quirk: the dining room is dinner only on Monday and Tuesday. Lunch service starts on Wednesday. The Ragazza salad is served only from noon to 3 p.m. Downtown parking can be tight at dinnertime, so leave extra time. Our downtown Palo Alto guide covers the surrounding blocks. Our getting around guide explains downtown parking and transit. For more places to eat, see our food and drink guide.

Location and getting there

Pizzeria Delfina is at 651 Emerson Street, Palo Alto, CA, in the Downtown area of Palo Alto. Our Downtown guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.3 miles away. That is roughly a 6 minute walk.

Parking: street spaces and city garages with posted limits (see parking in Palo Alto).

Hours

Hours from the business's own website, checked October 29, 2026.

What is nearby

• SkinSpirit, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• Romi Boutique, store, under 0.1 mi
• Sephora Downtown Palo Alto, salon or spa, under 0.1 mi
• VeloTech Cycles, studio or gym, under 0.1 mi
• Joe & The Juice Hamilton Avenue, cafe, under 0.1 mi
• Pacific Art League, under 0.1 mi
• King Plaza and City Hall, under 0.1 mi
• Downtown Library, under 0.1 mi

Other restaurants nearby: Buca di Beppo (under 0.1 mi); Coconuts Caribbean Restaurant & Bar (under 0.1 mi); Meyhouse (under 0.1 mi); Tacolicious (under 0.1 mi). Browse the full restaurants list.

Before you go

• Popular dinner spots in Palo Alto fill up on Friday and Saturday nights, so book ahead where the restaurant takes reservations.
• Many kitchens close earlier than in big cities. Plan to order by about 9 p.m. on weeknights unless the posted hours say otherwise.
• If you have allergies or dietary needs, call ahead or check the current menu on the restaurant's website.

About this listing

Checked October 29, 2026 against Pizzeria Delfina Palo Alto page; Palo Alto sample menu; About Pizzeria Delfina. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

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