Forkelo ranking · Updated October 2026
7 cacio e pepes across San Francisco, ranked on what people say about the dish itself — never the restaurant's overall rating.
Roma Antica · Cow Hollow
16 dish-specific mentions · 94% positive · 1 source type · menu verified October 2026
Handmade tonnarelli that regulars call fabulous and their go-to order, with several saying it tastes like Italy. One diner found it too salty.
Fiorella Sunset · Inner Sunset
12 dish-specific mentions · 83% positive · 1 source type · menu verified October 2026
Creamy chitarra cacio e pepe with good cheese; one fan calls it the best in the city. No negatives captured, though a couple of diners rated it merely fine.
a Mano · Hayes Valley
8 dish-specific mentions · 88% positive · 1 source type · menu verified October 2026
Simple, creamy and peppery with al dente pasta, per the most recent reviews. One diner called it just alright and another a little watery.
Fiorella · Outer Richmond
11 dish-specific mentions · 82% positive · 1 source type · menu verified October 2026
Chitarra cacio e pepe that Richmond regulars call phenomenal and authentic. Two older reviews found it disappointing or far too peppery.
9 dish-specific mentions · 67% positive · 1 source type · menu verified October 2026
Roman-style tonnarelli that fans say tastes like Rome. Recent reviews are mixed, with one plate served barely warm and another that fell flat.
Penny Roma · Mission
14 dish-specific mentions · 71% positive · 1 source type · menu verified October 2026
A tonnarelli cacio e pepe many call a must-order and the highlight of the meal. Recent reviews are cooler: boring, overhyped or served lukewarm.
Ideale · North Beach
9 dish-specific mentions · 56% positive · 1 source type · menu verified October 2026
Some regulars order it every visit and call it authentic and al dente. Several others found it undercooked, too thick or short on pepper.
Every score is built from evidence about the specific dish: how often locals recommend it, how strongly, how recently, and whether independent sources agree. A restaurant's overall star rating is never converted into a dish score.
Quality and confidence are reported separately. A dish two people loved can score high, but it is marked limited data until more evidence backs it up. The whole calculation — every constant, and three dishes worked through line by line — is written out on the methodology page.
Think we got it wrong? Tell us what’s better.
