When Chef-Owner Fabrizio Cercatore opened HOT ITALIAN in downtown San Rafael in late 2024, his menu consisted of his sister, Eleonore Cercatore’s, gelato and coffee made in Oakland by a Napoli native. So, even before the Cuppone pizza oven was ready to turn out pinsa and pizza, there were pulls of piping hot espresso and gelato (one scoop: $4) made in traditional Italian style, the flavors an immediate reminder of the Cercatores’ native Liguria.
House made stracciatella, gianduja with hazelnut and chocolate, and 10 other seasonal flavors (you’ve gotta try the Pineapple Jalapeño) can be scooped into cones or cups. Cercatore puts gelato into bomboloni, too, a treat at any time of day but even better with a perfect Macchiato ($4.50).
Cercatore, who had a career managing pizza restaurants in northern Italy before opening restaurants in Sacramento, Berkeley and San Rafael, situates his culinary influences “between Tuscany and Liguria,” he says. He works with an Italian, energy-efficient electric pizza oven. In its three minutes in the hot, stone-bottomed oven, pizza and pinsa (pinsa - $20; 12” pizza - $24; 16” pizza - $34), like Materazzi with calabrese salami and kalamata olives, emerge with leopard striped bottoms, an indicator of the crust’s firm character. ”I would call the pizza style central to northern Italian,” Cercatore says. “Not Neapolitan and not Roman.”
Made only with California-sourced tomatoes, pizzas are made with organic wheat flour, while pinsa, an ovoid pizza style popular in Rome, is made with non-GMO wheat and rice flour for a lighter texture. A 48-hour fermentation precedes shaping and a second, 12-hour ferment, giving the dough a unique texture and flavor that has developed a fervent following. Other ingredients, such as prosciutto, Parmesan Reggiano, and Crescenza cheese is imported from Italy.
The flavors of northern Italy are sprinkled throughout the menu at lunch and dinner. Lunch specials (Monday – Friday, 11 am – 3 pm) include insanely popular Focaccia Panino like a Ranieri (breaded chicken cutlet with marinara and mozzarella - $18) and house made Lasagna ($19), each served with a salad and soda.
Fresh pastas – Gnocchi Ragu ($22) and Spaghetti Chitarra with tomato and burrata ($24) are as popular as the Ligurian classic appetizer, Farinata – flatbread made with chickpea flour and served with pesto ($13). A San Rafael special – Fassona Beef Meatballs ($14) – are made from the beef of a Piedmontese cow, known for its tender texture and exceptional flavor. (Cercatore works with Fassona sourced from a friend raising the cows in Northern California.)
If Happy Hour is your thing, there’s $13 pinsas and a classic spritz or a glass of vermouth ($6.50), as well as specials from the kitchen and bar from 4pm– 6pm, daily. An impressive selection of Italian wine is available in three and five ounce pours, as well as by the bottle. Of course, there is a Mimosa ($15).
Less expected is the mocktail program ($13) which includes a spritz finished with tonic and soda or a Negroni crafted with 30 ingredients. On the beer taps, look for Italian names like Menabrea (Piemontese) and Californian beers like Henhouse, as well as a bottle selection sourced from around Italy.
Arrive in the morning when Hot Italian opens and bask in the light cascading over the front of the restaurant – the Cinque Terra Room – with a coffee and a pinsa. Stroll past the refrigerators stocked with Italian wines and other edible, Italian deli treats before taking a look at the walls where local art hangs. “We like to support local artists with a rotating art program,” says Cercatore, who changes the selection once a quarter.
On sunny afternoons, everyone wants to sit on the back patio where picnic tables and bright yellow umbrellas invite lingering over plates of Italian charcuterie ($20 – small; $30 – large) and Calzone big enough for sharing ($22-$24). Groups can rent out the patio and the Patio Lounge, its floor to ceiling sliding glass doors pulled back to extend the patio vibe. All that’s missing is a piece of Tiramisu ($12.50) or Profiteroles ($11) to cap off a delicious – ahem! – hot Italian lifestyle experience.
Got an event coming up? They can bring the Roman magic straight to your home— a portable wood-fired pizza oven on wheels, a pizzaiolo, and a full Italian experience to make your night unforgettable.
🍕 Roman-style pizza
🥖 Freshly baked focaccia
🍨 Authentic gelato
🍷 Optional wine pairing
Perfect for birthdays, corporate events, and private parties. From backyard gatherings to elegant Napa Valley wine tastings, their pizzaioli fire up artisan pizzas on the spot — fresh, fast, and unforgettable.
Book your date and turn your backyard into the best trattoria in town.
And be sure to follow HOT ITALIAN on Instagram for upcoming specials and delicious happenings!
