Heroic Italian

Heroic Italian, how have I lived so long in SF and not tried you until now?? Ordered on caviar and every item was drool worthy. The Tiramisu was creamy, not overly sweet, and had that perfect cocoa dusting on top. The Toffee Milk Chocolate Cookie was a surprising little bonus--chewy, rich and packed with flavor.The Marinetti was fresh and flavorful (tbh was my favorite of the bunch and as a devoted meat eater it didn't need any), and the Spicy Chicken Parmesan had the right amount of kick with crispy chicken and melty cheese. The Red Sauce Pinsa was crispy with a light crust, tangy sauce and just the right amount of spicy salami.Everything arrived fresh, and I'll definitely be ordering again. Highly recommend!

While the prices here may be an to turn off for some, the quality ingredients and inventive sandwiches Heroica Italian churns out are an Italian sandwich-lovers dream. My go to is the Miranetti---a scrumptious take on a classic caprese sandwich. I like to add shredded roast chicken to add additional protein and spicy peppers to satisfy my Angelino tastes.They operate in the back of a cute wine bar on the main drag in the Castro, so it can be easy to overlook if you're not into the know. The staff and chefs are extremely kind and will make sure your order arrived promptly and error-free.

Tasty but looks nothing like pictures and disappointingFirst time ordering and the OMG looked so big we only ordered one and if you see the photo your like omg that is huge but it's no 20.00 see photos below. I include the store photo for comparison We had been so excited to try now having to order another as this was a one person Sammy and not as described

It can be easy to walk by Heroic Italian and not realize it! There are no signs for the restaurant. Instead you will see a wine shop. Wine shop in the front, Heroic Italian kitchen in the back. When I entered, the man at the cashier explained that I could take a seat at any table outside, scan the QR code and order directly on my phone. The QR code links to the specific table you're at so they know who to bring the food to. I ordered the OMG spicy, no lettuce, add burrata. This sandwich was beyond delicious, literally the most perfect sandwich. I should have kept the lettuce on there since it prob would have balanced out the saltiness of the meats, but that's my fault! The roasted tomatoes were my favorite part!! They were so incredibly flavorful! My mouth is drooling just thinking about them! I can't wait to come back to SF to try their other sandwiches!

We were excited to try this spot that was recommended by friends but unfortunately didn't love it! It was still a decent sando but lacking in rich flavors! We did door dash and it was expensive for 2 sandwiches (almost $50)! The OMG was better than the Marinetti.

Oh hey, I know Heroic Italian from my recent visit to their Downtown Berkeley location where I indulged in a tasty burrata pinsa (review: https://bit.ly/3qfi8M2). This currently mini-chain was started by Boston-born brothers Jeffrey Mertihue and David Bullitt down in Santa Monica where they became popular for their Italian sandwiches.I was happy to find out they opened a spot on Castro but was surprised it was a pop-up in front of Swirl, the wine shop close to 18th Street. They built out four dining booths at the curb and set up tables on the sidewalk. Each space has its own QR code that allows you to review the menu and make your order. Human interaction was at a minimum.But you won't hear me complaining...or young mothers with toddlers in baby strollers. The process made it efficient without having to wait for a server's attention. I ordered in two parts starting with the $18 Chicken Caesar Salad with a generous amount of shredded rotisserie chicken nestled with romaine and crostini croutons (photo: https://bit.ly/3oIrGio).It was mixed with parmesan, anchovies, Dijon mustard and garlic, and the result was tasty even if the dressing was on the excessive side. The second part of my lunch was the $10 Crostini and Burrata where they served toasted wedges of Montesacro bread with a big helping of creamy Balsamic-drizzled burrata (photo: https://bit.ly/42hZVuQ). This could become a Castro habit.FOOD - 4 stars...satisfying favorites with just a little more oomph than I was expecting AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...liking the pop-up set-up, at least when a booth is openSERVICE - 4 stars...pretty efficient between order and arrivalTOTAL - 4 stars...this Italian is feeling a bit more heroicRELATED - Exploring the Castro? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2HrpFPC

LOOK PHOTO BELOW AND READ...The customer service is certainly lacking as well. I received this response from the owner. It's so weird lmaoThe owner definitely seems confident about his business and does not pay attention to the negatives. The real issue here, business owner not listening or being adequately.No matter when you bake your breads or where your sausages are imported from, it's about the taste and quality of the final product. ((Maybe you imported cheapest sausages, try lil more expensive ones)).If you got that kind reviews, be kind, listen your customers and improve or double check your products.Think about that, Mr. Business Owner:)UPDATE:Please, start with customer service. Read/learn what is that and how to reply to reviews like mine!Haha, what's important is that they don't lie and pretend with good quality. They are what they are. You buy cheapest sausages and using old/dried breads lol

Had to stop by and try this cute restaurant inside of Swirl wine bar. The food was bomb af & paired perfectly with the wine. They go above and beyond by making their pesto & other dishes from scratch. I highly recommend visiting, and supporting this local Castro business. | IG: Smackinfood

This was an amazing experience for my mom, who was visiting from out of town. We walked a bit up the street and enjoyed the stroll into "the Castro" and found "swirl" and noted that a word of mouth friend advertised the foods there are amazing. It's actually VERY good and should be hopping. The seating is fine outside and the attention is great. Going inside for wine is easy the staff is INCREDIBLE HELPFUL and accommodating. Excellent place highly recommended.

Is this a case of the tail wagging the dog? Swirl on Castro has invited Heroic Italian into their wine shop, ostensibly a bid to allow one to eat while consuming the alcohol Swirl serves up. But this works both ways: Heroic Italian brought me in. A glass of wine and a Pliny the Elder (a steal at $6) from Swirl were the nice afterthought. However you cut it, this is a win-win proposition for both the businesses and the consumer. If I weren't sitting in a Covid-era al fresco structure on Castro with '80's pop songs being piped in the experience could almost have me believing I was in Rome. Heroic Italian doesn't have an extensive menu (almost exclusively sandwiches and salads) but what they do have will practically have you crooning an aria. Good stuff that had me recalling my last visit to Italy. Two of us shared the Gladiator Salad ($16) which is a salad for lovers of cured meat. Featuring Italian Prosciutto, Spicy Salami, Copocollo, Porchetta, Mortadella and more, this is not the sort of salad I'd choose for myself but as a shared offering it was perfect. A shared Quadronno Sandwich ($16) though? I'm not even a sandwich lover but, arriving at the table oozing melted Burrata, this thing was a dream. Orders are placed here via a QR code and I'd checked "spicy" but not paid more for "extra spicy" and neither should you. One bite in particular left my eyes watering and it took a while for that to settle down. I'd still get it spicy - not extra spicy - but I'd approach the sandwich with more caution. Any way you approach it though, this was a marvelous sandwich. Both the salad and the sandwich featured bread from Montesacro Pinseria, also in SF and about which I can only say "best bread ever". Though it was clear the fillings were top notch it was the fantastic light, chewy, and crunchy bread that elevated it above what it would otherwise have been. You can, of course, order a soda from Heroic Italian but you're here at Swirl so you may as well go big. Perhaps a bottle of Italian wine should be added. In our case, it was a glass of wine from Switzerland ($11) of all places, and a nice big bottle of icy cold Pliny the Elder IPA, bargain priced at $6. A little taste of Rome on Castro Street; I didn't know it was needed but it was. It most certainly was.