Pizzeria Delfina delivers Neapolitan-inspired pizzas to San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO -- The recipe for the perfect pizza starts with inspiration from Italy with a dash of East Coast flavor. That's what's been bringing customers through the doors of the Pizzeria Delfina's Pacific Heights location for the last 16 years.

"All of our restaurants are in areas in parts of cities that have a lot of energy and a density," said Craig Stoll, co-owner of Delfina.

Stoll and his business partner and wife, Annie Stoll, came up with the idea for the restaurant on their second date. That idea blossomed into four locations across the Bay Area: two in San Francisco, one in Burlingame and one in Palo Alto.

Annie said, "It was kind of a dream, but we talked about it and shortly after we started working on a business plan together." A lot of research went into that business plan including trips to Naples, Italy.

"Before we opened we wanted to take a trip to Naples, to Italy and really learn where pizza came from. It completely changed a lot of our basic perceptions of pizza, our basic assumptions and really, really expanded our knowledge and changed what we were set out to do," said Craig.

The menu includes core items like a margherita pizza, but the duo also includes seasonal items and incorporates fresh products from local farms.

It's not just the mouthwatering pizza that keeps customers coming back, but it's the warm and inviting environment the Stolls created at their restaurants, "You will see me hugging almost every guest that comes to the door because we've been here for 16 years. We know a lot of our guests. We feel very close to our guests," said Annie.

After 16 years in San Francisco and 27 years working together, the Stolls said Pizzeria Delfina is still a dream come true.

You can learn more by visiting their website.