San Francisco, CA
Amarena: A Cozy Corner Of Italy In San Francisco’s Russian Hill
Ravioli di Zucca
Tucked away in the heart of San Francisco’s Russian Hill, Amarena is a cozy Italian restaurant that exudes charm and authenticity. With its warm ambiance, lively vibes and classic dishes, this neighborhood gem stands out as a romantic restaurant worth experiencing more than once. Owned and ran by Milano native Paolo Galli, who also is Executive Chef, Amarena was opened in 2002, just two years after he moved to the city.
Galli grew up being spoiled by his mother’s cooking, and after decades of asking her for cooking advise and learning her recipes, she suddenly passed. This was the catalyst in opening Amarena, meaning sour cherry.
Pulpo alla griglia
“I am a happy person,” explains Chef/ Owner, Galli. “What I love, and what I am good at too, is making people happy around me. Having a restaurant where I can enjoy feeding guests everyday and putting a smile on their faces with my cuisine couldn’t be a better fit.”
When you walk into Amarena, the welcoming energy is palpable. Whether sitting at the wine bar or at a table, of which you’ll also be surrounded by wine bottles lining the walls, people are are right at home. The wine list is extensive, with most hailing from Italy or California. During happy hour guests can enjoy a 30% off any drink and 30% off any pasta dish from the menu from 5:00 pm to 6:00pm.
The menu itself also features quite a selection of Italian dishes, some being Galli’s mother’s recipes and others traditional Italian recipes.
Pappardelle al Cinghiale
“When I test a new dish, the flavor needs to open up my memories in order to be approved,” continues Galli, who takes pride in keeping his mother’s memory alive through his dishes and restaurant. “For example, with the Polenta Consada, a signature dish featuring polenta with parmigiano, sage and cream sauce, this was a dish that, if I was sad, eating it would cheer me up and my mother knew this.”
The menu offers starters like the Pulpo alla Griglia which is octopus with olives and capers; the Tortino di Melanzane which are baked eggplants with fresh tomato sauce and smoked mozzarella; and the Frittura Mista with lightly battered seafood including calamari and prawns.
The pastas truly standout at this restaurant. Galli and his culinary team makes the pasta fresh everyday with the best quality of flower and eggs.
“Everything from the ravioli, pappardelle and tagliolini to the gnocchi and lasagna — all made from scratch,” he continues. “You can taste and feel the difference.”
The pasta selection includes highlights like the Ravioli di Zucca with butternut squash topped with salty ricotta cheese in a brown butter and sage sauce; the Paccheri dell Alpino, which is made from tube pasta, smoked prosciutto, sundried tomatoes in a creamy Madeira wine sauce; and the Tagliolini Ai Funghi E Tartufo, made with homemade tagliolini noodle with mushrooms and truffle sauce.
Osso Buco
Of course they also have the classic red sauce pastas like the rich Pappardelle al Cinghiale made with a wild boar ragu and traditional meat lasagna. The pastas’ texture is perfectly soft, yet chewy, making way for the perfect vessels for the sauces.
“I have families, neighbors and friends continuing to dine with us for over 20 years,” explains Galli who’s been running Amarena for over 22 years. “I’ve seen families forming since the first date, to the kids and then them becoming adults and still coming. I really believe that the consistency of our cuisine and making sure that each dish tastes as delicious as the last time they visited, keep people coming back.”
The restaurant also features a selection of heartier entrees like the fall-off-the-bone Osso Buco with cross-cut veal shanks slowly cooked and braised with vegetables served over a bed of polenta; the Agnello ai Mirtilli, which is grilled racks of lamb served with blueberry sauce and mashed potatos and the Salmone alla Griglia, a roasted wild salmon with tomatoes, olives and capers.
Grilled Lamb
Save room for desserts that include the Salame al Cioccolato, a decadent regional dessert with nuts from northern Italy made for chocolate lovers; classic tiramisu; vanilla gelato with succulent wild Italian cherries; and panna cotta.
The restaurant recently launched lunch service on the weekends from 11:30-2pm, Saturdays and Sundays. Lunch special’s include 30%off all pasta dishes from the menu.
Whether you’re a longtime fan or discovering Amarena for the first time, this cozy gem in Russian Hill promises a memorable night out. From the lovingly homemade pastas to the heartfelt recipes rooted in family tradition, every dish tells a story of passion and authenticity. It’s a piece of Italy in San Francisco, waiting to be experienced.
San Francisco, CA
50 Beagles Rescued From Wisconsin Lab Arrive in Bay Area, SF Activist Faces Felony Charges
Animal rescue groups persuaded a Wisconsin breeding lab to sell 1,500 beagles after activists worked for a decade to free them, and 50 of the dogs arrived in the Bay Area Sunday. Meanwhile, an SF activist faces 12 years in prison for rescuing some of them prior to the deal.
Last month, several animal rights activists attempted to free 1,500 beagles at Wisconsin-based Ridglan Farms, the second-largest breeder of beagles for laboratories in the US, as KGO reported last week. Four activists, including Dean Guzman Wyrzykowski of San Francisco, were arrested during the rescue operation and charged with felonies, with up to 12 years in prison, according to a post by Wyrzykowski on social media.
“There are thousands of dogs just like her in laboratories across the country,” says Wyrzykowski, while holding the dog he’s accused of stealing.
Last week, animal rights group Big Dog Ranch Rescue, which is based in Florida, and DC-based Center for a Humane Economy made a confidential agreement with the lab to purchase the animals to be adopted out by rescue groups. Per KGO, well-known Berkeley activist Zoe Rosenberg, who brought one beagle named Chester home with her, was among the volunteers helping the dogs in Wisconsin after they were rescued.
As KGO reports, the Northern California Beagle Rescue Group brought 50 beagles to the Bay Area via school bus Sunday, and they’ll be adopting them out to homes in San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, and nearby cities once they’ve received veterinary care.
The dogs had likely never touched grass until after leaving the lab, and they’ve been slowly acclimating to their new lives. Some were reportedly malnourished and most had bad teeth and were in need of dental work.
“It was very emotional,” says Wendy Lansdon, a volunteer with Northern California Beagle Rescue, speaking to KGO about when the bus full of dogs first arrived in the Bay Area. “Some of them were really quiet when we got in there, some of them were happy, and the other ones were terrified.”
Prior to the dogs’ arrival, the Northern California Beagle Rescue Group announced on social media it was seeking foster home volunteers in Fremont, San Jose, and Sacramento — near where the beagles will be receiving veterinary care. The group is also requesting donations to help fund the dogs’ vet care.
According to the site Save the Dogs, activists had been pushing for the closure of Ridglan Farms for almost 10 years, as investigators, whistleblowers, veterinarians, and others worked to spread the word about the inhumane conditions of the lab, which stayed in operation for decades, despite being hit with hundreds of state-level cruelty violations.
“The dogs born there were treated as inventory: bred, confined, sold to research, disposed of,” says Save the Dogs.
Save the Dogs notes that activists are now targeting Marshall BioResources, the largest breeder of dogs for laboratories in the country, which has operations in New York and the United Kingdom.
Image: Northern California Beagle Rescue/Facebook
Division-leading Dodgers aim to snap home losing trend as they open series against the Giants in a matchup of NL West foes
After dropping their second straight home series over the weekend, the Los Angeles Dodgers head into Monday night’s series opener against the San Francisco Giants sitting atop the National League West Division standings, aiming to avenge a series loss to the Giants from two weeks ago. San Francisco has lost nine of its last 12 games overall and have dropped seven in a row on the road as they begin a 10-game road trip that will keep them away from home until Memorial Day Weekend. The Giants will start Trevor McDonald (1-0, 1.29 ERA) in his fourth start in the Majors while the Dodgers will counter with second-year Japanese import Roki Sasaki (1-3, 5.97 ERA) who has given up a home run in five consecutive outings.
How to Watch San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers:
Date: May 11, 2026
Time: 10:00 p.m. ET
TV Channel: MLB Network
Location: Dodgers Stadium
Live Stream the San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers game on Fubo: Start watching now!
Dodger center fielder Andy Pages, who has helped Los Angeles claim World Series titles in each of his first two years in the Majors, leads the team this season hitting .333, ranking the 25-year-old Cuban third among all hitters in MLB. Pages is hitting .371 so far in May with five extra base hits and 10 RBIs and has successfully reached base in 13 of his last 14 games.
With nine hits in seven games so far this month, Giants second baseman Luis Arraez is hitting a team-leading .310 at the plate in 2026 and is on pace for his eighth career 100-hit campaign. Arraez is one of only two active players with a career batting average above .300, hitting .316 for his career and leads Houston’s Jose Altuve by 15 points.
What time is Giants vs Dodgers?
Coverage of the San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers starts Monday, May 11, at 10:00 p.m ET. Tune in to see if the Dodgers can beat the Giants for the fifth time in the last six games at Dodger Stadium or if San Francisco can beat LA for the fourth time in the last five head-to-head matchups.
What channel is the Giants vs Dodgers game on?
Looking to watch the game? Subscribers can tune to MLB Network to catch the action. Make sure you subscribe to Fubo now to watch this matchup at home or on the go with the Fubo TV app.
Watch the San Francisco Giants vs Los Angeles Dodgers game on Fubo: Start watching now!
Regional restrictions may apply.
Happy Mother’s Day to all the McCoven who hopefully have better things to do than watch this dreadful baseball team. But if this is your chosen way of spending the day, then welcome, and may the Giants beat the Pittsburgh Pirates to win the series for you.
Right-hander Tyler Mahle takes the mound for the Giants, as the veteran makes his eighth start of the year. He’s 1-4 on the season, with a 5.00 ERA, a 4.91 FIP, and 34 strikeouts to 18 walks in 36 innings. He was very strong his last time out, pitching 5.1 shutout innings against the Tampa Bay Rays.
For the Pirates, it’s right-hander Bubba Chandler, a 23-year old in his second season. In seven starts this year, Chandler is 1-4 with a 4.76 ERA, a 5.60 FIP, and 31 strikeouts to 26 walks in 34 innings. Chandler gave up two runs in five innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks in his last game. He has issued the most walks in the Major Leagues, so he’s probably foaming at the mouth to face the Giants, who apparently believe that drawing walks is a sin on par with murder.
Enjoy the game, everyone. Go Giants! Go moms!
Who: San Francisco Giants (15-24) vs. Pittsburgh Pirates (22-18)
Where: Oracle Park, San Francisco, California
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM
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