• San Francisco's North Beach has been serving up Italian food with style for years.Italian food image by bkaiser from Fotolia.com
  
  San Francisco's North Beach, known as "Little Italy," offers an array of options for the discerning diner. Most restaurants in North Beach are Italian, but only some offer private banquet rooms. Holding a party, meeting or other private group meal can be easy with the help of a restaurant that caters to private groups of Italian food lovers.
  
  

Fior d'Italia

• Ristorante Fior d'Italia claims to be "America's oldest Italian restaurant." The menu is very traditional, steering away from trends and boasting old family recipes. The most popular dishes are the calamari, gnocchi, osso buco and Caesar salad, along with their veal dishes. All of the ingredients for the dishes are fresh and local. Fior has an old-world style interior with a business-casual dining atmosphere. The restaurant is within walking distance of Fisherman's Wharf, with private banquet rooms available for large parties.
  
  Fior d'Italia
  
  2237 Mason St.
  
  San Francisco, CA 94133
  
  415-986-1886
  
  fior.com
  
  

Firenze by Night Ristorante

• Known for its delicious gnocchi and romantic, intimate atmosphere, Firenze by Night offers a private room for large parties of up to 30 guests. The menu is an extensive mix of Italian favorites, including the award-winning pappardalle toscana and the decadent melanzan a la Leonardo DaVinci, a rich eggplant and mozzarella dish. The restaurant's bar can be a bit lively, particularly on weekends, though the dining room and private banquet room are a bit more subdued.
  
  Firenze by Night Ristorante
  
  1429 Stockon St.
  
  San Francisco, CA 94133
  
  415-392-8585
  
  

North Beach Restaurant

• Relax in the North Beach Restaurant's Tuscan-style atmosphere, featuring classic Tuscan specialties and a critically acclaimed wine list of more than 500 bottles. With four dining rooms and three private banquet rooms, the North Beach Restaurant expertly accommodates parties of all sizes, including private parties of up to 100 guests. The chef gladly will create a special menu for private parties or meetings. Private rooms include the authentic Tuscan wine cellar, the small cigar room or the prosciutto room.
  
  North Beach Restaurant
  
  1512 Stockton St.
  
  San Francisco, CA 94133
  
  415-392-1700
  
  northbeachrestaurant.com
  
  

Panta Rei

• With traditional Roman cuisine served up by a friendly staff in a lively, casual atmosphere, Panta Rei is a popular spot to gather with family and friends or watch a soccer game on the large flat-screen televisions. Their pastas are attractively presented, with traditional ingredients. The Tre Paste features three of their best, including ravioli in cream, penne in pink and gnocchi in red sauces. The traditional Roman pizzas are popular as well, with traditional toppings like the margherita and less familiar ones, like the zucchine, a white pizza with zucchini and mozzarella. Private dining is available to accommodate large or intimate parties.
  
  Panta Rei
  
  431 Columbus Ave.
  
  San Francisco, CA 94133
  
  415-591-0900
  
  pantareirestaurant.com
  
  

The Stinking Rose

• The Stinking Rose is a quirky, casual restaurant in the heart of North Beach serving up Californian/Italian cuisine with a plethora of garlic in most dishes. Their catchphrase, "We season our garlic with food" gives patrons a hint: don't leave the breath mints at home. Private banquet facilities can accommodate 10 to 60 guests.
  
  The Stinking Rose
  
  325 Columbus Ave.
  
  San Francisco, CA 94133
  
  415-781-7673
  
  thestinkingrose.com