"I was walking home the other day and decided to stop in for a quick espresso. Once inside, I noticed they had pistachio panna cotta on display. At that point, my self-imposed dietary restrictions didn’t stand a chance, so I ordered one, and I’m glad I did. It was smooth, not overly sweet, and exactly what it should be. While I was sitting there enjoying it, I ended up chatting with a couple of older neighborhood regulars I’d never met before, and we shared a few good laughs. That kind of spontaneous interaction is part of what makes North Beach special. Mara’s is a small, no-frills place, with just a few tables inside, so don’t expect to linger for hours. The pastries and desserts are the real focus here, and they do them well. The people behind the counter aren’t particularly chatty, but don’t take that personally; it’s not about you. It’s just the straightforward, old-school North Beach style: good espresso, solid Italian pastries, and a space that feels more like a neighborhood stop than a curated café experience. If you’re in the area and want something sweet to go with your coffee, or just a brief pause in your day, this is a perfectly good place to stop."

"Amazing cappuccino and delicious canelli at an authentic Italian bakery in the heart of San Francisco’s Little Italy. The coffee was rich and smooth, the pastry perfectly crisp with creamy filling, and sitting at a table outside made it even more charming, with the lively street atmosphere adding to the experience."

"The Napoleon was meh but edible. The lemon torte had no tart lemon flavor only very over-sugared slight hint of lemon pudding flavor- we didn’t bother eating more than 2 bites of that. We have a slice of the almond torte for later, but don’t have high hopes. Also the employee seemed annoyed we were here after asking 1 question. I’d skip it."

"We loved the huge spread of Italian dessert. With limited sitting inside, it can get crowded sometimes. Great selection of Gelato! The ladies behind the counter are always smiling. Decently priced might be a bit pricey but they keep fresh and delicious pastries and cannolis."

"I would say that the rating is closer to a 4.4, but I feel like rounding it down due to two things - some of the pastries are a bit dry, and the lady behind the counter could stand to smile a bit more. We've come here numerous times and what we have had so far has been quite good. There were a couple of things that were a little dry but more the exception than the rule. On this visit, the coffee was amazing - no sugar or milk or anything else needed. Just an excellent cup of coffee and I wish that I had gotten a larger size. The cheesecake was good although not exceptional (4.5?) and the cannoli wasn't bad. I would come here again, just for the coffee."