Passione Emporio/ Hot Italian

Came here being as the reviews seemed good and it was close to our hotel. Nice that it wasn’t packed so we could grab a table that would accommodate our service dog with ease. We order simple just a pizza and a salad to share and was more than enough the salads are a nice size as was the small pizza full of flavor and fresh ingredients. The waiter was prompt and polite . We will definitely be back

- Autumn Fry -

Some amazing happy hour deals and these slices were very reasonably priced. Pears on pizza was new to me, but the flavors surprisingly came together well. The dough ferment was very noticeable, complemented well by the oven’s temperature. Great place to stop by for a quick bite to sit down lunch/dinner.

- Mohamed Elsankary -

Real Italian pizza, finally. Since returning from Italy we have been on the hunt fresh, simple ingredients, real Italian pizza and stumbled upon this place. They actually have pinsa and an Italian pizza maker from Sicily who was awesome. The server was very cool and they weren't busy so we chatted with pinsa maker and server. It was also nice that they were letting us enjoy our meal and not trying to take plates, clean our table, give us the check, etc. to rush us out of there. It was very close to being in a restaurant in Italy again, and we will be returning. Update- we went back and for whatever reason the Italian pizza maker no longer worked there and you could tell a difference. Still a really nice ambiance and service was good. We tried a new appetizer and it was delicious.

- AH -

If you want to be delighted by flavor and enjoy a good time as well, this is the place!! We organized a lunch with my family and friends at Passione Emporio for my wedding and my daughter’s baptism and they made sure everything, and I mean everything from the food to the ambience and the service was absolutely PERFECT! We loved the menu they created for us and our guests were impressed by each plate’s execution and taste. The portions were also generous and we didn’t have to wait to get served, the timing was just right. I am thankful for the excellent customer attention as well: Fabrizio made sure we were happy and comfortable. Good job, Passione Emporio! No one should leave Berkeley without trying this spot!

- Angye Bueno -

Cute place and varied menu, friendly staff. Pasta and appetizers are good - though both overpriced, especially at lunch. The tiramisù was bad and watery. The octopus was very enjoyable, and a generous portion for an appetizer - can easily be a main if you're getting dessert or a side. Overall a pleasant experience, but can't recommend the dessert.

- Giorgio M -

Came in with my fiancé just looking for dessert, but we ended up staying to try the pizza too. Service was polite and overall fine. The place got a bit busier while we were there, and it seemed to be popular with an older crowd. Just an observation. We ordered the Fiori pizza. My fiancé really liked it. I thought it was okay. The truffle oil came through and the prosciutto was cooked well, but the crust needed more crunch. I also noticed a strange aftertaste that reminded me of bleach, probably from the tray being recently cleaned. It’s common at a lot of places, but unfortunately it rubbed off on the food and made the pizza less enjoyable for me. For dessert, I had the ricotta pistachio cake and liked it. My fiancé enjoyed the tiramisu, but I didn’t. It felt like the components hadn’t come together. The texture was too separated, and it didn’t have that creamy, cohesive feel I usually expect. Not a bad experience, but I don’t think I’d go out of my way for the pizza again. Maybe just a dessert stop next time.

- Janine Nguyen -

The food was excellent, although service was a little lacking at times, with it taking quite a while to get seated and then placing our order, 20-30 minutes. Upon arriving however, the food was excellent, and although the lasagna was a smidge cold it was incredibly tasty. There's a wide ice cream and espresso assortment for dessert and the pastas and pizzas were excellent.

- Edwin Karlsson -

Wow! Never judge a book by its cover. At first, we were planning to get our order to go, but decided to dine in when we walked into this restaurant- so relaxing and calm. What an unexpected treat to an incredible yummy meal. The food was simple but delicious, like I was in Italy, light and hearty at the same time. Wonderful service! Will definitely come back to this little gem.

- Sindy S. -