Sunday, October 18, 2026

Question: This hearty tomato-and-seafood stew is a San Francisco classic, first thrown together on Fisherman’s Wharf by Italian immigrant fishermen who tossed the day’s leftover catch into a communal pot. What is this uniquely Californian dish?

Answer: Cioppino. Though it sounds Italian, this tomato-based seafood stew was invented in San Francisco, not Italy. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, Italian immigrant fishermen working out of Fisherman’s Wharf and North Beach would toss the leftovers of the day’s catch into a shared pot with tomatoes, wine, and herbs. The dish remains a San Francisco signature.