In Fisherman’s Wharf, many restaurants proudly bear the names of families who’ve run them for generations - a tradition rooted in the heritage of Italian fishermen who still work these waters today. Cioppino’s carries on that tradition… almost.

We’re fifth-generation native San Franciscans, proud of our city and our restaurant. The only difference? Our family name isn’t Cioppino. We considered using it, but let’s just say it didn’t exactly sparkle in lights.

So we named our restaurant after what we do best: cioppino - a rich, flavorful seafood stew born here in San Francisco in the early 1900s. Back when Fisherman’s Wharf was still Meigg’s Wharf, Italian fishermen would “chip in” whatever they had - crab, fish, herbs - into a shared pot. With an Italian accent, “chip in” became “chip-een-o,” and the name stuck.

It’s been 100 years but the Italian fishermen are still here, and so is Cioppino, our signature dish. It’s so good, we named the restaurant after it.