Your Guide to

Cioppino

Cioppino’s story starts with Italian fishermen. Genoese immigrants working out of North Beach are credited with creating it in the late 1800s. The stew was traditionally made from whatever seafood was left from the day’s catch. Legend has it that a fisherman who came home empty-handed would walk the wharf with a pot, and his fellow fishermen would “chip in” what they could spare: a bit of crab here, a bit of fish there.

Whether the name really comes from “chip in” is still debated. The other explanation is that it traces back to ciuppin, a Genoese word for “little soup.” Ciuppin was a Ligurian fish soup with less tomato and a softer, more broken-down texture. San Francisco’s version grew richer over time as local cooks added the Bay’s best catch.

Cioppino is more than a menu item here. It reflects the city’s Italian heritage and a community spirit of sharing what you have. It is a cold-weather comfort—and Dungeness crab season, which typically runs from about mid-November into the following summer, makes the late fall and winter months an especially good time to order a bowl.

No two kitchens make it quite alike. Here are a few cioppino styles to look for:

• The “Lazy Man’s” cioppino. A Wharf original in which the crab comes out of its shell. You get all the flavor without the cracking and the mess.
• Sicilian- or Calabrese-style. As Sicilian fishermen replaced the Genoese on the boats, the stew picked up peppers and tomatoes, with the fish left in chunks. Some cooks also add chili for a little heat.
• Fennel or no fennel. Some versions skip the fennel and use carrot and celery instead.
• Saffron or red pepper flakes. Some kitchens use these Mediterranean-style touches for extra depth.