Chef Jaime Wence and his wife Esther opened Sapori Ristorante at 869 Fourth St. in downtown San Rafael this spring, adding a family-owned Italian trattoria to the Fourth Street dining corridor after a year-long renovation of the building they purchased.

Wence learned the restaurant business cooking at his family's restaurants in the Delta since his teenage years. After moving to Marin, the couple bought the Fourth Street property and gutted the space. The building previously housed Napoli Pizza & Pasta from 2008 to 2018 and the short-lived Il Gusto, according to a May Marin Independent Journal report.

Sapori is the third Italian-inspired restaurant to open in San Rafael since August 2025, joining Fratm (wood-fired Neapolitan pizza, opened November 2025) and Hot Italian Pizza Bar (opened August 2025 on Lincoln Avenue), according to the Marin IJ.

The menu runs $10 to $32 and covers classic Italian ground: appetizers like Carpaccio di Manzo ($18) and Scampi ($15), house-made bread including Garlic Cheese Bread ($12) and Palloncino ($10), and pastas such as Pear and Cheese Fiocchi ($25) and Spicy Arrabbiata ($29). Pizzas can be made gluten-free with a cauliflower crust or served as calzones with custom toppings. House-made cannoli ($10) anchor the dessert menu.

Bread is made in-house.

Freelance food writer Ann Walker, who reviewed the restaurant for the Marin IJ after visiting July 23, praised Wence's restraint with flavors. "Too often when interpreting Italian dishes, chefs think more is better," Walker wrote. "One of the many things I like about Italian food is how each ingredient speaks for itself and avoids fighting each other for dominance."

The interior features a dark blue storefront, a small bar with natural light and a few seats, a long banquette with natural wood tables, and additional seating at the far end. The kitchen borders the middle section of the dining room.

The wine list leans Italian, with glasses priced $13 to $18 and bottles $53 to $112. Beers run $7 to $9 on tap and by the bottle. No full liquor license.

Sapori Ristorante is open noon to 9 p.m. daily. Seating is indoors only, with street parking. Reservations are available at saporimarin.com or by calling 415-785-4152.