Cioppino

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Cioppino is a fish stew derived from the various regional fish soups and stews of Italian cuisine. It was developed by the fishermen who settled in the North Beach section of San Francisco. Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and later became a staple as Italian restaurants proliferated in San Francisco. The name comes from ciuppin, a word in the Ligurian dialect of the port city of Genoa, which described the local fish stew. At least one restaurant in San Francisco, the eponymous Cioppino's, describes a legend in which the name derived from the heavily Italian-accented cry of the wharf cooks for the fishermen to "chip in" some of their catch to the collective soup pot.

Since there is a variety of shells in the stew, it is served with a crab fork and cracker. Depending on the restaurant, it may be accompanied by a bib, second napkin, possibly damp, or a second bowl for the shells. Messy hands are part of the experience, and wearing light colors is not recommended because a cracking shell may splatter beyond the bowl.

Typically a Cioppino consists of a combination of clams, shrimp, scallops, mussels and white fish with fresh tomatoes in wine sauce.