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Il Fornaio - Palo Alto, Palo Alto, CA

Il Fornaio - Palo Alto

4.5
4.5
2770 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian

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2 people
19:00
Booked 22 times today
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for business meals
  • Charming
Step inside Il Fornaio and take an award-winning culinary journey through Italy. Specialties include house made pastas, wood-fired pizza, grilled fish, authentic risotto, and rotisserie meats. Using the freshest ingredients and traditional cooking techniques, Il Fornaio offers a wide variety of premium-quality Italian food paired with great cocktails and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence wine list.

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

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Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Unspecified
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 17:00–21:00 Thu–Sun 12:00–21:00
  • Phone number
    (650) 853-3888
  • Website
    https://www.ilfornaio.com/location/il-fornaio-palo-alto/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Catering
    Off-site catering available. Please contact Event Coordinator for more details.
  • Private party facilities
    Celebrating 30 years in downtown Palo Alto, Il Fornaio offers 2 private dining rooms and a heated, covered, garden Piazza. Banquet menus for large parties features the best of Il Fornaio's authentic Italian cuisine and Chef Maurizio's signature dishes.
  • Private party contact
    Juli Calderon: (650) 853-3720
  • Location
    520 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
  • Area
    Palo Alto
  • Cross Street
    University
  • Parking details
    Valet parking is available for $20. In addition, there is also the hotel parking lot, as well as a public lot available.
  • Public transit
    Cal Train
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,770 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Il Fornaio in Palo Alto offers a welcoming atmosphere with "excellent service" and consistently "great food." Guests enjoy the festive décor and the spacious patio seating. While some dishes have been critiqued, improvements in food quality have been noted. Highlights include the lasagna and calamari, making it a favorite for celebrations.

2,770 Reviews

  1. Don

    VIP

    San Francisco

    39 reviews

    5.0

    39 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We hadn’t been to any Il Fornaios in more than 10 years, only because there are so many restaurants to try. Tonight’s experience reminded us what we liked about Il Fornaio - delicious food, generous portions, friendly and efficient service, and comparatively good value. They have managed to maintain their level of quality all these years. We’ll be sure to put them back in the rotation.

    Is this helpful?

  2. Mary

    VIP

    San Francisco

    56 reviews

    4.0

    56 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    It was our first time at this location of Il Fornaio, and it was very good. The restaurant is attractive, and it wasn't too crowded at 6:00pm. There are quite a few choices of starters, salads, pasta, pizza, and meat and seafood, so there's something for everyone. Our waiter was pleasant, and our meals (gnocchi, salmon, and tagliatelle) were very good. The cocktails and wine choices were good, too. I wouldn't call it extraordinary, but it is a very good, reliable restaurant when you want a pleasant evening out, and don't mind spending some money. .

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  3. Pat

    VIP

    San Francisco

    21 reviews

    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Jason is a wonderful server. He made us all feel special. He didn’t miss a beat.

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  4. Leila

    San Francisco

    9 reviews

    5.0

    9 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I never though I could finish an entire Pizza but I did. It was fresh, delicious and not oily at all with a thin crust. Food, ambiance and service was fantastic.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Carol

    San Francisco

    293 reviews

    5.0

    293 reviews

    Dined on 11 January 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Once again everything was delicious, service was excellent. All six of us shred five appetizers. The lunches were also delicious.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Laurie T

    VIP

    San Francisco

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on 2 January 2025

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    Think twice about eating here.....server was absent; host brought overcooked fish dinner to the table. Loud and cold.

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  7. Sue

    VIP

    Grand Rapids

    2 reviews

    2.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 30 December 2024

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The fish was not good. It had no flavor. Myself and my daughter ordered it and neither of us could eat it. We ordered tiramisu to go and that was gritty. That was not eaten either. I was disappointed to say the least.

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  8. Alan

    San Francisco

    74 reviews

    5.0

    74 reviews

    Dined on 29 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We always enjoy the food and service at Il Fornaio

    Is this helpful?

  9. Kim

    VIP

    Palm Springs

    18 reviews

    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on 25 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First time we’ve been for Christmas Eve family dinner and it was great! Festive and beautifully decorated, excellent service and delicious food! We’ll be back!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Judie

    VIP

    San Francisco

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on 25 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The food has improved the last few months and it's an overall wonderful experience.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Il Fornaio - Palo Alto offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 853-3888.

Il Fornaio - Palo Alto is rated 4.5 stars by 2770 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 22 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Il Fornaio - Palo Alto

520 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    University
  • Area
    Palo Alto
  • Hours of Operation
    Mon–Wed 17:00–21:00 Thu–Sun 12:00–21:00
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Unspecified
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Valet parking is available for $20. In addition, there is also the hotel parking lot, as well as a public lot available.
  • Public transit
    Cal Train
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    https://www.ilfornaio.com/location/il-fornaio-palo-alto/
  • Phone number
    (650) 853-3888
  • Catering
    Off-site catering available. Please contact Event Coordinator for more details.
  • Private party facilities
    Celebrating 30 years in downtown Palo Alto, Il Fornaio offers 2 private dining rooms and a heated, covered, garden Piazza. Banquet menus for large parties features the best of Il Fornaio's authentic Italian cuisine and Chef Maurizio's signature dishes.
  • Private party contact
    Juli Calderon: (650) 853-3720

Featured in

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