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Il Fornaio - Palo Alto, Palo Alto, CA

Il Fornaio - Palo Alto

4.7
4.7
2777 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 34 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Good for special occasions
  • Neighborhood gem
  • 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

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Unspecified
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Wed 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu–Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • 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
  • Neighborhood
    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, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

  • Il Fornaio's Silver Oak Wine Dinner

    Apr 2, 2025 only
    Indulge in a five-course Italian feast perfectly paired with premium wines from Silver Oak. Enjoy dishes like Tortino di Granchio, Pizzoccheri, and Ossobuco di Vitello or Spigola Cilena, followed by Tiramisù al Pistacchio, with expert wine insights shared throughout this unforgettable evening. Price is $175 per person + tax and gratuity.
    Il Fornaio's Silver Oak Wine Dinner Photo

Private dining

Menu

Il Fornaio - Palo Alto's menu was last updated 2023-10-05.

View menu on restaurant's website

What 2,777 people are saying

Il Fornaio - Palo Alto reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Il Fornaio in Palo Alto delights with its "consistently great food" and "excellent service." Guests appreciate the "lovely outdoor garden space" and "great ambiance" for family gatherings or special occasions. The extensive menu offers "something for everyone," making it a "go-to place" for Italian cuisine lovers.

2,777 Reviews

  1. Amir

    San Francisco4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    excellent experience. great food and great service. highly recommended

    Is this helpful?

  2. Sundi VIP

    San Francisco10 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Nice Italian restaurant with decent vegetarian/vegan options. Valet parking and parking garage available close by.

    Is this helpful?

  3. Jonathan

    San Francisco3 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I had Gilberto as a Server tonight and couldn't be more delighted. My guest and I enjoyed a wine flight and a variety of dishes. Thank you Gilberto for giving a great experience. We enjoyed a nice wine flight, gnocci starter (so freaking good), salad, pizza, salmon and dessert. Loved those shots of tequila too! If you go here, ask for Gilberto, Luis or Karen. Each will take great care of you and shout out to the bartender, i forget his name but he has glasses and is awesome! Great experience at Il Fornaio, l can't wait to go back!

    Is this helpful?

  4. Alex

    San Francisco3 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    A highly predictable restaurant experience—good food and service- but nothing unique.

    Is this helpful?

  5. Toni VIP

    San Francisco81 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on March 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Charming Italian restaurant with excellent food and extensive menu. All our main courses were very good: salmon, risotto, lasagna. Service was excellent. The restaurant is charming.

    Is this helpful?

  6. PMH1

    Atlanta2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 27, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Very easy, great service. Food was delicious. Look forward to my next visit

    Is this helpful?

  7. Judie VIP

    San Francisco15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 26, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Il fornao has gone through much improvement in the last two years. The food and service were impeccable and the patio is one of our town's delights. My favorite restaurant. A cozy feel greets you at the door, always.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Kelly VIP

    Phoenix8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 16, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Such wonderful food and service! We are from out of town and will eat here as much as we can before returning home !

    Is this helpful?

  9. Tiffany

    San Francisco1 review

    5.0

    Dined on February 15, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a very pleasant experience at Il Fornaio during Valentine’s Day. The staff was very respectful and kind towards us. We made a reservation two weeks in advance for 5:30 and was seated immediately upon arrival. Our server was very enthusiastic in greeting us and checking up on us. The food was amazing! They had a special menu for Valentine’s Day and we had a ravioli with lobster bisque that my partner and I both absolutely loved. The steak was also cooked perfectly medium rare and tasted delicious. We also got their Valentine’s Day dessert that was prepared beautifully with a chocolate cake that melted in your mouth. Loved the whole experience and can’t wait to go back to try the other pastas on their menu!

    Is this helpful?

  10. Veronica

    San Francisco12 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on February 11, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Exactly what we wanted. A table off To the side to enjoy a romantic dinner that we so rarely have the time for. The service was perfect and the food was delicious.

    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 4.7 stars by 2777 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 34 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Il Fornaio - Palo Alto

520 Cowper Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301

Additional information

  • Cross street
    University
  • Neighborhood
    Palo Alto
  • Hours of operation
    Mon–Wed 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu–Sun 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • 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, Takeout, 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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