I've lived in Los Altos my whole life and was very excited when we finally got our first "fine dining" restaurant. Unfortunately, it disappoints in a lot of areas. (1) Service: The service was professional, but poor. As an example, our waiter asked if we'd like still or sparkling water. We asked for sparkling and then it took 40 minutes (no joke) for them to bring it out. The reasoning, our waiter said they didn't have any cold bottles. I understand that stuff happens, but at a high end restaurant, this shouldn't. (2) Food: We were very disappointed with our food. The mussels appetizer was bland and the pizza appetizer was not flavorful. My main dish was OK (3 scallops for $36) but my father-in-law's "cheese" pasta was terrible. He actually said it tasted rancid and told the waiter that as well (no offer for new dish). For the salmon, they put the seasoning on the skin side of the fish which left the salmon unflavorful. (3) Price for value: I'm more than happy to buy $35-$40 entrees at a restaurants when the food and service are great (and frequently do). Unfortunately, Cetrella just doesn't warrant this. For 1/2 the price you can go to Los Altos Grill around the corner which has better food and equal service. Final thought, I didn't leave the restaurant upset or angry... but I did leave feeling disappointed in our meal and experience. With all the new restaurants opening up in Los Altos (Turn, etc) we won't be going back to Cetrella. read more

Cetrella is amazing! You have to try! Our server was so knowledgeable about the food, he had everything down! We were on our way to Half Moon Bay and wanted to try the Cetrella restaurant there. Found out online it wasn't open so we stopped here to try the one in Los Altos. So happy we did! The owner was so kind, he sat us and made us feel right at home. This restaurant has elegance, delicious food and great service! Go! read more

Here's the upshot -- * Bread (which was $7) was over baked and tough. $7 for bad bread that is complimentary at almost all other restaurants! * $12 for a kale salad that was measly in size and very ordinary. * Our table ordered 3 whole fish dishes (sea bass and red snapper), and all of them were not properly cleaned -- you could see stuff from the guts still. * Swordfish main course was about 2"x3"x2" -- an appetizer size. Decently cooked. * Capelleti has good flavor but the pasta itself was too dense. * Nice space, clean lines but a little like a nice corporate cafeteria (lacks character) The worst part is that the owner came by our table and asked how things were. When we told him about the fish that wasn't properly cleaned, he seemed put off and offended. Apparently he just wanted to hear praises and get his back slapped. He did not nothing to fix the problem and just walked away. A bad sign. I feel sorry for him as he evidently spent a ton of money on the physical space, but I would be willing to bet anyone this restaurant will not be open in two years. read more

Last night, I had the Filet Mignon and potato gratin. It was simply fabulous... i keep thinking about it even a day later. The gratin was made with perfection: the right moist, layers of thin potatoes and a delicious garlic taste. My husband had the special -a Paella - which he loved. Also i've always found the service at Cetrella to be one of the best (like in France) : highly competent employees, no mistakes, perfect service. It's rare to find this kind of top notch service in the valley, and with the high quality food it makes the experience very pleasant. read more

My Two Stars are very Generous. I have lived in Los altos for a long time and have been in the restaurant business for a long time. When I heard that Los Altos is finally getting some new restaurants, I was really excited. I have been to Cetrella 3 times. I came back the 2 and the 3rd time to see if perhaps it was an off day, or I didn't order the right thing. I came back 3 times because, I REALLY wanted to love Cetrella. Every time I left the restaurant, I was frustrated and disappointed. On my first visit, I had the octopus. I love octopus, I had just returned from Croatia, where octopus was served everywhere. At Cetrella, this octopus was not broken down right(meaning butchered right), it was tough and fibrous. Octopus is hard to cook. I get it! But, when you have had great octopus nothing compares to it. I next had a pappardelle pasta that had lamb, yogurt, curry, Moroccan in essence. When I took my first bite, I kept searching for what the chef had in mind when he created this dish. It just didn't work. It was flavorless. The lamb was tough. However, the pasta itself was perfectly executed. Delicious, actually. On one of my visits, I ordered a negroni, which is the granddaddy of all before dinner cocktails. The bartenders had no idea how to make one. I had to tell them. I was really hoping for that craft cocktail vibe at Cetrella. The ambience is monochromatic, not comfortable and not conducive to having great conversations. I like the idea of the large booths, but just the idea. The lighting is always off, the music choice is odd. The service is very poor. The staff do not know or understand the basic steps of service. Serve to the left, clear from the right. Teach your staff about the menu and every ingredient that is used in every dish. Train your staff how to open a bottle of wine and decant one. If you present yourself as an upscale restaurant, then you need to deliver. And sadly, Cetrella lacks in every way. read more

The first time we reserved a table we were told upon arrival that since it's father day they have a fixed menu of $50 + drinks (for informal lunch). Nothing on the website or opentable indicated a special fixed course lunch. We decided to give the place a try after all on a following evening. Service was sub-par and the waiter kept asking about ordering more alcohol. We received wine by the glass which was tart. While the decor is nice ambient is awful. Food was made with enormous amounts of butter and lacked finesse. Tiny bang for the buck. read more

I've now been to cetrella twice, once for lunch, and the following week for dinner. I was happy after the lunch service - the kale salad was really good and a good portion, so I was very satisfied. The waiter was a little too over-zealous, but that was okay. The following week we went for dinner. I, again, got the Kale salad, same price, but half the size and over-salted -- I had to send it back. I also got the side of salmon -- it was tiny. All in all, for the prices charged, I was disappointed with the quantity of food served. read more

This is our favorite restaurant to take friends and family to when visiting. We first found Cetrella in Half Moon Bay where we were greeted by M'hamed. His hospitality was wonderful, and he mentioned at the time there would be a new Cetrella over the hill in Los Altos, which we were thrilled to hear, as it is our town. Now when we visit Cetrella in Los Altos, we are still greeted by M'hamed, and the wonderful items on the menu. They have great wines, and nice choices in cocktails. We do wish they had a better set up for jazz, as the Cetrella in HMB used to have great acts, and we would go specifically to hear them there. Still, it is a special place, and would recommend them for special occasions. read more

See the review from Bay Area G. below. We did not actually eat at Cetrella. My review is based on the experience at the front of the house. My wife and I were looking for dinner around 8 pm Saturday Sept. 19. We parked near Safeway and walked the length of the restaurant to the front door. As we walked we observed at least two empty tables for two and one four-seater. We walked in the front door and were greeted by some of the worst, loudest music ever. The "jazz band" was playing out of tune and could not even keep the three musicians on the same beat. Attempting to communicate with the front desk was nearly impossible because the band was located about five feet behind the podium. And the lady who greeted us didn't know much. Things did not improve when the maitre-de arrived. We were told to have a seat and maybe we would get a table. We declined and took a 20 minute stroll around the town. On the way back we walked by the restaurant. The same three tables were still empty. An attitude adjustment is needed here. read more

I have a credit card I've had for years and use only once or twice a month - but 2 days after using at citrella - I had $4k in fraud charges on it. Very unlikely it was stolen anywhere else given how rarely I use it! read more

I was here for lunch. I ordered Paella which was very good. It's not easy to find a restaurant that serves Paella. The server was very attentive. Did not bother me while I was eating. I don't like servers that keeps asking questions while I am chewing my food or interrupting if I am dining with my friends. It is a little pricey but I will go back again and next time I will bring my friends. Lita Sunnyvale read more

We LOVE Cetrella in Half Moon Bay so great to have this open up so close to us. Several points: 1. Food very good though not quite up to the half moon bay Cetrella standards. 2. Pricing: very high, even for Loa Altos, but if food comes up to HMB restaurant's standard that'll be ok. 3. Decor: kind of plain. Not at all as warm as the HMB restaurant. 4. Lighting: there is a problem. There is a massive mercury vapor streetlight right outside of the big window. Casts a sickly orange glow over half the restaurant. It's not their fault but they HAVE to put up some curtains! So when food comes up a notch, interior is made more warm, and drapes are added i would give this 4.5. read more

Love the food prices are a little high. Surprisingly they are serving brunch on Sat - incredibly the place like 10% full and the food- we are talking salad here is taking forever. Like ridiculously long like came for lunch maybe switch to a dinner order. Three chef lots of servers no food coming out???? So frustrating hostess at front man great girl was odd awkward made me feel like "why are you here" so thats my two cents. read more

Had high hopes when they were building this monstrosity in Los Altos. Very underwhelmed. If you want a silver dollar sized steak and 2 carrots that cost $50 this is your place. Be sure to wear a jacket, the 50 foot ceilings make for a cold and loud atmosphere. This is coming from a young person too. read more

i had been to the location in HMB years ago for a wedding, and i remember it was pretty good for wedding food. i came here last week and thought it was ok. i think the restaurant is a bit too big, so it's not very intimate. it's good if you want to come for a work event (which is what we did). i tried the artichokes, brussels sprouts, pork chop, swordfish, and uni gluten free pasta. the pasta was a bit bland, and the artichokes were a bit cold when they came to the table. the swordfish and pork chops were perfectly cooked and tender though. drinks here were pretty strong! i had one cocktail and definitely felt it! read more

Cetrella has delicious food and a mediocre staff. We had a great time there and the food was tasty. We had the asparagus salad, crab cakes, filet mignon with blue-cheese polenta, salmon, and the house special lamb; chocolate cake and a pana cotta light desert - we enjoyed all. However, I am giving it only 3 stars because of a few reasons that had to do with the service. First the waiter presented a special as "lamb with risotto", which arrived as "lamb with white beans". The birthday person in our party was gracious and accepted the order anyway, after the waiter came to apologize that he made a mistake presenting the dish. I think this is unacceptable for the level of restaurant Cetrella aims to be. The case should have been handled by taking the dish back to the kitchen, and replacing the beans with risotto promptly. As a customer, we didn't care who's mistake it was as long as it was corrected (and it wasn't). Ultimately, my friend ate the lamb, sampled the beans, and the majority of the beans returned untouched to the kitchen. Not the outcome that you hope for. The second aspect of the service that I want to point to is the fact that the restaurant ignored the request placed with the order, which said - please add a touch /hint of birthday, meaning maybe write the desert sauce or the appetizer sauce as "Happy Birthday" or something simple like that. None of that happened. Even more, the table that we initially received was facing the bathroom (a few feet away) for such an occasion. Luckily, we were able to change the table. Lastly, there was a member of the staff who called to remind of the reservation. She could hardly enunciate the words, on a strong background noise. Frankly, I couldn't care less what she said after she mentioned the name of the restaurant. Really, for actions facing customers, please hire staff who speaks clearly. Overall, I think Cetrella shows many missed opportunities at this time. Food is delicious, as I mentioned. Staff is uncaring and mediocre at best. Elevating the level of service and paying attention to small things like those mentioned above could bring Cetrella among the top restaurants around. read more

Love Cetrella! The smoked salmon pizza appetizer is a MUST TRY.

Even on opening night, this restaurant clearly knows how to do fresh and delicious food and amazing service right! We are so happy that you're in town and can't wait for many more meals with you. Couldn't even decide what we liked the best - everything was amazing. Thank you! read more

Downtown Los Altos seems to be getting some new restaurants. I finally visited Cetrella for lunch yesterday and really liked it. The space is beautiful, the wait staff is smart and really nice. They are welcoming to everybody, with or without reservations. I had the Flatiron Salad with a sous vide egg. It was really good. The portion size was, for me anyway, generous. I had a cappuccino after lunch. These folks know their food, and they like people. I will return often. read more

My husband is severely allergic to garlic. Our server talked this through with him, and after discussing the matter with the chef advised my husband what he could safely eat. So his steak arrived adorned with 5 whole cloves of garlic! Seriously, which part of allergy did they not understand? Our server acted promptly and removed the plate, but when my husband followed him to the open kitchen area, the chef was dismissive of his concerns. After that was corrected, we all agreed that our food was very good, well cooked and tasty, but prices are steep even for this area. read more

Nice ambience and service! The starters we ordered were satisfying - grilled octopus and foie gras. 3 of us ordered pork chop (tender), 3 mushroom risotto and whole grain pappardelle - all are good except the pappardelle cooked little over al dente.. Yet, it is flavorful and tasty with all the ingredients it had. The dessert we tried is donut holes with custard and mixed berry sauce is average I read some complaints saying the quantity is very small, yet, I disagree .. Pricey? Yes! read more

New restaurant in the area and the food and service was solid. Will definitely come again. Kale salad is good and Panna Cotta awesome. Short ribs were good too! read more

The best restaurant in Los Altos hands down. Best food by far - it's a real restaurant. That said I think the lighting could be dimmer, but most restaurants are too bright for me. Keep it up, Cetrella! read more

Consistently quality food and the service has improved dramatically. Fish dinners are always great and the brunch is delish! It's the second location for the well known and highly-regarded Half Moon Bay Cetrella (same owners and chef)... read more

Probably well-judged for expense accounts, food is good, not exceptional, just fancy-ed up plain food. And the ingredients, cooking and service were good. But it is insanely priced if you're not on an expense account. I'd say C+ Restaurant and food with A level Prices. read more

went mid-week for a dinner with friends. there were 10 of us and we had a great time. Service was excellent and so was the food. Beet salad, salmon, truffle fries. List of goodies is long. I will be back ... read more

Cetrella is exactly what Los Altos needs! The vast menu offers selections from around the world and everything is presented beautifully. Jeff was our server and he is fabulous with his prompt attention and knowledge of the menu offerings. We sampled 5 dishes (plus the Trio Chocolate -shhhh) and everything was truly delicious! I was also excited to hear that they will be offering outdoor dining in the future. read more

I just want to start out by saying: I am so satisfied. That's what I said when I finished eating/drinking at Cetrella this evening. My best friend and I stopped by there on a whim to get a drink after we had dinner at the pizza place across the street, and decided to sit at the bar. Luckily some people had just left, so we had space to sit down. Boy are we glad we did! There we met Saven, who was our charming and talented bartender and waiter. We ordered our drinks which were both amazing: I had the Crown of the Peninsula and she had Foothill Collins (we both like vodka and gin). While we were waiting we were brought out some tasty fries, compliments of the chef! It was a very pleasant surprise. After we nibbled on our snack, sipped our drinks, and watched our bartender work his magic, we ordered dessert: the vanilla panna cotta is AMAZING! My friend isn't the biggest dessert person (unlike me) but even she found it fantastic. I'll have to agree with Saven here--it was "hella good" indeed! The fried candied orange slice they top it with...we could eat that all day! We were so impressed that Saven very sweetly brought us out two more, after pouring us a little moscato to end our "meal." Neither of us have ever been treated this well at a restaurant, and we will definitely be returning soon. If nothing else, go for Saven. He's "got your back like a car seat!" read more

Cetrella - Our tasty drinks! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Los Altos, California

Good food, nice quaint setting in Los Altos so it's really convenient for us. We'd been to he Half moon bay one before so we had high expectations on this one too. Get their filet mignon, it's one of the best on the menu. read more

Cetrella is a very good California influenced Italian restaurant, and a great addition to Los Altos (a town that doesn't have very good dining options). We've eaten at Cetrella a half dozen times since it's opened, and have been happy with it every time. We've gone out on date nights, with our children, with parents and friends... and each time, it's been a positive experience. The wait staff is attentive, professional and thoughtful; the service has been moderately fast. The only thing I don't like about Cetrella is the decor: it's a little loud (lots of hard, reflective surfaces). We've eaten a lot of items on the menu (salads, appetizers, pastas, main courses), and have been consistently pleased. (My personal favorite is the mushroom risotto.) They use good quality ingredients, assembly dishes that work well, and know how to cook. If you live nearby, it's one of the best options for a nice dinner. read more

We tried Cetrella last night for the first time and were very impressed. Los Altos REALLY needed a good eatery and this is it. Has all the ingredients. Good ambiance. Great staff and excellent food We went with the managers recommendation on a Barolo and he didn't disappoint For sure try the Spanish Octopus. It's excellent. I went with the pot roast and it was awesome. Perfectly cooked and flavored. My wife had the Burrata as her main and it was excellent as well Welcome to Los Altos. Check this place out read more

What an undiscovered gem! Awesome bar, friendly attentive service, and great food! Los Altos is severely lacking in good comfortable bars. This one is awesome. Great bartenders. After 3-4 trips we are increasing our frequency here. Bar menu includes one of the best burgers in The Bay. Great wine selection and good pricing. Dining room is upscale but comfortable. Everything we have ordered has been great. We will be going frequently, but please don't spread the word. We like being able to find a seat at the bar so far! read more

My experience. After a long day. Tired and hungry. Burger and beet salad. Best burger I've had in a long time.... perfectly cooked with crispy seared outside and red inside, Best beet salad I've ever had.... amazing goat cheese blended... everything so fresh and good. The fries were perfect... A bit of heat... Several house made pickles completed the banquet. Special ketchup too. Service was top notch. I'll be back! read more

Consistently great food and service. Favs: Kale salad, burger, salmon, lamb...just go! You will love it. Los Altos needed this addition. Fantastic all around. read more

We went here on New Year's Eve. The food, service and atmosphere were fantastic. For NYE they had a fixed price offering. Our party of 8 had just about everything on the menu and everyone enjoyed the meal. I was surprised that the place was not packed. We certainly hope Cetrella is here to stay - so go there folks, you won't be disappointed! read more

Really like how this place combines healthy cuisine with a fun, musical flare. Their salads are made with fresh ingredients. The ice cream dessert was delightful and a nice treat for everyone. read more

The owner remembers us every time we visit one of his locations. That level of customer service alone makes me a fan. I'm also a fan of the food. I agree with other reviews in that the serving sizes are exactly that - sized for one serving, which I think is a good thing. The pasta tasted fresh and the polenta was terrific. They take reservations and are good for large groups. read more

Food and service still good but some things were not as good as last year: Menu seems to have changed very little. Basque cake nice but was not warmed. Price still feels high. Decor needs some softening. read more

Excellent service and food. We are locals and eat at Cetrella regularly. Although others may not like the fact that they don't serve bread and butter, we actually appreciate that fact -- so it's a matter of personal preference. Finally, it is a lot more accessible and less noisy than Los Altos Grill, our past go to restaurant. Would take Cetrella over LAG at this point. read more

Just had a great evening dinner with my wife. Great ambience, drinks, food and service. The owner/ manager is on top of it and is exceptional. Nice to have a special evening at a great restaurant. Well done Cetrella! read more