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    Il Fornaio

    4.2 (2.4k reviews)
    PriceyPizza, Seafood, Italian
    Open 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
    Updated 1 month ago

    Order Il Fornaio Takeout or Delivery

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    IL FORNAIO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Trendy
    Romantic

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    Recommended Reviews - Il Fornaio

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    FUSILLONI AL PESTO E POLLO
    Pauline L.

    CALAMARETTI FRITTI - 10/10. The calamari was perfectly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and not greasy at all. The batter was so thin and was not overpowering the squid. Paired with the tangy dipping sauce, it was one of those appetizers you can't stop reaching for. TAGLIATELLE BOLOGNESE - 8/10. The pasta was cooked beautifully, and the meat sauce was rich, hearty, and packed with flavor. It's the kind of classic Italian dish that's comforting and satisfying, though it didn't quite steal the show compared to the other dishes ordered. FUSILLONI AL PESTO E POLLO - 10/10. The pesto was fresh, vibrant, and coated every twist of pasta perfectly. The chicken was juicy, the flavors were balanced, and every bite tasted like something I'd immediately order again. BREAD - 5/10. The bread was on a drier/ crustier side and was more stale than I would have preferred. I did like the fact that it came with olive oil and balsamic vinegar because I prefer that to butter (no hate to butter because I also love butter too).

    Karen A.

    I'd give a 4.5 stars if I could... We enjoyed our evening here and would happily return. The restaurant strikes a great balance between energy and sophistication. The open kitchen adds a sense of theater to the dining room, while the soaring ceilings, warm wood finishes, and thoughtfully designed space create an inviting setting for a special night out. The staff delivered attentive, polished service from start to finish. We began with the calamari, which arrived hot, crisp, and plentiful. The marinara complemented the dish well, but the garlic aioli we requested on the side stole the show. Its rich, garlicky flavor transformed the appetizer and took it to another level. I only wish the restaurant served it automatically alongside the calamari. The beef tenderloin arrived perfectly cooked and paired nicely with the mushrooms and mashed potatoes. The red wine reduction added depth, but its sweetness overpowered the meat slightly. A bit more salt on the tenderloin would have created better balance. The lamb shank impressed with its fork-tender texture and generous portion, yet it also needed a touch more seasoning to fully showcase the richness of the dish. The kitchen clearly uses quality ingredients and presents each plate with care. While a few dishes fell just short of their full potential, the combination of attentive hospitality, striking surroundings, and thoughtfully prepared food made for a memorable dining experience.

    Menu
    Joyce T.

    Burrata con Prosciutto - burata was a bit watery, not the rich and creamy kind. Prosciutto with arugula and grilled ciabatta was my favorite. Bread was great especially the sourdough, love the crunchy crust and soft bread. We tried the Tuesday trio pasta, all three types of pastas were in room temperature when served. They're just meh. Seafood pasta was awesome , the shrimps were huge and fresh. INSALATA DI PERE (salad) was great, love the roasted pears, lettuces, red grapes and the candied pecans. It's a good combination of fruit and vegetable. Pizza was meh. I had better elsewhere.

    Special  June 2026
    Andrew H.

    We ordered the Calamari and two pasta dishes. My pasta was a special and it was a good portioned, tasty dish. I enjoyed the lemonciello margaritas. Gilberto provided smooth, professional service. We never felt rushed throughout the dinner.

    Insalata Cesarina
    Arthur T.

    Did a doordash pick up order! Two of us ordered quite a bit: cesarina $15 regina $15 calamaretti $22 tagliatelle $24 pappardelle alla norcina $31 tiramisu $14 Caesar salad and tagliatelle were biggest let down. Caesar salad had no taste. Taliatelle had minimal meat and over cooked clump of noodles. Everything else was relatively good. Parking here in the plaza is a nightmare.

    Piatto Salumi
    Roxanne I.

    Our server was nice and polite. The restaurant was pretty quiet at 6pm. We had reservations but the restaurant had plenty of seating available. We ordered two drinks and two appetizers to start. Both drinks were okay. The Tuscan lemonade tasted pretty watered down & medicinal. The kickin old fashioned was too sweet for my taste. The salami plate was okay, a little expensive for what it was. I enjoyed the gnocchi, but the portion size is a bit small for the price. Pesto pasta was good, and had many different textures. Risotto was a little bland.

    Front entrance
    EM H.

    Il Fornaio Santa Clara is the fourth locale of the upscale Italian dining chain that I have visited. Tucked in the Santa Clara Square retail-residential complex, Il Fornaio Santa Clara offers free ample parking and an authentic Italian culinary journey in a rustic but modern environment. The Tuscan farmhouse-inspired wide-open dining room with high ceilings comes with a bar of marble counters, overhead television screens, an enclosed, spacious patio area, open kitchen and a stylish floor-to-ceiling glass wine wall. The upmarket chain appears to offer the same menu across all of their locations, featuring fresh, handmade pastas, thin-crust pizzas using housemade dough and regional specialties. Consistent with its sister stations, Il Fornaio Santa Clara serves delectable dishes with thoughtful presentation. Below are some of what I enjoyed at a team dinner on Monday, March 25, 2024: CALAMARETTI FRITTI ($21) - The deep-fried baby squid were perfectly crispy and tasty. ESPRESSO MARTINI ($15) - This stirred and shaken classic craft cocktail was creamy and decadent. SALMONE ALLA GRIGLIA ($34) - I replaced the roasted yukon gold potatoes with grilled asparagus, yum. The simple entrée, sans unnecessary embellishments, focused on the fresh ingredients, allowing the natural flavours to shine through. TIRAMISÙ ($13) - Il Fornaio's version of this classic Italian dessert, made with coffee-soaked ladyfingers, was perfectly moist and was a perfect sweet ending to dinner, paired nicely with a Double Espresso. Service was attentive yet unobtrusive, enhancing our dining experience. Il Fornaio Santa Clara's welcoming atmosphere and restaurant's visual appeal perfectly complemented its warm hospitality and menu of authentic and award-winning Italian cuisine.

    Udyot K.

    Always wanted to visit this restaurant and got a chance yesterday. The ambiance was pretty decent with loads of roses specially for Valentine's Day. Ordered two cocktails - old fashioned was pretty standard and then the sorrento was pretty nice with a lot of smoke. For food, gnocchi was pretty decent, CAPRICCIOSA pizza was good too, they removed meat as per the request. Spaghetti pasta was flavorful too. Servers were really attentive and paid full attention to detail to all our requests. Will visit again.

    Chocolate hazelnut gelato
    Bob K.

    We've been to other locations for Il Fornaio, and this one compared well. Wilmer was our very attentive server for a Tuesday night birthday date night. The interior is very impressive overall, and we watched as other servers carefully prepped a long table near ours for a large party yet to arrive. Everything was quite clean. I started with my favorite cocktail, a Sorrento King, with the fun smoke. It definitely imparts a smoky flavor, so be prepared. I ordered a Caesar salad and linguine mare, with shrimp, mussels and scallops. All of my food was well prepared, and Wilmer was right there with the parmesan. The Wife had gnocchi alla Sorrentina, which comes out extremely hot. Again, very well cooked. The Il Fornaio chianti is quite decent as well. For dessert, I had the cannoli plus cappuccino, while The Wife had chocolate hazelnut gelato. The cannoli was so-so, as I prefer larger shells with an abundance of filling. The gelato had crystals, indicating either overchurning, or having been thawed and refrozen. We pointed that out to Wilmer, who offered alternatives, and removed the dessert from the check. The updated check came in a sleeve that asked for personal information to connect with the restaurant, but rather than being blank, it was already filled out by another party. I'm very fond of this chain, and will no doubt be back. The hardest part is deciding between the pasta and pizza!

    Seafood pasta
    Red C.

    Il Fornaio is our go-to whenever we're craving Italian. The pastas are consistently delicious and the service is always warm and attentive. We often come here for celebrations, and they always make the celebrant feel special, which keeps us coming back. Wish they didn't charge for the bread though hence 1 star less. Also parking can be tough, but it's worth it every time.

    Appetizer and some bubbles
    Joyce R.

    Amazing food! Very similar to authentic Italian food. Just got back from Italy and missed the food. So tried out this spot and it was pretty spot on! Service was solid. Quick, easy, attentive server. Ambiance is so nice. It felt like a true trattoria. Highly recommend!!!

    Rigatoni alla Vodka
    Benjamin T.

    Nice atmosphere for italian fine dining with a chain across America Overall lots of space for big or small parties and parking lot is a little better than in front of whole foods but can get busy Lots of corporate people come around the area Their calamari tasted fresh and had good flavor, but after a while gets a bit soggy so eat fast Their pasta alla vodka was delicious although the chicken added was a bit dry Overall would recommend but definitely make a reservation!

    Linguine Mare Chiaro
    Mary L.

    Hubby and I always wanted to try this place out but never get the chance to until yesterday!! (For lunch)~ I had the pappardelle alla norcina con pollo and asked the server if I could add scallops and she said yes! It was GOOD!! It definitely hit the spot :D The only thing I think that needs more work on the dish is that the white wine needs more reduction so the sauce is not too overpowering, other than that, it's spot on :) As for my hubby, he got linguine mare chiaro, and it's an absolutely well made dish, a 10/10!! All the seafood in that plate is hand picked and cooked at the right temp (nice and juicy!!). The ambiance is cozy and well lit! It's a good spot for a casual lunch or dinner! We love everything we ordered and will definitely come back :D

    Menu August 2025

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    Il Fornaio Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Il Fornaio

    Does this restaurant have a kids menu?

    Don't think so. But hey, it's Italian food! Just get them some pasta

    Do you accept private party on a Sunday afternoon?

    Is the outdoor seating somewhat protected from rain?

    Yes, it is covered. There are also hit lamps. It is also somewhat inclosed with sun shades and glass all around but still lets the breeze through.

    Do they have outside seating during pandemic?

    Yes. It is nice. Partially inclosed with glass and sun shades. It is also covered and has hit lamps.

    Does it have pesto pasta? And any other vegan pasta options?

    Vegetarian yes....Vegan no. But should you indulge, quality of ingredients is a notch about Olive Garden. The new owners of this chain has cut cost in every possible way....possible. Oh yes...they have Pesto...occasionally. Good luck...

    Is this restaurant toddler/kid friendly?

    Yes, extremely.

    Can we bring our own bottle of champagne/wine?

    According to this person who claims to be affiliated, yes and it will cost $20. A corkage fee is to be expected when bring your own.… Read more

    What's your corkage fee?

    Good Evening Dave, Our corkage is $20 per 750ml bottle. Thank you for your great question Dave.… Read more

    What time is happy hour? what are the H/H Menu options?

    Good Morning Susan, Il Fornaio Santa Clara offers our guests who have joined our mailing list… Read more

    Can I have a small Bday cake delivered to the restaurant? And is there a fee?

    Good Morning Lewis, Yes, we do accommodate deliveries of cakes and flowers for guests… Read more

    Hi there my wife has a gluten allergy, do you serve gluten free pasta?

    Ciao Joe, yes we do! Please find several of our gluten free pastas below, and we also have many other items on our gluten free menu.… Read more

    What kind of Vegetarian options are there in the menu?

    Good Morning Myra, That's a great question. We have many vegetarian and vegan options on our… Read more

    Is the outdoor patio heated, and are dogs allowed?

    Hello Stephanie, Yes, our fully enclosed patio has plenty of strong heaters that can make it… Read more

    Do you take American Express card? Thanks?

    Yes, I paid with my AmEx card

    View All 17 Questions

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    I usually come here about once a month after getting a haircut and typically order the chicken…read moresandwich combo with fries and a drink. The price has always been reasonable, it's convenient, and the food has generally been pretty good, which is why I've kept coming back. Unfortunately, my most recent visit was very disappointing. I initially ordered a fried chicken sandwich combo and was charged full price. After paying, I was told they were out of fried chicken sandwiches. I said that was fine and asked to switch to a grilled chicken sandwich instead. The employee changed the order and walked away. I then asked about the drink that normally comes with the combo, and he told me they were out of drinks as well--yet I was still charged full combo price. When my food finally came out, I noticed there were no fries. When I asked about them, I was told the fryer was broken. Again, this was after I had already paid full price for a combo. So in the end, I paid for a full combo but only received a sandwich. There was no communication beforehand about items being unavailable, and no adjustment to the price despite multiple parts of the combo being unavailable. I understand that things break and restaurants run out of items, but customers should be informed before being charged and the price should reflect what is actually being served. This experience left me pretty disappointed compared to my previous visits.

    Me and my family ended up choosing this place due to its close proximity. The guy who took our…read moreorder was humbled and nice. The pizza itself has a nice and flavorful pizza sauce which is sweet, the crust also has a nice crunch to it. The veggies were also delightful.

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    Too much time has gone by, but I had a hankering for Indian pizza, and I happily gave in. I last…read morereviewed Bay Area pizza two or three years ago. Places come and go since Covid but I am glad to see this place is still here. We wanted a little variety and my wife grew up in Haryana while my family comes from the Lucknow area so we got the Haryana and Lucknow pizzas :-) The Haryana aka malai paneer is nicely spiced, but not spicy hot. Paneer is a thick cheese with a texture that can be chewy if not something you are used to. Try it and decide. They have other cheese to choose from. The Lucknow aka desi chaat is a chaat mix which includes potatoes. I was fine with that, but I might substitute next time. The pizzas arrived with a very lovely appearance as you can see from the picture. I ordered online and went to pick it up and it was ready quite promptly A nice little bonus is that I got some frequent flyer points from my AA dining club. No guarantee that they will still be participating when you visit, but I hope they still are when I come by next time. PS. AND NOW THAT I'M EATING THE LEFTOVERS THE DAY AFTER, THIS PIZZA IS EVEN BETTER.

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