This review is purely for the cappuccino apart of my coffee series in Clayton - this is the best cappuccino in Clayton. Usually comes in a shorter wider cup. Not acidic, not burnt, just right. The Goldilocks of coffees in Clayton! Touch of cinnamon always delicious. read more

La Veranda Cafe - Cappuccino - Italian Near Me - Clayton, California

My mother and I went there for Mother's Day. As expected, there was a buffet in action. The fast-talking "waiter" quickly offered mimosas, and some sort of omelet or eggs Benedict that was included in the buffet. We declined all three. The buffet was decently stocked, but my mom was a bit bummed there were no waffles or pancakes. She asked and we were told only the buffet was being offered. So, fine. The food was about as good as buffets get (so so). We asked twice for water and it never arrived. We had to ask 3 times for the bill. What made matters worse was once the bill did arrive. When I opened the bill holder, it had an old-style receipt with simply "150" written down. With (what I assume) was and additional $13 for tax, I was looking at $163 for two for a buffet brunch. There was no indication of prices for the buffet anywhere. I half thought the waiter gave us the bill for the foursome next to us. While I was expecting maybe $45-$50 a person because restaurants like to wring us on these sort of holidays, I am completely flummoxed with how on this green Earth they seriously feel they could charge $75 per person. Highway robbery. read more

Great food, great service, nice location - downtown Clayton. The owner, Nick, is a really nice guy. Be careful though - the drinks are strong lol :D read more

We came here for Father's Day. It was initially just us in the restaurant but it quickly picked up business. The restaurant is decorated nicely. We ordered a pizza and a steak sandwich. We enjoyed our food. The waiter that took our order and the waiter who brought out our waters were very friendly. As the restaurant became busier, we didn't see much of our waiter, so I asked a different waiter for to-go boxes and the bill. That waiter seemed to be in a bad mood, probably over stressed with the busy restaurant. After going back and forth, he came back with our boxes and check. read more

The food was not great at all. The staff were nice. The food is not real authentic Italian food.

We had a wonderful such a fun experience here. The servers were all friendly and the place was clean inside. The menus were simple clean and very clear what you were getting. We had the calamari which was good, and then I ordered the Regina salad. It was very good. The lettuce was fresh the dressing had a delicious bite and the Gorgonzola and walnuts added the perfect flavors to the dish. The bread and butter was delicious, and I loved that there was oils on the table to dip your bread in. And the dessert... that was the best thing I've had in forever! Absolutely delicious! Over all a very nice experience. read more

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Food is very good and staff is excellent. Great ambiance. I've been here for both lunch and dinner.

Wonderful atmosphere and great food. The staff is hard working and attentive. We were welcomed with open arms and great hospitality on a double date 10th anniversary. Thank you for the champagne! read more

Tried and true ... La Veranda is a long-time fixture in Clayton. I know I will always have a good lunch there. A friend treated me and DH to lunch recently. We enjoyed good service and did not feel rushed. A couple of "little touches" stood out. The warm crusty bread was delicious. Lately I have been disappointed with the tasteless bread that is served in so many restaurants. And the bread was complimentary. We appreciated the tiny ramekins of butter. Classier than the foil-wrapped pats. Personally I prefer butter over oil and balsamic vinegar. I expected cloth napkins. So happy to see them. Again, it seems many places are skipping them for lunch service. DH enjoyed his Italian sausage sandwich. The serving of fries was a bit on the skimpy side. But that meant he had room to share dessert. My friend and I both had the Chinese chicken salad. It was a bit different than most Chinese chicken salads I've had. A nice portion of grilled chicken breast was sliced and served on top of salad. The chicken was still warm and very tender. I also liked the crunchy chow mein noodles and the mandarin oranges. The dressing on the side was a plus ... too many salads are "overdressed" in my opinion. The downfall of the salad was the romaine. It was hard to find a piece that was not brown or "rusty" on the edges. Am sure it was edible, but it did not look fresh. Unappealing. From what I could see across the table my friend's romaine looked much fresher. Ordinarily I'd have complained, but my friend was treating us and I did not want to upset her. For dessert my friend and I both ordered the spumoni ice cream ... DH shared mine. The server told us it was two large scoops. We were forewarned. Almost hard to finish. A couple of things may have made this a five-star lunch. La Veranda could use a "refresher" both inside and out. The decor has not seemed to change in a very long time. Even the wooden box with tea selections seemed past its prime. The teas were fine, but the box looked like it had been there forever. I will mention it one last time: the romaine should have been fresh! read more

A great place for a special gathering. Wonderful service and great energy. The staff is wonderful. They helped me pull off a very special day. Thank you La Veranda! read more

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I really wanted to like this dish because it's everything you could want in a classic dinner. Steak, mushrooms, and mashed potatoes. However my steak was over cooked and somehow cold. The middle of my mashed potatoes was refrigerator level cold. I had to ask them to warm it up which made my steak hard to eat. However I know that's my fault due to getting it warmed up. Service was really sweet and understanding. read more

La Veranda Cafe - Grilled N.Y Steak - Italian Near Me - Clayton, California

This was our first time ordering from this place and will be my last, our pasta dishes were dry and very bland. So disappointed especially since they were $24 a plate, thankfully DoorDash provided a full refund. read more

I Was craving lasagna tonight and was recommended this place. A complete disappointment. We started off with drinks and I couldn't decide to order in or take home. While we had our drinks a man threw up at the bar next to us. Not one apology from the people next to us or the waiters and owner that saw it happen. Grossed me out completely. I decided not to order anything after all. My husband insisted I order to go. This is what a 30 dollar lasagna looks like. Horrible overall experience. read more

La Veranda Cafe - Italian Near Me - Clayton, California

We came in on a Thursday evening, after a rainy day. We were sat right away and given bread (which was good, but not warm) and butter. I had wine and the lobster risotto - no lobster in the risotto but the dish came with 3 lobster tails. I shared one of the lobster tails with my partner. My partner had the filet, which came with vegetables and mashed potatoes. Everything was delicious and we polished off our plates. We didn't have room for dessert unfortunately. As we were getting ready to leave, our waiter asked if we wanted more bread and we said no thank you. He brought us a to go bag of bread -super nice! We will definitely be back the next chance we get. Casual family atmosphere. It was a pretty good crowd, especially in light of the fact that it was very wet outside and it was a weeknight. read more

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La Veranda is my new favorite happy hour spot. Great happy hour food and drink options and it's 7 days a week. The staff is very friendly and personable. The type who will remember you and your orders if you come in often enough read more

It's called a Mista salad but it looks like a MISTAKE salad. Literally a pile of leaves and 3 tablespoons of dressing. Nothing else, no toppings, nothing. Looks like they opened a bag of chopped salad and poured it directly on the plate and forgot every other step. I have never had or seen a mista salad with just dressing and leaves. read more

La Veranda Cafe - Allegedly a mista salad. - Italian Near Me - Clayton, California

We recently hosted a family gathering here, and I can't say enough good things about the experience. From the moment we arrived, everything was beautifully organized -- we didn't have to think about a thing. The staff was incredibly attentive without being intrusive; our drinks were always full and needs anticipated before we even had to ask. The food? Top notch. Every dish that came out was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. You could tell the kitchen puts real care into every plate. The vibe of the restaurant made the evening even more special -- warm, welcoming, and just the right balance of relaxed and elegant. La Veranda made our family feel taken care of in every way. It was one of those rare experiences where everything just clicks. Highly recommend for anyone looking to enjoy a flawless meal with outstanding service. read more

We went to la veranda for our first time. The food looked good but the lasagna was cool in places. Ick! There was one spot on it where it was barely warm. Service was lackluster. Our server never came to check on us or ask how the food was. Not great for the price. It could be better with more quality control and customer service. We won't be visiting again. Mudvilles is a better deal and the quality of the food and customer service are outstanding. read more

My elderly inlaws love this spot. They chose it for their first date, never too late to live happily ever after. We joined them for my Mother in Law's birthday dinner here. I stopped by right after work, so it was pretty early. Plenty of seating and service was great. They have limited parking right behind the restaurant but there's plenty in the adjacent lot across the street. I would guess that may be a bit different on a Friday or Saturday evening. The menu is Italian focused but it has quite a few other (BBQ ribs & pot stickers were on the happy hour appetizer menu) options. The happy hour appetizers were $7 each. I chose the crab cake & it wasn't mind blowing but had decent flavor. I'm just the kind of person that wants more crab vs. breading. I was driving, so no wine or cocktails but the menu looked fantastic. Seemingly full bar, beer & wine. The inlaws got a shrimp salad & Fettuccine Alfredo & both were happy. They do serve complimentary bread at the table, a combination of focaccia & Italian. The pizza crust was cooked well, obviously in an appropriately blazing hot oven. I had the La Veranda salad, which was fresh & dressed appropriately. If you are looking for an all around, affordable, solid, home like meal with great & friendly service: La Veranda is for you. read more

This is not my first time dining at this establishment, but it will certainly be my last. Let me set the stage by saying it was Christmas Eve and my friend and I had 7:15 dinner reservations. I have no complaints about the food; it is entirely about the customer service. We were rushed to get our food order in as we were told the restaurant closed at 8:00. Our server did not engage with us or attempt to create a welcoming experience and appeared disengaged or annoyed to be working. We were the last guests to leave the restaurant, leaving approximately 10 minutes after the previous customers as we were awaiting to close out our bill. As we were walking out, the owner asks us how much our bill was. As we began to answer, he stated that he pays his employees $20 per hour and that we had just cost him extra money. I was taken aback. This was uncomfortable and unnecessary, especially considering we were simply waiting for our check. It is not the customer's responsibility to manage staffing decisions, especially when the entire staff remained on duty standing behind the counter doing nothing. Never have I experienced such rude, disrespectful and utterly disgraceful behavior. At no point did we delay closing intentionally. Had it not been Christmas Eve and had I not just come from Mass, I would have responded very differently. Instead, I quietly picked my jaw up off the floor and walk out with my friend. As a family owned and operated business, this restaurant should strive to create a welcoming atmosphere and warm environment, not like an inconvenience. The owner's behavior was disappointing, unprofessional and completely unacceptable. read more

Great service! Many fresh ingredients! when they are in season, get the wrapped stuff figs, they are fabulous. Well, mixed generous cocktails not large but nicely curated wine list. The pizzas are very tasty great thin crust. I generally order fish there one time the salmon was a bit greasy, but otherwise it's been excellent. And well priced. read more

Phenomenal service and deliciousness Food ! Everything was good. I don't even like Italian so I got the rib eye. Bread. Oysters. Veggies All amazing The service from our bartender and waiter was exceptional. read more

Food was great but one of the most unwelcoming environment I have ever been a patron of. Menus thrown on the table, server forgot my drink, server had the most attitude from taking our order to delivering it to the table. Then was going to get dessert but he threw the menus at the table and left. He had no problem though checking on tables with women. I wouldn't recommend this place but luckily there are other Italian places nearby. read more

Awesome Italian dining experience in the quaint, retro downtown of Clayton... you are so close yet so far from downtown Concord/ Pleasant Hill/ Walnut Creek and yet you'd feel like a world away. Come early to take a quick stroll around the neighborhood, then stroll into Le Veranda for their daily Happy Hour, and warp the day with dinner here... it's the perfect day! We had some friends from "the city" and decided to take them here... of course they loved the quaint Clayton and the highlight was definitely La Veranda. Excellent, friendly, and efficient service through and though, coupled by very good food. Ambience is super comfy, nicely decorated and very clean. Between the 4 of us, we ordered a variety of Happy Hour appetizer dishes, followed by dinner here. Overall, HH is a good value here with but it's all fried food. I guess that's HH options. Recommended: butterfly shrimp and chicken wings. Other HH dishes are ok. Dinner dishes are all very good with generous portions. I was specially happy and satisfied with my order of Clams w Spaghetti, which I ordered spicy and it came spicy and pipping hot... cooked perfectly! Other dishes are also flavorful and delicious. Overall an excellent dining experience at La Veranda and we will definitely be back! :) Very Happy! read more

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The most classic Clayton spot. We always sit in our corner table outside for people watching. We have followed Yousef, our favorite waiter, from Bella's (that used to be in Clayton) to la veranda. He offers spectacular service and never fails to give us a laugh!! Our favorite dishes include the chicken piccata, gnocchi with bolognese, fettuccini Alfredo with chicken, Regina salad, grilled salmon, and the chocolate ganache. In terms of drinks, the mojito is tasty and not too strong! I came a couple days after my birthday and was even brought free dessert! read more

La Veranda Cafe - Our favorite waiter, Yousef!! - Italian Near Me - Clayton, California

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Yousef and Dominic could not have been more attentive to our needs. We were quickly escorted to our table and within seconds, our adult beverages were delivered. (They knew what we usually ordered, and thoughtfully, had them delivered instantaneously! My man ordered the filet mignon and I ordered the artichoke soup and a salad. Soup and salad were amazing!! My Man's plate is cleared so I'm assuming he loved the filet as well! Love this place!! read more

La Veranda Cafe - Italian Near Me - Clayton, California

Greeted and seated immediately upon entering the door with a smile and welcome back. Brought water and bread soon after being seated. Asked if we would like a drink other than water, and appetizer to start. Brought wine and sparkling water. Are you ready to order? Sure! A shrimp salad, a roasted vegetable plate with a wide assortment, onion, eggplant, red bell peppers, blue or Gorgonzola cheese, kalamatta olives, and probably more I forgot! A halibut dinner with polenta and perfectly cooked vegetables. We were checked on just the right amount. And brought a slice of cheesecake to share with a berry drizzle for my birthday. We love that such a nice restaurant with excellent food and service is so close to us in downtown Clayton. Cheers! read more

This place is amazing and never disappoints. Have been going here for over a decade and the food continues to be outstanding. Nick the owner is wonderful too. read more

We've been eating at La Veranda for years and considered it a special place to have a really nice dinner. But things have changed. The last two times we've eaten there were very disappointing. Let me say, though, the wait staff were quick, attentive, and friendly. Our tip reflected only the service, not the food. The previous time we went was a lunch trip and I ordered a crab salad described as, "Dungeness crab" on the menu. It was not. The "crab" was white, roundish balls that were tasteless, obviously processed food. I asked the server to check with the chef, and he assured me that the chef had ordered Dungeness. (I think he got cheated, then.) And tonight my husband ordered short-rib raviolis with meat sauce, and I had the lamb chops in a pomegranate sauce. Both dishes were, at best, lukewarm, and we suspected canned sauce on the raviolis. They were delivered way too quickly to have been cooked and left to cool on the counter. My husband said some of his raviolis were warmish and some were cold, just like they sometimes are when they come out of a microwave. Also, I wanted salt on my food, but the salt and pepper graters were so dirty that I was afraid to turn them over above my food for fear that all the dust and oil would fall out and contaminate the food. The place was quite populated even though it was a Sunday night, and the atmosphere was nice, with people laughing and clinking glasses. But I'm afraid this is the last time I'll spend $101.00 for two lukewarm entrees and stale bread. Bye bye, La Veranda. read more

We went to La Veranda on Sunday, June 15 2025 for a father's day brunch. First a word about Clayton CA. This is an older town in the east bay, next to Concord and Walnut Creek. This is a town that hung on tenaciously to its small town charm and looks very much the way it did fifty years ago. They still have some wooden sidewalks, a saloon or two, a lovely tree shaded park where they hold small summer concerts. It has a small central downtown and feels very much like the old fashioned small town that it is. People are friendly and relaxed; traffic has been cleverly engineered out. This restaurant with its wooden entry steps fits right in. It has a veranda with outdoor tables along the side of the restaurant as well as a casual covered patio for outdoor dining. Upon entering we could see a big square dining room to our right and to our left was the other smaller rectangular dining room. We were greeted promptly and cordially and taken to our table in the room to our left. It was filled with black tables and chairs, the wall were tan and the ceiling tiles were a pleasant burnt red. The restaurant is surrounded by trees and bushes so the view from the many windows made us feel as though we were in an arboretum. The table was neatly set with two forks; a butter knife and side plate per seat as well as perfectly folded white linen pyramid napkin folds. Very quickly an attendant arrived to get us waters, coffee or tea. Shortly after that, our waiter Yousef appeared and took our orders. We had some substitutions and he took it all in stride. We ordered three eggs benedicts and food appeared in a very short time. The eggs were perfectly poached with firm whites and a hint of white vinegar and the yolks were perfectly runny. The muffins underneath were lightly toasted and easy to cut with a butter knife. I have been making fresh hollandaise for years in restaurants and at home and I am always suspicious of canned or powdered some restaurants resort to but this was definitely fresh and the real deal. The sauce was topped with a dusting of paprika and presentation was perfect. Yousef was an efficient and quick waiter, very professional. As is always a challenge my wife takes on we eventually got a big smile out of him. Overall I got the impression this was a tightly run restaurant that had taken pains to see to all the important touches. It was bright, sunny, and clean and the staff was friendly and attentive. I would not hesitate to go back for dinner and plan to read more

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My husband and I were having a mini daytime date night, I remember trying this place a few years back and enjoying it, so I suggested it for the hubby. They had a brunch menu which I ordered off of and I asked for a lunch menu since my husband isn't a big breakfast foods fan. They had no issue with this. I ordered the penne with shrimp, which came with a lobster bisque sauce. It was delicious! The shrimp was fresh, perfectly cooked, and buttery. The sauce was wonderful and didn't have that fishy taste some bisques can get. My husband ordered the French dip. The Au ju had soo much flavor and the bread was soft and yummy. I couldn't decided whose order was best, because both tasted good. We also shared a Caesar salad. The services was fast and efficient. I had no issues what so ever. We would definitely be back. read more

La Veranda Cafe - Penne with Shrimp in a lobster bisque and French Dip Sandwich Lunch - Italian Near Me - Clayton, California

We love it here! Service is always very friendly and attentive! Cozy, elegant and clean atmosphere. The food is always delicious!! This time we came for lunch, but brunch and dinner are always fantastic. read more

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Classy environment. Food is good! I recommend the salmon! The owner Nick is a nice guy. Always a local favorite!

Living in Clayton these days and normally you'd expect mediocre restaurants in such a small community, but that's not at all the case. Been here twice now. Once for brunch and now once for dinner. At brunch I had the Florentine Eggs Benedict and it was quite good. Yesterday I went for an early dinner and had a small salad, Pasta Carbonara, and Tiramisu. The salad was crisp and light. Just lettuce leaves, so not very interesting; however, the vinaigrette was perfectly balanced and a good foil for my main dish since it was so light. The Carbonara was excellent. The balance of flavors was on point, the sauce was prepared correctly and hadn't separated, which can happen. The Tiramisu was good. I would have it all again, even the salad. Service was outstanding. I chose to sit outside as I had brought my dog with me, which sometimes results in you being forgotten. That never happened. Oh one last thing, the bread was tasty and I liked that they serve it with butter, but there's oil and balsamic on the table, so I buttered mine and had it with the vinegar :) Will return to try other dishes read more

La Veranda Cafe - Pasta Carbonara - excellent - Italian Near Me - Clayton, California

I ordered the calamari, however, it could of been fried harder and the taste was ok. I did enjoy the spaghetti pasta with clams and muscles. I got all shell and no muscles and maybe two clams. 3 and a half stars read more

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The halibut was excellent! Nice people and good service. The ambience is OK. Downtown Clayton is charming.

This was a pleasant surprise. Three of us dropped in for lunch and were promptly seated outdoors in a lovely setting. Fresh bread and butter plus water came out a little too slowly but the server did apologize. We ordered an Aperol Spritz and a couple of beers, followed by a salad to share and our entrees. The servings were good. The food was fresh and my eggplant parmigiana was excellent. An unexpected complimentary slice of cheesecake was a nice touch. read more

This was such a cute place to visit! Came here to get an early dinner with a friend. It was located in such a cute downtown/plaza like area where my friend and I were able to walk around together after the delicious meal. Food - My friend and I shared the cream artichoke soup and I ordered a pasta with clams. I can't remember the name. But it was delicious! So flavorful. I had so much left over, I also took it to go and it was still amazing the next day. My friend ordered the gnocchi with pesto and loved it. Service - Super friendly service! They were very accommodating and checked on us often. They also cleaned up our place as often as they could and gave us extra bread when we ran out! Environment - So much seating space! It was a lovely place and you can smell the food from the kitchen. It was wonderful! Overall - Would recommend if you are in this area and would want to try out a new place! It was awesome Italian food! read more

La Veranda is a great place to enjoy good food with friends and family. I have been coming here for years and have never once left disappointed. My favorite dish is the chicken piccata, sooo delicious! For dessert, the chocolate mousse is a classic. The service is truly what makes La Veranda special. In particular, Yousef is the best there is! He is truly amazing and always makes us feel taken care of. We usually opt to sit outside when the weather is nice. The patio seating is spacious and has an overhead covering. On weekends this spot can get pretty busy, so booking reservations is a good idea. A great way to enjoy the nice weather, with good food and drinks. read more

Today we had my daughter's Bridal Shower at La Veranda. It was held in the back room and it was phenomenal!!! The food, the service, the whole experience was 1st rate. Thank you to Hugo and the entire staff that made us feel welcome and most of all, made my daughter feel like there was no one else in the world today that mattered more than her. Thank you, Thank You, Thank you!!! read more

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