I had to take a close friend and business partner. We had a really nice time. The staff was Excellant and the food was even better We tried the anti pasta, gnocchi, and fondue to start. We had a variety of entrees and all was great read more

This place is definitely the best Italian restaurant in Burlingame. Everything here is tasty especially Osso Bucco! It's one of the best I've ever had and I definitely recommend this dish to anyone. Service here is always great! Wine list is not so big but they do have some decent Italian wines. I wish they open during lunch time though. read more

I took my wife and son here for a nice surprise dinner on a Monday night. As we walked in we were seated by a hostess/manager, blonde hair, mid to late 50's. It was a spur of the moment decision to go there, and I wasn't dressed to the nine's (on a Monday night I might add). I will admit that. As I walked by her to go toward our table, I noticed a hint of distaste toward me from her after I thanked her and she responded with a flat "Yeah." It was early in the night, around 6 pm or so, and the restaurant wasn't packed by any stretch. We were seated in the corner and had our dinner. The food was good and the server we had was very nice. We tipped her over 20% on the way out. On the way out the door, I was the last of our party to leave. As I stepped out, I heard said hostess comment to one of the other staff "Sharp dressed. Nice guy", referring to my appearance. I took a step or two, then turned around and walked back in. She asked me "Did you forget something?" to which I replied "No, but I heard the comment you made. Something about how I was dressed." She said "Oh, I was talking about one of the other guests" trying to cover her tracks. Wow, that sure was a coincidence. I replied "Ok sure. I'll remember that". And I will. I will never step foot in Stella Alpina again. I own a restaurant in San Francisco, and I've worked in the service industry for over 10 years. If any of my staff made a comment like that to a guest, that would be their last night working for me. The hostess is the first to greet and the last to interact with patrons of an establishment, and I was left with an insult as my parting gift from this one. My wife called and asked to speak with a manager after we got home, and she was told by the hostess that she in fact WAS the manager (we saw that coming...). My wife told her that it was rude and insulting the way we were spoken to on the way out, and she cooked up a story about how I owed her an apology for calling her out on her insult, that it wasn't directed toward me, etc. To which point my wife knew she wasn't getting anywhere and ended the exchange. There's a saying in the biz: When a guest has a great experience at a restaurant or bar, they might tell one or two people about it. When a guest has a negative experience, they will tell twenty people about it (and with vehemence). Between myself and my wife, Stella Alpina just earned forty negative word of mouth (and two negative yelp) reviews. It's a shame, since we're local, we have disposable income, and we like the food there (albeit it's overpriced). But one can rationalize paying a lot more if they an experience that is positive when dining out. The hostesses' insult and subsequent denial and unwillingness to make right was as far from positive as it gets. Bye bye Stella Alpina. If you don't like how I dress, I guess you got your wish. I won't be back and you won't have to look at my sub par dining attire. read more

The scene: A cozy table with three Yelpers plus Mr. L. Between us, we've written well over one thousand reviews. It was time for a Yelp powwow at Stella Alpina. It was my first time at the restaurant, and I'd been curious to try it since I'd seen it featured on Check Please Bay Area. The food: * Insalata Caesar Shaved Parmesan, crispy Pancetta & housemade garlic croutons * Sole sautéed in wine, butter, and capers * Gnocchi di Patate Italian Sausage & Porcini Ragu for Mr. L * Truffle gnocchi in brown butter with sage for Rene C. * Fonduta alla Piemontese (pot full of melted Gruyere cheese and black truffle, served with veggie dippers & ciabatta) for Rene C. and the Yelper "who shall not be named" Being an inattentive reader at times, I was a little surprised to see the pancetta on my Caesar and passed the meat over to my pig-eating husband. I don't eat cured meats, especially not of the porcine variety. Rene C. eats like a bird, and I, being a mooch, moved in on the winningest dish of all, Rene's gnocchi with sage. It looked like they served him an appetizer portion, but he couldn't finish it after having some Fonduta alla Piemontese. I liked the food, atmosphere, attentive service, and most of all, the company. Before going to Stella, I read Rene's original review that the desserts here weren't his favorite. Being a dessert-loving group, we walked over to Sapore Italiano Restaurant, where they knew Rene (surprise, surprise!) and we completed our sweet evening. read more

Can't believe we haven't been to Stella's since that Valentine's Day oh-so-long ago but fortune smiled & we recently found ourselves here to celebrate my bday I dare to say the food was even more phenomenal than the last time we were here & every single person at our table could not sing high enough praises for *every* single dish. Every one! Not sure this has ever happened w/ a whole table of us..... Started out w/ the Fondue, Truffle-Stuffed Gnocchi, & Beet Salad for the table The fondue was thick, creamy & had lots of stringy pulls. We had tried to order 2 for the table since the menu says it serves 2 but were advised to start w/ 1 & see how that did us.....it was so rich & decadent that 1 was plenty The Beet Salad had the tenderest golden & red beets under a bed of baby greens & topped w/ candied walnuts & gorgonzola.......so light & refreshing & have to say it was a perfect compliment to the fondue The Truffle-Stuffed Gnocchi was the hit of the table ( in fact, the Mr & I asked if they would give us entree-sized portions of this for our mains b/c we wanted lots! ) Pungent w/ truffle scent & tender, perfectly cooked little pillows of pasta surrounding the truffle paste & all in a butter-sage sauce - they were heaven! Other entrees included The Osso Bucco for Buddy #1 & he said the meat was perfectly cooked, tender & flavored extremely well. The Marscapone Polenta they paired w/ the meat was the "best" he's ever had & this is saying something b/c he's a complete food snob Buddy #2 got a beef dish w/ veggies in a red wine sauce, all on top of the polenta & she was absolutely delighted w/ her dish Sis got the Burrata Caprese salad & a side of Polenta. The Burrata was creamy yet had that bounceback action that comes w/ good, fresh burrata & she let us try out the polenta & had to agree w/ the table that it was the BEST we'd ever had Good to also note here that the Polenta has no meaty stock - totally veggie friendly! But...... their Risotto is made w/ chicken stock so veggies will want to avoid - but w/ so many other tempting choices, you won't be disappointed in the least! Glasses of Prosecco all around & it was a B-Day to remember! Thanks for making our day so very special! This time we won't wait so long to return!! read more

I like coming here but the one dish on the menu that I usually opt for gets super filling after a while. Their fiochetti is awesome... It's the best I've had in the area but after a few pieces, it's so rich that I'm usually done. The bread is good but sitting so either enjoy it it keep it away from you. I have wanted to try to truffle gnocchi but you have to order a lot and I usually only want a couple of pieces. This is a nice place but I usually like Spasso in San Carlos. Everything is delicious and super flavorful. Go there instead. read more

My one gripe (on myself) would be why the heck didn't I try this place sooner!!! Last week I was so excited to go and just walked in, to only find out that we had to wait 40 mins for a table, unless we wanted to sit outside. FAIL on me. I was warned, but I decided to try my luck anyway without a reservation. Fast-forward one week, and I have reservations for 6:30pm on a Tuesday night. SOOOO glad we did because there were only a couple of open tables left, and by the time we ended our meal, every single seat in the entire restaurant (and bar) was occupied. Parking is pretty easy for this neighborhood. Service was perfect for what this restaurant is. That's it. They ask you if you want tap water or bottled/sparkling water, which I wasn't quite expecting for this restaurant... I opted for tap :) The bread came out warm, nice artisan bread which tasted good, except the crust was way too hard for my liking. The butter was nice and soft for easy spreading. WOO HOO! Oh yeah, don't eat all of it at once, b/c once you order the truffle gnocchi, you'll wish you saved a couple pieces to wipe up the remaining sauce on your plate. Don't be alarmed when you don't see the truffle gnocchi on the menu (not to be confused with the gnocchi entree), b/c the server will come by and explain the specials in which the pillowy gnocchi in white truffle browned butter parmasean sauce appetizer is mentioned. The server also mentioned in the specials about some soup of the day, which had truffle oil in it (which I was tempted but didn't get)... I sense a recurring theme here. I LIKE. We split the white truffle gnocchi and the server told us that he'll order 5 pieces for each of the 3 of us who were dining, which was the perfect portion before the meal (unless you want to order it as your entree that is!!). I savor each bite and end my appetizer by wiping up the sauce with my piece of bread... so goooooood..... x__x i die... I had the Insalata Boscaiola $10. Arugula, thinly sliced mushrooms, apples, Parmigiano & walnuts tossed in a white truffle vinaigrette... see! more white truffle! I'm so glad I ordered the salad b/c pasta would have put me over the edge aftering having 5 pieces of that gnocchi. I also ordered a side, the Mascarpone Polenta which was nice a creamy (you must eat it when its warm), although I was tempted to get the truffled mashed potatoes (yes, more truffle!!!) My friends ordered the Fettuccine alla Ligure ($17) fresh basil pesto, string beans, sliced potatoes and parmigiano reggiano and the Penne all' Arrabbiata ($15) Sliced garlic, chili flakes, marinara, fresh parsley and Parmigiano. Both of which were good, if I had to pick one I would get the Arrabiata, b/c I'm me, and I love spicy! :p Unfortunately we were so full we didn't order dessert. I'll definitely be back b/c the famous Romolo's canolli and spumoni factory supplies their desserts (I've heard). I'm dying to try b/c the Romolo's in San Mateo closes at like 6:30pm which is way to early for me to even remember by the time I want dessert. My favorite thing about this place: You smell truffle oil the entire time you're there b/c pretty much everyone and their mom orders the truffle gnocchi, so all the surrounding tables, and servers walking around will waft that deliciously tempting sent all through your meal. One thing that makes me sad: They have a bowl of what I thought was after dinner mints, and like .00000003 seconds after I put it in my mouth my friend screamed NO!, and it ended up being LICORICE mints!!! PATOOEY!!! GROSS!!!! Sidenote: I wish I went into the bathroom to see how clean it is, that's usually one of my 'things' that I have to do. Oh well, another excuse to go back! If I was rich and skinny I would come here everyday. read more

Stella Alpina is a cute little Italian restaurant in the heart of Burlingame, quite possibly on my favorite street too. The hubby and I dined there with our 2 monsters, I mean children. Italian is always our go to spot so we can appease our older monster, I mean older daughter. The Caesar salad is good, but it's far from the best I've had. The speck orrechiete pasta is friggin bomb.com. I licked my bowl clean. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the bread was a drag. It felt like it was several days old and tasted that way too. That didn't stop my monster, I mean daughter, from eating 14 pieces. That doesn't say much though considering she'd likely eat stale popcorn from under the couch cushion. Anyway Stella Alpina, step up your bread game but keep up your pasta game. I shall be back. read more

Great restaurant, as advertised. Must try gnocchi and the Osso Bucco.

DO NOT GO HERE! worst place ever.. run by absolute unclassy, mean people who uses the f word to a customer? our reservation were at 8:15.. we waited 30 mins they charged up 50 in corkage fees.. haha what? after we already bought 40 worth of bubbly at the bar since we had to wait for our table to be sat oh there was only 6 seats at the bar so we were forced to wait for our table outside unorganized the older female host is extremely rude and dresses like she is 23 4 people in the service industry.. 2 work in burlingame.. all 4 talk.. many other italian places.. this place is not worth in.. we spent over 300 here and to be treated like that... haha sorry.. other places to go! oh and we got out to eat all the time.. DO NOT GO HERE! read more

Located in downtown Burlingame, Stella Alpina Osteria is a nice restaurant that serves up delicious Italian food. With reservations, we were seated very quickly and brought to our table within minutes of arriving. The food is very good, however the portion sizes are a tad bit small (as with most upscale restaurants). Our waiter greeted us and told us about the specials that were available. A running special is the truffled gnocchi which is a must have. The menu is relatively small; filled with a few superb dishes. On my most recent visit, we ordered the truffled gnocchi, fillet mignon, pork tenderloin, tiramisu, and apple tartlett. Like I said before, the truffled gnocchi is a must have and I think I might just start stopping by just to order this dish. The fillet mignon was a touch on the salty side, but it was cooked just right and was very tender. The pork tenderloin was delicious; flavors were crisp and on point. We finished off our meal with two desserts: the tiramisu and warm apple tartlett. The tiramisu was good, but not the best I've ever had, however, the warm apple tartlett was very good and gone very fast. One downside of this place is the noise. I know the restaurant owners can't control it too much, but it seemed like EVERYONE saw someone they haven't seen in 10 years. TL:DR: Good for dates and special occasions. get the truffled gnocchi (you have to ask for it) and it might be hard to order a bad dish.....also get the warm apple tartlett. read more

Yum! Quite possibly my new FAV Italian restaurant on the Peninsula. I came to Yelp for some direction as we rarely eat anywhere but Capellini when we're looking for Italian. My dad agreed to try somewhere new, and we were both glad we did. 1. They were able to accomodate us (only by walking in) around 5:30 at a table (booked the entire rest of the night) but were very friendly and timing intervals between courses was spot on. 2. The carpaccio, osso bucco, and "ear lobe" shaped pasta w/cream asparagus, and ham...were ALL DELICIOUS! We thoroughly enjoyed everything we had. 3. ATMOSPHERE - cute decor, small cozy space ++ they have outdoor seating with nice plants and flowers surrounding the area with heat lamps. Great experience here. Glad we found this gem! read more

I had a horrible experience here. My waiter set the tone by asking "Are you guests coming?" I apologize that they were late by 15 minutes, but nothing to get your panties in a bunch. Traffic after a 3-day weekend is pretty bad, so calm yourself. He was rude throughout the entire dinner. When I told him I was sharing an appetizer and entree with my husband, he then ventured to ask me "no entree for you then?" Pushy much? When he was setting down our entrees he would ask who got what. I would expect a restaurant with this caliber to remember what each individual ordered. He told my husband to move his glass and bread plate so that he could the entree down. He also would hand me plates to give to my guests across from me... Lastly, not a single refill in my water cup. Should I just serve myself? We were a party of 7, so the 20% gratuity was automatically added onto the check, though it was immensely undeserving. For a $$$ restaurant, I expect better service. The pasta is good, not memorable. This experience left such a poor taste that I would not recommend to friends and family. No need to be a snooty restaurant. Sadly, a waiter can ruin a potentially great place... read more

My family frequents this restaurant but our last visit really stood out from the rest. We were at the restaurant celebrating my mom, sister, and dad's birthday. Towards the end of our meal, after tirelessly flagging down a server, ANY server, we inquired upon it they do anything for birthday celebrations, be it a slice of cake etc. The waiter said, "we can give you a candle at most. We're not THAT kind of restaurant." Firstly, I didn't need the attitude. Secondly, you're insinuating that this restaurant doesn't treat guests' celebrations special and it doesn't matter why we are there. Remind me to pick a different restaurant to celebrate any occasion with. In addition, we BARELY touched our second bottle of wine, of which we paid corkage for. We usually are able to get slightly untouched comped. Upon asking our server he said he cannot, but he did not even make the attempt to ask the manager/supervisor if he was able do so. Excellent food, DREADFUL customer service. You will not feel special or tended to here. read more

I can't remember all the things we ordered, it has been so long since I've been here. BUT the star here is the truffle gnocchi in brown sage butter. little earthy rich pillows of truffley butter goodness, I miss you. read more

Underwhelming. Not quite sure what everyone else sees in this place, other than a pleasant ambiance. Very limited wines by the glass. Burrata Caprese - no cream in the Burrata. Tomatoes: hard and flavorless, though I'll take some of the rap for ordering them in December. Arugula and a whisper of basil, balsamico in absentia. And the grilled breads served with it? Oily and cold. Cannelloni - Fairly flavorful, served piping hot. Too soft on the pasta for my preference. Didn't want to stay for dessert. Wasn't offered anything else (even sitting at the bar, my wine glass stayed empty for half the meal). Seems to me that there are better places to spend that $60 (solo diner) and 2K calories. read more

High price, SMALL portions. $9 for a smaller than normal personal salad is ridiculous. I could that same bag of salad at Safeway for $3. Ristorante down the street is MUCH better. Came here with my boyfriend for our anniversary because Ristorante was closed for a private party. Will NOT be coming back. read more

Apparently you MUST have a reservation to dine here. Drove up to Burlingame to meet a girlfriend for an early dinner on a Friday night. After reading many many yelp reviews, decided to try Stella Alpina Osteria on a Friday. Since they're only open for dinner starting at 5p, my friend left a message on their machine in the afternoon to try to get our name on their reservation list (no go, but not a surprise). We got there at 6pm and tried to get a table for 2. -At least- half the tables were empty and there was no one waiting at the door or at the bar. But we were told they were all booked! When I asked how long the wait would be, the hostess said the next table they had was at 8:30pm. Who books up every single one of their tables with reservations??? You would think they would have at least a few tables open for walk ins!! Their loss, seeing as how half the restaurant was physically empty when we left - and I will never be back... How pretentious of them, I'm sure their food is not -that- good to not leave tables for walk-ins. read more

I really hate to give bad reviews, and especially for a place that has so many raves. But, I have to say that I was pretty disappointed with the overall quality of this restaurant, especially considering the fact that it is on the pricey side. Our experience here got off to a bad start because of the service. The staff was not friendly and we were left waiting for a long time before we were able to order. We even tried stopping our waitress as she walked by our table several times but each time she just zipped past and ignored us. So by the time we were able to order I was already a little soured by the experience. The food was actually better than the 2 stars I am giving the restaurant, I would probably give the food a 3 to 3-1/2. We had a fondue appetizer which was pretty flavorful and filling. As for the main course, we tried the gnoochi w/ truffle sauce that everyone had said great things about, it was definitely the best thing on the menu that I tasted but it was a little on the salty side. I also tried the orechiette, which was also too salty and I tried the rigatoni which was good but nothing really special about it. And finally, I had a bite of someones penne, also okay but nothing special. So, my overall take is that this place is overrated and because of the service, it's just not really worth it, I left feeling unimpressed and with the feeling that I overpaid for what I got, both service-wise and food-wise. read more

I cannot believe that this restaurant does not get 5 stars on a constant basis. This has become me and my fiance's favorite place to eat in Burlingame and we now go there for all of our special occasions. We found this restaurant on Yelp last minute as we were down the street having drinks, and what a great Yelp find! The staff is extremely friendly, and the food is incredible. We always get their stuffed truffle gnocchi, which is heaven, and the other item that stands out with their Fiocchi con pere e asiago - an absolute must try. We always have to work in a salad or light burrata since some of their dishes are quite rich, but so delicious, it's more of our own eyes being bigger than our stomachs. Having visited Northern Italy a few years ago, I can definitely appreciate the style of food that they serve here, which is focused on Northern Italian cuisine. I love this place! Do yourself a favor ... go there! read more

ohhh man! this is sooooo good! I called in the last min, one bar seats were open, but turned out to be a great experience. Bartender Matt is so professional, nice and helpful--helped me with wine selection. Food: DO try their truffle gnocchi, apptizer portion comes in 10pc, and they are nice enough to split it for you (5/5 for 2 of us) we also got beef Carpaccio, very simply yet good My husband got the special saffron risotto with skit steak on top(i think it was skirt steak..could be something else but meat) I had Osso Bucco--OH MY! so yummy and please eat the bone marrow too, too good. little too big for me, but with my husband's help, we have happy full tummy :) Will I be back--without a question!!!! and I shall sit at the bar again if Matt is there read more

Stella - Osso Bucco - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

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First of all, I'm ITALIAN, and when I say that I am Italian I mean born and grow up in Italy. The food was edible and it was not worth the price we paid. The gnocchi were average... The bread was old. Horrible experience- I would never go there again and if you think that italian food taste as the dishes of this restaurant you are MISTAKEN. read more

Truffle gnocchi. There is nothing more amazing in this entire world. This I promise you. Order it as an appetizer portion. Their risotto is also amazing. It's usually my go to order. Everything on the menu is to die for. This is one of my favorite restaurants of all time. My brother even had his rehearsal dinner here that's how much our family is in love with Stella. Not to mention every Christmas Eve, Valentine's Day and any other special occasion you can think of. read more

I have eaten at this restaurant several times over the last two years and have always walked away amazed by how good the food is/was. The wait staff have consistently been friendly and professional. The food is delicious and the portions are good. The ambiance is wonderful... I love the small, intimate setting of the restaurant. If there was one down, it would be the Maitre D. of the restaurant. The previous two visits were tarnished by her snooty attitude. I would recommend this restaurant, just know you might be greeted by a woman with a serious attitude.... Hopefully we just caught her on two bad nights. ;-) read more

In "A Streetcar Named Desire" there is a line uttered with great emotion: SSTTTEEEEEELLLLLAAAAAAAAA I am equally emotional about Stella Alpina. Every time I bring friends/family for the first time, they are skeptical because it looks like it's part of some dentist's complex. But then they try the food and they're hooked In recent visits we've ordered: Apps Escargot Stella Alpina - pretty standard quality. But considering how hard it is to find escargot around here, this is a plus Carpaccio All'Albese - uploaded a picture of this, perfect Burrata Caprese - again, perfect Truffle gnochhi - "secret" menu but almost everyone knows to order this Pasta: overall comment, portions a wee small Rigatoni Al Ragu di Maiale Penne All'Arabbiata Cannelloni Della Casa Fiocchi Con Pere E Asiago Second Osso Buco di Vitello - my favorite. this is the dish that makes me say Stella is one of the best restaurants in the entire bay area. Milanese di Vitello You'd have to trek to SF and try pretty hard to find a place as good. read more

I don't give 5 stars often. And not everything was perfect at Stella Alpina the other night. But you know what? Nothing is really perfect ever anyway, and Stella Alpina made our experience as warm, comfortable, tasty and personal as we could have hoped for. Imperfect? A couple with a couple of youngsters and a couple of grandparents acted like an attention sink: The kids were doing some screaming, some crawling around the floor, and the enthralled grandparents were doing a fair amount of flash picture taking - one table away. Look, kids are great, but the screaming and crawling (they weren't THAT young) at some point has to be, well, disciplined - it has to occur to some adult at that table that there are other diners who might not find the wild child act so cute. Fortunately the kiddie circus only upset our appetizers, and even those not entirely... because the infamous truffled gnocci were so tasty, so decadent, so worthy of excellent bread (served warm btw) for soaking up the remaining sauce, no amount of kiddie skulduggery could undercut that pleasure. We ordered two salads as well, and the Caesar was also rather decadent, no shortage or a thick Caesar-esque sauce and shavings of good Parmesan. Entrees were prepared right on the mark - a veal piccata strewn generously with capers pounded nicely flat; the "Spezzatino" beef braised in barolo on a mascarpone infused polenta was rich and hearty and the red wine and polenta complemented each other perfectly. Served on time, with a smile, hot plates, and everything cooked to perfection. Corkage is steep @ $25, but worth it given the price of the Brunello we showed up with. An equivalent restaurant price would have been 2 to 3 times what we paid for it originally, and the $25 corkage was probably only half of that potential up-charge. We went for the David Bruce Petite Sirah for bottle #2, and the wine prices, in other reviews noted as being over-priced, struck me as average. The Bruce PS would cost $18 or so at retail, and the restaurant mark-up was about 2.5x. 2x strikes me as okay , 3x punitive (given that retail prices already carry a healthy margin). Put it this way, I've seen worse. I liked the distribution of some Italian, some Californian on the wine list though. Some Italian restaurants seem hell bent on making Cali people drink Italian, and some Italian restaurants seem resigned to only offering Cali wines. Stella Alpina had a shortish but balanced list that could fit most prices ranges and preferences, though were strong on red than white. Service was professional, prompt, somewhat humorous but not intrusively so - just about the best service we have had in recent memory. Is this off the charts gourmet? No, but given the plethora of mediocre Med and Italian restaurants littering the Peninsula, I'd have to say that Stella Alpina Osteria is about as good as it gets. read more

I definitely feel this restaurant has an attitude! We made reservations for 12/23/15 a week in advance. Upon timely arrival we were escorted to a table were my wife would be facing one wall and I will be facing the other wall. When we asked the hostess for another table she "went to inquire". After 3 or 4 long minutes standing up, she returned: "The only thing we can do is put you outside", she said seriously. When she realized this was not a "go", she said but we do have heaters. WELL THAT EVENING WAS 42 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND THE ONLY COUPLE WE SAW OUTSIDE HAD THEIR OVERCOATS ON". The restaurant was 1/2 full at that time. We should have left but instead stayed and pulled out unacceptable table back from the wall, enough to seat facing each other. We had our $42 entrees of excellent food, wine, salad and left in a hurry away from what was going to be our romantic, cozy pre-Christmas dinner celebration to not come back ever unless management or ownership changes. We may have to wait until hell freezes over because they seem very busy! read more

HOLY CANNOLI! I am very picky when it comes to Italian food. I am always in fear of over salted, cheesy not so exciting experiences. Not my first choice when it comes to dining out. I came here with my birthday GF who just moved out of Burlingame. I wanted to go out with a bang and do one last dinner here. I read all the great reviews and was very tempted and curious about the gnocchi. WOW WOW WOW!!! What a menu! So many delicious seafood and meat choices. They had lamb, filet mignon, you name it! We opted for the infamous truffle gnocchi and the lamb chops. I was literally licking my gnocchi plate at the end of my meal. Great wine list and service was friendly/helpful. The only time I got a little bit of an attitude was when I made my reservation. Not worth docking Stella one star because of the grumpy lady up front. read more

A good Italian restaurant in downtown Burlingame. This spot feels like a cozy, neighborhood gem with nicely-portioned dishes. The brown butter sage gnocchi ($15 for 10 pieces) was pretty good - was excited to try them but I still prefer Perbacco's gnocchi. I thought the best hit was the Polenta - the mascarpone is a unique touch that added a hint of creaminess that was quite divine! They accompany the polenta in their sausage appetizer dish ($14) or you can get it as a side as well for $8. Service was extremely attentive. Overall, a good spot for a date night or even groups (there were two large parties when we dined here), but nothing extraordinary. Just good but hearty Italian food! read more

Near perfect dining experience, yet again. We started out with the truffle oil gnocchi. If you want to share, don't forget to say so. We ended up with two orders of this amazing appetizer. That said, all the more for us, individually!! The salads are exquisite. We ordered the special Fettucini Bolognese (made with ground filet mignon) and the Scaloppine di Pollo alla "Calabrese." The pasta dish was impeccable, tender, comforting, and simply wonderful. The chicken dish was nice--great flavors and a decent option if you're not feeling like pasta, prawns, veal, or osso buco. The service was excellent. Friendly, efficient, easy going--absolutely just right. Drawback: Can't make reservations via Open Table. You actually have to call in, leave a message, receive a call back confirmation. Is it a drawback? Not entirely, but Open Table makes things so easy. Not really a drawback, just less convenient. That said, we've become so accustomed to not having to talk to an actual person to reserve a table--forgot how it could be a pleasant experience. Love this place and will definitely keep coming back. read more

I would give this a zero if I could. Food was not good, except for signature mushroom gnochi appetizer which was very good. I thought I posted a review already but maybe it was taken off. My wife took me there aug 15 for a special occasion. It was mid week and we had reservations but they were crowded and we were put in a small room with a large party which was so loud we couldn't talk easily. Then we ordered. I had the gnocchi entree after hearing about the app that was indeed good. The entree was fair at best. My wife ordered fish. Maybe not a good order. It was inedible. Really. Salty and just bad. We complained and they were good enough to take it off the bill. read more

Small intimate restaurant that has become an institution here in Burlingame. Offers some classic pasta dishes but excelled in gnocchi, as well as Tuscan dishes. Service is friendly and efficient. Not an exhaustive Brunello or Barolo wine by the glass offering, but still fine. The price point is a bit higher than many Burlingame Italian restaurants but for special events our children and adults all found something that was quality, and prepared with care. I had osso bucco (slightly dry), wife had lasagna with excellent bechamel sauce, and daughter with chicken parmigiana (pretty standard) read more

This place is so outstanding. Definitely our go-to Italian on the peninsula. The pastas are great, and the truffle oil risotto cakes are amazing, a must order! The atmosphere is great. I should trash this place so all of you people stop going to it! The only downs are that it can be really busy so definitely make a reservation and also it's very expensive. A little too expensive for what you get, but for lack of better options we continue to go here. If we don't have a reservation, we wait until a spot opens up at the bar. The service is so good, even when nights are hectic and food comes out slow a few free drinks can really grease the wheels. When you do call to make that reservation, ask if they are making the "pear purse pasta" as the special that night. If they are, GO IMMEDIATELY. It is the most delicious pasta I've ever had (and I've been to Italy quite a few times!) read more

My folks wanted to take me out for my birthday and my girlfriend insisted we try a new place that we had not gone to before. Under that advice and the fact that my Stepdad loves Italian food, I decided to look at reviews of Italian restaurants down the peninsula so as to avoid parking issues in the city. This one looked good and interesting, north italian fare too. I made a same day reservation and asked for a table by the window which was confirmed but when my party of 4 arrived, we were seated in the middle of the dining room. Oh well, I guess we were not VIP enough. The service was brisk and attentive but not over friendly and slighty pushy and decor was neat and the setting was slight dark to provide a candle lite experience. I would say that the food was a little better than the standard italian fare but not by much. In fact, I found myself boasting that I could cook the same quality of food at home. In any event, we ordered 4 entrees, two salads, an appetizer (yes the truffle gnocchi) and two desserts and a glass of wine. The total on the bill ended up being $200 for our party of 4 including tax, and tip. To me, that is upwards of the kind of money that should be spent on Steak or French. I don't think I would come back to this place as the food was just average to slighty above. To sum it up, good atmostphere, decent service, decent food and over priced. read more

My partner and I were celebrating our anniversary, and I wanted to take him out for a nice dinner. He spoils me quite often, so I figured it was my turn =). He's a huge fan of Italian food, and I wanted to take him to a place that was nice but still somewhat casual, with great food. Most things in San Francisco were out, because at 38 weeks pregnant, I did not feel like hunting for parking and walking a zillion blocks uphill. I had heard many wonderful things about Stella Alpina Osteria for a few years, and had been meaning to try their food. This seemed like the perfect occasion to do it, so I made a reservation for 5:30 on a Friday. We were running about 15 minutes late, but when I called to let them know, they were totally accommodating. When we finally arrived, we were seated in a corner by the window in the back room, which we both kinda liked (it felt more intimate.) This is a small, cozy restaurant; tables are squished just a little too close together in some areas. However, the patrons (at least that night) were all quite courteous. There were even a few families with very well-behaved children. My partner and I looked at each other and hoped that our little one would be just that well behaved in a couple years! So with all of that said, this isn't the place for a crazy romantic and fancy meal, but it's a great place for a nice dinner that you don't have to get too dressed up for. Onto the food.... Truffle gnocchi: We split 10 pieces between the two of us, and immediately wished we had more! My partner had never tried gnocchi, and had no clue what it really was, but I insisted on us getting it since I had heard so many good things about it. The hype is legit, folks: this gnocchi is probably the best I've had, and this is coming from a girl who has both been to Italy AND has made her own gnocchi before. The dumplings were perfectly light, the potato to truffle ratio was spot on, the brown butter really complemented the dish, and the crispy sage added extra bursts of flavor. Even my picky partner absolutely loved it. Fiocchi (stuffed with pear and asiago): I'm normally not the type to order a pasta dish without meat or seafood, but I had never had a pear-stuffed pasta before, so I was curious. I was pleasantly surprised by how delicious these were: the sweetness and slight acidity from the pears blended perfectly with the creamy and salty asiago to create a unique and flavorful bite. I loved the parmesan sauce it came with too: it was rich and definitely cheesy, but it didn't feel super heavy either. Chicken parmagiana: I didn't get to try a bite of this, as my partner completely hogged it to himself! At first, when he was presented with the plate, he was disappointed at how small the portion seemed. However, he was very happy with how everything tasted, and he felt full and satisfied afterwards. Woohoo! Roasted crimini mushrooms: I'm a sucker for roasted mushrooms. When I mixed some of these it with my pasta, I didn't miss the meat at all. Very tasty and flavorful. Brownie with vanilla gelato and caramel sauce: We were both a little bummed with how small this was, but since it was pretty rich, we probably wouldn't have wanted to eat that much more anyways. It was yummy, but it's pretty difficult to go wrong with this dish. I'd order it again, but it paled in comparison to the rest of the meal. Service was good, food was good...we would totally return here. Thanks, Stella Alpina Osteria, for a wonderful anniversary dinner! read more

Stella Alpina is my family's favorite restaurant. We tend to all be a bit picky, but we can all agree on Stella! Their food is always delicious and you can count on us always ordering the same things. The risotto cakes are a must-order item. I love the truffle flavor and the fresh arugula. Undoubtedly the best thing on the menu are the truffle gnocchi. They are pillows of heavenly truffle goodness. We fight over every last one and then dip our bread in the leftover sauce. Their carpaccio is also a must-order; it's fresh and perfectly seasoned. All of their salads are great, but my two favorite ones are the beet salad and the caprese. My parents always order the Caesar. The Pollo alla Parmigiana is the favorite item for most of my family, but my favorite dishes are Coniglio alla Cacciatora (rabbit is so delicious) and the Orecchiette Asparagi e Speck. We typically don't have room for dessert, but they do have a delicious chocolate cake. The staff is friendly and efficient, and we always run into neighborhood friends. It's a great place for a celebration or just a night out on the town. read more

Do you LOVE *fresh* gnocchi? Does the sound of truffle stuffed gnocchi with a brown butter/truffle oil sauce make your mouth salivate? Do you have some good girlfriends ready to lay down $50 each for a good meal, or have a special occasion to celebrate with your loved one? If so, then SAO is the place for you. I am STILL dreaming of the delicious little pillows of gnocchi with their amazing truffle sauce. TO DIE FOR. And then the fresh bread? SO perfect to soak up all the extra sauce. Came here with 3 friends on Tuesday. Luckily we were seated right away around 7:45pm sans reservation. The menu was scrumptious and I liked that there were several salad options to start. We ordered the truffled gnocchi as a starter for the table and upped to order to 15 pieces. Perfect. I had the apple salad, and split the shrimp fettuccine which was a special. We all shared a bottle of Sonoma white, and everything was just perfect. Our waiter was pretty cute too. We were 1 of 2 tables who left at 10:30pm, and nobody was rushing us to leave. It was really a great experience. read more

Stopped by Stella Alpina Osteria earlier tonight. The restaurant itself was pretty small, and decorated in a simple elegance. Small Italian paintings hang on the wall, and tables were clothed in white and set nicely. A sign above the maitre d's desk says "MANGIA" (Italian for "EAT"). I sat at the bar, which honestly, was a little bit awkward. The area behind the bar was very narrow, and quite small, which forced the bartender to stand very close to the customers while they're eating. It felt a bit awkward, but that aside, it was a nice enough area. The bartender himself was friendly, although he seemed a bit shy. Nonetheless, he was willing to help out with the menu, and gave me a hearty recommendation for the insalata della casa (house salad) and the maiale con pancetta e aglio (pork with Italian bacon and garlic). Before that came the bread. It was decent, though nothing special. It came with butter, although when I requested oil and vinegar instead, they were happy to accommodate. It was certainly better with the oil and vinegar anyway. ;) Next came the insalata della casa (house salad), which was a simple arugula salad topped with shaved parmesan and a balsamic vinaigrette. It was good enough, although nothing special. Just a little crisp flavor to it from the vinegar, and that's it. Then came my entree, the maiale con pancetta e aglio (pork with Italian bacon and garlic). It was a pork tenderloin served in ragu (meat sauce), which had white Spagna beans, garlic, and carrots in it. It was then topped with pancetta (Italian bacon). Again, it was good, but not great. It had a delicate flavor to it, without anything really standing out about it. But it was good enough. Overall, my outing to Stella Alpina Osteria was good enough. It may be worth a stop if you're in the area! read more

I brought my love here for Fathers Day and I must say this place was absolutely delicious!!! This restaurant was recommended by a friend and boy am I glad:) The GNOCCI was soooo good you don't want to waste any of it. The risotto was also out of this world. Every bite was packed with flavor. I highly recommend this restaurant. Worth the price you pay. Service was good as well and waiters well trained! I will be back:) read more

Stella - Father's Day dinner with my love:) The food was delicious!!! - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

My husband and I have been meaning to eat here for a while and we finally got around to it, ordering take out for our anniversary. The food was very good; standouts were the lamb and the risotto with scallops. I liked the chocolate tart as well, but it was very rich. read more