December 2018/January 2019 101
Centonove, 109 W. Main St., Los Gatos. 408/384-
4007. Italian-style café specializing in wood-fired
pizzas and a wide range of housemade pastas. $$
Carpaccio, 1120 Crane St., Menlo Park. 650/ 322-
1211. This popular neighborhood trattoria
has become an Italian institution. $$
Donato Enoteca, 1041 Middlefield
Road, Redwood City. 650/701-
1000. Chef Scotti’s menu honors his
northern Italian roots and presents
a clean, modern style of cuisine in a
contemporary environment. $$
Doppio Zero, 10088 N Wolfe Rd
#120, Cupertino. 408/863-0308. This
family-friendly dining spot prepares pastas,
pies and handcrafted cocktails with stylish
ease. $$
Enoteca La Storia, 416 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los
Gatos. 408/ 625-7272. Italian wine bar featuring
traditional small plates along with an extensive selection
of fine wines. $$
Enzo’s Italian, 21275 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino,
408/255-2686. With an all-Italian crew at
the helm, this eatery dishes up authenticity—
including fresh gnocchi and seafood ravioli—in a
fast-paced, modern setting. $$
I Gatti, 25 E. Main St., Los Gatos. 408/399-5180.
Fine Italian dining in a comfortable setting; the
cuisine pays tribute to various Italian regions and
ranges from pizza to rack of lamb. $–$$
ll Fornaio, Santa Clara, 408/217-8844; San Jose.
408/271-3366; Palo Alto. 650/853-3888. Il Fornaio
stays true to authentic Italian recipes and time-honored
cooking methods. $$$
Il Postale, 100 S. Murphy Ave., Sunnyvale.
408/733-9600. This popular Italian-
American bistro has made a name for
itself over the past 20 years at the
old post office building in Sunnyvale.
$$
Italico, 341 California Ave.,
Palo Alto. 650/473-9616. This
pasta-centric bistro is popular
for meatballs and other classic
dishes along with its extensive
variety of Italian wines. $$
Palermo Italian Restaurant, 791
Auzerais Ave., San Jose. 408/295-6459.
On the banks of the Los Gatos Creek in San Jose’s
historical cannery district, Palermo specializes in
refined, modern Sicilian cuisine. $$$
Pausa, 223 E. Fourth Ave., San Mateo. 650/375-
0818. Owners Steve Ugur and Chef Andrea
Giuliani serve up handcrafted pastas, brick-oven pizzas
and house-cured salami paired with an all Italian
wine list, craft cocktails and spritzes. $$
Pasta Moon, 315 Main St., Half Moon Bay. 650/
726-5125. Charming eatery serves only local, sustainable
ingredients, fresh from the first bite of
focaccia to the last spoonful of an artisan dessert. $$
Pizza Antica, 334 Santana Row, San Jose. 408/557-
8373. Rustic wood-fired pizzas, hearty mains and
savory pastas draw a bustling scene to this newly
renovated restaurant. Patio dining makes it a popular
brunch destination. $$
Quattro (Four Seasons Hotel), 2050 University Ave.,
East Palo Alto. 650/470-2889.Seasonally inspired
Northern Italian cuisine incorporating quintessential
California freshness is served in a modern, refined
setting with a garden terrace. $$$
Ristorante Don Giovanni, 235 Castro St., Mountain
View. 650/961-9749. Relaxed atmosphere and
large Italian menu ranges from charcoal-broiled
steaks to assorted pastas. $$
Spalti Ristorante, 417 California Ave., Palo Alto.
650/327-9390. Authentic Northern Italian cuisine,
featuring well-prepared fresh pasta, seafood, chicken
and veal in a casual setting. $$
Tigelleria Organic Restaurant, 76 E. Campbell
Ave., Campbell. 408/884-3808. Serving traditional
Northern Italian dishes prepared organically. Also an
extensive choice of a la carte antipasto. $$$
Vesta, 2022 Broadway, Redwood City. 650/362-
5052. This trendy indoor-outdoor venue draws
crowds with locally sourced ingredients, wood-fired
pizza, small plates, beer and wine. $$
Vin Santo, 1346 Lincoln Ave., San Jose, 408/920-
2508. Authentic Italian pastas, meats and seafood
dishes uniquely crafted and prepared to mouthwatering
perfection. $$$
Vivace Ristorante, 1910 Ralston Ave., Belmont.
650/637-0611. “Vivace” means lively, and Executive
Chef Scott Cinfio’s Northern Italian creations live up
to the restaurant’s name. $$
The Counter