Sohrob H

🍝 Food Highlights: Every dish we ordered was exceptional. The polpette (meatballs) were tender and packed with flavor, a fantastic start to the meal. The short rib was cooked to perfection, incredibly rich and satisfying. The cacio e pepe was a beautifully simple yet elegant pasta dish, perfectly balanced. Finally, the paccheri short rib pasta was hearty and delicious, with the short rib adding a wonderful depth of flavor to the pasta. 🛎️ Service Excellence: The service at iTalico was truly phenomenal. Our server was attentive, knowledgeable about the menu, and genuinely friendly. They made the entire dining experience feel special and welcoming. ❤️ Atmosphere: The ambiance was very pleasant – a comfortable and inviting space that enhanced our dining experience. It felt like a great place to enjoy a delicious Italian meal. 💰 Value: While the prices might be a bit higher than some casual spots, the quality of the food and the outstanding service make iTalico well worth it. It's a place where you feel you're getting excellent value for the experience. 👍 Overall: iTalico is a must-try for anyone looking for fantastic Italian food and top-notch service. This was a 5-star experience, and I will definitely be returning. Highly recommended!

+4

Liz P.

This review is specifically for the private dining event we hosted at iTalico, and I can’t say enough good things about the experience. From the start, the communication with the team (especially with Marcelino) was excellent—quick responses, clear details, and an overall sense that they truly cared about making our event special. We came in a week beforehand to sample and select wines and appetizers, which was extremely helpful, and they worked with us to customize the set menu and room setup exactly how we envisioned it for a milestone birthday celebration. One of the standout aspects was how accommodating the staff was. They allowed us to arrive a few hours early to decorate, and they went above and beyond—even helping us take everything down at the end of the night, which we really appreciated because it was a lot! Every member of the staff and management (Antonio) was incredibly kind, helpful, and patient throughout the evening. Our dedicated server was lovely—attentive and warm—making sure everyone was taken care of. Guests who wanted to take home their leftovers were easily able to do so because they serve excellent portions. What really made the night extra special was that our party of 15 ppl had the private room for the entire evening. We came to set up at 3 pm and were one of the last groups to close it out. That kind of flexibility is rare and made the whole event feel unrushed and intimate. The food? Outstanding. Every dish was delicious, and the wines were a hit across the board. As people who’ve worked and travel around Italy, we were genuinely impressed by the authenticity of the flavors—it brought us right back to the Tuscan countryside. We’ve also dined in the main restaurant during regular service, and the vibe there is equally charming—casual yet elegant, with a warm, rustic Italian ambiance. Huge kudos to the team at iTalico—you helped us create such a memorable evening. We’ll absolutely be back for more family gatherings, celebrations, and cozy date nights.

+1

Victor

Quite enjoyed our meal here and was able to be seated as a party of 4 without reservations on a Monday evening but in the covered outdoor patio area which is decently well isolated from the winds and the cold. All the dishes we ordered were quite good from the lamb to the octopus and pizza. Desserts were delicious as well including the Tiramisu and Panna Cotta.

+2

Gabriel Motola

Atmosphere of this place is great - really nice restaurant. The service was mostly good (have a few quibbles like needing to ask for new plates for new courses, but nothing serious). The food was also mostly good - the pizza, cacio e pepe, and tiramisu dessert were delicious. The romaine salad was good but nothing crazy. Giving 5 stars because of the price point for all of the above. It was about $130 total for dinner for two with drinks and dessert. Would definitely return.

Matteo Sarica

I had the pleasure of dining at iTalico recently, and it was nothing short of incredible. The highlight of my meal was the salmon plate – perfectly cooked, tender, and bursting with flavor. It was easily one of the best salmon dishes I’ve had in a long time. I also tried the Pizza Diavola, and the experience was made even better by the fact that I was seated right in front of the oven. Watching the pizza being prepared and cooked was a treat, and when it arrived at the table, it tasted just as fabulous as it looked – spicy, savory, with a perfect crust. The ambiance of the restaurant, combined with the attentive staff, made for a fantastic evening. If you’re looking for authentic Italian cuisine with a great atmosphere, iTalico is the place to be!

Luciano Ryuichiro Kohmura

I was visiting Palo Alto on a business trip and decided to get a weekend meal alone, so I asked for a reservation for one on Sunday night and they were gracious enough to accommodate me. My mood was for Italian food, so I searched for the nearest restaurant and found this place. The rating was high, but I was a little nervous about visiting the restaurant since it was my first time there. As soon as I visited, I was glad I chose this restaurant. The interior was very stylishly decorated, with wine displayed near the entrance and a bar counter in the middle of the restaurant. There was a private room at the back of the restaurant, which also seemed to have a wine cellar. There was also seating outside the restaurant, and I think there were quite a few seats. I visited on a Sunday at 7 p.m. and the restaurant was completely packed. The restaurant was full of energy, the wait staff were all moving around busily, and a very delicious smell filled the restaurant from the kitchen. There was a large cheese on a table with casters, and the staff was going around to each table twirling the cheese around the pasta in it. Although they must have been very busy, all the staff were very friendly and made a good impression. Since it was my first visit, I ordered three dishes for the time being, not knowing the portions. It was a bit much and I had a hard time finishing them, but I was very satisfied with the dishes. I ordered calamari, small fish fritters, spinach salad and pasta. All were very good, but the most impressive dish was the warm spinach salad. The baked potatoes with crispy bacon and goat cheese were a new flavor and bite for me. The pasta was also very good, with a white wine base and shellfish. The pasta itself was Felicetti spaghetti, which was very chewy and went well with the shellfish. I found from the reviews that the pizzas are also very popular, so next time I would like to try a variety of pizzas with a few friends. I would definitely visit this restaurant again.

+2

Wook Chung

I'm so glad to have discovered Italico. It directly competes with Terun across the street but with a much more modern ambience. The patio and the inside of the restaurant are "connected" from the vibe, the open air, and just perfectly brings together a crisp summer afternoon / evening. Just sitting there with a glass of wine will already make you feel better. Speaking of wine, Italico has a healthy selection of Italian wines from Barabarescos to Barolos and others. This isn't your steak house 100 pg wine book but rather a non-overwhelming journey you can take to Italy. Food is just phenomenal. Slightly expensive but again, it is Palo Alto. The Neapolitan pizza in a wood-fired oven is something that you just can't compare. The dough is chewy. The pizza creations were wonderful. My only comment is for their tomato sauce having a slightly weak character than usual - perhaps a bit too watered down. But again, I'm nit picking here. Pasta was great. Cheese was great. And the desserts were fabulous as well. Try the Salted Caramel gelato with olive oil. Marvelous. Our server Clara was also kind, available, and friendly, perfecting our dining experience. Italico is a great addition to California Ave, but also just the pizzeria scene in the Bay Area. It certainly stands out and it is a near guarantee that you'll have a good time, whether you're on a date or a business meal or meeting with friends. Will absolutely return.

+7

Álvaro Chávez

Went for dinner. Good Italian restaurant. Didn't like the Negroni, though. The bread was really good (didn't like paying for it, but it was worth it); the pasta was incredible, we liked the pesto one more. The sea salt caramel ice cream was really good too. It's a nice place with great pasta.

+4

Qian

Loved the mixed greens salad, lemon panna Cotta and affogato. Spaghetti and Pizza was a bit too salty to my taste but tasted good. Great service!

We had a nice dinner here but it was nothing special and we will likely not come back. We split pasta and seafood entrees, both of which were mediocre and expensive. The tables are jam packed together, so we were sitting close to another couple having dinner it felt like we were part of each other’s conversations.

Yen Ning Tai

Atmosphere and Service were good. Food was disappointing. Recipes tasted right but there was something wrong with cooking. Short rib was overcooked. Seafood quality was sub-par. Millefeuille wasn't structured well.

Jorge De La Rosa

Came out with my wife and we had the brussel sprouts, beet insalata, cacio e pepe pasta, and margherita pizza. The brussel sprouts were cold when they came out so we had to ask for them to take it back. Luckily the next batch was properly hot. The beet insalata was ok, but the pieces were a bit big and overall lacked flavor. The cacio e pepe pasta was the best dish of the evening. The flavor and consistency of the sauce was good and the pasta was cooked well. Lastly, the margherita pizza is what I was most looking forward to. The crust was not bad and well charred but the sauce was just watery and lacking flavor. Overall , I would recommend trying it out on Wednesday or Sunday when they have the cheese wheel pasta demonstration.

Fariba Asadi

We usually go to the other Italian restaurant on California Ave, but this time we decided to try this place. The only good thing I can honestly say was the service. I ordered the risotto from the “special menu,” and long story short, it was one of the worst dishes I’ve ever had. It was completely undercooked and tasteless. Even the pasta was really bad. I’m giving one star only for the service.