Cafe Riace

Eddy Wang

We passed through this restaurant a few times, and always were attracted by its outdoor setting. We finally had a chance to go there for lunch today, and it was really a pleasantly surprise that the genuine Italian dishes were so delicious, and the price was very reasonable. The restaurant has many beautiful paintings and the settings were clean and comfortable. The outdoor area has many beautiful sculptures, make me feel like dining in Europe. The waitress was friendly and polite. We will dine there more often. I would highly recommend this restaurant to you.

Michelle Barnes

Great outdoor patio with fountain plus delicious pastas! My friend and I visited on a Saturday just after their 11:30am opening and were seated right by the fountain. I ordered the ceppo riace and my friend ordered the gnocchi al pesto. The wait staff also gave a fantastic recommendation on the Cultusboni Chianti, even allowing me to try a taste before pouring me a glass. We were also served delicious fresh bread while waiting for our food. The pastas were both amazing and served in such large portions that we had enough leftovers to take home for a second meal. Highly recommend!

Cameron Flores

Our lunch at Cafe Riace turned out to be a wonderful experience. The atmosphere felt warm and inviting and every dish we tried was full of flavor. Visiting on a Friday afternoon meant a calm setting, which allowed the staff to give us their full attention. From the service to the food, everything exceeded expectations. I would happily recommend this spot to friends and look forward to coming back again.

Lisa HD

Had a lovely dinner at this beautiful Italian restaurant. We went on a rainy evening and we're seated inside. We had the tomato mozzarella, which wasn't very fresh for me. The eggplant appetizer was yum with ricotta cheese slices. I had the shrimp scampi special which was a bit lemony. Husband has the chicken marsala which was delicious with a glass of red. It was a nice place, good service and next time I would probably do an afternoon visit as I would love to set in their beautiful patio area.

Nilesh Junnarkar

We had great lunch experience at Cafe Riace. It’s a charming place with great food. We went on a Friday afternoon and the place was empty so we got very attentive service. Food was all round great. I will be recommending this place to my friends and will be visiting again. Maybe trying in the evening. They have some interesting sculptures in the beautiful garden. Overall enjoyed the experience.

Suvadeep Banerjee

I and my wife went for a weekday anniversary lunch. It was easy to find street side parking on the neighboring street. There were enough empty tables available and we were promptly seated. The inside was quite quaint and charming. We ordered the Melenzane al'aceto as our appetizer with the Linguine Tutto Mare and Ceppe Riace as our main course of pasta. The eggplant item was a slight letdown for us mainlu because we weren't really expecting a sweet sauce on the eggplant, but that's how the dish is traditionally made, I suppose, so nothing against the food/restaurant. However, the pasta dishes were exquisite. All of the seafood chunks in the Linguine were succulent, fresh and delicious. The same goes for the sausages in the other pasta. The sauce and cheese were perfectly portioned and made a great pasta dish. Overall, this is a great place to try out Italian dishes. Last but not the least the owner made our anniversary special by providing complementary tiramisu and cheesecake slice - much appreciated.

Jerry Wang

Caffe Riace was one of my favorites before the pandemic. I heard they were closed and reopened. But I have not had a chance to go back until now. I'm so glad to report that they have kept the quality in all aspects as I have remembered.

Mochi Redbean

A wonderful Italian place, not just for dining, but awesome for events! Lovely outdoor courtyard and plenty tables and umbrellas, small bar tables and space to socialize and mingle. Great for a small gathering to large business event or party over 100! The food is served with love and care, chef kiss 😘 and the whole team is so wonderful and hard-working! Nancy , Lisa, Chris , Giuseppe, everyone is kind and attentive

Nandini B.

The eggplant appetizer was INCREDIBLE. Gnocchi was soft and tasty!

Amber Patton

Enjoyed this place very much! It was my first time there. And I'd 100% recommend. Food was colorful and delicious, and appetizers were AMAZING! 10 out of 10 woukd recommend.

Kara M

Came here for a corporate dinner and was very happy with this spot. It’s a cute little hole in the wall and the food was awesome. I definitely recommend going here for a summer night and sitting outside!

My Wife and I had a really nice lunch at Caffe Riace. Our server, Nancy, was great—very friendly and attentive throughout the meal. We chose to sit inside, and it was a really cozy, warm spot with classic Italian decor that felt very inviting. The food was delicious. She brought out homemade bread with a chopped olive and oil mix that was a great start. For the main course, we had the Carrettiera with grilled prawns and the Linguini Vongole. Both were spot on. We ended with their Namesake Cheesecake, which was excellent. Drinks included a hot green tea and an Arnold Palmer. It’s a solid, comfortable spot for a high-quality meal. We highly recommend Caffe Riace.

For the longest time I assumed this was just a coffee or pastry spot because of the name and the signs outside. When we finally decided to come in for dinner a couple of years ago, it completely changed our opinion. It has become our go to place for dinner ever since. The service is outstanding, the patio setting is gorgeous, and the chef Jesus clearly puts real passion and skill into every dish. Always a great experience.

In the biz we call this a triple threat. The food was delightful, the atmosphere made me feel like I was transported to a roadside cafe in a small Italian province. Nancy, our host and server, was an absolute joy. Do yourself a favor check it out.

I've passed by this place for years and saw the sandwich boards, given it's name I thought it was a coffee/pastry shop. Went in there for dinner a couple of years ago and it's now our favorite dinner spot. The service is top notch, the patio is beautiful and Jesus, the chef, really knows his stuff!

Came for dinner and the food & service were both great. We sat indoors but will definitely be back to enjoy the outdoor patio space!

Excellent food, excellent service, awesome atmosphere. I highly recommend it for good Italian food or a romantic date.

Cafe Riace is a hidden gem in Palo Alto. The outdoor patio is delightful with the fountain and statues. The food is delicious and the service attentive. We’ve gone there for decades and enjoy it every time.

My first time in Palo Alto, and by far the best stop we’ve made on this trip. This restaurant is a hidden gem, so glad we stumbled upon it. The food was delicious, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Highly recommend checking them out , The outdoor seating was something outta of a movie .. all the beautiful statues and fountain was truly magical as well as the staff being so attentive and friendly .. it was a very enjoyable night.. thank you so much. ( Mrs.Martínez)

Jon Salerno

In the biz we call this a triple threat. The food was delightful, the atmosphere made me feel like I was transported to a roadside cafe in a small Italian province. Nancy, our host and server, was an absolute joy. Do yourself a favor check it out.

Andrew Song

Came for dinner and the food & service were both great. We sat indoors but will definitely be back to enjoy the outdoor patio space!

Austin Garcia

For the longest time I assumed this was just a coffee or pastry spot because of the name and the signs outside. When we finally decided to come in for dinner a couple of years ago, it completely changed our opinion. It has become our go to place for dinner ever since. The service is outstanding, the patio setting is gorgeous, and the chef Jesus clearly puts real passion and skill into every dish. Always a great experience.

Annie Jenkins

I've passed by this place for years and saw the sandwich boards, given it's name I thought it was a coffee/pastry shop. Went in there for dinner a couple of years ago and it's now our favorite dinner spot. The service is top notch, the patio is beautiful and Jesus, the chef, really knows his stuff!

Katherine Wurzburg

Cafe Riace is a hidden gem in Palo Alto. The outdoor patio is delightful with the fountain and statues. The food is delicious and the service attentive. We’ve gone there for decades and enjoy it every time.

Ernesto Zamora

My first time in Palo Alto, and by far the best stop we’ve made on this trip. This restaurant is a hidden gem, so glad we stumbled upon it. The food was delicious, flavorful, and beautifully presented. Highly recommend checking them out , The outdoor seating was something outta of a movie .. all the beautiful statues and fountain was truly magical as well as the staff being so attentive and friendly .. it was a very enjoyable night.. thank you so much. ( Mrs.Martínez)

It is interesting reading the very mixed reviews. Lots of four and five stars mixed with one and two stars – I can see why. I had both really good and really poor service during the same meal. I had some very nice tasting food and some very overpriced bland food. It seems like a local favorite where are you roll the dice and take what you get.

I wasn't that impressed. The Caprese salad was good, but the chicken marsala was mediocre. As was the service. The atmosphere might have been nice, but there was a private party on the patio which was blaring Indian music. Indian music in an Italian place? C'mon.

Jay Dunlap

It is interesting reading the very mixed reviews. Lots of four and five stars mixed with one and two stars – I can see why. I had both really good and really poor service during the same meal. I had some very nice tasting food and some very overpriced bland food. It seems like a local favorite where are you roll the dice and take what you get.

Steve Goeckler

I wasn't that impressed. The Caprese salad was good, but the chicken marsala was mediocre. As was the service. The atmosphere might have been nice, but there was a private party on the patio which was blaring Indian music. Indian music in an Italian place? C'mon.

Joey Guillory

Wasn't too inspired by the desert selections. The gelato just wasn't that appealing. The cappuccino was a large serving btw. The outside area was the best part!