Italian Restaurants
(See also the separate Pizza section)
Antonella Ristorante
1701 Park Ave., San José, CA 95126
408.279.4922
Mon – Fri: 1 1:00 AM – 9:00 PM; Sat – Sun: 8:00 AM – 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM – 9: 00 PM
Rating: ** $$$
2.5 miles by car
Bella Mia
58 South First St., San José, CA 95113
408.280.1993
Mon – Thu: 1 1:30AM – 9PM; Fri: 1 1:30AM – 10PM; Sat: 4PM – 10PM; Sun: 4:30PM – 8PM
Rating: *** $$$
Head north up First Street a couple of blocks. It’s on the right. 0.1 miles
Chris says: “The Cioppino is the best thing on the menu.”
Il Fornaio
302 South Market St., San José, CA 95113
408.271.3366
Mon – Thu: 7:00 AM – 10:30 AM and 11:30 AM – 11:00 PM; Fri: 7:00 AM – 10: 30 AM and 1 1:30 AM – Midnight; Sat: 8:00 AM-Midnight; Sunday 8:00 AM – 11:00 PM
Part of a chain.
Rating: **** $$$
Walk south down Market Street a couple of blocks. It’s on the left hand corner, in the Sainte Claire Hotel. 0.2 miles
Cheryl says “Serves zabaione, which sadly far too few Italian restaurants do.”
La Pastaia Ristorante
Hotel De Anza, 233 West Santa Clara St., San José, CA 95113
408.286.8686
Mon-Thu:: 6:30AM – 10AM and 11AM – 3PM and 5PM – 9PM; Fri – Sun: 7AM – 2PM, 5PM – 10PM
Located in the beautiful old hotel De Anza.
Rating: *** $$$
Take Market Street north to Santa Clara, turn left and head down a few blocks. It’s on the left in the Hotel DeAnza. 0.4 miles
Chris says: “The carpaccio is delicious with lovely fried shallots as a marvelous counter-point.”
Old Spaghetti Factory
51 N. San Pedro, San José, CA 95110
408.288.7488
Lunch: Mon-Fri: 11:30 AM – 2:00 PM. Dinner: Mon-Thu: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM; Fri: 5:00 PM – 11:00 PM; Sat: 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM; Sun: 12:00 PM – 10:00 PM.
A major national chain.
Rating: ** $$
Take South Market Street north, turn left on Santa Clara Street, then right onto San Pedro 0.4 miles
Cheryl says: “Almost all of our US members will have eaten at one of these. Non-US visitors, just ask someone about it.”
Original Joe’s
301 South First St., San José, CA 95113
408.292.7030
11:00 AM – 1:00 AM Daily
Rating: ** $$$
Take South First street south. It’s on the corner of San Carlos and First on the right. 0. 1 miles.
Chris says: “It’s dependably average, though you’ll get a miracle once in a while. The service here is the real treat. It’s like those restaurants you see in movies made in the 1990s about the 1950s!”
Linda says: “It’s actually the second Original Joe’s, but it’s been here since 1956, which is virtually forever for San Jose. It still has a lot of old-fashioned entrees such as sweetbreads and several liver dishes. A few vegetarian entries,”
Paolo’s Restaurant
333 W. San Carlos St., Suite 150, San José, CA 95110
Mon – Fri. 7:30 AM – 10:00 PM, Sat. 5:30 PM – 10:00 PM
They’ve been around in one form or another for 50 years.
Rating: **** $$$
Take South Market to San Carlos, turn right and on towards morning. 0.5 miles.
Chris says: “The Prawns in White Wine Sauce I had the last time I was there was fantastic. I mean truly fantastic, though I came back to reality when I got the check.”
Siena Bistro
1359 Lincoln Ave., San José, CA 95125
408.271.0837
Tue – Thu: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM and 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Fri: 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM and 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM, Sat – Sun: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM
Rating: *** $$$
2.0 miles by car
Chris says: “Great food, poor sound design: it’s not easy to have a good long conversation here.”
Vin Santo Ristorante
1346 Lincoln Ave., San José, CA 95125
408.920.2508
Tues: 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM; Wed-Fri: 1 1:30 AM -2:00 PM and 5:00 PM – 10:00 PM; Sat: 5:00 PM – 1 1:00 PM, Sun: 5:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Rating: **** $$$
1.7 miles by car
Chris says: “A lovely place to go for seafood. Cioppino, whole sea bass, Cernia Mediterranean and a lovely swordfish are all highlights.”
1701 Park Ave
San Jose, CA 95126
58 S 1st St
San Jose, CA 95113
302 S Market St
San Jose, CA 95113
Hotel De Anza
San Jose, CA 95113
51 N San Pedro St
San Jose, CA 95110
301 S 1st St
San Jose, CA 95113
333 W San Carlos St
San Jose, CA 95110
1359 Lincoln Ave
San Jose, CA 95125
1346 Lincoln Ave
San Jose, CA 95125