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La Lanterna Ristorante, San Mateo, CA

La Lanterna Ristorante

4.8 (1027)
$30 and under
Italian
180 W. 25th Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94403

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 2 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Good for groups
Open since 2001, La Lanterna is a family-owned business with Ramon Lopez as Executive Chef and Jennifer Villa-McGuffin service as manager. Prior to opening, Ramon and Jennifer were employed at various fine dining restaurants in the San Francisco Peninsula. With his own signature style, Chef Ramon has received numerous accolades and is honored to serve you at La Lanterna.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Ramon Lopez
  • Neighborhood
    San Mateo
  • Cross street
    El Camino Real
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

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What 1,027 people are saying

La Lanterna Ristorante reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8
4.8 based on recent ratings
  • 4.8Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.5Value

NoiseModerate

Loved For

  • San Francisco Bay Area

    Italian

  • Peninsula

    Best Food

  • Peninsula

    Italian

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
La Lanterna Ristorante shines as a cherished neighborhood gem, offering "exceptional food, great service, and a relaxed atmosphere." Guests adore the "delicious food and outstanding service," perfect for special occasions or a quiet lunch. Its friendly staff and consistently delightful meals make it a "must go" and beloved destination.
1,027 Reviews
  1. Bertie

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined on July 10, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful meal celebrating a friend’s birthday. Food was delicious and fresh. We will all come back again (the squid ink fruitti de mare is my favorite).

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  2. Andrea VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area123 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    We dined at La Lanterna Ristorante on a lovely Sunday evening and were absolutely delighted — from the exceptional service by Michael, to every bite of our wonderful meal. We started with sharing the Rocola Salad, a fresh and elegant mix of baby arugula, marinated beets, juicy pear, pistachios, and shaved parmesan, all tossed in a delicate champagne vinaigrette. The Calamari Dorati was perfect and tender, and a simple red pasta was substituted for mashed potatoes, and the Cannelloni entree was rich and comforting. We did a trio of zinfandel wine tasting which was fun to share too. The cozy booth seating adds to the experience, offering both comfort and a great view of the lively dining room. It's always a joy to see families and friends gathered around, enjoying authentic Italian cuisine with a modern twist. We’re already planning our return visit — next time, the famous squid ink pasta is at the top of our list! Maybe add a cocktail for a festive evening at this neighborhood gem. A perfect evening of delicious food, warm hospitality, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you feel like you’re in the heart of Italy — what more could you ask for?

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  3. Michael VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area24 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 14, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    i say it all the just ..just a great place to dine

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  4. Susanne

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 8, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great, small and elegant Italian restaurant, nice ambiance. We were a little disappointed that the Lasagna ran out early by 7 pm, seems they could have made more before opening for dinner?

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  5. Marc VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area44 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 7, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    As always (we have eaten there at least a dozen times), exceptional food, great service, and relaxed atmosphere.

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  6. Ronnie VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on June 5, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Wonderful neighborhood restaurant with consistently great food and friendly and hospitable staff.

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  7. Gary

    San Francisco Bay Area1 review

    5.0

    Dined on June 2, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The miso glazed salmon was oh so good. And the lemon tart desert was wonderful.

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  8. nancy VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area50 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on May 29, 2025

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    As always a really good meal and no feeling of being rushed

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  9. Caroline VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area102 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 25, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Another great meal and this lovely restaurant. The service is always friendly and food delicious.

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  10. Dee-Dee VIP

    San Francisco Bay Area8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on May 24, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Hadn't been to La Lanterna in years so wasn't quite sure what to espect it did not disappoint. Food, & service were great we did not feel rushed. Only little thing was we were celebrating our anniversary which I noted and requested a booth we got the last both (not a full booth but it was fine) and they did not acknowledge our anniversary, not expecting anything but would have been nice for them to say something. After 24 years in business they are thriving and still doing things right!t

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FAQs

La Lanterna Ristorante offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (650) 341-8877.

La Lanterna Ristorante is rated 4.8 stars by 1027 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. San Francisco Bay Area
  4. Peninsula
  5. San Mateo

Make a reservation

2 people
9:30 PM
Booked 2 times today
Google Map for La Lanterna Ristorante

180 W. 25th Avenue, San Mateo, CA 94403

Additional information

  • Cross street
    El Camino Real
  • Neighborhood
    San Mateo
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner Mon 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Ramon Lopez
  • Additional
    Banquet, Beer, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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