la Posta

Name: la Posta
Address: 538 Seabright Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA, United States, 95062
Telephone: (831) 457-2782
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.8

4.8

2130 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Top Tags:

Select from a menu that features dishes composed of locally sourced ingredients as well as house-made pastas, naturally leavened breads and pizzas from our brick oven.

Because we rely on the bounty of the Santa Cruz farming community, our menu changes frequently and features a wide array of specials. La Posta’s all-Italian wine list includes autochthonous varieties from small producers, by-the-glass and by the bottle.

La Posta adheres to the Monterey Bay Seafood Watch Program and is a certified City of Santa Cruz Green Business.

We are so thankful for the incredible support from our customers and community.

We will continue to adjust our service based upon best practices for keeping our staff and community safe.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 28, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 21 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Italian, Californian
Hours of operation
Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Phone number
(831) 457-2782
Website
http://www.lapostarestaurant.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Rodrigo Serna
Private party facilities
la Posta offers special menus for large parties. The entire restaurant can be reserved for seated parties up to 60. Please contact the restaurant for details.
Private party contact
Emily Avila: (831) 457-2782

Location
538 Seabright Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062
Neighborhood
Santa Cruz
Cross street
Murray Street
Parking details
We have staged a "parking lot takeover", as we have extended our dining room into a lovely outdoor terrace, complete with heaters and umbrellas. Please utilize available on-street parking. We are so gratful for your patience during this time!
Entertainment
Italian music every Tuesday from 7pm until 9pm
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Popular dishes

Olives$6.00
House marinated mixed olives
Market Lettuces$10.00
little gems, sherry shallot vinaigrette, Parmigiano Reggiano
Fritto Misto$17.00
Shrimp, scallops, squid, fennel, leeks, green garlic aioli
Panzanella$15.00
winter panzanella, radicchio, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, kale, la posta walnut bread
Affettati Misti$18.00
a platter of meats and condiments to share (wine class!)

Primi

Ravioli$22.00
chanterelle, black trumpet mushroom + ricotta ravioli, porcini broth
Chitarra$22.00
chitarra with crab, nettles, lemon, breadbrumbs
Pappardelle$22.00
House made herbed pappardelle, beef and pork bolognese

Secondi

Halibut Piccata$25.00
halibut, lemon-butter-caper sauce, broccollini
Brassato$26.00
red wine braised short ribs, chard, carrots, horseradish gremolata

Contorni

Cannellini Beans$10.00
braised cannellini beans, pancetta, tomato, chard, parmigiano
Cavolfiore$10.00
Calabrian roasted cauliflower, pine nuts, currants

Pizze!

Mozz$18.00
burrata mozz, tomato, castelvetrano olives, oregano, chili
Vongole$20.00
manila clams, spring onions, fennel, gremolata
Funghi$21.00
wild mushrooms, crescenza, prosciutto, spinach
Carciofi$19.00
artichokes, scallions, fontina, arugula pesto
Salsiccia$20.00
house-made sausage, tomato sauce, broccoli, red onion, mozzarella, calabrian chili

Dolci & Gelato

Pistachio + Orange Zest Biscotti
- each$0.75
Amaretti
chocolate hazelnut
- each$0.75
Torta$10.00
blood orange + olive oil cake, blood orange gelato
Panna Cotta$10.00
chocolate panna cotta, hazelnut brittle
Gelati
Vanilla, Chocolate caramel
- per scoop$3.00

Bread

don't forget the bread!

La Posta Bread$10.00
Sourdough made with our 30 year old starter - Sourdough White or Walnut-Rosemary Brown

What 2,130 people are saying

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
4.7Service
4.5Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Overall
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Food
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Service
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Ambiance
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Best Value
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Innovative
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Neighborhood gem
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Great for fine wines
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Great for outdoor dining
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Romantic
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Good for special occasions
Santa Cruz / Capitola / Aptos
Most Booked

2,130 Reviews

DG
DavidG
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food, excellent service & attention to detail. We will be back!
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KP
KatharineP
San Francisco
12 reviews
4.0
12 reviews
Dined on September 17, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
The olives, bread and vegetables were delicious. Unfortunately the meat entree (chicken) was dry & tasteless. Also the dessert lacked any excitement. Service, ambiance, everything else was great.
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G
Georgio
Los Angeles
166 reviews
vip
5.0
166 reviews
Dined on September 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was Awesome, the service was excellent, everything was fantastic, good I choose this Restaurant
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KL
KimL
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 15, 2023
overall3food2service4ambience3
Nice ambiance, but chicken overcooked, eggplant and squash undercooked. Pasta looked yummy though.
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g
gabrielat
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always great ! Love this place The bread , pizzas and fresh pastas are the best in Santa Cruz. I’m glad the patio in the back has stayed open to accommodate more seating as it’s always busy
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LO
LOVEfood
Exclusive
11 reviews
vip
4.0
11 reviews
Dined on September 10, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
What a great place. We enjoyed the outdoor dinning, the food was very good and so was the service. We highly recommend this restaurant to everyone looking for a great Italian dinner in Santa Cruz.
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SK
SusanK
San Francisco
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on September 3, 2023
overall3food5service2ambience3
Food was outstanding. However new corkage policy of $30 for the first bottle and $50!!! for the second was outrageous. Please rethink this policy. We don't care for the Italian wines on the menu and like to bring our own. This is making us rethink future visits.
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JM
JeanneM
Sacramento
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 1, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
We had two appetizers and a salad, which we shared, followed by separate pasta dishes. Every bite was absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to return!
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0
0wlbear
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great good, great back patio, and great staff with very helpful guidance on food and wine. The fritto misto and special tuna pasta were both exceptional and the time our for a special even felt appropriately special. I’m not local but I’d return!
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C
Clover88
San Francisco
81 reviews
vip
4.0
81 reviews
Dined on August 28, 2023
overall4food5service4ambience4
I had seen the menu online in advance and was sure what I was going to order, but the specials of the day tempted me. I asked the server some questions but realized, No matter what, I've never had a bad meal here! The watermelon salad was unusual, refreshing, sweet and savory, really good. The tuna confit pasta has more of a lemon flavor that I expected and I liked it: bright and rich, both. My partner had the short rib ravioli in a rich and complex broth: really good. I have seen "best eats in SC" in a variety of publications and wonder why La Posta is not mentioned more; we think it's a gem!
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D
Duane
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall3food5service1ambience3
We have always enjoyed a wonderful experience with friendly, attentive service and amazing food at La Posta. This time the food was delicious as usual, but the service was abysmal. We had made a 9pm reservation and were looking forward to a four course meal. The waiter arrived without a greeting and began to coldly read the specials. He never asked what we would like to drink, despite an extensive wine menu. He then left us to read over the menu. He returned and we ordered an Antipasto. We hadn’t decided on the rest of the meal yet. He delivered the Antipasto and asked what else we wanted. We had decided on the Primo course, but not the rest of the meal. He asked if he could take our full order since the kitchen would be closing soon and they don’t usually serve that late! Why is a 9pm reservation offered, if there is not enough time for a four course meal? We quickly decided on a Secondo course and a Contorno. He asked if everything could be served at once. We answered NO. We felt very rushed, and we didn’t have time to enjoy a full meal. After finishing the Primo, we sat 10 minutes with dirty plates while the waiter told his life story to customers two tables away. The bus boy finally showed up and cleared the table. We asked if we could get fresh plates and utensils. The table still had not been cleaned. We sat another 10 minutes waiting for our Secondo and Contorno while the waiter finished with his story. The Secondo and Contorno were finally served and were delicious. When finished, the bus boy cleared the table but did not clean it. There were now three courses of droppings on the table. The bus boy returned with dessert menus and placed them on the dirty table. The waiter placed desert spoons on the dirty table and asked what we wanted for dessert. There was literally a bean two inches from my spoon. Receiving this kind of poor service ruined the whole dining experience, despite the outstanding food. I wonder if I will ever return.
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W
Westsider
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 24, 2023
overall5food4service4ambience5
Enjoyed outdoor seating and music on Neighborhood night. Despite all the changes we feel La Posta has reclaimed it's place as a community venue.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Palm Springs
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 21, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience5
Ravioli was very tasty, the portion was a bit small. Staff very friendly. Easy parking. We sat outdoors and the atmosphere was very relaxed. The waiter recommend very nice Italian white wine. We certainly can recommend this restaurant!
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M
Manuel
Las Vegas
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 21, 2023
overall3food3service1ambience1
My experience at la posta was poor, the menu from your website is different from the menu that we got from the restaurant need to be updated, we were waiting for at least 12 mins for our server until my wife went and ask the hostess who was taking care of us, finally he came(Ehrin) didn’t apologized for the waiting didn’t introduce himself,(got his name from the receipt) feel like he was annoyed to take our table, but he was friendly to the table next to us. Didn’t deserve 20% gratuity, bad experience.
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CS
CarolS
San Francisco
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience3
The food at La Posta is always reliably fine quality.
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PA
PaulaA
Central Coast
43 reviews
vip
5.0
43 reviews
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
I simply can't say enough a wonderful things about La Posta. It's my favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz and certainly one of my top five in the entire Bay area. It's creative, fresh, innovative and downright delicious. They've barely raced their prices at all when other restaurants have raised them a lot. Their outside seating is beautiful and comfortable. And the food just keeps on blowing me away. It's always so fresh and beautifully prepared, but consistently creative. They changed their menu most weeks and always seem to use the freshest ingredients. Yes I could go on and on. Also their staff is simply fabulous!
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GN
GaryN
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
This remains our local go to for consistently great food and service. Nice selection of wines. We had the warm olive and chicories salad for appetizers. Ordered some of their fantastic sourdough bread. For mains, halibut and daily special chitarra pasta with rock shrimp. All were super delicious! For dessert, olive oil lemon tort with house-made strawberry gelato.
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S
Steven
San Francisco
24 reviews
5.0
24 reviews
Dined on August 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wonderful neighborhood restaurant with small, quality menu plus nightly specials. Food and service is impeccable, yet very friendly. We are so lucky with live within walking distance of this Seabright gem.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Detroit
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food and great atmosphere! A nice surprise find for us out of town visitors.
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RM
RogerM
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 13, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience4
Food was great. We had a tomato salad and cheese and meat board. Excellent! Tomatoes were ripe and sweet. For main, we shared a pasta. Excellent. Areas to consider for improvement. When we first came to the restaurant, it took about 5 min for staff to welcome us. Important guests are welcomed immediately, be it a waiter or bartender greeting and welcoming the guest. The dessert menu may needa review. Recommend have 1 or 2 classic Italian deserts (taramasu would be great). Offer non dairy milk Very happy with our experience. We will be back
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on August 6, 2023
overall4food5service3ambience5
Service was acceptable but not exceptional. Food was very good!
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PA
PaulaA
Central Coast
43 reviews
vip
5.0
43 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Best restaurant in town ❣️ gorgeous patio dining, a menu that basically changes weekly according to what is fresh and wonderful, attentive service, and a chef who really knows how to put together fascinating and delicious food.Honestly I'm usually here at least once a week.
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D
Debs1
Central Coast
20 reviews
5.0
20 reviews
Dined on August 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
La Posta never les us down and we always make a point of eating there when we are in Santa Cruz. Delicious farm-to-table food, unique combinations, and excellent service. It's a gem. Jamie our server was top-notch. Thank you! Deb and Bruce
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s
swenix
San Francisco
58 reviews
vip
5.0
58 reviews
Dined on July 31, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Wonderful La Posta, rode my bike there to meet neighbors to celebrate a long friendship. Great wine, wonderful atmosphere, delicious food....
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TC
TheresaC
San Francisco
12 reviews
vip
3.0
12 reviews
Dined on July 31, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience3
After we finished our salad, we sat there for at least 15 mins waiting for them to clear away our plates. They didn’t take them away until the main course arrived which was unpleasant to have to stare at our dirty plates. We didn’t feel the service was very good. The food tasted good but wasn’t all that memorable.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Washington DC
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Our server was amazing. So knowledgeable about the food and wine. The meal was delicious. Everyone in our group had a great meal. You wouldn’t know from the street, but this is a gem and worth it.
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C
Clover88
San Francisco
81 reviews
vip
5.0
81 reviews
Dined on July 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
On offer was a special menu paired with the wines from a maker in Umbria. The server’s descriptions were clear and helpful. I appreciated the opportunity to try a new (to me) wine. Good was well prepared and flavorful, and a good match to wines.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Truly exceptional, across many visits. Wine list full of neat options. Food is outstanding - the kind of intrinsically delicious fare that is timeless and difficult to find. Staff is genuinely excited to share what they have in the most unpretentious way possible. No trip to Santa Cruz is complete without a stop.
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SB
SheilaB
San Francisco
21 reviews
vip
5.0
21 reviews
Dined on July 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Wednesday evening an added attraction is delightful live music AND "neighborhood night" bonuses. Food is always authentic and imaginative and delicious. Staff is so helpful and flexible.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Sacramento
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience3
Great Food and service, the ambiance was nice. I would recommend this place to friends.
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m
marys
San Francisco
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
The food was good, not spectacular. Dessert was a little disappointing, the coffee carmel tasted like ice cream not gelato.
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J
Jetaime
Central Coast
12 reviews
vip
5.0
12 reviews
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food and service were amazing! We had the trout with roasted potatoes/charred tomatoes and olive salsa-farm salad/wood fired pizza's. So good!! Peach/blueberry crostata with crème fraiche gelato-heaven on a plate. Great wine selection as well. Our favorite restaurant in Santa Cruz.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food was so fresh and tasty. The pizza was raw and soggy from the middle of the pizza due to the toppings. I would pick up a slice and then 75% of my pizza fell because it was soggy and toppings fell off. I had to roll up my pizza
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NH
NedH
San Francisco
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on July 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always very tasty offerings, efficient and pleasant service, a continued favorite.
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S
Sally
Central Coast
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on July 21, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Charging 4 additional dollars for some parmesan cheese on my pasta was outlandish. Will not return.
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BD
BillD
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 20, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food is delicious creative and fun. We happened upon a neighborhood night so a glass of wine with our pasta was gratis. A lovely couple was playing violin banjo and guitar. We thought we were in Italy.
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S
Sabrablue
Hawaii
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on July 17, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Fabulous on all levels!! This was the most fresh, creative and locally inspired food I have had in years. I love dining out and experiencing what flavors and innovation is out there, and this team rocks it! Everything we had was perfectly executed and a Santa Cruz inspired delight: salad of mixed lettuces, fresh green and yellow beans on an amazing sauce, quail with cherries, halibut and house made raviolis-all delicious perfection. Service was friendly, helpful and authentic. All 4 of us had a fantastic experience. Anyone who cares about delicious and locally-inspired food this is one of the best!
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S
Santacruzan
San Francisco
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We had a lovely experience at La Posta! The knowledgeable servers, in particular, were a delight, one teaching us about wine and another recommending their favorite dishes. At the end of our meal, all four of us had completely clean plates in front of us! Best meal in Santa Cruz for a long time.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had an excellent experience. We sat outside in the former parking lot but the garden they planted along the edge was beautifully done. The food was outstanding with unusual flavors. The service was not rushed so we had the time to enjoy each course with just enough of a pause between to absorb the flavors. We went on neighborhood night and the couple playing music were delightful. Over all an excellent evening out.
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J
Jenn
Austin
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on July 10, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent meal & service! The gnocchi was exceptional! We also had three different pizzas, all delicious! Will definitely make it back next time we are in santa cruz
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Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitizing
- Surfaces sanitized between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers
Physical distancing
- Limited number of seated diners
- Distancing maintained in common areas
- Extra space between tables

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
- Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking
Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

la Posta offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (831) 457-2782.

la Posta is rated 4.8 stars by 2130 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Sep 28, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 21 times today

Order delivery or takeout

538 Seabright Avenue, Santa Cruz, CA 95062

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Murray Street
Neighborhood
Santa Cruz
Hours of operation
Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–8:30 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:30 pm
Cuisines
Italian, Californian
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
We have staged a "parking lot takeover", as we have extended our dining room into a lovely outdoor terrace, complete with heaters and umbrellas. Please utilize available on-street parking. We are so gratful for your patience during this time!
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Rodrigo Serna
Entertainment
Italian music every Tuesday from 7pm until 9pm
Additional
Beer, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Gender Neutral Restroom, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.lapostarestaurant.com/
Phone number
(831) 457-2782
Private party facilities
la Posta offers special menus for large parties. The entire restaurant can be reserved for seated parties up to 60. Please contact the restaurant for details.
Private party contact
Emily Avila: (831) 457-2782

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

la Posta

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Ravioli

Gelati

Pappardelle

Antipasti

Olives$6.00

Market Lettuces$10.00

Fritto Misto$17.00

Panzanella$15.00

Affettati Misti$18.00

Primi

Ravioli$22.00

Chitarra$22.00

Pappardelle$22.00

Secondi

Halibut Piccata$25.00

Brassato$26.00

Contorni

Cannellini Beans$10.00

Cavolfiore$10.00

Pizze!

Mozz$18.00

Vongole$20.00

Funghi$21.00

Carciofi$19.00

Salsiccia$20.00

Dolci & Gelato

Pistachio + Orange Zest Biscotti

Amaretti

Torta$10.00

Panna Cotta$10.00

Gelati

Bread

La Posta Bread$10.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Cleaning & sanitizing

Physical distancing

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

Does la Posta offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is la Posta restaurant rated?

Is la Posta currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Featured in

100 San Francisco Bay Area Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day