Il Fornaio - Pasadena

Name: Il Fornaio - Pasadena
Address: 24 West Union Street, Pasadena, CA, United States, 91103
Telephone: (626) 683-9797
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.6

4.6

3106 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Top Tags:

Step inside Il Fornaio and take an award-winning culinary journey through Italy. Specialties include house made pastas, wood-fired pizza, grilled fish, authentic risotto, and rotisserie meats. Using the freshest ingredients and traditional cooking techniques, Il Fornaio offers a wide variety of premium-quality Italian food paired with great cocktails and a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence wine list.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 1, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 34 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(626) 683-9797

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Italian, Unspecified
Hours of operation
Daily 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
Phone number
(626) 683-9797
Website
https://www.ilfornaio.com/location/il-fornaio-pasadena/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Catering
Banquet facilities and a Catering menu is available for events in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley area.
Private party facilities
Il Fornaio in Pasadena offers private dining for parties of 8-250. We house 6 private rooms, a large main dining room and a beautiful outdoor Piazza. Come celebrate with excellent service in warm and stylish surroundings serving extraordinary authentic Italian food and wine.
Private party contact
Natalia Robles: (877) 625-0843

Location
24 West Union Street, Pasadena, CA 91103
Neighborhood
Pasadena
Cross street
Fair Oaks Blvd.
Parking details
Valet parking is available on Colorado Blvd., with validation it is $8.00.
Public transit
Metrolink and Gold Line
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

100 Los Angeles Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Popular dishes

Calamaretti Fritti$20.00
baby squid, lightly floured & deep fried; served with spicy marinara
Bruschette Assortite$14.00
garlic grilled ciabatta with 3 toppings: caponata; roasted cherry tomatoes; pesto & stracciatella cheese
Piatto di Salumi$20.00
sliced meats including mortadella with pistachios, prosciutto di parma & spicy salame; served with caponata, stracciatella cheese, grilled ciabatta & marinated olives
Burrata con Prosciutto$17.00
imported burrata with prosciutto, arugula, ciabatta croutons & basil olive oil
Polpettine$19.00
beef meatballs baked in tomato sauce; topped with fresh ricotta & grana padano
Tartara di Tonno*$19.00
ahi tuna, white balsamic dressing, avocado, spring onions & micro arugula; served with grilled ciabatta
Carpaccio*$18.00
thinly sliced raw certified piedmontese beef, shaved grana padano, capers & wild arugula; drizzled with lemon olive oil
Cavolfiori$13.00
roasted cauliflower with roasted garlic & rosemary olive oil
Fiori di Zucca$17.00
fried zucchini blossoms stuffed with mozzarella & parmigiano reggiano; served with tartar sauce & spicy marinara
Pinsa$19.00
light & crispy flatbread topped with amatriciana sauce, provola affumicata, pork guanciale & fresh basil
Cestino del Pane
basket of Il Fornaio fresh baked bread with extra-virgin olive oil & balsamic vinegar
- Serves 4$2.00

Pasta Fresca

fresh, handmade pasta; gluten-free options available

Rigatoni alla Vodka$20.00
pasta tubes with bacon, vodka-cream-tomato sauce & grana padano
Fusilloni$19.00
large corkscrew pasta with roasted tomato sauce & burrata
Amatriciana$22.00
pasta tubes with pork guanciale in a lightly spiced tomato sauce with basil, onions & calabrian peperoncino; tossed with pecorino
Tagliatelle Bolognese$21.00
egg pasta ribbons with traditional meat ragu & grana padano
Linguine Mare Chiaro$32.00
thin pasta with clams, mussels, prawns & scallops in roasted cherry tomato sauce, crushed red pepper, garlic & trebbiano wine
Casarecce Pesto e Pollo$25.00
short pasta twists with sautéed chicken, sundried tomatoes & traditional pesto cream
Lasagna Ferrarese$27.00
pasta sheets layered with meat ragu, porcini mushrooms, grana padano & béchamel; baked in the oven

Ravioli Freschi

Ravioli Lucana$26.00
spinach ravioli filled with italian sausage, ricotta, grana padano & fennel; topped with fresh tomatoes, spicy tomato sauce, imported peperoncino & stracciatella cheese
Ravioli di Magro al Limone$26.00
ravioli filled with rainbow chard, kale, onions & pecorino cheese; tossed with creamy lemon vellutata

Minestra e Insalate

Add to Any Insalata chicken $10, salmon* $12, shrimp* $12

Minestrone di Verdure$9.00
seasonal vegetable soup made with vegetable stock
Insalata Cesarina$13.00
romaine lettuce, grana padano & croutons with housemade caesar dressing
Insalata Bietole$14.00
organic red & gold beets with red wine vinaigrette, wild arugula, toasted walnuts, goat cheese & lemon-olive oil dressing
Caprese Tradizionale$16.00
sliced heirloom tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil & mixed olives; drizzled with basil olive oil
Insalata Regina$14.00
wild arugula, couscous, avocado, tomatoes, red onions, capers & raisins with lemon-olive oil dressing
Insalata di Pere$14.00
baked pear salad with organic baby lettuces, seedless red grapes, gorgonzola, pecans & pomegranate dressing

Pizza

thin-crust pizza using housemade dough

Margherita$18.00
mozzarella, tomato sauce, oregano & fresh basil
Pizza Parmigiana$19.00
provola affumicata, tomato sauce, grilled eggplant, grana padano & fresh basil
Capricciosa$20.00
mozzarella, ham, artichokes, mushrooms, kalamata olives, tomato sauce & oregano
Cristina$22.00
fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, shaved grana padano, mushrooms & wild arugula; drizzled with white truffle oil
Fradiavola$19.00
mozzarella, italian sausage, tomato sauce, mushrooms, bell peppers, red onions & spicy peperoncino

Griglia

authentic italian specialties from our rotisserie & grill

Salmone alla Griglia*$33.00
grilled norwegian salmon with lemon & extra-virgin olive oil; served with sautéed spinach & roasted yukon gold potatoes
Branzino al Limone*$45.00
mediterranean seabass fillet with white wine lemon caper butter sauce; served with sautéed haricots verts & roasted yukon gold potatoes
Pollo Toscano$29.00
free-range chicken seasoned with rosemary; served with sautéed haricots verts & yukon gold potatoes
Braciola di Maiale$39.00
roasted pork chop wrapped with pancetta in a white wine demi-glace; served with pear-mustard compote & roasted yukon gold potatoes
Pollo ai Funghi$30.00
chicken breast lightly pounded & roasted with mixed mushrooms & marsala wine sauce; served with grilled asparagus & mashed potatoes
Costata al Pepe*$46.00
grilled 8oz center-cut ribeye filet topped with creamy brandy peppercorn sauce; served with grilled asparagus & mashed potatoes
Grigliata di Pesce Misto*$36.00
mixed grill of fish fillet, scallops & prawns, topped with lemon-olive oil sauce; served with sautéed spinach & roasted yukon gold potatoes

What 3,106 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6

4.6 based on recent ratings

4.5Food
4.6Service
4.5Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Pasadena / San Gabriel
Great for fine wines

Sort by

TC
TC27
Los Angeles
16 reviews
vip
4.0
16 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
overall4food3service3ambience4
Sadly I felt the food was just so so. Not hot. No meat in my pasta. Sad experience ‼️
KR
KennethR
Los Angeles
3 reviews
4.0
3 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience3
Tasty food. Salmon was a little overcooked. A bi too noisy. Tables are small.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Phoenix
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and drinks . Pasta and gelato was amazing
OT
OpenTable Diner
Seattle
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great atmosphere, food, and staff as with every visit there.
NP
NormaP
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Food, service fabulous with great dining options The grilled calamari was spectacular
S
Shaun
Los Angeles
18 reviews
vip
4.0
18 reviews
Dined on May 21, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
We have been patronizing Il Fornaio for many years. We appreciate the consistency of quality and service.
LB
LejBB
Los Angeles
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 21, 2023
overall4food4service5ambience4
Il Fornaio - Pasadena always provides a pleasant and enjoyable experience whether you dine inside or out. The wait staff are courteous, efficient and helpful and the food is fresh and of a high quality. The restaurant's practice of providing their standard menu along with a changing Italian regional menu and specially chosen wines, makes the dining experience interesting and varied. All in all, Il Fornaio - Pasadena presents a memorable, value-for-money dining experience.
M
Michael
Central Coast
15 reviews
vip
3.0
15 reviews
Dined on May 21, 2023
overall3food4service3ambience3
First off, way too loud and rushed for true Italian Dining… The food is good, it’s not great. For the price the food and the service need to be great… Also, not a fan of a “forced gratuity” being added on to every bill…
f
fran
Chicago
8 reviews
vip
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on May 21, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Everything is wonderful here..frm the staff to the food and surroundings...loved the experience!! Will def return!!
W
Wine00
Los Angeles
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 18, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
I tried a new dish was to have crab and shrimp. It was very tiny shrimp and no evidence of crab. The sauce was very very oily.
ME
MartinE
San Diego
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 17, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
Would really appreciate a few more items that are plant based on the menu, to keep up with the times and customer preferences. I appreciate the minestrone soup being vegan, but would love to also see an entrée or two that is plant based.
M
Mark
Los Angeles
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 15, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ver good experience. Enjoyable for Mother’s Day dinner. Food was good, everyone liked choices. Service was attentive.
F
Fashionrabbit
Los Angeles
25 reviews
vip
4.0
25 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
We had family lunch for Mother's Day celebration last Sunday. We got seated right after we arrived with our reservation on one of the busiest day of the year. Great quality food and attentive service. Our server Alissa was amazing she always made sure our table got taken care of even she was super busy with other customers at the same time. The only disappointment was that we couldn't get our dessert on time due to the high capacity in the restaurant. We had to cancel the order after waited almost 15 minuets for our dessert. Overall, good dinning experience and Il Fornaio is always my go to place whenever I hang out in old town Pasadena.
j
jang
Los Angeles
20 reviews
vip
4.0
20 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
our server was great. had a big group with several kids for mother's day and service was spot on.
JB
JennyBenny
Los Angeles
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience4
Love the interior of this restaurant. When we first entered the main dining room, it was SO loud but thankfully, we got seated into the back area which was much quieter. Food was great (someone told me not to get their pastas but their pastas were great!), chicken was really good too.
JL
JoelL
Los Angeles
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
He was a great time good restaurant, good food and good service
MD
MarkerD
Greensboro
15 reviews
vip
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Food was very good and priced well. The service was really outstanding
S
Snob
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
Overall, great. Great service (free birthday dessert for my friend from our waiter, which was very classy!) and food/pricing was excellent. The restaurant/ambience was too loud for our taste, but whatever - - it was fine. Thank you.
TC
TinaC
Los Angeles
3 reviews
vip
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience3
The hostess were a bit rude, our server Tess was amazing! Food was decent but you can't modify much, however it was good and fresh. The management was a bit high strung. Drinks were a bit watered down. Carpaccio was ok, calamari was pretty good, beet salad was good, pasta was homemade, just not many sauce choices. Mainly tomato based.
JG
JimenezG
Los Angeles
5 reviews
vip
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Enjoyed exploring the menu for DineLA! Great value.
SP
SueP
Los Angeles
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Located in Old Town Pasadena - lovely place to have fresh pasta & drinks for any occasion. The patio dining seemed very popular, but we opted for indoors with a window with a view. Our server was very cordial and service was great. They have a gluten-free pasta that is very tasty. It beats going to some restaurants where they serve you packaged gf pasta while everyone else dining with you has fresh! The burrata (cheese) appetizer was amazing! I also enjoyed the gf penne alla vodka. Molto delicioso! Grazie Il Fornaio! We will be back!!
P
Penie04
Los Angeles
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 7, 2023
overall3food2service3ambience5
Service was not good, food was bland, salad was old and wilted, salmon was under cook and served raw. We were not given bread that came with our meal (dine in LA special) we had to ask for the bread. We were check in on about the quality of the food, water never refilled as well as the oil and vinegar for the bread. Food was tasteless. My salad was wilted and lettuces looked old. I could not finish it. My sister order the salmon which was in cooked and served raw in the middle. Once it got busy it was very had to get any attention from our serviced. The restaurant is a chain restaurant they have several around the world and county. They charge customers 3% for health insurance for their employees something I think they should cover as part of a benefit that employees should be receiving.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on May 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Very good experience overall. The only thing I did not care for was how close (in our part of the restaurant) our table was to the next table! It was as is one was dining with the folks in next table!! Luckily we had really nice people next to us, BUT really, I mean I was shoulder to shoulder with the person in the next table!!!
AT
AdrienneT
Los Angeles
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
O atmosphere and service was good but food was very bland and tasteless
WP
WilliamP
Denver
59 reviews
vip
4.0
59 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2023
overall4food3service3ambience3
Too Loud. Lasagna was overcooked. Salmon was perfect.
O
Oldvalencian
Los Angeles
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 30, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
Service was as usual good. Food is good. Good value.
JO
JonO
Los Angeles
4 reviews
4.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 30, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience2
The restaurant is noisy as a dining environment. Food was mediocre but serve fast. The quantity of the food was not worth for price I paid. Bread should be complimentary since they charge so much for the dishes
EC
EmmC
Los Angeles
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Thank you! Enjoyed our DineLA lunch - great value and great portion sizing.
LD
LisaD
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on April 28, 2023
overall2food4service1ambience2
Service was poor. Our waitress asked us if we wanted bread when we sat down and the bread never came. She also didn't offer refills and had to drink my water when my drink could have been refilled. We just needed better and more attentive service.
MM
MathieuM
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Went with my girlfriend to celebrate my birthday and was thoroughly impressed. The food was outstanding. The servers checked on us regularly and never let our drinks go empty. I absolutely loved the art and presentation of desserts especially. Will definitely come back!
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Diego
4 reviews
3.0
4 reviews
Dined on April 24, 2023
overall3food4service2ambience3
Food & Wine - very good as always. Service was slow and not efficient. We had to flag servers down several times for numerous reasons (Parmesan for our pasta course), water that we had to request 3 times, etc.
MM
MarkM
Chicago
28 reviews
vip
5.0
28 reviews
Dined on April 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent service from Grace and a delicious meal. The seafood pasta was wonderful and the bruschetta was magical. Great place to dine when visiting Pasadena.
m
msbunny
Los Angeles
51 reviews
vip
5.0
51 reviews
Dined on April 21, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience4
Great food and service! Nice ambiance too! One of my favorite restaurants in Pasadena!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
44 reviews
vip
5.0
44 reviews
Dined on April 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It is always a wonderful and delicious dining experience at this Il Fornaio. The service is consistently friendly and nice, and the dishes are great. Thank you.
TJ
ToddJ
New York Area
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 19, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
What a delicious dinner accompanied with great service!
KP
KennethP
San Francisco
30 reviews
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on April 16, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We have been coming to Il Fornaio for years and over that tome the foos remains excellent and the service is always fantastic. We like to take our time eating to enjoy our dining experience so it always great to have a server who tunes into that and actually contributes to our enjoyment of a relaxing dining experience.
JC
JohnC
Los Angeles
11 reviews
3.0
11 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall3food3service5ambience4
Let me start by saying server was awesome, attentive, and she was great. My issue with this visit is the food. I ordered osso buco and the flavor was not there. It was very bland. Osso buco is my favorite thing to order at Italian restaurants and if it’s on the menu I have it. This was disappointing and considering the price it should have been better.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Atlanta Metro
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
As always, the meal was devine! Extremely knowledgeable staff about their menu options and very accommodating. You really can't go wrong.
A
A604
San Francisco
17 reviews
3.0
17 reviews
Dined on April 14, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
Great location and very nice place to enjoy dinner. There were 4 of us and two of our main dishes were disappointing. The ravioli de Zucca was served with a tomato cream sauce that overpowered the brown butter and butternut squash. The chicken pistachio tasted more like pesto than pistachio. The freshly baked bread and the gelato dessert was excellent.
PC
PatC
Los Angeles
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
What a great location, very convenient in Old Town Pasadena. The food and service was excellent! It was a beautiful day and we had a great table. A very lovely Easter with lots to be thankful for.

FAQs

Il Fornaio - Pasadena offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (626) 683-9797.

Il Fornaio - Pasadena is rated 4.6 stars by 3106 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

Jun 1, 2023

7:00 PM

Booked 34 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(626) 683-9797

24 West Union Street, Pasadena, CA 91103

Additional information

Cross street
Fair Oaks Blvd.
Neighborhood
Pasadena
Hours of operation
Daily 12:00 pm–9:00 pm
Cuisines
Italian, Unspecified
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Valet parking is available on Colorado Blvd., with validation it is $8.00.
Public transit
Metrolink and Gold Line
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cafe, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.ilfornaio.com/location/il-fornaio-pasadena/
Phone number
(626) 683-9797
Catering
Banquet facilities and a Catering menu is available for events in Pasadena and the San Gabriel Valley area.
Private party facilities
Il Fornaio in Pasadena offers private dining for parties of 8-250. We house 6 private rooms, a large main dining room and a beautiful outdoor Piazza. Come celebrate with excellent service in warm and stylish surroundings serving extraordinary authentic Italian food and wine.
Private party contact
Natalia Robles: (877) 625-0843

Featured in

100 Los Angeles Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Il Fornaio - Pasadena

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Private dining

Additional information

100 Los Angeles Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day

Carpaccio

Capricciosa

Lasagna Ferrarese

Antipasti

Calamaretti Fritti$20.00

Bruschette Assortite$14.00

Piatto di Salumi$20.00

Burrata con Prosciutto$17.00

Polpettine$19.00

Tartara di Tonno*$19.00

Carpaccio*$18.00

Cavolfiori$13.00

Fiori di Zucca$17.00

Pinsa$19.00

Cestino del Pane

Pasta Fresca

Rigatoni alla Vodka$20.00

Fusilloni$19.00

Amatriciana$22.00

Tagliatelle Bolognese$21.00

Linguine Mare Chiaro$32.00

Casarecce Pesto e Pollo$25.00

Lasagna Ferrarese$27.00

Ravioli Freschi

Ravioli Lucana$26.00

Ravioli di Magro al Limone$26.00

Minestra e Insalate

Minestrone di Verdure$9.00

Insalata Cesarina$13.00

Insalata Bietole$14.00

Caprese Tradizionale$16.00

Insalata Regina$14.00

Insalata di Pere$14.00

Pizza

Margherita$18.00

Pizza Parmigiana$19.00

Capricciosa$20.00

Cristina$22.00

Fradiavola$19.00

Griglia

Salmone alla Griglia*$33.00

Branzino al Limone*$45.00

Pollo Toscano$29.00

Braciola di Maiale$39.00

Pollo ai Funghi$30.00

Costata al Pepe*$46.00

Grigliata di Pesce Misto*$36.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Sort by

FAQs

Does Il Fornaio - Pasadena offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Il Fornaio - Pasadena restaurant rated?

Is Il Fornaio - Pasadena currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Additional information

Featured in

100 Los Angeles Restaurants to Love This Valentine's Day