Il Fornaio Corte Madera

My favorite spot in the neighborhood to visit with my daughter! She’s been on a pasta diet for five years now, haha. I absolutely love their Caesar salad, and the service is great!

To start, we requested sparkling water for the table but received iced tap water instead. We didn't mind, and thankfully, they didn't charge us for the sparkling water on the bill. Next, they offered us bread for the table, which we accepted, only to find it was $3 on the bill. The bread was rather unimpressive; we wouldn’t have ordered it had we known it wasn’t complimentary. It had too much crust and not enough airiness inside to make it enjoyable. Additionally, they removed our bread before we finished, so we essentially lost about $1.50 worth. For our meal, we ordered calamari to share, and my boyfriend and I split the pesto pizza and the insalata regina salad. The calamari arrived first, and it was actually quite good. The coating was crispy and well-seasoned, and the calamari itself was tender and not overly chewy. The warm marinara sauce served with it was zesty and flavorful. Next, the pesto pizza was served. I had a slice, and while it was cooked nicely with a good chewy crust, the pesto was a bit too runny for my taste, though it had decent flavor. I would have liked more toppings of tomatoes and mozzarella. At this point, we were halfway through our dishes, and the salads still hadn’t arrived. My boyfriend's mom had ordered the pear salad, and she hadn’t received any food yet. We inquired about it, and our server checked back at the counter before finally bringing them out. It seemed they had forgotten to serve the salads with the pizzas. I enjoyed the insalata regina; the arugula was fresh, drizzled in a good olive oil, and the couscous added nice texture. The raisins and capers provided delightful bursts of flavor, and the avocado contributed a pleasant creaminess. We concluded our meal with the special Mother’s Day dessert, a raspberry and chocolate cake. Towards the end of our meal, I felt rushed out, which was puzzling since the restaurant wasn’t crowded. While the food was mostly good, the service left much to be desired. I’m uncertain if I’ll return.

In retrospect, I should have been more selective when choosing to eat at Il Fornaio, especially given its modest 3-star rating on Yelp. While their pasta dishes are decent, they lack any standout qualities. The restaurant has an attractive decor and comfortable seating, but the service leaves a lot to be desired. Our server, Grace, rarely checked on our table, and we had to repeatedly ask other staff members for water. When she finally delivered our dessert, a slice of Setteveli (chocolate cake), she did so without a word, and we noticed that a part of the cake was missing. When we pointed this out, Grace seemed agitated and defensive. Getting her attention throughout the meal was a challenge. Upon asking about the missing piece of cake, her response came with an intense glare, claiming that the cake had been damaged during delivery, which explained the missing portion. Her reaction was quite unsettling. Given the $15 price tag for a small slice of cake, it’s reasonable to expect it to be complete. As a result, I don’t plan on returning to this restaurant due to the extremely poor customer service. With plenty of better dining options nearby, Il Fornaio did not meet my expectations.

My wife and I had a great experience having lunch here last Sunday. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful weather. Huge thanks to Diego for doing a great job with taking our orders and making sure our drinks were refilled. He's kind and can hold a great conversation. My wife loved her Ravioli Lucana; spinach ravioli filled with Italian sausage. I was a big fan of the Casarecce pesto; short pasta twists with creamy pesto sauce, grilled chicken and sun dried tomatoes. This was delicious and I'd definitely order it again. We also recommend trying the Tartara Di Tonno; ahi tuna and avocado with grilled ciabatta. This is a tasty and delicious appetizer! This is a great location and an excellent choice for lunch or dinner when visiting the area. It's romantic and has a nice intimate vibe.

My wife and I often eat at Il Fornaio because it checks all boxes. It is classy, white tablecloths, friendly staff, dependably excellent food, easy parking, near freeway. We keep going back for many years. Larry Fritzlan