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REVIEWS
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MEDIA QUOTES
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"Award of Excellence" (every year since 1995)

 

 

"Best Italian Cuisine: I'm going to raise some local eyebrows here and go with Locanda del Lago... 
that specializes in cuisine from Northern Italy's Lombardy region. 
Until someone makes a better house-made whole-wheat pappardelle 
tossed in a duck ragout, I'm sticking with the boys from Lombardy." 

"The antipasto buffet offered weekdays at lunch 
at this spacious trattoria is one of our favorites." 

"With the warmth of an old Italian inn and the cool factor of a Santa Monica hot spot, 
you'll never even know you're on the Third Street Promenade.  Lago has a loyal base of regulars 
because the customers are treated like kings, and the bustling restaurant is run with astounding ease."

 

 

"Don't be in a hurry because the waiters aren't.  They cheerfully bring 
heaping plates of a featherlight vitello tonnato or whole wheat pappardelle tossed with cabbage, potatoes and cheese.  
The patio is good for 3rd Street Promenade people watching, but the action is inside."

 

FROMMER'S

 

"Lago is the only restaurant in Los Angeles that specializes in cuisine from Northern Italy's Lombardy region. 

Both the co-owner and executive chef were born in Milan, worked in Bellagio, 
and share a passion for food that hasn’t waned since this warm, friendly restaurant opened…  
On sunny days there’s no better place in L.A. to people-watch than at the outdoor patio, 
savoring a glass of Chianti while tucking into the house specialty -- Ossobuco alla Milanese."

 

 

"Italy meets the Pacific -- authentic cuisines of Milano, Como and Stresa served up in the most California of settings. 
Don't miss the Ossobuco alla Milanese.  Frequented by Hollywood's movers and shakers."

 

 

"This green-awninged trattoria serves some of the best Northern Italian cuisine on the Westside."

 

"RECOMMENDED."

 

 
 

"A respite from the chaos of the Third Street Promenade… perfectly crafted pastas… 
a destination all its own.  Wonderful, authentic specials... a unique Lake Como theme... 
attentive service from adorable waiters.  The best risottos you've ever tasted."

 

 

"What's also surprising is how classy and peaceful the restaurant is on the interior, 
while just outside the door, the Promenade roils with the consuming hordes. 
A table by the window is a perfect place to people-watch while enjoying 
Locanda's extensive wine collection and attentive service."

 

 

"One of the Westside's most beloved Italian spots."

  

JAY WESTON'S Restaurant Newsletter

"How rare it is to dine at a well-established restaurant and find a plethora of new, 
unusual dishes, to experience tastes and flavors not enjoyed before... at least not in this form. 
Such a pleasure overwhelmed me this week at the hugely popular Locanda del Lago."

 

"Chic, authentic.  Great menu, excellent wine list, and the service is great.  

Lago has remained a regular dining choice for such Hollywood denizens 
as Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, Jerry Bruckheimer, Dustin Hoffman, Michelle Pfeiffer and Oliver Stone. 
The unusual menu might be part of the draw."

 
 

"As authentic Italian as you'll find this side of the ocean."

 

 

"THIRTY THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT LOS ANGELES – 
People-watching from the patio at Locanda del Lago on the Third Street Promenade."

  Merrill Shindler

"[The chef] really has a great sense of the food of Northern Italy. 
I had the best meal I've ever had there.  It was absolutely terrific. 
They served an ossobuco that was so full of marrow and so covered with meat, it was just a joy."

 

 

"Lago was one of the first restaurants to claim a spot on the Third Street Promenade. 
When the patio view is so captivating, it's easy to overlook the enticing menu.  That would be a mistake."

 

 

"On Saturdays, one of four Santa Monica Certified Farmers Markets sets up shop 
just a few steps away from Lago’s front door, and the restaurant takes full advantage of the fresh produce sold there. 
The Burrata alla Caprese pairs the freshest farmers market tomatoes with creamy Burrata, a fresh Italian cheese 
made from mozzarella and cream. Farmers market produce is also worked into the artisanal cocktail menu, 
where refreshing libations are too tempting to resist. Try a market margarita, which includes market-fresh grapefruit, tangello and lime; 
or dive into the wildly popular caprese martini made from fresh cherry tomatoes, basil, crop tomato vodka and balsamic."

 

 

Lago is an experience unto itself. This restaurant duly sets itself apart from the glut of others in the Promenade 
with its authentic Northern Italian cuisine crafted amid a vehement commitment to fresh, locally farmed ingredients. 
I recently visited Lago for dinner with my husband and two young children ages 7 and 10 who've already cultivated 
a love of fine dining. Lago is, in fact, quite family friendly, and a favorite with the celebrity-set. 
Among the stars who've brought their young children in to dine over the years include Dustin Hoffman, 
Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell, Bob Saget; Police drummer Stewart Copeland, Kate Capshaw and Rita Wilson.

 

  BLOG

 

"The Market Margarita was unlike any margarita I’ve ever tasted before in that it was so simple — 
just fresh fruit juices and tequila. No sweet and sour, no triple sec, no Grand Marnier, no margarita mix. 
Apparently this is the perfect margarita for purists who prefer to actually taste the tequila."