Locanda del Lago Reviews

"Italy meets the Pacific -- authentic cuisine of Milano, Como and Stresa served up in the most California of settings, with a patio overlooking the Third Street Promenade. Don't miss the Ossobuco alla Milanese."

"Northern Italy's Lake region provides the inspiration for this lively dining establishment frequented by Hollywood's movers and shakers."

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"This attractive, roomy Italian restaurant on the Third Street Promenade features the lake foods of Italy (trout, pike, whitefish)."

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

"It's more than just another massive bowl of liquor… Grolla at Locanda del Lago may well be exotic, but it's also authentic. Served in hand-carved wood bowls… this soul-warming drink combines espresso, Italian brandy, grappa and sambuca with sugar, cloves and lemon peel in a potent yet surprisingly smooth communal cocktail. The drink is mixed at the bar, heated to near boiling in the kitchen and then served flambe tableside. The grolla is a centuries-old tradition in the Alpine region of Italy. As the multi-spouted bowl is passed around the table, the friends who share will cement their friendships for life -- as long as they completely empty the vessel."

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"Lago has remained, in its 10 years in existence, 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."

"Locanda del Lago is right across the street from the AMC 7. It's got a great menu featuring Northern Italian cuisine, an excellent wine list, and the service is great."

"Smack-dab in the center of the hustle and bustle of the Third Street Promenade, you'll find the tranquil refuge of Locanda del Lago. This chic, authentic Italian bistro specializes in delicacies from the Lake Como area."

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“Award of Excellence”

1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007

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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."

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"Casually classy... the authenticity of the place is clearly one of its assets."

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"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."

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Metromix

"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 (dreaded) 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."

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"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."

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This corner trattoria that reminds you why Italians are the world’s best cooks. Locanda del Lago (Trattoria of the Lake) 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 more than more than 14 years ago.

On sunny days there’s no better place in L.A. to people-watch than at the trattoria’s outdoor patio, savoring a glass of chianti while tucking into the house specialty -- Ossobuco alla Milanese, a veal shank slow-cooked in white wine and vegetables, topped with traditional gremolata (a parsley, garlic, and lemon zest mixture) and served with saffron risotto. Other outstanding dishes include the butternut squash risotto with seared scallops, and the Tagliatelle Lago, house-made tagliolini tossed with pink trout and escarole in a thyme-infused white-wine sauce.

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"Wine list -- a vast and intelligent selection."

(from Luigi Veronelli's The Best Italian Restaurants)

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"A respite from the chaos of the Promenade… perfectly crafted pastas… a destination all its own."

"Wonderful, authentic specials... a unique Lake Como theme... attentive service from adorable waiters."

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"A serene refuge from the commercial chaos of the Third Street Promenade -- but with ringside seats from which to watch it. The menu combines Italian standards with the less familiar dishes of the Lake Como Region.

(from Gayot's The Best of Los Angeles)

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"The best risottos you've ever tasted."

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"All the dishes are authentic, emphasizing the cuisines of Milano, Como and Stresa."

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"The patio is a prime spot for people-watching and sampling the cuisine of Italy's Lake Como region, which is featured also in their picnic boxes."

"Locanda del 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."

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"This green-awninged trattoria, situated in the heart of the Promenade, serves some of the best Northern Italian cuisine on the Westside. Locanda's patio is ideal for watching the mobs that roam the Promenade on the weekend."

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"Locanda del Lago is cosmopolitan and modern, but with old world grace and warmth, just like the Northern Italian Lombardy region it hails from. It is elegant, yet totally beach-comfortable featuring distinctive Northern Italian foods and specialties from Milano, Bellagio and Lake Como."

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"A rare Southland restaurant concentrating on the cuisine of Bellagio and the lake region of Northern Italy, Locanda del Lago is a warm and welcome respite. As exotic as it is delicious, the food at Locanda del Lago is among the city's very best."

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"Best restaurant on the Third Street Promenade"

"Best Northern Italian"

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