Food was delicious! Not a ton of variety would definitely go back! I ordered the gnocchi and the red sauce was delicious!

My wife and I have been going to Cafe Lago for years and loved it, but we hadn't tried their takeout since the quarantine started. I was impressed. Not that we've gotten a lot of takeout--about once a week since the coronavirus thing--but Lago has been the best overall takeout experience we've had so far. We ordered two salads, two pastas, and some grocery items--olive oil and marinated olives. We went and picked up our order, wanting to avoid the big delivery services and support the restaurant directly. Glad we did--their takeout window is run crisply and efficiently (yet in a friendly way). Our order was ready on time, and it was still hot when we got home 10 minutes later. The food was just as great as always. Simple but delicious. I had the polpetti with pappardelle, and my wife had the lasagna. The quality was as if we'd eaten in the restaurant--not an easy thing to do, as we've discovered with other takeout dishes we've had in the past few months. Would definitely go back, perhaps to try the pizza or another pasta. read more

Genuinely one of the best plates of pasta I've ever had. They made me fettuccine with vodka sauce and it was perfect. My friend got a pizza and she also thought it was great. The vibe is cozy, the neighborhood is so pretty and cute. We sat right at the window and we loved our time here. The service was quick and the staff were very nice. I will be dreaming about my pasta forever. read more

Cafe Lago - Fettuccine with vodka sauce and pizza with salami and sausage - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

$10 pizzas on Monday is a bit slay. It's dine in only but the bar seating is lovely for a treat on a especially hard Monday

Holy hell this place is amazing. The lasagne was so light and fluffy, but the pea and mint ravioli were to die for. Loved everything about this spot. read more

Wonderful quaint place, food was outstanding. Loved the scallops, gnocchi, pizza margarita! Excellent selection of wine and delicious dessert. Our server Matt was so personable and offered great suggestions. Can't wait to come back for another great meal. read more

Great food and service! Lots of vegetarian options. Appetizers were great and pizza was good too. The lasagna was disappointing- not enough sauce and dry lacking flavor. Pear ravioli was yummy. read more

Unlike most restaurants, they don't charge for their tasty homemade bread and olive oil. Something that always irks my mom, a former NPR food commentator. Appetizers (tapenade with Eggplant, tomatoes, and something else) and rabbit liver pate which my parents liked were good. Handmade white pizza with Chantrelles was good. Main entrees with venison (good) but overly cheesy lasanga (where's the beef?) and clams on a bed of spaghetti were adequate. They earned back points for dessert. Verdict: come back for dessert only or go to Vendemia in Madronna. Plenty of free street parking. read more

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This was our first meal in Seattle, and I can't say there was any disappointment. There was a fancier atmosphere (we were a bit underdressed) with a nice interior, white table clothes, and excellent service. The food was fresh and delicious. They catered very nicely to a dairy allergy as you can see in the picture (half cheese / half no cheese). This was a little more expensive than expected, however, you're paying for the experience as well as freshly made Italian food! One pizza can feed two making it more affordable. read more

Cafe Lago - Salsiccia Pizza - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This was my first - and hopefully not last - time at Cafe Lago. Intimate atmosphere, perfect for a date (or in our case, a triple date), with friendly, attentive service and superb food. They're clearly experts at the craft of Italian food - gnocchi was the perfect texture, pizza was satisfying, appetizers were flavorful. That said, for me personally, Italian food never wows me as much as other cuisines (even top notch food like this, while fresh and technically great, is still sort of bland), so I wouldn't spend this much on a regular night out. But once in a while - and to guarantee everyone has something to suit their tastes - it's worth a visit. read more

Lovely, unpretentious neighborhood place with great homemade food and friendly service.

The vibe of this place is SO cute! My boyfriend and I wanted Italian food last night so we decided to try this place out. We made a reservation but weren't actually seated for around 10-15 mins, which was a little irritating but that's alright. Once we sat; however, the service was fast. We got our food really quickly and someone was there to take our order almost immediately when we sat down. I got the small lasagna (I wasn't that hungry) and it was really yummy! I wished I had gotten the bigger one because it was delicious. My boyfriend got the gnocchi and I also loved that. I don't even usually like gnocchi, but the sauce that it was served it was just great. Both were pretty pricey however, and while the food quality was good, I still think it was a bit pricey. Our server was really nice and got our order in pretty quickly, but other than that we didn't see her much. She was really busy though, and being a server myself I understand, and wasn't very bothered by that. Overall, this place is really good and you probably won't be disappointed if you try it out. For me, it just didn't blow me out of the water with food or service like some places I've tried, so I feel 4 stars is a fair rating. read more

Cafe Lago - Gnocchi - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

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I love Cafe Lago! What a cute little place in a neighborhood that is practically starved of restaurants. Their pizza is fantastic (best thin crust I've had in Seattle) and the cocktails even more so. I've had the lasagna and gnocchi and those were divine as well. Great texture and flavor. Service is pretty good usually. I do agree with others that the seating is pretty cramped. Despite this, they get 5 stars for the quality of the food. read more

Get the lasagna! It is divine, super thin noodles, great ricotta blend that is smooth. We tried the meatless version and one serving was plenty for the two of us. read more

Cafe Lago deserves a billion stars. Best Italian restaurant in Seattle. Excellent food, great ambience, wonderful staff. Couldn't ask for anything else. I LOVE this place! read more

I have driven by this place for 20+ years and never gone inside! I used to go to the Montlake Alehouse next door, but that is no longer around. There was four of us on a Saturday night in March. The service was fast and the drinks and food came out quick. Nothing too complicated. The salads were basic, but people definitely ate them up. Pizzas are a huge part of the menu, so I ordered a sausage pizza. I asked if they composted and the waitress said they did. Good draft beer. A warm, friendly environment. read more

food & experience was great! the salsicca pizza was simple yet flavorful. the ceaser salad was a nice light appetizer. we also got the bread with goat cheese & tomato (unsure what the name was) but that is a MUST it was amazing! all the staff were super friendly & attentive!! read more

Took several good friends into Cafe Lago and left completely happy with the experience. The food was (and is always) perfectly balanced and delicious, the wait staff was professional, kind, and personable. And the atmosphere was clean and welcoming. This is on my Top 5 spots for a special occasion in all of the PNW. read more

3.5 stars would be most accurate, but this place deserves the benefit of the doubt for 4 stars. The food is very good, and they use very fresh high quality ingredients. Pizzas are awesome and the salads are well constructed for superior flavor. An exception is their meatballs that left a lot to be desired. They were very small, dried out, and lacking in flavor. I also would prefer they use veal and/or beef, and not the added pork in the meatballs, as not everyone can eat that. Another challenge is that although the food is generally very good, their menu is extremely limited with not so many options. I wish they would add more fish and clams, or Italian style tenderized chicken/veal dishes. It is definitely expensive. I recall some of the pasta dishes were around $24 a plate, yet they were also extremely delicious. I also really appreciate that they offer complimentary bread and olive oil, as well as delicious olives served at the bar. That makes the higher prices more worth it. The atmosphere is excellent, and the service was pretty strong making the high prices more worth it. My only complaint on service is they served pizzas excatly at the same time with pasta dishes instead of phasing them, and it was too challenging to eat everything before items started getting cold. That was a big service miss. When they have live music they definitely elevate to at least 4 stars! read more

We love this place. If you can describe lasagna as decadent- this place has it! We get the meatless one and each bite melts in your mouth. The noodles are handmade and so thin. When we come back to visit Seattle we try to include this place as a "must do". Great atmosphere and great service tonight by Augustine read more

Was a disappointment, seems to have taken a HUGE step back in quality. I'm a long time resident and know the place well. Seems things have slid backwards for a few years now. Change of attitude seems to be impacting service, personality but MOST importantly the food. I'm very surprised and quite disappointed. read more

Great food and great people. Lasagne is good. Also anything with meatballs. Crostini appetizer is the best. Highly recommend.

The Cliff Notes version of my review: get the Bolognese pasta! Coming to Lago was nostalgic, harking back to my undergraduate days at nearby University of Washington, in particular reminding me of that certain rooming house a block south of the restaurant where I had to live my first quarter at the U, before I could get into on-campus housing. Based on the patrons, it was clearly evident that Lago is a favorite of UW academia. Also, except for one customer and one member of the waitstaff, everybody in the restaurant was Caucasian. Definitely a different vibe than the rest of Seattle. We were looking for a quick bite to eat on our way over to the Eastside, and were a bit concerned when the hostess asked us if we had a reservation. We didn't have to worry though, because we were seated almost immediately, and at a decent table. The menu could be broken down into antipasto, pizza, pasta, a Bolognese special and wine. A sirloin steak too. Even before our friendly waitress recommended the Bolognese, JP and I knew that was what we both wanted. JP also got a glass of Chianti and I stuck with a glass of ice tea. Wine anytime anyplace just does not cut the mustard for me. My loss, I guess. :-) While waiting for our entrees, we were served complimentary bread and olive oil, which seems pretty rudimentary, but I can say the homemade-style bread was well-crafted and delicious and so was the olive oil. When we had wolfed down the bread, our waitress brought us out more without us asking. Then our Bolognese arrived. Wow, and wow again. So delicious, from the thin flat wide noodles to the lightly-wine-flavored Bolognese sauce with ground beef, that reminded me a bit of Stroganoff. Just incredible!! Yes, as other reviewers have noted, only street parking is available, and is limited at that. We had to park on a steep hill above the restaurant. But isn't that the quintessential Seattle dining experience? Maybe the Bolognese skewed this review to five stars, but I really like this place. read more

This is one of those places that has a warm place in our hearts because we literally ate there the first day that they opened. We have always loved their delicate version of lasagna. It doesn't have the incredible heaviness of lasagna that you see in many US restaurants, instead they use a like bechamel and it seems to literally float off the plate. The tomato sauce is also great. The pasta dishes were fresh and the key is that normally to get the lighter dishes. This is a restaurant that has a light hand. You won't find any liver in the lasagna. It isn't NOrthern Italian (Serafina!) with its rich meaty sauces, but favors the lighter and more delicate flavors of tomatoes. The antipasto plate is also another thing we really like here. It is full of different salamis and so forth. Always a favorite. The main drawback to the place is that it is expensive, but it is in a great neighborhood with easy parking. read more

Very positive experience. Here's why: Homemade pasta was great. very nice texture, supple yet springy. marinara sauce was light and fresh and sufficiently savory. Meatballs were tasty, fresh as well, and had a nice texture which indicated they were made in house. Sausage & red pepper pizza was also light and refreshing. Excellent wine selection, and the atmosphere is low -key and warm. read more

Yum! Loved this place years ago and still do. Lasagna is bomb!

Reasonably good Italian food at fancy restaurant prices I liked the food (ravioli, beet salad, antipasto, caesar salad, panna cotta). I found the drinks adequate but not great (cosmopolitans). The atmosphere was nice enough, but nothing special. This was place where it cost $204 + $54 tip for four people (3-drinks, 1 corkage fee, dinner). It wasn't good enough to justify that kind of price. I don't want to put them down with just 2-stars (it wasn't bad), but this place is not worth the money. read more

Cafe Lago combines all the necessary ingredients for the perfect neighborhood Italian restaurant: Welcoming atmosphere, affordable prices, friendly-but-professional service, and stunningly good food. Cafe Lago has become a favorite for us because of its consistency, something that's sadly lacking in many Seattle restaurants. It also wears many hats: I've gone there for a quiet evening with my husband, for a special meal with out-of-town guests, and for many casual after-work suppers. It's a little bit cozy (borderline miraculous, considering its size and volume) and very neighborly. Although they're justly famous for their lasagna, Lago's other pastas are equally wonderful: I'm a huge fan of the linguine and meatballs. And those thin-crust pizzas... wow. If they're offering the spiral sausage on special, order it: You won't be disappointed. And their steak and shoestring fries is an excellent dinner, if you're not in the mood for pizza or pasta. In addition to a well-rounded list of wine bottles, they've also got a nice list of house cocktails, and a good assortment of wines by the glass. read more

Cafe Lago - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

I have not been here for a year or so. Six of us had dinner on a Sunday night. We were seating at 6:30 and things got really busy as the place filled up. Service was pretty poor- had to ask for bread to be brought to the table, took a long time to take our orders, and we waited at least 1/2 hour before our main dishes arrived. Service is usually really good here, so I'm assuming they were either understaffed or there were issues with the kitchen being backed up. Whatever reason, very disappointing for a place that has been around this long and should be firing on all cylinders. As always, the lasagna is the best you can find anywhere. They have nailed this recipe for years, and it is always perfect. Very labor intensive to make it this well, and it shows. 5 stars. Tried the gnocchi in vodka tomato cream sauce. Really excellent. An upper end Italian restaurant should not have gnocchi on the menu unless they know it will be perfect. This was as good as the best gnocchi I've had in Rome. Super light, great texture, flavorful sauce. As good as it gets. Smoked beet salad, while not traditional, was excellent. Just the right amount of smoke flavor, well balanced vinaigrette that hit against the smokiness just perfectly. Contorni of wood oven roasted carrots was the only real miss. Not cooked nearly long enough, they were served with a steak knife for cutting. The texture was not that far from raw carrots, and they needed at least 5 or 10 more minutes in the oven to help with the texture. Pretty flavorless and very disappointing. To be honest, I was taken out for this meal and for that reason really enjoyed it, but if I had been picking up the tab I would have felt differently. Great Italian food in restaurants is understandably expensive- it is all about top quality ingredients and a kitchen that can execute without overdoing it. For the most part, Cafe Lago is still pulling this off, but this was not a slam dunk. If I go back I'll be sure to get the lasagna, which never disappoints. read more

Amazing I love this place. As an Italian food addict there are few Italian places that really stand out. Cafe lago has great lasagna and homemade fettuccini!! Super flavorful and definitely far from bland-- truly Italian done right. Also their cocktails are great too! read more

Cafe Lago - Fettuccini and lasagna with their amazing bread and oil. - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

The rustic bread was delicious but it was served with an oil butter mix with orange. Not a good taste. Between the salt in butter oil and the vinegarette on the appetizer our mouths were burning. The gnocchi arrived and the butter sauce was also TOO salty. The Margherita pizza was good but by then we could not taste it. The waiter was kind and tried to accommodate. Hence 2 stars and not 1 read more

Started with the Pomodori al Forno, which was amazing! Had the Gnocchi (add sausage) and the whole meal practically melted in my mouth! It was delicious! Friends had the pizza special, which was a white sauce and they said red would've been better. Also tried the white/oily sauce pasta item (there was only one) and it was ok. I think I scored with my picks. read more

Cafe Lago is a bit overpriced to be a place that you'd just go to for kicks. At nearly $20 for most pasta entrees, it's more of a date or special occasion spot. That being said, it makes an amazing place for a date. The whole places feels cozy and intimate, the wine selection is great and the wine list isn't so long or pretentious as to make picking a wine painful. The food is delicious with the gnocchi being my favorite. The portions are nicely sized being both big enough to leave you satisfied, but not the usual American oversized that leaves you feeling bloated. I've heard that the pizza is great, but I've never had it. The desert on the other hand I've had many times and is not to be skipped. The panna cotta is simply divine and has been the highlight of more than one weekend since I moved to Seattle. Overall, while not an everyday restaurant, Cafe Lago offers a great experience for a date night or a special occasion. If you do go, go all-out and get wine, desert and maybe even an appetizer. Doing less will be selling this place short. read more

Great little Italian restaurant located right on Montlake, between the U-District and Capitol Hill. Parking can be a little difficult - there's not too much street parking on Montlake, and the adjacent street is this steep ass hill so very interesting trying to park/get out of my parking spot without accidentally hitting another car. My friend and I went for a quick dinner before heading off to a meeting and the place wasn't too busy at all, probably because we came 'early'. I ordered the risotto, and it was deliciously - perfectly made and the perfect portion size. Our server was great and was always attentive with us. No problems at all. We will be back to try some of the other dishes!! read more

Cafe Lago - Risotto - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

This is a special place I always take out of tow family when they come to visit. I pair it with a drive along Lake Washington, stop here, and then head back to West Seattle via I5 for the view. The neighborhood itself is beautiful. I do this is because the staff is amazing. They're welcoming, friendly, and accommodating. The space itself has a lot of natural light and sophisticated, but not stuffy. At night they light candles and the atmosphere turns magical. The menu rotates with the season, something that I personally enjoy as it shows they can be playful with their takes on traditional Italian dishes. You can catch the owner walking around and the head chef hard at work. This personalizes the space for me, and that means a lot for a neighborhood establishment. While some of the dishes may seem pricey, they compensate that with having great wine selection so you really have a unique experience. Last I was there I had the beet ravioli with poppy seed sauce. It was exquisite. Very quintessential Seattle neighborhood restaurant. read more

Omg an absolute must!! I got the gnocchi and my cousin got the brick oven pizza, I had to resist licking the bowl! I strongly recommend to start with the Cesar salad- super impressed with everything I had from start to finish. read more

Cafe Lago - I got the gnocchi and in the background is my cousins brick oven pizza! Highly recommend - Italian Near Me - Seattle, Washington

First night to Seattle, great food, online reservation is nice. We had a great time. On a pricey side tho.

An elegant neighborhood restaurant serving perfect Negronis, antipasti and whisper light house made pasta in bright, flavorful sauces. Really can't ask for anything more. It's the kind of place you return to. Not trendy but classic/modern. No loud music, just the beautiful symphony of conversations, kitchen noise and clattering plates filling the room. Chef's kiss. read more

Homey spot for quality Italian food. The bread was a great combination of fluffy and chewy. Split the artichoke salad and the fettuccine with meatballs, which was a good amount of food for 2. Artichoke salad had lots of crunchy snap peas and texture but not a lot of flavor. Went for the meatballs because we saw praise for them online- they were tasty, not life-changing. We were pleasantly surprised by the quick and attentive service- they even brought out both the salad and the pasta split in two separate plates for us. 5 stars for service, 3 stars for food. read more

The bread and olive oil is to die for, i honestly wish i could buy a bottle. The pasta tastes fresh but not gummy. Service is amazing even when they are full, have never disliked any waiter there. Steak is very delicious but i think they may have a new chef who is still learning because the last time it tasted different and took a while but our server was extremely helpful and gave us free drinks due to the wait! My favourite place in seattle. read more