The perfect special occasion spot! Stella Alpina Osteria has such wonderful ambience. On this occasion we sat outside. There are heat lamps to keep diners warm on chilly evenings. We started with the Caesar salad and Brussels sprouts, both of which were delicious. My lasagna was likely the best I've ever had. The layers of pasta, cheese, beef, and sauce melded perfectly together. It was a hearty portion with quality to match the price. My husband enjoyed his chicken entree, which was a lighter option without being light in flavor. The only disappointment was the tiramisu. Mostly cream without many lady fingers nor espresso flavor. I tried a bite of my husbands apple tartlet and I much preferred his dessert. Service was prompt and professional. Overall a wonderful experience and I can't wait to celebrate more special moments here! read more

See all

So yummy Such a good place and atmosphere Definitely will come back! Nice service as well read more

Best northern Italian food in the bay area! Definitely worth the drive, make a reservation in advance! read more

Stella - Ossobuco di Vitello - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

My husband and I dined at Stella for our anniversary. We were greeted by friendly staff and a beautifully decorated table in a nook with a nice street view. The food and the service were wonderful. The cheesy garlic bread was as scrumptious as recommended. We have talked about coming back to Stella to celebrate our anniversary year after year. read more

Great ambience, very friendly staff, amazing food! Big portions, wide variety of food, delicious! Shoutout to our amazing host, Naba!

Service was excellent, very professional, food was tasty, they even brought out a birthday desert without prompting

Terrible experience, it was sooo slow and the food was just ok. After complaining & asking to cancel our order twice the manager came over & I explained how long we had waited, an hour and a half & so I wanted to just cancel my order. Then our food arrived, shortly after but I assume our food or something would be comped since at this point we didn't even want our food but they still charged us for everything. Very disappointing, will not be going back. And do not recommend! read more

Stella - Terrible experience! - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

See all

Stella Alpina Osteria is my favorite Italian restaurant in the whole Bay Area! It combines all of the elements that one would look for in a great restaurant: a classy vibe that is elegant, (yet not pretentious) friendly and laid back staff who make you feel right at home and, most importantly, mouthwateringly delicious Italian food!! I treated my family out to celebrate a special occasion, and everyone loved the upscale vibe and gave the food a solid A++! For appetizers we had the truffle gnocchi which was mindblowingly good! The texture was perfectly fluffy and the truffle flavor was on point! We all tried different entrees, from the Chicken Parmigiana, Beef Filet, Lobster Risotto, and Wild Boar Pasta. Everything was cooked to perfection and tasted like it was laced with something. (It had to be, right?? How else was it so dang good?!) The General Manager Erin was also so warm and welcoming to me and my whole family. Not only did she make our whole reservation and check in process a smooth one, but she was so friendly and made us all feel right at home. You definitely need to come here if you're looking for a place for date night, a special occasion, or if you're just a pasta-loving blob like me. This place is an A++ from me and I know for you it will be the same! read more

See all

We started off with the bread with crab and then lasagna then dessert. All three were great and our server was super friendly. Food was delicious and I love generous they are with the portions! read more

See all

Stella is always excellent. Food is delicious, service is superb! I highly recommend!

The food was great! I had the lasagna. There were four in our party. We sat upstairs. We were able to have a conversation without raising our voices. read more

Had dinner at their new location downtown and ofcourse had to order the truffle gnocchi for my friend. It was her first time there and she's hooked! I had the lamb chops for the first time and it was perfectly cooked.. tender and juicy. This is one of my fave restaurants in the Bay Area! read more

Their new location in DT Burlingame is so beautiful! I was obsessed with my short rib entree and the rosemary focaccia is always worth a few extra dollars. The bread pudding was the best I've ever had as well! The service was exceptionally fast - had our food hot and ready within 15 minutes of ordering! read more

See all

Had a nice dinner for two recently. Good service, decent ambience, a little loud but not crazy noisy. The food is excellent and I personally recommend the short ribs on mascarpone polenta, wow! Just fantastic! All in all a good experience. I will be back. read more

Had some friends visiting from out of town and was lucky enough to get lunch reservations at Stella. The food and service were superb! If you are ever nearby, I suggest dropping in to enjoy the ambience. If you plan to have dinner, I suggest parking in one of the garages and walking to restaurant. The street parking can be challenging! read more

Stella was fantastic!. The food & drinks were incredible. I ordered the Fiocchi and the Stella Salad... I was NOT disappointed! The service was on point and the atmosphere was lovely. I highly recommend it here! read more

Stella - The espresso martini is amazing! - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

All I can think about dining here is wholesome. It just felt completely comforting, the service impeccable, literally thought I was dining at a 5 star Michelin restaurant! We were here for business dinner, if you are trying to impress anyone with delicious Italian food with upscale service, this is the place! I recommend going upstairs for that vibe. Downstairs atmosphere was more for date night, low-key yet classy fun night out. I recommend the crab over bread appetizer so delicious! Osso bucco tender with the polenta perfectly cooked! read more

Stella on Burlingame Ave can only be rated OUTSTANDING in every aspect of food service ambiance! To elaborate, Burlingame has a good selection of various cusines that are fine dining . But from making a reservation this afternoon to increasing by two the last minute the hostess was most understanding and so accommodating. Our server Martin, was professional and enthusiastic joining the energy of our party. The service equaled that of San Francisco's finest.... It was each entree that was the finest we have had yet at Stella's. 5 stars were not enough to rate the 10 star experience our party enjoyed tonight. read more

For quite some time my cousin has been raving about a place that makes phenomenal gnocchi along with other Italian dishes in which she and her family continue to return. Both my wife and I are not gnocchi fans as our interpretation is that simply stated they are a very heavy potato dumpling. Far from the truth as we discovered that the ones made here are smaller in size and lighter on the palate. On my cousin's recommendation we started off with their rosemary bread with our caesar salads. For our hot appetizer choices, my cousin chose her usual escargot and I dived into one of the gnocchi choices of their Italian sausage and ragu. For our entrees, we ordered the thinly pounded sliced pieces of veal scallopini (not a bad thing); osso buco; the ever popular truffle gnocchi and the boneless short rib. The osso buco and short rib dishes come with mascarpone polenta. Our party shared the apple tartlet with vanilla gelato and banana chocolate bundt style cake which was slightly heavy after everything that we had. Service standards on a Friday night by Ian and the Server Assistants were top notch as the quasi 1/2 booth where the four of us were sitting was located directly across the bar area where the servers picked up their drinks and slightly above their mezzanine level. After tonight's first experience Stella definitely warrants a return visit in the future. read more

See all

Went to Stella's for the first time. Having a date night with the husband. Atmosphere was super chill, very relaxed. The staff was super friendly. The food and drinks were delicious. Highly recommend the fondue appetizer. read more

The food was spectacular as expected having been to their previous location in the year's past. The new space is beautiful and elegant. Once seated I realized that even though the ceilings are so high, the space is not noisy and loud. Definitely recommend. read more

Stella - Downstairs area and bar - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

I recently took my daughter and son-in-law to Stella Alpina mmm for a celebratory birthday dinner. It was lovely. The table was decorated festively, and there was a card with her name on it , wishing her a happy birthday. The servers were cordial and professional. The service from the busboy, waiter and server was excellent! Our meals were absolutely delicious. Everything was cooked to perfection. I can't say enough good things about Stella's. A very special restaurant that you will want to return to again and again. read more

I have been to Stella several times: solo, with another couple, with a group of 12 and today a group of 60+. Each time Stella has been a wonderful experience and today was no exception. If you have a large group, Bianca is their event planner and she is a joy to work with. She literally worked magic to fit our guests in Mezzanine with a separate "welcome" area where guests could retrieve their drinks. The kitchen was aware of allergens and they were able to modify the meals. The servers we had were attentive and worked with heart. Food was delicious and to note, their pre fixe is quite generous: guests may choose 1 of 5 entrees! My job has me plan a lot of dinner events for medium to large size groups, Stella has been on my list for a while and I'm thrilled to give them a glowing review. It's hard to please everyone, but in this case my guests were very happy which meant I could enjoy my glass of Pinot in peace. Can't wait return. read more

I've been to this restaurant a couple times for team dinners and it's always delicious. One of my favorite dishes is the truffle gnocchi. The truffle flavor isn't too overpowering and the gnocchi is soft and pillowy. All the pastas I've tried in the past are really good as well. Their desserts are served in a mason jar, which I don't particularly prefer, but nonetheless so decadent. read more

See all

Excellent food and service but quite pricey. Great place for special occasions. The place is very intimate and nicely decorated.

Bright spots are nice outdoor seating area and service. Unfortunately the food left a bit to be desired. Risotto rice cakes appetizer could have been frozen Trader Joe's, to be honest...those may be better. The gnocchi appetizer literally comes with 12 gnocchi. The lasagna which we were told was among the best items on the menu, was dry with some of the pasta dried out, a heavy cloying red sauce and also a heavy meat sauce vs how light and delightful this dish can be. The antipasti wasn't bad, though a bit pricey for what it is at $20. I'd say pass and you'd get better and less expensive at Maggiano's. read more

I did not know how cute of a restaurant and area this restaurant was located in Brisbane. Was traveling for work and came here with a group of colleagues. Everything on the menu was so delightful; from appetizers, entrées, desserts, and of course drinks! With a group as big as ours (around 12 people) we were able to try pretty much everything on the menu and nothing disappointed. I was amazed at the wine collection but was not surprised of course, considering the local wineries and supply. Although it was quite chilly and we sat outside, with the heat lamps, we did felt very comfortable and enjoyed a long delicious dinner. read more

Fantastic food, great service, and beautiful atmosphere. We had the halibut special and the lamb and both were delicious. The waiter was very knowledgeable about the menu and very friendly. Couldn't have been nicer! read more

This spot is amazing. Fresh amazing food. Server was awesome. The ambiance was great too. Love it. Will return. read more

See all

Service, cocktails, food, staff all great. Don't miss out on this Burlingame gem! Make sure to book well in advance as reservations sell out. Great spot for family and friends! read more

See all

Update! The owner of Stella reached out to me and was SO nice. She apologized for my whole experience and sent me a gift card to come back for dinner and try again. Our second visit was fabulous. The service was great, the cocktails, wine and food came out quickly and everything went so smoothly. I'm so happy the owner reached out and we gave it a second shot. read more

I have been a big fan of Stella. I love love this place. The food, service and ambiance is great. No matter what you order from salad , appetizer, entree and I mean the full menu even dessert is just amazing. Let's continue to support this local place. read more

Nice ambiance. Good for special events but not ideal for a casual dinner with friends unless you want to have an expensive dinner. Food is good as is service, but didn't quite seem worth the final bill. Enjoyable and good for special events. read more

Fantastic location , great food and great service. Planning to have family reunion in December. I love the private rooms. The new location and bar area have added more flexibility to meet friends or co-workers for drinks and great appetizers!! Congratulations to Alisa and Matteo Ferrari!! You have done a beautiful job with the new location . read more

If you're looking for a rich, tasty and great meal, come to Stella Alpina! Their quality food and service never disappoints, even when it comes to take-out orders. I always get their gnocchi and freshly made focaccia bread--bread of the gods! Also, I recently tried their cocktails and fell in love with how they make their French 75, it's not too sweet and just smooth. read more

See all

Stella Alpina Osteria was on my list for a long time. Dinner was delicious, service was perfect, the outdoor dining space was cozy with the heaters. Started with a glass of Prosecco, Truffle Fonduta as a shared appetizer, Osso Buco with Mascarpone Polenta was enough to share. Go Sunday-Thursday for the fonduta. Perfect for a date night, girls night out or a family dinner. read more

See all

I started with a great bottle of Pinot Noir. The wine list is solid with prices for all budgets. They have a nice selection of Italian wines and local variety. The house special salad was crisp and tart with butter lettuce, walnuts, gorgonzola, cranberries, and fresh citrus vinaigrette. For the entree, the braised short ribs was cooked perfect and fell off the bone. The balance of the baked rigatoni pasta dish with the short ribs was the perfect pairing. The truffle oil mixed well with the crust. The use of truffle oil in this restaurant's dishes are perfectly balanced. Portion sizes were spot on for two people to share. The mascarpone polenta was a perfect side to the short ribs. For dessert, a decaf cappuccino with caramel gelato was a sweet (not overpowering) end to the meal. My favorite is the gnocchi with brown butter, sage and truffle oil. The pillows of potato gnocchi were some of the softest I've had anywhere and flavor was incredible. read more

We walked through the back door as there was plenty of parking out back. The staff was very welcoming as we walked in and we were lead to the front desk right away. Next we were directed to our table upstairs overlooking the main floor below, then our waiter promptly asked us if we wanted a cocktail, we did and had them with in 5 minutes! We knew already that we we're having the Truffle Gnocchi with brown butter and sage for an appetizer as I think most everyone does! I could eat a large bowl of it, then I wouldn't be able to eat anything else because it is so rich and delicious, they just melt in your mouth! Our main coarse was Osso Buco for me and my wife Orecchio di Elefante. Both dishes were wonderful and we were happy. We had no room for dessert, but I did settle on a double espresso to finish off a wonderful meal in a great restaurant that we have been going to for many years! This was t the first time in the new location and it is beautiful! Ciao amore ! read more

Stella - Lucie enjoying her birthday dinner at Stella! - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

Excellent, creative chef. Everything we ordered was fresh, tasty and well-prepared. I loved the Stella (house) salad. Very fresh ingredients. I loved the vegetarian Fiocchi entree, pasta purses stuffed with Asiago cheese and pear in a Parmesan sauce. Yummy yummy yummy. Probably not as filling as some of their other entrees. I loved the Frutti di Bosco dessert served in a little jar. Vanilla ice cream topped with blackberries, strawberry slices and Port wine. What interested me about their menu is that I've never seen some of these recipes before in an Italian restaurant. Very creative recipes and all well executed. read more

I came here on Mother's Day, and they were offering a four course meal. And every course was delicious! To start, I had the truffle stuffed gnocchis, and they were the best gnocchis I've ever had! The second course was an arugula salad, and this simple salad was put together SO PERFECTLY! My main course was the stuffed quail with truffle risotto. While this course was very tasty, there were a lot of small bones in the quail that I really had to watch out for. And for dessert, I had the lemon cheesecake, which was really good and creamy :) Service was excellent! read more