Made reservations for a weeknight birthday celebration. We were seated right away. The table was decorated with a birthday card and birthday confetti, nice touch. The restaurant looked very spacious and the decor was very cute - lots of stars. Vanessa, our waitress was super sweet and helpful. It was our first time at Stella's. We had heard great things about it and were so excited to finally try it. We ordered a variety of dishes to share: Drinks: Espresso Martini Martini Arancia Appetizers: Truffle Gnocchi Focaccia Burrata Caprese Side: Roasted Brussel Sprouts Main Dishes: Gamberi (subbed the shrimp for chicken) Spezzatino (short ribs with polenta) Desserts: Bread Pudding (birthday dessert) Apple Galette Tiramisu They were very attentive (clearing our dishes when we were done, filling our water glasses, etc.) We enjoyed all the food - everything was delicious! And even though we were full, we always have room for dessert. =) We will definitely come back again! read more

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Wow, maybe one of the top five meals I've ever had. I had the petrale , my guests had risotto. Everything was delicious. The topper was they now have the fish market chef who brought along his secret crab garlic cheesy bread recipe. Definitely not inexpensive, but worth every penny read more

Stella Alpina has relocated to Burlingame Avenue. The newly remodeled space is very attractive and spacious. There is a large curved bar with over a dozen seats, comfortable booths lining the long wall and a few more tables in the main room. There is a large dining room that we didn't enter and possibly an additional space upstairs. Tonight, we didn't have any appetizers. We've had bad luck with their breads so did not order focaccia. DH had the oricchiette primavera e speck with a glass of Pinot Grigio. He said both were excellent. I had the Marsala di vitello. It came with two tiny potatoes and a few vegetables. It was very good. DH had the lava cake with vanilla bean gelato and was raving about how good it was. I could smell the rich chocolate scent. There is a parking lot on Chapin with some spaces reserved for BevMo, but I think there are also unlabeled spaces. There's an entry door next to the Stella Alpina patio. read more

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Dined here with kiddos tonight. Came in a little earlier without reservations. We were seated right after on the upper level. We ordered two kid's spaghetti with red sauce (one with meatball the other with chicken). I got their shrimp with arugulas and a glass of wine. We finished with the tiramisu and their chocolate custard. I really like my shrimp. Super fresh and nicely cooked. The sauce worked very well with the shrimp and the arugulas. I am happy. Wine was reasonably priced and okay. Kids spaghetti has some good bites and flavor was nice. Tiramisu was okay. Chocolate custard was okay (in between jello and custard texture). Service was really nice. Friendly, super fast. Restaurant is nicely decorated. Overall, a solid place in Burlingame read more

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We arrived with a reservation right at 5pm and they sat us at the best table in the house. A table for two right in the window. Great service and good food. read more

Stella - Chocolate mousse - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

Came for lunch and and had a fantastic meal. We tried the truffle gnocchi and the risotto cake to start. Both were good, but the truffle gnocchi really stood out. I got the salmon picatta for my main course. The salmon was cooked perfectly with a little crust on top and moist center. The lemon caper sauce complimented it well. Service was excellent the whole meal. read more

Dined on Valentines Day with their $95 prix fix menu. Tried focassia bread, gnocchi, seabass and filet. A very nice restaurant. While the front of the house staff and service was awesome, there was quite a delay in getting us our main courses. As a result, they comp'd our drinks. While overall, I still felt the meal was over priced for the amount of food served, the quality was excellent. The gnocchi was soft and pillowy and the browned butter truffle sauce was a star. Both the filet and sea bass were executed perfectly will definitely be back to try other items. read more

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Who charges extra $$$$$$$ for an olive and a martini in a martini glass? Ridiculous extra charges!!!!!! read more

I've been to all of the restaurants in Burlingame, but this one is the best. Great menu, well executed, friendly staff, nice crowd. Highly recommended. read more

Lovely , food delicous , great for family service was awesome.dessert was yummy we have a great time read more

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Would definitely recommend coming here! My family and I have come to eat here a few times now. I always look forward to their pasta. This time, I got their special - saffron risotto and short rib. It was really tasty! My dad got one of the chicken dishes and unfortunately didn't really eat it because it was too salty, but he was also full from all the appetizers we got too. However, my brother and I shared the pasta dish with pears, and it was absolutely incredible. The service was amazing, thank you to all the staff there who made the dinner great! Overall, we enjoyed our meal. read more

Stella - Risotto - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

Stella moved to a really nice space. It's beautiful inside. However, I think the food was even a little below average. Our table and another near us both had to send items back, now I want to set the stage for that and say I send back less than 2 items a year. It was bad. Couple what was mediocre food at best with a server who's language barrier and desire to move so quickly had him mess up multiple items (think no sauce on the kids pasta, or gosh the other was a gnocchi and instead we got something else that sounded like gnocchi) Just kind of a mess. Cocktails and wine were fine. Upstairs smelled of fish, which was of bad too. read more

I made a reservation on OpenTable and requested a quiet table for me and my wife so we could hear each other. We were first seated at the noisiest table in the place, next to the bar. We asked to be moved, and were seated in another room which was almost as noisy. It appears that they have no quiet spots. The staff and service are good. The food was good. The corkage fee is too high. Summary: If you like noisy places to eat with poor ambiance, this could be your thing. We will be looking for quieter places, or at least places with some quiet areas and a bit more ambiance. read more

We came for an early bird family dinner with kids, settling in before the crowds arrived. We ordered various drinks which were about $23 each. High pricing surprise. We shared appetizers and salads and then had a main course each. Polenta & Gorgonzola "Gratin" $19. Little pancake sized savory rounds, pan fried and topped with arugula. Rather tasty, a bit unique which was nice. Insalata Cesare $16. Classic with pancetta topping. Burrata Caprese $20. Nice bulb of fresh soft burrata with alternating slices of red and golden heirloom tomatoes. Personally a bit pricey for what it was. Lasagna Bolognese $30. About 4 layers high of tender beef and tomato sauce. While good it lacked a bit of herb flavor or distinctive quality to command the price tag. Short Ribs $38. I loved the creamy polenta that's served with this tender short rib. Only fault was that the meat was a bit dry (stringy) which was unfortunate. Scottadito di Agnello $48. My husband ordered the lamb chops and he raved that they were really good. I don't like the taste of it so didn't try. It was nicely presented though. The kids menu offered choices of pasta type and sauce. One chose spaghetti, the other penne but both wanted bolognese and a meat ball for about $20. Drinks for them were $5 each. Wow. Desserts- we tried a few. Tiramisu $12. Served in a small canning jar which made it harder to share but was very moist and light. Bread Pudding $12. Dense block, sweet. Personally I didn't like it but my husband loved it. Vanilla crème brûlée $12. Classic, nice caramelized shell on top. But not Italian which was a little disappointing given their efforts on all the Italian menu items. Chocolate lava cake $12 with vanilla. I didn't taste it but by the way the kids devoured it, must have been delish. The renovated restaurant was very romantic and pretty, amber tea lights and small outdoor patio strung with lights, beautiful star tiling even accented the restrooms. While it was nice, it wasn't exceptional which conflicted with the final total bill. read more

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Disappointed... I remember coming here years ago and the food was phenomenal. I always give the benefit of the doubt to restaurants and servers, but this last visit was subpar at best. read more

Loved the food and ambiance. Wait staff were pros and menu had some classic southern Italian dishes. Nice and well priced wines on offer and Italian sauces were spot on. Highly recommend Stella and felt price/value ratio excellent. We will be back read more

The cuisine at Stella is northern Italian, which means lots of cheese, cream, and butter. I came here with a group and enjoyed the following dishes: * Heirloom Burrata Caprese: The burrata was very fresh. * Caesar Salad: I usually don't like Ceasar Salad because most restaurants serve it with tasteless lettuce and goops of dressing, but their Caesar Salad was lightly dressed with flavorful aged Parmesan. * Rosemary Focaccia: It's crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. You can dip it in olive oil, but it is very flavorful as is. * Truffle Stuffed Gnocchi: The browned butter and sage sauce that comes with it is so aromatic that you just want to ask for extra bread to mop up that heart attack. * Fiocchi with Pear and Asiago Cheese: These cute pasta purses with pear and cheese is new to me. I like it a lot. The atmosphere is upscale and the food is very comforting. It can be for an intimate date or a very big corporate event. I came here with a medium group and had a good time. The staff did rush us a little bit (1 star off), even though the restaurant was not full and it was still early in the evening. read more

Great pastries and cakes, as always! Nice selection, and Excellent service too. Really enjoyed the apple turnover, tiramisu, sarapintina read more

Celebrated our anniversary here. We reserved online and requested a window table. I mentioned we were celebrating our anniversary. Table was unexpectedly decorated with red large confetti and a sweet note. Food was delicious Service warm and welcoming We had a wonderful time! read more

Stella - Risotto Cakes con Porcini Insalata with beets, arugula, and ricotta - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

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We asked for a booth but told we would need a reservation. We were seated in a dark table in the middle of the restaurant while there were many open booths. $17 for the Caesar salad which consisted mostly of the core of the iceberg lettuce. $32 for the lasagna which was completely burnt on the bottom and not edible. $42 for the Veal scaloppine which was average at best. Would NOT Recommend this restaurant! read more

This place was packed Friday night, most of the tables were reserved but the bar is open. We got there around 5pm when they opened and were able to get seated at a table as long as we finished before 7:30pm. The ambiance was nice with little lamps on each table. The food was great, my favorite was the mascarpone polenta and the truffle Yukon mashed potatoes. The desserts were average. The waitress came to wipe the table after every course. read more

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We have a dinner here for party of 6 people last Feb 7 2025 Friday nite made reservation to coz it's my bday. I'm telling you all patrons out there, do not eat here!!! I am so so upset coz mngr says to us we only have 8mins to stay at our table we're only there for like an hr, food came out in 35mins so not even done eating yet and mngr says 8mins on the table and we have to go coz they are people waiting in line . The other tables across , next to us weren't told to leave they were there before us! This manager is the worst or may be he is racist! To Asian people. I will not ever go bakc in this restaurant and this is the first time in my life eating in a restaurant saying you have 8mins on your table. I am so disappointed,upset that nite bcoz of him , did not even respect me on that dinner it my bday Mr. Mngr of Stella Have respect pls! read more

Spacious layout with some great dishes. I like how you came have a great meal and not spend a whole lot. I'd highly recommend the rigatoni. The pasta is cooked al dente and the sauce is full of flavor and the smoked pork gives it lots of depth. read more

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The risotto cake is one of the best appetizer I ever tried , I wish I had it in a sandwich as a patty with lettuce and pickles. Everything else about the meal was good too a little long wait for the food. Totally worth it. read more

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Celebrated Mother's Day with my sister and mom and was very disappointed. We only went there because my mom really wanted to go. Things that were good: - Service was great, everyone was friendly and knowledgeable - Cocktails were perfect and not too sweet - Parking was easy Things that were bad: - Prefixed menu with only 1 option for appetizer, 1 option for salad and 1 for dessert. Their salad had nuts and pears and I am allergic so asked if there was a house salad or plain salad, he double checked and came back with no other option. It would have been great to have 2 options to choose from - Prefixed menu was $89++ per person, the only thing you were able to select was your entree, I selected the Braised Short Rib Cannelloni and all I could taste was the white Bechamel sauce which was heavy and creamy yet bland and the texture was like baby food, a limp noodle stuffed with heavy cream and pureed meat (I could not even taste the meat) - All the food was super heavy and rich, yet no flavor. Vegetables would have been a great and elevated the meal. - Food was lukewarm - We asked for plain bread and was told no bread unless we ordered $8 focaccia. - Our tab was $500 for 3 of us and honestly I am mad about it. I defiantly am not giving it a 2nd chance. Not ONE dish was satisfying. I hate to say it but honestly Sizzlers would have been tastier and I would have been happier. read more

Food was great. Service was really good though at times the host appears snobby (not sure why). The accommodated my mom who could not take the stairs. The price is reasonable compared to the prices of other restaurants with lower quality food. We were celebrating a birthday. Most places give you a complementary desert but they gave us a 50% discount which was ok. read more

I'm hoping we went on an off-night, but unfortunately it was a Saturday. Lobster "escargot" was clearly frozen lobster - came out mushy and in mushed bits. My date's salad looked utterly sad, a pile of packaged romaine with a slice of bacon on top. Each of our pasta dishes was underwhelming, swimming in tomato sauce with a cheese so bland the dish would have been better without. Very disappointing, as the space is nice and reviews seem to generally good for Burlingame. read more

Had a business dinner here, we arrived a little early. The unfriendly "hallway monitor" would not let us sit at the bar and made us wait outside. We were not asking to order drinks, just wanted to sit down in the warm interior - oh well. She was probably the same person that said we need to be out within an hour when we made our reservations. When we were seated, everything was better, we got past the "hallway monitor"! Dinner was awesome four the four of us. Everything was homemade and fresh. The food came out quickly, our server was awesome, and the ambiance was impressive. We had the Spezzatino (beef stew) - falls apart very good; lasagna - Italian homemade; and Calabrese; and prawns. All super good and big portions. Desserts was so amazing - very creative. read more

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Food: GAMBERI ALL'AGLIO Diavola style - 5/5 Service: Nothing to rave about and nothing to complain about. Servers appear to be here just for a paycheck so manage your expectations - 3/5 Ambiance: Quiet, lackluster, low energy, sleepy, a little dead - 2/5 read more

If you're looking for a dining experience that'll leave you questioning your life choices, this place is it. The food was an absolute disaster--overcooked, underseasoned, and just plain sad. Don't like salt? Love pasta that has the texture of a sponge? Man, have I got the place for you! My dish tasted like it was boiled in regret and plated with zero effort. The service wasn't much better--our server acted like we were inconveniencing them by showing up. The whole experience screamed "we gave up years ago." Save your money and your taste buds--eat literally anywhere else. read more

3.5 Stars*** Came here for my birthday and thought it was just okay. Starting with the service, we thought it was pretty slow especially since it was a Tuesday and not too busy. We also got seated all the way in the back near the bathrooms and kitchen, which meant there were people constantly walking by and noise coming from the kitchen every time the doors opened. Our drinks took a while and the Rosemary Focaccia came out even slower. We thought the focaccia was just okay, as it was a bit dense for our liking. After seeing all of the reviews about the Truffle Stuffed Gnocchi, we knew we had to try it. It comes with ten pieces or you could ask for fifteen, pricing depends on market price of truffles. I'm glad we just got ten, as we thought the dish was average. While the sauce was good, the gnocchi itself didn't have a whole lot of flavor and barely had any stuffing. As for the Maiale con Pancetta E Aglio, roasted pork tenderloin with pancetta and beans we really liked all of the flavors. The dish was good, but some of the end pieces of the tenderloin were a bit over cooked and dry. read more

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Came here for a birthday dinner on a Tuesday night around 6pm. Reservations are highly recommended. Note that it is mostly street parking but we were able to find a parking spot in less than 10 minutes and it was good walking distance (~3-4 min walk). Food/Drinks we ordered: 1) Sparkling water - in hindsight, won't get this next time, as tap water is sufficient 2) Stella Marina - this was delicious, loved the raspberry and hibiscus flavor, kinda reminded me of a smoothie consistency, very sweet 3) Barrel Aged Old Fashioned - this was sooo smooth, great orangey scent 4) Carpaccio All' Albese - this dish is a bundle of arugula salad sitting atop a plate of VERY thinly sliced beef filet - and the beef is RAW. I actually enjoyed the beef a lot! Filet is super soft and creamy - almost melts in your mouth. The "beef taste" is very subtle and I actually had to try it by itself to really get a taste of it, b/c when I take a bite of everything together, all I taste is parmiagiano and arugula. 5) Gnocchi di Patate "Nonna Nilla" w/ Italian sausage and Porcini ragu - I've never had gnocchi before so I wanted to try this out, I'm quite surprised at how soft the actual pasta is - it was almost a little bit mushy? The taste is mostly from the ragu since the gnocchi itself didn't have much of a flavor. It filled me up for sure and I would like to come back to try the truffle stuffed gnocchi one day. 6) Lasagna Filetto Bolognese - meaty/carby/saucey mouthful of goodness 7) Vanilla Bean Crème Brulée - one of the more thicker caramelized sugar crusts I've had and it gave more texture, but that was the only thing to note, other than that, great dessert All in all, I had a great time, service was good, ambience is nice, I would definitely love to come back to try out the other things on their menu. read more

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I went with a girlfriend for dinner, and the experience was wonderful. The restaurant is huge, with ample outdoor seating. It's very clean and modern vibes. We both ordered the lamb and it was delicious! I don't usually eat lamb, but really enjoyed this meal. We also ordered brussel sprouts on the side. Our service was really friendly and attentive. All and all, great restaurant! read more

Stella - Brussel Sprouts - Italian Near Me - Burlingame, California

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The truffle gnocchi is to die for, great date night spot in Burlingame. Staff is very nice. We'll definitely be visiting back again soon.

this is an update to my review bellow. The charge of the $12 for the Birthday Dessert was actually subtracted at the end of the bill so they posted the charge and further down they subtracted it. my mistake. I am changing my rating from 2 stars to 4 stars. Two weeks ago we and our friends went for dinner at Stella celebrating 2 birthdays and an anniversary. We made reservations a day before and informed them to the occasion. As far as the dinner is concerned the main dishes were very good but the Cesar salad was not as I expected. I would have given Stella 4 stars but they really blew it when it came to the bill. Without looking at the details I signed the bill which came to over $200 for the 4 of us. When I came home, the following day I looked at the bill and to my surprise I saw that Stella charged us $12 for a "birthday dessert ". We didn't ordered it and when it came we assumed that it was a complementary dessert that restaurants usually serve for special occasion( besides it wasn't good at all). Stella should have informed us that they will charge for the desert even though it was not ordered. That is the reason I am giving Stella only 2 stars. For you future customers a warning, watch extra charges on your bills. In my case, they made $12 but lost 4 customers . read more

We had a lovely risotto, lasagna and love the gnocchi appetizer with rosemary focaccia, great service.. good space.. just what we needed for our lunch today read more

Risotto Cakes con Porcini -- delicious appetizer, it was seasoned well, would get this again. Truffle Stuffed Gnocchi -- gnocchi was chewy and soft, saltiness was just right, I would prefer a creamy sauce but not too bad. Risotto of the Day -- risotto was paired with shrimp, flavor was with truffle. Osso Buco di Vitello -- delicious dish, the polenta was buttery and nicely paired with a tomato based sauced veal, veal was very tender. Cannelloni Della Casa -- best dish! delicious and flavorful, spinach and ricotta were paired nicely! Matteo's Tiramisu Tradizionale -- not too sweet, was chilled nicely, coffee flavor was prominent. Bourbon Bread Pudding -- delicious! warm pudding paired with the creme anglaise, was a great dessert to end the meal. French 75 -- very refreshing and bubbly , prominent lemon flavor. Overall ambience is nice, waiters are quick, nice and very perceptive if you need anything! read more

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We had such a lovely dinner! Thanks Bella, for taking care of us! You recommendations made our dining experience enjoyable read more

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Food was excellent, with great truffle stuffed gnocchi appetizers and delicious lasagna for a main. But, on a very chilly January evening the patio seats we were given were too cold. While there are limited heaters to help, the restaurant should not have seated us in such a space. The group was pretty frozen at the end of the night. If I were ever to come again on a cold night I would only eat there if I could be seated inside. read more

We had dinner here last night and the food is fantastic! We split a Caesar salad which was very good. I had the short ribs and hubby had the veal piccata. Both were excellent. The service was prompt but I will say that the waiter was not very friendly. The place itself is pretty and they have a beautiful outdoor patio in the back. We will definitely be back and we may use this restaurant for an upcoming 95th birthday party in January as they have private rooms. I just hope we get friendlier wait staff. read more