La Locanda — Restaurant in San Luis Obispo

It was my daughter's birthday and she chose La Locanda for dinner. We had never heard of the place as we're from out of town so we had no expectations. But wow, were we impressed! It is a quaint restaurant with a very "fancy" feel. Inside, the lights were slightly dimmed and the tables were crowded enough to feel cozy but far apart enough to enjoy your company. They were booked for inside the restaurant but we chose to eat out on the patio. It was chilly but they had heaters going . String lights were hung for ambiance. The service was fantastic and we enjoyed the conversations we had with our servers. Their drinks were limited (no soda) but what they offered, wine, tea, and maybe some other drinks (I wasn't paying attention to that portion), were all refreshing. This is the type of restaurant that you bring a date to or a few good friends to impress. They provided bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We ordered prosciutto with melon as an appetizer, ravioli, lasagna, linguine, another plate, and a couple desserts. Each plate was displayed with pride from the chef! They were so beautifully served and the taste was perfect! This was true authentic Italian food filled with so much flavor. Even my 9 year old (who still prefers simple over flavorful) ate every morsel on his plate! The appetizer was refreshing and not something we expected. The clams and shrimp in my linguine were perfectly cooked 🤌 All the seasonings were done so perfectly well that every bite was heaven. You could tell that every single thing was made fresh in the kitchen. Even the desserts were amazing. We ordered neopolitan gelato and tiramisu. Normally, I wouldn't care for these but it was what my daughter and husband ordered. The gelato was served with a candle on top so that we could sing happy birthday to my baby girl 💕 Again, though, each plate was displayed with so much pride from the chef and every bite was leaving you wanting for more. I couldn't believe how delicious both desserts were. I normally don't order desserts while we're out because I tend to think they're too rich and I won't eat anything besides a spoonful. Not here. They were both so delicious and perfectly made. Their tiramisu 🤌💋 We will definitely come back and have already suggested them to our extended family. Perfect Italian dinner experience! But most important to us was that my daughter left happy with her time there and they made her feel celebrated on her bday. Could not...

I recently returned from my second honeymoon in Italy, so it seemed fitting to take my wife to this restaurant, hoping to relive some of those flavors. However, our experience was far from what we expected.

From the start, the server made us feel unwelcome, almost as if we didn’t belong or weren’t “classy enough.” Regardless, I stayed because I wanted my wife to enjoy her meal, and I didn’t want to judge the situation too quickly. In hindsight, the server’s behavior was not kind at all.

I’ll admit that we didn’t have a reservation, but I was surprised when we were seated at a table by the back door, which felt like an afterthought. The table was plastic, the chairs were mismatched, and it just didn’t fit the ambiance of the rest of the establishment. To make things worse, a constant breeze came through the back door, making our seating even more uncomfortable. Despite asking if we could move, we were told there were no other options. However, throughout our hour and a half stay, during which we waited an unusually long time for our food, only one other couple arrived, leaving several empty tables unused.

I really wanted to give the server the benefit of the doubt, but after reflecting on it, I am genuinely concerned about how we were treated. I can’t help but wonder if it was because we are in our mid-twenties or because I was the only person of color in the restaurant. I would hate to think this was the reason, but the options for why this occurred feel limited. The restaurant claims to be LGBTQ-friendly, but it didn’t feel friendly towards young people of color.

Despite the unfortunate service, I will say the food was authentic and really good. I only wish the experience matched the quality...

I wish I had taken a photo of the fantastic meal I had. I walked in off the street not long before the kitchen would stop taking orders. I had a difficult day and had planned on making pasta for dinner that night, but was too tired to cook anymore. The waiter asked me a few simple questions, and made his suggestions of starting with a simple beet salad followed by freshly made lasagna with cream sauce and fresh chanterelle mushrooms acquired by the chef that morning. For dessert I had a lovely poached pair in reduced port wine accompanied with homemade raspberry sorbet. I greatly appreciated the hospitality and warmness of the environment. The waiter was very understanding that I don't drink alcohol and didn't treat me like I was lesser for it - but instead offered me a San Pellegrino. I will be inviting friends and family to come with me...