Vespucci Ristorante Italiano — Restaurant in San Mateo

We are new visitors in San Mateo, CA, and had a very pleasant dining experience at Vespucci Ristorante Italiano last evening. Francesco and Manuela greeted us in person once we entered the very elegant, warm, and very beautiful décor of the restaurant. My two friends (out of the four of us) had just returned from Italy for a vacation, and they were reminded of all the fond memories of eating out in Italy. I have not been to Italy, and I definitely felt an urge to visit Italy someday.

The menu is very appealing and well described. Most importantly, the items we chose were well-prepared, and proven as superb quality. The Bruschetta alla Vespucci was so refreshing. It was the first time I experience the very high quality of olive oil they use. I can taste the freshness of the sea on the Carpaccio di salmone. This dish is very challenging to get satisfying outcome. I love it. My friend claimed that she had the best Minestrone con verdure. Well, I assumed this must have involved a lot of thought and experience in the process of preparing it - the right broth, fresh ingredients, and etc. The Ravioli Ricotta E Spinaci and the Fusilli alla Genovese tasted just right as if you were enjoying the best home cook meal in Italy. Of course, I definitely cannot emphasize enough about the Lasagna!!! I do not think I can achieve this level of cooking in my life time. I thought we were done enjoying the fine dining. But, there was more, we had Tiramisu and Torta Nonna. Even though we were conscious on sweets but could not help cleaning the plate, down to the last drop of the whip cream and sauce.

The owner came over and shared his experience of eating out in Italy, while we kept wondering how they prepare the food so good. The exchange of conversation made me believe that he must have put so much thoughts with heart, and effort to make this restaurant stands out among others. Most of all, he cares for his customer to have a wonderful dining experience. He has definitely achieved that!

Thank you Vespucci Ristorante Italiano – Salute to the Chef. You...

I don't know why people are sleeping on this Italian restaurant. I was told that the food were family recipes from Italy, with quality ingredients (no antibiotics, chemicals, etc.) They aren't lying. It shows. Hands down, it is added among my TOP THREE of the best Italian restaurants in the Bay Area in terms of food, service, and quality dishes.

Fantastic food from beginning to end, especially the Insalada Mista, Malfalde alla Genovese, Veal Scalopini, Spumoni, and Torta Della Nonna. The Insalada Mista was incredibly balanced with complex flavors, a symphony of sweet, sout, richness, and fruity notes that is almost complex as the finest wine. The Malfade is top-tier, every bite as divine as the last, while the handmade pasta texture gently kisses your tongue with meaty flavor. The Veal Scalopini was a melange of velvet texture, balanced rich sauce, and an unbelievable flavor.

As for dessert, the Torta Alla Nonna and Spumoni is a perfect blend of flavors and sweetness. I've always been wary of American or European desserts, but the incredible attention to detail on the desserts is a masterclass of flavor, sweetness, and texture. I never EVER make a sound whenever I eat, but these desserts made me moan embarrassingly loud in the dining room. If I could, I would demand everyone to try all the desserts.

The service was excellent, and Manuela went of out her way to know our names and asked about the service quality. It is clear that she is passionate about the restaurant and the food she serves. The atmosphere and setting is old world, almost like a home restaurant found in a quiet, warm-lit, alley in Italy. If you want a quiet, gentle, even romantic evening, this is the place to do it.

You won't regret this hidden Italian gem in San Mateo. Grab a table before people start discovering this excellent benchmark of Italian cuisine! I will be coming back,...

I rated 4 stars for the hospitality and service of the host (the charming and nice lady). She was such a welcoming and friendly host that made me absolutely pleasant. The servers though, I'm not sure what was going on that day that stressed them out or it was because I was a lone Asian chick (my Western friend came in later and it kinda changed the situation), but they were not attentive and their attitude to me specifically were so depressing as if they were forced and tired to do their jobs. The atmosphere of the restaurant is pretty cozy and has an Italian feel to it, which I appreciate. There are a lot of interesting dishes on the menu that I'd want to try but as we were in a rush to be at Create Mix & Mingle in 40mins, we had to settle and do everything fast. My friend got the classical bolognese rigatoni ($22), which he craved to be very good (I won't necessarily count on his opinion though as he's one of the easiest eater on earth). I got the seafood squid ink pasta. The idea was cool, the presentation of the dish also looked good, but I personally was not impressed with the taste. The pasta was undercooked and tasted nothing special/different from regular pasta. The pasta sauce was quite plain and not flavorful. The only good thing about the dish was the plentifulness of seafood. For $30, I think they can do...