Location: Fairfax
Top Restaurants in Fairfax
Top Things to do in Fairfax
Best Italian food near Fairfax, California, United States
Find out what Italian restaurants to try in Fairfax. Fairfax is an incorporated town in Marin County, California, United States. Fairfax is located 3.25 miles (5.2 km) west-northwest of San Rafael, at an elevation of 115 feet (35 m). The population is 7,441 at the 2010 census. Fairfax is the only town in America that holds a Green Party majority in the town council.
Things to do in Fairfax
10. Cucina Restaurant and Wine Bar
Overall Ratings
4 based on 56 reviews
Reviewed By Russ855
This has been our favorite restaurant in San Anselmo for years due to its quality, friendliness and general atmosphere. The Marin dining scene is rapidly changing with newer places to challenge the old. Cucina recently expanded to incorporate the storefront next door to now include a full bar with seating. The bulk of the dining area remains the same. The good news is that it now has a full bar which can serve cocktails as opposed to wine only. That is a big plus. By the crowds we saw this weekend it is a popular, happening spot for San Anselmo. This is our first visit since the recent expansion so we should not judge it on this one dining experience. The young hostess seemed unsure of herself and not as friendly as the woman who once greeted you in the restaurant. It was a mass of people to walk through and quite loud in the bar. Nothing much has changed in the dining room, including the waitstaff. The menu seemed mostly the same but perhaps a bit longer. I do not recall seeing mahi mahi and steak on the menu previously. There are still the favorites such as the brussel sprout chips. It was nice to get a martini now, but they were a tad skimpy on the olive(s). The beet and arugula salad was heavily dressed, wilted and with only a few slices of flavorless beets. It was not my favorite. The bruschetta was good and garlicky as usual. The butternut squash and sage ravioli was the same. My rigatoni was sort of soupy and not my favorite. I was never offered parmesan cheese which seemed odd. There was just a different vibe this time. The service was perfunctory where it had always felt inviting before. There were no longer little touches like little candles (the table next to us actually requested one). The owner made the rounds to check on diners and simply skipped our table. Most uncomfortable was the hot, humid interior which fogged up the windows and left every surface clammy. Halfway through dinner they turned on the AC which made an enormous difference. I am not sure what is going on with their climate control. There was nothing wrong with dinner which passed very quickly. There was no lounging about (perhaps because we had cocktails and not wine). All in all, this was not an impressive meal. However, since we have always loved the restaurant, and there can be off nights, we will try it again. I hope the expansion has not changed it.
9. Servino Ristorante Italiano
Overall Ratings
4 based on 225 reviews
Amazing terrace for the summer, with the best view of Tiburon! Inspired by the warm hospitality and the culinary delights of Southern Italy, this family-owned restaurant specializes in authentic Italian food made with fresh, organic, local ingredients. Lo
Reviewed By Passenger616304
Food was good and priced fairly. Service was excellent and we were there on a Sunday night in April. Location lends itself to going for a walk after your meal or perhaps some shopping prior. Lot's of other choices in the area as well if your winging it last minute and trying to find a spot. We were winging it and called ahead a few hours earlier when we knew we would be in the area during dinner time. I want to put in a bunch of descriptive words here but bottom line is we were from far away and yet felt very comfortable here, like we'd been here before. The staff are part of that but it is more and a combination of all the things people are normally looking for. Hi There - Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience and leave us a review. We are glad you enjoyed your experience and that our staff made you feel welcome and comfortable. We will share your kind words with the team. Looking forward to welcoming you again!
8. Pizzalina
Overall Ratings
4 based on 34 reviews
Reviewed By rthau
Small place in a shopping center. BUT, the food is great and the service friendly and prompt. Pleasantly surprised at the quality and tastiness of the food. Small bonus is the frozen yogurt place next door for dessert.
7. Mauros Pasta
Overall Ratings
4 based on 11 reviews
Reviewed By MarinCountyRealtor
I love this place for picking up pizza for a family of five. I think the very large slices are $3.50 each and I cut those in half when I get home. The pre-cook everything so it's a quick stop and they'll either heat it or I can heat it later at home. The breadsticks are everyone's favorite. They offer many pasta dishes ready to go- lasagna and many other choices. Everything we've had has been good. I find it to be affordable for take out as we can split one of the pasta dishes between two of us and the pizza slices are big!
6. Deer Park Villa
Overall Ratings
4 based on 20 reviews
Reviewed By MZNelson
This location is tucked away within the redwoods and couldn't be a more romantic place. Loved the atmosphere and that there is plenty of parking, which is huge in Fairfax! My entrée was good, the appetizer was excellent and I plan on going back very soon. Highly recommend for parties and for a nice romantic dinner.
5. Cafe Arrivederci
Overall Ratings
4 based on 174 reviews
Reviewed By Mark H
This is NOT a trendy Italian restaurant for high tone foodies. This is a traditional Italian American restaurant with big flavors and loyal customers playing cards on a sunny afternoon. I enjoyed lunch with a friend. She had the special, sautéed chicken in a cream sauce with pasta and artichokes, more of an American version than Italian, that she really loved. I order the gnocchis in a "pink" sauce (also more American than Italian) and throughly enjoyed them. House made, the gnocchis were light and flavorful, much superior to the doughy, rubbery verities often found in neighborhood restaurants. Service was a tad on the slow side to start, we were forgotten on terrace until my friend retrieved the waiter, but then improved. The terrace, although off a busy street, proved to be a nice spot for al fresco dinning. Boun appetito!
4. Fradelizio's Ristorante
Overall Ratings
4 based on 59 reviews
Reviewed By Esty666
This was such an amazing find! We had taken a day trip from our RV Park in Olema to San Francisco, and on the way back were looking for a place for dinner. Fairfax, as we were passing through, seemed a good choice. We parked right on the main drag and looked, and fortunately decided on Fradelizio's, asw both like Italian food. Hit paydirt there, really the jackpot! The interior decor is not surprisingly Italy-themed, but not in any lurid way, but unpretentiously low key; however, the linen tablecloth and white linen napkin sort of dining without being pompous at all We were seated at the window, and the manager - owner ? - came to greet us personally as he did with all the arriving guests. Many seemed to be regulars. Our food arrived promptly and both my husband and I were absolutely thrilled with our dinner - tasty, superbly prepared dishes with fresh ingredients, deliciously cooked ... quality food with great flavor and cooked just right - decent portions and fair prices as well. I can recommend this restaurant most highly! Would definitely be my first choice if in the area again.
3. Valenti & Co
Overall Ratings
4 based on 109 reviews
Farm-fresh authentic Northern Italian restaurant from chef Duilio Valenti and his family. Freshness is what it's all about here and chef Valenti makes extensive use of local and Italian products, and even grows several of his own herbs, vegetables and fru
Reviewed By casjf
I went here for a birthday dinner and really enjoyed myself. The waitstaff is very professional and the food is delicious. I'm really tired of high fat "comfort" food being the norm at many restaurants. The focus here is on high quality ingredients and emphasizing the flavors of those ingredients rather than smothering everything in cheese, cream or oil.My husband chose to make a dinner of appetizers and had the smoked trout, the anchovy salad, and a half order of the rabbit pappardelle. He thought they were all delicious. I especially liked the rabbit pappardelle since it was a chilly winter night. For my main I had the black spaghetti alla chitarra, with Maine diver scallops, San Marzano tomatoes, and chile pepper and enjoyed it thoroughly. Portions are generous so I had enough left over to take home for lunch the next day.It's tough to pick a wine that will go with both rabbit and scallops, but our waiter successfully paired a teroldego, a northern Italian varietal, with our meal. Interestingly, the wine came from a northern California winery called West of Temperance in Santa Rosa which specializes in Italian varietals. I enjoyed the wine so much I plan to visit the winery!I tried the Milanese style saffron panna cotta for dessert. It was a lovely texture but I wouldn't recommend it unless you also like flan. The 20 year tawny port we ordered to go with it was delicious and a good value for the price.Thank you so much for the review! We're glad we could be apart of your birthday celebration! You really hit the nail on the head when you said, "The focus here is on high-quality ingredients." Choosing fresh, local ingredients for our dishes makes them so much more delicious! Thanks again for stopping by!
2. Sorella Cafe
Overall Ratings
4 based on 85 reviews
Reviewed By Pmank285
We dined here as a celebration - 10 people at our table. The staff at Sorella were fantastic! The food was delicious - I enjoyed a special fish dish that had an amazing presentation. This is not just Italian food - everything was prepared fresh and was on point! Amazing service for such a large group - the staff teams up to provide the best service possible.
1. Servino Ristorante Italiano
Overall Ratings
4 based on 225 reviews
Amazing terrace for the summer, with the best view of Tiburon! Inspired by the warm hospitality and the culinary delights of Southern Italy, this family-owned restaurant specializes in authentic Italian food made with fresh, organic, local ingredients. Lo
Reviewed By Passenger616304
Food was good and priced fairly. Service was excellent and we were there on a Sunday night in April. Location lends itself to going for a walk after your meal or perhaps some shopping prior. Lot's of other choices in the area as well if your winging it last minute and trying to find a spot. We were winging it and called ahead a few hours earlier when we knew we would be in the area during dinner time. I want to put in a bunch of descriptive words here but bottom line is we were from far away and yet felt very comfortable here, like we'd been here before. The staff are part of that but it is more and a combination of all the things people are normally looking for. Hi There - Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience and leave us a review. We are glad you enjoyed your experience and that our staff made you feel welcome and comfortable. We will share your kind words with the team. Looking forward to welcoming you again!
