A good place to have authentic Pizza or other Italian dishes when out shopping or sightseeing in Santana Row and are in the mood for some Italian food.
The ambience is casual and one can sit inside or by the kerbside.
The pizzas were thin crust and wood fired, just the way I like it.
The salad was typical Italian and tasty.
One can park in one of the parking lots nearby, so no problem.
Rest rooms are clean and spacious.
And yes, minimum gratuity is 20%
This business is situated in a prime shopping district, and it's worth noting that there are numerous parking garages in the vicinity where you can conveniently park and then reach the establishment on foot. We were truly captivated by the exquisite interior decorations, and the staff exhibited exceptional professionalism and friendliness. Our appetizer was simply delightful, and the spaghetti surpassed all expectations with its phenomenal taste. However, we were slightly disappointed with the pizza as the mushrooms seemed to be of the ordinary variety that one can find in a can. Typically, when we order pizza from a high-end establishment, we anticipate a higher quality of mushrooms. Nevertheless, everything else was commendable, but the pizza failed to leave a lasting impression.
Wait time was an hour during dinner time. Heirloom potato pizza is famous here and has unique taste. Manhattan cocktail was on point. They add 20% service charge for any order, which was not expected.
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Had dinner here Saturday night. We waited 30 minutes for a table for two. No problem. There was live music in front of the Blue Bottle and Santana Row makes for good people watching on Halloween. We got a text when the table was ready, showed up, were greeted, and were led to the seating area outside. We got a table on the south end of the stretch. It was chilly out and the gas patio heaters were on a little too high. Our waiter visited us at an appropriate frequency.
Ordered the fennel sausage pizza and gnocchi. Both came out in 15-20 minutes. Pizza was the right temp and had soft & fluffy dough texture, melted & solidifying cheese, and the strong portobello taste. It was sliced so that you could just barely pull it apart with the rest of the pizza staying in place. The gnocchi came out like little tubes of sausages. I expected them to be more pebble-like. The arugula, flakes of some unidentified cheese, and the tomato cream sauce made for a flavorful dish.
When we were seated, the hostess warned us about a 20% service charge. It was a line item on the check. Was this supposed to count as a tip? Seemed kind of steep to tip on top of 20%. Line-item total was $47 ($23 pizza, $19 gnocchi, $5 soft drink) and the total pre-tip came out to $63. I ended up tipping ~10% on top of it. I used to work in a restaurant and care about worker welfare in general, but I have a sneaking suspicion that the service fee was not going to the staff.
It was my first time here and Pizza Antica put on a strong showing for service, atmosphere, décor, and food quality. Minus one point for the 20% service fee. Let’s pay our service people the right way. (Also tempted to subtract a half point for the lack of Halloween costumes.)
The heirloom potato pizza was delish. But as is any dish with truffle oil, the truffle smell was overpowering.
An advice to anyone who goes there on a weekend, get on the wait-list at least an hour before your dinner time. We had a 45 min wait on a Saturday. Although, that's almost common with most restaurants around Santana Row and Valley Fair.
Also, a tip of 20% was already included in the bill but we were made aware of that while being seated.
Been going to Pizza Antica for ~4 years and like their food esp. its famed fried chicken and all the pizzas on the menu. But recent addition of 20% service charge feels expensive and I prefer tipping based on the quality of service I get, not pre-paid or included. Doesn’t feel the right way.
Another one of our pizza favorite. We love heirloom potato and margherita pizza. Arancini balls are alright. Note to self - skip the cocktails! 20% tip/surcharge automatically added to bill.
Nice place both in and outside. Food OK but automatically charged 20% + 2% SJ mandate is too much. Good Bye 👋 Pizza Antica.
Overall, it was a good experience. The service was attentive, and the food was enjoyable. The ambiance was pleasant, creating a nice atmosphere for dining. The Margherita pizza was a delightful combination of fresh tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella, while the Di Stefano burrata was creamy perfection.🍕😋🇮🇹
I really loved it because you were so kind and your food were perfect. I wanna go there if I go to USA again.
If someone says "Where is your favorite restaurant?"
Then I might say this restaurant.😃😃
I really cherish your restaurant!!
I I wholeheartedly recommend this restaurant to tourists or local!!
Have a nice day👏👏
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