October 16, 2012
Aldo’s Ristorante & Bar in Los Gatos offers exceptional food, service and ambiance. Last night I had the pleasure of dining there with my husband and uncle, and our experience was so positive that I wanted to say a few words about it to my readers.
From the moment we got to the door of Aldo’s, we had amazing service from friendly employees. The staff was always nearby to help, but never intrusive or pushy. We felt welcome to take our time but were never left waiting long periods for anything, from being seated to getting our appetizer, main course, coffee or the bill. (It seemed that there was a wonderfully high ratio of employees to patrons.) I do not think the service could have been improved in any way – it was absolutely ideal.
The menu is huge! In addition to a large array of choices (my uncle joked, “I’ll have one of each”), there was also an insert with the specials. We enjoyed a nice plate of breaded and fried calamari for an appetizer, and it was cooked to perfection, not greasy, but warm and just crispy enough. There were good wine choices available also. Jim and my uncle ordered pasta dishes and I had a chicken with artichoke dinner – all fabulous.
The decor is open and light with a good amount of space between tables, so patrons do not feel crowded. Terra cotta floors and nice artwork on light colored walls makes for a sense of visiting some Mediterranean place, but you know you’re in California as there’s a Sharks logo tucked into a niche (and in our case, a Giants game was playing on several televisions by the bar).
For Italian food lovers with mobility challenges, it should be noted that Aldo’s is very handicap accessible.
One more plus to mention: they take reservations, even for small parties. When I phoned earlier yesterday, the call was answered with “Buon Giorno!”
If you love Italian food, Aldo’s needs to be on your bucket list of must-visit restaurants in Silicon Valley. Located in the Vasona Station shopping center at Winchester & Knowles, this restaurant is easy to reach (not too far from Hwy 880/17) from anywhere in the west valley or San Jose area, and parking is a breeze, something seldom said about eateries in downtown Los Gatos. (That said, Aldo’s also has a cafe in downtown Los Gatos on N. Santa Cruz near Los Gatos-Saratoga Road. I have enjoyed lunch there many, many times and can recommend it also. For info, see http://www.aldoscafe.com/)
Aldo’s Ristorante & Bar
http://www.aldos-ristorante.com/
14108 Winchester Boulevard, Los Gatos CA 95030
408 374-1808
Check out the menus:
http://www.aldos-ristorante.com/menu.html
(Please note: as always, this is not a paid blog post, and in fact is one written without Aldo’s prior knowledge. I have never actually met Aldo, but hopefully will on our next visit. Positive reviews on this and other sites of mine are simply the result of my own good experience at the various businesses I write about. I hope you find this review helpful.)
