Postino has been a Lafayette institution since 1992, housed in a charming Carr Jones-designed historic building in the heart of downtown. The restaurant celebrates Italian-influenced California cuisine, with a focus on fresh, seasonal ingredients and housemade pastas. With over 1,100 reviews and consistently high ratings, it remains one of Lamorinda’s most beloved dining destinations.
What to Expect
The atmosphere is white-tablecloth elegant without being stuffy — warm lighting, exposed brick, and that unmistakable hum of a neighborhood institution. It’s the kind of place you go for anniversaries, birthdays, or when you want to impress out-of-town guests. The bar area offers a slightly more casual vibe if you prefer.
Both indoor and outdoor patio seating are available, with the patio being particularly lovely on warm evenings.
Recommended Dishes
- Housemade Pastas — The kitchen excels here; don’t skip them
- Seasonal Risotto — Changes regularly, always excellent
- Osso Buco — Rich, falling-off-the-bone, and perfectly braised
- Antipasti Selection — Great for sharing to start
Lunch at Postino
A more recent addition, lunch service offers a lighter take on the dinner menu — perfect for a civilized midday meal in downtown Lafayette. Same quality, slightly quicker pace.
Late March Tip
The patio at Postino is at its best right now. Late March brings those perfect California afternoons — warm but not hot, golden light filtering through, and the downtown Lafayette sidewalk scene coming alive after winter’s quieter months. Request outdoor seating when you book. For lunch especially, the patio transforms a nice meal into a memorable one.
Good to Know
- Reservations strongly recommended, especially weekends
- Delivery & Takeout available via their website
- Valet parking available
- Full bar with excellent Italian wine selection
- Private dining room for events and celebrations
- Catering available for special occasions
Local Lore: The Carr Jones Building
The charming building housing Postino is a piece of local architectural history. It’s a Carr Jones design — Jones was a local architect known for his Spanish Revival and storybook style homes throughout the East Bay in the 1920s-30s. His residential designs in Oakland, Piedmont, and Berkeley are highly sought-after today.
This downtown Lafayette building showcases his signature touches: warm stucco, exposed brick, intimate scale, and that hard-to-define quality of feeling both elegant and approachable. When Postino opened in 1992, they weren’t just opening a restaurant — they were becoming stewards of a piece of Lafayette’s architectural heritage.
The marriage of California-Italian cuisine with a Carr Jones interior isn’t accidental. Both share a philosophy: quality materials, attention to detail, and timelessness over trendiness. After 30+ years, both the building and the restaurant have aged beautifully together.