O.C. Dining
Highly rated in the noted Zagat Guide for several years, Antonello Ristorante has earned a sterling reputation for having served luminaries the world over including presidents, foreign dignitaries, movie stars, entertainers, industrialists and other leaders. Proprietor Antonio Cagnolo is a multiple winner of the Golden Scepter Award and Circle of Fame Awards, two of the most prestigious honors a restaurateur can receive. In addition, his devotion and time-honored commitment to charitable concerns have been recognized numerous times.

Zagat Guide
"Every aspect is amazing" swear acolytes of this South Coast Village venue where "excellent" "haute Italian" fare is served by a "friendly" yet "discreet" staff in the "warm, intimate glow" of a "romantic" (if ersatz) palazzo interior; naysayers jeer that it's "pretentious" and "overpriced", but longtime loyalists anoint it "the real thing", particularly for "expense-account" meals.

AAA Four Diamond Award
"The AAA Four Diamond status represents a profound effort and extraordinary accomplishment by a hotel or restaurant. It’s a demonstration of the hotel or restaurant’s ability to perform grand and small gestures with superior service and high quality," said the Auto Club’s Approved Accommodations Manager Clarence Garlough. "More than 44 million AAA members and the public depend on the Diamond ratings in the AAA TourBooks® to help them with their travel decisions. This award signifies that a property has met AAA’s objective rating criteria and met levels of excellence during an extensive unannounced inspection. This year’s crop of Four Diamond properties reflect a high degree of hospitality and attention to detail."

Peter J. Gillen
Rated the top Italian restaurant in Orange County for the past several years this fine restaurant located near the South Coast Plaza is a definite "must try". I recently visited this establishment for the first time and I was immediately impressed with level of service and the quality of the food. Look for an in-depth review in the near future. I am looking forward to my next visit. This restaurant will probably be my number one pick for Southern California.

Peacock Suites
Since 1979 Antonello Ristorante has been taking diners on a journey to the Old World with its extensive menu of extraordinary Italian cuisine and vast wine list. The critically acclaimed restaurant features a delicious menu of antipastos, soups, salads and pasta dinners as well as a variety of exceptional fish, veal, chicken and beef entrees. The Zagat Guide boasts "OC's best" Italian! "Impeccable service," "...authentic" cuisine matched with "one of the best wine lists around." "...consistently flawless," and "...it's worth the drive from L.A."

My Orange County
Antonello is the power-lunch location in Santa Ana. Great food, atmosphere and service. Traditional northern Italian cuisine, romantic Italian setting. Chefs can prepare almost any request not found on the menu. Veal chop is one of most popular items. Ravioli Mama Pina, veal-stuffed ravioli, is another. Zagat’s calls the place a classic.

L.A. Dining
Since 1979 Antonello Ristorante has been taking diners on a journey to the Old World with its extensive menu of extraordinary Italian cuisine and vast wine list. The critically acclaimed restaurant features a delicious menu of antipastos, soups, salads and pasta dinners as well as a variety of exceptional fish, veal, chicken and beef entrees. The Zagat Guide boasts "OC's best" Italian! "Impeccable service," "...authentic" cuisine matched with "one of the best wine lists around." "...consistently flawless," and "...it's worth the drive from L.A

Orange County Metro
Antonio Cagnolo of Antonello Ristorante (Italian cuisine) loves beauty, elegance and fine food. Walking into his 10,000-square-foot restaurant in South Coast Plaza Village in Santa Ana is like visiting an artistic village in Italy, with its rustic wood and beveled glass door, entryway with plump cushioned seats, and dining room, modeled after a northern Italian town.

Since 1979, the restaurant has doubled in size. Cagnolo has also helped design the eight private rooms with hand-painted walls, floral tapestry, marble tables and wide-planed floors.

The food at Antonello is prepared by Executive Chef Franco Barone, who has led the kitchen for 12 years. The simple, elegant Northern Italian dishes have high-quality ingredients such as fresh herbs. The veal, fish and salads are especially popular. Barone is so well-liked by Antonello regulars that they sometimes give him ovations.

Barone is one of many people at Antonello who enjoys his work. The hosts, managers, waiters, even the sommelier, Steve Ebol, help create a feeling of joie de vivre. And Cagnolo, with his gracious manner, is interested in all the details. At Antonello Ristorante, you feel as though you've arrived, that you're in a happening place.

Creating a warm, inviting restaurant takes constant work, according to Thad Foret, Antonello's general manager. "During difficult times, such as the present," he says, "we keep our staff and fine tune the place. We look at our infrastructure, and figure out how we can perform better in all areas." Foret explains that the restaurant's policy is to provide customers with specially prepared dishes, favorite tables, servers and wines. He adds, "As Orange County becomes more diversified, we are providing people with a broader and more creative range of dishes."

Cagnolo learned how to cook from his mama Pina (she continues to influence Antonello's menu). He worked in restaurants in Italy from age 11, later worked at the Hotel de Paris in Monte Carlo, on cruise ships and in Orange County restaurants. He has loved fine food and the restaurant business for as long as he can remember. He prepared for years to open his own restaurant in America, loves being here, and says he plans to own Antonello Ristorante for the rest of his life.

Wyndham's Hotels
Antonello Ristorante - While upscale South Coast Plaza Village boasts several superb restaurants, a few manage to separate themselves out. This cozy eatery is one such place, thanks to its sublime Northern Italian menu. You'll find a variety of veal, chicken, and fish entrees, but red meat dishes really turn heads. They incorporate imported Piedmontese beef, and the Filetto al Piatto, prepared with lemons in a clay pot, is a favorite. Ideal for first dates and celebrating big events, the manor-like restaurant boasts walls adorned with hanging vines, fine art, and hand-painted frescoes. Reservations are a must.