Mario's Place

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Old-World Italian, Rooted in Riverside

On Mission Inn Avenue, directly across from Riverside's landmark historic hotel, Mario's Place has built a reputation as the Inland Empire's standard-bearer for refined Italian dining. Owner Leone Palagi brings what the restaurant describes as "old-world Italian charm" to an elegant room with a jazz flair — a combination that earned it Wine Spectator's Best of Award of Excellence, a distinction reserved for wine programs that go well beyond the expected.

The Kitchen's Approach

The Italian cuisine here draws on specific, traceable ingredients rather than generic tradition. Burrata comes from DiStefano in Pomona, made by Mimo diBruno from Puglia-style mozzarella curd and cream. Risotto is made from Carnaroli rice sourced from Lombardia. Beef tenderloin comes from Revier Ranch Angus. That sourcing discipline shows up across the menu — in a Yellowtail Crudo dressed with pepperoncino-infused extra virgin olive oil and microgreens, in a Penne Rigate built around a slow-braised oxtail-and-Chianti ragù, and in a Loch Etive Steelhead Salmon served over fire-roasted peppers with capers and lemon zest.

Pizzas come from a wood-burning oven: the Diavola layers spicy Soppressata, Calabrian chiles, and fresh mozzarella over San Marzano tomatoes, while the Margherita keeps to the classic. Pasta options range from a Bucatini Amatriciana made with La Quercia guanciale to Wild Mushroom Ravioli finished in a cream sauce of local organic shiitake mushrooms — a dish that recent guests have called "fantastic" and "prepared with intention and care."

A Cheesecake with a Story

Not everything on the menu is Italian by origin, and the restaurant doesn't pretend otherwise. The cheesecake recipe was given to Mario by his mother-in-law, Anne Bloom, in 1969. It has not changed in over 56 years.

The Wine and Bar Program

The Wine Spectator recognition reflects a list that pairs Italian-focused bottles — Chianti Colli Senesi, Argiolas Cannonau di Sardegna, Bisol Prosecco — with selections from Oregon, Argentina, and California. The bar opens at 4 pm on weekday evenings, and a dedicated cocktail menu runs from a classic Negroni to a Belle du Jour built on pear-cognac liqueur and Prosecco. Happy hour runs Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 6 pm.

The Room and the Experience

Banquet rooms and private event spaces make Mario's Place a destination for larger gatherings, but the evening dining room is where the experience is most concentrated. Guests consistently note the attentiveness of the staff and the energy they bring to the table — one recent reviewer described their server as "a perfect showman" who "made the food sound as good as it tastes." For a restaurant earning that kind of loyalty in Riverside's fine Italian dining scene, that balance of substance and service is clearly the point.