Authentic Venetian Drinking and Dining at Pausa Bar & Cookery.

Pausa Bar & Cookery in downtown San Mateo privileges guests to take a “pause” in their lives to enjoy the leisurely Italian lifestyle of sipping on drinks and feasting on Italian classics.

Italian Cocktails & Wines

The “pause” of Pause begins when you first sip your Italian drinks, whether a cocktail or wine. The drinks menu proudly offers Italian-inspired creations as well as a proper selection of wines from all over the Italian wine regions. Plus, every afternoon between 5pm and 6:30pm is Spritz Hour with discounted drinks and appetizers in the patio and bar.

Pausa San Mateo Aperol Spritz
Il Doge Spritz. A classic Aperol Spritz. From the first sip, you will immediately transport to hot summers in Venice drinking a cold glass by the canals and waters. The proportion of liquids makes this one of the tastiest Aperol Spritzes

 

Appetizers to Share

It’s not a proper Italian meal without a spread of starters to share with the table. At Pausa, you have plenty of choices – from fresh salumi and cheeses to beautiful cold and hot appetizers. The flavors and plates are classically Italian, Italian-inspired, and with modern California tastes and ingredients.

Pausa San Mateo
Prosciutto San Daniele, aged 36 months. Served with tigella (round bread), cunza (lardo spread), pickles, and mustard. One of the best prosciuttos in Italy. The servers encourage you to make a sandwich with the tigella, prosciutto, cunza, and lardo. The prosciutto is so fine tasting that it is also best eaten on its own
Pausa San Mateo
Burrata with grilled red endives, raisins, pine nuts, and colatura di alici (anchovy sauce). Another successful appetizer that is served with thin toast to spread the cheese. For an indulgence, the roasted bone marrow delivers an excellent balance of fatty, sweet, and savory

 

Pizzas and More

The spread of appetizer eaten at a leisurely pace will make you hungry for more food and drink. Pizza and pasta are another highlight of the menu. The pizzas are not Neapolitan, but they have their own character from the wood-fired oven. If you are still hungry for more, you can also choose larger plated entrees for yourself or the table.

Aside from the dining area, the restaurant provides a private room for larger groups as well as an intimate chef’s table tasting experience on Friday and Saturday nights. For $80, you will have a 5-course dinner with front row seats to the kitchen and with the executive chef introduces each plate.

Pausa San Mateo Pizza
Salsiccia pizza with house made sausage, tomatoes, tuscan kale, onions, house made mozzarella, and pecorino di filiano. The pizzas are served whole and you are given scissors to give slices according to your preference

 

Watch my video from my dinner at Pausa Bar & Cookery. And subscribe to my YouTube channel for my latest travel vlogs!

 

Pausa Bar & Cookery
223 E. 4th Ave., San Mateo, California
+1-650-375-0818
Monday to Wednesday, 11:30am to 2pm and 5pm to 10pm
Thursday and Friday, 11:30am to 2pm and 5pm to 11pm
Saturday, 5pm to 11pm
Sunday, 5pm to 10pm
Reservations recommended

 


 
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