The clientele is as beautiful as the food at this intimate jazz and supper club across the street from the Mission Inn. The northern Italian cuisine is first-rate, as are the jazz bands that perform Friday and Saturday at 10 pm. Try the pear-and-Gorgonzola wood-fired pizza, followed by the star-anise panna cotta for dessert. Jazz groups play on weekend nights in the restaurant's lounge.
Mario's Place Restaurant Review:
Mario’s Place inhabits stylish digs across from the landmark Mission Inn. The urbane setting includes tables dressed in crisp linen, Art Deco lighting, a copper-topped bar sensually illuminated in red, modern art and a generous use of mahogany. The menu of chef Leone Palagi is not always consistent, but on a good day, this is the closest you’ll get to Valentino in the Inland Empire. Starters...
"Let [chef] Leone Palagi be your guide" at this "classy", family-owned Riverside Italian, where "delicious" salads, pastas and meats "tempt the palate"; "top-notch" service and a "classy" patio-enhanced atmosphere beguile too, and while prices may be on the high side, it's still a spot "to impress someone"; P.S. late-night jazz entertains Fridays and Saturdays.
Editorial Review:
Across from the Mission Inn, this Italian stunner has been a treasured favorite of locals and travelers for many years.