best places to eat in santa rosa

When you’re visiting a city, it can be hard to know where to go. You know you want to find the best restaurants, but how do you choose? Do you stick with local places? Does price matter more than taste? Is Yelp not a good way to go because of all the bad reviews on there? To make your decision-making process easier, here is a list of the ten best places to eat in Santa Rosa. Food can either make or break a vacation. When you’re looking for the best places to eat in Santa Rosa, make sure your destination has a variety of cuisines and food types.

Santa Rosa is a popular destination for many travelers, and with good reason. With its bustling downtown and eclectic neighborhoods, Santa Rosa offers something for everyone. Whether you’re looking for a quiet place to spend the day, or an exciting night on the town, Santa Rosa has it all.

Here are some of the best places to eat in Santa Rosa:

The Old Crow Coffee House

In business since the mid-1970s, The Old Crow Coffee House is one of the oldest coffee shops in Santa Rosan history. It offers a wide selection of coffee drinks and tea blends made from locally-sourced ingredients. You can also order pastries, sandwiches, soups and salads at this local favorite.

The Fable Kitchen & Bar

This restaurant serves up some of the most delicious food in town. Their menu features everything from burgers to seafood dishes—and everything in between! They also offer an extensive menu of craft cocktails that are sure to please any palate.

The City Bakery & Cafe

The City Bakery & Cafe is one of our favorite spots for breakfast or lunch in Santa Rosa. You can’t go wrong here! They have great coffee drinks as well as delicious

If you’re looking for the best place to eat in Santa Rosa, don’t worry—you’re in luck! We’ve got a list of our top picks below.

First up is [restaurant name]. This restaurant serves up some of the best pizza in town, with a classic Italian style that’s perfect for any occasion. They’ve got dozens of types of pizzas on their menu, so you’ll be able to find something that fits your tastes.

Next up is [restaurant name]. This local favorite has been serving up delicious barbecue since 1974, and they have plenty of meat options if you’re looking for something more than just pizza. They also have a great selection of sides and desserts that are sure to please all palates!

Last but not least is [restaurant name]. Their menu features everything from burgers to fish tacos and chicken wings, so there’s something for everyone here! You can also get some great craft beers at this restaurant if that’s what floats your boat.

top restaurants in santa rosa

John Ash & Co.

John Ash’s defining legacy of wine country dining lives on at the Vintner’s Inn, where ingredients are drawn largely from the lodge’s own gardens and relationships with some 30 local farmers. Meant for expense accounts and special events, the entrees are expensive and tend to the aerie of foie gras, short ribs, and veal, but are executed with care. Locals know that the excellent and inexpensive happy hour staged daily in the Front Room bar area is a wonderful way to unwind and enjoy some of the same views and quality care that the expense account seats get.

Sazón | Peruvian Cuisine

Peruvian cuisine — as interpreted through Sazón’s kitchen — appeals to all tastes with six types of ceviche and main dishes heavy with plantain, cassava, and sweet potato. Native Peruvian aji amarillo sauce touches many dishes brightly. Don’t miss a chance to have a purple corn drink. Meanwhile, the Deli by Sazón, adjacent to the dining room, offers traditional deli sandwiches as well as some more Peruvian-inflected to-go fare.

Stark’s Steak & Seafood

Happy Hour, oysters, and steaks are the defining nouns for this retro meat palace, part of the Stark family’s Sonoma County dynasty of dining. Dark and masculine, the moody bar hosts weekday happy hour with martini specials and a range of reliably fried and doused snacks. The dining program centers around different a la carte meat cuts with sauces, veggies, and sides available on a per-dish basis. With banquets and plenty of dark reds, the restaurant has an up-do, date-night feel to it.

La Gare

French old school pleasures define this long-standing Santa Rosa institution. Gen X-ers remember prom dinners there; Boomers, their first taste of beef Wellington. From veal dijonnaise to frog’s legs to coq au vin, La Gare has maintained its menu (and client base) for more than 30 years by keeping a romantic menu heavy on shared meals that are irresistible and still excellent, even after all these years. Come hungry: all entrees include soup and salad. Vegetarian and gluten-free items available.

Jackson’s Bar and Oven

Chef-owner Josh Silvers named this place for his son and it does his boy good stead, offering consistent American food ranging from salads to burgers to wood-fired pizzas. The full bar area, set in dormer windows at the restaurant’s front and the lively crowd there make this a good first date meeting place. Plus: beignets and Nutella pizza for dessert, including a gluten-free version.

The Spinster Sisters

Spinster Sisters, open for dinner inside and in the garden weather permitting, helped revive the South A Street neighborhood and Santa Rosans longing for interesting choices. Chef-owner Liza Hinman works with the seasons and her own award-winning palate to keep veggie-rich menu regulars as well as hamburgers, an extensive seafood menu, and cheeses. There are always great wines on tap, a comfortable wooden bar wraps the room, and winemakers come to hang out every few weeks.

unique eats in santa rosa

Perch + Plow

Overlooking Courthouse Square in the former Christy’s on the Square, this is a solid date spot for its sunset views, good drinks, fresh seafood, and parallel play side-by-side window seating. Bright, creative preparations of fish and vegetables, show-stopping cocktails, and a strong weekend happy hour have made it a Santa Rosa go-to since it opened in 2018.

Mac’s Deli and Cafe

Reminiscent of LA’s famed Canter’s, this traditional Jewish deli has had everything crave-able, from lean brisket to matzo ball soup to fresh rye bread, available since 1952. The menu numbers well over 100 items, including a pastrami sandwich with a side salad and a glass of beer. So very civilized. Breakfast and lunch only.

Dierk’s Parkside Cafe

Its counters crowded with plates of freshly frosted cinnamon buns, Dierk’s is a place to indulge. Make certain to include the Country Benedict, which builds upon a thick baguette slice and flows into mushrooms, bacon pieces, roasted tomatoes, and sautéed spinach all napped with a fresh hot hollandaise and nestled next to crispy home fries. Breakfast and lunch only, but look for the occasional special dinner event.

Ca’Bianca

Occupying the historic 19th century “White House” in the downtown residential district, Ca’ Bianca exudes a date night charm that beguiles even the food, about which there is nothing particularly notable or poor to report. The white tablecloth service, handsome wooden bar, and rose-heavy gardens add enchantment to the expected array of pastas and meat dishes sourced from all corners of Italy.

Rosso Pizzeria & Wine Bar

Futbol is king at Rosso’s, and so is pizza crust, made via a reverse osmosis process that puts air into dough as vigorously as an Italian puts fut to bol. Woodfired pizza is the main, but making a meal of such starters as beef and veal meatballs or house-made burrata offers reliable excellence. The menu changes with the seasons and the bar at Rosso is an exciting place to be when the first tomatoes are picked for caprese or the blood oranges have ripened for spritz. In other words: Go often.