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Aram's Cafe - CLOSED
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Lunch
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
44 reviews for Aram's Cafe
Review Highlights
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"Echoing others - pomegranate chicken can't be beat." In 10 reviews -
"You have to get the Armenian coffee." In 4 reviews -
"Mediterranean food done right in a fun, funky atmosphere." In 5 reviews
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44 reviews in English
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Review from Michelle W.
Los Altos, CA
4/12/2010
I am newly vegan (though not very strict) and was visiting my very pregnant cousin. So she called her favorite restaurants to figure out which was the best for us to go for lunch.
I loved this food! A full 1/3 of the menu is or can easily be vegan! TIP: The menu says "Kid's menu available," but you have to ask for it.
Kid had PB&J on whole wheat bread.
I had grilled veggies in tomato sauce, rice pilaf and this amazing citrus & cilantro coleslaw. I could eat huge quantities of it. Vats. Could eat it all day. Would love to eat some right now.
Food- solid 4 stars
Friendliness of staff- 5 stars
Great location in adorable old downtown district- 5 stars
speed of service- 1 star. I took us SO long to get our food! Perhaps that means it was all made fresh, but, still...
Total 3.75 starsListed in: Vegan-esque OR Psuedo-Vegan, Cravings
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Review from desiree n.
Petaluma, CA
5/12/2008
I like this place more than you'll never know.
My most favorite:
the red pepper egg plant sammich...soooo greasy and buttery and melty in your mouth delicious that I can't eat it too much or I might die.
I want to go there now. Damn me and losing my ATM card last week. -
Review from Vivian J.
9/22/2008
This place has really yummy armenian food! I had lunch with my Dad and hubby and they had tons of stuff to pick from and served breakfast until 2:00 every day! They had vegeterian food, pomengrate chicken, lamb schwarma, empanada, and the Lule kebab. We all decided we wanted the Lule kebab (yes I liked the name ;))) and it was so good! It was two small pitas and inside they have: ground beef, onions, tomotoes, spices and it was very similar to Kafte. It was topped with Hummas on top!! YUMMY!! They were big portions and we ate them all.
Service was just ok since it took them forever to take our money and I'm not sure why since they were not slammed. Must be that relaxed Petaluma atmosphere. I can't wait and try that Pomengrate chicken next time. -
Review from Liz S.
5/3/2007
Armenian and Mediterranean food in historic Petaluma since 1989 - I say: cool!
If I lived in Petaluma, I would eat at this cafe all of the time. And you can - they open at 8am for breakfast (9am on weekends) and stay open through dinner. Today I visited Aram's for the first time, for lunch, and I was very happy with the experience.
At the recommendation of our server, I ordered one of their most popular dishes: the Armenian Pomegranate Chicken. Delicious pieces of tender chicken with a tart/sweet glaze served with Rice Pilaf, Pita, and with a choice of green salad or potato salad.
To drink, I had the special herbal iced tea (a hibiscus blend) which went very well with the hearty food.
My friend ordered the lamb schwarma which was also wonderful. It is similar to gyros, very salty and savory complimented by a yogurt sauce and wrapped in a pita.
They have many of my favorites on the menu - hummus, baba ganoush, dolmas, falafel (the woman next to me was eating a falafel sandwich and it looked incredible). And they have one of my rare-treat favorites- boereg, which is cheese or a combo of spinach and cheese in phyllo dough triangles.
Right next to the cash register is the baklava and bird's nests, and how I resisted them today, I have no idea. I won't be so strong next time.
The cafe is bright and the vibe is relaxed. You can tell that they have a lot of regulars. Service is very good. Nice, authentic place in the ever-growing town of Petaluma. -
Review from Priscilla L.
San Francisco, CA
7/22/2007
Armenian and Mediterranean food!!!! Truly a great place. Totally cozy with beautiful carpet wall hangings.
Everything is made to order. The wait people have been working there forever.
The last time I was there, I had the marinated lamb shish kebab with tabbouleh and hummus. It was the best I've EVER had. The portions are large too.
http://www.arams.com/i... -
Review from Meghan L.
Sonoma, CA
7/14/2009
Dear Aram's,
I love your chicken schwarma. I'm having a bad day and all I want to eat is one of these delightful hand-held sandwiches encased in a soft, warm pita. So, I am calling you to order one. Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring... No answer. Call again. Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring... It's Tuesday. Yelp says you're open. Your website doesn't have any days or hours on it that I could find. Why won't you pick up and let me have a chicken schwarma? I am holding two stars hostage until you update your hours on yelp, put hours on your website, or get an answering machine.
Love,
Meghan -
Review from Tracy O.
San Mateo, CA
5/5/2008
Two things:
- Dolmas
- Roasted Eggplant sandwich with aioli.
I could subsist on those two things alone here (and usually do). Seriously. The sandwich drips in melted Jack cheese, and the dolmas are fresh and cheap. Yum yum yum.Listed in: Breeeeeakfast!
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Review from Jason R.
San Francisco, CA
6/25/2007
I've just finished lunching on some Aram's Lentil soup and a spinach salad, thinking about how my days in Petaluma would be no good without these guys.
Many of the dishes are similar to La Mediteranee on Fillmore in the City. The decor has some of those same tribal, Middle Eastern touches, but this place is great in that its space is so open and comfortable.
We usually just order in from them, but many of the staff have become friends of our shop. They're good folks, with a really good product.Listed in: Lunch in Petaluma?
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Review from Katie W.
Updated - 6/28/2008
Today was a day for brunch. Not every saturday lives up to this acheivement, no not every saturday has the stature.
Today's special was ricotta and spinach stuffed crepes. Savory crepes are seldom seen on a menu, but when they are the rule of thumb is to snap those right the fuck up. We did. We conquered.
Topped with melty cheese and bechemel, it was brunch at an elevated state. Served with roasted rosemary potatoes and green onions, it's right up there with the birds.Listed in: Come, Let's Break Our Fast
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/30/2008
Aram's.
When I went to school in Petaluma I would stop here for dinner. It may be why I went to the… Read more »
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Review from Natalye S.
Updated - 3/8/2009
For the cheese lovers out there, you absolutely must try the hot roasted eggplant and red pepper sandwich. The flavour is amazing.
Also, the falafel pita (or falafel boats as I like to call them) are good, albeit slightly messy.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/12/2008
Yes plz!
After wanting to try this place out for months, I finally made it here with friends. Seeing… Read more »
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Review from Diana H.
Berkeley, CA
7/27/2008
This is a comfortable, casual, ethnic (Armenian) place. They serve flavorful dishes with crisp veggies, savory meat, and fresh sauces. Get a sandwich or the pomegranate chicken, you won't be disappointed.
I believe the chicken they use is also local and all natural.
Not too many vegetarian options.
All in all, good food, nice atmosphere, good price for all of it. You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Katy W.
San Jose, CA
10/31/2007
This place is great. I've been here twice and Petaluma grows on me every time I go. I'm still adjusting to the cultivated 'country' feeling of north of the bay, but I really enjoy these little places to eat and the antique stores here.
Anyway, Aram's is the perfect place for a chill lunch. Both times I have gone I have gotten their Pomegranate Chicken plate which is super yummy! I don't know if they just marinate their chicken in pomegranate juice, but whatever they do, it's absolutely delicious! I never finish it with all of the rice and such that comes with it, but it's so good.
I agree that their hummus is not the best, but it's pretty good. I also enjoyed their special hibiscus iced tea when I was last there. I don't normally do iced tea, but this was so sweet it was tasty.
I will be back for more. . . -
Review from Jan C.
Haiku, HI
10/27/2007
Mediterranean food done right in a fun, funky atmosphere. The hummus is not the best here, but I found other dishes very tasty. My FAVE the coffee! Be sure to try a Greek coffee! SOOOOO delicious!
and the Biscotti -YUMMMMM!!! Nice folks too! -
Review from Garza G.
San Jose, CA
8/9/2009 1 photo
On a Weekender getaway, we went to Aram's Cafe based on some locals' recommendations. It was a risk, taking two six-year-olds with us, but thought we'd give it a shot.
We loved the decor of brick walls with Greek and Armenian touches everywhere and the serviced was good and casual.
We ordered on- and off-the-menu without a problem. Starting with the Mezze platter definitely sets the tone for a great lunch. The tabbouleh was average, but the hummus and babaganoush were great. The dolmas were not too wet, which we liked a lot.
The best thing we ordered was the lamb gyro (not sure of the name in Armenian). Holy smokes it was great! Kids loved the chicken and rice pilaf. We had two Greek Salads, which were the most disappointing, but only because we really like our Greek salad without lettuce and m ore traditional of the peppers, onion, cucumber, olives.
If we ever get to Petaluma again, I'm sure we'll visit here! -
Review from Ricote F.
San Francisco, CA
5/13/2010
With the weather nice, it seemed like a nice idea to talk a walk through town and let the smells in the wind guide our choice of cafe. It was tempting to just walk across the street to Donnar but nooooooooooooo.... walked all the way downtown and compromised on Aram. Not sure what to say here... it just isnt as good as other places in town is prolly the best I can say.
Now I understand that this is a favorite place for many, it is comfy, has some outdoor seating, the crowd that night was ...olderish white haired aging hippy petaluma style marin like taliban moms and dads, some young student types and seemed to be catering to veggies. ...good....
but the food.... ok so the mezze plate... so so baba and such, dolmas were terrible, the Schwarma plate was a wrap with a mediocre side salad, the schwarma was tough- thank god for the harrissa on the side... and some sort of kabob that tasted like parsley lots of parsley and a weird texture...we both left after dinner and went out for dinner as we left almost all the food on plate... over 20 bucks for nothing-a tip to the owners- the pita bread upsale is not neccesary and the pita bread on the mezze needs to be warmed like the lavash on the wrap...in fact the lavish would be a better bread for the plate. Service was nice enough. Like much of Petaluma food world this place will be loved with or with out me.... -
Review from Dianna H.
Davis, CA
6/29/2008
While there is no doubt that they have fine dolmas, Arams is really about the Pomegranate chicken. The chicken is consistently the best thing that they have on the menu, and I've been ordering it since the 90s. The next best thing is the egg plant sandwich, greasy, cheesy and delicious or, maybe the chicken Pita. In any case, if you order the pomegranate chicken, you will be happy and satiated. It is also cheap, which makes it all the better.
As a restaurant, it doesn't have the most ambiance in town, however, it's a great place to meet up with friends and run into people you haven't seen in years. Or, if you're in anti social mood, it's a great place to read a novel and eat. -
Review from Samantha C.
Santa Rosa, CA
3/28/2009
YAY! A great little cafe with good, fresh food and great prices! You have to get the Armenian coffee! SO delicious! There is something for everyone atthis little place. The desserts are fresh and priced really well, too.
This is a perfect place to go when it's hot outside and you want to get full, but not eat heavy food! -
Review from Parris S.
Petaluma, CA
3/24/2010
Aram's is a Petaluma establishment.
I have to say that I eat here at least 4 times a month.
I don't think there is a single item that I do not love on this menu.
If I have friends from out of town, I take them here.
Some great items you might want to try if you've never eaten here:
The Pomegranate Chicken (killer)
The Armenian Coffee
Lamb Shawerma (sooooo good!)
and if you're there for breakfast, treat yourself to their Dutch Baby in blueberry compote. You will leave with a smile! -
Review from Athena N.
Petaluma, CA
6/24/2009
I personally am not a big fan of Mediterranean food, but my boyfriend loved Aram's. The restaurant is adorable and the staff is very friendly.
I might go back and try the pomegranate chicken. It sounds delicious. I would love to give Aram's another try. -
Review from OKAY O.
Sebastopol, CA
3/14/2008
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Review from Allisoto P.
Cambridge, MA
5/6/2008
Pomegranate Chicken...get it and be happy. There were 3 of us and we got 4 dishes. The Pom Chicken rocked my socks off. I also tried the lamb schwarma, empanada, and the kebab. They were all good and fine, but definitely the chicken was the best! The wait staff were really nice and helpful too...our waiter had some nice suggestions and was a good sport w/ us as we proceeded to be very indecisive.
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Review from Kristina C.
San Francisco, CA
8/3/2009
Whenever I go home to visit, I always have to make sure that I stop here for a lunch or dinner or both. Always. While their food is making me hungry just thinking about it, their customer service could use a little boost. Not complaining though, cause the food more than makes up for it. Just saying...
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Review from Wendy C.
San Francisco, CA
6/5/2006
I have eaten at this Mediterranean cafe in the heart of the quaint historic part of Petaluma several times and have enjoyed every meal. They offer a wide variety of options, from spinach & feta pie to falafel to lamb to soup & salad and steamed egg-centered brunches on weekends. Service is friendly and the made-to-order food arrives pretty quickly. The one time it didn't, our server was really aplogetic (even though we never complained) and took one of the three entrees off our bill. This restaurant is good for groups as well as smaller parties.
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Review from Natalie C.
San Francisco, CA
3/26/2009
this is my favorite place to eat in petaluma. 5 stars for you!
where do i start.... the ambiance of the place is just wonderful. i usually go for brunch or lunch, and the place is bright with cool artwork on the walls. very homey.
great buys: the grilled eggplant & red pepper sandwich, falafel sandwich, anddd my FAVE ...mediterranean meza [hummus, tabouleh salad, dolma, baba ghanoush, pita, relishes]
maybe you're like i don't know what those things are. well somewhere like the back of the menu, they have a little keys terms for you. the first few times i went, i looked back at the definitions quite a bit.
love it. yum yum -
Review from Louella B.
Petaluma, CA
7/25/2007
The owner is an arrogant jerk - I saw the demeaning way he spoke to one of his customers and I will never go back. The two inches of pigeon droppings that grace the front door ought to be enough to warrant a health code violation. There's the floor that lost its polish about five years ago and now is just rough, dirty and ugly. Add to that a few surly servers and you've got yourself a restaurant to avoid at all costs. Such a shame, everyone says how good it is, but some things just can't be fixed.
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Review from Ahna P.
Novato, CA
1/24/2008
I LOVE Arams. I've been eating here for about 12-13 years. I find their hummus addicting. My very favorite thing is the Greek salad. It is always so perfectly balanced. And the BEST part is the pickled carrots.....I've always wished they'd bottle those things. One star knocked off because I've always pretty much been annoyed with their waitstaff. Faux hipster lame-o's.
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Review from Lisa R.
4/1/2007
I think I first started visiting Aram's around the time I graduated from high school. I am so glad they have persevered as the city of Petaluma has changed. I don't know where I would go to eat downtown if they weren't there. The best part is their menu is pretty much the same. The Aram sandwiches are just as yummy, the tabbouleh is amazing and don't get me started on the hummus. Everything is out of this world.
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Review from Roanna Z.
3/22/2008
What a treat ! I was delighted to find this little cafe for lunch on a sunny Friday. The food is fresh and delicious. We ordered "A La Carte" in order to sample more variety. The Hummus is really fabulous (and I eat Hummus all the time.) cucumber slices, yummmm., Cabbage salad with pickled carrots had a very unique flavor. I have forgotten what they called the small rolled meat "kabob" something like "Lu-le" ? It was very similar to Kafte and Adana, only more tender. I could eat that every day! I wish this place was here in S.F. Armenian food is not plentiful in these parts. We found our server to be VERY helpful and nice, thank you "server #6" ;-) Do not hesitate to try this little place.
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Review from Marcus K.
San Rafael, CA
11/28/2009
Came in on a busy Saturday but were lucky to find an open table. The falafal sandwhich and the eggplant and roasted pepper sandwhich were both awesome. Friendly staff. Woulda enjoyed it more if it were not so bustling. But its a small space and not a lot of space so what can you do.
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Review from Mary C.
Portland, OR
2/14/2009
I recently had the pleasure of sampling Aram's Vegetarian Pita (with hummus and tabouleh). It was quite simple with exactly that - hummus and tabouleh in a pita, but it was still pretty tasty. Still can't beat TJ's hummus though...
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Review from Denise H.
Petaluma, CA
2/13/2008
I dine at Aram's several times a year as my parents live in Petaluma. I absolutely love the falafel sandwich and hummus with pita. Absolutely delicious. I admit that I haven't yet tried any other selections, but can tell you that my mother craves the Pomegranate Chicken and always orders that as well! Great coffee too!
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Review from Tracy B.
Windsor, CA
4/20/2009
I enjoyed this cafe. Smallish portions, friendly service and good food. No ambiance though.
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Review from Chris H.
Oakland, CA
11/4/2007
I try and stop here when I can on my way up the coast. Good food in a nice, tucked away place. Surrounded by very interesting antique stores in the old part of town. The coffee is great and the food is even better. No fuss - just a mellow place to grab a bite to eat that reminds me of another sidewalk cafe on a side street in Istanbul, also off the beaten path and worth the detour. Echoing others - pomegranate chicken can't be beat. Recommended.
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Review from Clementine O.
San Francisco, CA
2/22/2010
After spending some time shopping at the outlets where is someone to eat that wants flavor??? Not bad and really not bad since it's Petaluma....cute little cow town!
The good news is their service was friendly and attentive, and not annoying. My friend ordered the Armenian Braised Vegetables entree, while I ordered the Luleh Kebab Sandwich Pita. We had to ask what kind of vegetables were braised as the menu did not indicate details. So it is the typical zucchini and eggplant which was delicious and it was a nice tasty warm meal. I wish I had ordered that! it tasted sooo good! I ordered the Luleh, it was great too and not too heavy, and did not weigh me down! Very fresh and no re-heated feeling to our order. I usually like my Greek or Arabic coffee so I had their Armenian coffee. It was awesome -cardamom spiced etc. Great find since I don't want to be eating any more deli sandwiches for a while-from across the way by the outlets...lol! It is all good!! -
Review from Peter C.
Petaluma, CA
5/5/2010
We went there on a Sunday afternoon. The waitress was very amenable, responsive and courteous. The lighting was a bit dark for my tastes. The prices were fair. I ordered the Mediterranean Mezo. It consisted of chopped up vegetable and nuts. It was very tasty. The pita bread and spread were very good as well. The tables had to be combined to accomodate our party of 7 adults and one child. The tables were small though. They also have take-out. It's location is strategic for attracting customers, as it's dead downtown Petaluma.
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Review from Beth L.
Penngrove, CA
3/5/2007
I found Aram's Cafe about 15 years ago when I was a wee thing going to a show at the Phoenix theater - it was the only place open late enough to grab a cup of coffee. Not just any cup, they have excellent mochas, lattes and even that thick and sweet turkish coffee. I don't know if they are open that late anymore, but I think some of the same people are still working there!
It has a rustic atmosphere, high open ceilings with distressed brick walls and several mosaic dishes and rugs hanging around the room. They have daily specials and also serve a weekend brunch. Sometimes the special is this heavenly baked mushroom crepe served piping hot in a boat-shaped dish. The usual fare is vegetarian-friendly dishes like fallafel sandwich, tabouleh, dolmas and such. My favorite is the roasted eggplant, bell pepper sandwich with aioli on a sourdough roll. They also have various wraps they prepare for takeout daily.
They have counter and sit-down service. It's pretty informal, just grab a seat. Great place for business lunches or a quick snack. -
Review from Female C.
Santa Rosa, CA
1/26/2010
If you're already a healthy eater/like hummus/or on a veg diet, you'll probably like this place. If you're a meat eater, average unhealthy eating American, forget it. This place is like eating grass. I went with 5 friends and only the 2 healthy eaters LOVED this place. The meat eaters among us HATED it. The food was BAD to us meat eaters. We were starving afterwards and we had to go order a real meal afterwards. The meals are pricey too! So we were doubly disappointed. Will never come back... unless I convert to a veg eater. :P
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Review from Maura C.
Petaluma, CA
4/1/2009
I have been to many Mediterranean cafe's, not one of them compare to this place.
I work in downtown Petaluma and if anyone asks where's a good place to eat (and this happens a lot!!) I always suggest Aram's!
Their pomegranate chicken dish is amazing, their roasted chicken in pita is amazing, and this is the most amazing hummus and pita you will find.
A nice trick when you order your hummus and pita, ask for the pita to be toasted it might seem like it won't make that much of a difference, but trust me it taste so much better :) -
Review from Liz K.
Sonoma, CA
2/28/2010
Aram's has a decent Mediterranean menu. Sides are available at good prices. After looking over the options, I decided to try a falafel sandwich 'with everything' and took it to go. Falafels were crisp on the outside and tender inside, really flavorful with a nice spicy kick. But the tahini sauce was way too bland with barely any flavor of sesame. I would go back for take-out again, and try something else.
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Review from Caitlin K.
Mountain View, CA
3/20/2009
probably one of my favorite restaurants ever!!! (though i must admit i used to work there and got slightly addicted after eating the food almost every day for a year). the pomagranate chicken is amazing (most popular dish for sure) as is the shwarma and red pepper eggplant sandwich, but i love the ala carte items the most...dolmas, boregs, aram's sandwiches, and the amazing chocolate chips scones (the ones made my armando are the best). tons of regulars (i definitely served the ones that when i saw them come in, i'd put in their order w/o them having to ask) so definitely a fun place if you're not a local. i don't live locally anymore and i constantly crave their food! (especially after i went to a crappy greek place local to me tonight...see my review for the athena grill in santa clara, ca)
