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Caffe Giostra
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
1390 N McDowell BlvdSte L
Petaluma, CA 94954
(707) 664-9441
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 3 pm
Mon-Sat 5 pm - 9 pm
Sun 4 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
97 reviews for Caffe Giostra
Review Highlights
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"Googled the definition for Osso Bucco = "bone with hole." In 4 reviews -
"The Bruschetta Rustica is my family's usual appetizer..." In 4 reviews -
"Save room for dessert, the tiramisu is amazing." In 5 reviews
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97 reviews in English
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Review from Kindra S.
Penngrove, CA
1/24/2012
My husband and I decided to have date night here after finding a "buy one entree get one free" coupon in one of those weekly mailings. I used to work close by and would eat here all the time for lunch - given how busy I've seen them get, I was surprised to find a coupon! So we jumped all over that! (warning: the coupon only works if you pay cash - and you have to order two drinks)
Everything was just lovely; lots of happy conversations, classic Italian music playing in the background, constant flow of bread and olives (yum!) and a very healthy glass of wine. My husband had the veal, which I normally try to discourage, however I can't deny that it was REALLY good. I was in the mood for something traditional and warm and gooey, so I went with the tried and true eggplant parmesean. It was delicious, although the pasta that came with it was so-so. (I would probably sub a salad for the pasta next time)
Overall, a great experience - I don't know why we every stopped eating here! I will keep an eye out for more coupons and continue to make this a regular restaurant in our rounds of favorites. -
Review from Dave D.
Petaluma, CA
5/21/2012
Here is the deal. I wrote awhile back about how bad my experience was at this place, I thought about, was hungry and went back...WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!!!
First, the service staff has gotten a little better..a little.
The owner (or whoever it is that sits her butt on the stool) still does nothing.
The food is over priced for the poor quality of the dishes they serve.
But I encourage you to read the reviews...and take notice that right after there are any honest reviews, that happen to be bad...there seems to be a surge of raving reviews...very suspect and not fair to those who are spending their hard earned money on your crappy food and piss poor service.
But you be the judge..because that is what this site is for...right? -
Review from Cody E.
Petaluma, CA
Updated - 5/17/2012
My fiancé and I went there on a Sunday night. We had a 7:00 pm reservation and we were seated at about 7:15. Once seated we were given a glass of water but no menus. We were then brought bread but still no menus and no offer of drinks. About 20 minutes into our wait we were finally seen by our waitress who noticed we didn't have menus and brought us some about 5 minutes later. I ordered almost immediately to avoid any further delay. We ordered the bruschetta appetizer which took about 20 minutes. As usual the bruschetta was absolutely delicious. For dinner my fiancé had a nightly special of butternut squash ravioli. I had the petrale sole pan fried with a lemon wine butter sauce. The main course took about 30 minutes to arrive. My fiancé's raviolis were some of the best we have ever had. My fish was deliciously prepared. For desert we had the ice cream stuffed profiteroles they were delicious and came out after about a ten minute wait. I have a serious love hate relationship with this place. The service is the worst I've ever experienced with long waits, horribly rude and bitchy waitstaff. A drunk ass hole of an owner and cramped seating. Oh and don't forget you can barely hear the person sitting next to you it's so damn noisy in there. But the food is always absolutely delicious.
Food details;
bruschetta- they slice a baguette and top it with mozzarella cheese. They put a thin layer of pesto on top of the cheese and toast it until the bread is slightly crisp and the cheese is perfectly melted. Once it's out of the broiler they top it with some diced fresh tomatoes and some fresh basil. My favorite thing about their bruschetta is how they put the fresh tomatoes on after they heat it so the tomatoes are cold. It is just a nice combination of crisp, warm, cool and smooth.
Butternut squash ravioli- The pasta was perhaps slightly overcooked. It was soft but nice and tender. The stuffing was slightly sweet and the sauce just rounded it out. The sauce was also made with butternut squash and it was topped with chopped walnuts which was a nice crunchy element to the tender pasta. It was a nicely sized portion with enough to have some leftovers for lunch the next day.
Petrale Sole- When the fish first came out I was blown away. The plate was covered 75% with fish and the other 25% was mashed potatoes and steamed vegetables. The fish tasted fresh and was evenly cooked. The breading was just the right amount and balanced well with the fish. The sauce was light and just brought it all together. The potatoes were typical mashed but were tasty. The steamed vegetables were green beans and zucchini and were fine as well.
profiteroles- There were four small profiteroles cut in half and stuffed with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. They were served with a chocolate sauce and a caramel sauce. It was a small desert but if I remember correctly it was 6.95 so not too shabby. Good ending to some great food and terrible service.
All I can advise you about this place is come expecting good food, horrible service and a cramped noisy restaurant.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/17/2010
The food is good along with the service. The owner is a drunk and rude. I asked the waitress if I… Read more »
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Review from Dave B.
Petaluma, CA
5/25/2012
Great! Really Great!
We just had the Melanzane Ripiene appetizer and it was the tastiest dish that just hit the spot big time, perfect balance of flavors served up with great warmth and care. Check it out and try it.
We also ordered the Penne Salciccia, penne pasta in red sauce with local semi-spicy sausage, spinach and mushrooms. Man, what a winner. Best rendition in well over ten years of dining here. Don't miss this now.
We have dined here many times for many years, and have often enjoyed both of these dishes every time. The spiciness of the sausage can vary, and sauces will vary with the chef sometimes, as in many good restaurants. But Caffe Giostra is always very good.
There's a lot of competition in this arena, and Caffe Giostra just knocked the ball out of the park.
Thank you Giostra, for serving it up! -
Review from Peter K.
Novato, CA
5/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Great food when you finally get it. Wait staff was friendly but way under staffed.
I ask the waitress for a starter salad and like a wedge and she recommended my guest and I split a salad (which we later found out costs and extra $2). When the salad came it was the special and an entree size and then when my entree actually came it had a side salad! next time i'll ask exactly what I'm getting and I will happily order "to go" as the food is amazing. -
Review from California C.
Petaluma, CA
5/19/2012
no no no -- and very dangerous for those of you with food allergies. i can't eat nuts, of any kind, and ALWAYS mention this to the server. twice, i've had nuts in my salad, first, an almond sliver, and yesterday, a pine nut. i don't order salads that have nuts as an ingredient. duh. yestserday i was in the ER for the entire afternoon, and while I am fine now, it's just crazy that they are SO CARELESS AND LAZY. it's really stupid, and a huge liability. i'm sorry to have to write this but would be remiss not to tell you to steer clear -- that's the sign of a messy kitchen, and clearly, owners who don't give a damn. the end.
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Review from Domenica G.
Petaluma, CA
11/4/2011
Being Italian, growing up on Italian food, and eating a lot of Italian food in Italy..this place is the best traditional Tuscan style Italian cooking around. The quality of the products they use is noticeably better than most other places in town and the homemade pasta is fabulous!
While the seating is tight and sometimes service is slow, it is well worth the wait. I feel like it embraces and promotes enjoying your dinner experience, so don't expect to eat and run. Good food takes time, so have a glass of wine and enjoy the experience!!
I have been going here for years from age 15 to now age 25. The owner is great, the food is great, and the wine selection is great and I really appreciate that the prices are ridiculously inflated. This place is a family favorite and hidden gem! It knocks other long standing Italian restaurants in Petaluma (that shall remain nameless ; ) ) out of the water and have a very friendly atmosphere! -
Review from Tammie W.
Scotts Valley, CA
10/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am beginning to feel like some of the best hidden treasures of Northern California Italian food are to be found tucked away in little storefronts in strip malls.
The food is amazing--we went for lunch before going to the Lagunitas Brewery. They start you off with bread and olive plates both which were very, very yummy. We both had paninis and they were fantastic. And the prices were very, very reasonable considering the quality of the food.
Our waitperson was very engaging and we didn't experience any of the rudeness mentioned in some of the other reviews. This one is definitely on the list for the next time we're up in the Petaluma area. -
Review from Crystal H.
Petaluma, CA
11/18/2011
When we got there at 5:30 on a Friday evening, we asked for a seat towards the back of the restaurant because I thought it would be too cold near by the door. No go - they didn't have any servers in that "zone". I sat near the front, was cold the entire time. The seats also sank in, was extremely uncomfortable.
The service was very slow as mentioned in the other reviews. We had to ask the waitress for our bread refill twice. Never got a refill on the olives. Took a long time for her to come by for our order. I asked her what "Osso Bucco" was, she said "its like a kind-of-stew" which was definitely not what the meal was. (Googled the definition for Osso Bucco = "bone with hole")
Appetizer: Grilled Eggplant/Mozzerella Stack - this was okay, felt like something I could make at home.
Entree: Veal Osso Bucco w/ Creamy Polenta - the veal was tender and flavorful. Polenta wasn't very special.
Gnocchi w/Bologense - Gnocchi was soft, not gummy. Sauce was typical.
Dessert: Bread Pudding w/ Vanilla Ice Cream and Caramel sauce - Wow! This was really good!! LOVED this!
Overall, it was decent. I think its hard to be treated well for 20-somethings here. They paid a lot of attention to the other customers who were in their 30s/40s/50s. The couple sitting behind us received a free dessert since it was their anniversary. The couple sitting to the right of us got an ice cold water spilled on him (server was rushing to clean the table and knocked the drink over). They were understaffed, but I saw the owner drinking wine the entire time rather than helping out. Another note of etiquette - I saw one of the chefs wearing a baseball cap while customers seemed to have to hang up their baseball caps on the hat rack at the entrance.
NOTE: ON THEIR BULLETIN BOARD IT SAYS "Last day we will honor http://Restaurant.com Gift Certificate is 11/30/11. They are selling without permission." So be careful before purchasing this certificate! -
Review from Mrs. O.
Penngrove, CA
2/28/2012
The most delicious Gorganzola Gnocchi. The wife does an amazing job with her recipes.
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Review from Diane G.
Cotati, CA
2/28/2012
Was there on a slow night, so waiting was not a problem at all. Everyone in the restaurant was friendly and helpful.
The food was outstanding! I had a seafood pasta special which was impeccably cooked! Every morsel was perfectly textured; cooked just enough, but not overcooked. Although it seems simple it takes great timing and dexterity to pull off that dish so well.
My dining partner had a fabulous eggplant parmesan which she declared to be very light and delicious.
This is San Francisco quality food without the travel and without the high prices. -
Review from Ed P.
Petaluma, CA
5/1/2012
this is our favorite italian place in P-town. this place is a hidden gem in the OSH shopping center. super authentic flavors and good service. love it.
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Review from S. S.
Petaluma, CA
6/24/2011
First off, the food is incredible. Why only three stars then? The staff has been rude on more than one occassion. In fact, one particularly busy evening when our table had finished (note we had no wine or drinks...just dinner) the waitress came with the check and said "there are people waiting for this table". We were not asked if we wanted dessert or coffee. Keep in mind this place is tiny and can get a bit cramped.
Regardless, I continue to go back for the bruschetta rustica and pasta dishes. -
Review from Mike D.
Penngrove, CA
1/4/2012 3 Check-ins Here
I have been coming here for years. Sometimes it is pretty good sometimes just okay. It depends on the chef, some good days n some not so good. I have tried pretty much everything here and I like the pasta. The risotto is good, lasagne is good, the brushetta is also good. The place is tight so it will seem crowded. There are many good places in Petaluma, it is hard to review them and be fair.
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Review from Kelly G.
Cotati, CA
1/31/2012
I went here for my birthday dinner which was on a Tuesday night. We made reservations for 5 at 7 o'clock. Before we got there one member of our party decided not to come. When we arrived the owner gave us a lecture and told us next time not to book a reservation for 5 if we only had 4 people in our party, because they only have one table that seats 5 people and they could have used it for someone else. It was incredibly rude and uncalled for. We were ready to leave, but reluctantly stayed. I ordered ravioli off the specials menu. When I got my food it was covered in a walnut sauce which I am highly allergic to. When I told the waitress she asked me if I wanted anything else like it was no big deal and I was rude for even sending it back. Even though the food is always good, the service is always unpredictable and for that reason I will not be going back.
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Review from Catherine A.
Carmel, CA
5/5/2012
the worst experience i have ever had with a restaurant, the owners and staff have no customer service skills.
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Review from Nicole G.
Sebastopol, CA
7/2/2011
A few months back, this restaurant was recommended to us and I'm overjoyed that it was. I had never heard of it, never been to this little strip mall area and probably never would have found it on my own.
Let me start by saying the Bruschetta is the MOST amazing Bruschetta I have ever tasted and just writing about it now makes me want it sooo bad. And, everything I've ever eaten has been phenomenal. Last time, I had a Chicken Risotto. OMG!!! I've been craving it ever since.
Their desserts are amazing. My husband always finds a great wine to have with his entree. It's a great atmosphere. It may feel a little snug ... OK, a lot snug. But, the staff is always friendly and the experience is fun so we don't mind waiting around. -
Review from Catherine G.
Yorba Linda, CA
3/10/2011
My stepdaughter goes to Sonoma State and during my visit from SoCal this week, we chose Caffe Giostra (thanks, as always, to Yelp!). It was a Wednesday night and it was lovely! Nice intimate ambiance, but with a great energy, fast courteous service, yummy food. We split a Caesar, which had fresh parmesan shavings and a hint of anchovy (lucky for my stepy, they were not visible!). Then we both had the angel hair seafood pasta, it was a hit.
It was a little pricey, but worth it. We'll be back! -
Review from David M.
Petaluma, CA
12/1/2011
***Caffe Giostra is not accepting http://restaurant.com GC's.***
On November 28th, my wife bought a GC at http://restaurant.com and immediately went to Caffe Giostra to have dinner. She and my parents ordered, ate and then gave the server the GC. The server said that Gaffe Giostra wasn't accepting the GC's.
As my wife and parents left the business, they saw a sign posted on the door facing inside the restaurant that Caffe Giostra was not accepting GC's from http://restaurant.com. There was no sign posted facing outside the restaurant when you entered the restaurant.
I called both http://restaurant.com and Caffe Giostra to find out why http://restaurant.com was selling GC's but the restaurant wasn't accepting them.
Both http://restaurant.com and Caffe Giostra blamed each other for the confusion. Both parties said that they had tried to contact the other several times.
When I called http://restaurant.com, they did refund my money to my credit card after I asked for a supervisor. (Originally, they were only going to give me a credit.)
When I called Giostra, the woman I spoke with said that they accepted the GC's until November 30th. I told her my wife and parents went to the restaurant on November 28th. She apologized and offered to accept the GC.
Both sides were very courteous with me.
***Do not buy gift certificates for Caffe Giostra.*** -
Review from Grace Y.
6/19/2010
I've been here twice so far. The first time I was on a time crunch and I didn't think I had time to get food before heading into the city so I had a very delicious salad and sampled appetizers before I left. I got to see everyone's entrees arrive so I was quite jealous when I left.
The second time I came with my boyfriend and his family and we actually got to eat here :) Yay! I got the mussels as an appetizer and since no one else ate shellfish, I got the whole thing to myself. It's absolutely delicious and the mussels are so fresh! I could eat my fills worth of appetizers here.
Our entrees were decent. I got a cheese tortellini with peas and prosciutto in an alfredo sauce. I love prosciuttio and if you know me, you probably have heard about how I fight with The Orange Menace over who gets each delicious morsel. Yes, I fight with a cat over food. My bf got the same pasta in a meat marinara sauce. His was better by a lot.
The wait is kind of long and the server we had was hard to understand but he was nice, which is what matters I guess. I like the intimacy of the restaurant and how quaint it is inside compared to the shopping center that it's in.
Things I like:
Bruschetta
Steamed Mussels
Melon and Prosciutto
Tortellini in meat sauce
Salads
Tons of coupons circulating in the mail/online
Things I don't like:
Cold bread
Slowish service
Tortellini in alfredo sauce
I shall be back! -
Review from Pat S.
San Luis Obispo, CA
10/27/2011
We ate here 2 weeks ago and had a great Italian dinner. We were staying at the Petaluma KOA nearby and the owner there recommended it. He later told us his family's been going to Cafe Giostra since his daughter was born 12 years ago. It's family run and a labor of love. I'm glad we were there on a weeknight. It's not large; we didn't have a wait; but they were busy enough there never seemed to be more than one or two empty tables while we were there. This is a keeper for our list of restaurants to return to when traveling! 1 shared salad, 2 entrees, complimentary bread, 1 Moretti, tax and tip = $57.
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Review from Heather S.
Petaluma, CA
3/12/2008
The food's good. People say that it's not quite as good as Cucina Paradiso, but I think it depends on what you order. The place is SMALL. Call ahead for groups.
Why this place got five stars: best bread pudding I've ever, ever had. Tender, light, warm, sweet but not cloying, not mushy or pasty, delicious caramel sauce. Best ever, people. -
Review from Tina S.
Rohnert Park, CA
8/7/2010
I would have probably never stopped here, given its strip mall location without a recommendation from a friend. I'm so glad I did. The food was absolutely spectacular! The service was a little slow, but friendly, and had it been on point I would have given 5 stars for sure. I think service was slower because they were jam packed and really its a pretty small restaurant. There were a couple times when both my husband's and my water glass went dry - he was drinking soda, so after i ran out of water I drank his.
We shared the bruschetta appetizer - best bruschetta we've ever had. The sourdough bread had a layer of garlicy tomatoes and basil on top of Parmesan cheese, on top of pesto - amazing! I had the lasagna (a special of the day) and hubby had chicken parmigano. The lasagna was solid - it could have been served a little warmer. The chicken was awesome.
We'll definitely be back. -
Review from Jason R.
San Francisco, CA
4/7/2008
Just finished another tasty Giostra lunch.
I really like their sandwiches, especially the eggplant chicken one. Today I had three half sandwiches; the aforementioned chicken/eggplant, a vegetarian one with eggplant, zucchini and roasted peppers and a flank steak with grilled onions and pesto. All three served on grilled French bread.
Their pastas are good, too, but the sandwiches really shine. -
Review from ELLIS D.
Petaluma, CA
6/8/2009
Friendly nuanced home style Italian food. Nuthin fancy but good eats!
Good but not excellent.. Fun but not fantastic. pleasant but not charming. -
Review from Mike S.
Santa Rosa, CA
2/13/2011
Having worked nearby I ate lunch here many times over the past 10 years. It is consistently excellent. I honestly cannot recall a single dish that wasn't at least "dang good". It is extremely busy at lunch, and the restaurant is uncomfortably crowded, but the food more than makes up for this. The staff is very friendly, especially after your second or third visit when they remember what you like.
I only have been here for dinner one time - the staff was different, but still very friendly, it was less crowded, and the food was still amazing. The owner sat down with us and poured us a free glass of wine - that was cool.
Every dish is good - just close your eyes and pick one. They are also more than willing to customize your order to your liking. -
Review from Jeff M.
Petaluma, CA
5/30/2010
Cafe Giostra is a good place to go for casual italian dining. The prices are decent and the food is fresh. Most of the wait staff have been there a long time and are competent and friendly. The menu is short but there are 7 - 10 specials every day to maintain good variety.
Their Bruschetta is the best in town featuring tasty fresh tomatoes. They feature their Minestrone zuppa daily and although the Minestrone does nothing to make it stand out, they usually have an interesting special soup as an alternative that we tend to order.
The lunch salads at Giostra are outstanding, all feature fresh ingredients. My favorite is the Mediterranean salad with olives, feta, and creamy balsalmic dressing, upgraded with chicken, prawns, or salmon, if desired.
They have a daily risotto dish that rotates a variety of favorite additions such as Chicken, Spinach, or Mushroom. The staff are more than willing to customize their specials to your taste, don't be afraid to ask. Also among the specials, one can usually find a Ravioli, a Lasagna, a pasta bolognese, and a fish Picata. I love the Salmon Picata and the Lasagna Bolognese and the Mrs loves the Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli and the Chicken and Spinach (usually in place of the mushrooms) Risotto.
The biggest downside to Cafe Giostra is the facility, it is crowded and difficult to seat a large party. But, we manage to squeeze in when we are looking for something good, fresh and local. -
Review from Terra R.
Santa Rosa, CA
8/2/2010
A few months ago after reading such good reviews I convinced my boyfriend that we should check it out and I am so glad we did. As we entered a friendly gentleman asked if we had reservations and my boyfriend and I would at each other perplexed (had we needed to make a reversation for a restuarant in a strip mall??) We admitted we had not we were told we were in luck just one table for two left (whew). Everything we ordered was delicious, my fresh/homemade minestrone, his salad, our cantelope/proscitto and his chicken piccata. My gnocchi was the best I have ever had.
We will defintely be going back but this time we will make a reservation as I would recommend to anyone going.
I was nice though for those that had to wait, the had a patio out front that you could enjoy drinks while waiting for your table to open up. -
Review from Deric H.
Novato, CA
6/13/2008
Update as of 3/15/10: I won't eat at your Novato restaurant (Chianti Cucina) either. You never contacted me. You lost a loyal customer.
Update as of 12/15/08:
We come here at about once a month, though that won't happen anymore. I am downgrading this place to 2 stars for very offensive service. What really pissed me off was the waiter that greeted us used no discretion in showing favoritism to another couple who came in behind us. Neither we nor the other couple had reservations. First the waiter tells us he will seat us. Then he makes us move aside so he can ask the couple (whom he obviously knows) which table they want. How tacky!
Cafe Giostra: I am offended by you allowing such tasteless service. Shame on you! Feel free to send me a communication to rectify matters. In the meantime you will remain at two stars and we will vote with our money by going elsewhere.
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Original Review:
This place has been around for years and the servers have too. They have a great ribeye dinner and everything else is pretty good and portions are decent. Service is generally good, though I requested a different glass of wine since mine tasted corked and the server grumped a bit. In the end he got me a different glass of wine. Overall, I'd go back for my ribeye dinner. -
Review from Linda S.
Petaluma, CA
2/2/2011
My friend recommanded me to this place so i went last monday night.
This place was full of people on Monday evening.
I knew why after i got my food...it was just delicious and I can't wait to go back again! -
Review from JD R.
Petaluma, CA
6/12/2010
Okay.. time to write a review for this place. Third time going tonight. I have to say I was sold the first night I was here. It was my first week in town. The following week when my wife and son arrived we went out to dinner there again. It was excellent. Great atmosphere, great food. The Gnocchi is sensational.
I have to agree with a lot of folks, don't be put off that it's in a little strip mall next to OSH, Burger King and whatever else is there... it's good.. and I know a lot of italian places in malls that will surprise you.. starting in Encino, Ca. But that's another town... about 360 Miles away... -
Review from Grant G.
Petaluma, CA
10/28/2010
Caffe Giostra has won first place in our hearts and stomachs among the many fine restaurants in Petaluma. We've been there numerous times as a couple and with larger groups. Each time we have been well served and with quality hot excellent food and pleasant surroundings.
Grant G. -
Review from Tom S.
Kenwood, CA
4/3/2007
Bambie & I had an extended & relaxed Monday lunch, (my usual day off). At 1:00pm all 17 tables were full, but a 4-top exited 30 seconds after we entered. We got to sit down in a minute.
Servers & owners at this small place are friendly, efficient
& smart. Handed us the menus, wine list & asked us what we wanted to eat. Then the waitress made specific recommendations to suit our stated expectations.
Bambie had the petrale sole with lemon capers. I had the linguine with 2 big veal meatballs. We split a mesclun starter salad. Good feta cheese on the greens. Main courses were filling, fine flavored, satisfying.
Wine by the glass is mostly Californian.. Typical big goblet of Chardonnay costs $7.5.
House made Tiramisu is excellent. Cake & cream in it are heavier than most others, but the not-too-sweet coffee flavor is just right. The espresso here is acidic and 2 cups have enough caffeine to blow the hair off your skull.
The big surprise was the $80 lunch bill, before tip! Server was better than usual, so I gave her a $20. So lunch in a little, modest storefront cafe for $100? That's way too high, but I did order the best of everything. You can eat here much cheaper. Order a Panini with salad for $7. Recommended for the food, not for the ambience. This storefront in an ugly strip mall has zero romance factor. -
Review from Sahara G.
San Francisco, CA
9/14/2009
As a solo diner I wasn't given the same attention as anyone else and I hate that with a passion. The waiter did not tell me what the specials are - but he told everyone else. I had to ask.
I settled on the night's risotto which he assured me was great. It was fair. It had a ton of scallops which tells me they are the cheapest quality. Scallops are expensive and there should have been 2 big plump succulent ones in a bed of rice rather than oodles of small rubbery things posing as scallops.
The risotto had zero flavor - I could not taste the wine or broth, there was no seasoning other than salt (that is NOT a seasoning in my book)
To make a point I gave the unfriendly waiter a 20% tip. I won't go back here again. -
Review from DJ C.
Petaluma, CA
3/22/2011
I've been here a few times before and although the food is awesome, the ambiance and service need some work.
My wife and I went out last weekend on a much needed date night and ended up at Giostra. I got the weird vibe as soon as we walked in. The hostess seemed put out that there was a customer walking in the door and rather curt like walked us to a table and with out even acknowledging that this was our table, dropped the menus there and walked off. Now this is where I would have followed her and went out the door, but I was hungry.
Our waiter was about the same. Indifferent and not really wanting to put fourth any kind of effort. As he was walking away after we ordered our dinner I had to ask him if I could order wine. You would think that since his tip is directly related to how much food we order, he would have suggested wine, appetizers, salad, dessert and the lot. Maybe even lead someone into something with a "The chicken parmigiana is fantastic tonight..." but no. I really wanted Salad and dessert but never got the chance to ask. It's not like the place was over packed and he was the only one working there.
Once we were done eating, our server put the check on the table and in a very dismissive voice "will there be anything else? No? Ok." and walked off wit out me saying anything. I should have thrown the check at him and ordered more. But I was with my wife and she frowns on such behavior. Plus my parents know the owner and I didn't want to have such an event come up during Thanksgiving dinner conversation.
The other thing is that they cram about 20 tables into a space that should have no more than 15. you are literally sitting on top of the people next to you and God help you if you need to go to the bathroom. It's like scooting down the isle at a movie.
Next time I'll go in with the coupon to ease the pain. -
Review from PAMELA W.
Dillon Beach, CA
1/9/2008
Wow! Do you know how many times we have driven by this little place and didn't give it a second thought?? Maybe because its in such an unlikely place....but so is the "OTHER" favorite Italian place in Petaluma...sooo we tried it!
The waiter had this wonderful Italian accent....was careful to explain all the specials and the bread basket was always full. I had one of the specials and even had the bread pudding! YUM! Hubby had chicken lasagna and loved it and he had the chocolate torte....almost licked the plate!
Try it! I swear you won't be disappointed!! -
Review from Megan M.
Petaluma, CA
10/16/2008
You know, I kinda can't get on this bandwagon.
The food is okay, but nothing special - standard Italian stuff - pasta isn't overcooked, sauces are decent but not decadent. Wine list is a little sad (hey, it's still Sonoma County, you come to expect certain things.) Portions are ginormous.
It's in a strip mall.
It feels cheapie inside - uncomfortable tables, corny decor.
I'm not saying I need the French Laundry all the time, but really, you can do better than this place. -
Review from Don F.
2/20/2009
We have been here quite a few times over the years. Actually, while at dinner tonight the wife reminded me that we had dinner here on our first date back in 1996.
I ordered a Cesar salad & Rib eye steak. The wife had butternut squash soup & calamari. Everything was really good and would reorder again.
One thing that kind of bothered me was we put out the Savings card, so we could get 1 free meal. After that the waiter seemed kind of odd / rude?Not sure what was going on there? My Cesar salad came and he did not ask about fresh ground pepper. Other wise it would be a 5 star night. -
Review from Linh L.
San Jose, CA
9/1/2008
Thank you, Yelp, for yet another great recommendation!
My fiance and I were staying in Petaluma, and we wanted to try out some good food during our stay. We didn't necessarily want posh, fancy and expensive--we just wanted some solid, good food. And along came Cafe Giostra during my search on Yelp. The food here was just perfect! I love going to family owned Italian restaurants because we only seem to have huge chains in the South Bay, and I was very please with the food here. I got the meat lasagna, and my fiance got the penne with italian sausage. The food here hit the spot and reminded us of our favorite Italian restaurant down in LA. (Oh how I miss LA...)
Kudos to Cafe Giostra for serving amazing food in a simple, no-frills setting. Thumbs up from me--a must try!!! -
Review from Jarett S.
Rohnert Park, CA
10/10/2008
all i can say is EXCELLENT! This place is is a strip mall, but dont let that fool you. this place is amazing. The restaurant is small, but everything about this place makes up for it. Ive been to this restaurant many times for lunch and its one of the best Italian places around. The wait staff is excellent and attentive. Always there when you need something.
The food served up is excellent and so full of flavor. ive had a lot of things on the menu from the risotto, to the fresh fish, to the lasagna and everything in between. YUUUUMMMM. MMMMMmm good! The prices are on the high side for a lunch, but well worth it in my opinion. Id recommend this place to anyone looking for great italain food.
