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Della Santina's Trattoria

3.5 star rating
based on 55 reviews

Category: Italian  [Edit]

133 E Napa St
Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 935-0576
Price Range:
$$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
No
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
No
Take-out:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
Yes
Good for:
Dinner
Alcohol:
Beer & Wine Only

55 reviews for Della Santina's Trattoria

Review Highlights   

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"It was charming little spot, great patio and very lovely food." (in 25 reviews)
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"I got Pappardelle w/ wild boar meat sauce topped w/ truffle oil $17." (in 5 reviews)
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"The chicken and duck were good, not a fan of the rabbit." (in 7 reviews)
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Sort by: Yelp Sort | Date | Rating | Elites'
Photo of Laila P.

Elite '09

37

139

Laila P.

El Verano, CA

4 star rating
9/11/2009

Simple, authentic, hearty, delicious and convenient are the words that come to mind when I think of this yummy little eatery. Plenty of different styles of pasta and plenty of different sauces to mix and match with. The antipasta plate is amazing. And the thought of the panzanella makes me drool.

This spot is easily accesible if you're anywhere near downtown Sonoma and well worth stopping in for. Great wine selection and super friendly service. I would recommend this spot as a great place for families, friends, couples, and just about anyone who wants a delicious meal downtown.

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Photo of Jenna B.

 

5

36

Jenna B.

Costa Mesa, CA

4 star rating
7/7/2009

Della's has always been my family's special occasion spot. As a local this place is 5 stars. The owner will remember you after your first visit and will take excellent care of you every time after.

As a visitor - yikes! I've only been gone 7 years, I don't see how I've aged so poorly! Also, in the restaurant's defense - somebody who was most definitely NOT the owner was running the house. Just put on your best patient face and wait it out, the food will be worth it.

Della's is at it's best in the warmer months so you can enjoy your meal on the garden patio instead of in the teeny tiny restaurant. And they have powerful outdoor heaters (very important for those of us who feel like we're always freezing).

The best way to experiences Della's food is to order the Cena, for 2 or more guests - you get the antipasto with a variety of cured meats, roasted peppers, olives, pickled onions, and a slab of pesto coated mozzarella. This is followed by a small portion of your primo piato - a pasta dish of your choice. My mom never strays from the gnocchi della nonna, but this last time I had the papparadelle with wild boar ragu and truffle oil - holy wonderfully tasty cow...err boar. Then you get to try their grilled meats - up to 3 choices (duck, again YUM YUM YUM! and the rabbit has AMAZING stuffing). Finally you get to share a dessert. I'm a traditionalist, after my traditional Italian meal I want tiramisu and nothing else.

So if the service is slooooooooow and you wonder why your server thinks you're invisible, just buck up and wait to enjoy your food. And try not to judge Sonoma too harshly if the owner hasn't put his waitstaff in check by the end of your meal.

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Photo of Hello K.

 

233

482

Hello K.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
6/7/2009 1 photo

Came here for our anniversary dinner.
I really enjoyed the atmosphere here. There was intimate indoor dining or the patio which was really nice. We got to sit near the fountain outside!
The menu also had a nice selection of meat and pasta dishes. I tried the Pappardelle alla Lepre. The Rabbit meat sauce was an interesting new choice but I did like it.
Prices here are very reasonable and portion sizes were impressive.
Service here was also friendly.
Would definitely return again if I am in the area.

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Photo of Edith S.

 

0

32

Edith S.

Berkeley, CA

4 star rating
11/18/2009

Every other month or so we make a trip to Napa/Sonoma to pick up wine club purchases, and make a point of finishing at Della Santina's for lunch.  I like it better in the dining room -- when the patio is closed.  The other day it was brisk and cool on the street, but the moment I opened the door to go in I felt a rush of warm air, fragrant with the best of all aromas -- Italian cooking!!!   The gnocchi are ecstatic! The only downer is that the patio chairs and tables can get to be awkward and uncomfortable.  Really, this place is wonderful.

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Photo of Caleb M.

 

0

16

Caleb M.

Sonoma, CA

4 star rating
10/20/2009

Love the food and love the outdoor dining. I have been for dinner a few times and have had wonderful Cannelloni, Lasagna, and top notch Spaghetti. The same family owns and runs Marin Joe's in Corte Madera, another favorite of mine. If you want authentic, fresh, and delicious Italian food Della Santina's is a must stop while in Sonoma.

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Photo of anne t.

 

0

2

anne t.

Sebastopol, CA

1 star rating
11/6/2009

My hubbie & I decided to give Della Santina's a try one day for lunch.  The place couldn't have had more than 6 tables seated.  The service is what spoiled the meal.   There was a table of customers who apparently the owner knew and they were pampered and coddled the entire time.  We were ignored and beyond the neglect, we were badly treated.  The food was very good but it can't and didn't make up for what was atrocious service. There aren't any excuses.  I  wrote the owner a letter and was invited back to give it another try.  But we simply didn't want to, it was that bad.  With so many wonderful places to dine, why bother?  It wasn't worth our time.

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Photo of Andrew T.

 

15

51

Andrew T.

Santa Clara, CA

4 star rating
10/5/2009

Wow - talk about expectations - I saw they were Michelin guide recommended and all of the good reviews here and had to try it!  The food did not disappoint - my gf and I ordered the antipasti misto which had a generous helping of different cured meats, mozzarella cheese, and olives - so delicious it just made us hungrier...then for entrees she had a meat lasagne and I had the rabbit - both were delicious - the lasagne was made with fresh pasta (they make it themselves in house!) with the right balance of meat, sauce and cheese - normally my gf eats about half a portion, but she finished the whole thing!  I had the herb rabbit - so delicious, tender and juicy - was just a great evening.  Minus one star for slow service, but it definitely felt like I was at a homey italian place...don't go looking for southern italian food like canoli's though...the owner is from northern italy and only cooks what he knows...he's also got a decent wine list by the glass or bottle that he will pair with your food...

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Photo of gracie t.

 

0

3

gracie t.

Sonoma, CA

2 star rating
10/21/2009

As a local customer,  we prefer to patronize our local eateries.   We had reservations for a party of 6,  we showed up on time and were told all reservations had been canceled due to a local celeb showing up to entertain an entourage.    The food was never superior enough to return,  with this kind of treatment,  there are so many other excellent choices in Sonoma on the plaza.   Not worth the insult.

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Photo of zachary c.

 

5

28

zachary c.

Sonoma, CA

4 star rating
Updated - 8/24/2009

They don't seat people in the breezeway anymore. The actual patio is very  nice, so I'm bumping my original review up to 4 stars.

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1 Previous Review: Show all »

  • 3 star rating
    7/25/2008

    The pesto gnocchi was good. We sat in the breezeway though, which wasn't so good. Maybe the actual… Read more »

Photo of anderson v.

 

3

16

anderson v.

Sonoma, CA

4 star rating
8/17/2009

Romantic & delicious with some great outdoor tables.  We love this place for special occasions.

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Photo of kierstan g.

 

1

42

kierstan g.

Marin, CA

5 star rating
4/5/2009

Della Santinas is our favorite restaurant, hands down.  I read through every single review and I have to say I agree with the good ones and the bad ones, yet that being said its still my favorite restaurant.

We first went there about a year ago, and were seated in the patio in back.  With the white lights, fountain and vines I felt as though I was in Italy.  (disclaimer: I have not actually ever been in Italy) Even the uneven brick floor, that makes your table a little unsteady is part of the charm and it comes with eating in Italy, i mean Sonoma.  

We liked the owner from the very first night.  He is serious and slightly gruff but in a very charming way.  He will remember you and that can be an advantage on particularly busy nights.  Always try to have reservations.  

Sometimes the wait staff does take forever to get to your table, but we don't mind, we aren't in a rush and there is usually water on our table to wet the palate.  Sometimes we even get the bread before a waiter actually takes our drink order.  This is just how it is.  There have been times when we have shown up without a reservation and they will say we need the table in thirty minutes, can you eat in thirty minutes?  And we say yes siree because we will not miss a chance to eat here.  And thats just how it is.  Appreciate the experience.  

We ordered a great bottle of wine the first night, greco di tuffo or something, so refreshing and affordable.  However, every time since, we've been back (15 or so times) we have just order the house white and its perfect to pair with our gnocci.  

The mista salad is what we get if we get a salad but we usually try to save room for the gnocci that we come all the way to sonoma to eat.  Its incredible, like little fluffy pillows that melt in your mouth.  The first night it was recommended and we have ordered it every time, ever since.  He gets the pesto top and I get the tomato which is incredible, fresh and flavorful.  Its also light which is a nice addidtion to a heavier meal.  

Sometimes we stay for gelato, but usually we head out before dessert.

It really does feel like a family place, complete with pictures of his family on the shelves inside.  The wait staff always takes the time to talk to us or make suggestions.  The owner has recognized us ever since that very first time we visited and we feel good about that.  And in turn, we never order gnocci anywhere else because we would never cheat on Della Santinas.

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Photo of Kristen S.

Elite '09

50

148

Kristen S.

San Jose, CA

3 star rating
6/30/2008 3 photos

Their patio was lovely as the pictures show. Their pasta was good, over sauced, but the sauce was scrumptious, and their gnocchi was also tasty. We also had the Cesar salad which was also decent, but nothing special.

I do feel like I should warn people though. I had a friend with me who doesn't eat veal or rabbit, and there were surprisingly few choices that still had meat in the sauce that didn't contain veal in them.

All in all what can I say about Della Santina's? It's good. Did I rave about it to friends and family when I got back home? No.

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Photo of Meghan L.

Elite '09

13

64

Meghan L.

Sonoma, CA

4 star rating
5/30/2008

I've been going to Della Santina's for probably 15 years and I'm on a first name basis with most of the staff. It's the best: consistently good food, service and wine. Granted, they don't get too creative with the menu -- even the specials have stayed the same all these years, but if it isn't broke....

I don't think I've ever had a bad meal here. Try the turkey panini at lunch. It's so good I've never ordered anything else. At dinner, I love the gnocchi and spaghettini pomodoro.

If its nice out, definitely sit on the beautiful brick patio, if it's cold ask for the table by the fireplace.

Rob, the owner and a real sweetheart, is also involved with the Enoteca next door. Wait for your table at Della's while sampling the vast wine selection they have there. They'll pop over and get you when your table's ready.

Della's does get busy so a reservation is a good idea but they've always made an effort to seat me, even when they're packed. And truthfully, they're worth a wait.

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Photo of Jessica B.

 

0

7

Jessica B.

New York, NY

2 star rating
7/21/2009

Very mediocre Italian food.  The garden out back was lovely, but our waiter was forgetful and described the specials completely inaccurately (we ordered one and it was nothing like he described - not terribly good either).  Don't bother, I'm sure there are better places.

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Photo of Roberto L.

 

2

69

Roberto L.

Santa Cruz, CA

4 star rating
9/8/2008

Now here is Sonoma's little Italian Gem of a Trattoria! I love this place!

From street, it doesn't look like much but as one enters the gates that lead to the outdoor dining patio, everything changes.

As the sun sets, white miniature christmas lights mimic a star-lit night, a water fall gently trickles water in the distance as the soft music warms the ambiance. The candle-lit tables all make for a delightful and romantic experience with that special loved one.

The food here is a 7 on a scale from 1-10. The service makes this
place quite an experience.  The staff and owner, were extremely nice and made us feel at home. They all made sure we had everything we needed, I never had to wait long for drinks. I ended up ordering something to take home in addition to our meal.

What a picturesque place to sit down and have a great meal....a PERFECT place to hide from the world.

I recommend it!

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Photo of Robert H.

 

1

71

Robert H.

San Lorenzo, CA

4 star rating
8/8/2009

Nice little trattoria style Italian Restaurant.  If you don't know what a reall Italian trattoria is -- it's just like this!  The menu is short and uncomplicated and the food delicious.  Like true Italian style, service is slow but responsive.  All true foodies know that's because the food is prepared when it is ordered and not just microwaved (which is what you'll get if you want the super- speedy service that some people desire.We started with an Pomodori e Mozzarella salad for two -- pretty darn tasty.  For one entry we had gnocchi (potato dumplings) with a pesto based sauce and (hope there's no PETA people reading this), I had a veal special with potatoes and veggies.  It was cooked perfectly and quite delicious.  The food was ample and filling without being overbearing.  We didn't have enough room for dessert or coffee but from what we could see at other tables the desserts were very enticing.  Some reviewers said they was indoor seating but we sat in a nice little patio in back which had heaters for the cool nights and a screen to shade us from the sun.  For atmosphere there was a trellis with actual grape vines and grapes.  As another Yelper mentioned -- the menu appears to be northern Italian with rabbit, wild boar, free range chicken, and pork and turkey on the menu.  There was also some prawns and fish on the menu.  For dinner they have an intruiging family style "Italian" menu for $40 each for two persons minimum.  All I can say is that the restaurant, the method of service, and the food are very Italian style.  I've seen the the bad reviews so I do know that there are some snobs out there who don't understand how genuine Italian works.  I liked it.  It's a nice little place with attentive service.  I gotta go back the next time I'm up there.

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Photo of Casey K.

 

1

7

Casey K.

Walnut Creek, CA

5 star rating
5/20/2009

A darling little place just off the main square.  We sat in the window table and enjoyed people watching while we devoured our delicious meal.  The petrale sole was fabulous.  Cooked perfectly it paired well with the La Crema Chard. recommended by Jesus our waiter.  He was very helpful and attentive.  It was probably my favorite restaurant from our 4 days in Sonoma.  Great service and great food.

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Photo of vic f.

 

4

56

vic f.

Oakland, CA

3 star rating
7/18/2008

Really I'd give the place a 4 if it were solely based on food, however the service could use a little polish. Arrived on time for a reservation, OK no host, no problem, gave a few weird looks to a few waiters and finally got seated by a waiter. Seated outside that is, my companion was a bit chilled as the sun went down, and request to be reseated inside, got some two bit excuse...bummer.

However the highlight was the food, ceasar salad,  the antipasta and fresh pasta special almost made up for the "back alley" service, but not quite.

If you're looking for some fresh pasta with some killer sauce, go, just bring someone that will bring a smile to your face, the staff is the staff and I'll leave it at that.

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Photo of Dylan S.

 

0

23

Dylan S.

Fremont, CA

4 star rating
5/3/2009

Very nice Italian restaurant just off the downtown square in Sonoma. When you walk in, you get a feel of a small restaurant w/ 8-10 tables, but they have another 6 in the covered alley way, and another 15 or so in the back area - very smart.

Expect a laid back meal where the waiters will get to you but if you're in a Type A eat-and-out mood, you're in the wrong mind set. Lots of meat offerings on the menu and a modest but fine pasta offering. We had the caesar salad, chicken and veal cannelloni, penne and sausage, followed by the chocolate mousse tort. All great.

Clientele is great as well. We sat next to Robin Williams.

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Photo of Steve M.

 

3

33

Steve M.

Chicago, IL

4 star rating
3/30/2009

I was there on a Saturday evening after some tastings in Sonoma. I had ordered the grilled lamb chops with polenta and broccoli. It was mighty tasty and the chianti we ordered went well with it. It was a great end to a great day. The service was quick and friendly and the food was above average.

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Photo of Juan Carlos T.

 

20

201

Juan Carlos T.

Milpitas, CA

3 star rating
6/1/2007

Coming here has made me dislike Rachel Ray more and more, first I can see how this is a really good, nice, small, friendly restaurant, but since Rachel Ray has covered this place on her show, it made it impossible to eat here unless you have reservations or is willing to dine an hour or two pass the peak hours.  I came at almost at 2 pm on a Friday afternoon, and got seated immediately, the restaurant was still plenty packed, however.  The food was a solid 4 stars.  The service was inattentive, the waiter was knowledgable about wines, but you better be if you are in Sonoma!  Overall my experience was pleasant, but deduct one star for service and Rachel Ray factor.

I will actually come back, because the food is decent enough, and if you make reservations, I think it's ok.

----

I did come back and service was just ok... same stars.  And Rachel Ray still annoys me.

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Photo of rachel m.

 

23

131

rachel m.

Austin, TX

4 star rating
10/22/2007

Cute, Cozy, Classic Italian.

While there was nothing particularly innovative on the menu, they do what they do very well. I had the cannelloni - it was delicious. I wasn't particularly impressed with the Caesar salad, but it got the job done. My friend and I split the chocolate mouse tart for dessert - it was absolutely fantastic; I highly recommend it - save room for dessert.

We did have to wait about 10 minutes for our table, even though we had a reservation; but the service was prompt and personable once we sat down.

I look forward to trying the duck and wild rice next time.. review to be continued...

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Photo of Ann L.

Elite '09

362

1458

Ann L.

Fremont, CA

2 star rating
11/18/2006 8 photos

6 of us went here on Sat 11/18/06 after a day in Sonoma.  We really wanted to like this place after all the reviews but can't really recommend it.  

We had reservations, you really need them.  We did show up early for your reservations though.

Free bread but no special dipping sauce (that I read from Yelp reviewers) was given, we only had the olive oil that was on the table.

The food is pretty good, but the service is pretty lousy.  

The food:
Appetizers-are small, enough for two ppl like mentioned on the menu.  You get prosciutto, ham, salami, some Kalamata olives, and a soft fresh cheese.  We thought it was ok, one didn't like it all at.

a Vegetarian friend got the gnocchi and I tried 1 piece.  It really was a good version.  Usually they are like lead, but this was tender and soft.  How did they do that?

I got Pappardelle w/ wild boar meat sauce topped w/ truffle oil $17.95-it was pretty good, but no liquid sauce, just lots of meat w/ noodles.

B. got the Pollo allo Spiedo $15.95-spit roasted free range half chicken w/ fresh herbs.  He liked it fine.

The Panna Cotta -eggless custard finished w/ Italian pastry rum & Amarene (wild Italian cherries) was Awful.  I love desserts-but I couldn't finish it, too much alcohol in the dessert ruined it for me.

Friends got the Special dessert of the day-and they didn't like it either.

Bad service-they gave a dish for a friend away to another table, and they didn't mention it until later.  So the friend had to wait a very long time, Plus was not comped anything for his wait.  Bad.  They have one unisex bathroom-but I didn't use it so can't say anything about it.

Cramped sitting in a small restaurant, they have a patio in the back though.

Prices were different from the take-out menu and didn't seem fair.  Prices are moderately high, so we weren't happy.

I don't recommended it.

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Photo of Claudine C.

Elite '09

124

327

Claudine C.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
1/5/2008 3 photos

3.5 stars.

If you're able to sit on the patio outside, I highly recommend it.  We were seated directly beneath a glorious natural green canopy which dappled the table underneath with patches of sunlight.  Other parts of the patio had overhead vine-covered trellises; still other shade-makers consisted of canvas umbrellas.  It's absolutely beautiful.

The food was ... fine.  I believe the appetizers were ok. Did we have calamari + crostini?  I can't quite remember.  There was som standard salad with bright pink pickled onions.  

My chicken entree was juicy, but lacking in flavor.  I think I had to use quite a bit of salt over the whole lot.  We did have a fantastic wine, though -- a 2002 Rosso di Montalcino.  I remember it being a bit pricey and was thankful that my boss picked up the tab.

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Photo of Chuck k.

Elite '09

39

266

Chuck k.

Campbell, CA

2 star rating
11/22/2006

We saw Della Santina on one of Rachel Ray's programs. I should have known you can't trust someone that says 'yum-o'.

The food is not bad, but a touch pricey, and the outside space is very  nice, if a bit cold. However, we were inside where you sit elbow to elbow with the other tables crammed into a small house.

First I had a really good bowl of minestrone. Nice veggies, great stock, wonderful with the nice bread they provided.

Then we shared the antipasto mista, which was just OK. I thought the salami was a little over fatty, and not that tasty. The other meats were just OK. I like the fresh cheese in the middle. Made in Sonoma, sorta like a cream cheese. The peppers were also just average.

For my entree I had a boar meat sauce over wide pasta. The pasta was good, as was the boar meat, but  it wasn't what I expected. It was more like minced meat than what I was thinking of a sauce. Like I said, it was good just not what I expected.

The dessert was a chocolate sponge cake with whipped cream and rum with some creme inglese. Bad! Not worth the calories. We didn't even finish.

The service was slow, slow, slow! And not very good in general. The long wait to pay was the last straw that drives this place into a 2 star rating.

Also, one unisex bathroom for a restaurant of that size! And they share it with the store next door! Ridiculous.

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Photo of Tom S.

 

60

682

Tom S.

Kenwood, CA

4 star rating
2/4/2007

My 1st meal here was Oh my god good!  Really surprising. The  3 course dinner for $30 per person is a large quantity of high quality italian style home cookin'.

Barbara has been here 3 times before. She's always telling me how good it is. I was a skeptic, knowing that this place is owned by the Marin Joes of Corte Madera family (See my one star review of that dump), but I'm gonn'a cut them some slack on this Sonoma gem.

Barb & I were in Italy for 5 weeks last October. We ate a lot of good food. Villa Santina is better than 80% of those places we yummed about when we were in Rome and Tuscany.

This night we added desserts, 4 glasses of wine, coffee. Total bill = $108. Real good food, real romantic garden back patio. Lots'a happy folks at every table having a good time. Indoor dining room was practically empty, so I'd say that walk-ins without reservations should have no problem getting seated on week nights.

Waiters are all friendly & eager to please.

Highly recommended.

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Photo of Jodi B.

Elite '09

36

124

Jodi B.

Livermore, CA

4 star rating
10/10/2007

This place is a fave for lunch on our way up to the Healdsburg area for the weekend.  There is always a wait and the service is often slow but once we have our wine and bread we are forgiving.

The pasta is awesome and all that starch is a nice base for the wine tasting we do afterwards.  I have only had the pasta and salads but my DH likes the pork loin and roast chicken. My faves are the gnocchi, and the ravioli in mushroom sauce. DH had the lasagne once but it was a bit heavy and rich for lunch time fare.

I prefer dining on the patio rather than inside, which is just a little too cozy.  The patio is a little rustic with lots of plants. The interior of the restaurant is a bit plain.  I always feel cheated if we can't get a table outside since that is part of the appeal for me.

$12 corkage. They do have a nice wine list with local favorites and a good selection of Italian wines.

reservations are recommended but we always pop in and the longest wait has been 20 minutes.

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Photo of Aida B.

 

11

26

Aida B.

Spring Valley, CA

1 star rating
3/24/2008

This is strictly for "service"- My husband and I arrived five minutes after opening, the restaurant was empty, there was an employee sitting at a table and he says to us "We're not ready, come back later"
so we walked out and we were going to wait, but then I thought...hey I've worked at restaurants before, and yeh, sometimes you're not ready, but you're friendly, apologetic, hell, sit us at a table, give us some water and say, "I'm sorry, we're running late, we'll be with you soon" something...

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Photo of Tracy D.

 

16

313

Tracy D.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/7/2006

Had a great dinner here the other night-- we just called in to reserve a table, and although the outside patio was full, they had a table ready inside for us in under 30 min, on a busy Sat night.

Our server was quite friendly and very helpful.  He did ask my boyfriend if we were dating, then proceeded to inquire whether I had a sister.  um, no.  But apart from that he gave us some great recommendations for food.  All I can say is, the antipasti (we only got the small one) is freaking HUGE.  That was a lot of meat.  Combined with our tomato and mozzarella salad, which was so yummy, I was full before they brought our entrees out.

We had their cannelloni, which has a subtle, flavorful veal filling, and the spinach ravioli, which were about the size of a cocktail napkin.  Oh so delicious... For dessert we got this concoction of egg whites, sugar, and champagne all mixed together and then frozen.  I don't know what it's called, but the texture is amazing-- as light as a mousse but much smoother.  Definitely try it when you're here.

That, along with the bottle of chianti we polished off, and a couple glasses of moscato on the house, resulted in me practically having to be rolled out the door.  AND we had 2 boxes of food to take home.

I'll definitely be back, but first I'll have to not eat for a week in order to make room.

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Photo of marie f.

 

0

5

marie f.

Oakland, CA

1 star rating
2/26/2009

The maitre d here thinks he is wonderful. He is a jerk.  The rest of the staff is fine but the maitre d ignored our request when told we did not like one of our dishes and actually became  pompous when we did not order enough wine.
The food was unremarkable. I love eating out but hated our experience here.

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Photo of Debbie T.

 

12

42

Debbie T.

Oakland, CA

3 star rating
4/13/2007

I was in Sonoma on Tuesday after my doctor's appointment. Yeah, I drive 50 miles from Oakland to see her.  She's that good. Anyway. I didn't have any expectations going in. I knew nothing about this place.

We were seated in the back patio. It was very lovely, with the flowering trees and trellised wisteria. All of the other diners were pale Sonoma society-type people. Don't think that I need people of color to be present when I have a meal. I don't. It was just an odd feeling and I felt a bit conspicuous. If it had been the weekend, there would have been swarms of young, double income no kid couples and their friends instead of chummy society types. Choose your poison.

The waiter we had was probably the happiest person I've met working a restaurant in quite some time. He checked back on us at just the right times, was pleasant and made sure we were enjoying our dishes. Suggestions were made upon request. Dishes were served and cleared promptly. I would hope that service is this great for everyone no matter what day of the week it is. Unfortunately after reading some of the other reviews, I guess this is not the case.

I'm picky about my Caesar salads. I like cold, crunchy romaine hearts. None of this soft green leafy stuff. Sadly, this place wasn't up to par with their salad. I had a plate of penne with mushrooms in a light cream sauce. It was simple and delicious. My friend said that his goat, which was done osso bucco style, was way better than my pasta, but I disagreed. The olive oil for the bread wasn't very good, so we asked for butter instead. I ordered the coffee gelato because everything else had alcohol in it, which I don't care for in my desserts.

Not a bad experience but I'm not dying to come back again.

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107

L.L. M.

Palo Alto, CA

3 star rating
7/5/2007

The service here needs some work.  We had reservations and arrived slightly ahead of time.  But, we were made to wait in the front for a while.  Service was rather slow, and our waiter was not very attentive.

The food was decent, but nothing to write home about.  Rather disappointed by the Rachel Ray review.

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Thao T.

Milpitas, CA

4 star rating
2/28/2007

The food here was great and the restaurant itself was actually really big even though it looked small from the street. The service was good and quick, we got our food within ten minutes and they gave us a lot of bread to eat in the meantime. The atmosphere was nice, we sat in the patio area which was covered and even though it was pouring outside, it wasn't too cold or anything sitting outside there.

We shared a big caesar salad which was really good, spaghetti which tasted great, and a mixed rotisserie grill with our choice of three meats (chicken, duck, and rabbit). The chicken and duck were good, not a fan of the rabbit. It tasted like chicken, but the texture was a little too rubbery for my taste. But my boyfriend loved it, so if you like rabbit, then definitely go for that dish. The meats came with huge pieces of broccoli and the best potatoes I've ever eaten!

The prices weren't  too bad either and we shared everything, but had plenty to eat where we weren't too stuffed or hungry. Definitely make reservations bc this place gets pretty packed, but its worth it to go here, and its located in the downtown area too so it's convenient.

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D D.

Sonoma, CA

2 star rating
1/29/2008

I have been to this place more than once and the food has always been fair to good, however the last time I went the service was beyond bad.
We waited much longer than the host said we would, when we finally sat it took the waiter a full 10 minutes to arrive at our table. Our waiter, which I didnt realize was our waiter at the time, was chatting with another table the entire time we waited. When he finally came over to greet us he could not tell me what fish they were serving that night and told me to 'look at the menu'. From there it just got worse. We left before we ordered .

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Tim F.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
10/25/2007

From a local perspective, there are so many choices for a wonderful dinner on the square. However, the gamberoni dorati at Della Santina has me coming back time after time. Everyone has a meal they savour every second of, and this is mine. The prawns are cooked to perfection and you'll do well to pair them with a local sauvignon blanc. The petrale sole, although not on the menu every night, is a sure win as well. Locals know the staff, but  a little chit chat will score huge points with the score of brothers working at the restaurant.

This is what dinner should taste like.

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Bob P.

Barrington, RI

4 star rating
6/16/2009

A great little Italian trattoria in the heart of Sonoma just off the square!  We went there a few weeks ago for dinner and their homemade pasta dishes (lasagna bolognese and a pappardelle special) were both excellent.  Service was also very good (and helpful) and I thought the prices were particularly reasonable.  While inside looked nice, we particularly enjoyed eating outside in their enclosed garden patio (heat lamps made it comfortable as the evening was a bit chilly).

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Cecilia V.

San Diego, CA

4 star rating
12/30/2008

We went on a day trip to Sonoma the day after Christmas and found this cute little italian restaurant!!! They seated us in the side patio and it was very warm and comfortable. I had a very delicious clam spinach pasta dish that I am still hungry for.  It has a very romantic atmosphere and the service was also great.

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Elite '09

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109

Carrie B.

Atlanta, GA

5 star rating
6/27/2008 1 photo

It's been awhile since I've been back to Della's, have been every time I've gone to Sonoma though and just looking at my pictures from the last trip remind me of the food and patio. While it's not Italy, it sure makes me long for it :)! The pasta was light and sensuous, ok, I know that may not be a proper word to describe food, but it was. The service was great, the food was great, the town is great and I can't wait to go back.

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Katherine N.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
3/2/2007

Della Santina's has some pretty good italian food, a cozy atmosphere and is steps away from the Sonoma plaza.  All great things when you a 20-something on relative budget trying to have a memorable wine country weekend dinner out.

Unfortunately, what it has by way of quality food and atmosphere, it lacks in service.  Busy though it may be, we were seated around 6:30 and couldn't leave until after 9!  Not because we were old friends who got caught up chatting, but because our waiter IGNORED us for the entirety of our meal.

Aside from almost forgetting to order our appetizers after at least 15 minutes, for every 5 times our watier would personally check on the three other tables in our vicinity, he would stop only once to glance over at ours.  He also included salads with our meals, that cost us an extra $30 without mentioning they were additional, and he left the bus boy to bring us our dessert menus after we'd sat looking at our dirty dinner plates for far too long (and I really do mean long).

Its unfortunate that the service was so poor, as I would love to recommend this otherwise pleasant place to other travelers.  

Thumbs down.

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Sophia A.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
5/24/2009

I loved this restaurant....it was delicious and sitting in the outside patio area was very enjoyable.  I will come back here everytime I come to Sonoma from now on.

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