We walked in on a Saturday with no reservation and they got us right in. We did have to sit in the heated tent outside but it was still a wonderful experience. The food was definitely homemade. The owner was very wonderful and made sure we had everything we needed. read more

Food is amazing, love the bruschetta. Tables are very cluttered and close together because always busy. Nice the outdoor tent still in use to give more space and be able to accommodate more people. read more

A little slice of heaven so close to Penngrove best halibut anywhere and don't forget wine selection and olives

I'm always surprised at the lower ratings for this place. We've been eating here for years and have never been disappointed. Food is consistently very good, the service is wonderful. Tables are good sizes chairs are comfortable however you probably need reservations; place gets crowded fast read more

Caffe Giostra - Lunch page 2, 03/06/2024 - Italian Near Me - Petaluma, California

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Really enjoyed dinner at this cozy gem of a restaurant. It has an old world feel despite being located in a corner of a commercial center away from downtown in North Petaluma. There is easy parking in the commercial center. It is a small and intimate restaurant with around maybe 10-12 tables (5 up front by the window and another 5 or so along the side wall across from the kitchen). I would recommend you phone in a reservation for dinner, especially for a party of more than 2 as most of the tables seated 2 and we were the only party of 4 during the time we were there. The price point is very reasonable for the quality and portion size of the food. The waiters were all very attentive, keeping our drinks full, explaining menu options and timing the food brought to the table. We made an early dinner reservation and within an hour or so the place was full on a Wednesday evening. White table cloths, attentive service, and some great specials of the day. The host, elderly gentleman (owner?) seated us and cracked some great jokes. He shared with us the many specials on the menu that evening, so many that we couldn't remember them all and the waiter had to repeat for us! Seems like they have a risotto, ravioli, and multiple fish entrees rotating daily. They also were offering rack of lamb and filet mignon that evening. Our party of 4 started with a bottle of Chianti, Diablo shrimp and bruschetta appetizers. The shrimp came with 4 large size portions in a spicy Tomatoe sauce that had just a finishing kick. Perfect size portion to share with the table along with 6 slices of bruschetta that had pesto as a base and chopped tomatoes. They also serve bread with the table - sliced baguette and focaccia pieces that come with a side of olives, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. There were a lot of intriguing entree choices and we settled on lasagna bolognese, risotto with shrimp, scallops, and asparagus, seafood pasta that came with shrimp, clams, mussels, calamari and scallops in a Tomatoe sauce and gnocchi with pesto cream sauce. All were hearty portions and excellent flavors. They offered fresh cracked pepper and grated Parmesan. For some pasta entrees they offered a choice of bolognese, marinara, Gorgonzola or pesto sauces. We packaged some of the entrees up to leave room for desserts - affogato, bread pudding, profiteroles, and vanilla gelato with strawberries. Our waiter served us a round of complimentary dessert wine with the last course! read more

Quickly seated despite not having a reservation. We had to promise to be done by 6:15. Promises made. Promises kept. Cozy spot with an amazing atmosphere. Old world feel with so many daily specials. Lasagna of the daily had favors that would and should take all day to create. Definitely have reservations although the outdoor seat with heater would have been lovely if it hadn't been so windy. Will come back to try the veal piccata. Saw it served up next to my group and it looked scrumptious. read more

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Great food and service. My favorite Italian restaurant in the North Bay. For Apps I always get Bruschetta or beef carpaccio and gnocchi pesto depending on how many of us there are. Calamari Dore or the Pasta Pescatore or Lasagna Bolognese for the main. The owners Hector and Marta take a second to check in on every table. read more

Food was good Service was super Ambiance great Had eight in our party. Everyone thought it was excellent. read more

Party of 6 for a birthday lunch. Menu is extensive. Service was very good. Would have liked water refilled. Food is very tasty and portions are generous. Bread brought to the table serves with vinegar and oil and olives. Owner offered to make a custom risotto if the daily special did not suffice. Friendly atmosphere. Parking is much easier here than in downtown Petaluma at mid-day. read more

Went on a whim, no reservations. Despite the initial uncertainty if we would be seated, we actually got a great table in the small homey, warm and bustling restaurant. I had no expectations as this was a recommendation from a friend vs. Yelp research. :) Translate that to mean, I'm shocked so many dealt with negative customer service as we experienced the total opposite. From start to finish, our server was engaging and patient with our questions! He helped us with our Italian and recommended some signature dishes that all turned out to be amazing! He was on top of everything! Bread basket - foccacia + olive oil/balsamic, and olives. Excellent! The bread was flavorful and had the perfect combo of crisp outside, soft inside. Love when a restaurant starts off a meal with complimentary offerings. Burrata & Prosciutto with arugula = not my favorite version of it but we ate it all. LOL It lacked a taste element but I can't quite put my finger on it. Chicken Piccata - When a dish is so simple, it has to be good. Lemon. Capers. Wine. Lemon. Chicken. Scrumptious. The mashed potatoes added to the dish and the veggies were perfectly al dente and seasoned. Hubby ordered and ate every single bit of steak and prawns. The forkful of beef I managed to try was oh-so-tender. Yum. With the tiniest of space left in our tummies, we finished off the meal with creamy, cool panna cotta. Seriously one fabulous meal and dining experience.. Highly recommend. read more

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We'd heard of this place from a co-worker of my wife's. We were a bit skeptical given its location. The skepticism ended almost immediately. The service was impeccable but the food was even better. This was quite possibly the best Italian food I've EVER had. It was incredible. I had the ravioli of the day, crab ravioli. It was pure bliss. We had the bruschetta and it was definitely the best I'd ever had. The bread was toasted perfectly. It didn't crunch and fall apart, nor did it cut the heck out of your mouth. It was warm, tasty, and filling. We will definitely be back for more. Such an amazing place. read more

Caffe Giostra - Front of restaurant - Italian Near Me - Petaluma, California

Food is fantastic / service is excellent. The proprietors are lovely! The ambiance is like walking into North Beach in San Francisco ...back in the day! read more

Every year I get my mom and step dad a nice gift card for Christmas .. well my mom finnally admitted she didn't like coming here! The service is slow and rude, they made her feel like she was disturbing them for bread! Door was warm at best very disappointing! Me and them will not go back Should really take a course in customer service!!!! read more

We use to come to this restaurant a lot pre-COVID. It was always a special experience as The staff was friendly and attentive. We decided to go for Valentines Day. Unfortunately it was not a good experience. The food was very bland, noodles undercooked, the service was marginal, and the prices were very expensive. Ambiance didn't exist. We were packed in like sardines. We won't go back again. Too Bad. read more

My girlfriend and I were here for her birthday dinner on Saturday. Everything was perfect .

Omgosh this family owned and run restaurant is amazing. The homemade dishes are out of this world. It's the best Italy food in the area. We eat here every time we visit Petaluma. DID I MENTION HOMEMADE !!! No junk ! read more

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One of the worst experiences we've had here in Petaluma. A lady on the phone will put you on hold and forget about you so you gotta call again and she'll act like it's the first time you've called. Secondly, the attitude she gives on the phone is so bad. She has no phone etiquette and just maybe a really bad customer service over the phone because you're not face to face with her. Lastly, I've always find it rude to demand for tips if you've already given your customer an attitude. So no, no tip, you're a reflection of your business. I was nice with her and never gave an attitude until it was thrown on me. I've always believed that, treat others how you want to be treated. We've waited for over an hour for our food and they just want you to stay in the car to wait for your order. Honestly, it's unacceptable. Just my 2 cents, and not coming back here again. read more

We had been coming here consistently as the food was always good. Tonight was a totally different story. First my husband's chicken parmigiana had almost no mozzarella. My veg was ice cold. I had a breaded pork chop and they heated everything in a microwave. It came back super soggy. Just disgusting. The sauce on my husband's chicken was like water. Neither of us could eat it. The WORST part was that the owner ARGUED with us! No apology, No discount, NOTHING. 85 bucks for CRAP. Thanks Giostra we will never come back and we ate there almost once a week!!! Soooo angry. read more

Tasty trattoria in Petaluma/Penngrove. The service was attentive with a family owned feel. The ambiance also created an atmosphere of being in a hilltop town in Umbria. We've eaten there several times and will again. read more

Food tastes good, really like the pork chop, but the Marsala Chicken and Chicken picatta had very small portions. Did Covid and inflation affect the price of chicken that much? Anyway just wasn't worth it. read more

Excellent food, reasonable prices, great service and huge portions. The best Italian around!

OUR FAVORITE, HANDS DOWN! This has become our go to restaurant for take out and eat in. I think my husband and I eat here at least once a week, sometimes twice. Don't let the location in a shopping center fool you....this is no "red sauce spaghetti house!" First, the food is awesome. Whether pasta, fish, or another Italian speciality the food is always first rate. Second, the service is excellent. Friendly and professional staff, attentive without being intrusive. With Covid they added a tented outside area which I like almost as much if not more than the original indoor area. The staff also always wears facemasks, and if you order to pick up they bring it to you in your car, another plus! read more

Very busy, delicious restaurant in small strip mall with enclosed patio area. Ordered pork chop & veal marsala. Both were authentically tasty, served with mashed potatoes & fresh vegetables. Dessert was famous Limoncello. Yum, we'll return. read more

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Delicious food. Great warm friendly service. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone.

We live close to Cafe Giostra and when the original owners were still there it was GREAT! but that is just not the case anymore. The staff is good and the owners are very nice. But the food and service has gong downhill since the place changed hands. We ordered last night and when we do its usually a sizable order for 3-4 people, the I was quoted 30 min for pick up and when I arrived it took an additional 15 minutes to get our order and they were not really busy for a Saturday Night, The owner was on the "line" and our order had not been started until I arrived. The quality fo the food has gone down hill over for sure and the past few orders I have received have been sub par, certainly not the quality you would suspect for the price you pay. Last time my wife when their they dined in the restaurant and she watched while several dishes were "warmed up" in the microwave in the back of the kitchen, really? there are a few staff members that should just really retire, either that or find a way to be happy when you serve your guests, crappy attitudes, and sub par food just does not work. Last night the long wait, and the horrible Bruschetta order was enough to say goodbye to Cafe Giostra, soggy bread, melted cheese? YUK See Pic read more

I'll start by saying that the food is delicious, would give that five stars. My one star is for the customer service. I went in to purchase a gift card. Before leaving I checked to be sure the amount on the gift card was correct and it was. Once home I looked at the receipt which had been folded up and handed to me (should have been my first red flag). Anyway, I noticed I was charged a BOH (back of house) fee and tax on that. Not a wallet buster, but it didn't seem right as the people who will use the gift card will be charged another BOH fee and tax. Double dipping if you ask me. I called the restaurant and spoke to one of the owners (I'm pretty sure) and she was so argumentative. She insisted that there was no tax charged, and I was letting her know I was staring at the receipt which has a line for tax and an amount charged. She continued to tell me I was wrong. She also said it was customary to charge the BOH on a gift card. I beg to differ and checked with other restaurants, and it was clearly not something they do. A gift card is basically an exchange of currency to be used at a later date. read more

I really wanted to like this restaurant but it just wasn't there. There were a few aspects that contributed to my two-star review but the best part was their friendly staff. That was the best part of the experience by far. 1. Our friends made reservations prior to dinner for an outside table. When we arrived, there were no outside tables available and only indoor tables. Not a huge deal but we had to wait for an indoor table and it's also COVID. 2. When we got seated at our table, we weren't even given menus upon arriving. We stared at each other for a good 5 minutes before we were given menus. Odd. 3. I ordered a bruschetta appetizer, which they forgot. I tried to get our waiter's attention multiple times but finally gave up and told someone else about the appetizer. It was finally brought out at the end of my meal and not with everyone else's appetizer. 4. There was no one going around with water. I had to ask twice for water until I finally got a refill. 5. Plating was sloppy and not clean as well as stains being on the linens. It was obvious they were in a hurry and were understaffed. 6. When dessert came, our waiter, (granted he was hard of hearing), went around the entire table and then skipped over my father and me when ordering deserts. I had to chase our waiter across the restaurant to order dessert. I didn't want to listen to fate, I guess haha. 7. When 'splitting' the bill, the waiter gave an extra dollar to our friend's check versus splitting the 50 cents. 8. The head chef/runner had a Ferrari baseball cap on and had longer hair. No hair net. I didn't get hair in my food but couldn't say the same for others. 8. This was the kicker..... When asked over and over again by their staff "if everyting was ok", one waiter had the audacity to put his hand on my back when asking me the question..... Let me be very clear, if you don't have my permission to touch me, don't. I felt this to be entirely inappropriate as I didn't even know the waiter nor did I give you the right to touch me. All in all, I will not be back to this place. Once was enough. read more

Food is first rate. People are really nice. Easy equation for a wonderful dinner. I highly recommend the Lasagna.

Fantastic Food! All dishes are a delight to your tastebuds. Old school and new cooking collide. Service is always wonderful. My favorite Italian in Petaluma. read more

It was our anniversary, and we ordered dinner to go. I mean, that's what you do in a COVID-19 world! We ordered Vitello Marsala, bruschetta, and a Cesar salad. Everything was beyond tasteful, and full of flavor. If you are in the area, looking for some good food, great vibes swing by Caffe Giostra!! read more

Enjoyed our first visit to Caffe Giostra. Glad I had read the recommendation to get a reservation. We got here at 6:32 for a 6:30 res and the place was jammed.. and rockin' !! Within a couple of minutes we were seated at a table for two on the "step up" section in the front of the house. Our server showed up immediately and ask for our wine orders. She offered to describe the board of specials which was a L O N G list. My bride had the crab ravioli (thin, house-made pasta with a filling where you could taste the crab with her sauvignon blanc. I had the Pork Milanese (loin chop with part of the bone, pounded, breaded fried and finished with a garlicky sauce) and some mashed potatoes and some veg. Very nice! For dessert we split the profiteroles. I was conflicted since I wanted to try their house-made cannoli. I'm coming back. I want to try their veal parm (not on the menu) and that cannoli. A little bit of Arthur Avenue (Bronx NY) in Petaluma. When our server, Kayla, asked if everything was OK I said "it's only great.!" I can see why so many people make it their "local." It's not fussy. Just fun. Ahhhh..... read more

Really great Italian comfort food!The Osso Bucco was fall of the bone tender. Lasagna was supposed solid. Cannelloni was also on point. Staff also very attentive and welcoming. What also stood out was the amazing waiter who entertained us with magic tricks! Totally unexpected! read more

During our meal my son discovered a piece of hard plastic in his mouth from his dinner. I called the waiter over and he took it, but no one came back to the table to apologize and explain how this could have happened. When another waiter asked why we weren't eating our meal I told him and asked him to get the manager. The owner came to my table and before I said a word said"We are busy and you didn't have reservations ". I responded that neither of those excuses even begin to make sense why there would be a piece of plastic in my food. I said that I would have been happy if she had just simply apologized, but then she told me that we are never allowed to eat in the restaurant again. I wouldn't recommend anyone going to this place again. read more

We love this restaurant, the food is absolutely amazing, as is the service. We have recommended this restaurant too many of our friends.

Very small restaurant and the tables are very close together so you can not help but overhear your neighbors conversations. The waiter was terrible, very rude and rushed, did not even tell us the specials, we had to ask. Served us a mediocre Caprese salad without plates or serving utensils. I had the veal saltimboca which was 3 very tiny and razor thin pieces of overcooked veal and cold vegetables. I left hungry. My wife had the salmon piccata , also over cooked. Horrible experience. there are much better alternatives for Italian food in Petaluma. At todays prices I do not know how this place can stay in business. read more

Wonderful little place. The waiters were amazing and very friendly welcome in the minute. We walked in the door. Food was extremely good. Definitely a five star review. read more

BEST STAFF AND FOOD!!! Totally worth the price highly recommend going there, but make a reservation! read more

Fun, cozy, relaxed atmosphere coupled with delicious food and great service. Outside seating is available, and roomier than inside dining. All staff is wonderful. read more

Caffe Giostra - Menu 16April 2022 - Italian Near Me - Petaluma, California

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The ambiance was down to earth, not so much fancy schmancy. Tucked in a nondescript strip mall, the low-key façade could have anyone fooled. Bustling and brimming with laughter and convo, the festive crowd was somewhat cramped in tight quarters. Caffe Giostra has consistently served good Italian comfort food in generous portions that made this place a local favorite. They prided themselves as a longtime Italian café serving up seafood and red sauce standards in the Petaluma area. The menu was Italian inspired, not so much authentic Italiano but with Italian accents. Reservation was a must for dinner and our welcoming server, Kayla, promptly sat us. Predictably, I always started off with a hearty bowl of soup even if the ubiquitous minestrone ($3.95 cup) was my only choice for that day. I was pleasantly surprised it came close to my idea of the perfect minestrone.....brimming with healthy veggies (although kale wasn't my favorite), protein rich garbanzo beans sans pasta (let's leave out the carbs, shall we?) and a lip-smacking chicken based stock (sorry vegans). (4/5) My wife was with me and she is a spice fiend. Anything that even looked remotely spicy would get her attention. Calamari Saltati Diavola ($18.95) was a classic Italiano dish with tender calamari rings and tentacles. They were smothered with a devilishly spicy tomato sauce with a side of uber smooth mashed potatoes and steamed veggies. The reddish sauce looked intimidating spice-wise but it was more from the tomatoes rather than the heat from cayenne peppers. It did deliver a mild kick but my tongue was spared! Roasted Brussels sprouts imparted a bitter aftertaste supplementing the slightly sweet, yummy calamari Diavola sauce with an almost nutty flavor. (4/5) Don't you love Petrale Sole ($19.95)? I loved the excellent flavor and flakey textured, low fat flesh. Giostra had a fabulous rendition where the fish was pan fried until golden brown, dipped in egg batter and sautéed with a lemon white wine butter sauce. Could this be Piccata without capers? Nothing was fishy. There were two generous fillets of petrale sole, a dollop of mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and green beans to make this into a scrumptious, well-balanced and healthy meal. (4/5) Didn't hear any background music, as the noise level was pretty high. It wasn't fine dining but just good homey Italiano-inspired eats. There were so many other tempting entrees in the menu that I would love to try. Prices were reasonable and this is a truly hidden gem! read more

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Incredible place. Petrale sole piccata is unbelievable. Highly recommended. Great service. Wonderful.