It's always a treat when a restaurant is able to offer high quality and innovative food, in a homey and casual setting. Pearl does it.

This was my second visit to Pearl, prompted by plans with a friend who regularly stops in when he's passing through Sonoma County. The seasonal menu's offerings were ideal for a rainy April day, when their cassoulet, bocadillo and other cozy options provided the comfort food we were craving. I loved the colorful tables and tasteful decor. It was clearly a regular lunch destination for many of the diners. The bar was packed during the rush, around noon, as well as the other indoor seats. My lunch friend mentioned that the restaurant is owned and operated by a husband and wife team: Annette and Brian. The regulars were greeted with familiarity. It wasn't the kind of place where you're rushed for your order, nor is it a dine and dash location. The menu - both food and drink - has tantalizing options, so it's best to come back repeatedly. My Turkish Coffee arrived quickly after I ordered it, despite Annette being the only server on the floor. I enjoyed the Bocadillo too, especially the pickled vegetables that accompany the sandwich. For those complaining that the portions were small or that the prices were high, the quality of ingredients and depth of flavor are worth the cost and my portion was more than enough to satisfy my appetite, plus I left with the other half of my sandwich as an offering for my hungry twenty-something at home. We ordered a rice pudding for dessert and dug in before I was able to snap a picture! It was delicious though, with the poached blueberries and almonds offering an ideal balance of texture and flavor to earn this simple dessert my esteem. Next time I want to try the beet & sour cream cake though! read more

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Decided to find some Mediterranean food and someone recommended Pearl, which I didn't even know existed. A quick look at the menu had us both salivating, as each dish looked better than the next! And since the menu changes daily, I can only imagine what they'll have in store next time we visit (and there will be a next time). The brisket, served with soft scrambled eggs, roast winter squash and tahini, melted in the mouth. Every bite was just bursting with spice and flavor and it was great. Same for the beef stew, which was really a slab of beef on top of a very tasty buckwheat polenta and roasted veggies. I damn near licked the bowl clean. Dad opted for the Jerusalem bagel, with lox and pickled lime cream cheese along with sunny-side up eggs. Another winner. The coffee was served in a french press, stayed piping hot throughout our meal - another plus. Pearl is in an industrial part of town, just west of the River on G street between downtown and the bowling alley. It's worth finding it but get there early - open till 3 only and closed Tues-Wed. read more

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Pearl was an amazing little place; it really felt like the staff was found family and it felt like there was real affection in everything they did. We were there on a surprisingly busy Monday afternoon and there was a bit of a wait but not too bad. Both the drink and food menu felt highly bespoke, and only a few of the items we'd seen from previous menus were available, one of which had sold out because we were there a bit later on. Fortunately you pretty much couldn't go wrong; every dish was excellent, and more filling than it looked. My wife thought she'd be stealing a little bit of my sandwich but ended up being totally full by the time she finished her latkes and rockfish. I had a spicy broccoli and red lentil soup that was honestly only fairly-good; it was possibly a bit overwhelmed by the garam masala yet wasn't very spicy. However, the bread was excellent, and the bocadillo porchetta sandwich really hit the spot. Yet there were so many other dishes that I feel like we would be back often if it was closer. The no tipping was very nice; I feel that leans into it feeling like the crew is a tight knit team invested in Pearl's success. read more

I loved the decor and ambiance inside, and they have lovely outside seating as well. There was a variety of coffee and tea beverages, and I quite liked the Persian Mug, and my friend's Du Monde drink was yummy too and I could taste the chicory. We tried the cassoulet, the brisket, and the shakshouka. Everything was spiced and flavored well. The egg was slightly over in the shakshouka but everything else was just right. Service was friendly. read more

Pearl - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

The best shakshuka I've ever had in my life and it's not even CLOSE. Go here. Incredible ambience, great service and the food is out of this world. I might move to Petaluma just to be able to eat this more often read more

Pearl - Kitchen area - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

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I can't believe I haven't come here until now! Hidden gem in Petaluma. It's a small place and there's outdoor and indoor seating. They have so many coffee choices both hot and cold and are very unique and good! We've gotten a variety of dishes- picnic plate, shawarma chicken, bocadillo, and lamb burger. The beet hummus in the picnic plate was delicious! The baba ganoush was pureed very smoothly, which I'm not used to but it tasted okay. Their lamb burger is the best! Very tender. I loved the shishitos in the shawarma chicken, it was super filling. The bread for the bocadillo was perfectly toasted and the porchetta was tasty. I wish it had more meat. All prices already include tip. Service was great! It's always one person, Annette who's there serving all the tables. Very impressive! read more

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We usually love Pearl, but Saturday we had an hour and fifteen minutes before my husband needed to leave to pick up our son (I would be able to stay and pay the bill but we thought we could get food within this time frame.) we told the hostess/waitress who seated us we were in a hurry and needed to order and pay pretty quickly. Then we sat for twenty minutes with no one taking our order. Then we finally got to order the food we had been ready to order before we even sat down and waited another 50 minutes for one trout sandwich and a rice pudding to show up. My husband ended up having to leave and I sat there and sadly ate my half of the sandwich alone and boxed the other half up for him. We won't be back. I understand it gets busy, but I'm not sure why one sandwich and a rice pudding, which I assume is mostly done and just need dressing up, takes almost an hour to make. What a disappointment. Also the sandwich was just ok. It needed seasoning. read more

I drive to Petaluma just to have breakfast at Pearl. The food is delicious and totally unique. There is nothing like it in the north bay. Above all, their Mediterranean style coffee drinks are one of a kind. Seriously, check out the menu! I wish most coffee shops offered the mocktail style coffees. read more

Pearl - Incredible Moroccan inspired breakfast - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

Pearl is truly a delightful dining experience! I've eaten here twice and every bite was delicious and novel. This recent visit I had the blackened cod with citrus slaw and olive bread toast with spicy shrimp salad on it. My picture does not do it justice - it was AMAZING! The ambience is very European - it is not a quick eat and leave it is a slow prepare, enjoy your time and taste buds! They also have a novel approach of no tips allowed, tips are in the price of the meal. So relaxing and the staff looks happy and comfortable. Pearl gets all the stars!!! read more

Pearl - Blackened Cod with citrus slaw and shrimp toast. - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

What a hidden neighborhood gem! The wait staff were super friendly and flexible and gave a nice vibe. The food was tasty and unique. The drinks menu was also impressive, lots of variety. There were 4 so we tried a few different things. Started with drinks-horchata, espresso, Turkish coffee, & beet turmeric tonic. All great. Then to their entrees, lamb burger, roasted black cod salad, shaksuka and brisket. All were delicious but the egg in the shaksuka was so so tough. The outdoor space is in front , with lovely neighborhood families &pets strolling around. What a great spot for delicious fare! Plus no tipping is allowed. read more

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Great food. Generous portions. Friendly staff. Tons of menu options. Great outside views of the river.

I tried this place a while ago around brunch time and it was incredibly packed and kept on packing. People were pouring in. Being in Petaluma I didn't even know about it, but glad I found it! Food on Yelp looked excellent, so I gave it a try! They were out of what I originally wanted to order so I decided to go for the French Omelette. I wasn't too excited at first. . I've had many great omelettes (thinking the "french" name was just a fancy nickname for a great omelette) . But boy oh boy. . I could've ate that silky omelette with no teeth at all. . Sooooo soft and silky and it just melted in my mouth . . Super delicious, high quality food. It's a cosy place that feels hip. There's an open kitchen so you can see the chef and cooks cook. Staff was hustling when I went (like I said super busy). There's bar seating and tables around, as well as some tables outside. Lots of nice drink options to choose from. I had the morning fog which was nice and relaxing . I definitely want to go back soon and try some of their other options. read more

Pearl - French Omelet - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

Heathy delicious slow food meals and beverage. Food as delicious medicine. Fun, funky atmosphere with personality.

Small portions and overpriced for sure. This is a small place inside a former warehouse. The seating was too cramped, such that I could easily put my arm around someone sitting at the next table. Not good! The menu looked really interesting, but we were underwhelmed by the dishes we ordered. Food was too salty and one had to order more drinks to quench the thirst. I was still thirsty afterwards. The lady at the counter lacked hospitality. Service was dismal. What a disappointment! read more

Food was okay, coffee was terrible. Cute decorations, but waitresses were pretentious and unhelpful. Overpriced and overall unenjoyable, not returning. read more

I had one of those meals where I was really jealous of what my friends ordered and a bit disappointed with my own. I don't remember the exact name of my dish (and since the menu changes, I couldn't find it), but it was basically a large chicken breast that tasted pretty plain, rubbery, and bony. I usually love chicken, but this one just didn't hit the mark for me. That said, my friends' dishes, the shakshuka and the stew, looked and smelled amazing, and they said they were delicious. Paying $30+ for what felt like a pretty mediocre meal left me disappointed, but no hate at all, I think it just wasn't the right pick on my part. The restaurant itself is adorable, tucked into a cozy suburban neighborhood, with a friendly, small-town vibe where everyone seems to know each other. read more

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Although understandable, we wished we would have been told the wait was over one hour after we were seated before our food would arrive so we had a choice to wait or eat somewhere else. read more

The seasonal (actually daily!) menu is varied and creative. There are fabulous options for vegetarians, too! I have probably dined there 10 times and never had the same thing twice. It is always incredibly delicious. So are the desserts and beverages. And despite their elevated menu choices, Pearl is not fancy. I particularly like seating outside on the patio in the warehouse district. I cannot recommend it more highly! read more

Worth trying for brunch. At first glance, the menu items may seem pricey but that's because they already include tip. Took a while to get our food, ~30 mins. The Shakshuka was definitely the star of the show + the pita add-on was needed. The Cassoulet was good but we disliked the excessive amount of beans cooked into it read more

Pearl - Menu (1/2) as of 2/15/25 - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

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This place is amazing. It's very small and the wait can be long, but it's well worth it. The staff are ultra friendly and treat you like family. The menu changes daily, depending upon what's available, and everything is made fresh and perfectly proportioned. And, the flavors will make your tastebuds sing. You don't want to miss Pearl. read more

The chef is great, flavors are there. Portions have diminished significantly for the price. Vibe could be friendlier.

Only been there once. Just nothing I liked. It was crowded and not great service. I have read reviews and people seem to like it. There were 3 of us and we sampled food from each other. Two of us thought it was not good at all, the other person thought it was all right. Small portions and over priced for what you got. I feel bad to write such a poor view, but it was my birthday so I was ever more disappointed. read more

That was by far the best shakshuka I've had in a long time. In other places, they don't let the flavors meld together enough. But in this one, I thought everything was well incorporated. It was heartier and thicker than most, meaning they let the water from the tomatoes evaporate thus concentrating the flavors. Also I felt it was smokier than usual, which worked. I couldn't tell if there was more cumin than average. Or maybe it was finished in the salamander to get a quick char. I'm not sure but it offered a depth of flavor that I don't find at other restaurants. Paired with the toasted pita, it was very filling. Note that it comes with one pita. I asked for a second pita. read more

Pearl - Shakshuka - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

I went the first time today for lunch. I ordered the pork sandwich with Gruyère cheese. The sandwich was very tasty, but the bread was blackened or burnt I should say and ripped up my gums. I noticed the lady next to me got the same thing and hers was even more blackened. The bread is just too toasted in my opinion. The ambience was nice. It was a bit loud, but it was nice and the service was good as well. I also liked that they include the tip in the price so you don't have to tip. Like being in Europe. I wish all the restaurants would start doing that. read more

Great menu, creative, quality sourced and love the service....well worth it. We come from San Francisco and I love this place. read more

This was our first time to Pearl near downtown Petaluma. We had the picnic plate and baked sole. Everything was delicious. The flavors were thoughtful and creative. Obviously, the chef has a strong culinary background. Excellent. We were so happy with our meal. read more

Amazing food for people who enjoy Eastern Mediterranean and North African spices and flavors. I had the Persian meatballs with rice and a drink called Marrakesh Mojito. Delicious! It is a slow paced restaurant popular with locals and others who have heard or read about it. They ate busy. Go with patience and a good friend. There is only one chef and one server. If you can chill, you will be rewarded. read more

They have found a nice niche of 'Ottolenghi' casual style comfort food , fixed price lunch , clean and delicious... wish they did dinner service ... read more

Fabulous food, and great service. We split the warm seafood salad and trout sandwich. Both were delicious, as was the coffee. The coffee menu is large and varied I can't wait to come back when the weather warms up and try some of the cold drinks. read more

Pearl - Menu - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

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We should have read the reviews prior to visiting but I was just itching for a new food experience. I did a quick google map search and landed at Pearl. ...1) The food was extremely (extremely) overpriced. They do not want to deal with tips, so they "include" it in the price of the food. The staff was very nice but really didn't deserve a tip. Read on. ...2) We were brought the wrong food. Not being familiar with their menu, we didn't realize that we received the wrong food (mine was in a big bowl and husbands was covered in a sauce. Not a big deal except that I ordered VEGAN and GLUTEN FREE food. Mistakes happen and while miffed at the food not being vegan, REALLY upset about eating gluten. I am "extremely gluten sensitive" and it's just a nightmare for me when I eat gluten. Fortunately I had only taken a couple of bites, but what a mistake! ...3) We had to stop the server and ask if we had the wrong food. (A different server than had taken our order had delivered our plates). So the owner came out, and the exchange was very odd. My husband offered to eat his meal, take it home, etc., and I offered to give my husband my food instead (he can eat anything), take it home, etc. The owner wanted to charge us for the mistake food AND our actual order. I was trying to avoid them having to throw food in the trash, but she said the kitchen staff would eat our returned food. I found that kind of gross. We didn't want to pay for 4 meals, so she took our plates and brought us our actual order. In hindsight, we should have declined the erroneous food given and just walked out. ...4) But we felt bad after the exchange, the owner putting us on the defensive, so we stayed. The food was tasty, (not bad at all) but our meal had been spoiled. The only good thing, (and it was really good) was the coffee... but even that was $7 for a teacup size. Did that include a tip too?? read more

Wow! Wonderful Food, Wonderful Service, & Woderful Setting. Four of us met for.a lovely Sunday Bruch. My partner and I shared the Lamb burger & Brisket both dishes were delicate and delicious The lamb burger was cooked to perfection with two yummy patties and a homemade feta based sauce on a delicious and light bun served with greens. The brisket was delicate in a light mustard sauce with egg and roasted cauliflower. Our server was gracious and attentive. We will definitely be back soon! Come and try it as soon as you can read more

Pearl - Outdoor Seating area - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

The eggs in the shakshuka were overcooked, hard-boiled, not runny. But spices were good. Pita was cracker-like. Waffle was soggy from the start. Probably abundant fruit was on it too long. Turkish coffee underwhelming. Our waitress was great! read more

My husband and I stumbled on this restaurant and are so happy that we were able to get a table. Everything was perfect, the food, the drinks, the wine list, the service. Highly recommend! read more

Still one of my top 5 restaurants in all of Petaluma. I always want them to add a dinner service, but maybe that would defeat the point -- this is an awesome daytime eatery, and because it has limited hours it feels more special. Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine, with European touches. Everything I've had here is special. Love their coffee drinks, with interesting additions like cumin. Service is included in the price. read more

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What a great little place! This little restaurant is a couple of blocks from the busy part of the business district. They serve vegetarian and vegan dishes. The owner is super friendly and an amazing chef. One does not need to be a vegetarian to go to this restaurant, and for me not being a vegetarian, I did not feel anything was missing from the meal. Everything was delicious and memorable, including the desserts. And the service was great! read more

The food was delicious, limited menu, but the all looked amazing (as they were served to others)

Ambiance is cozy and the food was superb! A bit pricey but all worth it. I wish the portions are bigger though. We will definitely go back once we're in town again. read more

We came for Father's Day brunch, and it wasn't too busy. The drinks were unique and quite yummy. I had the waffle, and the only thing I'd say would be to have the compote on the side. The middle of the waffle was very soggy, but otherwise it was very good. One other thing we were told is that they don't do modifications for the plates, so what is on the menu is what you get. So to me, that's a negative. All the other food we got was very tasty, and it was an overall a nice experience. The ambience was very nice, not too loud or crowded. There was plenty of street parking, so we didn't walk more than a block from where we parked. read more

Pearl - Slow Braised Lamb Shoulder - Bars Near Me - Petaluma, California

Lovely and creative cooking in this small restaurant with inviting outdoor patio seating , friendly, welcoming staff and a varied menu that will satisfy vegetarians and meat eaters alike. We shared a delicious roasted King salmon plate with beets, roasted potatoes, and crunchy green beans. The poached albacore sandwich in a bun had tasty pickled vegetables and was really perfect. It looks like you can find the menu for the day on their website. Note that the prices include a service fee and no tipping is allowed so their prices are fair for such fresh and delicious food. I want to return. So many good dishes to try! read more

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