What a find. We spent the day exploring Petaluma and decided to have dinner at Central Market. It…read morewas a complete home run. The service was outstanding from start to finish, but what really impressed me was seeing Chef/Owner Tony Najiola actively overseeing every aspect of the operation. He visited tables, checked on guests, and was clearly involved in every detail of the dining experience. That's something you rarely see anymore, especially from a restaurant owner who has been doing this for more than two decades, and it deserves to be applauded. Everything we ordered was fantastic. The shoestring zucchini was a great starter, the lobster risotto was rich and perfectly prepared, and the Testarossa pizza was absolutely outstanding. Pairing it all with a Pliny the Elder made for a perfect Sonoma County dinner. Central Market isn't just a great restaurant, it's the kind of place that reminds you why locally owned restaurants matter. We will definitely be back the next time we're in Petaluma.

This review reflects my experience with the restaurant's gift card process and, more specifically,…read morethe lack of communication, follow-through, and accountability from owner Tony Najiola over the course of several months. This review is not a reflection of the restaurant's food, service, or dining experience. In November 2025 I purchased a $150 gift card through Central Market's website via Toast. The gift card was never received. I first reached out in February 2026 to inquire about the missing gift card. Tony responded the following day suggesting that I may have been scammed. After I clarified that the purchase was made directly through Central Market's website, he acknowledged that he had misunderstood, stated that this was a known issue, and told me he would contact Toast to investigate. March 2026: A month passed with no update whatsoever. I called the restaurant and spoke with Tony directly. He told me that I would need to contact Toast myself--a completely different answer from what had previously been discussed. April 2026: I informed Tony via email that Toast's customer service system specifically states that support is intended for restaurant businesses, not customers. I followed up again by email on 4/30 asking if he had received my message and whether there was any update. I have received no response since. What is most disappointing is the lack of clarity and consistency throughout this process. At various points, I was told I may have been scammed, then told it was a known issue that would be investigated, and finally told to resolve it myself through a company that does not provide support to customers in this situation. Not once was there a proactive update, clear explanation, or meaningful attempt to resolve the issue. More than five months after paying $150, I still do not have the gift card (which was intended as a Christmas present for a close friend), a refund, or even the courtesy of a response to my follow-up emails. When a business takes a customer's money, there should be some level of accountability when something goes wrong. At this point, I can only conclude that customer service is not a priority. The complete lack of communication and follow-through has left me feeling that my concerns--and my business--simply do not matter. Based on my experience, I would strongly caution others against purchasing gift cards through their website.

We first started off by going to Seared, because we wanted a nice steak but after walking in there…read moreand the noise being very loud, we left and came to this place. Not to mention it's Italian and you can never go wrong there. After we walked in the Host asked us if we had a Reservation and we said no we didnt. He then said "Well let me go check and see if we can seat you without a reservation, I'll be right back!" After coming back a couple of minutes he had said that while they can't sit us inside they can sit us outside by the Heat Lamps, we said no problem. After a couple of minutes the waiter came over and began describing ALL of the Specials that they had last night and then asked what we would like to have to drink. My wife ordered a Ginger Ale and I ordered the Limonata San Pelegrino. Let me tell you, I think I have had the Limonata San Pelegrino before but last night it just hit differently. It was very refreshing and about 3 minutes after the waiter came back to ask us about our Entree's. I ordered the Eggplant Parmigiana and my wife ordered the Lobster Mushroom Risoto. Both plates came out hot, fresh and they were both very tasty. My wife let me have a bite of her Risoto. While it was cold outside, the Heat Lamps did a great job keeping us warm. The food, the service and the atmosphere was perfect for a good dinner.

This was our first visit to this restaurant. After reading so many positive reviews, I chose it for…read moremy son's birthday dinner, so unfortunately I was disappointed that our experience didn't live up to what I had expected. I had a 6:30 p.m. reservation and even received a text the night before asking me to confirm, which I did. When we arrived, however, the person at the front, who also ended up being our waiter, seemed unaware of our reservation and didn't appear to check for it. He simply said he could still seat us and took us to a table in the back of the restaurant. The back area did not have nearly the same ambience as the front, which was disappointing because the atmosphere mentioned in several reviews was one of the reasons I chose the restaurant for a special occasion. I mentioned this to him but decided not to make an issue of it since we were there to celebrate. The pasta choices were also somewhat limited for anyone who doesn't eat pork or certain types of seafood. Several sauces contained a combination of pork and beef, while others included cod or anchovies. They were kind enough to prepare my pasta with a tomato sauce containing capers and black olives, but unfortunately I found the sauce extremely tart. The biggest disappointment, however, was the service. Once our food and drinks arrived, we barely saw our waiter. My partner eventually had to go to the bar herself to order a cola. As she was walking back to our table, a waiter came rushing out of the kitchen and collided with her, causing the drink to spill, including some on her blouse. He quickly apologized, but no one returned with a replacement. She eventually had to flag someone down to get another drink. We had also brought our own mini cakes for my son's birthday. When it was time for dessert, I had to find our waiter and ask for them. He simply handed us the bag containing the desserts along with a lighter. He did offer to bring us a candle, but we had brought our own. I certainly wasn't expecting anything elaborate, but for a birthday celebration I would have appreciated the cakes being placed on plates and brought to the table, perhaps with the candle lit. We also were never asked if we wanted coffee or anything else with dessert. Our waiter was polite, but unfortunately he was simply not attentive. I chose not to complain that evening because it was my son's birthday, we had guests with us, and I didn't want to put a damper on the celebration. By the end of the meal, I was honestly just ready for the evening to be over. One final surprise was discovering on the bill that there is an additional charge for paying by credit card rather than cash. Despite our experience, I still left an 18% gratuity. I normally tip more when the service is excellent. I really wanted to love this restaurant, especially after reading so many good reviews and choosing it for such a special occasion. Perhaps we simply caught them on an off night, but unfortunately our first experience was disappointing and not the birthday dinner I had hoped to give my son.

Ambiance - I was flying solo so I was sitting at the oyster bar. The folks from Carmel started up…read morea conversation and we had a really good time before they left to have dinner at a friends house. Service - the gal behind oysters bar was very skilled, very informative, and kept the food comin'. She created I wish I could call her out by name but it wasn't on the receipt that was texted to me. Food - on a scale of 1 to 10 it was an 11! * Lemonade was had good lemon taste and just the right acid/sugar balance. I learned that a batch is made each day, and occasionally two. The best I've had anywhere in Sonoma County or Marin County! * I order the first three items on the oyster list (this time two of each) and came up with a new favorite. Then I added four more to the favorite. At 81 I don't do well on short term memory! I love that what was done so right was the lemon and the mignonette (sp?) sauce that was exactly balanced. The last restaurant in Ptown and two absolutely terrible with a red and a white. * Next I ordered a Shrimp Cocktail. They screamed fresh, perfectly boiled that let the shrimp flavor out, and again the red sauce was perfectly balanced between flavor and heat. Had to made in house. And they just nicely crisply cool, not in a cold place that overwhelms the flavor. I don't think I've every had one this good! * Next was a pair of fried oysters. I was prepared for some oily, bready things that would ruin all of the above. BUT NO, the perfect balance was incredible!! * Last was the clam chowder. I'm soooo fussy about this after growing up in the NorthEast (Connecticut) and 4 years of college in Maine blew this one away. It lacked the perfection and freshness of my East Coast standard. But I finished with the last of lemonade and all was well. My standard has never been "perfect." I don't meet that standard, so the chef shouldn't have to either. Hey, maybe he's never been in Maine! P.S. there's not section for this, because the above doesn't happen without OWNERS that create processes and hire people that and buy the best incredients. Kudos, gals!!

Reservations are required for happy hour and oysters are no longer allowed in the hotel section…read more Bar snacks are allowed and drinks. The manager Hannah said that she couldn't sit my party at 3pm and said that a table wouldn't be available all afternoon or night. Okay, we went somewhere else. Friends drove over two hours to meetup and we weren't going to wait for happy hour. The young bartenders in the hotel area are great. Seems to not be kid friendly anymore even though they have a kids menu. :/

We went to Cucina Paradiso for the first time. I heard that their food was good. It was great. It…read morewas made even better by a sincere greeting, a warm and inviting atmosphere when we walked in, awesome service and truly amazing food. We could see the chefs in the kitchen which really added to the experience. We can't wait to go back. Thank you for being such a class act restaurant. You sincerely deserve all the praise prior to our visit and continued accolades going forward. Thank you.

I knew that I was going to be in Fairfield on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, so I invited Cielo to meet…read moreup with me for dinner. After spotting mouthwatering photos on Yelp, we chose Cucina Paradiso as our supper destination. Cucina Paradiso is a casual trattoria located in the heart of downtown Petaluma, on the town's main drag, Petaluma Boulevard. The restaurant welcomes guests to a relaxing dining experience where customers can enjoy authentic Italian cuisine in a comfortable, hospitable setting. Even on a Tuesday evening, finding parking in downtown wasn't easy, so we parked in the nearby shopping centre, River Plaza, which was about an eight-minute walk away. Our reservations were for 7 PM, but after I got held up in Fairfield, I called the restaurant to inform them that we were going to arrive late. No problem. Our arrival time was around 7:45 PM, we were immediately greeted with a friendly smile and still there was no issue with being seated immediately since most tables were unoccupied. The atmosphere of the quaint dining room was warm and hospitable. Cucina Paradiso offers old-school Italian fare, inviting guests to savour the flavours of Italy. Their diverse menu offers a nice selection of traditional pastas, flavourful mains and an extensive wine list. RIGATONI ALLA CARCERATA ($23.95) - Cielo ordered this delectable pasta. The creamy sauce, similar to vodka sauce, was worthy of licking the bowl clean, but we had to mind our manners. MEDAGLIONE DI BUE CON SALSA TARTUFATA ($42.95) - I was debating over these medallions and the fresh Halibut with capers and beurre blanc sauce ($34.95) featured on the specials of the night DINNER MENU. Our server hinted that the beef was the way to go and her suggestion was on point. This dish was hearty and the succulent meat was paired perfectly with the exquisite truffle sauce. PENNE RUSTICA ($23.95) - My hungry eyes wanted pasta, too, so I convinced Cielo to pivot our original plan of sharing a salad to ordering with me this this tube-shaped pasta. The sauce was much lighter than the one for the rigatoni. We preferred the creamier sauce, but this bowl was still very enjoyably flavourful. To complement the delicious food, Nydia's top notch customer service added to the overall experience. She was amiably engaging and extremely helpful. I almost felt like hugging her, "goodbye!" True story: After being seated at our table when we arrived, I briefly stepped outside to photograph the front of the venue for checking in on Yelp. As I was snapping the photo, a passerby asked me, "Did you just eat here or are you about to eat here?" I told him that I just arrived, had not yet eaten anything. He informed me that Cucina Paradiso is an excellent restaurant, that everything they serve is yummy. Turns out that he was right on target. Cielo and I enjoyed a delightful dinner here. I have just one complaint - that I live too far to visit on a regular basis.

My mom and I came for dinner on a Monday night. We had the Creamy Pesto Verdura and Ricotta…read moreGnocchi. Bothe were excellent and plenty of leftovers. We also shared a Simple Salad that my Mom raved to the owner and server about. The server, Jack was kind and attentive. Overall, an excellent experience. Highly recommend!

Ponied up to the bar after a great day hanging with friend in downtown Petaluma. Ordered a nice…read moreglass of Italian wine from the Abruzzo region, ordered some meatballs, carpaccio, and toasted bread with an olive/vinegar to sop it all up. The sauce for the meatballs was fresh & not too acidic & the meatballs are made with various meats, the balsamic vinegar/olive oil was good but I think a stronger olive oil would be a better match. The carpaccio was good, it is my favorite to order, but I prefer a stronger lemon & some mustard with mine and again a stronger olive oil flavor. My favorite item was the panna cotta. The presentation is beautiful & the slight taste of lavender(not medicinal at all) with the honey and berry syrup and scattered fruit with pistachio on top was superb. The Panna Cotta had a nice consistency not too fluffy or light. Service was great, busy little place. They're doing something right.

This place is sneakily one of the most best, most thoughtful food/wine programs in Petaluma. Their…read moreethos of "family owned" is present in everything they sell, from their well curated wine list, to their locally sourced ingredients. Insanely delicious pasta and pizza (highly suggest the Gnocchi) Service was great as well.

We popped into Hank's in Petaluma for a quick dinner on our…read moreway home from a trip to Pt. Reyes. Also to break up the lengthy car ride, which I don't do well with. We had their mushroom pizza which was quite good, I would order it again in a heartbeat. I also had their spicy margarita, which was tasty, and just the right amount of spice. Service was friendly and unrushed, which I appreciate, even though we were there at the tail end of dinner service. Nice spot, good for a casual dinner, yet nice enough for a date spot. Wasn't difficult to find parking nearby. Would return and recommend.

I have been coming here since circa 2012 and it's only better. They still give you bread!!…read more Get anything with lemon sauce. Their wine list is incredibly curated! They have an extensive dessert menu. The bread, is delicious, and free. Pollo Picatta, any of their daily fish specials, and certainly the Pork Chop Milanese.

Some of the best Italian food in Sonoma County. We used to dine here regularly, but now stick with…read moretakeout after two separate dinner reservations were lost. Incredibly awkward to walk into the restaurant with family from out of town to be told we never made a reservation. They were able to accommodate us on both occasions, but it's truly a jarring experience to try to pull up phone logs to prove you called and spoke with someone. Did I mention this happened twice under two different names? Long story short, takeout is the way to go here. You won't be disappointed with the gnocchi with meat sauce (plenty of other delicious sauces to choose from), bruschetta, salads, and desserts. Some of the specials are hit or miss. As for the ambiance, it's in a strip mall next to Wilco. If you can look past that, it does feel like a cute small Italian restaurant on the inside. The dealbreaker is the service, unfortunately.

Hubby & I turned our club golf tournament event into an overnight stay in the North Bay…read more I purchased a dozen empanadas using the same method as before. Rang the doorbell and someone answered the door immediately. Waited in the car. 10 minutes later my order was walked out to my car. With a vase of flowers. What a lovely gesture. This time I also got three desserts empanadas on top of nine meat empanadas. Of the apple and blueberry, the blueberry one stood out. Until we happen to be in the North Bay again.

Been awhile since I have been to Vinoma and had a bit of extra lunch time so I dropped by today…read more The spicy beef is even -better- than I remember which I am not sure is even possible. They threw in a tasty berry sauce that I think was for the garbanzo one I tried but honestly is good with everything. Eyes bigger than my stomach after a round of golf was thinking get 6, but then new ones I had not tried so 8.... Before you know it get a dozen. I only ate 5 after a full round of golf and a solid appetite so 6 will feed most hungry people.