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    River Front Cafe

    4.1 (274 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 3:00 pm

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    Business Info

    RIVER FRONT CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - River Front Cafe

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    Wendy A.

    First of all the service was excellent. The owner, Elias, is personable and warm. My companion and I had a lovely chat with him as he took our order. The wait staff is sweet and attentive. The ambiance is lovely. It's a wide-open main room with plenty of outdoor seating. The lettering on the overhead menu is lovely to even just admire the artistry. See photos I included. Plenty of room at 1pm; they close at 3pm. My companion enjoyed the Shish Kebab Plate. She made a sandwich from the pita, hummus (very mild flavor), warmed tomato wedge, and long sausage-length beef pieces. The menu says beef cubes, but I thought the texture was ground beef. I felt the kebab had delicious spices, but was dry; I might have enjoyed a tzatziki-like sauce over it except I felt it was a bit tough. I wonder if the mixture was mixed for too long? I also felt the hummus was bland. My companion enjoyed a glass of the Lake Sonoma Cabernet. I chose a breakfast item of the Great Mill Benediction (it's a Benedict). He gladly substituted the English Muffin for a gluten-free bread, which had a wonderful texture like non-GF bread. The eggs were absolutely perfect. I pierced the top of both eggs, and a slight trickle of bright egg yolk streamed out. The bottom of each egg was more like a soft- to hard-boiled yoke--I appreciated the mastery involved to create this great texture contrast! Also included were grilled onions, avocado slices, tomatoes, and a delicious medium-spiced, scrambled chorizo sausage. The hollandaise was very mild; even after using 2 lemon slices, I still didn't get the tang my palette generally enjoys. He mentioned that his patrons usually don't like strong lemony hollandaise. I enjoyed the ginger lemon Heath-ade bottled kombucha. We both enjoyed our salads. I believe they were a spring mix with tomatoes and cucumbers. The balsamic vinaigrette was outstanding.

    River Front Skillet
    Gene D.

    They say location is everything, right? Well, one has to offer good tasting food at fair pricing. RFC delivers this and more. The staff there is friendly and helpful. The portions are more than fair. They offer both indoor and outdoor dining.

    I ordered a Greek omelette with one gluten-free pancake instead of potatoes and gluten-free toast. $17.95.

    My boyfriend and I had a really great breakfast here this morning. We walked by two other breakfast places closer to the house, but they both had long waits. We were very excited to walk right up and order here. I ordered gluten-free pancakes and gluten-free toast. It was very nice that the chef, owner,came out to confirm my order since he wanted to make sure he got it correct for my dietary needs. The meal came out on two plates and had a terrific presentation. My boyfriend really enjoyed his French toast also. It's a great family restaurant with a lot of personal touches.

    Petaluma Skillet
    Sabrina K.

    This place is one of my favorite spots on the Petaluma river, for food and ambiance. There is not allot of service, as you go to order, take a number and they bring to you. It gets busy but this family run joint makes it happen. Hubby and I had and shared delicious crab Benedict and the Northbay Benedict (all kinds of delicious veggies), both with real deal addictive hollandaise sauce. Normally they come with hash browns or home fries, but it was a breeze to simply sub for organic greens salad. My son got the Petaluma skillet, an array of sautéed onion, bell pepper, fried breaded chicken, potatoes, 3 scrambled eggs, a biscuit cut in half with sausage herb gravy smothered all over it. It's lovely to sit outside on a nice day enjoying river views and people walking by the river board walk. Breakfast served all day and they also serve dinner / lunch food like salads, burgers, etc, along with beer, wine, and all kinds of coffee drinks. Oh, they also have a pastry cabinet full of high quality stuff. Coffee is good. Btw, they say starting in May they'll have live music fri and sat starting 5:30 in eve.

    cesar salad
    Jamie C.

    I can't believe I had never been here before! Stopped in for a quick lunch, and I was pleasantly surprised by this spot. It was such a beautiful day, we decided to sit outside in their great river side patio seating area. Can't beat a great view of the Petaluma River! I ordered the cesar salad and added grilled chicken, and it was delicious. The chicken was flavorful and wasn't bland at all. The freshly grated parmesan cheese was also a lovely touch! The dressing came on the side, which is nice because I like controlling how much I put on my salad, because I feel like most places salads are way overdressed. I will definitely have to come back and try their Greek food!

    Kale apple salad
    Dayna R.

    After a fun girls weekend in Wine Country, we had our last hooray was at the River Front Cafe. It's street parking but lots of spots as long as you're willing to walk. It's in a little downtown areas so it was fun to window shop to and from the restaurant. You order at the register then are giving a number for your table. I got the River Front Skillet. It was good. Fresh veggies and potatoes with two eggs on top served with a sourdough muffin. Came out hot which a big plus. Everyone was happy with their orders: tuna melt (good but cheese wasn't melted all the way), cheeseburger and the two in the photos. The salad in photo was the kale, apple quinoa saladand the other photo is the Chicken Shawarma Wrap. Service was good but nothing special. Decor was good and location was lovely. Thumbs up. Verdict: I would return and recommend to people for a fastish, good, relaxing meal.

    Bacon and avocado breakfast burrito (just half of this burrito is the size of my hand!)

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    2 months ago

    First of all the view was great. The hot chocolate tasted like they used real cacao beans but if they didn't it was really yum

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    2 months ago

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

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    6 months ago

    Food ok, service much the same - great location. We were the last ones showing up before closing, but they accommodated us any way

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    1 year ago

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    6 months ago

    Great lunch or breakfast place overlooking Petaluma River.lots of selections, fresh tasty food and ample portions.

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    1 year ago

    The food is delicious and the patio by the river is delightful! Friendly service as well :)

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    River Front Cafe Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - River Front Cafe

    Is the patio dog friendly?

    Very dog-friendly, at least outside on the spacious boardwalk patio. We always see people eating out there with their dogs.

    What are the hours? We want to have lunch around 2 pm, but I can't see if they close between lunch and dinner service.

    I do believe they're open all day! Enjoy! It's great

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    The Grove

    The Grove

    4.7
    (79 reviews)
    4.6 mi

    We tucked into The Grove (with reservations) on a rainy Friday for an early dinner. Despite having…read morethree menus - drinks, dinner, and happy hour - choosing what to order didn't feel overwhelming, and we quickly landed on the anchovy toast, beet salad, shrimp & grits, and mushroom risotto. Our server was incredibly friendly, and the entire room shared the same warm, easygoing vibe. The small, speakeasy themed space was already packed at 5 PM, so reservations seem like a must. Everything we ordered was well-prepared and delicious, but the standout dishes were the beet salad and the shrimp & grits. The beet salad had a perfect mix of textures; chopped pistachios, tender beets, and crunchy radishes over a pillowy ricotta. I finished the salad wishing there was more. The shrimp & grits featured a potlikker sauce that absolutely lived up to the hype; it made the dish. I wish the shrimp & grits were served in a bowl rather than a shallow dish. I found myself chasing the sauce and polenta around the plate, trying not to push it over the edge. That said, if it were in a bowl, I might have just drank the sauce, so perhaps this is the restaurant's way of preserving a bit of dignity for its guests. Next time, I'm hoping to visit when oyster po' boys and fried green tomatoes are on the menu.

    I've been meaning to check this place out since they opened, and finally made it in today--worth…read morethe wait. It absolutely lives up to the hype. The vibe is effortlessly chill, with whimsical decor--think antique lamps, an old record player, and lots of little details that make you want to look around. The whole place felt alive in the best way--buzzing with conversation, laughter, and people clearly having a great time. We didn't have a reservation, but lucked out with seats at the community table. Bonus: the other guests were super welcoming, which just added to the fun, communal feel. We hit happy hour, and wow--it's a good one. Tons of interesting bites and a solid drink lineup. I went with a whiskey sour, my friend had the ginger beer on draft (very refreshing), and we shared the prawns, Brussels sprouts, and creamy mac & cheese. Everything was seriously delicious. Shoutout to our server, Melanie--friendly, attentive, and totally on it, even with the place packed. A couple things to note: it does get loud, so maybe not your spot if you're after a quiet, intimate dinner. Also, the happy hour menu listed Brussels sprouts but didn't mention bacon--I'm vegetarian, so that was a bit of a surprise. (It is noted on the regular dinner menu, which I admittedly didn't check.) All in all, such a fun, lively spot. I'll definitely be back for more bites and cocktails.

    Photos
    Most tables were reserved when we walked in at 4pm on Thursday
    Most tables were reserved when we walked in at 4pm on Thursday
    Beef skewers
    Beef skewers
    Most table we reserved when we walked In at 4pm on Thursday

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    Most table we reserved when we walked In at 4pm on Thursday
    Torches Petaluma

    Torches Petaluma

    4.2
    (131 reviews)
    0.3 mi
    $$

    This is a cool bar and restaurant that offers live music, though we arrived after the set ended on…read morea Saturday evening. The music-themed decor on the walls added a bit of character to the space. We sat ourselves at a table, grabbed a menu we saw sitting near the bar at the center of the venue, and found an employee walking around to place our food order. He was friendly and helpful and provided excellent service. It took about 25 minutes for our food to be ready which was kinda long, but after trying our dishes, it was totally worth the wait. The potato skins were like mini loaded baked potatoes, but fluffier and easier to eat. It was super cheesy and tastier than I expected, especially with the ranch and sour cream that came on the side. The classic pot pie was a large dish and quite filling, with plenty of sizable chunks of chicken and veggies mixed together nicely in a thick and flavorful roux. Not to mention the flaky buttery crust on top. Wow, I really liked this. And my bf finished every last bite of his grilled salmon dish, no complaints. The lemon drop cocktail was yummy, just the right sweetness and a good amount of alcohol without ruining the flavor. All in all, we had a 5-star experience at Torches and wouldn't hesitate to return.

    I love this restaurant! The owner and staff always make me feel at home whether dining solo at the…read morebar, in an intimate alcove for a special dinner, a private party (wow was that fun!) or a large community fundraising banquet. The cocktails are delicious and many prepared with a special flair, and the beer taps are exceptional. The chowder hits in all the good ways. The most recent soup I had was the butternut squash which was excellent. My favorite lunches are the French Dip with killer fries, and the grilled chicken salad. Dinner, wowza that prime rib! The portions are huge. It's not easy running a restaurant these days, I know the owner works her tail off. Staffing is difficult everywhere but Torches manages and even opens for lunches! The prices are more than fair for the generous portions. I hope the community continues to support this family owned restaurant as much as this restaurant continues supporting the community. I know I'll be back!

    Photos
    Torches Petaluma
    Potato skins
    Potato skins
    Prime rib with mashed potatoes and veggies.

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    Prime rib with mashed potatoes and veggies.
    Central Market

    Central Market

    4.1
    (831 reviews)
    0.1 mi
    $$$

    Really Yummy Supper on the Water - Awesome waiter, food was…read moreincredible - go here for dinner - you will no regret it!

    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.

    Photos
    Dinning area
    Dinning area
    Wagyu Beef Sirloin Steak with bianchi bolognese in background
    Wagyu Beef Sirloin Steak with bianchi bolognese in background
    Outside

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    Outside

    River Front Cafe - cafes - Updated June 2026

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