The food here is excellent. The owner truly enjoys serving her customers. When we feel like Italian, this is our go to place. Always enjoyable. read more

Fantastic service! Amazing food! They were even kind to my two kids. We were all dying of hubder and left happy and fed.

This is what I (one diner) got for $45: No service. Order at the counter and all of the clueless 12 year old "servers" stand in the corner chatting while your wine, water, and bread remain unfilled. A 4 oz glass of bad Chianti. An order of gnocchi drowning in an inch of green oil that was evidently pesto sauce. 5 shrimp in white wine broth with enormous pieces of bread. It's amazing that more people are not killed leaving their "parking area" onto hwy 12. Don't bother. read more

small, busy and casual sonoma roadside diner...dizzying wall menu and specials...standing, reading and deciding....once ready, counter order and seat yourself....fresh bread served....olive oil and balsamic vinegar dip...taking a fried calamari steak sandwich serviced with a carrot slaw salad....misread the menu and though steak sandwich...missing the word calamari above...still a good sandwich...bread and fried calamari steak quite thick and large....tasty sandwich with good bread....flavorful light slaw salad very good....simple, but excellent sandwich and salad meal...build-your-own pasta option also good...pick a noodle and pick a sauce...thin noodles and white clam sauce taking...pasta cooked perfectly....white sauce coating noodles, but not drowning...clams in every bite...meals roughly over $fifteen per person...recommend for stop and casual bite... read more

Cafe Citti - fried calimari panini and white clam sauce pasta - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

checked out this placed since it was on Guy Fieri's Diner's Drive In's and Dives and first off, don't believe everything Guy says about a restaurant. Think about it - is he really going to say that the food sucked in front of the owner? In any event, the first thing you notice is the odd setup. You order first at a counter. I thought this was somewhat odd for a sit down restaurant but I thought "great, at least I pay in advance and I don't have to tip." Well, you do order but you pay later. Weird arrangement...I can only imagine how uncomfortable diners feel when they have someone's butt in their face. I don't know why you just can't just be seated right off the bat and then order like 99.9% other sit down restaurants. Still, I figured "ok - as long as the food is mind-blowing then I can put up with this." Suffice to say, the food was anything but...I tried the special of the day ravioli (forgot which one though), the fried polenta, and the half chicken with pasta. For the price, the ravioli portion was skimpy -I think there were only 6 squares. Flavor wise, it wasn't that memorable either. The fried polenta, while intriguing in concept, doesn't stay crispy very long. The chicken was good but I would have loved to have rosemary potatoes on the side as well. Ambiance wise, the outdoor patio is somewhat cool, but the three of us sat a table really more for 2 so I sat, somewhat awkwardly, off to the side. I've already mentioned the negative of ordering at the counter... Another pet peeve with Italian restaurants - what's up with the cold bread? Hot/warm bread would be a nice touch. All in all a 2 star in my book and just to be forwarned - don't believe everything Guy Fieri says about this reviews. Remember, he can't say "it sucks" on TV. read more

I was so excited to take my girlfriend here after reading all of the reviews. Upon arrival I was not disappointed and was excited to enjoy a tasty meal in this quaint cafe. We were both very pleased initially with the meals and friendly staff. We noticed that her sandwich was missing the grilled bell pepper it was supposed to have. The waitress was apologetic and took care of the problem immediately, but brought her plate back missing the spoon for her enjoyable split-pea soup, but it did not matter because by this time it was cold and not so desirable. Next thing, I found a wiry hair in my sandwich. I did not say anything and we continued trying to enjoy our meals until she bit into an approx. 4cm long bone in her chicken. At this point she had lost all appetite and the experience had quickly turned dissatisfactory. read more

My husband and I wanted some good homestyle Italian food, from the reviews it looked like Cafe Citti would be a good choice. Nope. It was bland and lacking flavor. I had the sandwich of the day -- fried calamari on house made focacia. Meh. Too much bread and very little flavor. We won't go back. read more

Crappy Italian food for people who have never had actual Italian food. This place culturally appropriates Italian cuisine, and the locals/tourists soak it up. Just because you roasted a chicken does not make it Italian. The roasted chicken had ZERO taste of rosemary and their special focaccia panino consisted of soggy focaccia, aforementioned tasteless chicken, cheese and roasted peppers. At least the roasted peppers tasted good. Also their wine selection was a tragedy. For a restaurant in California wine county they had no local wines from Sonoma or Napa. The Servers/order staff though were very nice, the lady taking orders from the front with the red flower in her hair getting special mention for her efforts to suggest items for my Italian (as in born and raised there) father who wasn't sure what to order. The 1 star in no way reflects them and is just for the food. We heard this place was owned by a Italian, and since actual Italian owned/operated restaurants are rare in the states (usually owned by every other ethnicity out there) we wanted to support them. The place was pretty busy on a random weekday, so the locals/tourists seem to love. Its also funny reading these yelp reviews with claims of "authentic Italian food". Lastly, Guy Fieri recommended this place, I'll just leave it at that. read more

Citti was recommended to us by the manager of our hotel. The food was very disappointing. Here in the land of foodies we were served a garden salad that seemed like the iceberg lettuce special I've been served a thousand times in the midwest. Next came the fettucine with bolognese. My wife and I both had to put copious amounts of salt on our dish to taste anything. The pasta was also way past al dente. The food was extremely underwhelming. The service was very good, however. It was busy and we were attended to quickly and courteously. read more

We have been going to Cafe Citti for nearly 20 years and our dinner Saturday evening was horrible. We had been looking forward to going because we hadn't gone for a while, but I'm sad to say, the meal was terrible. They used to have one of the best Caesar salads we've ever had, and on this evening, it was horrible. It used to have a delicious, creamy dressing with a lot of garlic. But this time, there was almost no dressing, it wasn't their former creamy style, and the salad was much smaller. I ordered the chicken on it and got crappy pieces of ripped up chicken I would feed to my cat. The waitress took my salad back and replaced my order with linguine with pesto sauce. I couldn't eat more than a few bites because the flavor quickly made me want to puke. It left a horrible aftertaste. The pesto was flat and tasted like dirty, bitter greens instead of tasty, flavorful pesto. As well, we usually look forward to their Tiramisu, but after hearing the people at the next table left less than impressed by the treat, we opted not to order it. It's sad that we must again knock a favorite restaurant off our list. Maybe it was an off night for the kitchen staff, but I'm not going to invest another $60 to find out. read more

Just "rediscovered" Cafe Citti, having lived here for almost 20 years and I had forgotten what a great experience this was. I'm ignoring the sprinkling of negative Yelp reviews I read, and am agreeing with the 4 and 5 star ratings based on my own great experience. Tonight I had the "1/2 chicken", and that is exactly what it is, a chicken halved. But, the meat was hot and moist, the skin had a flavorful rub, and it was served elegantly. My wife had an appetizer, which I will describe as smoked salmon, onion rings, and drizzled with garlic aeoli. A great dish. The indoor dining room was only half full, and I wondered where everybody was on a Saturday night, but in going out to the side patio for a look see, it was crowded with many, many happy patrons. The weather was idyllic, one of those quintessential Northern California evenings. This restaurant is very, very casual, kind of like a road house. Great ambiance! If you are traveling from Santa Rosa over to Sonoma on Highway 12, it is a great stopping place. By the way, even though you order food up at the counter, the waitstaff is still attentive with bringing the bread, the balsamic vinegar and oil, refilling water and soft drinks, and taking care of the final bill. Now I understand why you pay upon leaving, and not when you order, because you might opt for dessert, or another drink, so it makes sense to take care of it at the end. read more

Fantastic experience! You order at the counter, and the service is wonderful. Best ravioli ever, gnocchi, salad, chicken, wine, bread. Linguine with clams alfredo, a bit too heavy. Bolognaise sauce excellent. Cant wait to go back! read more

Four stars for the food but 0 for the staff. I stopped by on my way home from work in Sonoma to pick up some grub. The place had two tables sat, who already had their food. I took a couple of minutes to decide what to get while 3 servers leaned against the wall talking to each other. I approached the counter to order and the same three servers just stood there looking at me and chatting. I stood there for at least two minutes and just as I was about to walk out someone appeared to take my order. Craptastic customer service, but good food. I think where they are in a tourist area has made them forget about providing the service to back up the food. I found the service to be snooty, uncaring, and well they just don't care because people will eat there because of past ratings and where they are. Do your self a favor and wait 20 min and go to Sonoma for food or Santa Rosa. read more

My friend and I came here around 7 on Saturday night. There was a long line to order, but it moved quickly and we were soon seated outside. I ordered the half chicken with my choice of pasta and sauce ( I chose fusilli with the garlic and pancetta sauce) and my friend ordered the half chicken with polenta and bolognese. We both thought the chicken was okayyy but I really loved my pasta! The sauce was slightly spicy, and the pancetta and garlic really complimented each other. My friend's polenta was also really good, esp. With the bolognese sauce she chose. The outside dining area is also really cute, with a huge tree overhead:) read more

Cafe Citti - Half chicken with fusilli and the garlic sauce! And a bottle of prosecco;) - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Stopped here for a quick lunch yesterday and fell a little bit in love. The gentleman that greeted us at the counter was an absolute delight! He had the best energy and took orders quickly, offering us some help with our beer selections. We ordered the Caesar salad and lasagna. The Caesar salad was SUPER garlicky, which we both loved (If you don't LOVE garlic it might be too much for you). The lasagna was meaty and delicious. Service and ambience were lovely. I'll be stopping here more often when I'm in the area! read more

Solid choice for lunch or dinner. Order at the counter and your your home made delicious Italian meal will be brought to your table. Nice wine selection and comfortable atmosphere however the building is a bit dated and appears to be a modified house which could use some updating. read more

Sis and I have heard great things about this little restaurant-it's been on her list for a long while. We were wine tasting in Sonoma and drove the extra way to go to this restaurant everyone seems to be raving about. It's got a divey/casual vibe and you go to the cashier to place your order and then they bring it to your table. They are known for their ravioli and I found it merely okay-there's about 4-5 on the plate (they're about 4" square and the pocket of filling measures about 1.5" across so it's mostly dough. It was good enough, but I've had better. The caesar salad was very garlicky (as we'd been warned) and it was good, but not great (if you want a great caesar salad go to Marin Joe's). Sis's half chicken was dry and the flavor was light. The wine was okay and sis (who lived in Rome for over a year) summed it up by saying, "I'm underwhelmed." Yes, that makes two of us. Sis and I were excited to try Cafe Citti, but were disappointed. There's plenty of good food to be found in wine country and I don't see the appeal of this place. Would I go back if I lived close by? Maybe. But I live in Marin and it is not worth the drive. read more

Very difficult to rate this place. It deserves at least 4 stars for the flavors of the sauces and for having Russian River beers on tap!! But...the pasta is over cooked. Lasagna noodles melted in my mouth. While that might sound nice, it's not how pasta is supposed to be, and any Italian restaurant has simply got to get their noodle game down. read more

The food here isn't bad, but it's nothing outstanding either. Your homemade versions will be much better and cheaper. The waiting staff is very nice, and that's where my 2nd star comes in. Other than that, though, there's nothing positive worth noting. A loss of 2 stars just for the fact they have no heating system. If it's cold outside you'll remain just as cold inside. All they have is a fireplace. A homely touch, but worthless for the 95% of tables not seated right next to it. read more

4 star for service... 1 star or less for food. Ordered a simple Italian dish... penne arrabbiata. came with tasteless tomato sauce (some not ordered ingredients) and NO spice. The explanation I got was we just add red chili flakes to our pasta sauce... aka arrabiata vs. tomato sauce. Also, the place looks so cute from the outside.. and is cute on the inside.. but it has carpet.. and just didn't seem so clean all around... read more

I have been going here for many years however the last two times there has been a notable drop in quality of service. The food is still great however There are untrained wait staff that bring you your food and that is all they do. No follow up whatsoever. Additionally this place should invest a little on the chairs for outside seating. They are cheap plastic chairs- not very comfortable. All in all its not a bad value however it appears that ownership just doesn't care about the dining experience. read more

The Citti Sauce over penne is amazing!! Delicious food and wine, wonderful casual atmosphere. Simply the best!

We have been going here for many years and have great experiences every time. As usual, we start with the garlicky Caesar salad while enjoying the bread dipped in some olive oil and balsamic vinegar. We departed from our usual habit of brining in some local wine to take advantage of the free corkage and had a nice Italian red wine. I stayed with my favorite lasagna with meat sauce and my wife went with fried polenta with meat sauce. Such big servings that we took some home for another tasty meal. After reading other reviews that say you have to try their biscotti, we decided to take a couple home to have with a warm cafe mocha while watching a Warriors game. Tough way to wrap up another fine day here in wine country. Don't want to forget to say 'Thanks!' to the staff for their attentive service through the meal. They are the best, no matter how busy they get. read more

Tired of the uppity Italian restaurants that tend to dominate the Sonoma Valley? Cafe Citti's cuisine holds its own with more sophisticated locations but is relaxed and comfortable. Cab, viognier, barolo -- doesn't matter. You'll get your wine in a short cup and you'll like it, damn it. Citti is a little cottage of sorts decorated with pictures of the owners kids and butcher paper on the tables, just feet from the main Wine Country highway. So, it can be noisy if you choose the patio. You order at the counter off a big white board but servers will bring your food and provide full table service from there on. Citti has a mix-and-match menu of pastas and sauces, which I love because it means they always have what I want. Try the housemade ravioli with tomato basil cream sauce. It its known for its rotisserie chickens, however. You can get a half chicken and pasta for about $12. People rave about its super garlicky caesar salad, but I skip it. It don't actually like when my tongue stings from garlic overload, but maybe you're in to S&M dining. Citti is a paradox -- it's far enough away from Sonoma that a lot of locals forget about it and its often easy to get a table. But its close to several popular wineries so it can get busy. The food is certainly worth a short wait, however. Citti has a sandwiches and deli fare for picnicking wine tasters, and does a busy take-out business too. read more

Great quick meal. Ravioli all's Citti was both tasty and filling. Ravioli in Brodo was light on flavor, but with a sprinkle of Parm was good. read more

Cafe Citti - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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My buddy Bob took me to Cafe Citti when I first arrived in Sonoma County to see his slice of life in wine country. This spot is for the tourists and the locals because the service and the food rock! Great atmosphere, their system cranks the folks through smoothly, and the meals are brought out quickly. I had the calamari steak sandwich with farfalle pesto and a glass of wine. I loved the bread, olive oil, and balasmic that is presented too! Molto Bene! read more

Stopped in for a bite to eat with a friend on a Wednesday night, the food was decent but I am not sure if I would return. The Food: Caesar Salad: GARLIC ALERT I love garlic but I would not call this salad a caesar salad, the raw garlic was assertive and overpowering... and even spicy. I didn't mind the salad but it was not what I thought a caesar would be. Linguini with white clams: A half portion was huge with tons of clam meat! The only downside was the amount of butter in this dish. I took some to go and when I heated it up the next day a pool of butter/oil, at least a tablespoon and a half, had formed. Tasty, but VERY fatty. Ravioli: Delicious pink sauce and flavorful filling in the ravioli. Serving size is 4 large ravioli. I would have preferred more smaller sized raviolis. The portion seemed a little skimpy considering it was one of the more expensive entrees. The pasta was also a little too thick for my liking. read more

My wife and I stopped by this place as Chateau St Jean Winery recommended this place. It is their staff favorite. Food: My wife ordered the Mortadella on wheat with Provolon. She liked it very much with the exception of the staff or chef used white bread instead of wheat. She didn't bother to change or mention it to them as she says it taste wonderful! I ordered the Homemade Gnocchi served with Pesto Sauce. This dish was perfect. The Gnocchi was made perfectly very light and airy. The pesto sauce is what made this dish wonderful as Gnocchi is overall tasteless. Price: Very affordable. My wife and I spent barely over $20. Service: Very quick Friendly Provided suggestions on their favorite dish and what they didn't like Decor: Simple, small place, and they do have outdoor seating. Parking in the back read more

Locals love Cafe Citti - our hotel front desk staff did not disappoint us as we hoped for a late-Saturday afternoon nosh. Curious and craving a sandwich and soup on a Saturday, we ventured north from downtown Sonoma. The place was packed at half-past two. The menu was a bit overwhelming but we settled on turkey sandwiches on ficacia bread: yumm, house red swill and soup of the day. Very attentive staff! Quick service. Full bellies. Very reasonable prices. Keep in mind: the Cafe closes between 3:30 pm and 5 pm, then reopens for dinner. Return: yes, absolutely! read more

Just had a simple lunch but it was it was delicious. I had the Mortadella Sandwich with Provolone on their homemade Focaccia Bread with a side of Potato Salad... Both were note worthy.. Fresh and nicely presented. Service was superb. Place has been around for years and it feels like a little slice of Italy inside. read more

This is our favorite restaurant. Hours drive for us but when we want a treat, we hop in the car and have a beautiful drive to CITTI (pronounced "cheety"). Service is always professional and friendly. Our favorites: Caesar Salad. So much garlic it burns your mouth but nothing like it. Ravioli ala Citti. Pasta melts in your mouth with a tomato cream sauce that makes you swoon. Linguine with clam sauce. YUM! Rotisserie Chicken. Perfectly done Lasagna. I make a pretty good lasagne but this is spot on. Done with bechamel and red sauce. So rich. Best of all, it's always the same. read more

Really mixed feelings on this place. First, I had read reviews that recommended you find a table first so you can look at the overwhelming board, then order. My friend and I did this and right away a guy who worked there ran over and said we couldn't do that. Awkward moment. He ended up saying it was ok, but right away we didn't feel welcome and considered leaving, Ordering is really weird, you order up front, then waiters take care of you the rest of the time, you even get your check at the end. The location itself isn't very nice, the floors are wobbly and our table was at a slant. Our chairs were leaning so far too e side we were pretty uncomfortable. All-in-all, the food was good. I would go again but sit outside (I think there's outdoor seating) and know what I want before I get there. read more

Wow, just wow. This place hit the spot on a day of wine tasting. It's walking distance to a few wineries and tasting rooms which is great but after eating here you may just want to settle in for a nap in the Sonoma sun. Fresh octopus salad was delicious and my frittata sandwich, oh my god! I've never had one before and I can say I would definitely order again. The Cesar salad was really good too - garlicky to a tee. My friends ordered pasta with clams and a chicken sandwich and everyone really enjoyed their food. I will definitely come here again next time I am in Sonoma. They offer indoor and outdoor seating - while it was windy, the patio was still very nice. read more

Made the drive from San Jose to Cafe Citti. While you wait, they bring you some crusty bread and a small bowl of herbed olive oil. The special was a Tuscan steak covered with sauteed onions, side of sliced carrots and string beans. The meat was about a 3/8 inch thick and was covered with balsamic sauteed onions. As I enjoyed my Tuscan steak, I noticed it was comprised of several pieces of meat, carefully laid out to portray a wide steak and some pieces were very well done. The sliced carrot's, cooked al dente were also flavored with balsamic vinegar. They never asked me how I like my steak, maybe that's why it was the special. $17.95 We shared a bottle of Tollo Sangiovese, bottle price $21.00 Tip: after they bring you the bottle, let it breathe for 20 minutes, it will open up and taste better. For dessert, we shared a tiramisu and chocolate mousse, both average quality. I would try this place again. Considering the affordable prices, I think 3 stars is earned. Decor: homey. Parking: tight Customer service: very friendly. Tip: although, everyone walks up to the counter and orders; I recommend scoring a table, then get up, read the wall menu and order up. read more

I've been to Cafe Citti SEVERAL times and every time it lives up to the built up expectations in my head! Most recently, I went there with my boyfriend and another couple after a failed attempt at The Fig Cafe. I ordered the Gnocchi with half pesto sauce and half bolognese sauce. I can't EVER decide which I like better so I usually opt for both sauces. They don't disappoint! My boyfriend got the special, it was some sort of a pasta with white sauce and rabbit meat in it -I can't remember the name but it was very good! My friend got the ravioli's which are always fantastic and her boyfriend got the half rotisserie chicken. Everyone loves their chicken! We all ordered a dessert and shared - because you can't ever just pick ONE dessert at cafe citti! We ordered the creme burlee - amazing as usual! A chocolate Mousse, which was to die for, and a Tiramisu. The staff is friendly and fun- no corkage fees - the ambiance is great - and for a great night out it really isn't too expensive! I just wish they weren't all the way out in Kenwood! read more

Fresh, delicious, authentic Italian dishes. Quaint, adorable, charming atmosphere. Simply put, one of the best choices in Kenwood. A great place to go while enjoying the surrounding landscape, vineyards and wineries of Kenwood. read more

Excellent Italian. They're currently delivering to Oakmont residents, menu is online and you pay over the phone. Happy to support them during these difficult times read more

Yummmmmm everyone needs to try it. I'm obsessed with the ravioli and Citti sauce. And the focaccia! They also have great roasted chicken but you can't go wrong with anything you order! Mmm read more

I can see why this place is a favorite in the kenwood area. fresh homemade stuff with a complete menu. tried the famous ravioli, Luca's homemade ravioli filled with meat, swiss chard and fresh herbs, served in a light tomato and basil cream sauce -- delightful. linguini puttanesca, fusilli pesto, lasagna, homemade mozzarella tomato salad (weaker than the caesar salad with pine nuts) -- all the pasta were tasty and the sauces perfectly balanced. read more

Old style family Italian comfort food. Heavy on the calories. Your basic pastas, sauces ,raviolis ,lasagna ,Italian sandwiches ,iceberg lettuce salads and pizzas. Well priced, walk up to the counter, order and then go sit down. You pay for your food after you have eaten your meal. We tried one of the house favorite raviolis and a Nice garlicky Cesar salad with smoked chicken on top. Would not get the smoked chicken next time on top of the salad. The salad would have been great all by itself. read more

Cafe Citti - The house fav Ravioli with the garlicky Caesar and smoked chicken on top. - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California