May 2, 2026 - Santa Rosa. This has become our go-to spot whenever we're in Santa Rosa. The bike racing theme gives it a fun, unique vibe, and the atmosphere is always warm and welcoming. Service is consistently quick and friendly--but definitely make reservations, because this place is always busy. We started with their delicious house bread served alongside an olive tapenade--such a great way to kick things off. We also ordered a bottle of the Tom Mackey Cellars 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon, which paired nicely with everything that followed. For appetizers, we shared the grilled polenta and calamari, both of which were excellent. For my main, I ordered the house special seafood risotto, which was flavorful and perfectly cooked. My husband had the Spaghetti Pescatore--loaded with wild prawns, clams, calamari, fresh scallops, and fish of the day in a light tomato, garlic, and olive oil sauce--and it was just as good as it sounds. Around the table, we also had the lamb ravioli, Spaghetti Levi Leipheimer, and the Gnocchi Riviera, and every dish was a hit. Consistently great food, a lively atmosphere, and reliable service make this our must-do restaurant while in Santa Rosa. read more

My husband and I ate there for our anniversary. At 6:30 PM on a Wed, no reservations needed. I've been before on a weekend, and it was very crowded. Service was good, we enjoyed the bread and our bottle of chianti. They served olive tapenade with the bread. We both had salads that we enjoyed very much, the arugula with fennel, goat cheese, golden beets & balsamic and the RADICCHIO salad with pear, gorganzola cheese, fennel & balsamic. We both loved our entrees: They were just perfect: SPAGHETTI PESCATORA FETTUCCINE BOLOGNESE To top it off we shared a Tiramisu for dessert. Everything was absolutely delicious. The service was good and prompt, the very boisterous waiter was kind, enthusiastic, and sometimes hard to understand. All in all it was a great experience. The vibe is old school Italian restaurant. I love that their wine list has plenty of Italian wines because CA wines give me a migraine. Its a sweet place that I will return to. read more

Excellent bike racing themed interior. Outdoor tent space also available. Excellent Italian food - Spaghetti Pescatori, Seafood Risotto, and lamb ravioli Excellent service! read more

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For some reason my husband is on an Italian food kick. He's never been a fan of Italian so it's confusing for me. However, his coworker recently recommended Riviera so we were up for a change of meals for date night. We ordered the braised short rib and the lamb shank (on the specials menu). I love a good sauce and the sauce on the short rib was amazing. My husband on the other hand, is not a sauce fan and thought the lamb would've been better with a mint jelly. You do get free bread with a olive tapenade which was really good, however the bread was interesting. The top of the basket had a few pieces of focaccia and then the rest of the basket was slightly stale french bread slices. It almost felt like they are out of focaccia but this could also just be to give you options. It was just interesting that it was layered like that. Our server was great and incredibly patient. We kept going back and forth on if we wanted to order a bottle of wine and ultimately decided against it. We did get dessert. I ordered the Crème brûlée and my husband ordered a port. The Crème brûlée was amazing. It was so creamy it was almost like a pudding rather than a custard. I enjoyed it a lot. read more

We had to make reservations for at least 10 to 15 people and we all wanted Italian food. Somebody suggested this place and I'm glad that they did this place is quaint and has a lot of character to it on all the walls you see the cyclist jerseys in the ambience in this place is really special. We had 15 to 20 people and our waiter was so accommodating to us. They really knew how to take care of you. The food was divine. There was not one person there that had a complaint about their food.. I had the leg of lamb with the ravioli filled with kale and spinach. It was delicious!! We will definitely make it a place to go back to. It's kind of hidden, but if you look real good in this little strip ball, you'll find a great place to eat Italian food. I highly recommend it. read more

Ordered Italian sausage and broccoli sautéed with garlic olive oil and these wonderfully chewy textured homemade round pasta pieces ($25) to share with my mom. The sausage was delicious as well and the broccoli perfectly aldante. We also got the sides of cannoli beans and spinach both with versions of being sautéed in garlic olive oil ($12 EA). That was a super yummy combo to share, with sprinkles of freshly grated Parmesan over everything put it over the top, in wow! When you're hungry, too! Also came with tub of cut sourdough accompanied by black olive tapenade. The staff happily divided everything in scarce for us on two separate plates making for great service in our minds. The place is lovely, decorated with Christmas lights, old bikes and high ceilings, and framed sports tea-shirts! We're also shared a $16 glass of 2021 Guadagni old vine zinfandel (perfect pair). read more

Riviera Ristorante - Restaurant interior - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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The pasta is all made from scratch and super fresh, with amazing sauces and the ravioli ragu was to die for! The waitress Poonah was super special and sweet! Thank you! read more

Excellent Italian food in Santa Rosa! Very good service! Very interesting and unique decor. Open late as well. I would return. read more

Great food and service. This is a wonderful place to take your family. We had the specials and were not disappointed.

Food is average at best. Nothing to write home about. Not really italian food, though they do say they are italian inspired. (Carbonara does not have pancetta in it,it's Guanciale) The service deplorable.Our waterglasses (there were 6 of us) were never refilled without having to ask. Ordered a bottle of white wine, had to ask for an ice bucket.Had to ask for them to pour our wine, I shouldn't have to pour it myself or ask. They are either understaffed, or the staff is not really very efficient. Very dissapointed. I personally do not like the interior decor, not very elegabnt, but that is my bias. read more

What a great Italian spot my friend, and I went for dinner and shared the steamed clam appetizer, the spaghetti carbonara, and the lava cake. We both paired our food with a Sauvignon Blanc and Zinfandel. Everything we had was delicious. Hospitality was great shout out to Riccardo. Great variety in the menu located in the downtown area by the hospital easy to get to, lots of parking we will definitely be back and I highly recommend stopping by here. there's not a lot of Italian restaurants that I like in Santa Rosa and this one's definitely my top. read more

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Love this restaurant. Food is excellent. Service excellent. Wine list excellent. read more

I am sorry to say, but it was terrible. The service was pathetic, and the food was even worse. First, they had only one server for the whole inside. 3 assistants walked around clueless and were no help. Dishes weren't removed as the main courses were served. Half the party was served the main course, and the other half had to wait 6 minutes afterwards. Beverages never received. The veal was very thin, and the breading was twice as thick as the veal. I had to wait for the veal sauce, which was watered-down lemon juice. The owner needs to review their operations, as this was an absolutely terrible dinner. Very surprised since it's highly recommended. I will never go back. read more

Service and the people are amazing food is so good eating outside is bug free and cozy

Overall score was more 2.5 than 3. The best part was the service. 9/10 The spaghetti Levi was good, Not great 6/10 Burrata was ok. The actual cheese itself was no where near at the best I've had and the outer casing was almost too hard to eat. Not a fan of the thin bread crisps. Prefer the burrata at Catellis and La Cocos (And all the other food) Both always 9/10 or better abs with $20. Wife had the lasagna. She still hasn't eaten her leftovers. (2 days later.) She compared it to frozen lasagna. I was told by good friends and family that it's really good and at the top of the Italian food scale.... I was disappointed and don't think I'll go back. Also sitting in the parking lot on a hill with 6/7 heat lamps was kind of off putting as well. It felt like it was 100 degrees but they did turn off the heater near us. read more

Riviera Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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It's my first time here and was glad I called to make a reservation. It was quite busy at 5:30 pm on Saturday. They don't seem to have online reservation, so make sure you call to make one. The bread before the meal was super good. It came with olives pesto I think. It definitely will make you want to have more bread. I ordered spaghetti pescatora based on Yelp pictures (Thank you, Yelp community!) It has all kinds of seafood. Spaghetti is flavorful. Veal Milanese is crispy and juicy inside. My friend finished the whole plate which rarely happened! Dessert was definitely worth expanding my already full stomach! Both crème brûlée and tiramisu are great. I feel service is a little slow but I can understand since the place is pretty packed. Look forward to try other items next time! read more

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We recently had dinner at Riviera. The service was very good and the food delicious. We had salad, soup, entrees and dessert. All were great. They also have a nice wine selection. The atmosphere is cozy and inviting. Highly recommend Riviera!! read more

The food was delicious; absolutely incredible. But... I made a reservation the day before which wasn't honored. We had to wait a long time for a table (no apologies from the hostess, basically it's first come first serve). Complete chaos as it was busy, understandable, but I had a reservation, or so I thought. Finally got seated, only to drink water for about 10 minutes before I finally mentioned in ear shot that I wanted wine. Finally got some attention by a server who was not at all friendly (I had to ask to hear wthe specials). $175 dollars later and I am deeply disappointed. This was my husband's bday dinner. I booked a reservation! No table waiting for us and the worst service. The food being delicious was the only win for the night. read more

I love family owned restaurants!! Riviera Ristorante is a true gem. Good service and ambiance. The entrees are freshly made. read more

This place is our families go to for big parties. They have friendly and accomodating staff and food always comes delicious! read more

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We decided to head over to La Riviera Ristorante for my mother's birthday and boy they did not disappoint. I've been here multiple times but for my parents it was their first time and they were so impressed. The service was absolutely phenomenal! Our server was super attentive and knowledgeable about the entire menu, including the specials of the day. We decided to get an entire bottle of wine versus a glass, and the quality and taste was absolutely delicious! One of the best wines I've had in a while. I ordered the rib eye steak which I like it well done. It came out delicious! Although it was well done it was still very juicy and the flavors were on point! For dessert we all shared a crème brûlée since we weee so full from our main course! Of course it was done to perfection! The ambiance it his pace is absolutely more on the casual side, but you can dress up is you want and have a cute date night with a loved one! Overall I will continue to come to this restaurant! One of the greatest places to come and have a little bit of Italy read more

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The food and service were both excellent. The ambiance could have been better because we were only able to get a table in one of their outside covered venues. read more

Sep 2023 Came here on a date night to try a new place. Well, new place to us anyway. Reservations were easy via Yelp, and we were seated in the heated tent outside. The area outside was actually nice in retrospect. Not as many people though it was still busy, and noise wasn't an issue since it sounded like someone was having a birthday inside. Service was helpful with any questions that we had. Check ins and water refills occasional. My partner ordered the lasagna bolognese, and I had gotten the mushroom ravioli with rabbit. We also ordered calamari, spinach, and capanelli beans to share. Everything had good flavor and was prepared well. The ravioli I wanted just a bit more sauce to coat each bite. It had balanced flavor (soy butter?) and did well to enhance. The lasagna bolognese was simple and good. The red sauce added a good tartness to it. Of the dishes, I had never had capanelli beans before but I'd certainly get those coming back. The flavor was light and savory, cooked throughout and not overdone. And of course dessert to cap things off. We shared the lava cake and the mousse. The lava cake was nice and rich but I really liked the mousse. I think it worked better for me since it wasn't too sweet or rich. read more

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Went here on a whim and had a lovely time! Enjoyed a lovely Italian varietal, ate some delicious appetizers and shared a main course and the dessert. Our server was attentive and kind, we felt very welcomed. The ambiance was quiet and comfortable, it would be a great spot for a date night or a family get together. Will absolutely be back. read more

This restaurant has been there since 1998 and we'd never been but my sister in law raved about it so we went. Fantastic neighborhood feel, well worth a visit with a great menu, tons of specials and an excellent value wine list with little known bottles from very small producers. All the food was excellent, Lobster Risotto special, Mushroom Ravioli with Rabbit ragout special, lamb shank special and Orecchiette Salsiccia which is a regular item. The Calamari appetizer was very good; enough for four and all the salads were very nice as well. Great friendly service good value, highly recommended. My brother in law was the only one able to order dessert and the Tiramisu was great. The only nit was the bread which didn't live up to the excellent tapenade they serve with it. Tiny pieces of so so bread which seems odd considering you could hit the excellent Goguette Bakery with a softball from the back door. read more

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Great food, great service, I have been here about 3-4 times already maybe more. The parking is very convenient as well. The setting is very welcoming. read more

A variety of well-thought specials. The dishes were exquisite and appeared as fresh and made to order as it gets. All servers looked clean, attentive and active. A simple interior with outdoor dining, nothing was too ornate, fancy or luxurious. The menu has enough variety but the specials will keep you going back. read more

Riviera Ristorante - Risotto with scallops and clams - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

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Excellent service. Lasagne was lacking. Polenta was great. Ice tea was very stale and undrinkable. Also the focaccia was dried out like it was day old. read more

Another wonderful meal at Riviera! The SO & I split a Caesar salad and the Capellini Pomodoro as per usual. I ordered the special; Salmon Piccata. Incredibly delicious. The salmon was moist & tender, the lemon piccata sauce accented it perfectly. The SO had the rib eye, cooked *exactly* medium rare, he loved it. Accompanied by a glass of Pinot Noir, it was his perfect entree. Topped off by the (10 out of 10) tiramisu, an unbelievable meal. The bottom line is; yes the food is great, yes, the ambiance (outside in the tent) is fun and interesting, but our favorite server Javier is what makes this place special to us. He paces the meal so that we aren't rushed, he is attentive, he has suggestions, he is unfailingly warm and kind. In fact, the entire staff is always casually passing by and making sure that we are happy. This is what sets this restaurant apart. read more

Riviera Ristorante - Salmon Piccata - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

This is the perfect place for date night or a nice night out. The location reminded me of a restaurant you see in movies. It felt magical. I can here for my birthday, as we stayed near Napa / Santa Rosa and my goal was to try new authentic Italian places. This place did it for me. The attention and care the staff and even owner gives to the customers is great. The food was delicious and fresh. Wine was perfect (maybe had too much of it though). I hope to return to this spot one day! read more

Riviera Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

The staff, ambiance and food makes this place hit the trifecta. The staff is always warm and fun. The ambiance inside or on the patio is pretty. The food is so delicious and always wonderful. The lemon dessert is the best! read more

We came here 1 a month and food here are fantastic! Manila Clam one of my favorite Little noisy as almost Italian Restaurants, overall it's great! read more

I have not had a bad meal here yet and I have been dining here for years! It is very consistent as far as quality of food, service, flavors, wait staff etc. I have tried the fresh fish specials and several of the pastas. I have always liked the Caesar salad here. The prices still seem reasonable to me as well. The dining rooms (there are 3) can be loud when the room is completely full. The outdoor covered dining area has lots of heaters for the cold days and evenings. Always a fun place to dine and I will continue to visit here often. read more

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Small free parking lot Small restaurant area. Make RSVP if you can. We came for dinner. Greeted and seated promptly. Seated outdoor in the tent, heating lamps kept the area warm during a 60 degree evening. We had the Burrata- so good Bruschetta- fresh herbs Fettuccini bolognese- good Seafood spaghetti- fave dish The apps came out in 5-10 min. Fresh and had so much flavor. The entrees came out 10-15 min later. Everything Tasted fresh and amazing. Highly recommend. read more

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Came out for mom's birthday right as dinner service started, parking was easy right up front.Service was a bit slow considering we were the first there but we all go played together and enjoyed our meals. Seating is a bit crowded but it's not uncomfortable. Food was good but not amazing. read more

Riviera Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Santa Rosa, California

Riviera Ristorante continues to provide consistently outstanding, fresh and wonderful Italian food in Santa Rosa CA. We have been going to Riviera for more than 15 years and it is still our "Go To" for a great meal. Rita, Luca and their whole team do just a GREAT job overall. It is a fun, friendly spot to meet friends, family and associates. During good weather, dining in outdoor tent is a real treat. They serve dinner only now and reservations are a good idea. Ciao, Kate and Dave read more

Wonderful atmosphere & food. Excellent Italian food. Staff was very attentive, knowledgeable & friendly! read more

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PADDED THE BILL BIG TIME, RUSHED AND SLOPPY SERVICE, VERY SMALL PORTION SIZES. VERY DISTURBING EXPERIENCE. Every business has a right, of course, to charge whatever they like but I feel, to be fair, must state so in advance of incurring those charges, preferably in writing on the menu but at least verbally, in advance. Just had dinner this week. My first and LAST time here. $40 from the menu, no xtras at all. The check charged me $61. Some were "GOTTCHA !" charges not revealed in advance but the majority was just inflating the meal charge 50% above menu. Shows a business that does not value the customer but a totally self-centered desire to squeeze every dollar possible out of unsuspecting patrons. Got to wonder how this kind of behavior reflects in the food quality in ways NOT totally visible to customers???????? Will NEVER go back.................NEVER. read more

The food was great and great size portions. The waiter was very attentive and the environment was very family friendly. We made a last minute decision to eat here and was able to get a quick reservation same night. read more

Chose this restaurant to celebrate my birthday as a previous visit was quite impressive. Everything went perfectly. Luisa was our server and provided wonderful service. We brought our own wine as the corkage is a reasonable $20. The variety of breads offered with the olive tapenade was so tasty! Tried to not fill up before our meal. I had the Salmon Piccata and it was superb- the flavor was on point. Our server brought the Tiramisu (with a candle on it) and all of the restaurant sang Happy Birthday! read more

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