Wife wanted to try Stella's since she's heard great reviews about the restaurant and it was definitely worth it! We had Gillian as a server and she was very bubbly, friendly and knowledgeable. Not pictured was the prosciutto and burrata which was amazing, along with the garlic pull apart bread. The entrees, drinks and desserts were also big hits as well. Ambiance was very laid back. Decent size indoor and a big outdoor seating area read more

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Our first disappointment at Stella. Server was slow and timing way off. Server not available when we had to return our entrees with so much salt they were inedible. Second attempt too Al dente. In the past lumache has been tender and pillowy; tonnarelli has been tender, not chewy like this time. Other servers very helpful, antipasti delicious. read more

Great food, cozy environment and great service. We were pleased and will the restaurant to others.

Another excellent meal at Stella! The melon salad with the salmon special topped off with the chocolate cake with strawberries and Chantilly cream; yum! Do yourself a favor and dine here! read more

Our friends' anniversary dinner started with the a nice surprise: we walked in thinking we'd be freezing on some sidewalk patio in November, but no, they'd enclosed the whole area. It was cozy with jackets off. There was a welcome table tent congratulating our friends. The server showed up two minutes after we sat down with complimentary sparkling wine. Food-wise, we did family-style. The rib-lets (little baby back ribs with a coat of herbs.) disappeared too fast.. The meatballs were ridiculous -- huge, marinara.. And the risotto... mushroom and truffle oil, creamy but not gooey. We also got the burrata. (Unfortunately truffles are like cilantro to me, tastes like soap but the others praised it.) Portions are small, prices felt fair for the quality, and nobody rushed us.. By the time we left the next experience was imagining our return for the Rib Eye... Four stars - post note: that return will be to sit at the counter to watch the chef's directly do their thing. read more

Stella - The beginning of a delightful experience - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

My husband took me to Stella for my birthday and it didn't disappoint! We sat outside, which was perfect because the weather was warm. Their outdoor area is super cute, bright with greenery. The star was their focaccia topped with aged Parmesan and the mortadella meatballs. The bread was so airy inside, and it was perfect to dip in the meatball sauce. The asparagus salad was super refreshing and mixed well with the burrata and yolk jam. We ordered cacio e Pepe and it has the perfect bite to it, loved that it was al dente! We also ordered the pork chop Milanese, which was super crispy and the lemon caper sauce was to die for. I was excited to try their baked gelaska. I'm usually not into marshmallows, but the torched marshmallow too was super fluffy and light, and tasted amazing with the raspberry sorbet and sponge cake. Another highlight! Service was great, everyone was super friendly and attentive. Only thing that needed improvement was my mocktail. It was supposed to be sparkling water with strawberry puree, but it was flat and tasted more like flavored water instead. read more

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Everything we ordered was phenomenal: Caesar salad, burrata with walnuts, the rib eye & the pork chop Milanese. The rib eye was one of the best we have ever had at a restaurant. Highly recommend! read more

Stella - Rib Eye - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

Oh Stella, where ya been all my life ? Seriously, we recently moved to the Sonoma coast (Sea Ranch) and have been working our way through local Sonoma and Mendocino county restaurants and wineries and once we came to understand that the fine folks at Glen Ellen Star were responsible for Stella we knew we needed to try and get a table when friends came to visit us this past weekend. We could only get a 4:30 PM Saturday night seating out on the deck but we made it work and by the time we were into our starters the entire restaurant was full and hopping ! Great service crew, and a special card was even waiting for us upon our arrival (it was my birthday and all the staff signed a card !) . Our dinner group of two couples had a number of starters including the meatballs (excellent with a really fresh tasting sauce), the local fresh fish crudo (yummy and very very fresh tasting), and two orders of mozzarella- one with artichokes and the other with pesto. They came with delicious grilled bread that had fresh herbs and olive oil and garlic etc and this was a winner ! I brought a nice Napa Fisher 2015 Cab that they kindly decanted and we ordered a local Chardonnay (which helped us get the $35 corkage waved), and the bottles were both yummy. Our Bottle of Chardonnay toppled over while sitting on ice nearby but our kind waitress just brought us a few small glasses worth to the table to compensate for the tumbled half bottle...and so it goes when the place is busy... Mains were all excellent - the Grilled fish was easily enough for two to share and the steak was excellent and my Milanese pork chop was massive and yummy. Wish the menu pointed out it was fried and not sautéed. Also Next time I'd get the sauce w capers on the side. We also had two sides, the creamed spinach and the mushrooms and I'd also have whatever sauce was on those shrooms on the side as well. Also the shrooms were weirdly those teenie tiny mushrooms typically used in Asian soups etc...perhaps a heartier grilled mushroom type next time might be a better choice ? We were stuffed and passed on dessert, but I had hoped to have something brought over to the table for my birthday (besides the kind card) with a candle etc - but hey, all and all it was a great meal and we will be back. Despite only being open for about 5 weeks the Stella team are crushing it and we wish them continued success and luck ! Great job Stella crew ! Looking forward to many more celebratory meals with all of you - next time perhaps a little later in the evening and inside ! Welcome to the neighborhood!! Next time I'll try some of the pasta dishes...and maybe a dessert ? - yummy !! read more

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The most friendly service, delicious food and beautiful dining area. The gelaska dessert was amazing!

Best pasta we've ever had. Anthony was wonderful! And dog friendly, highly recommend. read more

Stella - Baked Gelaska - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

Came here for the first time, and we absolutely loved it! The ambiance is beautiful, the service was warm and welcoming, and John took the time to describe each dish so passionately that we couldn't wait to try them. The food exceeded our expectations and definitely did not disappoint. We can't wait to come back! read more

Just a bit taken aback by the exhorbitant prices on everything. Sure, nice ambiance and nice staff, but will not be visiting again unless I win the lotto. Guess this place is geared toward rich wine country tourists. read more

Booked a visit based on the great reviews on yelp. To be fair it was a hot day and they say us in their tent area. The fan was running but it was very hot. We started with the Mozzarella with walnuts which was fine. The flavors did not come through, felt very flat. Did the Australian Steak, and it was gamey. Perhaps that is how it was excepted but I don't like chewy and gamey meat. Might be I was not set for this. The tomato and cucumber salad was the star, fresh tastes, variety, distinctiveness. Perhaps I ordered wrong or the heat was too much. Service is attentive. The tent is tight so be prepared. read more

We've been numerous times and Stella never disappoints! Highly recommend. The Baked Gelaska is the perfect ending to our meal. read more

Stella is an amazing restaurant with superb Staff under the direction of Stephen. They've recently opened up a brunch on Sundays and they're beautiful items on the menu. If you haven't been run don't walk and if you have Ben give me a thumbs up because you can relate. read more

First time visit at Stella's for dinner and will defiantly be back. Staff super attentive and friendly, enclosed patio very comfortable and attractive, and the food was outstanding! We were there with two other couples and we all enjoyed a wide verity of menu items, appetizers and entrées. Can't list them all but, I had the Prime Babette "cipolla al barbecue" steak... honestly, I don't know what that name means... LOL... but it was exceptional, very flavorful and filling. One in our group had the Duroc Pork Chop Milanese... I had a bit and it was amazing; super flavorful and moist. It will be my next dinner option. Hint to beat the crowed... go early near opening time as we did, fast fast service and a lot of attention. Meal courses were not rushed and it was obvious our waiter was allowing us to finish appetizers before bringing entrées. I saw some reviews regarding expense... personally, I review the menu before I go to a new restaurant and wasn't discouraged, and given the quality of the entire experience, well worth it! read more

We had a lovely evening at Stella. The modern decor inside was beautiful and inviting and my favorite dish was the shrimp with polenta. Heads up- the sauce has a bit of pork, which gives the dish a lot of depth in flavor, and has the slightest hint of spice that I loved. The pork and beef ragu was a solid dish and the prosciutto was chef's kiss. We are glad they are so close to home and hope to sneak over again soon. read more

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Don't be deterred by the few parking spots by the road, there's adequate parking as t the back. We came here as walk-ins for a party of 5 for lunch on a holiday weekend and loved our experience. The host and hostess were warm and welcoming and able to get us seated right away. They have indoor and outdoor seating, we opted to sit indoors. They have a good collection of wines, low alcoholic cocktails and zero proof drinks. We had some beers which felt crisp and refreshing on a warm day in Santa Rosa. The menu has a mix of modern appetizers, pastas, salads and burrata combinations. We got the walnut burrata (4/5) this could have done with a punch of flavor in my opinion, but was perfectly creamy and paired well with the rosemary buttered sourdough bread that came with it. Next we had the chopped salad (5/5) perfectly dressed and a good balance of flavors. For entrees we had the burger (5/5), the lamache pesto with green peas and roasted mushrooms in a green pesto sauce (5/5), chicken parmesan (5/5) - a huge portion, good for sharing and a side of truffle and garlic fries (5/5). Everyone loved the food which we shared family style. For dessert, we shared the tiramisu which was the perfect ending to our meal. Our server, Mike was prompt and attentive, gave us good recommendations with our food and ensured we had a top notch experience. This is a great place for an elegant and upscale vibe away from the chaos of Yountville. Will definitely be back to try more of their dishes! read more

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Went for lunch not a very wide choices. Would have appreciated more pasta choices, considering they were an Italian restaurant the dessert however was very good and recommended. It is their house specialty. read more

This place is awesome! From the second we walked in, the remodel was done so well. The staff is always friendly, well versed with the menu, making us feel right at home. The food is delicious! Everything tasted fresh and full of flavor. The wood grll gives you all the best flavors in the steaks! Homemade pasta's are next level, every appetizers and sides were on point. We also tried dessert, the panna cotta or Pistachio cake are delicious!! (FYI I dislike panna cotta, but this is amazing) Overall, it's just one of those spots where everything clicks: great food, great service, and a good atmosphere. I have been here three times so far. read more

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A big shout out to Steve from Stella's. I lost a gift card that was given Ben to me for my Seventh Birthday in January. Finally told my sister Maureen that I lost it somewhere in my house (well I am 70). So we called Stella the night and Steve was patient and took the time to find the order and we are now set. See you Friday or Sunday Steve. Again he went above and beyond tonight!!! read more

Stella has become one of my favorite restaurants in Wine Country. I've visited over four times, and every experience has been fantastic. Great food, wonderful hospitality, and a beautiful atmosphere keep me coming back. Consistency is hard to find, and Stella gets it right every time read more

Fabulous service, ambiance, and outstanding food! So lucky to have this in our backyard!

Four of us went here last night; expensive but worth it. Nice ambiance on the patio on a cooling evening, very busy so clearly popular despite being open just a few months. Parking is a bit tight but we found a spot nearby. We over ordered as portions are substantial even for appetizers. Meatballs were excellent; nice an fluffy, not dense. The Romaine Salad was more than enough to share for two. as was the Burrata & prosciutto di parma which came with very nice seasoned bread. Our friends had the equally delicious Burrata & bacon. We should have just ordered one for the four of us. I had the Tagliatelle with cultured butter, prosciutto, 36 month aged parmesan, which was delicious but a mistake on my part as I had prosciutto in the appetizer and there was far far more of it with the Tagliatelle. The pasta was fantastic though. Two enjoyed the Rigatoncini pork & beef ragu while the fourth had the Pork Secreto special. Service was very good and Nick our waiter did a great job. Thankfully, while the appetizers came out rapidly, there was a welcome pause between them and the mains for us to prepare ourselves for yet more food. Finished it off with a decaf Affogato. Definitely worth a visit. read more

Good food. Too noisy. Kenwood needed another good Italian restaurant Service was very good read more

Had a phenomenal Thanksgiving meal here while on holiday in Napa/Sonoma -- delicious classics, an inventive dessert (pumpkin gingerbread icebox cake), excellent wine, and warm service. We hope to come back for their regular service. read more

When I checked in the greeter sail said "oh you are the ones here on your 55th anniversary. Congratulations! That's rare, and the first to recall the 55th anniversary note I made in the reservation app. And then at the table there was a "Happy Anniversary" card and key people and the server signing. A first for me! You can see it in the first two pix. It's a concrete example of how they LIVE customer satisfaction. Most restaurants say it. Stella demonstrates in actions, a much higher bar IMHO. We shared the Burrata & Prosciutto di Parma both from Puglia. 10! Next we also shared the "Light Salad" lettuces and flowers with oregano red vinigrette. A 10! My grilled shrimp toast was a 9! Great sauce, great bread, "grilled" shrimp had a texture of boiled shrimp. No pix, I was too busy carving it up and slaterhing with the sauce that the toast was in with the grilled shrimp on top. This was a 9 for me. The shrimp tasted more like shrimp cocktail (boiled) shrimp. it was very very good, but if it was grilled it might have been great. My wife loved her grilled (over open fire) Wagu beef, a true medium RARE. A 10! Why is most of NorCal restaurants I go to think "medium rare to rare" means medium well??? For dessert I had a decaf affogato with housemade gelato. A 10! My wife had a berry sorbet. A 10! My wife had a "low alcohol" Strawberry margarita with wine as an ingredient to lower the % alcohol. I had a glass of white Tansy Falaghina GL from Sonoma County's Russian River. The falangina had 12.5% alcohol but it hit me, so maybe it was something in the process. Service was wonderful. The ambiance was very friendly from servers to the customers, and several customers talked to folks at another table. It reminded me of a really really well done software startup that hired A-players for management, back of the house, and front of the house who were great food, great wine AND incredibly great client-centric. This was my first restaurant visit to Kenwood. I got a sense that the restaurant was building on a warm and welcoming foundation of the Kenwood vibe. The seating i chose was inside, and they're was a long bar connected to the chefs' area so you could be a single, the tables were modular so it could be 2 or for or with one side as a chair and one side as a giant piece of cushion (on bottom and back). This was an incredibly high level. I've never experienced it for a LUNCH meal. Gonna have to come back for dinner. And the next time I'm taking 101 north and turning on route 12. The google suggestion saved two minutes and was a nightmare of twisting and turning. I'll leave it to the locals from now on. read more

Wonderful experience! Nelly was our server and she was fabulous. We had the ricotta agnolotti and the whole grilled dourade. Both were very good. Their homemade sourdough bread is amazing!! read more

Stella - ricotta agnolotti - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

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Very nice lunch with an excellent server. Lovely area on the old patio. Great place for a meal.

This was our favorite restaurant on our trip to wine country. The special truffle pasta was amazing and the 32 oz porterhouse was the best steak I have ever had. Our table shared the pastas and the steaks and that is definitely the way to go. Our server was great and the inside of the restaurant is beautiful. This place is a MUST. read more

service 10/10 We got the Pork and Beef Ragu and tomato cucumber salad 10/10 Caesar salad was mild expected more Baked Gelaska was not it for me it gave lemon took like 3 bites didn't eat the rest We got a cappuccino 10/10 read more

Stella - It looks good but it wasn't my tasting - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

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I have now had 4 great meals at Stella! One lunch and 3 dinners. We are SO happy that they opened in our hood, and can't tell you how great the food, atmosphere and staff are! So lovely. Amazing food. I'm just a huge fan. And I love the music! Yacht rock forever!!! read more

Stella - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

We ate here tonight and it was ridiculously expensive and the food was terrible. The potatoes were burnt and steak was cold. The server never checked in until it was time to pay. Definitely skip this one. read more

I've been hearing many great things about Stella so had to come check them out! Arrived for lunch on a Friday afternoon. We were given a nice indoor booth, apparently the "best seat in the house". The service was excellent, the server shared the specials of the day and talked a a bit about the farm nearby which grows their produce. He also checked in after every dish arrival to make sure the food is to our liking. We ordered the special salad of day, the cucumber, watermelon and tomato salad. Blown away by the sweetness and juiciness of the mixture. My hubby ordered the Stella Burger and I ordered the Tonnarelli & shrimp FraDiavolo. The shrimp is a must order item here! Home made pasta in house so soft and slurp-able! A tangy, mild spicy sauce topped with gulf shrimp. Oh my, I can eat that dish everyday! Stella is fabulous for good food and service! I'm already planning to visit their sister restaurant, Glen Ellen Star. read more

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New restaurant with the trappings of a great restaurant. Service was very good, the interior is fantastic, and the food is just a couple tweaks from being excellent. We tried the baked alaska dessert variation and it wasn't nearly as good as the tiramisu which was probably the best tiramisu I can remember. I like what they are trying to do. Will go again and looking forward to it. *** I saw another Yelp review and they mentioned something I saw on my bill but didn't pause on it to consider. Stella charges a credit card fee on the bill as a "non-cash fee" of 3%. I don't approve of these sorts of additional "resort fee" gotcha nonsense. If you aren't putting the cost into the price of the dish then it's a dishonesty. I can afford 3% but I cannot afford the lack of respect. Rating downgraded. read more

We've been to Stella twice now, once during opening week and again last week for my birthday. When it's just my husband and I we like to sit at the chef's counter (same at sister restaurant Glen Ellen Star) but we're also excited to bring friends and family and try the patio and dining room as well. We love chef Bryant and Chef Ari, and the team they've brought together here are great- warm, enthusiastic, and knowledgeable- from the host stand until the final goodbyes. The food certainly lives up to the chef's reputations. First visit we opted for a few starters, a dish from the fresh mozzarella menu, and a couple pasta selections. All stellar. Shout out to the cacio e pepe- something hubs always wants - sometimes when you do something seemingly simple but exceedingly well it really shines! This last visit we ordered bread and a newer salad on the menu with peaches and cucumber. So light and perfect for the transition from spring into summer. We didn't do a pasta last trip because I was excited to try the pork chop Milanese off the main plate selections. It's definitely a shareable size. I loved it, it's absolutely crave-able. Desserts were perfect and the team had a birthday card signed for me, a very sweet touch. The design is fun, the art in the entry and the pasta wallpaper in the hallway is an IG dream. So happy for Kenwood to have such a gem. Can't wait to try that lunch burger, we will be back! read more

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We had an excellent waiter, all the staff were friendly. Our anniversary dinner was phenomenal. We had the scamorza, melted cheese on grilled sourdough over honey, the chickory salad, vodka tomato pasta, and a dreamy delicious tiramisu. We'll be back! read more

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Every single thing was top notch. Proper. Freaking. Criminals. Had the Caesar and it was great - from anchovy to the caramelised croutons... then the peach and stracciatela... amazing with the mint. The pork chop was the best one I've ever had... and tagliatelle - AMAZING! They're doing a spin on a baked Alaska that is also a treat - and all with an expert wine pairing! The EC as super approachable and an artist to watch. Get chefs table reservations if you can! Don't sleep on this place - it's a gem! read more

So excited Stella is finally open! Had the best birthday celebration here and was very pleased with how warm and welcoming it was. A+ for ambiance, and our server was the sweetest. Steak could have been a little more salted but the Au Jus was incredible with the stewed onions, just melted in our mouths. Pasta tasted so fresh and had a very nice spice level to it with the Calabrian chilis. The grilled sourdough with Smokey cheese and truffle honey on it absolutely took the cake though, so incredible. Gelato was fresh and fantastic. Will absolutely be back for more. read more

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We had a fantastic dining experience here! Apparently we ordered the first tomahawk steak. What a treat! the meat was delicious and well prepared. the wood-fired grill worked magic! the potatoes served with it were also very tasty and perfectly crispy. We ordered the grilled mushrooms to accompany - and they were also excellent! Service was also exceptional. Nick was great, and made excellent recommendations for wines to go with our meal. Highly recommended! Stella is a great new addition to Sonoma Valley dining! read more