The wife booked our reservation for my birthday as both boys were home from school. Friendly staff from the beginning. We started with the buratta and bacon. Everyone devoured it I ordered the daily fish special SF halibut. Coming in at $42 I love fresh halibut, but this one unfortunately was overdone! It still had a nice flavor, and a nice presentation, but tough and overcooked by about two to three minutes! The wife is the light eater. She ordered the meatballs. (Saving room for dessert) she was happy. Youngest son ordered the Ragu it was the best dish of the evening. Oldest son got the special pasta W/Prosciutto he ate it but said lacking some flavor, ( chef in training) I agree it was more salty than anything he thought it was kind of weird having raw cold sliced mushrooms on top of a hot pasta, he just moved them to the side. We finished with the pistachio cake and the baked Gelaska dessert was amazing!! Dessert won the show for me! They do put a candle on your dessert but still at full price. Which is totally expected for such a great dessert.!!!! $300 out the door for 4 of us. Can't wait to go back for lunch ! read more

Delicious food. Great ambience (beautiful kitchen). Awesome and nice service Portions were good too. read more

My husband and I love to eat and drink in Sonoma County, and after trying Stella for the first time last night it has moved into our top two best meals. Service by Anthony was outstanding, but everyone we encountered was professional and kind. The food was incredible. We tried about 6 different dishes and they were all amazing...highlights for me were the Rib Eye, the burrata and the meatballs. My husband said it was the best steak he's had in Sonoma County, and he's tried them all. Of course the pasta is delicious too, and rivals some of the best pasta I've ever had in Italy. Don't skip the Tiramisu for dessert. Chef Tony has done a phenomenal job creating each dish. Ambiance was wonderful. A great selection of wines by the glass and an extensive wine list. Definitely our new favorite spot! We drive from Healdsburg and it's worth the drive. read more

My girlfriend and I had dinner at Stella's again on Saturday. The cuisine is Michelin worthy, elevated by a team with experience at iconic restaurants on the east coast. We especially like the chefs specialties, such as the halibut crudo, with heirloom tomatoes (farm-to-table fresh) and the pork belly. The wine list is thoughtful, complementing the dishes, with some hidden gems from both Sonoma and Napa county. Bringing it all into focus, the service is gracious and attentive. Special thanks to Greg Kasparian, assistant general manager, who always makes us feel welcome. We look forward to our next meal at Stella's! read more

Stella - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

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The food has not changed significantly since my last review but the service has improved. Very attentive. Just a couple of things that might prove helpful in your next visit. Unless you want to watch the wood burning in the stack supplying the grill with hot ambers or the sous chef garnish salads make sure not to check "chefs counter" when making your reservation. It is difficult to communicate with your guest or see your server unless your head swivels as in the exorcist! Finally when deciding to bring your own wine consider the corkage fee is $35. The wine list is ample but if you have particular favorites bring them. Otherwise a great addition to our Kenwood culinary scene. read more

Excellent food, amazing ambiance, and John was a fantastic server. We had a great time celebrating our friends birthday. They even made us a bone broth soup for a friend that wasn't feeling well, which put the icing in the cake read more

John was the most exceptional server I have ever experienced. I felt like I was transported to another country tonight. The food and drink we experienced was phenomenal. From trying unique italian wines to the epic "Gelaska" fire-blown dessert, my friend and I felt like we were abroad. John's hospitality, professionalism and family-like manner was amazing and kept us laughing. Thank you for treating us like queens! All around wonderful experience I would recommend to anyone! Also, sitting with a view of the kitchen & open fire was awesome! read more

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As a local Kenwood resident I've been long awaiting Stella to open. I'm a huge fan of Glen Ellen Star. The pros: The service and ambiance was wonderful! We sat outside in their enclosed patio on a lovely spring evening. All the food seemed high-quality and extremely fresh. (We didn't have dessert but they looked amazing.) The cons: Unfortunately the meal itself was underwhelming. Caesar salad was fresh with delicious homemade croutons but the dressing a bit bland and more lemony than anchovy-garlic. The crudo was unique, well portioned as an appetizer and excellent quality fish. We also had the vegetarian red pasta and the sauce had a nice flavor and very light touch of spice which was nice. However the pasta itself was a bit undercooked. My dining companion felt it could have used a bit more salt too. Lastly, we had the grilled mushrooms. The oil was a bit heavy handed but great flavors. And again the mushrooms were extremely fresh and of high quality. Overall: I expected a lot so I can only give three stars. But I will give Stella another try. They may need a bit more time to get things humming like at Glen Ellen Star where I've never had anything but an exceptional dining experience. read more

Stella is absolutely amazing! Had an absolute spectacular time celebrating our anniversary and were totally spoiled by the impeccable staff. A sweet card with the whole staffs signature and a special welcome bubbly drink was beyond our expectations. We had such a lovely evening and we cannot wait to celebrate more milestones here! You must, at some point, try everything on the menu but what we were so obsessed with and completely devoured were the following: -grilled lamb ribs -wood grilled golden beets -whole grilled dourade -rigatoncini alla bolognese -crispy potatoes -baked gelaska (their signature dessert, absolutely out of this world) -tiramisu (you can never go wrong with that) paired with a cappuccino read more

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Where do I start? We were quickly greeted and seated by serious, but friendly fellow. Shortly, after being seated, our server came and introduced himself, the rest of the evening unfolded into a wonderful experience. Every menu item was described and our questions answered. The service was intuitive, welcoming not only by our server, but by all the people on the floor. The food was delicious and generous. The cocktails were awesome even if they weren't hard liquor based... The outside dining area was comfortable, and as the area filled with diners, the buzzing of conversation, made the atmosphere complete. It is definitely worth the splurge read more

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The ambiance is clean and modern with enclosed patio, main dining room or chefs counter seating. We opted for chefs counter with views of the kitchen which was interesting but quiet and uneventful. The service was great. Very attentive and food and drinks came out fast: expresso martini: 10/10 delicious and well balanced Burrata w sun dried toms and basalmic and basil: 10/10 with homemade tomatoes that were so soft you could smash them into the burrata for a bit in every bite. Cacio e Pepe: 8/10 as we loved the fact they promoted sharing it but as when I try to make it at home the cheese settled to the bottom of the bowl so was impossible to get it split and then reincorporated evenly. The flavor was very peppery as it should be. Affogato: 10/10 delicious and a perfect size to share; they also offer a decaf version! read more

Made reservations last night for our anniversary! Sat inside, very cute ambiance. Seating is limited & little crowded. Tables feel small but they make it work. Our server Olivia was on point and provided good service. We had the burrata & bacon 8/10 (could do more bacon ). Cesar salad, came chopped & dressed 8/10 ( dressing was a little on the heavy side but good ). Meatballs 10/10 delicious. Tonnarelli Cacio E Pepe was the dish my husband ordered 7/10 creaminess was there, pasta was perfect but lacked flavor majorly. Plain & honestly needed salt ( they do not have S & P on the table ). I ordered Lumache Amatriciana 10/10 sauce was amazing, noodles cooked to perfection. Ricotta Zeppole 5/10 fried donuts on bed of ricotta I kept getting a dirty fryer taste & it just wasn't a mind blowing desert for the price. Baked Gelaska 10/10 the hype is the hype. Stella spritz 6/10 you either make a good one or you don't, didn't taste as if it had an even balance of ingredients. I almost knocked one more star off for the additional charge added to our bill for not paying with cash. Almost a $7 fee for using a card to pay is just silly. It's the principle for me. No one is carrying wads of cash anymore this is 2025 if you are smart and spending a large amount you are going to use your card to earn points/ miles whatever it is. To punish a customer for supporting your establishment by adding in a fee for this is silly to me. Sure it's Just $7 but I already spent nearly $300 with a tip I think the business can eat the CC fee. All in all wasn't worth knocking a star but something to mention as I know these fees are starting to be added more and more in the industry for whatever reasons there may be by the owner. read more

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consistently the best restaurant I have ever been to in Northern California and practically anywhere else. The menu is superb and the ingredients are of the highest quality. Preparation is outstanding. Every wine I have had on the wine list is absolutely excellent. Service is very friendly and expert. For example, I dropped my napkin and it was replaced within 10 seconds without my asking. A small detail but typical of Stella. All the help there -- most lately the rookie Anthony -- could not be more helpful and caring. Just a great restaurant. read more

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We came here for my husbands birthday dinner. It did not disappoint! The food not only tasted excellent but the portions were generous. The staff were super attentive and kind; three different waitstaff came up to wish my husband a happy birthday. We ordered the Cesar, burrata and prosciutto, the rib eye and a nightly special fried chicken with mac and cheese. We will definitely be back! read more

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We are huge fans of Glen Ellen Star now having dined at Stella several times it is equally as spectacular as it's sister restaurant. The service the food that atmosphere is all out of this world and the wine list is crafted well. The food is so incredible. You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. If you do their cheeses tasting, which is fantastic and fabulous to the pastas that are homemade to the proteins on the menu everything shines everything is fantastic. I will say there is a very big must do. Try the baked Alaska Sunday for dessert. It is probably one of the best things I have ever eaten at somehow they manage to craft the best Marshmallow topping. It is by far the most amazing texture and flavor. read more

Stella - The menu - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

Exceptional! We came for a birthday dinner from Napa and were warmly taken care of from the moment we walked in. We sat at the chef's counter, which was a lovely experience. Beautiful, well-run kitchen where you can really watch the food being prepared with such care. We ordered the Tagliatelle and the Daurade cooked over the open flame... WOW. I don't say that lightly! For dessert, we had the vanilla gelato and tiramisu, which was perfectly boozy and even better paired with the gelato. And I have to mention the low-alcohol strawberry margarita that perfect for me. It's rare to find a place that makes a beautiful, thoughtful cocktail for those of us who don't drink much. They also offered other non-alcoholic options, which was nice. My lover, who's French and knows a lot about wine, was impressed with their wine knowledge and service. All around an great experience ! read more

We had such a delicious lunch today at Stella! It's our anniversary and we just popped in spontaneously. Our server, Anthony, was delightful and the food and drinks were amazing, as usual. Highly recommend this cute and cozy restaurant. read more

Visited Stella on Friday, April 4th, with a 6:30pm reservation for two. It was hoppin', the place was packed and I only saw the patio - which is expansive and comfortably covered. Tables are bit tight together, but it works. It did get loud, not so loud that I couldn't hear my husband, but I would have had a hard time hearing people at a larger table. Great wine list - so many options by the glass and bottle. A little something for everyone. We shared: - Halibut crudo - which was good but we felt like it was missing something to finish the dish. Lovely strawberries, with olive oil, and super fresh halibut but I really wanted a zing at the end. (But everyone has different taste buds) - Burrata with bacon and fennel sofrito - rich and creamy, great texture and more than enough to share, it came with 3 pieces of toast. (Husband loved, I wanted more salt) - Tagliatelle w/ proscuitto - the stand out dish of the night, pasta was perfect, it was loaded with delicious parmesan cheese and had just the right amount of proscuitto. Sooo good. Pork chop Milanese - gigantic, the sauce it came with was rich but not over powering. Definitely a sharing dish. Creamed spinahc - I swear we had two pounds of spinach, creamy, but not taking away from the spinach, and perfectly seasoned. Baked Alaska- we had to order this because I'd heard so many people talk about it. The meringue on top with marshmellowy and had a nice char. Once we got to the sorbet on the inside all the flavors came together. It's worth order once because it's such a great combination and beautifully presented. Service was quick and attentive. Jacob took care of us and was a delight. My overall complaint is that I wanted more salt on almost everything, except the pasta, but again, everyone's tastes are different. Can't wait to go back and try more of the pasta options. read more

Amazing spot! So special, everything on the menu looked amazing. Ambiance and service was great as well. Try the Baked Gelaska!!!!

Problem #1: We were told there was outside dining. It was a plastic tent and NOT open air. Autoimmune people can't sit in tents with others. Problem #2: The tables were nearly on top of each other. We couldn't have a conversation as it was so loud (more so because it is not outdoor dining). The food was really base. The beets had white goo on them (cheese foam!) Ever hear what Gordon Ramsey has to say about foam? Husband's pasta...I don't have enough time. Wine was great but they didn't have anything to do with that. read more

We had a wonderful dinner at Stella. I had the homemade gluten-free pasta. It was amazing and cooked to perfection! Our server was great. She took time going over the menu with us and checked on items with the kitchen to be sure they were safe for me to eat. I only wish they had gluten free bread to go along with their impressive menu of mozzarella options. (Next time I'll bring some with me.). We will be sure to be back. read more

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From the start it was nothing short of Amazing service, which started with the host Selah. A very warm and inviting personality helping us get to our table. JD our waiter was a Rockstar from start to finish, constantly checking in and helping us through with our culinary journey. I appreciated seeing the manager Greg checking in with all the guests and especially with us making sure our experience was a Great one! The overall feel of Stella is set for a warm and welcoming atmosphere and loved the open kitchen. The chef and staff gave us a Wonderful tasting experience, which I know I will be back for more. Make sure to leave some room for dessert, you will not regret it. read more

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Excellent experience! Anthony, our server, was all about us having a great experience. Do not be skeptical about sitting in the covered, outdoor heated patio. Charming and very comfortable. Calamato, Scamorza, Cacio e Pepe all very, very good. Will be back to try the rest of the menu!!! read more

Best meal I've had in a very long time. The chicory salad, scamorza and cacio y Pepe were insane...highly recommend. The staff were friendly & didn't miss a beat. Great experience all around. read more

This restaurant is absolutely amazing. The service, the staff, the food, the ambience, all of it fantastic. our server Joel was wonderful He made recommendations and was very pleasant. We had the mozzarella and grilled bread with honey. I had the pork chop, which was absolutely amazing and the Agnolotti Pasta was delicious. For dessert we had the baked Gelaska torched at the table. It was great. We were celebrating our anniversary. It came with a hand signed card from the staff and some bubbles to start. We will definitely be back.. read more

Stella - Bread with cheese and honey, and mozzarella with prosciutto - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

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From the team that brought you Glen Ellen Star, Stella is equally amazing and in some ways even surpasses GES. The former Cafe Citti was completely gutted and totally renovated to be formed into a warm, comfortable space with a cool vibe. Also a spacious patio that is covered for those nights when rain or cold is in the forecast. Just the added Real Estate makes this more appealing than GES. All this doesn't mean anything if the food and service are subpar. Absolutely no problem our dinner from start to finish was top notch! Sat down to our reservation and were offered water while we looked the extensive menu over. We wanted to sample a few different things and share everything and our thoughtful server agreed it was a great idea and she assured us each course would be spaced out. Started with an item from the Mozzarella Bar, Burrata and Walnuts. Burrata on a bed of brown butter walnuts drizzled with 12 year aged Balsamic served with grilled slices of fabulous sourdough bread. Large delicious dish, plenty for two (or three). Next we wanted to try a pasta. We chose the Lumache, Aji Amarillo pesto, hedgehog mushrooms, puffed sorghum. Another wow dish, layer flavors and again a large serving. Plenty for two. For the entree we shared the Duroc Pork Chop Milanese. A very large pounded thin chop served with lemon caper butter sauce. A yum dish that had tons of flavor. We also ordered a side of Rapini to go with the pork chop and it had a fantastic grilled smoky flavor along with the garlic and onion. Finished this feast with a dessert, Baked Gelaska with vanilla gelato, raspberry sorbet, sponge cake and torched marshmallow fluff. What can I say, another creative scrumptious dessert. Stella has a complete wine and beer list, we opted to bring our own wine. If you BYO know that corkage is $35.00. Service throughout dinner was perfect, water refilled, table cleaned between each course. Or server was very helpful and spaced out the courses as we requested. As we suspected, Stella has become an instant hit and has already become a premier dining experience! read more

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Yeehaw! Kenwood gets another amazing restaurant. For a tiny little town Kenwood is punching way over its weight class on the dining front. Stella just opened and we were treated to a fabulous dinner on day 2 of their service, the staff was super friendly and on top of everything. Food was all fantastic. We had some pasta, the whole fish (awesome!), mushrooms, salad, and more. Everything was top notch. We skipped the mozzarella bar (lactose free) but it really looks incredible. I'm so impressed w how they built out the space since we used to dine at the prior restaurant and they made massive improvements and investments in the space. Try it! read more

From the moment we walked in, everyone was so warm and welcoming. We were celebrating my friend's birthday and the table was already set with a card signed by the whole team, which was such a sweet touch. Steve, the GM, made sure we were taken care of all night and his hospitality really stood out. The soup was incredible, the lamb was tender and full of flavor, and the pastas tasted fresh and homemade *this makes a difference*. We ended with the pear sorbet, which was light and refreshing. The open kitchen was beautiful and the whole team clearly cared about what they were doing. The food speaks for itself- chef cares, the team cares, the hospitality is there. Well done!! Can't wait to go back next time I'm in Cali! read more

My wife and I took a day trip up to Sonoma County and ended our day at Stella for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised to find out the restaurant is 22 days old upon our visit. Very comfortable, modern restaurant. The kitchen and hot line is open to the dining room. Anytime I find a restaurant with this feature, I am pleased to know nothing is hidden or a secret. The entire staff was very well versed in the menu and recommendations. Wine pairing was very good, the menu is simple but well executed. I ordered the snake river farms steak bevete, medium rare. Absolutely perfect and full flavored. My wife ordered the tagliatelle with prosciutto. We shared both dishes and we were not disappointed. The entire staff was very professional but accommodating. We will definitely be back! Do not waste any time thinking about this restaurant. read more

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We really enjoyed our dinner at Stella. Their enclosed outdoor space was so warm and comfortable. Joel provided friendly, timely service. The food was delicious. I enjoyed the use of persimmons in their dishes, particularly in the mozzarella and honeynut appetizer. read more

Stella - Mozzarella and honey nut - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

This place was so surprisingly great!!! The service! The food! The tagliatelle is some of the best pasta I have ever had. And the Ceasar salad was so good. We cannot wait to go back. read more

Stella - Beef Ravi - Italian Near Me - Kenwood, California

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Rainy Sunday trip to Stella'. My husband loves chicken parm and this dish was outstanding. Perfectly cooked with a delicious tomato sauce. We can't wait to go back. I did mention that it would be nice if the chicken parm was also on dinner menu. Very attentive staff read more

We work at a winery down the road and are so happy and excited for Stella to be our neighbor!! This restaurant is an absolute gem! Our dinner was over the top and our waiter Christian provided exceptional top-notch service. Christian was attentive, warm, and genuinely welcoming. Ari has done it again and the food was outstanding. Every dish featured authentic Italian flavors. Get the chicken liver ragu pasta - the best thing we had! The ambiance was cozy yet elegant, making for the perfect dining experience. If you're looking for incredible Italian cuisine with impeccable service, this is the place to go read more

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We just returned from our anniversary dinner at Stella. It was incredible!! Every thing was perfect!! Great service, exceptional food. We did bring a bottle of Kosta Brown and they treated us with a nice glass of champagne with our dessert. We had the Burratta with fennel and Bacon, Rigitoncinni, and Shrimp and polenta. Not one bad bit. Topped it off with Baked Glaska. We will be going back. Kudos for a wonderful time. read more

The fresh homemade pasta is incredible!!! I The pasta with liver was a bit bland but happy no over livery taste. The Durade fish was cooked perfectly. The favorites though, were the brown butter spinach and Lumache pasta!! AMAZING!! And the Gelaska dessert and almond cake delicious and HUGE dessert portions. Buying a full bottle of wine was a much better deal. Service was stellar too! read more

What an experience. Unbelievably good food. Mrs Baggadonuts had the chicken liver ragu. It was unbelievable. The umami. It was the epitome of umami. I had the roast chicken. Its red sauce was incredible, made from shrimp and beef and other great tastes. The caesar salad was really good, also enough for two to share. Mmmmm.... anchovies.... The Baggadonuts clan loves them. We didn't have desserts but every dessert being eaten around us looked magnificent... and every eater seemed to be enjoying their bites. The service was perfect. Jacob was so friendly, and he knew his stuff well. Such a pleasant guy. But everyone we ran into at Stella was friendly and very helpful. The outdoor tent was fun. We were told it's about the same level of volume as indoor. But it was fine, we didn't strain to be heard to each other. What impresses us the most was how 'on' the staff and service was. I had totally forgotten Mrs Baggadonuts mentioning to me that Stella Kenwood had only been open TWO WEEKS before we hit it. Not one hiccup, not involving us or that we saw looking around. We were very impressed. Details didn't go unnoticed. Everyone from busboys on up seemed to be busing items back. Staff was busy but not overwhelmed, it seemed. They were on Their A Game. (They had an all guy birthday party of 10, and the tent was full. I faced their table, so I got to see their service start to finish. I didn't see one long face. I didn't see any issues. I was super impressed. For a place only open for half-a-month... impressive.) Go. It's got a fun vibe to it, lots of laughing. Good wine, really good food. (And as it goes for any business that fronts Sonoma Highway, be really careful pulling on or off the roadway. Turn onto Shaw Ave, then park behind the winery there on the corner per Stella staff to us it was allowed.) read more

I had a wonderful time at Stella. I really enjoyed sitting at the chef's counter and watching the magic happen. The server was able to help us choose a nice wine for our meal. The food was bomb, and I really love the Cacio e pepe. read more

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Everything about this place is amazing - from the moment we were seated until our last bite of probably the best dessert we've ever had at a restaurant! Our server was friendly, knowledgeable and very attentive. We were seated inside the restaurant with a full view of the kitchen and you could feel the good vibe from the staff. The best part though: the food. My tagliatelle was fresh; buttery and the prosciutto- salty and delicious. My husband's steak was perfectly cooked medium rare and the sauce was rich and slightly smoky. We didn't save room for dessert, but that didn't stop us from getting the baked Gelaska and eating nearly all of it. Creamy marshmallow surrounding vanilla gelato, tart raspberry sorbet and sponge cake - whoever came up with this dessert deserves a James Beard award! When in wine country, make sure you make a stop here, you won't regret it. read more

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Great service, food, menu, decor. and drink selection. But it was so loud in the restaurant that I couldn't wait to leave. Why? Because when I go out with friends and family it shouldn't be a struggle to hear the people talk at our table. I have excellent hearing and I struggled along with the teens at are table who were frustrated. read more

We had the Sunday supper meal and I honestly have to say that I have never walked out of Restaurant until today. The first course was odd, but fine. The crab risotto was not eatable. Seemed like canned crab and the risotto would have made Gordon Ramsey lose his marbles. I had to push my meal away as it made me feel ill. They tried to offer another option, but we declined and they had us pay for our beverages and we left. What made it even worse is that they sat us outside in the sun and then made us feel uncomfortable asking for a table in the shade. Keep in mind that we were eating at 4:30. Our second and last time in. We then Went to Salt and Stone and had an amazing meal. read more