Riviera Ristorante

Italian restaurant · Santa Rosa

Riviera Ristorante

Italian restaurant · Santa Rosa

1

75 Montgomery Dr, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, USA

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Riviera Ristorante by null
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Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null
Riviera Ristorante by null

Highlights

Exceptional Italian food, great wine, and attentive service  

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75 Montgomery Dr, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, USA Get directions

rivieraristorante.net
@rivieraristorante

$20–30 · Menu

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75 Montgomery Dr, Santa Rosa, CA 95404, USA Get directions

+1 707 579 2682
rivieraristorante.net
@rivieraristorante

$20–30 · Menu

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Last updated

Sep 6, 2025

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Family‑owned for decades, Riviera’s menu leans Ligurian and Mediterranean—think branzino, risotti, and Bolognese—served in a light‑filled room and leafy patio. Longtime locals and recent reviewers alike praise its warm service and generous portions.

https://rivieraristorante.net/
Italian Restaurants in Santa Rosa (2025)
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Tom Pearson

Google
The food was delicious and service was great. Many items to choose from. Fish and chips was lightly breaded cod cooked perfectly. Ceviche is drenched in a lemon sauce.

Ki Eun Pyo

Google
Great pasta, decent desserts, and great service. We ate in the outdoor area and the servers made sure that the heater was properly working and we're warm enough. They also made sure to check on how we're doing with the food and professionally provided recommendations when asked. Would love to visit this place again next time I visit Santa Rosa and I would recommend this place whoever is visiting the area and is looking for decent Italian food.

Dan Man

Google
Exquisite and uncommon specials. Excellent service and a charming atmosphere equals I will look forward to returning. Get a reservation though. It can get very crowded.

Clarissa Haug

Google
I’ve been coming here for years. It’s the best Italian food I’ve had in Sonoma County. Great for lunch or dinner. The owners are from Italy and are such sweet people, they really care about your dining experience. The food is delicious. I always get the angel hair with bolognese or the lasagna. I have tried almost everything on the menu and it’s all amazing! The atmosphere is great, I always make a reservation for the terrace area. They also have amazing specials and great staff.

Todd Ernest

Google
What a phenomenal place to enjoy excellent food and good company! The owners and their staff are great people who take great care in serving their customers. I had a dinner with some co-workers and it was great! We started with the absolute best appetizers ever! The calamari was excellent but the bruschetta was off the hook!! Best I’ve ever had. For dinner we had some chicken, pork, salmon and I had the risotto with lobster! It was soooooo good! Highly recommend this place. I drove an hour and a half to be there and I would do it again!

Rosalee Regalado

Google
The food was excellent here. They start with a complimentary serving of bread and minced olive spread. There is not a split dish fee. We enjoyed the calamari salad with baby octopus in a well-balanced vinegarette. Then, a classic Ceasar salad. And then, the seafood risotto with large chunks of lobster in a creamy garlic sauce - deliciously paired with the Mackey Cellars cab Sauv from Sonoma vineyards. We also tried a side of the bolognese sauce, and it tasted like grandma's recipe when she added ground lamb. This meal touched on all the elements of taste on the taste buds. Chef understands how to marry balanced flavors. We sat outside on the patio. The decor did not match the delicious Italian food. Instead, the decor was African. I am unsure what the thought process was here other than the owner enjoying Africa. As for us, we would have enjoyed the full Italian experience

Cathy Arteaga

Google
Love this little place!! I was there last Saturday with a friend and it was so impressive to see how the service was. The food is out of this world. And the homemade cheese cake oh my. Love everything!!

Gabrielle

Google
Staff is really well-informed of the menu and open to accommodations if needed. Outdoor seating is perfect for the spring/summer!

Denise S.

Yelp
Everything from the ambiance, service and food were outstanding. This is our favorite Italian restaurant in Sonoma County.
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Dave F.

Yelp
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
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Tim M.

Yelp
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.

Tom L.

Yelp
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.
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Cat S.

Yelp
Love this restaurant. I take my parents here when they are in town. Delicious salads, great specials and the desserts are top notch.
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Sonia H.

Yelp
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!
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Dan M.

Yelp
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.
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Pamela J.

Yelp
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.
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Dianne S.

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

Yelp
My two favorite Italian places are now long closed in North Bay, so it was fortunate to visit this place tonight. It was excellent and tucked in a part of downtown I for whatever reason often miss. But I will certainly be back here again.
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Toki N.

Yelp
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.
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Kevin S.

Yelp
It's nearly 2 years later (March, 2025) & we've never returned & won't in the future.
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Ana T.

Yelp
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
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Kimm Y.

Yelp
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!
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M K.

Yelp
This was the most beautiful food I've had in a while. I would not change one thing about the meal and every single server seemed genuinely friendly. Everything was delightful.
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David C.

Yelp
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.

Maria D.

Yelp
Excellent service and the food was very good. We had the Fettuccine Bolognese and the Veal Piccata it was very delicious. We started with the clams appetizer very tasty I also recommend the olive dip with the bread. Javier was our waiter he very attentive Great wine list

Tracy D.

Yelp
Lovely's people at this old school establishment. The atmosphere is fitting for an Italian bistro. You should try!
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Ana J.

Yelp
Everything we ordered was delicious!! From the calamari to the tiramisu. However service and food was slow. Waited a while for our main to come. Saw some guests who came aft us got their food first. Our waiter was so busy did not really check on us. Our table was also wonky but one of the staff helped fixed it. Overall not a bad experience but hope they fix the timing of when food needs to come out .
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Tom D.

Yelp
Riviera never fails to deliver really good Italian food at fair prices. Riviera was the first excellent Italian restaurant we found after moving out here from NJ 11 years ago. Been going back ever since. Riviera has nice indoor seating along with a spacious patio area that has become very popular since Covid 19 arrived. We started with the fried Calamari which is light as could be, not a bit greasy. It is always a winner here. Unusual for us, we ordered the same entree and it was delicious, Risotto with lobster, scallops, porcini mushrooms, asparagus in a light brandy cream sauce! Riviera has good wine list, we opted to bring our own, a Timorasso white wine from Italy. Was perfect with the Risotto entree. Besides the delicious food what makes Riviera special is the friendly, helpful staff who always aim to please. That includes the owner (forgot her name) who came over to our table to talk about and discuss the Timorasso wine. The owner and all the staff are a class act. Another excellent dinner here, look forward to the next one!
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Jorge T.

Yelp
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.
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Tina H.

Yelp
Wonderful atmosphere & food. Excellent Italian food. Staff was very attentive, knowledgeable & friendly!
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Brianna P.

Yelp
Always my favorite restaurant. Service is great, food is awesome and I always leave with a smile on my face. Love it here!
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Michele O.

Yelp
We had reservations for 8 guests at 6:00. My husband and I arrived 20 minutes early, but that didn't seem to be an issue as they seated us immediately, brought bread, and took our drink order. We wanted wine, but weren't sure which one. The server was wonderful and even gave us a few small tastes as we were trying to decide. We chose the Tom Mackey Cellars 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon, and ordered a bottle so we could share with our group. We were pleased enough with our choice that as the rest of our group arrived and we finished the bottle, we ordered another one. The restaurant has 3 dining areas, the main dining room with cathedral ceilings, a smaller dining room, and outside dining. Our table was in the main dining room. The main room is bright and cheerful, and uniquely decorated with signed cycling jerseys from around the world. One of my dining companions said the owner had been a domestique in the cycling racing world, and the jerseys were gifts thanking him for his support during the races. The food was so, so good. Everyone was pleased with their dishes. I had one of the specials, which was a lobster risotto. Very flavorful, and just the right portion. The only glitch in the evening was that everyone got their meals before I did, and I waited an additional 7-10 minutes to be served. Maybe I should have removed a star in my rating for that, but I just couldn't because the rest of the dining experience was great.
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Geoff J.

Yelp
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.
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Andrea K.

Yelp
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.
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Natalie G.

Yelp
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!
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Linda P.

Yelp
I might go back, however, good for owner to know my issues. Where to start? Hmmm! Basket of focaccia (yum) and French bed that was like hockey pucks which I pointed out to waiter, getting excuse but at $167.20+$40 tip for 2 people, should not have been put on my table. The spread to put on bread was great! My grandson's fork fell noisily on floor and someone should've been noticed and new one offered. BUT everyone was too busy moving tables to area behind us to bring in all tables in large outside dining room. You close at 10:00. Give us our time of peace or decrease our bill for interrupting our meal. When I handed our (nice) waiter our $40 tip, no thank you. The 2 fish dishes we had had no chunks of fish although very fishy. Tiramisu was too tiny but was amazing! I had to take a bite at home to cut the richness in my stomach and it helped. Not rich at all and loved it. I went here years ago when it first opened. It might be years before I return. I wish I had chosen another place but it was a treat for my grandson's fork fell so I chose Riviera. I liked that we could have a conversation without yelling. Haha! We didn't see our waiter very often and I would've liked to pour our wine and see if we'd like anything else. I would've liked a receipt showing prices if each dish we ordered. I better stop here. With some improvement of simple things for a semi-high-end restaurant, it would be a nice place to go to
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Amit S.

Yelp
Awesome food and service! The meals were prepared exactly to order, the wine list was excellent and the hospitality was amazing!
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Melanie W.

Yelp
Cute place. Loved the food but service was terrible. First the good. Bread basket contained delicious focaccia. There was a wonderful olive tapenade with it. We ordered the roasted polenta with asparagus and mushroom sauce. It could've been warmer than it was but the flavors were excellent. Green salad with organic Sonoma greens was fresh. Walnuts were too heavily encrusted in sugar and the salad was over dressed. Luckily greens were so fresh. The Levi Liepheimer pasta was delicious with plump perfectly cooked shrimp. The fettuccini with Bolognese sauce was very nice and the pasta was al dente. Could have been a perfect evening, except for the service. Extremely slow. At first, we thought they had forgotten they had seated us. They never refilled our water glasses and the wait staff was so scarce we couldn't even ask them for it. After they brought the check, we waited so long. We finally brought payment to them at the front. That should not happen. All in all a mixed bag but easily repairable by working with the wait staff to improve service.
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Barbara S.

Yelp
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.

evelyne w.

Yelp
The food is extraordinary, always , totally consistent . The owner ( lady ) is such a hard working person but always stays courteous and warm and engages personally with all . The service is excellent . The ambiance is just lovely with the extra spots outside and they have the greatest music . A gem !
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rashmi r.

Yelp
Lots of ambiance . The view from where we were seated , we could see mature trees and bougainvillea in bloom , did not feel like a strip mall at all . The food did not match the wonderful atmosphere. The whole point of dining out is that the food should be delicious and that is where this restaurant failed to impress . The complimentary bread basket came with olive tapenade. Red flag when the bread is stone cold, not a good start . We wanted to eat light so my husband ordered arugula salad with balsamic dressing , he was underwhelmed , couldn't taste any balsamic vinegar . He also ordered the Manila clams . The broth lacked depth of flavor and the clams were very small . I ordered the radicchio salad with fennel and pears , couldn't taste pear but really liked the salad . The other dish I ordered was squid salad . The squid was cooked perfectly and the cherry tomatoes added a nice sweetness to the dish but the dressing left a lot to be desired . The server did tell us about the specials but did not tell us how much each dish cost . I like to know . Maybe it is little crass but I like to know . I did not drink any wine but my husband loved his glass of chianti. Will I revisit this ? Don't know . Maybe . Maybe not . Maybe cook my own Italian food which has more oomph and depth of flavor .
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Victor M.

Yelp
What a great find in Santa Rosa! I was passing through Santa Rosa and wanted to celebrate with an early birthday dinner. I came across Riviera Ristorante and thought it had a nice menu selection and is seemingly popular with the locals. What a nice surprise on how friendly and Italian this place is!! Riviera Ristorante offers both indoor and outdoor dining. We chose to dine indoor even though they made the outdoor dining area a little special with the chandelier lighting. The indoor ambience has a Tuscany feel to it with a bicycle theme in the main dining room. We started with a bottle of the 2016 Petite Sirah from the Guadagni Family Wines and the Dry Creek Valley and it was actually one of the best wines at a reasonable price. Highly recommended! The food served here was exceptional! The complimentary fresh bread came with an olive tapenade or simple olive oil. I ordered a pasta entree and I cannot say enough about the organic kale and spinach ravioli served with braised leg of lamb. The ravioli was fresh and homemade and I never would have thought how well it went with the braised leg of lamb. We ended the evening with their tiramisu for dessert and it tasted fairly authentic. Service was attentive and very accommodating. Riviera Ristorante is a solid neighborhood Italian restaurant located in a strip mall with a fairly good amount of seating and tables. Definitely put Riviera Ristorante on your places to dine in Santa Rosa. Reservations are highly recommended though. You will not be disappointed and will have a wonderful dinner experience.
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Lisa W.

Yelp
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!
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Brandi B.

Yelp
Just No. I am so confused why people find this place a desired dining spot? I found the food to be dated and the atmosphere matched. I will never go here again.
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Juliann L.

Yelp
My team love this place. It's a classic and traditional Italian restaurant. The pastas are all good and worth trying!
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Rew C.

Yelp
I always have a great time eating here at Riviera Ristorante. The last time I remember not picking up food to go, because this is one of my usual places for pick up for home food. One time near the Xmas season of 2022. Mike and I met a good friend whom was accompanied by his youngest daughter approximately 7 years old. We were sat outside within a tent with heaters and it was great. We had some nice wine, a bottle of red, I'm thinking it was a Nebbiolo from Langhe area in Northern Italy. Like a Barolo! We started by splitting the Seafood Risotto entree, making it a perfect appetizer portion for 2 of us. Then Paul ordered the Burrata with some Bruschetta for his daughter. Then I had Mushroom Raviolis, and Mike had the Spaghetti Carbonara and Paul had Braised Short Rib mmm super delicious. Then we split a piece of the house tiramisu!! All was delicious and appropriately friendly and knowledgeable service!
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Paula M.

Yelp
First visit this evening for dinner. We were greeted warmly upon arrival and given our choice of a table outdoors. The space inside and out is charming, really a hidden gem you'd never know about just passing by. They offered a handful of specials - all of which sounded great - but we ordered off the set menu: Caesar salad, arugula salad, pasta puttanesca and veal piccata. The Caesar had just the right proportion of dressing but I would have preferred less of the cheese which was haphazardly chopped/crumbled/shaved. The arugula salad was perfect with golden roasted beets and goat cheese. The veal was tender and served with potatoes and asparagus - I prefer far less olive oil although the flavors were balanced and the portion generous. The pasta was the winner tonight - bold, punchy flavors and perfectly al dente. The service was friendly, gracious and attentive - there was a lull of about 20 minutes between salad and entree but the place filled up quickly once we were seated so it wasn't totally unwarranted. To me this place is a neighborhood gem with prices reasonable enough for a casual weeknight dinner out. We will definitely be back!
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M C R.

Yelp
Had a mixed experience at Riviera Ristorante. Came here after a family member, whose culinary standards I trust, had eaten here twice and had positive experiences. There's outdoor seating in a tent, which takes up some parking spaces, but we chose to eat inside and got a lovely window table. We were greeted by friendly and attentive staff. One in our party had a medical device, so we were seated near a table adjacent to an electrical outlet--which was much appreciated. The indoor part of the restaurant has a very nice European-Italian ambiance. We were brought some bread with an olive tapenade, which we all enjoyed, and looked forward to good things to come. We were also read the long list of daily specials. My personal preference, when there are a LOT of daily specials, is to have a paper copy describing each special included with the regular menu. We were a party of three, and one person got the ribeye steak, which fell flat. It looked great, but was unsalted and flavorless. I can understand that there are a lot of seniors in the area that may be on salt-restricted diets, and I am one of them; however, I tried a bite, and it had NO salt and no flavor. I noticed that it was only partly consumed by the party that ordered it. Two of us ordered the lobster-scallops-asparagus risotta. I have since seen posts here that found it delicious. We did not. The risotto had a mushroom flavored base that we did not care for and it did not accentuate the seafood. Worse, the risotto was undercooked and CRUNCHY. New experiences for us eating crunchy risotto. I picked out the seafood, which was fine, and left the rest on my plate. In hindsight, we agreed that we should have sent our plates back and ordered something else, With all of our main dishes a disappointment, we took the risk of ordering desserts. I ordered a creme brulee that was good, but nothing special. Another member in our party ordered the peach panna cotta, which was fine, but, again, nothing special. Ditto the chocolate brownie or cake with ice cream. Given that the person in our party recommending Riviera had two good experiences out of three, I might give the Riviera one more chance, but I would honestly prefer to return to La Gare or try somewhere else.
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Luciente G.

Yelp
Tried out a neighborhood gem for Restraunt week. This place has it all! Friendly staff, fabulous ambience, even outside with heaters, and delicious flavors. It really was incredibly delicious! Every course was melt in your mouth delicious! We went for restaurant week and got the special, Tuna carpaccio, lobster scallop risotto and mango pannacotta! After we ordered we lamented that we didn't order 1 of each of the 2 options so we could share. But once the food came, we were happy to not have to share This place is a must try! Can't wait to go back and explore the normal menu. #sonomacountyrestaurantweek
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Lorissa W.

Yelp
Great service. We got seated immediately outdoors in the tent. Two staffers immediately turn on two of the closest space heaters. It got too hot but I asked them to turn down the heat. The waitress was friendly and staff checked up on us. My seafood pasta was perfect. There were lots of fresh pieces of salmon, squid, clams, mussels and shrimp. The flavors were fresh and on point. My partner didn't care for his burger because he doesn't like blue cheese or pickled onions but it was the only burger on the menu. I would definitely come back for their pasta and good service!
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Daniel S.

Yelp
This restaurant makes the best carbonara. I usually take my parents here when they visit. It's a great local Italian place with delicious desserts!
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Nick O.

Yelp
Have dined at Riviera several times and always had wonderful experiences! They have an absolutely fantastic Scampi, excellent Lasagna, awesome appetizers and tons of wonderful dishes to choose from. The service has always been attentive and friendly. One of the best Italian spots in Santa Rosa and somewhere I'd definitely recommend!
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Katrina W.

Yelp
This is a perfect hidden gem to get great wine and authentic Italian food if you're in the area! I've been to Riviera twice on trips into Santa Rosa and wine country. Each time the staff has been exceptional and the food and drinks the same. The Italian food tastes like it's made with love and the menu has so many options for various palettes. We enjoyed squid ink pasta ravioli and delectable gnocchi. The wine selection is one where you can try all varieties from different regions, instead of the typical wine with labels of companies we all know from local stores. The owners are so kind and love serving good food made with love and laughter.

Jack A.

Yelp
One of the best meals I've ever had. Top 3, no hesitation. Just describing the meal and the interior of the restaurant to my father made him choose to have his birthday dinner here. Service was exceptional throughout the entire meal and every worker was friendly. I haven't eaten in many restaurants in Santa Rosa but I have a feeling it would be very hard to find competition. Absolutely fantastic.
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Katherine G.

Yelp
If you like or even don't like tiramisu, they have the best version. I typically do not like it and this one I crave. The specials are always out of this world delicious. Whatever you get make sure you start with their polenta appetizer.
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Molly B.

Yelp
Delicious food. Best Italian in the area - always amazing quality. Not heavy dishes which is so great. Our go to for when we want tasty pasta!

Antonette T.

Yelp
It was amazing! Me and my brother and 3 sisters had dinner there on a Saturday night with reservations, the food was just amazing with good flavor our salads Caesar, arugula beet salad, and the octopus salad was delicious. The wine and our pasta dishes just melted in your mouth. Service was great too.