Dinner Out and About

FFor a romantic night out, head to Speakeasy

Sit inside for a cozy setting or outside on the plant-filled patio, order small plates to share, sip a flute of bubbles, and enjoy live music. (Looking to keep the party going? Speakeasy is open until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights, or pop over to sister venue The Big Easy for live entertainment.) Celebrate a special occasion at Seared. It’s fine dining for sure, but this riverfront steak and seafood restaurant is anything but stuffy. Try the halibut with crème fraîche mash, or go decadent with the lobster mac and cheese.

Sometimes dinner calls for a big pizza pie. If that’s the case, try Old Chicago Pizza for a pepperonitopped classic, or Stonework Pizza & Tap, which serves stone-fired pizzas and regionally brewed beers. For a Sonoma County original, there’s Mary’s Pizza Shack. Sit outside on the patio while you enjoy a Mary’s Combo—a salami, pepperoni, mushroom, and sausage creation. And if you dig elevated and unique slices, Hank’s wood-fired pizzas have toppings like pear and pancetta, calabrese salami and ricotta, and seasonal mushroom and braised onions.

Gastro-pub fare is also on order in P-Town. Pub Republic touts a casual yet classy atmosphere great for families, and Beyond The Glory Sports Bar & Grill is perfect for the big game.

Chef’s Cut

JEVON MARTIN AND MARJORIE PIER STREET SOCIAL

Street Social might be the ideal date-night bistro—cozy and fun, just fancy enough, and known for its eclectic California cuisine.

Chef Jevon Martin’s seasonal dishes are playful, crafted with pedigreed local ingredients and built with an eye toward sipping as much as snacking—plates perfect for pairing with local wines, craft beers, and spirits.

Global flavors abound in Petaluma. Modern Peruvian cuisine awaits at Ayawaska RestoBar. Big, bold flavors are the star here in everything from the drinks (try the Ayawaska Sour cocktail) to the fresh ceviches and empanadas to the lomo saltado and grilled octopus. At Sake 107, the motto is “Japan to table,” so you know the rolls, nigiri, and sashimi are going to be fresh. Or check out the gyoza and udon at Fuji Sushi. Sugo Trattoria serves Italian-inspired dishes with a California twist, while Alfredo’s Italian Restaurant sticks to favorites like seafood linguini and spaghetti Bolognese. At Bib Gourmand- and Zagat-heralded Risibisi, authentic Italian dishes are served in a warm, convivial atmosphere. (Risibisi is the only Sonoma County restaurant to have earned the Bib Gourmand award for 12 consecutive years.)

Petaluma’s bounty is the star of the show at Central Market and Table Culture Provisions Central Market’s farm-to-table, slow food plates are proof that good things come to those who wait. The menu changes frequently at this downtown bistro, which sources its produce, pork, and eggs from its organic Muleheart Farm. Go all out on your evening in Petaluma and reserve a table at splurge-worthy Table Culture Provisions, which offers seasonal, craveable comfort food in a laid-back, intimate setting. –L.B.

Le Cordon Bleu-trained Martin and his wife, Sonoma native Marjorie Pier, started Street Social as a supper club concept in Southern California in 2013. The couple traveled up the coast, eventually making Petaluma home to their first brick-and-mortar. They opened Street Social in January 2020, and credit the community with supporting them through the unfortunate timing of their pandemic-era opening. –J.D.P.

What Are Some Of Your Favorite Local

SPOTS TO VISIT ON A DAY OFF?

Soban Korean Cuisine is our go to when we eat out as a family. Brixx Pizzeria for staff family meals. Lunch spots: Ray’s Delicatessen & Tavern, Water Street Bistro, and Acme Burger. And Jupiter Foods is the best local produce and provisions shop.

PAW-SOME TAPROOMS

Petaluma’s beer culture not only tastes great, but is pooch-friendly, too. Head to places like Taps Beer Co. & Kitchen, Brewsters Beer Garden, Lagunitas Brewing Company, Adobe Creek Brewing, and Crooked Goat Brewing for a pint with your pup.

FRESHLY

Foodie Fete

Every February, Petaluma restaurants participate in Sonoma County Restaurant Week—a food extravaganza featuring special prix-fixe menus.