Highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Santa Rosa by diners
Fine dining in the U.S. isn't what it used to be. Many customers are no longer interested in classic white tablecloths and 16-ounce New York strips; instead, it's about cutting-edge culinary experiences.
Although steakhouses have defined fine dining in America since the 19th century, that started to change in the mid-1990s. Elite chefs like Thomas Keller at the French Laundry unearthed a whole different kind of tasting experience (with 40 courses), and a new age of fine dining was born. Soon, prix fixe meals—a French style of serving with a set menu—became the norm for fine dining in the U.S.
Between the rise of chef's tasting menus and consumers' continued desire to have diverse culinary experiences, the restaurants that grace the pages of top-tier restaurant reviewers like Zagat or the Michelin Guide look very different today than they did 30 years ago. Restaurant goers aren't just looking for high-quality food. They want the type of menu that will tell a story. They want creative ingredients they've never tried before. They want to be transported into a whole new world.
With so many innovative menus and restaurant experiences popping up across America to choose from, it can be challenging to choose where to go for a special evening. Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated fine dining restaurants in Santa Rosa using data from Yelp. Businesses were selected using Yelp's ranking system, which calculates an adjusted rating value that takes into account the number of ratings as well as the rating score itself.
Only businesses with at least five reviews and at least level 2 pricing (i.e., $$ to $$$$) were considered. Also, in an effort to highlight independent businesses and local chains, those with five or more locations nationally (based on Yelp data) were not included. Restaurants in certain lower-cost categories (like "diners," "buffets," and "food trucks") were excluded. Data is as of Aug. 19, 2024.
Read on to find a potential restaurant for your next special meal out!
#30. La Rosa Tequileria & Grille
- Rating: 3.9/5 (933 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 500 4th St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Mexican, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#29. Osake
- Rating: 3.9/5 (338 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2446 Patio Court Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Asian Fusion
- Read more on Yelp
#28. East West Cafe & Restaurant
- Rating: 3.9/5 (604 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 557 Summerfield Road Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Gluten-Free, Salad
- Read more on Yelp
#27. Shogun Japanese Restaurant
- Rating: 3.9/5 (114 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1531 Farmers Lane Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Japanese
- Read more on Yelp
#26. Tipp Thai Cuisine
- Rating: 4.0/5 (241 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1778 Piner Road Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Thai
- Read more on Yelp
#25. SEA Thai Bistro
- Rating: 4.0/5 (603 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2350 Midway Drive Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Thai, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#24. Royal China Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (645 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 3080 Marlow Road Ste 4 Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Chinese
- Read more on Yelp
#23. Miso Good Ramen
- Rating: 4.1/5 (389 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 507 4th St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Ramen, Sushi Bars, Pizza
- Read more on Yelp
#22. O Sushi
- Rating: 4.4/5 (382 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 443 Dutton Ave. Ste 2 Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Japanese, Sushi Bars, Korean
- Read more on Yelp
#21. Cibo Rustico Pizzeria
- Rating: 4.4/5 (465 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1305 Cleveland Ave. Ste C Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Pizza, Wine Bars, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#20. Rosso Pizzeria & Wine Bar
- Rating: 4.0/5 (850 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 53 Montgomery Drive Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Wine Bars, Pizza, Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#19. La Gare French Restaurant
- Rating: 4.0/5 (594 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 208 Wilson St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: French, Wine Bars, Venues & Event Spaces
- Read more on Yelp
#18. LoCoco's Cucina Rustica
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1313 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 117 4th St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#17. Stark's Steak & Seafood
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1713 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 521 Adams St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Steakhouses, Seafood, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#16. The Spinster Sisters
- Rating: 4.1/5 (1190 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 401 South A St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: New American, Wine Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#15. Mandarin Kitchen
- Rating: 4.1/5 (249 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 722 Village Court Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#14. Cafe Citti
- Rating: 4.2/5 (635 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2792 4th St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#13. Willi's Wine Bar
- Rating: 4.3/5 (275 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1415 Town And Country Drive Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Wine Bars, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
#12. Sazón
- Rating: 4.3/5 (1150 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1129 Sebastopol Road Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Peruvian
- Read more on Yelp
#11. El Meson De Los Molcajetes
- Rating: 4.3/5 (171 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1950 Piner Road Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Mexican, Cocktail Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#10. Ca Bianca
- Rating: 4.3/5 (857 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 835 2nd St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Italian, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#9. Bird & The Bottle
- Rating: 4.4/5 (1721 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1055 4th St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Bars, New American, Gastropubs
- Read more on Yelp
#8. Riviera Ristorante
- Rating: 4.4/5 (655 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 75 Montgomery Drive Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#7. Trattoria Cattaneo
- Rating: 4.4/5 (817 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 2700 Yulupa Ave. Ste 10 Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Italian
- Read more on Yelp
#6. Eddie's Kitchen
- Rating: 4.4/5 (189 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 409 Mendocino Ave. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: New American, Italian, Wine Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#5. Grill Santa Rosa
- Rating: 4.5/5 (275 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 1016 Santa Rosa Plz Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Mediterranean, Turkish, Greek
- Read more on Yelp
#4. Augie's French
- Rating: 4.5/5 (91 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 535 4th St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: French, Bars, Seafood
- Read more on Yelp
#3. Warike Restobar
- Rating: 4.5/5 (196 reviews)
- Price level: $$
- Address: 527 4th St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Latin American, Tapas Bars, Peruvian
- Read more on Yelp
#2. Townes Restaurant & Bar
- Rating: 4.6/5 (157 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 610 3rd St. Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Seafood, American, Cocktail Bars
- Read more on Yelp
#1. Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro
- Rating: 4.6/5 (251 reviews)
- Price level: $$$
- Address: 3535 Guerneville Road Santa Rosa, California
- Categories: Wine Bars, American, Tapas/Small Plates
- Read more on Yelp
This story features data reporting by Karim Noorani, writing by Kiersten Hickman, and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 299 metros.
