We love coming to La Dolce Vita as a couple, with friends, or with our kids. Â Sahar is always accommodating and friendly. Â The staff is knowledgeable and recommends different wines based on our overall preferences, and is so genial to allow us to sit for hours, or just 20 minutes before a movie. Â It is a great place for a quick bite (ALWAYS get the soup!!) and a perfect glass of wine. Â Highly recommend.
Review Source:Great atmosphere, and great staff. Having become a regular at the Wine Bar over the last 5 years my wife and I love going here. It make a hard day at work melt away. Â The staff all know their wines and will happily suggest something that will fit your tastes. Â Highly recommended for a glass, bottle or meal!!
Review Source:The concept is great. Â I love the location and idea. Â BUT...the wines kind of suck. Â I have tasted wines from all over the place...but this stuff is lower tier lower quality. Â Of course people will tell you its "Boutique" wine, an excuse in my book. Â It is cheap and not so good. Â YOU LIVE IN WINE COUNTRY. Â Maybe sell some local wines! Â The wines are from all over....but not in a good way. Â No theme. Â Just some from here and there. Â You can do better. Â Maybe your tight on the margin and need cheaper wines to sell...but I suggest people will still come and buy more expensive wines that are GOOD. Â GREAT concept...now close the deal!
Review Source:Great location...right downtown in the hub of the Theater District in Petaluma. dim atmosphere, GREAT food! Â BUT: music MUCH too loud and not congruent for a wine lounge! Â Get a clue already! Â A wine lounge needs to have soft, background jazz so that people can sit back and do what they came for...which is to socialize while enjoying great wine and food. Â This wine bar has the speakers hovering over where people sit and it blast ..."pop"? music so loud that one gives up trying to have any type of real conversation.
the ONLY reason I ever go back is because we get invited by friends. But until they wise up and change the musical atmosphere, I for one will never choose La Dolce Vita as a "relaxing" place to socialize.
too bad....they ALMOST Â have it right.
Went into La Dolce Vita last Saturday and had a really good time. Â My girlfriend and I each did a wine flight and got a cheese plate. Â
 The flights were really good, three full pours of really solid wines.  The cheese plate had 3 delicious cheeses, some fruit and very tasty roasted almonds.  Even gluten-free crackers for my girlfriend and delicious glutenful bread for me! Â
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 Prices, ambiance and service were all very, very good.  Sahar was very nice and took really good care of us.  I will definitely go out of my way to come back here often.
We went on Saturday after puttering around Petaluma in the sunshine. The food was great and so reasonably priced - we had a cheese plate and they accommodated my gluten allergy w/ crackers, extra apples, and almonds.
The wine stole the show - my BF and I each did a flight (he did Zin, I did Pinot) and it was so fun to taste them at the same time and compare each one. We ended up buying a few bottles (at retail prices)! The service was great. Very personal, not too intense but friendly check-ins every once in a while.
I would definitely return, with friends, to sit on the patio on a nice afternoon!
Had a family graduation party this past Wednesday for 25 people and the service, presentation and timing was perfect. Sahar and her staff were professional and accomodating. When my guests arrived, they served them promptly and discreetly gave us privacy. The appetizers of cheese and bread; hummus; selection of pizzas and crostini with sparkling white wine and bottles of red were excellent. We all felt comfortable and the atmosphere was beautiful with the Christmas lights and low background music. The rest of the venue was filled with other patrons, but they gave the utmost care and attention to us. I highly recommend having a party at La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge. Excellent venue!
Review Source:This place is wonderful. Â Its so nice to have a comfortable place to drink wine and visit with friends. Â A long afternoon sipping great wine, or quick drinks before a movie; either will work with La Dolce Vita. Â The appetizers are really swell, too. Â The olives are delicious. Â The owner is a real treasure to the Sonoma county wine scene, bringing lots of wine knowledge to one location in downtown Petaluma. Â She listens to what her customers like and makes loving wine so darn easy. Â Really appreciate the good service and the nice selection in one spot. Â The wife and I will be coming here for a long time.
Review Source:Love the wine flights and the tapas! Â And the old black and white movies they project on the wall make for relaxing and hip ambience.
One downside, there's no bathroom on site. Â You have to get a key and use the bathroom next door, which has always been dirty everytime I've been in it.
"LDV", as I have heard it affectionately called, is a local treat with a great wine selection and  tasty and creative food pairings. I had been there a few times with girlfriends and every visit was memorable.When my husband and I went there on New Years eve, Sahar was very gracious;she answered all our questions and made the best recommendations. Definitely check it out and enjoy.! And thank you Sahar!
Review Source:Awesome spot for a drink. Â Staff is extremely knowledgeable without being the slightest bit snooty or condescending.
They have an excellent wine list, and I love love LOVE that you can order various sizes (3 oz taste, 6 oz glass, half bottle, bottle). Â I found a pinot that I like so ordered a full glass (6 oz). The two people I was with couldn't make up their minds, so one tried a pre-made tasting flight that was three 3 oz pours, while my husband made up his own flight by choosing three wines to have 3 oz pours of. Â In my mind, that's the best part -- nervous about trying something new? Â Go for a 3 oz taste and see what you think. Â Want something you already know you like? Â Get a full 6 oz glass, or a half bottle or bottle. Â
They also get bonus points for listing the retail rate, so you can have an idea of what you'll be getting into if you truly love something and want to have it at home.
Great wines and very helpful. Â When asked they even offered a taste. Â Prices seem steep to some, but a nice half bottle for under 30 bucks with tip is not bad at all.
The place itself is pretty barren and cold. Â Put a little fake fireplace in the middle of the room or something and I will visit again before Spring. Â It is pretty small, so I would not be certain if I would take a group of 12-15 there, but small groups of four or less could crowd around a table.
Projecting movies on the wall is interesting to some, but I find video screens of any kind distrating.
Wish they would work something out with theTheater so I could drink wine in a movies legitimately.
They have food?
I stopped in here for a glass of wine on my way to watch The Plastic Fauxno Band's performance at Spreckles, based on the other reviews I read here on Yelp. I had some trouble finding it, since I have never been to Petaluma before and my older GPS had me hunting around on the wrong block. Finally, I got out my tab & discovered the cute Theater Square and this nice wine bar within it.
I enjoyed a Hesketh "The Protagonist" Shiraz 2008 ($10) and the bacon, roasted pear, caramelized onion, and goat cheese pizza (apx 12", $15). This was surprisingly filling pizza--crispy thin crust and piled about an inch thick with toppings. It was really yummy. I will upload a pic of it.
The people working here are very nice, pleasant, and attentive. It would be fun to share some wine here with a friend or honey, but I was also comfortable alone. It was a little too dark in there for me--I never quite adjusted to the low light level--but I'd rather have it that way than blaring-bright.
This place honestly has the best wine list in the entire area.
I'm in the wine industry, and have to say that I haven't found a place in wine country with a more carefully thought out wine list, with pours of almost anything available. From your staple cult cabs to your esoteric Italian whites, you name it they have it.
Did I mention that it is also the most amazing pizza joint around? Can you say pear-bacon-blue-cheese-f'ing amazing? Seriously, may be the best restaurant in town. Home made hummus, great selection of cheeses, salads. Wish I could eat here more often.
If you like great wine, or good food, or friendly & knowledgeable staff, there just aren't too many places that compare.
I fear for them...I fear that they did not have do not compete clause in their contract and Rosa is coming and rosa does everything they do and cheaper ...and same or better only because they are designed to put food out in a better way...that being said-
this is a lovely nice wee spot near the movies and is an
adult space with yummy snacks ..good crustini, nice antipasti, good small pizza/flat breads with nice simple toppings and a wine list that has a nice set of flights as well as some good by the glass..friendly helpful staff...perfect for before or after show grazing...this has a nice neighborhood feel!
I hope the know what is coming and have some sort of plan...?
My friends and I came here for New Year's Eve after dinner, and looked forward to a chill evening of good wine and music. Â They had moved out half of the tables and chairs to make room for a DJ and dance floor. Â The DJ was pretty good. Â We arrived around 9:30, and the music had already started. Â There weren't any tables or chairs open, so we made our way to the bar to order a drink. Â Unfortunately, no tables opened up. Â We found a few chairs open around a small table, but there were four of us, and only 3 open chairs. Â The fourth chair was being used to hold someone's coat... and he refused to move it... this isn't the restaurant's fault, but a good illustration of the sort of people that we found at the bar. Â
The wine wasn't good. Â We tasted a glass of their Barbera before buying a bottle, and wasn't a fan. Â Sahar, the women at the bar was very accommodating, and chose another bottle for us, which was fine. Â Next, the Petite Verdot caught my eye, so we ordered a bottle. Â I kid you not, it smelled like a babies diaper. Â My friend brought the bottle to the bar, and a waiter informed us that there was nothing wrong with the bottle, and that was how it should smell. Â I went up next and the same woman at the bar opened another bottle of the Petite Verdot, to see if that one smelled better. Â No dice. Â She recommended a bottle of the Malbec, same price, which was okay. Â
At midnight the staff walked around with bottles of champagne. Â Strangely, they didn't have glasses, and started pouring champagne into our glasses of red wine. Â The waiter actually said, "Look, we made a rose!" What?
If I'm in the area I may visit again, but I wouldn't go out of my way.
After a movie at the Petaluma Cinemas, we crossed the street to La Dolce Vita for some wine and dinner. Terri is very familiar with Sahar's food menu, lunching with her best friend frequently but I had only tried wine and cheese on my previous visits.
While Terri had her usual Pinot Grigio, I tried the Petaluma Gap wine flight, on this particular night it included Box Car Chardonnay, Odisea "The Wanderer" (95% Syrah, 5% Viognier) and Campesino Cellars Sangiacomo Syrah. Yummy!
We started with a cheese plate featuring three excellent local cheeses, Cypress Grove Humbolt Fog, Cowgirl Creamery Mt Tam Triple Cream, and Bellweather Carmody. A salami plate followed with 4 different salami cuts and Dubliner Cheese. We finished with the tomato, basil and Mozzarella pizza, although we added proscuitto (for protein only, I assure you). It was outstanding!
It was the first time we had availed ourselves of one of the couches in the lounge area; it was a great spot place for relaxation and conversation! The background music was perfect for the environment. All in all, a wonderful way to end the evening. And the off-sale wine prices are competitive with the local supermarket; one of my favorite Pinot Noir, Fogdog, cost $6 a bottle more at Whole Foods!
This is of my favorite date/chill spots. Sahar runs a tight ship of carefully selected wines from around the world. I have had the pleasure of coming many times with either friends or on dates and never left dissatisfied.
Food: The pizzas here hit the spot and go well with the food, lots of other small plate options and or cheese and nuts to compliment wine. There is no pressure to order food, but it is there and worth ordering.
Wine: Sahar tastes with multiple wineries, brokers and distributors each week tasting a multitude of wine to select for sale on the wine wall or for use on her tasting menu. The wine menu includes various flights and as well as wines selected by style. There are lots of opportunities to step outside your comfort zone without being disappointing. I recommend asking Sahar to recommend something based on your taste as she has a knack for knowing just what you want that she has.
Ambiance: The decor is definitely what puts this place over the top for me. Low lights, easy lounge music like Thievery Corp and table or sofa seating make this an extremely chilled out spot. Another item of note is that she plays old school movies on a projector, like Cary Grant or Greta Garbo films which makes for great points of conversation.
After spending the day in Petaluma, I wanted to enjoy a glass of wine before heading back home. After doing a search on my smart phone for wine bars in the area, only a few came up. La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge was the first in the list and its name sold me. Not only could I get a glass of wine but I could do it in a lounge setting....
The view from my table outside had me sharing time between people watching and staring off into a fountain with a bunch of crazy faces in it. The wine list is filled with numerous varietals from many regions around the world. The inside was decorated in a hip style and even though I chose to sit outside (so much for that lounge setting). Service was great. But the prices were a little steep.
Overall, I put it in one of my top 3 establishments to enjoy a drink at in Petaluma.
Great wine, really good food and a perfect place to hang out with your friends any night of the week. I have been here a few differant times all under differant circumstances. We arranged a casual drop in of class mates from high school and everyone had a great time. Our group ended up being around 25 people and though the group was large, the service was immpecable.
The next time I came to LDV we had a reunion meeting with about five ladies. Each of us order some food and of course wine! I truly appreciate the wonderful serivce here. Not matter what size the group, it's always wonderful.
I would have to say, my only gripe is the restroom situation. I hate the way you have to go get a key, walk across the courtyard and go into a shared restroom. That serioulsy needs to change.
We popped in the other night again for some bubbly to celebrate a friends recent engagement.
We also came in about a month ago for another winery event. Â The place was packed and it's so nice to see a local business grow. Â
Sahar is great. Great Staff. Â Lots of fun! What a beautful location! Â Great job!
Wow, what a great place. Â I went in for wine, which they have a nice selection, including local and international, but their food is sensational!
If you have not tried the soups or pizza - you are missing out. Â Great appetizers and salads too, who would have knew. Â I think I liked the food more than the wine.
Most always I see the owner there, she is friendly and knowledgeable. Â There is nothing like this in town, a very nice wine bar with very good food.
Likely one of the best places in the North Bay to meet up with friends or colleagues. Â The wine selection is excellent and perpetually changing. The owner, Â Sahar, has an incredible palate and wonderful personality which translate into the food and drink offering and the general vibe of the venue.
I would recommend LDV Â to all locals for a great weekday night hangout and to anyone coming into town for dinner or a movie as a place to open or close the night. Â 5 stars.
Just checked this out this past weekend, and I have to say it is a nice wine bar in Petaluma. Â The only thing I really didn't understand are the prices. Â Someone needs to let them know they are not in SF and their prices should reflect that. Â Most of the their wines by the glass are over $10- I think I would prefer a cocktail for that price in Petaluma. Â Now dont get me wrong I know some wines warrant higher price point, and I also am very used to paying high prices for a glass of wine, but it usually is consistent to the zip code. Â
Other than that I did like this place. Â I loved the wine wall and the atmosphere. Â Could use some more cozy feeling injected into the decor, but I think it might come with time. Â Also they need to keep the kitchen open longer- we popped in around 8.30pm and it was already closed.
I had the best wine of my life at this unpretentious wine bar. After tasting one of their awesomely paired flights, I decided that Charbono is my new favorite varietal, which is probably a bad idea, since you can't find it anywhere. Got a bottle to-go, because it was just that good. But now that it's gone, I'm left wondering when I will ever taste that yummy goodness again!
Review Source:Best wine bar in Petaluma! I've come here several times and never had a bad experience. The staff is really nice, very knowledgeable about the wine they serve, and very accommodating.
They serve light dinner type food, which is great for your actual meal or just to pair with the wine. They play old black and white movies on a big wall and have an impressively designed wall-o-wine that never fails to leave me day dreaming about how I will have one just like that in my house some day. Their modern looking chairs and love seats are actually pretty comfortable, and there's always plenty of room. They've even got a nice outdoor patio overlooking a fountain with heaters, which are handy.
Each night they have a selection of great wines by the glass and also some great tasting flight choices for $8-11, which is just right for my sweet taste and skinny wallet. I especially love their selection of Syrahs and Zins, and my boyfriend can't get enough of whatever Cabernets they have available by the glass that day. You can buy half and full carafs, and get a discount if you buy a whole bottle and open it there (probably the better bargain if you're going to stay a while). We've never really had wine we didn't like there.
I would say this is the best place to take a date, the best wine bar, and the best place to casually sit and chat with friends in all of Petaluma!
I really had a nice, low key experience here. Â I went alone to watch the Westcoast Songwriters Association competition. Â Sat at the bar and chose a lovely Pinot Noir from their descriptive list and felt very comfortable, not harassed like at a regular bar sometimes. Â I can't wait to go back with friends and try the food which was being enjoyed by fellow customers. Â
Thanks to La Dolce Vita for providing me with such an enjoyable evening and thanks to all the West Coast Songwriters for the entertainment. Â What a bunch of winners!
This is a fun stop if you're spending the evening in Petaluma! Â I love coming here with friends to enjoy the more relaxing nightlife...The location of the wine bar is pretty great too...Its right next to a fun candy store, movie theater...and not too far from that are some of the night clubs/lounges that Petaluma has to offer. Â
This wine bar also features some fun events on their website...Of course, the wines they offer are pretty great and the staff is extremely knowledgeable! If you've got somebody to impress, make your way down to La Dolce!
Good, but far from transcendent (to borrow the phrase).
Bride and I went on Saturday. Drove all the way up to Petaluma on the strength of Yelp reviews. Thought it might be packed but no, not too many people and a choice of seats.
The service was great as other Yelpers have noted, very personal. The wine list isn't huge, but what is great is that everything comes in a variety of sizes: tasting, glass, half carafe, bottle. That's great for those who want to try different things or settle in with a bottle. I liked it because we could try a nice pinot that we wouldn't normally buy but just get a half carafe and pay less. And it was a nice pinot.
The food was pretty good - cheese platter had a great selection and our server (I believe it was the owner) was helpful in choosing. Had sheep, cow and goat cheese and all were good. The bread however was not.
Also had the salumi platter and roast potatoes. Salumi was good, olives with it not quite as good (pitted olives never taste good) and potatoes (wedges) were soggy - but I don't know how you keep roast potatoes and they don't go soggy.
The old movies over the bar were fun to watch.
Overall a nice place for a quiet glass of wine, nice service, good wine and ok food. For me the drop from 4 stars to 3 was the ambiance. There really wasn't any. The room feels a little like a retail space where you could buy wine with a few table in it, rather than a cosy wine bar. I think it was the high ceilings? It just lacked that little something to make it a cosy place to settle in for a few wines.
I'd go again if I were in Petaluma but I don't think I'd drive all the way there for it. The search for my local wine bar in Nth Marin continues...
All too often you have to pick one or the other...do you want good food, good service, good drinks, good prices, or good atmosphere? Thankfully, with La Dolce Vita in downtown Petaluma you get it all!!
Owner Sahar Gharai, much like the comments of other yelper's allude to, is absolutely charming and owed much praise for bringing this darling wine bar to Petaluma. La Dolce Vita is the perfect place for a light bite and a drink or two with friends or on a date with your honey. The mushroom crostini's with goat cheese come highly recommended, as do the salads, pizzas, panini's and cheese plates....it really is hard to go wrong here. Putting the food aside, Sahar also has a wonderful selection of wines by the glass (and bottle, with discount of retail price) and an always changing selection of perfectly paired flights for those who simply can not just settle on one!!
Treat yourself to a night out here, you will not regret it!!I
As a mother of two young children I was lucky enough to get out not only once, but two nights in the past week!  That said, I visited the very chic La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge both nights!  My first visit was with my favorite girl friends and we all loved it!  Great ambiance, great tunes, great eats, and of course GREAT wine!  As an oenophile of sorts, I really like to come across the gems I read about...sure enough LDV delivered!  We sipped on some Veuve bubbly with a fine multi-cheese pairing, then onto a Lucia Winery Lucy Pinot Noir Rosé, then finally a Siduri Hirsch Vineyards Pinot Noir!  Each wine was superb!
Last night, my husband and I visited Sahar (I'm waiting to to write about how delightful she is) at LDV so he could experience what I did, minus the ladies of course! Â We enjoyed an International "Red" flight of wines. Â The Italian Pinot Nero (Noir) was very fruit forward and easy to drink. Â Then onto another Italian red, only this was a blend of four exotic varietals, names which escape me right now. Â Very balanced and again very drinkable. Â The Shiraz was the one that we left last for our palates. Â My husband and decided it was the best of all three. Â My bad that I didn't write down the name---but our coach was about to turn into a pumpkin as my parents were watching our children.
Last, but certainly not least, is Sahar Gharai, owner and operator of LDV. Â She is truly made for this! Â Her expertise, her palate, her hospitality, and wonderful smile make LDV a true gem in Petaluma's Theatre District. Â Don't miss visiting on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday when the place is full of fantastic people! Â For a quiet visit with someone special, visit on Tuesday or Wednesday when you can be more intimate with Sahar as we were last night!
Cheers to La Dolce Vita!
This is the place if you want to have good wine. Â It is also the place if you want to have good food. Â It is also a place to have some good conversation, with anyone who is there. Â You'll enjoy it just as much if you want to sit quietly and reflect upon your day.
Simply put it is the place to be when you need a place to be that is not you home.
Sahar and her staff will make you feel at home and provide you with most anything you might need and more often than not you will not even have to ask her, she figures it out by just paying attention and asking the right questions in such soothing and respectful way I doubt she will ever have a dissatisfied guest.
I have enjoyed Sahar's hospitality about eight times since I first discovered this treasure some time in November. Â Every time has been wonderful no matter how busy it was and I have been there on most every day of the week, early and late. Â The food is consistent as well as excellent with tons of thought and love in every plate.
Sahar's wine list is unique and fun with the best prices for the value anywhere in Sonoma County. Â She puts so much thought and care into it you can't not enjoy it and if you let her she will make sure you have fun too!
I should have written this review months ago, but alas I am busy in my niche of the hospitality world and my place in life so I have slacked. Â If you have been slacking by not giving this place a try even thought you have heard about it, no more! Â Get up head out and stop by, I guarantee you will not only enjoy it, but love it!
La Dolce Vita is a great new space to mingle in Petaluma! Â The elegant decor, fun atmosphere and great selection of wine makes this lounge a great addition to the theater district.
Sahar is a wonderful hostess/wine-pourer/wine-connoisseur and makes you feel at home the second you walk into the lounge.
If you haven't already stopped by, it's worth a trip! Â
Assaporare il momento!
Thank goodness for La Dolce Vita! This is a great addition to downtown Petaluma, at a time when we definitely need something new and fun to get excited about.
The place has been open for less than a month, but it's already drawing a fun, local following on the weekends. Most people don't know that they're open for lunch, too. Â
The owner, Sahar, has compiled a great collection of bottles from around the world, and created an environment perfect for a happy hour glass or a longer meal.
Once all the shops are full, I think this is going to be the new hangout area of Petaluma. It's slightly more sophisticated than the rest of downtown, and it's just a couple of feet from the more established historic center.
I'm really happy about all this good Petaluma progress, and La Dolce Vita is going to play a big part in that.
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