Finding Great Ethnic Restaurants in Petaluma

Picturesque Petaluma is located in the heart of Sonoma County’s Wine Country, an easy drive from 140 different wineries. Petaluma was once famous as a poultry town, and was known as the “World’s Egg Basket.” With a population of 58,000 (and growing leaps and bounds every year), Petaluma has an abundance of top-quality restaurants of every kind. In fact, it has so many different eating establishments that the city is regarded by locals as the “restaurant capital of Sonoma County.” I’ve chosen a few ethnic favorites that are definitely worth a visit if great-tasting food is what you’re looking for.

Thai Ginger Bistro is a quaint little place located at 139B Petaluma Blvd. in the middle of downtown Petaluma. (707) 778-6293. There are a few tables inside as well as seating outside in the courtyard that is shared with a deli and Starbucks. Their Satay Chicken appetizer, moist skewers of chicken with peanut sauce, is so good you might not want to share it with your dinner mate, but it’s reasonably priced, so order two!

Their lunch specials range from $3.95 salads to $7.95 combination plates. The dinner menu includes plenty of inexpensive salads and a whole range of noodle dishes and combination plates, with the most expensive dish at $10.95. They have green, red and yellow curry dishes; I’ve tried them all, and they are all excellent, but the green curry with chicken is especially tasty.. The restaurant is open from Monday-Thursday, 11 am to 8 pm; Friday and Saturday, 11 am to 9 pm and Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm.

Uruapan Restaurante serves authentic Mexican food that is very reasonably priced. They are located about one mile out of town, at 1905 Bodega Avenue. (707) 773-4800. Open seven days a week for both lunch (11 am to 2:30 pm) and dinner (5 pm to 9 pm), this place is bustling no matter what day or time you visit. Your best bet is to get their early and beat the rush! You can also call ahead for takeout and they’ll have your order ready to go.

All of their lunch specials include rice, beans and salad, and range from $5.95 for a Cheese Enchilada, to $6.95 for a crispy fried Chimichanga or Heuvos Rancheros. For dinner, you can order off the ala carte menu or dinner combinations, which include rice, beans, salad and tortillas. Their ala carte Vegetarian Burrito is the best I’ve ever eaten. It comes loaded with beans, rice, cheese, lettuce, sour cream, guacamole, tomatoes, cilantro and onions, and is smothered with green or red sauce. For dinner, try the Camarones al Mojo del Ajo, which is succulent prawns sauteed in fresh roasted garlic.

The Apple Box began as a cute local coffee place situated on the Petaluma River at 224 B Street. (707) 762-5222, Their They serve unique specialty espresso drinks and a wide variety of teas. They expanded their space and now serve a great selection of sandwiches and middle Eastern-type deli items such as tabouli and dolmas. Try the Grilled Chicken Breast Sandwich with pesto aioli, tomatoes, and Provolone cheese, served on rosemary focaccia bread. Other excellent choices are their Oven Roasted Turkey sandwich, and the Grilled Eggplant with Red Pepper sandwich. You can enjoy your meal and coffee indoors, or outside on the patio overlooking the Petaluma river.

If you’re in the mood for something a little less casual and slightly more upscale, try one of these three:
Grafitti, 101 2nd Street, is situated in the heart of Petaluma’s newly built Theatre District, and offers late night dining and outdoor seating seven days a week.
JM Rosen’s Waterfront Grille, 54 E. Washington. This restaurant serves Rosen’s famous cheesecake that many claim to be the “best they’ve ever tasted.” Frank Sinatra was a huge fan of the cheesecake.
De Schmire, 304 Bodega Avenue. Here you will find an extensive wine list to complement worldly fare such as Chicken Zanzibar, Fresh King Salmon, Roasted Rack of Lamb and other delicious entrees.

Bon Appetit!