Rustic, Francis's FavoritesAsked for a specific seatingAsked for a specific seating area outside and they did accommodate the request, excellent views, food & service.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMFabulous Meal with a ViewWent here for a pre-birthday meal with my 7-year old daughter. They were nice enough to seat us early. We sat outside. and had gorgeous views of the vineyards. All the waitstaff were very nice and helpful, especially our waiter, George. I can't really speak to the wines, as I only had a glass of chardonnay, but I was very pleased with our meal. My daughter ordered a pizza--portions were huge! For a kid's meal, I was surprised [it was as large as mine]. I ordered the pizza vesuvio--excellent. We both ordered the chocolate mousse--it just melts in your mouth, it's just so chocolately. For us, worth the drive. The whole entire grounds are just gorgeous, and my daughter saw two (2) baby bunnies on our way out. Can't beat that.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMRomantic dinner with gorgeous viewMy husband and I celebrated his birthday with a fabulous dinner at Rustic! The service was top notch and the food outstanding! Wonderful wine recommendation. We truly enjoyed our time at Rustic!6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMRestaurant worthy of locationWe scheduled a tour of the winery with out of town guests. Tour was fun and informative as are the premises featuring move memorabilia as well as wine-specific exhibits in general. Vibrant, fun pool scene. We finished with lunch at Rustic. We were seated outside with the great view this affords.
The food choices are very, very, good and show skill and care in preparation. It was hard not to order the "amuse boche" as the pettole was terrific as were those olives. Be sure and order those. Recommended!6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMgreat ambiencedefinitely the best ambience. somehow surprising was, that tuesday nights do not offer an a la carte menu6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMCronin's ReviewThe rigatoni with meatballs never misses. It is my favorite item on the menu. Barbara's salmon was also done perfectly and was delicious. It's hard to go wrong with anything on the menu.6/11/2013 12:00:00 AMAwesome!This is a great place for anyone who likes wine, food, scenic views, movies (Francis Ford Coppola props are all over the place, and his Oscars too! Fun experience!6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat experienceOur server was attentive, knowledgeable, and fun. The food was very good with generous portions. There was a nice nice list and a tasting menu with wine pairings offered, but after a few days of wine tasting, we decided to forgo that option. Overall it was a better experience and the food was on par with the highly rated place in Healdsberg we ate at the previous night.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat outdoor dining experienceIt was a lovely evening looking out over the wine country. Of course, the food and wine were excellent.6/9/2013 12:00:00 AMSat next to FrancisWe went for our Anniversary and had great service, the food was wonderful and Francis Ford Coppola was sitting next to us. Of course we didn't find this out till after he left but that's Okay it was nice knowing he does actually eat at his restaurant and brings his friends. He also wrote all the commentary about all the dishes on the menu.6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had Kareem as our waiter,We had Kareem as our waiter, he was outstanding! Great personality, great service!!!6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMYUM!My girlfriend and I were celebrating the end of the semester and found ourselves in Sonoma County wine country. We were referred to Rustic, particularly because we were able to go on a Tuesday night. The a tavola was not only fun and different, but the food was AMAZING!! And there was some much to choose from! The pricing was spot on, and the servers were friendly and "in character".
The only con we had was our seat. Although we had reservations (for 3+ weeks), we got a corner seat by a wall right by the entrance of the restaurant. We almost asked for a different seat, but my friend and I, both being servers, said "well, somebody has to sit in the 'bad seat.'"
All in all, I can't wait for another trip to Rustic!6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMDecent but priceyThe food and service was good but unremarkable. We went on a Tuesday for the A Tavola evening. Everything was served family style from platters throughout the evening. Each portion was quite good but charged individually which means that the single small chicken leg was $10, a spoon of spinach was $5. For two people and a single glass of wine each our cost was nearly $200. Good food and fun, but pricey. It would not be my first choice for the area.6/4/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful outdoor settingThe food is very good. The outside ambience is superb. I applaud Rustic for having a great wine list with the option of a very affordable wine by the glass ($5) for those who want to have an inexpensive & decent glass of wine. You can, of course, get pricier wines if so desired. It is amazing how many wine country restaurants only offer very pricey wines by the glass.6/3/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently goodThe nice thing about the menu at Rustic is the variety. Culled from FFC's personal favorites I sometimes feel like I'm at an international dinner! The Italian food is always good, the specials are very tasty and this night every special was available so we tried the potatoes cooked in duck fat. They were heavenly and the portion was huge.
Fun place to eat and taste wine. Great place to take visitors (who isn't impressed getting to see an Oscar so up-close!)6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had four in our group andWe had four in our group and though we did have to wait for our requested table on the patio we had a wonderful time. Our server went above and behond all evening. For two of us it was not our first time at the restaurant. I would recomend this location.6/2/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful again!!!Have been to Rustic several times and enjoyed ourselves just as much as we did previously. Food was wonderful, the service was terrific and the view from the patio was fantastic!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMExcellent for VisitorsFamily from out of town visited. Rustic was an amazing choice. It embodies much of what we love about Sonoma County. Great views, diverse settings, great food and wine were all present. It did get slightly windy, but that is what happens in the late afternoon.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWorth the visitGreat food and you can not beat the view if seated outside on nice warm summer evening or any other evening for that matter!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMWe drove up for our anniversaryWe drove up for our anniversary to have lunch and had a great time. The grounds are well-designed and lovely, the atmosphere elegant and casual at the same time and the food excellent. We had the prix fixe lunch which included the wine pairing, which we thought a great value. The outstanding dish was the bumbola pasta with broccoli rabe and sausage - unusual and SO good. Everything was well seasoned and flavorful.
Now I wish we had brought our bathing suits for an after-lunch lounge by the pool and a swim. It's definitely a destination I'll keep in mind for future.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat DayMy wife and I came here for the second year in a row on our anniversary. We spent the day at the pool and then had a wonderful meal at Rustic. The food and service were outstanding. Our server was extremely knowledgable about the food, the wine, and the history of the restaurant.5/31/2013 12:00:00 AMTavalaThe Tavala experience is one you may not want to miss! Similar to a Chinese Dim Sum - the Tavala experience offers a wide variety of prepared dishes - very tasty and prepared with an Italian twist using fresh herbs, seasonal vegetables and a wide variety of protein dishes prepared with and w/o pasta. For those of you who have a sensitivity to gluten, there are some excellent choices, but oven cooked pizza is difficult to say "no thank you" to.
Great food, wine and entertainment can be enjoyed by all.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMRusticThe Tuesday night menu at Rustic is served Italian Family Style and guess who was sitting a few tables away from us, but Francis Ford Coppola himself. The food was great, the music was entertaining and the wine was great. All of the items served were from Francis' travels around the world and old favorites he ate growing up. As the serving bowls are brought around, you choose what you like and as much as you like and you are charged based on what you eat. Very enjoyable dining experience.5/28/2013 12:00:00 AMVery good Italian food withVery good Italian food with excellent choices. Was a little noisy but vibrant. Is very busy on weekends, so reservations are a must. Also, a little pricey but worth the cost!5/27/2013 12:00:00 AMDont miss outThis was a special evening with friends from Canada. Rustic read my request for outside seating with a view, under a heater. They provided all that was requested. This is a wheelchair friendly restaurant with a elevator.
The service, wine and food were superior.
Coppala's film museum, with costumes and Oscars displayed, was a added bonus.5/26/2013 12:00:00 AMLovelyI had brought some friends from Los Angeles here for a birthday dinner and it was wonderful. The waiter was extremely personable, he joked around with us and made us laugh, and offered to take pictures of us in front of the beautiful sunset. Great experience, great food.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMTuesday NightsFamily style eating with Chef specials. Very fun and a food adventure.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMA Tavala with LauraIt was my wife's birthday, but we forgot that every Tuesday at Rustic is A Tavala, ("of the table".) Instead of ordering from their excellent menu, a variety of meats, fresh fish, pasta, rice and salads are uniquely prepared and offered to the guests. It's $30/person minimum, but beer and wine goes toward that. Meats are $10 each, pasta entrees are $7 each, and salads are $5 each.
Perhaps a tad pricy, but everything I sampled (trout, lamb shanks, risotto, rare filet of beef, estate-grown greens with a terrific vinaigrette) was beyond tasty and the menu has some wines for decent prices. If you revel in new things and having a variety of well-executed dishes from which to choose, this is well worth doing during the warmer, sunny months.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMPotato cake disappointed aPotato cake disappointed a bit ... the garlic shouldn't have been raw; it is too sharp and the potatoes should have been mashed but all (rack of lamb, grilled vegies) else was excellent.5/20/2013 12:00:00 AMBrilliant Birthday BanquetTook my fiance and her sister, who was visiting from Chicago, to Rustic to celebrate my lady's birthday. We brought some gorgeous wines from home, and our waiter, Karen, was very knowledgeable about the glasses needed for each, and even decanted the cabernet cabernet he suggested we reserve for the steak fiorentino main course. The three of us shared pasta carbonara , the steak, and Rustic's famous potato dish with the chopped garlic over its baked goodness. Indelible views, fantastic food, attentive service, a wonderful evening.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMLamb loversThe potted marikesh lamb was exquisite, tender and actually light. Served in the pot, so authentic and flavorful.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMA Place for Special DiningThis place is one of our favorites in Sonoma County. We recommend the entire experience, including the landscape, museum, gift shop, all the very best. We have dined there a total of 3 times, and it was outstanding every time. The staff is right there to assist you in having a pleasant dining event....We are members and will be back.
Rod Sverko and Antonia Albany5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderful food and flair.Arriving on a weekday night our reservation was prepared, and we were seated ahead of schedule. Got a beautiful table with linens right next to the flowers and vineyards. Our waiter was well versed in the specials of the day and also knew the regular menu quite well. We were allowed to split a meal with no added fee, and paired that with wine, appetizer and dessert. The food was above average in quality and a nice portion that satisfied my wife and I. While being attentive, the waiter did not over do his visits to the table and we could converse easily and enjoy the meal at a leisurely pace. The wine list was good, and we also found prices to be reasonable, especially for the overall quality and ambiance. We will definitely go again.5/15/2013 12:00:00 AMOutdoor diningWe come here as often as possible. Weather permitting, they open up the outdoor dining area. It is fabulous! Surrounded by vineyards & roses, enjoying your favorite wine or cocktail & a plate of one of their many dishes. Most of the items on the menu are straight from Mr. Coppola & his memories of living in Italy. We've tried about half of the items on the menu & have never been disappointed. Reservations are suggested, especially on weekends. We booked the day before and had no problem getting in. Definitely request outdoor dining. Enjoy!5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMBeautiful Setting!Delicious food. Great wine. We always take our out-of-town guests/relatives to impress them. Magnificent scenery. The lamb marakesh was fabulous, as always. Never disappointed. Very attentive staff! We'll be back soon.5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMjust a dream!We sat between the cutest couple on the way to their prom and a couple who come regularly to the restaurant. By the end of dinner we were all pals. We were there for the first time and spent two hours soaking in the atmosphere, sipping and nibbling our way through several preliminary courses and ultimately eating every thing on our plates. it was a feast and presented simply and elegantly in an outdoor setting overlooking the vineyards. You just gotta love this place for the food, the wine, and how we were made to feel from the moment we arrived.
There is no denying that Mr. Coppola has a flare for the theatrical but he pulls it off at this very special place with aplomb.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service and food!We ate at Rustic after visiting the grounds and winery. We didn't expect much but ... wow!. The hostess was a doll. The server was amazing ... he explained the menu plus his favorites. He was attentive & informative... as well as super friendly, but never intrusive or pushy. The food was better than we expected. Mainly comfort food but they did it really well. This place is a bit off the Napa path but so so worth it.5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMWonderfulThe service is outstanding. The food is great. Also it's a great destination place because there is so much to see and enjoy.5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMNoise levelNoise level in dining room is intolerable. If you are seated in the dining room, leave.5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMWe had a wonderful tour followedWe had a wonderful tour followed by lunch at Rustic. Having just enjoyed several wines under the Coppla house, having the inspired menu allowed us to further our appreciation for the location and inspiration behind it. We enjoyed a ceasar salad and then a pizza vesuvio and a grilled salmon entree. The service was freindly and happy. The atmosphere was bright, lively, and the view was spectacular. The outdoor patio/ terrace would have been ideal apart from the light drizzle of rain at the time of our reservation. All in all, I would recomend Rustic to anyone who enjoys fun, food, and wine!5/5/2013 12:00:00 AMStill my favorite restaurantBrought a friend from abroad and had a great time. Great view, great food, great service. Rustic never fails me.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food and splendid vineyardWhat to say, where to begin... you sit outdoor, facing a marvelous vineyard with mountains and no sound except nature and calm. The food is good and the personnel is warm and sympathetic. Great choice of wine (obviously)... it's a must if you're in Sonoma Valley !5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAnniversary specialWe were celebrating our 18th anniversary. Rustics at the Coppola Winery made it even more special. The food was wonderful, the outdoor scenery was spectacular and they even surprised us with Champagne. It was an anniversary we will always remember.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMLocal been to Rustic many timesService was excellent, reasonable prices, good food and staff5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMa favoriteA favorite place to bring out-of-town guests - fun stuff to look at and do, along with good food, great Wine Country view and ambiance and always wonderful service.5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMLife on a movie setIt couldn't have been more beautiful. We had lunch outside with an absolutely stunning view, perfect weather, attentive and friendly service and the food and wine were both very good! I'll certainly go back.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMPerfect hidden gemWe heard this place had and awesome view, but we were not prepared for what we found. Rustic is in the middle of Copolla's vineyard. This is not an ordinary vineyard. There is a pool, cabanas, bocci ball, and awesome museum of Copolla's films.
I wish we knew what was in store. We would bring our swimsuits and hang out there for a few hours.
It is about an hour from Sonoma but so worth it!5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMMy one objection at RusticMy one objection at Rustic is that they do not serve a good French Bread. It's hard to imagine an Italian restaurant without a good bread and perhaps some good Balsamic and Olive Oil to dip it in. They probably do this so as not to fill people up with bread which would probably keep them from ordering more from the menu. I think this is a mistake. It takes away from the pleasure of dining there.5/2/2013 12:00:00 AMA nice resort type restaurantRustic is a nice place to eat at the Coppola Resort / Gift shop/ Winery. We were there on a Tuesday, and the dining was "a tavola" meaning dim-sum style, where the servers circulate with many different food items and you select and pay for only what you want (with a $30 per person minimum) There were 15 items that night from Vegetarian to beef and lamb dishes. We felt the best were the Fritto Misto Fried fish (salmon) and veggies, and a delicious polenta item. The pizza was limp and disappointing, but the desserts were terrific.
The place is, well, rustic, with a great view out over the vineyards up into the hills. It was worth it, since we wanted to tour the winery, but it is doubtful we will go again, there are many other choices.4/30/2013 12:00:00 AMLovely Adult SettingI would not recommend this place for children, mainly because some parents cannot keep their children in check. We had a little boy running amok and the parents let him do it, thus irritating all the adults trying to enjoy their meal and ambiance of the outdoor seating. Other than that, the food was very good and served at the right temperature. The servers were all friendly, and efficient. All in all we had an enjoyable day.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AM