Aquarelle Cafe & Wine Bar

What a fabulous meal! Had the arugula salad, split the crab cakes and had the Moroccan meatballs. Everything was absolutely fantastic. I truly can’t say enough about this lovely restaurant. If you’re ever in Boonvllle, you must go! Their food is fresh, well prepared and well priced. I have never had better crab cakes in my life, and folks, I’ve eaten a lot of crab cakes.

This place is Awesome. Service was great, vibe was friendly and not snooty as some spots can be. Our crew ranged from buttoned up to daisy dukes and we were all treated kindly and respectfully. We had appetizers, drinks, entrees and dessert. Everything was delicious. I really loved how the side of veggies for the entrees was plentiful as opposed to just decoration as many fancy pant farm to table spots do.
the wild Mexican prawns was on point
molten flourless chocolate cake, something to dream about!
definitely be returning here

We are from Ukiah but heard of this gem out in the country so we visited yesterday. We made reservations but it didn’t seem busy, then again, we went at 5pm so it probably wasn’t starting to get busy yet
My boyfriend had a tomato soup starter and it was fabulous. I ordered the chicken tostada starter and it was also great! He ordered the Mexican shrimp and I ordered the crab cakes for dinner and we were both pleased. The seasonal vegetables tasted sooooo yummy and the potatoes also and of course the entrée, it couldn’t have been better!
The waitress was very polite and the whole experience was good. Neat bathroom too! Thank you for an awesome dinner Aquarelle!

This was perfect for the end of a nice wine-​tasting day for me and my BF up from San Francisco for the day. Saturo and his chef wife Christina run the place and make everything wonderful, from the French music to the nice touches like the unique flatware to the excellent, delicious, made-​with-​care food. We got a few small plates — the shrimp in garlic butter sauce, the fish tacos, the truffle fries, the crab cakes; all the tastes were well-​balanced and tasty. The service was wonderful, and he even brought over a book about the local dialect called Boontling which was very cool. We met their friendly dogs outside and just felt welcome and a relaxed vibe. I see some reviewers here say that they felt they were looked down on because they weren’t dressed up, but we were just in our casual jeans and shorts and baseball hats and everything was great.
And a mermaid themed bathroom, which I like. :)

It’s rare to come to a place and literally have every box checked off as far as service, taste, culinary creativity, design, sophistication without being pretentious… and overall fantastic experience. Being local with long hair and a beard, its nice to know that I can come in and be treated like VIP. On top of the food being phenomenal, the staff is beyond accommodating, professional, and super classy while at the same time making me feel right at home. I will be back again and again… Look for the long haired bearded local on the patio grinning with sweet delight!

Let me start my review by stating that the food is fantastic, but don’t be surprised if the waiter tells you the entire restaurant is reservations only on a slow day Bc he doesn’t like the way you look. I had never been to a restaurant where the waiter has the power to tell people that the whole restaurant is bought up Bc he has a personal vendetta.
Just because I’m in plain clothes doesn’t mean the porche isn’t in the driveway and we just drove the truck here. I’m so disgusted by the waiters behavior towards us. The one day I bring my friend w a beard to dinner and the waiter told us we had to leave.
Of course we had a conversation with the guy to try to change his mind, but if this wasn’t the only restaurant in town none of my friends would have stood for this type of disrespect that lasted the entire meal. Snide looks and bad behavior toward the locals.

Another excellent restaurant in the Anderson Valley area. Great service and great food. My wife and I had never been here before. The décor is French upbeat. The music is a little obnoxious for my taste and had they played a quiet guitar it would have been better. But, the food was excellent and I would highly recomment.

We were a party of 3 women who found Aquarelle in Boonville through Google search. We were all so impressed with this restaurant from the moment we walked in the door. We were greeted by a gentleman, Saturo (sp), who turned out to be our server. He was warm and engaging and spot on with his food recommendations and descriptions of their wines. We shared everything… mac-​n-​cheese (creamy and perfect), kale Caesar (plenty for the 3 of us to share), Moroccan meatballs, halibut (both with yummy smashed Yukon potatoes and mixed veges) and couscous & veges. For dessert we had the gooey chocolate cake… it was all perfect! We drank several local wines, all accurately described by our server. The chef, Christina, came around to the tables toward the end of the meal… she is equally as lovely as her food! We can’t wait to return!

Not many restaurants to choose from in this area, so we ended up eating at Aquarelle. The weather was nice enough to sit outdoors, which we ended up doing. Despite some pesky flies, the atmosphere was otherwise quite enjoyable. The food was good, but took a LONG time. Like, everything. Getting a round of beers took 10 – 15 minutes (there weren’t very busy) and our meals (all appetizers — crab cakes, tacos, salad) took long as well. Don’t stop here if you’re in a hurry, but otherwise Aquarelle is a nice option in Boonville.

My husband and I have eaten at Aquarelle twice now, both times that we have traveled to Boonville over two years, and it never disappoints! Christina’s ideas, recipes and execution are amazing. She knows how to put fresh and local ingredients together with a taste that is superb. The service is caring and attentive; the atmosphere is sweet and cozy. And everyone acts like they care that you chose their restaurant; what a concept. We highly recommend Aquarelle.

Best restaurant in Boonville
From the aroma to the rewarding taste.
We will be back with our friends

We had a great meal, awesome service, and perfect local wines. The kale salad is HUGE — a perfect fix for a long, gluttonous week! Realistically, it is probably one of the most balanced, successful salads ever! I’ll admit — Kale is not my favorite food… but the local ruffage was fresh, sweet, and perfectly garnished. The crab cakes were also awesome — and my friend’s Moroccan meatballs looked great!
The highlight of the night came after dinner — as I forgot my wallet at the restaurant. Not only did the chef remember where we mentioned that we were staying, but she dropped the wallet off on her way home! I can’t speak enough for the way this exemplifies their attention to detail, service, and friendship that they give their guests.
We will be back soon!

We all tried a special of the day: seafood risotto. It was 23 dollars for a large bowl of risotto. I considered the price high as it was mainly rice. The second ingredient was pieces of corn mixed in the rice. There were a few prawns, a few small squids, and a few small scallops. The main flavor was smoked Spanish paprika. So much so that it seemed there must be chorizo in the dish though there was not. It was topped with slices of parmesan. It was filling though I wish we shared it and got some else. It was good though for the price and small amount of seafood I would not get it again. As far as seafood portions, the amount each of us (3 people got) varied with one person getting more. This should be portioned out equally. I an thinking they made one batch and scooped it out without considering how much seafood was served in each portion.

Starved out of our minds and looking to eat in this small, cute town! Had been wine tasting the day before and wine pourer said it was, in his opinion, the best restaurant in the area. Well, after dining at Aquarelle, we are in total agreement. We were there at 5 «ish» and no other customers around but it was a Sunday. Walked into a lovely establishment with tables and white table cloths. But did not feel stuffy. Actually there was outside, casual, tables available too, but too hot for us. We were warmly greeted by three young women all busy preparing for the evening dinner. These women went out of their way to answer all our food questions (unfortunately, we had some food requirements due to Hubby’s health). Kristin could not have been any nicer and she bent over backwards to communicate our questions with the Owner/​Chef. So thank you Kristin… what a professional you are! And a shout out to Anna and Amalia too. But the food was definitely the stand out star. OMG. Hubby had prawns, mashed potatoes and vegetables. I had crab cakes and vegetables to die for! Lots of crab with an incredible sauce and was given extra veggies as I did not want the butter in the mashed potatoes. So accommodating… every single employee on staff. As we found out, Owner and Chef is Christina Jones. You are terrific. Thank you for helping us with our dietary needs yet still providing a delicious, gourmet meal. Wish we had you in our town. p. s. By the time we left, you could not get a seat in the restaurant! We weren’t surprised.

The Chef has a great taste of foods and flavors to bring to this valley and nothing compared to other restaurants. I would have to say it’s best to try a little bit of everything. The FISH TACOS are absolutely outstanding compared to other restaurants that make them. Number one spot to be at during the summer and other festivities.
Great job and keep up the good work

Truffle fries: OK. Crispy, but nothing extraordinary, especially compared to the rest of the food there. Couldn’t taste truffles.
Mac and cheese: creamy sauce and shell pasta with roasted garlic cloves. Garlic cloves are cooked enough that the garlic flavour is not too strong. Mac and cheese is browned on top with Italian parsley. Wish it had a bit more tang.
Fish taco: small tortilla, but huge piece of fish. Creamy chipotle sauce and slaw on top. 5 $ but fish makes it worth it.
Mexican prawns: 3 prawns, buttery, served piping hot in skillet. Rich flavored, cooked with a brown crust. Unsure what spices are, but fantastic.
Dry cucumber soda: crisp clean taste. Bite hard cider in a can wasn’t great.

This is my other favorite restaurant in Anderson Valley. Well crafted California cuisine layered with deep flavor and flair. Dishes use only the best and quality ingredients as well as using local farm products. Every item I have eaten has been excellent and each visit I look forward to trying something new or revisiting a past favorite.
Aquarelle also boosts a nice local wine list and microbrews. The restaurant has a fabulous atmosphere for dining alone or with a group. It appears to be a favorite for many patrons. The staff is efficient and friendly. I visit Aquarelle at least once with each visit to the Valley, and you should as well. Note at this time they are opened for dinner from Friday to Monday. It’s definitely worth it!

AMAZING.
Without many dining options along the dark Highway 128 and our hotel’s restaurant closed for renovations, Aquarelle was the most logical choice for dinner after a drive up from Sonoma. The sign on the exterior led me to believe the restaurant was more casual but that is not the case.
We went on a Sunday night — it was quiet and it appeared only two people were working: the chef who we recognized from the cover of the Andersen Valley guide, and the server. He was able to attend to all tables with ease except for one miss on getting our drinks to us but we didn’t sweat it. In fact he made good on that by bringing us some truffle fries so no harm.
The mac and cheese came out all hot and bubbling and was gone within just a couple minutes. The shrimp sauté was perfectly seasoned and fresh, I looked like a Conehead inhaling the truffle fries, and the entrees were equally as good.
A gem — you will not be disappointed.

Reading earlier reviews it seems like there may have been some service issues early on. I am happy to say when we went they had a hopping amount of business going on AND great service, so those issues seem ironed out by management.
We got a bunch of little plates and the big plate (beef short ribs). Everything was truly wonderful! I really appreciated the attention to detail (herbed butter for the bread served decoratively piped, everything was garnished thoughtfully and prettily). I felt like the small plates were really REALLY well seasoned. The mushroom soup was delicious essence of mushrooms, the roasted garlic mac n cheese had a lovely deep roasted garlic flavor without being either burnt garlic flavor or green raw garlic flavored.
The wine list was also really good. We tried three different wines (all from Anderson Valley). Plus they had two of our favorite beers on tap.
If you like hand crafted food made by a real chef who is clearly very passionate about what she does, in a beautiful personal setting, with friendly deft service… you should definitely seek this place!

Anderson Valley is a magical place. The hills that surround Boonville have seen many seasons of natural splendor and it is here where one can reconnect to what is really important in life. Good food, good friends and good times. At Aquarelle, you find it all this.
Finding food on highway 128 can be difficult, especially late and on Mondays! Having come from Florida, where I worked in hospitality for the last decade, I find Aquarelle to be a nice spot where friends feel like family. I have since returned multiple times and referred many visitors.
My experiences range from dinners with friends with parties from 4 – 7 people, alone for a quick bite and bubbles at the bar, to business dinners with out of town guests. Each time was a different occasion so I let the waitstaff and chefs know what we needed respectively and if we were in a hurry or were wanting to take it easy our needs were met.
You can sit outside, but bring a blanket in case you get cold like I do! It’s worth it because during sunset the valley glows beautifully and it is a sight to behold. I like to sip on pinot gris while spooning warm caramelized onion soup into my mouth and look out in the distance to a vision of cows playing and kites hovering over the many miles of world-​class vineyards.
There are many reasons to visit a special destination such as this hidden gem. There is a rhythm to the little preserved, rustic Valley wonderland that reminds you of Walt Disney fairy tales… with many of your favorite characters included!
No matter what the temperature, I highly suggest starting your meal with one of the delicious soups made fresh daily. They are always good for the heart. The salads are filled with local greens that feed the soul as well. Fish tacos, duck tostadas, scallop specials and curry mussels are just a few of the items that I had twice and have not forgotten since!
The kitchen’s special touch of seasonings and sauces stay in your mind until you return. I will be back again soon to see what the menu looks like as seasons change. Can’t wait to see what they come up with next!