For 30 years, my mother and grandmother made regular pilgrimages to Cafe Citti in Kenwood for what they called the “tuna egg mayo.”
Though the correct name is “tuna and egg salad sandwich” ($13.95), my mother sticks to her own made-up moniker steadfastly. Little more than a footnote on the Italian trattoria menu, the mix of egg and tuna salad between two thick slices of focaccia is her bad day fixer and comfort food go-to.
Sitting on the back patio of Luca and Linda Citti’s new(ish) Santa Rosa location, the tuna sandwich is immediately added to our order, as my parents and I enjoy a warm spring evening overlooking Santa Rosa Creek. I’m more of a pasta girl, but I get the nostalgia so many locals share for Cafe Citti.
The Kenwood location closed in 2020 when the Cittis faced extensive renovations to the building they had leased for more than 30 years, on top of COVID-19 restrictions, power outages and the threat of wildfires and evacuation orders.
Roughly a year later, the Cittis opened their current location in Santa Rosa, a compact 900-foot space recognizable on Fourth Street by its tiny cupola and arched windows. Early on, takeout was their bread and butter, but as the world opened up again, the back patio became one of the best kept secrets in Sonoma County.
Though there are a handful of seats in front of the restaurant, the coveted seats are in the quiet refuge at the rear (there is no seating inside the restaurant).
On the way to the patio, you’ll walk through the bustle of the busy kitchen with an almost constant stream of to-go and delivery orders.
You’ll find that Cafe Citti is primarily a club for regulars, who know their order and embrace Luca and Linda like the old friends they are.
The surprisingly extensive menu, considering the small space, includes Cafe Citti’s oft-imitated garlicky Caesar salad ($18), mix-and-match pastas and sauces and scratch-made desserts, as well as specials and low-alcohol cocktails.
The Santa Rosa location offers 14 sauces made from scratch, including Italian workhorses like Bolognese, marinara, pesto, Alfredo, white clam and puttanesca ($22.95 with choice of noodles). Upgrade to Luca’s signature sauces ($25.95): carbonara made properly (without cream), spicy pomodoro, smoked chicken with lemon and cream, and the luxurious porcini (29.95) with mushrooms, Marsala wine, garlic and cream. Each is easily shareable or enough for hearty leftovers.
Want more than just noodles? Cafe Citti’s housemade ravioli, gnocchi and fried slices of polenta don’t disappoint, and a towering slice of lasagna layered with Bolognese and béchamel feeds my dad for days. The restaurant also serves 12-inch thin-crust pizzas with gourmet toppings and focaccia sandwiches.
For dessert, housemade tiramisu ($9.50) bathed in crème Anglaise is a charming finish at this neighborhood gem.
Linda Citti has concocted a variety of spritzes using herbal Cappelletti (a cousin of Aperol), Prosecco and Pinot Grigio infused with fruit. The Pomegranate Prickly Pear ($12) with fresh pomegranate and prickly pear nectar, lime, sugar, agave and maple syrup with a Prosecco float is a sweet but refreshing cocktail.
And, it’s a perfect way to toast to my mom’s favorite tuna egg mayo sandwich.
Café Citti: 2792 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707-523-2690, cafecitti.com. Open from 4:30 to 7:30. p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 4:30 to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Seating is first-come, first-served.