With a menu and cozy cafe vibe as familiar as an old quilt, Viola Pastry Boutique and Cafe is That Place.
You know, that one spot you instantly think of when a friend says, “Where should we meet for lunch?” Where you sneak out with a co-worker for a mid-morning cupcake or dawdle away the afternoon over goat cheese salads and gossip. Where strollers are propped next to briefcases and yoga bags. That Place.
One of the popular sugar-pushers from last summer’s Wednesday Night Market, owner Jennifer McMurray recently renovated the Montgomery Village space with warm wood tables, fresh flowers and sparkling chandeliers, along with black and white photos of her family to give it
a homey feel. Her mom waits tables and helps in the kitchen, along with
a helpful young staff.
The all-day cafe goes well beyond frosting and sprinkles, however.
The kitchen starts at 7am with eggs benedict, breakfast burritos, omelets, biscuits and gravy, chillaquiles, hash and homemade waffles.
After 11am, expect heartier bistro fare: Boutique-y salads (fig & goat cheeese, beet with sherry vinaigrette), rib-sticking soups, burgers, sandwiches (BLT, Fried Chicken, Pulled Pork, Chicken Salad or Croque Monsieur), fries and macaroni and cheese, all ordered at the
counter and delivered to your table. Lunchtime prices are reasonable, with most eats between $5 and $10.
After 4pm, the cafe transitions again for dinner with daily specials
(chicken pot pie, tomato-basil risotto) in addition to the lunch menu, with waiter service until 8pm.
It’s a welcome addition to the neighborhood. Think of it as Our Place.
Viola Boutique & Cafe, 709 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 544-8830.
