Hidden in a mostly industrial stretch of Petaluma, Pearl is not the kind of restaurant you stumble upon. You arrive here because your friend can’t stop raving about it. Its reputation has grown almost entirely by word of mouth, passed from regular to regular like a closely guarded recipe.
“I love being tucked away in a corner,” said co-owner Annette Yang, a constant presence at the daytime-only bistro.
If Pearl is open, Yang will be there — greeting guests, mixing drinks, serving food and refilling water glasses, often clearing your table at the end of the meal. It’s a true owner-operated restaurant, with Yang’s husband, chef Brian Leitner, dancing between the wood-fired oven and the range with practiced precision.
The menu ranges from Levantine-spiced brisket and Persian meatball tagine (both $27) to shakshuka ($25) and Moroccan rice pudding ($12). Pearl knows precisely what it is, even if that identity can be harder to articulate for the uninitiated. Shakshuka, after all, is not a dish you’ll find on a Denny’s menu.
You could describe the food as Middle Eastern, but that feels reductive — too kebabs-and-doner for what’s actually happening here. Levantine and North African is a better fit, with thoughtful nods to the northern Mediterranean. The concise menu draws from the cuisines of Spain, Greece, Turkey, Syria, Palestine, Israel and Morocco, better capturing the restaurant’s warming, spice-forward sensibility.
Open only for breakfast and lunch, Pearl is intentionally focused on daytime cooking. Leitner, a Chez Panisse alumnus who previously owned restaurants in San Francisco and Portland, returned to the Bay Area — and specifically to Petaluma — with Yang to escape the churn of city life.
Rather than returning to dinner service, the couple committed to daytime hours, a decision that initially felt risky but has proved right. Sticking to breakfast and lunch service allows for creativity without the pressures of dinner, a rhythm better suited to both the food and their lives.
The menu is deeply personal. “This is what we eat at home,” Yang said. “We like big, distinct, clean flavors with a light touch, food that isn’t weighed down by butter and fats.” She describes Pearl’s approach as both ancient and modern, rooted in longstanding food traditions and shaped by the flavors that keep diners returning.
Established
Opened in 2018, Pearl will celebrate its eighth anniversary in April.
Most popular dishes
Shakshuka and meatball tagine.
The vibe
The intimate 45-table space feels deliberately cozy, with bistro tables and banquettes lining the walls and a wood-topped bar well suited for solo diners. Yang keeps the room moving, suggesting creative coffee drinks or sparkling low-ABV cocktails. Seafoam green walls, tin ceiling tiles and a distressed concrete floor give the space a soulful quality that mirrors its owners.
The food
The always-available Levantine brisket ($27) captures Pearl’s intent, with melting slices of long-braised beef rubbed with cumin and garlic, paired with roasted squash and pistachio tahini. The Persian meatball tagine ($27) is another anchor, with spiced lamb meatballs atop multicolored rice and herbed yogurt.
Shakshuka ($25, $27 with pita) remains one of Pearl’s most popular dishes for good reason: a vivid tomato stew with chickpeas, fresh fava, baked eggs and grilled sheep’s-milk cheese. I’m also partial to the bocadillo ($26), a griddled porchetta sandwich with Gruyere, fig jam and mustard greens. Regulars also swear by the zhoug trout sandwich ($27) with tapenade, bacon and smoked beets, and the picnic plate ($25), a shareable spread of tabouli, hummus, beets, slaw and pita. Desserts change weekly, but the Moroccan rice pudding ($12), scented with cardamom and topped with poached fruit, is always my closer.
Drinks
Beverages are Yang’s domain. As a brunch and lunch destination, Pearl emphasizes playful coffee drinks, lighter cocktails and thoughtful alcohol-free options. The drinks menu includes global wines by the glass and mostly Bay Area beers from HenHouse, Barrel Brothers, Faction and Fort Point. Standouts include the Marrakesh Mojito ($14) with mint shrub, vermouth and fez green tea; the Capp du Monde ($7) with espresso, chicory, orange and steamed milk; and the Morning Fog ($6) with black tea, clove, cinnamon, milk foam and lemon salt.
The price
Tipping is not required nor accepted. Menu prices account for living wages and operating costs, making it refreshing to receive a bill without surcharges or suggested gratuities. Savory dishes range from $25 to $28; desserts are $12 to $13.
The spot
Open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Monday; closed Tuesday. 500 First St., Petaluma, 707-559-5187, pearlpetaluma.com