Sarafina's

This place was awesome! I was shocked to see such quality fresh ingredients at such a great price in such a remote location! Excellent service, and the food was delicious and reasonably priced. Loved it! Make a reservation for the beautiful little patio and you won't be disappointed!! Reservation recommended!

Reservations definitely necessary, party size 2-4 ideally but they can sometimes accommodate larger. This is the best food in Arnold, and probably the surrounding area. Haven't found a thing on the menu I didn't think was fantastic and the specials are reliably excellent. Definitely worth a visit, but call ahead!

Always a memorable experience. The food never disappoints, the staff is exceptional. If you like a quaint experience, with great food, and ambience, in the mountains, hit up Sarafina's. Price point is spot on for location and quality. We have been patrons for years. We don't go nearly enough. Yet, every time is exceptional.

Really nice place to enjoy Italian food. Need reservations for sure. Very busy. Great service and professionalism outstanding. Our server was very pleasant, attentive and spot on for service. Her name might have been Amber. Medium length hair, great smile, attractive and helpful...Thank you. It was our first time to visit.

Overall, my girlfriend and I love living in the Sierra foothills (Twain Harte, CA) but, honestly, one of our few complaints has been our access and options for good-to-great dining. What passes as such is often overpriced, under spiced, truly unremarkable food usually served with fairly mediocre service. Therefore, Sarafina's last night was a true game changer for us: truly delicious, reasonably priced for the quality, great atmosphere, great service. What more could you want? It's always very busy, as it should be, so definitely make a reservation. We will be back soon!

Such an amazing little mountain town eatery. The food was incredible, my other guest said it was the best Italian he thinks he has ever had! The dessert truely was the best part. Bananas foster.

We dined in on Sunday evening, 6pm reservation- tried on Saturday without a reservation and parking lot was packed- Sunday evening, easy parking, had choice of two tables( 12 tables inside). Excellent and attentive servers, and delicious food and generous portions- We will return next visit in Arnold.

We came in with no reservation on a Saturday night with 5 people. Just a shot in the dark but waited all of 5mins before we were headed to our table. Food excellent, staff very friendly and the drinks and wine were fantastic.

Excellent tortelini. The sauce was amazing. My hubby had the spaghetti with extra meatballs, and it was also amazing. My friend had the steak, and it was also awesome. The service, food, everything was just great.

Awesome food. It was super busy, even still the waitress was friendly and attentive. Very impressed with the staff. We sat at the bar, and could see the kitchen. The kitchen staff (including the owner) worked fast and efficiently. Very impressed.

Sarafina's is always a joy to vist. The food is fresh, well prepared, and served hot. But this past Sunday was exceptional due to the graceful, thoughtful attention of our server, Amber. She made the dinner an extraordinary dining experience!

We tried the chicken parmesan. It was excellent. Also tried the creme brulee. It was very good also. Atmosphere inside is great. It did take a little time to get seated. I recommend making reservations beforehand. Parking can be limited depending on the time of day you may have to park on the street. Overall it was a great experience and highly recommend if you are staying in the area.

Stopped in mid week with a friend and had a simply wonderful meal. He had the lobster ravioli with a cream sauce and I asked our server about the seafood risotto vs the steak. She asked a few questions and then recommended I get the risotto. She was spot on with her recommended risotto. Full flavor with the seafood and perfect cook on the risotto itself. My friend enjoyed his ravioli and described it as rich and well balanced pasta. Bread was awesome and the whole experience was well worth our stop. Definitely a good place for a great meal!!

We visited Sarafina’s Italian Kitchen in late October and absolutely loved it! The parking lot and road were packed, but even without a reservation, the staff found us a cozy table outside under a warm propane heater. The vibe was awesome, relaxed, warm, and welcoming. They brought out warm bread right away, which was such a nice start. We had Nettie’s Caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes, and it was fresh, flavorful, and so good. The service was super friendly and everything just felt easy and comfortable. We’ve been to a lot of great restaurants, and this is now one of our favorites. Between the amazing food, friendly people, and perfect Arnold setting after a day outdoors, this place really stands out. Can’t wait to go back! Highly recommend!

Delicious Italian foods with great services.

A gem on CA-4 ❤️ Must try their seafood dishes paired with local reds🍷Recommend reserving a table well in advance.

The spaghetti and meatballs were good (I wish there was more texture to the meatball though, it was kind of dense) and the lemon cake was delicious!

Sarafina's is amazing!!! These are of the alfredo shrimp dish and a special they had that was spaghetti also with shrimp. They have a wonderful local wine selection as well. Sara's Sierra Foothills Barbera is delicious.

Great Italian restaurant. I had the chicken breast rolled in asparagus then baked in panko crumbs. So very delicious. I recommend you make reservations for this restaurant. It's very busy. We were there around six in the evening and they had a seat in the bar area open. Great calamari appetizer, best we've had since Spain. I will be back when in the area.

Delicious! Friendly! (Make a reservation!) Or sit in bar area if you get there when it opens! Get the calamari appetizer!

An amazing place to eat delicious authentic Italian food and enjoy a cozy environment. Our server Chanti was super nice.

Tim Fagundes

Stopped in mid week with a friend and had a simply wonderful meal. He had the lobster ravioli with a cream sauce and I asked our server about the seafood risotto vs the steak. She asked a few questions and then recommended I get the risotto. She was spot on with her recommended risotto. Full flavor with the seafood and perfect cook on the risotto itself. My friend enjoyed his ravioli and described it as rich and well balanced pasta. Bread was awesome and the whole experience was well worth our stop. Definitely a good place for a great meal!!

David

We visited Sarafina’s Italian Kitchen in late October and absolutely loved it! The parking lot and road were packed, but even without a reservation, the staff found us a cozy table outside under a warm propane heater. The vibe was awesome, relaxed, warm, and welcoming. They brought out warm bread right away, which was such a nice start. We had Nettie’s Caprese salad with heirloom tomatoes, and it was fresh, flavorful, and so good. The service was super friendly and everything just felt easy and comfortable. We’ve been to a lot of great restaurants, and this is now one of our favorites. Between the amazing food, friendly people, and perfect Arnold setting after a day outdoors, this place really stands out. Can’t wait to go back! Highly recommend!

Kunal Sahu

A gem on CA-4 ❤️ Must try their seafood dishes paired with local reds🍷Recommend reserving a table well in advance.

Bonnie

The spaghetti and meatballs were good (I wish there was more texture to the meatball though, it was kind of dense) and the lemon cake was delicious!

Cera Culbert

Sarafina's is amazing!!! These are of the alfredo shrimp dish and a special they had that was spaghetti also with shrimp. They have a wonderful local wine selection as well. Sara's Sierra Foothills Barbera is delicious.

Sue Hathaway

Great Italian restaurant. I had the chicken breast rolled in asparagus then baked in panko crumbs. So very delicious. I recommend you make reservations for this restaurant. It's very busy. We were there around six in the evening and they had a seat in the bar area open. Great calamari appetizer, best we've had since Spain. I will be back when in the area.

Suzanne Feblowitz

Delicious! Friendly! (Make a reservation!) Or sit in bar area if you get there when it opens! Get the calamari appetizer!

The vibe was laid back and family-oriented. The food was excellent. We thought we ordered too much but ended up finishing everything because it was so good!! Definitely call ahead and make reservations, it is worth it.

Had dinner here while visiting Big Trees Stare Park. Dinner was delicious. The balsamic vinegar they serve with bread was soooo good. Portions are very generous. Sauces on dishes ordered were very flavorful. Parking is very limited.

What a gem in the little town of Arnold. We arrived on a Wednesday evening with no reservations (we would have made one but had no cell phone service) and it was busy. We were lucky to get a table. For as busy as it was, the service was excellent. Food was delicious too. Highly recommend!

Sarafina's is an excellent place! Four of us sat down to dinner. Cousin got the lasagna, her husband got shrimp scampi pasta, my wife the bisteka and I got Sarafina's specialty pasta. On any other table, my pasta would have been the best. The calamari is amazing. Caprice salad is very good. Wine is well priced, especially the locals. Highly recommend this place. It's been excellent for years!

This is the best Italian restaurant I have had since visiting San Francisco. Grat food and wonderful environment and amazing service. The dessert with Avery tasteful coffee ended my dinner wonderfully. This is a must stop and try when ever you are in Arnold

Very nice place, great food and amazing vibe. Friendly staff. Pasta was great a little heavy and creamy but really tasteful. It's a little pricey , in general highly recommend it. Also, it's a very popular place so make sure to make a reservation

Bill Calderon Jr

This is the best Italian restaurant I have had since visiting San Francisco. Grat food and wonderful environment and amazing service. The dessert with Avery tasteful coffee ended my dinner wonderfully. This is a must stop and try when ever you are in Arnold

Mitra Alishahbazi

Very nice place, great food and amazing vibe. Friendly staff. Pasta was great a little heavy and creamy but really tasteful. It's a little pricey , in general highly recommend it. Also, it's a very popular place so make sure to make a reservation

Sharon Kong

The vibe was laid back and family-oriented. The food was excellent. We thought we ordered too much but ended up finishing everything because it was so good!! Definitely call ahead and make reservations, it is worth it.

Beckota S.

Had dinner here while visiting Big Trees Stare Park. Dinner was delicious. The balsamic vinegar they serve with bread was soooo good. Portions are very generous. Sauces on dishes ordered were very flavorful. Parking is very limited.

Kirsten Ireton

What a gem in the little town of Arnold. We arrived on a Wednesday evening with no reservations (we would have made one but had no cell phone service) and it was busy. We were lucky to get a table. For as busy as it was, the service was excellent. Food was delicious too. Highly recommend!

Travis Phillips

I had the crab cakes and calamari as an appetizer and the Feticinni Alfredo for the main course. Food was delicious and came sooner than expected. Service was very attentive and pleasant. I had a wonderful meal and will definitely return. 10/16/24 - Travis

Erwin Gove

Sarafina's is an excellent place! Four of us sat down to dinner. Cousin got the lasagna, her husband got shrimp scampi pasta, my wife the bisteka and I got Sarafina's specialty pasta. On any other table, my pasta would have been the best. The calamari is amazing. Caprice salad is very good. Wine is well priced, especially the locals. Highly recommend this place. It's been excellent for years!

Marv Fischer

We have gotten takeout a few times and every dish has been delicious and all the sauces are different and tasty. We had the crab cake and calamari appetizers, the shrimp scampi, eggplant Parmesan, and ravioli dishes and some specials. I’d recommend them all. And the staff is very efficient and courteous. There is both cozy indoor and outdoor seating

Sarafina's is a great place to hang out and eat comfortable Italian food on a cold winter night. The food is consistently very good, and the servers are pleasant. The atmosphere is like a warm fire lit chalet. You definitely need reservations most days, especially on weekends. If I were to suggest an improvement, it would be to make sure that they serve quality food consistently. My ribeye was pretty tasteless, even with the mushroom sauce. That's okay, it was a beautiful night to eat.

Took my mother here for her birthday, she loved it! My grandparents are from Italy, and the cuisine was pretty close to authentic, best you'll probably find away from San Francisco. Only bummer i had was they didn't serve polenta, but the risotto was delicious and the wine pairings were very good. Would definitely go again and recommend to friends.

Service was great. My wife had the salmon and it looked great. I had the tortellini and it was fine but not great. Ambiance is good too so I'd definitely go again and try a different dish. Small place so it fills up quick. Get a reservation.

The food was very good. Especially the crab cakes/bites. The pasta that we ordered didn't have enough flavor, probably because I ordered a vegetarian. The garlic mashed potato was good. The chocolate lava cake was good. Need to book a table before one goes there. It's just that I have had better Italian food. If given a chance, I might go back to eat again.

Food was delicious. We picked up because it gets packed and the cozy cabin doesn't have much seating. You need a reservation to eat in. The smells were delicious

Great place on the main road in Arnold. If you're looking for a nice, small, family place, this is it. Everything is made to order which made our meal delicious and able to accommodate to vegan diets! They have an off the menu, vegan dish that you will need to ask your server about. The vegan pasta I received was a penne pasta with zucchini, mushrooms, spinach and other vegetables with delicious crunchy dill crumbles on top.

Food portions were great and the food on the special menu was delicious! very great service and very friendly staff!

Came here for our 10th anniversary! Didn't expect anything special and service was fine, but nothing special 🥰 Still enjoyed our evening! I got the salmon dish with mashed potatoes and hubs got Sarah's Favorite. Loved the bruschetta, also!

Anna Mills

Food portions were great and the food on the special menu was delicious! very great service and very friendly staff!

Nichole Manzanilla

Great place on the main road in Arnold. If you're looking for a nice, small, family place, this is it. Everything is made to order which made our meal delicious and able to accommodate to vegan diets! They have an off the menu, vegan dish that you will need to ask your server about. The vegan pasta I received was a penne pasta with zucchini, mushrooms, spinach and other vegetables with delicious crunchy dill crumbles on top.

Laura “BehaviorMomma” Matlock

Came here for our 10th anniversary! Didn't expect anything special and service was fine, but nothing special 🥰 Still enjoyed our evening! I got the salmon dish with mashed potatoes and hubs got Sarah's Favorite. Loved the bruschetta, also!

The service was five star. The food was two to three star. Caesar salad did not taste anything like Caesar but it was fresh and tasty, just not Caesar like. Maybe more of a vinaigrette? Topped with I don't think fresh parmesan. The seafood on the risotto dish was flavorless and way overcooked but the risotto was very good. The veal was tough but the sauce was very good.

I find I have mixed feelings when it comes to Sarafina's. On one hand the food is top notch, their mushroom raviolis in light cream sauce is as good as any I've had in the Bay Area. But on the other, I find the restaurant is small and can get very loud when full (which is most of the time). Parking is limited and you will be lucky not to park on Hwy 4. I find the service staff to be nice and attentive but can get a little side tracked if large parties are involved. Sarafina's is VERY popular especially with the locals, don't be surprised to find it difficult to get a reasonable reservation time. You will need to make your reservation well in advance on holiday weekends. Because of the close quarters and loud ambience, I suggest another restaurant if any reasonable conversation is to be had. Otherwise Sarafina's = Great food, so so ambiance.

Roy Ford

I find I have mixed feelings when it comes to Sarafina's. On one hand the food is top notch, their mushroom raviolis in light cream sauce is as good as any I've had in the Bay Area. But on the other, I find the restaurant is small and can get very loud when full (which is most of the time). Parking is limited and you will be lucky not to park on Hwy 4. I find the service staff to be nice and attentive but can get a little side tracked if large parties are involved. Sarafina's is VERY popular especially with the locals, don't be surprised to find it difficult to get a reasonable reservation time. You will need to make your reservation well in advance on holiday weekends. Because of the close quarters and loud ambience, I suggest another restaurant if any reasonable conversation is to be had. Otherwise Sarafina's = Great food, so so ambiance.

Prawns and mashed potatoes were good. Ribeye was 1/3 + fat and gristle. Spaghetti with capers, anchovies, Kalamata olives was inedible due to saltiness. Waitress said there was no added salt. All was from the ingredients. Well, taste it, chef. I sent it back. After getting home, I called the manager about our meal. She was apologetic and say she would send a certificate for $50 if we came again. I hadn’t planned to return, but perhaps we will and order the prawns. They were tasty.

The food was good, but the waitress Kimber, was very unfriendly. She bumped into me as I was at my table at least four times without one apology. We told them in advance that we were celebrating two birthdays. The waitress offered nothing for the birthday ladies. However, when we were leaving we heard her singing happy birthday to another table. We were a party of seven Latina women, and during a time when our country feels so divided, this just added to that bad feeling. Also, it would have been nice if Kimber let us know that there was a 3% surcharge for each credit card for split orders.

Rita Uribe

The food was good, but the waitress Kimber, was very unfriendly. She bumped into me as I was at my table at least four times without one apology. We told them in advance that we were celebrating two birthdays. The waitress offered nothing for the birthday ladies. However, when we were leaving we heard her singing happy birthday to another table. We were a party of seven Latina women, and during a time when our country feels so divided, this just added to that bad feeling. Also, it would have been nice if Kimber let us know that there was a 3% surcharge for each credit card for split orders.

The host was very rude. I was presented with the bill added 15% tips for takeout food and she told me it’s mandatory when I give her the credit card I received the bill from the credit card it was added another 3% and I said why the difference and the price between first bill and this she replied, it is for credit card charge credit card charge? I’m very rude