Café Frida Gallery

An immigrant from Senegal, Africa, Mamadou Diouf landed in New York after finishing his studies in Paris. Beginning as a busser in a restaurant, he worked his way to bartender and then manager. He loves the social energy of the restaurant industry, and the connections that are made over food and drinks. When he moved to Santa Rosa, his wife Andrea’s hometown, he didn’t know anyone except for a local tennis coach who introduced him to Mark and Terri Stark. Working for the Stark Restaurants, his new community of friends, co-workers and customers became a family to him.

His father-in-law, well-known Santa Rosa artist Mario Uribe, who has had an artist studio in the neighborhood for over 15 years, shared his vision for a restaurant and artist hangout in the SOFA Arts District neighborhood, Mamadou felt it was the right time to make a move, and Café Frida Gallery was born.

They created a unique space with a gallery featuring Sonoma County artists and collaborated on a menu with nostalgic themes from both their native countries; France and Mexico. Their menu features local fresh ingredients and special sandwiches, salad nicoise, Mexican molletes, their in-house baked goods and more. An expansive patio and stage lends itself to safe outdoor dining and special live music on the weekends that have proven very popular and helped make Café Frida Gallery the place to be.