They might not stand out as much as a Michelin-starred spot or a multi-story eatery on Healdsburg Square, but overlooked spots can be found all around Sonoma County.

When talking about the Sonoma County dining scene, there are the famous restaurants we brag about to fancy out-of-town friends. Then there are the treasured little spots we like to keep secret: the diners, delis, convenience stores and under-the-radar eateries that rarely get the accolades they deserve but somehow still remain popular with neighborhood regulars.

We call them our “townie” spots: places you can walk to and share a meal with friends, where they have that one dish you just can’t live without. Everyone has their own list of these not-so-secret places, but here are some of our favorites.

Santa Rosa

Canevari’s Deli: A Santa Rosa Junior College neighborhood classic that’s been around since, well, as long as anyone can remember. They have a tri-tip BBQ sandwich, meatball sub and homemade raviolis, and where else can you get a good gabagool? 695 Lewis Road, canevarisdeli.com

Lita’s Cafe: We know where the cops go for hearty, gut-filling breakfasts. Really, what better recommendation can you get than that? 1973 Mendocino Ave., 707-575-1628

Tambayan Filipino Eatery: You’ll find authentic Filipino cuisine here, like banana sauce, pork belly and pork sisig that make it worth the trip. 600 Larkfield Center, tambayanfilipinocuisine.com

Taqueria Molcajetes: This strip-mall Mexican restaurant has a local following who live for their carne asada and fiery molcajetes. 1195 W. College Ave., 707-544-8280

Walter Hansel Bistro: An excellent French bistro without all the hoity-toity. Lobster bisque, boeuf Bourguignon, Coquille St. Jacques — bon appetit! 3535 Guerneville Road, walterhanselbistro.com

Sebastopol

Lunchbox: Lunch Box burgers are the kind of messy, smushy, everything-good-about-beef burgers paired with “dirty fries,” a pile of crispy fries, chevre ranch dressing, bacon, green onion, roasted garlic and pepperoncini. You’ll need a handful of napkins and a stout appetite. 128 N. Main St., lunchboxsonomacounty.com

Cotati

Shige: Along with Hana Japanese in Rohnert Park, this is one of the few Japanese-run restaurants in Sonoma County with Tokyo-worthy nigiri and udon. (There’s also a second location in Sonoma.) 8235 Old Redwood Highway, shige-sushi.com

Windsor

PizzaLeah: Leah Scurto is an award-winning pizzaiolo who puts every bit of her soul into making the best pies in Sonoma County. We’re obsessed with the Old Grey Beard with mozzarella, fontina, sausage and hot honey. 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 116, pizzaleah.com

Healdsburg

Guiso Latin Fusion: Named one of the best restaurants in America by Open Table, this tiny cafe mixes Latin and Caribbean flavors with panache. 117 North St., guisolatinfusion.com

Journeyman Meat Co.: Stop in for a salumi tasting or order one of their daily sandwiches or meaty sausages. 404 Center St., journeymanmeat.com

Taste of Tea: Healdsburg gets plenty of play for its chef-driven cuisine, but we like the homey Japanese flavors of this tea shop. 109 North St., thetasteoftea.com

Geyserville

Geyserville Gun Club: This Fellini-esque watering hole is almost too absurdly wonderful to be true. Brought to life by chef Dino Bugica, it’s the flip side of his more tourist-friendly Diavola Pizzeria and Salumeria. 21025 Geyserville Ave., geyservillegunclub.com

Cloverdale

Dahlia & Sage Community Market: A charming gourmet grocer with lots of locally sourced goodies, including a full deli, hot bar, salad bar and bakery. 115 E. Second St., dahliasagemarket.com

Penngrove

Twin Oaks Roadhouse: Fried chicken sandwiches are the best bet. Come also for the live music, fresh beer, good friends and bread pudding with whiskey cream. 5745 Old Redwood Highway, hopmonk.com/twin-oaks

Penngrove Market: An adorable gourmet grocer and kitchen. Try the pizza or piandine. 10070 Main St., penngrovemarket.com

Petaluma

Pearl: Mediterranean cuisine spot tucked away in a surprising place. We recommend it for a brunch with someone special. 500 First St., pearlpetaluma.com

Sax’s Joint: You’ll find plenty of people waiting to get in on the weekend, but outside of Petaluma, Sax’s is pretty much unknown. All the usual diner fare is done deliciously. 317 Petaluma Blvd. S., saxsjoint.com

Rohnert Park

Smokin’ Bowls: French fries topped with so much yum. 295 Southwest Blvd., smokinbowls.com

Azalo!: Charbroiled kabobs, burgers and dogs. Conchinita pibil is a best bet. 5979 Commerce Blvd., Suite 8, 707-303-7702

Graton

Willow Wood Market Cafe: Though this breakfast and brunch spot has been around since 1995, it’s often overlooked in the one-stop-sign town of Graton. Try their homey-yet-impressive menus. 9020 Graton Road, willowwoodgraton.com

Kenwood

Palooza Brewery and Gastropub: Patio dining with burgers, wood-fired pizza and more. A permanent outdoor space has towering heaters and plenty of coverage to keep you warm during chilly evenings. 8910 Sonoma Highway, paloozafresh.com

Glen Ellen

Glen Ellen Village Market and Deli: You’ll be amazed at the deli case, prepared foods and gourmet goodies hidden in this unassuming grocery store. It’s possibly one of Wine Country’s best-kept secrets. 13751 Arnold Drive, glenellenvillagemarket.org

Sonoma

Spread Kitchen: Chef Cristina Topham (known for her catering and farm market food) has opened a humble Lebanese-style cafe with fresh pita with hummus, beef and chicken shawarma, chickpea and black bean falafel and beef and lamb kofta. 18375 Sonoma Highway, spreadkitchensonoma.com

Occidental

Altamont General Store: A lunch favorite in Occidental, the Altamont General Store is a breath of fresh air, with an Instagram-worthy interior and plenty of grab-and-go dishes. 3703 Main St., altamontgeneralstore.com

Guerneville

Koala’s Fine Food: Sushi restaurants aren’t exactly a dime a dozen in far west Sonoma County, but then again, neither are cheese steaks. This casual family-run eatery brings together fish and chips, Korean bulgogi, Chinese won ton soup, Japanese ramen, cheese steak, nigiri and Hawaiian poke for a true something-for-everyone experience. 16380 Mill St., Suite A, koalasfinefood.com

Monte Rio

Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen: Located by the Creekside Skatepark, this curious little cafe is a mix of smoothies, bagels, pies and Middle Eastern cuisine. 9725 Main St., lightwavecafe.square.site

Northwood Bistro at the Northwood Golf Club: This hidden gem golf club has its own cafe with a lovely outdoor patio overlooking the course. The menu is simple, but the standard pancakes, omelettes and Benedicts just off the green start the day in style. 19400 Highway 116, northwoodbistro.com

Duncans Mills

Cape Fear Cafe: This tasty cafe in a tiny, quaint town features bacon chowder, a regional lineup of egg Benedicts (from grits to crab cakes) and ginger teriyaki chicken. 25191 Main St., capefearcafe.com

Cazadero

Raymond’s Bakery at Elim Grove Cottages: A cute, family-owned bed-and-breakfast with freshly made pastries, focaccia pizza and bread. 5400 Cazadero Highway, cazbakery.com

Bodega Bay

Ginochio’s Kitchen: Home to our favorite Dungeness crab sandwich. Ginochio’s buttery, griddled slices of white bread hold huge chunks of freshly picked crab and a slice of melted cheese. 1410 Bay Flat Road, ginochioskitchen.com

Casino Bar and Grill: This is a place to discover accidentally and then love unconditionally. A lineup of pop-up chefs steal the show including the Holly & Tali Show, Hunter Supper Club and more. 17000 Bodega Highway, facebook.com/thecasinobarandgrill

Jenner

Cafe Aquatica: We always, always stop here on trips up the coast for coffee, soup and whatever else sounds delish. 10439 Highway 1, cafeaquatica.com

Stewarts Point

Twofish Baking Company: Freshly made pastries, sandwiches, bread, salads, pizza and soup worthy of a drive up the coast. 32000 Highway 1, twofishbaking.com

Sea Ranch

The Sea Ranch Lodge: The 1960s-era Sea Ranch Lodge reopened in 2021 with new public spaces, including a redesigned restaurant, a new café and expansions to the bar, lounge and general store. 60 Sea Walk Drive, thesearanchlodge.com

The post The Best Hidden Gem Restaurants in Every Sonoma County Town appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Let’s have at it, Sonoma County. Who’s excited to meet up with friends and lounge around on a warm summer night? Who’s down for brunch with a view or staying up late with some good bubbly and salty fries? That would be all of us ‘round here.

Here’s our take on a comprehensive list of Sonoma County favorites. Inside you’ll find both a corner deli with unapologetically huge meatball sandwiches and a fashionable rooftop spot with an exquisite plant-based tasting menu. Tiki-tastic Polynesian fare and a mom-and-pop with super authentic, difficult-to-find Himalayan dosa. There’s a time and a place for all of it, and we can’t wait.

Check out the gallery above for a sneak peek at some of Sonoma County’s best restaurants.

People Who Lunch

Canevari’s Deli

“We’re the oldest deli and ravioli factory north of SF in the state of California,” say owners Lou and Kim Chambrone. One bite of the mile-high meatball lasagna, tangy pesto ravioli, or spinach-bacon risotto and you’ll understand why this spot is beloved by all. Show up on Saturday for the gabagool special, a mix of capicola, melted provolone, marinara sauce, and roasted peppers on a toasted soft roll.

695 Lewis Rd., Santa Rosa. 707-545-6941, canevarisdeli.com

Lunch Box

A cheerful blue storefront belies the delectable bellybusters within. Consider the Double Creature, a twopatty smash burger towering with American cheddar and housemade fancy sauce, or the intensely layered, two-handed hoagie with real Italian water buffalo mozzarella and olive tapenade. For a surprise with some kick, hit up the gooey, spicy grilled cheese with housemade kimchi and black garlic miso aioli.

128 N. Main St., Sebastopol. lunchboxsonomacounty.com

Lunchette

Working at Chez Panisse helped pave the way for Joel Baecker and Naomi Crawford’s darling café, where a mostly vegetarian/ vegan menu sparkles with pizzas, salads, and grain bowls, plus specials like creamy heirloom polenta dotted with garlicky mushrooms and roasted delicata squash. Absolutely get dessert—you deserve the goodness of crunchy chocolate-walnut cookies with coconut flakes and dates.

25 Fourth St., Petaluma. 707-2417443, lunchettepetaluma.com

Stellina Alimentari

When a chef wistfully describes porchetta grease running down his hand with the kind of passion reserved for those newly in love, you listen. This tiny trattoria from the owners of Stellina Pronto focuses on bold sandwiches and salads, like Il Michelangelo, a meaty handful of the aforementioned porchetta served on Della Fattoria lemon rosemary bread.

160 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707-774-6156, stellinaalimentari.com

Eat Food, Mostly Plants.

CLOSED
The Second Story

Chef Stu Stalker pushes the boundaries of haute plant-based cuisine upstairs at Little Saint, a temple to the union of food, wine, and live music that hosts free concerts most Thursday nights. Hyper-seasonal produce comes from Little Saint’s own nearby farm, and the wine program is led by a rising star sommelier who isn’t afraid to have a little fun. The multicourse, prix fixe experience is modestly priced by Healdsburg standards, at $125 per person. 

25 North St., Healdsburg, 707-433-8207. littlesainthealdsburg.com

La Bodega

The entire Mediterranean-Middle Eastern menu is vegetarian and vegan—and you likely would never even realize it. Owners Meekk Shelef and Bryan Cooper and chef Rick Vargas craft recipes so deeply layered you won’t miss the meat. The green lentil soup involves 10 items for the base and eight more to deepen the stock. Tally 15 more for the soup body, three for a finishing drizzle, and three more for garnish. That’s a ton of complexity. 

2295 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. 707-827-1832, sonomawineshop.com

Having an Absolute Blast

The Goose & Fern

With a room full of folks cheering Premier League football on the telly, plus trivia contests and movie nights with free popcorn, this dark, divey-cool British pub is your FOMO place. You’ll dine on local rock cod fish and chips, Guinness beef pie, and rich oxtail soup topped with a cheddar toastie. A few beers in, and you’ll be bellowing for the secret scraps: salted batter bits hot from the fryer, served for free.

116 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 707-843-4235, thegooseandfern.com

Kapu

This tiki-tastic adult playground isn’t just fun; it’s an island adventure complete with bamboo huts, pirate booty, and terrific mai tais. The menu focuses on Hawaiian fare, including plate lunch faves like Spam musubi, sticky garlic chicken, and mac salad. Fried noodles are perfect for soaking up deceptively delicious tropical cocktails that—if you’re not careful—will take you down like a vengeful god.

132 Keller St., Petaluma. 707559-3665, kapubar.com

PizzaLeah

Pizzaiolo Leah Scurto makes some of the best pizza anywhere, including as a member of the official U.S. Pizza Team (yes, there is such a thing). But she takes a laid-back approach to the laborious art of crafting her restaurant pies, publicly telling her fans to just have fun cooking. So let Scurto focus on 72-hour-long dough fermentations and pristine toppings like hot honey and teasingly spicy Calabrian peppers. You just savor the result.

9240 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor. 707-6200551, pizzaleah.com

Handline

Sebastopol’s cheery Handline boasts an authentic stone mill to grind its own masa for thick, rustic tortillas that feed into outstanding fish tacos. Plus rockfish ceviche, fisherman’s stew—and Straus soft serve. With ping-pong and picnic tables, there’s no better place to dine out with kids.

935 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. 707-827-3744, handline.com

Transported to Thailand

Khom Loi

Un-Americanized Thai cuisine is a rare find, and chef Moishe Hahn-Schuman’s menu leans heavily on uniquely Thai ingredients, some ordered directly from Asia and delivered by the pallet. The flavors are so unabashedly robust that certain Thai-American standbys—pad Thai, green curry—take on an entirely new and different appeal.

7385 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol. 707-329-6917, khomloisonoma.com

The Cult of Personality

Golden Bear Station

Chef Joshua Smookler tested nearly 100 pizza doughs for his new restaurant, and he’s still tweaking the recipe. Smookler, known for Sonoma favorite Animo, has created a charming candlelit dining experience with handcrafted pasta and elevated woodfired pizzas. Larger format dishes (a whole lamb saddle or pork chop in dashi broth) are standouts, as is the burger. A handful of Animo favorites have hung around, like the Lobster XO with lemongrass tea over sushi rice, and the couple also plan to relaunch Animo later this year.

8445 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood. goldenbearstation.com

Street Social

When a chef promises you “damn good food” and the mixologist tells you her drinks will “expand your experience of the spirit,” you know they’re aiming high. Jevon Martin and Marjorie Pier think big and deliver even bigger on stunners like seared pink grouper dipped in jeow som, a spicy-sour sauce from Laos. With just six tables, the space has become an intimate community hub, as diners discuss unusual ingredients like Japanese ashitaba powder and Yemenian red zhoug puree.

29 F Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707-774-6185, streetsocial.social

Allikai

Wine Country diners took notice of uber-talented, ultra-charismatic chef Fiorella Butron when she ran Sonoma’s upscale Edge restaurant. Now, she pours her biggerthan-life personality into bold dishes for her small Peruvian deli. Meals are grab-n-go but magical, like boudin blanc sausage with Mendocino black trumpet mushrooms, tucked in a ciabatta roll with arugula and fermented yacón root.

678 W. Napa St., Sonoma. 707-934-4900, allikaigroup.com

CLOSED
De Havilland

For nearly 13 years, Mark Malicki spent his Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights spinning magic out of a closetsized kitchen at The Casino Bar & Grill in Bodega. Now, he’s created something a little more expansive—but no less inspiring—at a morning café he borrows several nights each week. The menu doesn’t follow any set pattern; it’s more of a watercolor portrait of what’s in season and what Malicki is currently obsessed with. Go without expectations and with your sense of whimsy.

316 Western Ave., Petaluma. 707-623-5141, cafedehavilland.com

The Madrona

Breakfast is the Most Important Meal

J&M’s Midtown Café

This corner diner has the soul of a great greasy spoon but the heart of a chef who truly elevates breakfast and brunch. It’s a passion project for Joel Shaw, formerly of Ramen Gaijin, who has kept a few old favorites from the Dierk’s Midtown era while offering new twists on standbys like ciabatta French toast and smoked salmon hash. Plus a NY pastrami sandwich with a permanent place on my Top 10 list. 

1422 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707-545-2233, jm-midtowncafe.com

Willow Wood Market Cafe

Since 1995, this charming spot has welcomed west county neighbors, farmers, and winery folk for excellent French folded eggs mantled in fontina and basil leaves or golden polenta crowned with perfect poached eggs, crispy prosciutto, basil oil, and a sprinkle of parmesan. 

9020 Graton Rd., Graton. 707-8230233, willowwoodgraton.com

Marla

The husband-and-wife owners have created a cafe that’s as warm and sweet as their signature crebble (a croissant-meets-muffin dusted with cinnamon sugar). The pastry cases are full of decadent treats with cartoonish proportions: You couldn’t possibly eat that whole croissant until, oops, you did. The team recently added popular twice-monthly Friday night fried chicken pop-ups as well as Sunday brunch. 

208 Davis St., Santa Rosa. 707-852-4091, marlabakery.com

Epic BBQ Collab

A&M BBQ

Local barbecue powerhouses Austin’s Southern Smoke BBQ and Marvin’s BBQ have joined forces for the ultimate Texas ‘cue. Owners Kris Austin and Marvin Mckinzy both grew up in barbecue-loving households, Austin in Kansas City, Memphis, and Texas, and Mckinzy in Kentucky. “We let the smoke do the work, and we don’t try to cover up the meat with sauce, so you can taste the time we put into it,” says Austin. 

495 S. Main St., Sebastopol. 707-861-9623

Summer Nights

Iggy’s Organic Burger

The Iggy Biggy isn’t a Big Mac, but it’s adjacent. With two beef patties, cheddar, caramelized onions, pickles, and not two but three buttery brioche buns, it’s what overpromising fast food burgers wish they were— but never are. Did we mention the spot shares space with an ice cream parlor?

109 Plaza St., Healdsburg.

Molti Amici

Summer sunsets were made for convivial Italian aperitifs, gourmet woodfired pizza and bocce ball at this neighborhood trattoria, which opened in 2023. The name translates to “many friends,” which you’ll undoubtedly make while lazing away with a cocktail under fringed umbrellas or leaning back into summery lime-striped cushions. 330 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-756-3169, moltiamici.com

Valley Swim Club

The only diving at this popular roadhouse is straight into a bowl of clams in buttery garlic noodles. VSC is a casual, walkin- only sibling to downtown’s Valley Bar + Bottle, with a focus on coastal seafood, plus salads, milkshakes, smash burgers, and plant-based options. On the drinks menu, tasty porch pounders and standout natural wines are de rigueur , including the Valley team’s own Le Lube. 

18709 Arnold Dr., Sonoma. 707-2433032, valleyswim.club

Bloom Carneros

A half-acre, historic garden flanks a newly designed, elegant alfresco lounge with couches, fire pits, and an artsy-rustic wine bar. Feed all your senses with chef Jennifer McMurry’s portrait-worthy dinners of locally sourced, seasonal dishes like housemade pappardelle tossed with tangy organic apricots and a spring-onion fondue, showered in edible blossoms. 

22910 Broadway, Sonoma. 707-412 0438, bloomcarneros.com

Buck’s Place

From the retro-cool experts behind Lou’s Luncheonette and Jack’s Filling Station, the new-ish Buck’s Place is a neon-heavy neighborhood joint in El Verano with live music, dancing and some of the best thick-crust pizza anywhere. 

401 Grove St., Sonoma. bucks-place.com

Mom-and-Pops: Nothing Better

Himalayan Grill and Dosa

The key word here is dosa. These thin Indian crepes filled with potatoes, paneer, or other goodies are nearly impossible to find in Sonoma County. Though the owners of this Petaluma eatery are from Nepal, they’ve nailed this fermented rice and lentil south Indian street food, as well as thick momo and incredible apricot curry.

5306 Old Redwood Hwy. N., Petaluma. 707-665-0644, himalayanpetaluma.com

Quiote

Chef/co-owner Julio Ortiz is a Petaluma native—but his parents, Jorge and Gloria, came from Jalisco, Mexico, and the restaurant celebrates regional dishes from that western state, plus Mexico City, Oaxaca, and more. The whole family pulls together to create mouthwateringly different cuisine, like sincronizadas, chiltomate, salsa de aguacate, raspadas and ayocote.

121 Kentucky St., Petaluma. 707-774 6130, quiotemx.com

El Milagro

Bask in the beauty that is Oaxacan mole verde pipián, a sumptuous chicken guisado alongside creamy mayocoba beans. Chef-owners Alan Valverde, Julio Velazquez, and Marco Zamora opened this inventive regional Mexican showpiece just three months before the pandemic. The three met 20 years ago at entry-level kitchen jobs and say shepherding El Milagro through the roller coaster of the past few years has made them like brothers.

485 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale. 707-894-6334, elmilagrocloverdale.com

Multicourse Tasting Menus

The Farmhouse Inn

Some dainty tasting menus leave you feeling peckish. Not this seven-course, freewheeling fantasia of French, Japanese, Chinese, Italian and Californian cuisine, fed by the property’s orchards and gardens. It’s a most memorable, $275 tasting menu, enhanced with splendid amuse-bouches (yes, please, to a magical confit of green almond marinated shell-on in olive oil until velvety and served with a salty anchovy caught that morning in the San Francisco Bay).

7871 River Rd., Forestville. 707-8873300, farmhouseinn.com

Table Culture Provisions

Chefs Stéphane Saint Louis and Steven Vargas somehow manage to make haute cuisine approachable—maybe because they spent most of the pandemic serving luxe fried chicken and onion dip to fund their dream restaurant. The young bootstrappers create magic in the tiny galley kitchen of a former chilidog diner with a seven-course, $135 menu that includes braised beef cheek ravioli with Taleggio foam and a tartare tartlet with sunchoke cappuccino.

312 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-559-5739, tcprovision.com

Valette

Chef Dustin Valette’s tongue-incheek “trust me” tasting menu is a romp through classic restaurant dishes (including the signature scallops en croute) plus off-menu surprises. You can even do a side-by-side tasting menu with a friend and compare different dishes—a rarity with tasting menus. Desserts shine, especially the ItsNotA ‘Snickers Bar’ made with dark chocolate and peanut powder. $20 per course, 5-course minimum.

344 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-473-0946, valettehealdsburg.com

Champions of their Neighborhood

Geyserville Gun Club

This former Masonic lodge masquerading as a neighborhood dive is the most next-level bar in Sonoma County. Though their craft cocktails would spit in your eye if you actually called them that, the She Devil (mezcal, cherry liqueur, a squeeze of citrus, and a dusting of ghost pepper) is certainly crafty in my book. The bar menu reads like a line cook’s munchie fantasy—fat Korean tacos, calamari with Kewpie mayo and bonito flakes, and one of the tastiest burgers known to humanity.

21025 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. 707-8140036, geyservillegunclub.com

Grossman’s Noshery & Bar

This hip, always hopping Jewish-Mediterranean deli fills the bill for neighborhood goodness. Vintage wood bar? Check. Black-and-white checker floor? Check. A rock fireplace lit with a “shalom” neon sign? Sure. The upscale deli food rocks Sonoma County—you know you want to kick back and kvetch with your buddies over juicy, overnight braised brisket plopped atop golden latkes and horseradish cream.

308 ½ Wilson St., Santa Rosa. 707-595-7707, grossmanssr.com

The Shuckery

Despite our proximity to the ocean, finding a local restaurant dedicated to seafood is surprisingly tough. Saluting the humble oyster (though there’s plenty more on the menu), Petaluma’s bustling The Shuckery is a seafood lover’s dream.

100 Washington St., Petaluma. 707981-7891, theshuckeryca.com

Psychic Pie

The joy begins with thick, crispy, pillowy housemade sourdough multigrain crust, then builds to toppings like whipped Double 8 Dairy ricotta from Italian water buffalos, garlic roasted potatoes, chile oil, crème fraîche, and showers of fresh herbs. Purchase by the (square) slice, then happily argue with your friends over whose pie is the best. (You’ll all be correct, BTW.)

980 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. 707-827-6032, psychicpie.com

Altamont General Store

Renovate an 1876 clapboard hotel into a chic café and gourmet marketplace, and the community will come—in droves. Linger over a yolky egg, havarti and kimchi banh mi; the Boho bowl with French lentils, rice, and pickled veggies; or kalua pork tacos stuffed with pickled pineapple and Hawaiian chile slaw.

3703 Main St., Occidental. 707-874-6053, altamontgeneralstore.com

Guiso Latin Fusion

Hidden between tented rice chicharrones, two curled octopus tentacles peep out from a bed of quinoa atop a rough granite slab dotted by lime foam. This edible seascape is almost too beautiful to eat. Almost. At this cozy Healdsburg hideaway, chef Carlos Mojica does gastro-magic in a way that isn’t precious just for the sake of being impressive, from his grandmother’s secret recipe for Latin-style tomato sauce to his mother’s daily preparation of Salvadoran pupusas stuffed with flower buds and cheese. This local favorite still floats under the radar of most dining guides—a hidden gem in a town dominated by showy Michelin stars.

117 North St., Healdsburg. 707-431-1302, guisolatinfusion.com

Underwood Bar & Bistro

Sit at the big, loud, nickel-topped bar to rub shoulders with west county winemakers, farmers, and other cool kids. All around, folks indulge in French onion soup molten with Gruyère, lavish duck confit with lentils, and goat cheese toast, or–interestingly–mighty fine Thai dishes.

9113 Graton Rd., Graton. 707823-7023, underwoodgraton.com

Pearl

Hidden in the mixed-use clamshell of Petaluma’s southwest waterfront district, Pearl’s Mediterranean flavors are well-known to locals but often overlooked by tourists. Chef/ owners Brian Leitner and Annette Yang’s menu features tried-and-true dishes—fiery red shakshuka, Persian meatball tagine, and Levantine-spiced brisket. Don’t miss the Moroccan rice pudding: a warm, perfumed embrace of a dessert.

500 First St., Petaluma. 707-5595187, pearlpetaluma.com

Absolute Classic Sonoma

Willi’s Wine Bar

This Santa Rosa institution is a not-so-secret clubhouse for the county’s movers and shakers. It’s classy without being fussy, offering a suitably adult wine list and something-for-everyone mixandmatch small plates. We like to consider it our office away from home for roséand- crab-taco meetings you can semi-conscientiously put on the company card.

1415 Town and Country Dr., Santa Rosa. 707-526-3096, starkrestaurants.com

Glen Ellen Star

Owner Ari Weiswasser is all about saluting perfect ingredients at this wood-fired oven driven neighborhood hotspot. Think roast chicken, flattened under a heavy piece of tile, then set atop fregola alla primavera and black trumpet mushrooms or Brussels sprouts roasted in an iron skilled with an earthy-sweet brown sugarbacon marmalade.

13648 Arnold Dr., Glen Ellen. 707343-1384, glenellenstar.com

Gourmet Au Bay

Is there any more perfect place to soak up the Sonoma Coast? The heavens part for marina views, wine flight boards shaped like surfboards, and visits from seagulls (hold onto that smoked clam pizza, those birdies will dive in and snag it from you). You are steps from boats bringing in the fresh catch, so load up on petrale sole, crab, and an excellent paella studded with calamari, shrimp and salmon.

1412 Bay Flat Rd., Bodega Bay. 707-8759875, gourmetaubay.com

Rocker Oysterfeller’s

The town of Valley Ford has a population of 148, and a half-mile downtown along Highway 1. But this 1846 saloon draws folks from all over for briny fresh Tomales Bay oysters fried crisp in cornmeal with bacon and cream cheese and local rock cod tacos jazzed with spicy rémoulade, sweet apple-fennel slaw, radishes, and jalapeños on housemade tortillas.

14 415 Highway 1, Valley Ford. 707-8761983, rockeroysterfellers.com

Wine Bars that Center Great Food

The Redwood

If you’re a natural wine geek, you’ve found your tribe at this friendly wine bar. But you won’t be limited by simple nibbles of tinned fish and charcuterie—the accompanying menu punches way above its weight class, like grilled maitake mushrooms with za’atar, braised lamb shank, steelhead trout dip with crème fraîche, and the world’s best hummus served alongside warm, fluffy pita.

234 S. Main St., Sebastopol. 707-861-9730, theredwoodwine.com

Valley Bar + Bottle

Grab a seat at the intimate bar or spread out at a courtyard table in back and pop the cork on a bottle of small-production, low-intervention wine. Then let loose on small plates of oustanding Cal-Mediterranean fare. What wine goes best with a velvety, slow-boiled egg crowned with its custardy yolk and dollops of briny XO sauce? Or a slab of succulent braised pork nested on leeks and prunes? Sample and discuss.

487 First St. W., Sonoma. 707-934-8403, valleybarandbottle.com

Maison Healdsburg

Just when you thought Healdsburg couldn’t get more swanky, here comes an oh-so-posh salute to global wines from a trio of SingleThread alums, with vintage and rare California treasures, small production French bottles—and sake, just because. Guest chef pop-ups with full menus are what make this spot notable on the dining front, but there are also sublime snacks like smoked oysters or caviar with potato crisps and crème fraîche. Gasp—they’re open until 2 a.m., too!

210 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. maisonwinebar.com

Dry Creek Kitchen

Executive chef Shane McAnelly (formerly of Chalkboard and The Brass Rabbit) has recently taken over the day-to-day at Charlie Palmer’s clubby Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, adding his own twists while remaining true to Palmer’s “Progressive American” cuisine.

317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-431-0330, drycreekkitchen.com

So French

Augie’s French

Augie’s is all about hearty Gallic dishes like French onion soup, braised boeuf bourguignon with duck-fat roasted potatoes, and bowls of steaming mussels swimming in creamy Dijon sauce that’s begging to be soaked up with a crusty housemade baguette. Champagne starts flowing at 3 p.m., and happy hour bites like croque madames, buckwheat crepes, and the Prime Burger Royale transport to a timeless Parisian moodscape.

535 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707-531-4400, augiesfrench.com

Maison Porcella

Marc-Henri and Maud Jean-Baptiste specialize in tiny batch, artisanal pâtés, glistening rillettes, liver mousses, chunky terrines, and andouillette, a coarse-grained sausage made from pork intestine, wine, onions and seasonings. Each takes days to create. Entrées are just as elegant, in Slow Food sensations like cassoulet rich with Toulouse sausage, duck confit, and pork belly.

8499 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor. 707-955-5611, maisonporcella.com

Troubadour Bread & Bistro

The nightly tasting menu trips the light fantastic through a haute French lineup of dishes such as trout doused in red wine reduction with five spice and black trumpets, or tender pork dressed in persimmons, nasturtiums, and hazelnuts.

381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-7563972, troubadourhbg.com

Cocktails Make the Meal

Fern Bar

A vibe-y lounge and restaurant with astounding craft cocktails and super shareable plates for the table. The menu switches with the season, but favorites like the Umami Bomb, a vegan dish with greens and mushrooms, are always winners. The patio is a favorite summer spot to people-watch.

6780 Depot St., Sebastopol. 707-8619603, fernbar.com

Lo & Behold

Come for the cocktails, stay for the food. The founders of Duke’s Spirited Cocktails created a high-low menu that brings in locals, industry folks, and out-of-towners. Adult chicken tenders are the juiciest strips of crunchy, salty, fried chicken bits I’ve ever had. Dipped in housemade ranch with a side of pickles, they’re worthy of a standing ovation. Perhaps that’s my fourth cocktail talking, but dang, they’re tasty. Open late.

214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-756-5021, loandbeholdca.com

Exquisite Sushi

Hana Japanese Restaurant

Daily fish specials impress with seasonal rarities, but even the everyday menu celebrates premium, rare catch like joyously fatty sashimi of bluefin tuna belly. Chef Keita Tominaga woos with more contemporary takes, too, like a sweet-briny oyster crowned in uni, ikura, tobiko, and ponzu crème fraîche, or an elegant sushi roll of toro with uni, golden Osetra caviar, and freshly pounded wasabi.

101 Golf Course Dr., Rohnert Park. 707-586-0270, hanajapanese.com

Sushi Koshō

What a delight it is to watch chef-owner Jake Rand behind his sushi counter, slicing and arranging pristine fish from Japanese markets or gracefully adorning nigiri with delicate flakes of edible gold. Regulars pounce on the chirashi, looking like a jewel box of a half-dozen different types of sashimi fanned over ginger-flecked rice, pickled vegetables, and shimmering salmon roe.

6750 McKinley St., Sebastopol. 707-827-6373, koshosushi.com

Swedish Comfort

Stockhome

Husband-and-wife team Roberth and Andrea Sundell are as much of a draw as their cuisine, matching their warm, welcoming personalities with top-notch Swedish-Mediterranean comfort food like wildly-delicious roasted cauliflower with pepitas and tahini sauce or crispy wienerschnitzel with buttery marble potatoes and peas. Be sure to stock up on the rainbow array of bulk licorice and other candy—the charming Swedish tradition of lördagsgodis, or Saturday sweets.

220 Western Ave., Petaluma. 707-9818511, stockhomerestaurant.com

The Big Splurge

SingleThread

Fun fact: California has more two- and three-Michelin star restaurants than any other state, including this three-star landmark that offers the third most expensive tasting menu in the country. The $475 kaiseki journey spans 10 courses of dazzling Japanese finery, each ingredient sourced with great purpose and presented with a healthy dose of storytelling.

131 North St., Healdsburg. 707-723-4646, singlethreadfarms.com

Cyrus

Here is a fantasy feast, flowing over a 20-course, $295 tasting menu of seasonal, exquisitely imagined California fare. The Michelin-star meal transports— literally—as guests move from room to room during the course of an evening, from Champagne and canapés in the Bubble Lounge, hors d’oeuvres at an interactive chef’s table in the kitchen, entrées overlooking Alexander Valley vineyards, and intricate sweet truffles in the Chocolate Room.

275 Hwy. 128, Geyserville. 707-723-5999, cyrusrestaurant.com

How We Picked

Sonoma’s dining editor Heather Irwin and food writer Carey Sweet sorted through recommendations from staff and colleagues, then put their heads together in an hours-long meetup to land at this cohort of favorites. Irwin and Sweet each dine out several nights a week over the course of the year to cover the breadth of Sonoma’s restaurant scene, and they pay their own way for reviews. To reach them, email editors@sonomamag.com.

The post Sonoma County’s Best Restaurants of 2024 appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

We asked the chefs and restaurateurs behind some of the best new restaurants in Sonoma County to share their favorite places to dine out. Here’s what they said. Click through the above gallery for some favorite dishes.

Nick Peyton

Owner Cyrus, Geyserville 

DATE NIGHT PICK

The Shuckery in Petaluma. It’s the complete package of ambience, food, and attitude, all cleverly created with a modest budget.

WITH OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

Diavola in Geyserville. It’s got such great food, even beyond the signature pizzas. I love the ambience created from nearly nothing— the charming clothes hanging on lines across the alley leading to their back patio.

THAT’S SO SONOMA

We are not a monoculture. It is the reason I love living here. There’s such range, from the regional Mexican food at Mitote Food Park, to Spud Point Crab Company in Bodega Bay, to Canevari’s Delicatessen in Santa Rosa.

FOOD TRUCK PICK

I lived in Philadelphia for a while, so sometimes I jones for a cheesesteak, and nobody does them like Streetside Asian Grill. It’s a half-pound of grilled steak, lots of onions and peppers, and melty white American cheese on an Amoroso soft Italian roll.

Jennifer McMurry

Chef Bloom Carneros, Sonoma

FOR A BIRTHDAY

The upscale Table Culture Provisions in Petaluma. I’m super excited about what chefowner Stéphane Saint Louis is doing to change the culinary scene in Sonoma County.

DATE NIGHT

Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol is always delicious, and their vegan ramen with shiitake miso is one of my absolute favorites.

THAT’S SO SONOMA

Try grilled oysters at Handline in Sebastopol. It’s a great space, with a fun indoor-outdoor open flow.

CHEAP EATS

I love Kathmandu Cafe & Grill, in the old train station in downtown Sebastopol. They serve authentic, traditional Indian food.

Maud Jean-Baptiste

Chef-owner Maison Porcella, Windsor

WITH FAMILY

Marla Bakery. They keep this French girl well-fed with delicious croissants. We love and sell their bread, and our son Henri is always so happy with a chocolate brownie!

WITH OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

In Bodega Bay, Spud Point and Fisherman’s Cove are right next to each other. We love the chowder and fresh whole crabs. After, we get Rocky Road ice cream at Captain Davey’s coffee shop and head to the trails to look for whales.

FOR BREAKFAST

I have serious breakfast needs—no plain bagel with cream cheese for me. I get a jalapeño bagel with egg, bacon, and cheese, with Drew’s spicy mayo. Ta-da!

ON A BIRTHDAY

Willi’s Wine Bar! The staff are always smiling and remember my order. I love the duck confit and creamy polenta. Be sure to treat yourself to the delicious butterscotch crème brûlée.

Michael Richardson

Owner Kapu, Petaluma

FOOD TRUCK PICK

There is a really good taco truck that parks at the end of Dry Creek during harvest called Los Plebes. You can’t beat it.

DATE NIGHT

Glen Ellen Star has a really decent wine list. You’re sitting outside, and it’s wonderful.

TAKE THE KIDS

There’s a little fish and chips spot in Bodega called The Birds Cafe. The kids love it out there. They get corn dogs and chicken fingers.

WITH OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

Diavola in Geyserville. It’s just good honest food. The flavor combos are great, and it’s right by the Geyserville Gun Club, a locals bar.

Domenico and Taylor De Angelis

Chefs-owners L’Oro di Napoli, Santa Rosa

BEST BREAKFAST

Mac’s Deli, across from the restaurant has quickly become a go-to and has the best pancakes around, Taylor says. “They are the sweetest people, and the service is always amazing.”

FOOD TRUCK FAVE

Delicias Elenita on Sebastopol Road. The elote (street corn), quesadillas, and champurrado are favorites.

DATE NIGHT

Riviera Ristorante in Santa Rosa for pasta and the charcuterie platter. The bike-themed décor is a bonus.

Jenny Phan

Chef-owner Second Staff, Various Locations 

ON HER BIRTHDAY

I’m a big fan of Tomi Thai in Windsor. They have a really intimate kitchen, like 200 square feet. And they just don’t hold back on the flavors. I always get everything Thai spicy.

LATE-NIGHT PICK 

I love going to this little Chinese place called Fantasy Restaurant in Petaluma. The owners, Vincent and Joanne Wu, are very friendly—like, my parents kind of friendly. You’ll get there at 9, and before you know it, you’re staying until midnight, chatting and talking.

AT THE FARMERS MARKET

I always detour to the mushrooms. I just like picking things up and smelling them, seeing if they’re earthier or meatier. And if it’s something I haven’t tried before, I’ll always buy it. Duncan’s Mushrooms, which sells at Windsor and Sebastopol markets in the spring and summer, is my favorite.

Octavio Díaz

Owner Mitote Food Park, Santa Rosa 

FOR A BIRTHDAY 

Sazón, the Peruvian restaurant in Santa Rosa. I really like the ceviche– there are a half-dozen choices. And the owner, José Navarro, is so interesting. He’s always running around like crazy, like he’s wearing three different hats at the same time. It reminds me of me.

DATE NIGHT 

My wife and I like Union Hotel in Santa Rosa. It’s got a great ambiance and it serves a really nice rotisserie- roasted Mary’s chicken, with lots of Italian spices, lemon, and fresh garlic.

THE DISH I ORDER AGAIN AND AGAIN

Mole de Oaxaca. It’s a celebration of the spices in life, so when I eat it, it reminds me of celebrating my own life and bringing my family together. The mole Oaxaqueño from El Gallo Negro in Windsor is made with more than 20 ingredients.

DINING WITH KIDS 

My sons are 15 and 16, and they’re pretty involved in our family restaurant businesses, but they also like to play soccer. After a game, we often go to Caffe Giostra in Petaluma for Italian food.

Jake Rand

Chef-owner Oyster, Sebastopol

TAKE THE KIDS

We like to go to Rosso Pizzeria for pizza and spaghetti, plus they get to make their own breadsticks!

WITH OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

It depends on how much they want to spend, but I think SingleThread is a terrific choice for visitors, with fantastic hospitality. It’s a really special experience.

FOOD TRUCK PICK

Delicias Elenita taco truck. I always get their tacos and they’re consistently juicy and delicious.

CHEAP EATS

East West Cafe on Summerfield Road in Santa Rosa is convenient and inexpensive, and their turkey burger is great.

Jeff Berlin

Owner Piala, Sebastopol

WITH OUT OF TOWN GUESTS

The Marshall Store in Marshall. We like to kayak to Point Reyes and back, sit outside by the water, eat everything on the menu (Tomales Bay Oyster Company oysters!) and put a serious dent in their beer inventory.

THE DISH I ORDER AGAIN AND AGAIN

The mofongo relleno de camarones from Sol Food in Petaluma. So much fl avor, perfectly balanced with mashed green plantain and avocado. I load it up with their spicy vinegar sauce and have a Mason jar full of housemade fruit punch, and then I take a nice fat nap with a huge smile on my face.

FOOD TRUCK PICK

Anything from Mitote Food Park. Order something from every truck, and mezcal cocktails from the bar. I really like cochinita pibil tacos with pickled habaneros from Yuca Mami.

DINE WITH KIDS

Fisherman’s Cove in Bodega Bay. My boys love seeing the anglers unload their catch and bring it right across the street to the cafes. It’s the best place for the freshest seafood possible.

Leith Leiser-Miller

Chef-owner Psychic Pie, Sebastopol 

FOR A BIRTHDAY 

The gift we always give each other is a fancy dinner out. This year, we went to Troubadour in Healdsburg and had their prix fixe. It was incredible, and it was also interesting to see how they transform their service from a bakery to a brasserie.

WITH OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

Jam’s Joy Bungalow in Sebastopol. I love the flavors that Jamilah Nixon-Mathis makes—she really pushes the boundaries.

FOOD TRUCK PICK

Galvan’s Eatery. They make awesome tacos. I love the crispy shrimp. I even get them for breakfast. I don’t bother with a breakfast burrito—I just go straight for the tacos.

AT THE FARMERS MARKET

We go to the Sebastopol market for cheeses, produce, and pantry goods. I always love Radical Family Farms— they grow a breadth of things that are harder to fi nd, like traditional Asian greens.

Geneva Melby

Chef-owner The Redwood, Sebastopol

FOOD TRUCK

After hours, I like to grab a torta or tacos from El Roy’s. Lengua is usually my meat of choice.

DATE NIGHT

We love sitting at the bar for Wednesday burger night at Spinster Sisters in Santa Rosa.

THE PLACES I GO TO AGAIN AND AGAIN

Too much good food! On our days off, not a ton is open, but I love dim sum so we’ll go to Hang Ah in Santa Rosa. And then when I’m craving larb or pad kee mao, I hit up Khom Loi in Sebastopol. And also PizzaLeah in Windsor for the square pie with hot honey and peppers. Breakfast at Willow Wood in Graton for a scramble and a cappucino. Or El Molino Central in Boyes Hot Springs, especially when they have lamb tacos.

Ephrain Balmes

Chef-owner Sonoma Eats, Sonoma

LATE NIGHT

I go to Palooza in Kenwood. I like their hamburgers; they’re the best. You don’t need to dress up, and they have a really good selection of beers that they make right there.

DATE NIGHT

Salt & Stone in Kenwood, because I like the menu. They change it up a lot, so it’s not the same boring things over and over. I also really like the cocktails. It’s a great ambiance to relax in.

FOOD TRUCK

El Roy’s in Petaluma. I can just go on my way and grab a quick lunch, and I can eat it in my car. Plus they have a good selection of tacos that are different than mine.

BREAKFAST FAVORITE

I go to Sunflower Caffe every week. They have a really good breakfast. I get avocado toast, a latte, and a mimosa and always eat outside on summer mornings.

James Byus

Chef-owner Vine Burger, Santa Rosa

DATE NIGHT

We like Guiso Latin Fusion (in Healdsburg). We pretty much always get the paella and house salad. My wife loves the passion fruit vinaigrette because she’s from Colombia. His paella is unique and different. I could bathe in the (paella) broth it’s so good.

THAT’S SO SONOMA

I’m originally from the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, so I lean towards places on the water. In Bodega Bay, I really like Fishetarian’s fish tacos and clam chowder.

CHEAP EATS

Zoftig in Santa Rosa is my go-to for a burrito or falafel wrap. It’s delicious, quick, and high quality.

WITH OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

Ca’Bianca is our favorite. It’s in a beautiful Victorian home in Santa Rosa. They have a great wine list with Italian wines, and everything is housemade and traditional. They hit on all cylinders every time we go in.

Melissa Yanc

Chef-owner Troubadour, Healdsburg

TAKE THE KIDS

Psychic Pie is our favorite, the food is like bakers made it, like a person who understands the physical science made it. The locally sourced ingredients and interesting desserts seal the deal for our family.

FOOD TRUCK

Delicias Elenita. The food is so solid and for the price point, a lot of seating is available on site, and it feels like you’re somewhere else.

GOODIES AT LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS

Herbs! They’re so potent, no matter the vendor. It’s the purest of pure flavor.

WITH OUT-OF-TOWN GUESTS

Lo & Behold in Healdsburg is a great one, especially in warmer seasons when you can sit on the patio. It’s also kid friendly and good for groups.

The post Where Chefs Eat in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Whenever I visit a new place, I’m eager to find restaurants that serve up the true flavors of the region. That’s not always an easy feat when Google-optimized lists, pumped-up Yelp reviews and sales-driven picks top the online search results.

As a longtime dining editor in Sonoma County, I want to be your guide to the essential, “most Sonoma” restaurants that locals and visitors should know. My selection of best restaurants is entirely based on the impressions of someone who has dined for a living in this area for nearly 20 years. No one paid to be on this list. I don’t accept free meals or any other compensation in return for positive reviews.

If you’re a visitor to Sonoma County, you’re in for an incredible gastronomic experience. Here, chefs take pride in using ingredients grown just miles away and that are often still warm from the sun when they reach the kitchen. This is what makes this area so special and these 30 restaurants stand out.

The selection criteria 

In order to make this list, restaurants need to feature local ingredients on their menu, which should change with the seasons and reflect the land and waters around us. This list also highlights chefs whose skills and attitudes I respect.

Those are not the only qualifiers. Sonoma County also is home to a large Latino population who’ve brought the recipes and flavors of Latin America to this region. Latino chefs and restaurants are not only part of the local food scene, but continue to shape it in a significant way and therefore are also included on this list.

Not every eligible restaurant has made this list. I’ve had to make difficult choices for the sake of brevity. I hope you’ll look through sonomamag.com to find some of the great spots I’ve left out.

Please note that prices and menus change frequently — the dishes I’ve mentioned here may no longer be available by the time you read this. Click through the above gallery for favorite dishes and a peek inside each restaurant. 

Best Sonoma restaurants $$$$

Cyrus

Chef Douglas Keane and business partner Nick Peyton have created a mix of opulent, painstakingly-created European and Japanese small bites arranged with culinary tweezers and served on bespoke ceramic dinnerware. It doesn’t get much more pinkies up than their $295 prix fixe, 17-course meal. The minimalist restaurant interior with wrap-around windows highlights the lush vineyard setting. Tickets for the Dining Journey are released two months in advance at exploretock.com/cyrus.

Tasting menu: $295 per person (excluding wine pairings). 275 CA Highway 128, Geyserville, 707-723-5999, cyrusrestaurant.com

Single Thread Farms Restaurant

A 15-plus-course tasting menu at this three-Michelin-starred restaurant is not just a night out, it’s an event. Chef Kyle Connaughton’s micro-seasonal dishes are inspired by his time in Hokkaido, Japan, and the bounty of the restaurant’s farm. Reservations are required for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. The wine list is one of the best in the area, and that’s saying something.

Tasting menu: $425 per person (excluding wine pairings). 131 North St., Healdsburg, 707-723-4646, singlethreadfarms.com

Best Sonoma restaurants $$$

Animo

(Temporarily closed — check out casual sister restaurant Golden Bear Station in the meantime)

Whole Spanish turbot is a signature here, along with Iberico pork and duck. The tiny restaurant is centered around an open kitchen with a fiery hearth that’s part of the entertainment. The menu is Basque-meets-Korean-meets-Californian and owners Josh Smookler and Heidy Mu keep things interesting by constantly updating their dishes.

Entrees: $65 to $85. 18976 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, @animo_restaurant

Studio Barndiva

Kick back in this expansive art and dining space for a craft cocktail, The Gallery Burger (a hamburger stuffed with cheese in a Bordelaise sauce) and thoughtful conversation. Watch for upcoming events that highlight environmental visionaries.

237 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-431-7404, barndiva.com

Bloom Carneros

There’s so much to love about this Sonoma hideaway, from its welcoming dog- and kid-friendly patio to the audacious (but delicious) wines from Kivelstadt Cellars. Chef Jennifer McMurry has elevated the menu with outstanding farm-to-table dishes that reflect both season and sense of place. It’s an unpretentious way to really dive into the best of what Sonoma County has to offer, all in one spot.

Lunch entrees: $17 to $24. Dinner entrees: $24 to $41. 22900 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-938-7001, bloomcarneros.com

Central Market

Dressed in his chef’s coat, Tony Najiola looms large over the dining room — watching every dish go out, visiting every table to ensure his patrons are happy — but he never imposes. The open kitchen, dining room and bar feel airy, with views of the wood-fired oven and the line. But it’s the food, frequently sourced from Najiiola’s Muleheart Farm, that really does the talking here. Instead of foams, potions and powders, the food is just food.

Entrees: $34 to $41. 42 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-778-9900, centralmarketpetaluma.com

Glen Ellen Star

This unassuming little cafe in Glen Ellen is a constant critics’ darling. Chef Ari Weiswasser’s deceptively simple wood-fired dishes showcase the best ingredients in the county, with much of his produce coming from a farm just behind the restaurant. It’s easy to shrug at simple menu items like tomato pie with esplette pepper, but it’s divine, along with seasonal wood-roasted vegetables, brick chicken or whole fish with fava leaves and new potatoes.

Entrees: $26 to $68. 13648 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-343-1384, glenellenstar.com

The Madrona

The Madrona, formerly Madrona Manor, has become a design-forward hotel with a mix of contemporary and historic furnishings and an entirely new take on their food program. Chef Patrick Tafoya has created a food program that’s both elegant and approachable — much like the colorful dining room and outdoor patio decor. The restaurant is open to the public for brunch, lunch and dinner, offering up daytime dishes like Chicken Paillard, burgers, steak frites and pizzas and more elevated dinner menu featuring seasonal plates like black cod with caviar cream or a New York strip steak. Dinner entrees: $25 to $56. 1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-395-6700, themadronahotel.com

Table Culture Provisions

Table Culture Provisions (TCP) has become one of the hottest dining tickets in Sonoma County as owners Stephane Saint Louis and Steven Vargas have rolled out their Michelin-worthy seven-course tasting menu. During the Social Hour, from 4 to 5 p.m., TCP also offers an a la carte menu of snacks and larger dishes. Reservations highly recommended.

Seven-course tasting menu: $125 per person. 312 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-559-5739, tcprovision.com

The Redwood

If you’re a fan of natural wines, this is one of the best places to find locally-sourced, small-batch bottles and wines by the glass. The food, however, is no afterthought at this wine bar. The menu is loosely defined as “international small plates,” so you’ll find a mix of dishes. The hummus plate is outstanding, with locally made pita. Still, the changing lineup of crudos, seasonal vegetables and larger entrees, like braised lamb shank or semolina crepes with honey butter, is outstanding.

Dinner entrees: $19 to $42. 234 S. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-861-9730, theredwoodwine.com

The Shuckery

Raw oysters are a Sonoma County staple and I love the small, unassuming Kumamotos at The Shuckery. Dedicated to the humble oyster, this cozy cafe is a shucker’s dream. Try the Bingos, grilled oysters with Cognac, mayonnaise, Parmesan and garlic. Larger entrees, like the whole fish for two, are worth the trouble. There’s a full bar and outdoor seating.

Entrees: $20 to $43. 100 Washington St., Petaluma, 707-981-7891, theshuckeryca.com

Street Social

With just six tables and 300 feet of dining space, Street Social, is unavoidably intimate, even at its busiest. Chef Jevon Martin is a chef’s chef. You’ll likely find other culinary giants nibbling away on dishes like Kurobuta pork riblets with fish sauce caramel and chicharrones, or Meyer lemon curd with brown butter crumble.

Dinner entrees: $37 to $45. 29F Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-774-6185, streetsocial.social

Troubadour (Le Diner)

Chefs Melissa Yanc and Sean McGaughey, the owners of popular Quail & Condor bakery, have expanded their repertoire to include this sandwich shop by day and French bistro by night. For “Le Diner,” McGaughey plays with French classics like escargot with parsley veloute, herb salad with black sesame and coq au vin with pommes Lyonnaise. Reservations only.

Le Diner prix fixe menu: $125 per person. 381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, troubadourhbg.com

Valette

Chef Dustin Valette’s eponymous restaurant somehow manages to be luxurious and casual at the same time. A locals’ favorite, it features carefully curated ingredients and imaginative food experiences. Go for the “Trust Me” tasting menu that gives the best insight into Valette’s talents.

Trust Me tasting menu: $ 20 per course; minimum five courses. Entrees: $29 to $51. 344 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-473-0946, valettehealdsburg.com

Willi’s Wine Bar

Mark and Terri Stark own seven restaurants in Sonoma County, each worth checking out, but Willi’s Wine Bar best reflects their culinary vision. While the original Willi’s burned in the 2017 Northern California wildfires, the new location serves many of the same small plate dishes, an excellent wine list and cocktails. Favorites include the goat cheese fritters, Tunisian roasted carrots and Liberty Farms duck with smoked cheddar polenta.

Shareable small plates: $8 to $21 each. 1415 Town and Country Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-526-3096, starkrestaurants.com

Best Sonoma restaurants $$

Americana

The Farm Trails sign hanging over Ryan and Samantha Ramey’s cozy Railroad Square restaurant is the first hint that they take farm-freshness seriously. It’s a perfect breakfast and lunch spot, offering elevated takes on diner favorites. We’re ridiculously fond of their fried chicken sandwich, bone broth French onion soup and burgers with onion rings. The couple also owns Estero Cafe in Valley Ford if you’re headed for the coast.

Dinner entrees: $18 to $39. Breakfast and lunch dishes: $15 to $25. 205 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-755-1548, americanasr.com

The Barlow

This 12-acre outdoor market is chock-full of excellent restaurants. You can’t go wrong with any of the 10 eateries here; fortunately, you don’t have to pick just one. Graze the day away, nibbling on anything from fried chicken, grilled cheese, tacos and pizza to oysters and sushi. And while all of that might sound a little pedestrian, you’ll be ridiculously impressed with the foodie-cheffy vibes here.

6770 McKinley St., Sebastopol, thebarlow.net

Diavola Pizzeria and Salumeria

Chef Dino Bugica’s wood-fired pizzas are just one aspect of the Italian-inspired menu at his northern Sonoma County restaurant. Pasta and brick chicken are on the dinner menu, too, as is excellent house-made salumi. Don’t miss the more casual Geyserville Gun Club next door.

Entrees: $24 to $33. 21021 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-814-0111, diavolapizzeria.com

El Milagro

This Cloverdale restaurant serves regional Mexican cuisine that makes the drive north worth it, running the gamut from pumpkin seed mole and guisado (slow-braised stew) to simple flautas and tacos. Everything is made from scratch here, following authentic family recipes.

Entrees: $20 to $22. 485 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707-894-6334, elmilagrocloverdale.com

Handline

This family-friendly, fast-casual restaurant focuses on sustainable seafood, tacos and great burgers in the coastal California tradition. Handmade corn tortillas, excellent al pastor, soft serve ice cream and fresh daily produce never fail to impress. The expansive outdoor patio is another plus.

Entrees: $15 to $23. 935 Gravenstein Ave. South, Sebastopol, handline.com

Pizza Leah

Leah Scurto puts every bit of her soul into making dough, sauce and cheese as perfect as possible. Her pizzas come in two styles: thin-crust round pies that are 12 or 16 inches or square-pan pies made in limited quantities. The Old Grey Beard is a great place to start.

Pizzas: $21 to $30. 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 116, Windsor, 707-620-0551, pizzaleah.com

Rocker Oysterfellers

It’s no surprise that oysters — raw, baked or barbecued — are menu favorites here, but this unassuming roadhouse has so much more on the menu. It’s a perfect brunch or happy hour destination focusing on local seafood (crab cakes and fish tacos are insanely good), Southern-inspired classics (beignets, shrimp and grits) and cocktails.

Entrees: $20 to $35. 14415 Highway One, Valley Ford, 707-876-1983, rockeroystefellers.com

The Spinster Sisters

Seasonally-inspired dishes change frequently, but this is a spot that anyone you’re dining with can enjoy. Chef Liza Hinman has broken up her menu into distinct sections with local seafood (the house-smoked trout pate rocks), local veggies (the mushroom hand pie is a must-order), pasture (steak, duck), local cheeses and sweets. Sit outside under twinkle lights on the casual patio and soak in the Sonoma vibe.

Entrees: $16 to $32. 401 South A St., Santa Rosa, 707-528-7100, thespinstersisters.com

Valley Bar and Bottle

This super-buzzy restaurant, wine bar and bottle shop is all about letting yourself enjoy the mystery of the menu. The menu doesn’t dally with long, overblown explanations, but you can’t go wrong no matter what you order. Favorites include Dungeness crab roll, fried artichokes, tuna poke with fermented chile, a comforting half chicken with leeks and prunes, and crispy rice cakes with scallion-ginger sauce. Open for dinner and brunch, with unusual and unexpected small-production wines.

Entrees: $13 to $32. 487 First St. West, Sonoma, valleybarandbottle.com

Best restaurants in Sonoma $

Acme Burger

“Burger” is a state of mind here. Sure, there are plenty of excellent beef options, of the grass-fed, locally-sourced kind. But the hard-to-pick-one lineup also includes Willie Bird turkey, plant-based patties, buttermilk fried chicken, ahi tuna, Bodega rock cod and seared pork belly confit, all sandwiched between soft, sesame buns.

Single burgers are $6.75; fancier burgers, fried chicken, fried fish and BBQ pork are around $11.75. 1007 W. College Ave., Suite D, Santa Rosa; 330 Western Ave., Petaluma; 550 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati, acmeburgerco.com

Don Julio’s

Hidden away in a strip mall, this Salvadoran pupuseria isn’t the least bit fancy, but serves up some of the best “Latin fusion” dishes around. Go for the pupusas, for sure, along with sweet corn tamales and tropical burritos made with marinated meats and served with tropical salsas. Mix things up with a pupusa burger — a choice of meet sandwiched between two pupusas.

Entrees: $11 to $17. 217 Southwest Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-242-3160, donjulioslatingrill.com

El Fogon

Come here for top-notch tacos, tortas and antojitos (snacks), plus Mexican street food faves Tostilocos, machetes (a long corn tortilla filled with meat and cheese) and pambazo (a red sauce-soaked sandwich).

Entrees: $8.99 to $15.99. Tacos: $2.99 to $4.99. 6650 Commerce Blvd., Rohnert Park; 623 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, elfogonca.com

Mitote Food Park

Roseland is the heart of Santa Rosa’s vibrant Latino community and is a must-visit for antojitos (snacks), tacos, agua chiles and tortas (among many other delicious dishes). Mitote, a new food truck park, serves up some of the most authentic Mexican food on this side of the border. You’ll find plenty of outdoor seating and a a full bar featuring mezcal cocktails at this year-round fiesta.

Most dishes are under $15. 665 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, mitotefoodpark.com

Pupuseria Salvadorena

This locals’ spot, frequented by Salvadorans, serves up no-frills comfort cuisine from Latin America. Pupusas, a masa dough filled with cheese or other ingredients, are top-notch, along with fried empanadas and tamales.

Pupusas, tamales and empanadas are between $2.50 and $3.50 each. 1403 Maple St., Santa Rosa, 707-544-3141

Taqueria California

The ultimate bite of carnitas straddles the line between crispy crunch and soft, melty meat. This humble taqueria has the magic touch, avoiding the leathery, tough strips of meat that others pass off as carnitas.

Tacos are $4 to $5 each. 6560 Hembree Lane, Windsor, 707-836-4242.

The post The 30 Best Restaurants in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Feeling like dining is finally fun again? We are, too. Underground pop-ups, food-centric wine bars, and farm-to-table favorites are gathering all kinds of momentum this summer.

For this list, our team focused on spots that have opened since 2022. We defined “restaurant” loosely — as in, “any place where you can get great food”– canvassing food trucks, popups, and takeout spots as well as more traditional establishments. And just for fun, we’ve asked each of our winners to share where they like to dine out with their own loved ones. The result: A snapshot of favorites you’ll return to again and again. Click through the above gallery for a few top dishes.

Cyrus

This is Cyrus 2.0, really, since the Healdsburg original closed a decade ago, then reopened last September as a dramatically reinvented concept in a former Sunsweet prune packing plant. It’s elegance perfected, as guests are guided through a Champagne and canapes reception, elaborate hors d’oeuvres at an interactive chef’s table in the kitchen, entrées in the main dining room, and finally, dessert in room of chocolate with a molten candy fountain.

Chef-owner Douglas Keane has brought back many from his original team, and a few signature dishes, including a gorgeous Billi Bi soup of slow-cooked mussels in a silky broth of heavy cream, butter, fennel, and saffron.

The 20-course, $295 per person feast showcases Cal-Asian creations that embrace the five essential flavors: sweet, sour, salty, bitter and umami. That can mean delicate squares of raw shima aji (horse mackerel) set atop compressed watermelon radishes and sliced kumquat with sorrel, finger lime, ice lettuce, and shio koji. Or a silky oval of Hudson Valley foie gras drizzled in peach syrup-an already over-the-top rich dish elevated with warm steamed buns and salty-sweet white miso butter.

Cyrus’s Bubble Lounge is open for walk-ins, offering wine and à la carte bites. 275 Hwy. 128, Geyserville. 707-7235999, cyrusrestaurant.com

Bloom Carneros

Owner Jordan Kivelstadt recently decided the former Kivelstadt Cellars WineGarten & Eatery needed its own name, just in time for summer. So welcome to this newly rebranded, garden-centric destination on Highway 12/121. The creative, Cal-Med menu from chef Jennifer McMurry, is so expertly crafted that it can be hard for newbie customers to score a seat amid all the regulars flocking in. Previously open only for lunch, Bloom Carneros now serves dinner, too.

Kivelstadt scored a coup in landing chef McMurry, a Sonoma County native. She works magic with simple, seasonal, local ingredients in playful recipes that burst with upscale flavor. Chill out with clever mortadella corn dogs or fried chicken bites dolloped in whipped Bellwether Farms ricotta and house-made Calabrian chile jam. Or fancy things up with burrata and pea shoot pesto over arugula, followed by a bowl of glazed pork belly with grilled Hen of the Woods mushrooms, pistachio pesto, burrata, radicchio salsa verde and nasturtium flowers.

Bring your kids and puppies, too. The garden is a perfect playland and offers a kid menu. And-how cool is this-the kitchen treats canines like royalty, with their own menu of rice, veggies, and chicken.

22910 Broadway, Sonoma. 707-412-0438, bloomcarneros.com

Farmstand

Most people equate the posh Farmhouse Inn with the equally posh Farmhouse Restaurant. But last summer, owners and siblings Joe and Catherine Bartolomei opened a casual sister restaurant on-site, offering à la carte meals.

Under the direction of chef Seamus Guevara, the eatery operates out of a corrugated-metal-roofed shed that houses a mobile kitchen and a freestanding wood-burning oven. Guevara makes his own sourdough pizza doughs, breads, and pastas, including a towering, crisp-edged lasagna layered with chunky meat sauce and four types of cheese, or a wood-fired pizza topped in pork guanciale (the insanely tender and fatty cheek that sings with umami richness and a salty, velvety back note) and spicy Calabrian chiles.

Relaxing poolside next to the inn’s gardens feels almost like glamping, especially when we tuck into luxuries like local roasted trout dressed with chewy fregola pasta pearls, tart olives, and peppery arugula and French fries dolled up with porcini mushrooms, truffle oil, and a flurry of Parmesan cheese. It actually feels more decadent to eat such finery in a more rustic setting. And here’s a bonus for our ever-busy lives: we eat fine food, but we also can be in and out in an hour.

7871 River Rd., Forestville. 707-887-3300, farmhouseinn.com

Maison Porcella

This charming family-run gourmet shop and wine bar recently started offering lunch during the week with golden croque madame sandwiches, pâtés and French bread, and other gourmet treats. They’re also pouring on the elegance in the evenings with regular soirées featuring chef Marc-Henri Jean-Baptiste’s housecured salmon, duck pâte, and other delicacies.

Everything feels sparkly and special, especially with warm hospitality from Marc-Henri’s wife, Maud Jean-Baptiste. The couple, who met when Marc-Henri was working at a high-end restaurant along the French Côte d’Azur, have poured their heart into the business, a former catering kitchen transformed with French antiques (including Maud’s grandmother’s oak armoire and kitchen tools), shiny copper cases brimming with prepared foods to take home, and a thoughtful selection of French and local natural wines.

The bar is becoming a regular hangout for the winemaker set, many of whom have been taken, as are we, with Marc-Henri and Maud’s earnest passion for their work and their shared love of French food-both delicacies and rustic luxuries like country pâté and pickles.

More winemaker dinners are scheduled in the months to come, and the couple hope to expand their hours in summer. 8499 Old Redwood Hwy., Windsor. 707-955-5611, maisonporcella.com

Kapu

First and foremost, Kapu is a tiki bar. You know, the kind with little grass huts as seating areas, island iconography, and fruit-forward rum drinks that will knock you on your caboose if you’re not careful.

Kapu mixes and matches midcentury modern and pinup culture with island nostalgia, pirate booty, and tacky tiki elements everywhere. A large rectangular bar has open seating for a better view of the bartenders at work on their mysterious concoctions — the Fink Bomb, Tropical Itch, classic Mai Tai or Missionary’s Downfall.

If you know tiki, you likely know Kapu owner/manager Michael Richardson. He came to Sonoma County in 2020 to oversee the beverage program at Burdock Bar in Healdsburg, where he wowed locals with outlandish tiki drinks he first created for the famous Frankie’s Tiki Room in Las Vegas.

Chef Mike Lutz’s Hawaiian-inspired comfort food is ono-licious. After spending more than 20 years on the islands, he knows his grindz. Moody lighting makes it a little challenging to see the beauty of the food, but the flavors speak loud and clear. Poke nachos, fried noodles, and a tasty stuffed rockfish with sweet kabayaki Hollandaise are top picks. And the garlic chicken is a must-order, with crispy nuggets double-fried, bathed in shoyu, and sprinkled with furikake and crispy garlic.

132 Keller St., Petaluma. 707-559-3665, kapubar.com

L’oro di Napoli

Opening a new restaurant is never easy, but the launch of this family restaurant on downtown’s Fourth Street was a little bumpier than owners Domenico and Taylor De Angelis would have liked. L’Oro di Napoli opened quietly last summer but closed for a few weeks in fall for a quick reset with a new business partner. It reopened in late November with a fresh ambience, complete with art of a Naples street scene, and a renewed focus on Domenico De Angelis’s ingredient-driven pizza menu.

The Naples-born chef knows what makes authentic Neapolitan pie, and he’s nailing it, night after night. The crust, blistered from a wood-fired oven, is puffy and crisp with an irresistible, slightly stretchy chew. The classic Margherita, topped with San Marzano tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil is a great place to start. Elsewhere on the menu, De Angelis takes some creative license with toppings but keeps the puz y, crispy, chewy crust.

There’s always an of-the-moment salad, and De Angelis plans to add regular pastas as well. If it’s on special, don’t miss the mile-high lasagna, with sheets of housemade noodles layered in tomato sauce and béchamel-a dish as exciting as the pizza.

629 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707-293-9540, lorodinapolisr.com

Second Staff

When Sean Quan and Jenny Phan moved to Sonoma in early 2021 for Quan to take a job at SingleThread, the couple realized they missed late-night socializing with other industry professionals.

“We needed to find a way to hang out with people,” says Phan, “so we thought, ‘What the hell, we’ll just do it ourselves.'”

And so Second Staff was born, with a core group of six friends and a stable of different, cheeky pop-up concepts, including RageCage fried chicken, Space Balls boba and street snacks, and Small Men, with sandwiches named after different trim models of the Honda Civic.

Several friends have fine dining experience, so they recently launched a small-plates spinoff called FNCY + PNTS. Quan’s younger brother, Emmett, who is helping out in the kitchen while spending a gap year in Sonoma, calls FNCY + PNTS “the anti-tasting menu.” Diners carry cafeteria-style trays and choose dishes directly from the chefs. Nothing is over $15, and most dishes are less than that. It all feels very underground and understated-a food lover’s freestyle mix-tape of a meal.

“Restaurants should be a reflection of the communities they are part of,” says Quan. “But they should also matter and provide an insight into the community that you wouldn’t normally see.”

Various locations. second-staff.com

Mitote Food Park

Years in the making, this 7½-acre culinary paradise fully opened just last summer. Set in the heart of the predominantly Latino community of Roseland, a gathering of food trucks entices with tastes of Oaxaca, Jalisco, Michoacan, Yucatán, and Mexico City. There’s also a vibrant al fresco bar, live music, and an adjacent craft market.

Mitote is an incubator for Latino-owned businesses, giving entrepreneurs like the food truck owners support to establish success. Crowds throng to some 10 trucks, including Lucha Sabina (fabulous wild mushroom tlayudas and molotes), La Victoria (brilliant zucchini and pumpkin-blossom quesadillas on housemade tortillas), Maria Machetes (wildly good griddled hot dog draped with bacon, mayonnaise and queso), and Gio y Los Magos (decadent enchiladas Michoacánas served with roast chicken and potatoes).

Colorful papel picado banners decorate the picnic tables, and savvy diners load up with bites from several different vendors and always share plates to uncover flavors like huaraches loaded with cactus and chiles or quesadillas stuffed with huitlacoche, an earthy, savory mushroom-like delicacy.

For a sweet finish, hit up La Churroteka, for impossibly light, crispy churros stued with chocolate, caramel, or creamy condensed milk.

665 Sebastopol Rd., Santa Rosa. mitotefoodpark.com

Oyster

Who knows seafood better than a sushi chef? Chef Jake Rand, owner and sushi master at the popular Sushi Kosho at The Barlow in Sebastopol, opened a sister restaurant across the street last November. The Parisian-style oyster bar and seafood spot has beautiful outdoor patio seating and recently expanded into a larger indoor space next door.

Oysters are, not surprisingly, a highlight of the menu. They’re served raw, baked, and fried. The rest of the menu leans on sustainable shellfish, fish, prawns and octopus, all named “best choices” by the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch. Rand brings awareness to aquafarmed seafood-controlled cultivation of fish and bivalves in water. He also promotes the eating of filter feeders like oysters, mussels, and clams, which help keep ocean water clean, sequester carbon, and can protect shores from erosion.

Sustainability doesn’t always mean deliciousness, but here, you don’t have to compromise. Rand’s chile-dusted calamari with a kicked-up rémoulade sauce, a hearty oyster po’boy sandwich with a creamy lemon slaw, and seared scallops with brown butter are familiar yet luxurious. He makes his own aioli and cocktail sauce and has added fish and chips with duck-fat fries to the menu. Be sure to grab a bottle of bubbly to go with those oysters.

6751 McKinley St., Sebastopol. Instagram.com/oyster_sebastopol

Piala

The tiny, rustic hideaway holds a secret, serving Georgian cuisine from the Eastern European republic, alongside rare Georgian and European wines. Owner Jeff Berlin has created a casual, cozy place that invites you to hang out and play, though he takes his work very seriously. That’s him behind the bar, sharing his love of the region with anyone who wants to listen.

Before opening, he flew in a consulting chef from Georgia to teach his full-time chef how to make the unfamiliar-sounding dishes as authentically as possible. It’s hard to resist a clay crock of steaming-hot chashushuli, a soulful, aromatic stew of lamb head and neck with potatoes, tomatoes, chickpeas, and lots of spices and herbs.

Try the classic Georgian dumplings, too, stuffed with spiced beef and pork, kale and ricotta. And chvishtari, crisp-edged golden corn cakes oozing melted cheese, served with a side of lobio, a fragrant, garlicky bean stew for dunking.

Note: Berlin’s business partner is restaurateur Lowell Sheldon, who in 2021 was accused of sexual harassment by six former employees and, in one instance, of sexual assault. As a condition of the restaurant’s alcohol permit, Sheldon is not allowed to work at Piala nor enter the space when employees are present.

7233 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol. 707-861-9186, pialanaturalwine.com

Psychic Pie

These chewy, crispy, double-baked, rectangular Roman-style pizzas first captured our heart as a pandemic takeout offering, and we were over the moon when a brick-and-mortar location opened in Sebastopol. The menu here changes weekly, with options dreamed up by husband-wife owners Nicholi Ludlow and Leith Leiser-Miller that celebrate the season.

Farm-fresh toppings include chèvre with fresh lemon and herbs; potato with chile oil, mozzarella, and crème fraîche; and hot coppa with Estero Gold cheese, mozzarella and hot honey. There’s always one vegan selection, several vegetarian choices and a couple of meaty slices. The pizzas are sold by weight (order by the finger width-three fingers wide is a good small slice and runs about $7) and trying different options is encouraged.

“We’re a slice house, and we want people to have fun, just have a little levity. We want them to come eat good food, hang out, chill and maybe have a drink and just be happy,” Ludlow says. “We’re not fine dining, and we’re not looking to make anyone intimidated.”

The couple launched Psychic Pie as a side hustle while working full time at San Francisco’s Del Popolo pizzeria, perfecting their recipe for a chewy-crispy, naturally fermented sourdough crust. They sold out completely by word of mouth and a business was born.

So why the name Psychic Pie? The couple aren’t psychics or mystics. Ludlow studied to be a podiatrist, and Leiser-Miller is a former field researcher with a Ph.D. in the biology of bats. Both walked away from academics for a life in food, using all their brainpower to obsess about things like dough and where to get seasonal tomatoes or sustainable meats while raising their young family in Sonoma (the couple are expecting their second child just as this issue hits newsstands).

“We want to be a mom-and-pop and focus on this community,” Ludlow says. “Everyone is warm and fun, and we want to continue to support the people here.”

980 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. 707-827-6032, psychicpie.com

The Redwood

Young restaurateurs and bar owners in Sebastopol are contributing to a forward-thinking food scene unlike any other, and that includes the city’s newest spot, a natural wine bar with excellent food called The Redwood. Owners Geneva Melby and Ryan Miller (both alums of local Thai standout Khom Loi) know exactly what the next generation of wine drinkers want in their glasses.

These new-school sippers are, in simple terms, an un-futzed-around-with style of wine that stands in contrast to the helicopter-parent winemaking of Napa and Sonoma. They’re food-friendly and often remain unfiltered, giving them an often funky, un-wine-like quality.

Melby is an excellent chef, whipping up stunning nibbles as well as bigger entrées for dinner. The menu is divided into snacks, small plates, big plates, and desserts and guests are welcome to eat, drink or both.

The Redwood’s Route One Pita and Dips include a lineup of smoky baba ghanoush, hummus, and herbed labneh that you’ll crave for days afterwards. Dishes like scallop crudo tart with slices of kumquat, fennel, and drips of fennel frond sauce is chef’s-kiss good. The menu changes seasonally, but will continue to include snacky tinned fish with potato chips and pickles, and heartier, vegetable-forward dishes and risottos.

234 S. Main St., Sebastopol. 707-861-9730, theredwoodwine.com

Sonoma Eats

Sonoma Eats owner Efrain Balmes arrived in Sonoma County in 2007 with nothing but a dream and a drive to make something of himself. Though it’s a worn archetype, it exemplifies the vineyard-worker-to-business-owner hopes of many in the Agua Caliente community. Working multiple jobs, he saved up to buy a $29,000 mobile home shared with multiple roommates. In 2017, he sold the home for three times its original price and used the proceeds to purchase a food truck he parked at the Barking Dog Roasters.

Balmes’s Oaxacan eatery serves up elevated basics like a mole enchilada with intense flavors –chocolate, roasted chiles, nuts and potent herbs-mixed into an almost black sauce and cooked slowly over several days. Simple shrimp tacos are served with a light aioli studded with juicy tomatoes. This dish is restrained rather than over-seasoned and drowning in toppings to mask cheap ingredients. Generous beer-battered Baja fish tacos made with catfish beats the pants oz more traditional cod, while Balmes’s chipotle aioli lends sweet heat.

Vegan mushroom tacos are so much more than a concession to the moment, elevated with avocado and salsa verde. They’re also great in the mix with other à la carte tacos, including carne asada, chicken, carnitas, al pastor, chorizo and nopales.

At Barking Dog Roasters, 18133 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma. 707-939-1905; sonomaeatsmex.com

Vine Burgers

When James Byus III swung open the doors of Vine Burgers last March, his mission was to make the best burgers in town. Those in the know seek out the unassuming strip mall location tucked behind a weedy field that was the K-Mart before the Tubbs fire. It’s a gritty landscape that belies the quality food that Byus and his small team turn out each day.

There’s a burger here for everyone, from basic beef to feta-topped lamb with meat sourced from Sonoma County Meat Co. A selection of seafood sandwiches, including lump crab cakes and a Cajun tuna burger, are made in- house from scratch with seafood from local purveyors. All burgers are served on toasted brioche bun.

This is a burger joint even vegetarians can feel good about, with a veggie burger, several salads, and a robust list of vegetarian sides including mayo-slathered street corn and housemade fried pickles.

Regulars know to order a side of fried cheese curds from the “secret” menu, a once-in-a-while special that was so over-the-top good that Byus made it a permanent addition-dine-in only, though.

It was a wine sales job that drew the Maryland-born Byus to Sonoma County in the first place, so it’s no surprise that he offers a succinct but super-appealing globe-spanning wine list. There’s also a rotating list of craft beer on tap so burgers can be washed down the way they were meant to be-with a cold pint of suds.

3579 Industrial Dr., Santa Rosa. 707-536-9654, vineburgers.com

Troubadour

This pop-up dinner restaurant is refreshingly single-minded in its vision of elevated French bistro cuisine. A side project of chef Sean McGaughey, the intimate, multi-course dinner is served five nights a week in the same space as the nibble-size bakery he and wife Melissa Yanc founded in 2021. The couple is also behind the buzzy Quail & Condor bakery that opened locally in 2020 and a yet-to-open spot in the former Campo Fina. Yep, that’s four concepts in less than two years for the SingleThread alums.

The menu isn’t Cal-French or Mediterranean-French or another fusion. It’s just French, with all the unpronounceable but delicious sauces that have been perfected over centuries. McGaughey and his small team cook seasonal, locally sourced dishes such as duck à l’orange with crisp salty skin, Wagyu steak tartare with a cured egg yolk, petite escargot served in a Limoges teacup with creamy velouté and roasted garlic, and a thick tomato slice with tart sauce vierge and caviar.

The small kitchen at Troubadour, lacking a grill and many other staples of a restaurant kitchen, forces the team to think creatively and keep things simple. The four best seats in the house are at the counter facing Healdsburg Avenue. There, you can watch people go by (and be watched, eating) in the evening hours.

More private seats at the bakery counter are better for intimate dining, and groups of up to four can sit at a communal table. The vibe is a mix of irreverence (don’t miss the homage to Andre the Giant in the bathroom) and old-school French, with antique mix-and-match plates and a clubby San Francisco cafe atmosphere.

381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707756-3972, troubadourhbg.com

The post 15 Best New Restaurants in Sonoma County 2023 appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

From chilaquiles to high-end burgers to Georgian cuisine, here’s what to eat right now in Sonoma County. Click through the above gallery for best dishes to order.

Luma Bar & Eatery

At Petaluma’s new waterfront restaurant Luma, which debuted in late 2022, owner Jazmine Lalicker, co-owner of The Shuckery, gives proteins a supporting role. “We’re working to move cuts of meat that typically wouldn’t sell, so they’re not going to waste.

Everyone buys duck breast, but not the wings,” Lalicker says. The petite 4-ounce servings are a side note for braised greens, mushroom gnocchi, or vegetable flatbreads. Luma’s succulent Liberty Duck wings are slow-cooked in fat and seasonings for a rich, meaty duck rillette.

Luma’s mostly meatless menu is overseen by chef and (maybe a little ironically) butcher Travis Day, who used to own Petaluma’s Thistle Meats. The revamped 3,600-square-foot interior is filled with soft organic colors, modern furnishings and a spectacular new bar as well as a heated patio overlooking the river.

The main menu is broken into sections with snacks ($8 to $10), appetizers ($14 to $22), mains ($24 to $28) and sweets ($12). Mixing, matching and sharing are highly suggested.

Favorite dishes include braised greens and beans ($28) with charred cabbage, Swiss chard and beans in broth, and pillowy gnocchi ($24) with roasted sunchokes and mushrooms.

Mixologist Alfie Turnshek heads a well-thought-out bar program with a large selection of low- or no-alcohol concoctions with fresh herbs, juices, and syrups. The refreshing Changeling includes aquavit, gin with a pineapple- vanilla infusion, Icelandic yogurt, lemon and fennel liqueur for a drink that’s remarkably refreshing yet creamy and warming. A new favorite is the Hard Aport with bourbon, rye, Port, espresso, and orange oil.

“We want people to understand that we are here to listen to them. We want to make this a place you want to go. I think Petaluma is ready for this,” Lalicker says.

50 E. Washington St., Petaluma. 707-772-5037, lumaeatery.com

Lunch Box

Like other new brick-and-mortar restaurants that bustled into existence in 2022, Lunch Box is a well-tested pop-up concept that gained fans slowly before moving into a permanent space in Sebastopol. The concept features gourmet riffs on classic burgers, fries, grilled cheese melts, and hoagies.

A well-trodden favorite, the Burger Harn ($18), which oozes with cheddar, “fancy sauce,” onion butter, red onion and shredded iceberg, gets our nod for the ultimate bun-and-meat combination.

Kimchi Grilled Cheese ($16) is a proper bit of sandwichery, with melted Highway 1 fontina, Jack, and Cheddar cheeses, housemade kimchi, and garlic-chile aioli on Red Bird sourdough.

Thick and creamy tomato soup is a perfect soulmate for any of the grilled sandwiches, including meatball hoagies. And for prime French fry dipping, it beats ketchup any day.

128 N. Main St., Sebastopol. lunchboxsonomacounty.com

Chila-Killer Cafe

The name riffs on the restaurant’s signature dish, chilaquiles, a hearty breakfast (or hangover helper) of fried corn tortillas soaked in red or green salsa and topped with eggs, cheese, crema, and pork carnitas .

They are, in fact, killer. The all-day breakfast cafe also serves classic American diner food (eggs Benedict, pancakes) as well as Mexican classics ( chorizo con papas) and cross-cultural mashups like churro French toast and espumante sparkling-wine cocktails with horchata, tamarind, or guava juice. Don’t miss the Mexican hot chocolate with cinnamon and whipped cream.

5979 Commerce Blvd., Rohnert Park. 707-595-1779

CLOSED
Vine Burgers

Chef James Byus really doesn’t want to cook you a well-done burger at his Santa Rosa restaurant, Vine Burgers.

He will, of course. But it pains him to see his high-end, locally sourced beef, pork, and lamb turn into a hockey puck. (The lesson: Let the man do his thing.)

“I want to bring burgers up and wine down, making them both really good and approachable,” says Byus, who opened his off-the-beaten-path burger and wine spot in early 2021.

His crab cake sammy ($24) pays homage to a Maryland upbringing with seafood from Costarella in San Francisco. Excellent burgers abound here, including lamb with feta sauce ($16) and ground tuna with Cajun seasoning ($18). Byus also wants to get you excited about pairing some wine with that burger, with a well-curated lineup of pairings.

3579 Industrial Dr., Santa Rosa. 707-536-9654, vineburgers.com

CLOSED
Piala

After months of speculation about its future and a delay linked to sexual harassment and assault accusations against co-owner Lowell Sheldon, the county’s first Georgian restaurant and wine bar has opened in Sebastopol.

Piala co-owner Jeff Berlin, a longtime Bay Area wine director and restaurateur, says he is a longtime fan of the country’s food and wine traditions. Georgian food reflects the country’s location, with its Black Sea coastline and neighboring countries Turkey, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Russia. The result is a delicious mashup of European, Persian, Turkish, and Mediterranean cuisine. “The country is the size of Switzerland but has 22 winegrowing areas, and every village and town has its food specialties,” Berlin says.

The menu is concise, with just a handful of dishes developed by Berlin and chef Irma Hernandez. There is pkhlovani , a cheese pie with greens; soko , a mushroom dish with tarragon; ch’visht’ari, cornbread with cheese; mtsvadi , grilled pork with pomegranate and marinated onions; and khinkali, meat-filled soup dumplings.

The development of Piala stalled last year when co-owner Lowell Sheldon was accused of sexual harassment and, in one instance, sexual assault, by a dozen former employees. Sheldon denied the accusations. Several business partners distanced themselves from Sheldon, and Sebastopol’s planning department initially rejected Sheldon’s application for an alcohol license. The permit is now in Berlin’s name, and conditions bar Sheldon from drinking or serving alcohol and from directly managing employees.

“This is a passion project for the two of us, and I don’t think hiding from the issues was ever an option,” Berlin says, adding that Sheldon had chosen to confront the accusations head-on and remain involved in the project. “This is just something we both dreamed of doing,” says Berlin.

7233 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol. 707-861-9186, pialanaturalwine.com

The post 5 New Restaurants to Try in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Even in tourist destinations like Sonoma Wine Country, there are plenty of off-the-map eateries where locals congregate. Chances are you won’t hear about them in the guidebooks, but locals know where to find the tasty stuff. Click through the above gallery for some of our favorites.

The post 18 Sonoma County Restaurants Only Locals Know About appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Who wants to meet for a drink? Who’s ready to stay up late on a warm June night? We all are! Fingers crossed, it seems like we’re in a very different place than we were two years ago. This coming summer, it’s time (beyond time, really) to jump back into the scene in a big way. And Sonoma’s food community is stepping up, with a whole new crop of restaurants ready to welcome us back.

Click through the above gallery for our 50 favorite Sonoma County restaurants right now. First up, Sonoma Valley, followed by Santa Rosa/central county, Healdsburg/north county, Petaluma, Sebastopol/west county and the coast.

Below, you’ll find some thoughts about each destination from local food ambassadors.

Sonoma Valley

Kina Chavez, Kina’s Kitchen & Bar

What sets Sonoma apart

With just 26 seats, Kina’s Kitchen & Bar (known for many years as Picazo Cafe) has been a family operation for Kina Chavez and her husband, Sal Jr., since it opened in 2008. Aunts, uncles, cousins, kids, and parents are all part of the multigenerational machine that has made Picazo into a well-trodden community destination.

Chavez says the large immigrant population in Sonoma Valley means there are plenty of diverse menus— from birria and naan to Portuguese tapas, burgers, and pasta. “It would be nice, though, to have a place to eat great Greek seafood dishes, especially with a nice baklava as a dessert,” she laughs.

Full stomach, happy heart

“My personal motto is ‘panza llena, corazón contento,’ which means ‘full stomach, happy heart.’ These are words echoed in my Mexican household, and I am sure almost everyone else’s, also. Food is what brings smiles to people’s faces and joy to a table. And food matters a lot to me and my family; it feeds the soul and the tummy.”

Diverse cuisine

“There is coverage on all sides of the Valley, with different styles of cuisine. Downtown Sonoma clearly is a gem of a plaza, with great establishments from corner to corner, but you could drive north on Highway 12 to find great food on Arnold Drive.”

Family-focused

“You are bound to run into one of the owners at most establishments, one of the team members that has seen your children grow up. The Sonoma food scene is very accommodating and warm. It is a special community to live in.”

Santa Rosa/Central County

Cheyenne Simpkins, Wine Country Feasts

What sets Santa Rosa apart

Cheyenne Simpkins is a Dry Creek Kitchen alum who later launched a local catering company, Wine Country Feasts, with his wife, Amber, a pastry chef. As events dried up during the pandemic, he pivoted to offering boxes of charcuterie and cheese for wineries looking for a food component with their tastings.

A longtime Santa Rosa resident, he has immersed himself in the region’s food culture. So what does he think of Santa Rosa’s dining scene? It’s a bit, well, complicated.

Downtown dining

“There aren’t too many places here to dine, but there are a lot of great places to get good stuff to eat. The way our current situation is with homelessness, and the parking situation, really hurt restaurants.”

Mom-and-pop favorites

“There are some Peruvian restaurants that are spot-on. I love the food truck court in Roseland, and the Charro Negro truck. It’s vibrant, fresh, and really unique. And Abyssinia is also a classic, one of the most underrated restaurants. I love to go support local chefs and other people’s businesses. It inspires me to do better. My absolute favorite takeout is Taqueria Las Palmas. It’s a chef’s paradise. I just wish it could be open at 2 a.m.”

What Santa Rosa needs

“Food halls are kinda like the new wave of things. They’re low risk, and we have no place like that. High rent prices deter potential restaurateurs from taking the leap. A small shipping container-sized food hall—that would be what we need.”

Healdsburg/North County

Ozzy Jimenez, Healdsburg Mayor, Owner Noble Folk 

What sets Healdsburg apart

Growing up in Sonoma County, Ozzy Jimenez has always had a deep connection with food and tradition. A child of immigrants, he watched his parents’ hard work and entrepreneurship pay off.

In his early 20s, he and his partner, Christian Sullberg, opened Moustache Baked Goods, a wildly successful bakery that eventually evolved into the couple’s current business, Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar. “I wanted to create a space for families and our whole community to enjoy and foster a love for locally made ice creams,” he says.

Through several recent wildfires, Jimenez has been a voice for Latinos in need of information and evacuation services. He is also active in supporting LGBTQIA+ individuals, serves on the city council, and was made the town’s mayor in 2021. He’s seen the challenges and opportunities of a growing Healdsburg firsthand.

Giving back

“We are a small, tight-knit community. We value good food, supporting farmers, and giving back like nowhere I’ve seen before. This was especially telling during the pandemic.”

Something for everyone

“Healdsburg has it all, whether it’s hanging out at Summer’s Market on a Sunday and running into your neighbors, or treating yourself to a night out at Ken Tominaga’s nigiri at The Matheson on the square.”

Empowering youth

“There’s work to be done on making the food industry work on an entrepreneurial level for young, small BIPOC-owned business. As leaders in the industry, it’s important to give back, but also, more importantly, to pave the way for young people to build their dreams, too.”

Petaluma

Naomi Crawford, Lunchette 

What sets Petaluma apart

For more than a decade, Naomi Crawford and her partner, Joel Baeker, hauled a portable wood-fired oven to 14 markets a week with their business, Pizza Politana. Now with a brick-and-mortar business in Petaluma, Lunchette, Crawford offers Roman-style slices of pizza, hearty grain bowls, and excellent soups and salads, as well as a marketplace for local and eco-friendly products.

Crawford uses sustainable products from local farmers and ranchers, and advocates for this approach with other local restauranteurs. As a member of Zero Foodprint, a nonprofit organization mobilizing the food community around agricultural climate solutions, Lunchette charges a 1% fee that’s invested into regenerative farming practices. She says Petaluma’s strength is its sense of community.

Taking care

“We look out for one another, for our customers, our employees, our vendors, and our farmers. We talk each other up, whether it’s on social media or to our customers, and support each other, so it doesn’t feel competitive.”

Farming green

“I think at our core, we all want what’s best for each other, for our town, and for our area. It doesn’t hurt that we are surrounded by amazing farms offering the best from the sea and the land, but also who do the good work of farming regeneratively.”

Neighbors and friends

“Since our town is so small, we end up getting to know our customers from the schools our kids attend, the gyms we work out in, the grocery stores. We get to know each other in a more connected way. And during the pandemic, this town showed up in a way that saved all our asses. This community cares. It makes us want to do the best we can for everyone.”

Sebastopol/West County

Jamilah Nixon, Jam’s Joy Bungalow

What sets West County apart 

Literally born in a Freestone barn, chef/owner Jamilah Nixon of the Jam’s Joy Bungalow cafés in Sebastopol and Cotati spent childhood summers in Louisiana with her Mexican grandmother and Creole grandfather, and later fell in love with Asian cooking after working on a shrimp farm in Thailand.

“Everything was big, spicy, sweet, and acidic,” she recalls. “The intensity of flavors was mind-blowing.”

Customers clamor for her “vibrant food for spirited people,” snapping up authentic BBQ pork banh mi with pickled carrots. And yes, that is a real, Down South spicy shrimp po’ boy on the daily specials menu.

Evolving West County culture

“I actually worked at the Inn of the Beginning 20-plus years ago (a former rock ‘n’ roll bar in Cotati). And I am raising a child here now, so it’s important to me that we have an interesting and diverse food scene. I especially wanted to create something delicious and accessibly priced for everyone in my own community.”

Flashback flavors

“Sebastopol’s The Farmer’s Wife has gorgeous, organic salads and sandwiches. Honestly, though, I miss the old comfort places like Lucy’s Café, that nod to Chez Panisse-style farmto- table that had thick-cut brined pork chops and mashed potatoes, bowls of soup with crusty bread and good butter, and warm fruit crisps.”

Keep calm and carry on

“There’s a lot of stress in the world now. But my daughter and I got a kitten recently, and just being able to watch it and laugh at something so ridiculously happy and unaware of the turmoil around it is amazing. I hope we can all strive to bring a little joy of our own like that to people every day.”

The Coast

Merlin Kolb, Fisherman 

What sets the Coast apart

Merlin Kolb uprooted his family more than a decade ago, moving everyone from Lodi to Bodega Bay for a very specific reason: fishing. “My dad taught me to fish as soon as I was big enough to hold a pole,” he says, fondly recalling their time catching trout, salmon, sturgeon, and stripers on the Mokelumne River.

At 21, Kolb moved to Alaska to work on a commercial salmon boat, later earning enough ocean hours to secure a U.S. Coast Guard 50-ton Master Captain’s license and start his own private sports fishing charter and vessel-piloting business.

Now, Kolb operates “Reel Magic,” a 34-foot catamaran, on guided excursions to catch king salmon, lingcod, rock cod, halibut, Dungeness crab, white sea bass, and albacore. “My childhood nickname was ‘worm,” he says with a laugh. “I guess you could say I really got gut-hooked on fishing early on.”

Sustaining a culture

“The ocean and river currents are always in flux, and fish have always naturally adapted to water temperature changes. So climate change really isn’t affecting them, it’s devastating water supplies and their habitat. Too many dams, too much commercial water diversion, so the waters warm up and cook the eggs before they can hatch.”

“We need better official habitat management to protect our resources. Naturalists and small fisherpeople like me are struggling to lead the way and keep things sustainable for future generations.”

Local versus import 

“There’s absolutely no reason we should have farm-raised fish on the West Coast or bring it in from other countries. It’s no good — you only have to taste the excellent, wild fresh catch at our local restaurants to understand the difference. It comes straight from the water at family-owned joints like Spud Point Crab Co., Gourmet Au Bay, Fisherman’s Cove and more.”

The post The 50 Best Restaurants in Sonoma appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, but romance is always in the air. Whether you’re heading out for a quiet dinner for two, an evening on the town or venturing further afield for a weekend escape, we’ve put together a list of favorite restaurants for sharing with the love of your life (or the love of this month, either way).

The post The Most Romantic Restaurants in Sonoma County appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Three Sonoma County restaurants are the latest additions to the California Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand category, which includes restaurants recognized for value and high-quality food. The coveted Michelin stars, awarded to fine dining establishments, will be announced on Sept. 28.

Khom Loi in Sebastopol and Sonoma’s Folktable and Valley Bar + Bottle — all opened during the pandemic — were tapped for the culinary honor this morning, taking even the restaurants’ chefs by surprise. Most had not heard about the win until contacted by reporters.

After taking a year off in 2020, the French tire company known for its international dining guides has returned with this preliminary list of 45 exceptional restaurants offering two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for around $40 or less (tax and gratuity not included).

Inclusion into the Bib Gourmand category in a restaurant’s first or second year is never an easy feat, considering the ever-expanding list of contenders in the dining scene. This year’s winners also faced the daunting challenges of navigating mask mandates and other pandemic regulations, staff and supply chain shortages, as well as skittish diners — in addition to the usual hurdles of opening a new restaurant.

Sebastopol’s Khom Loi, the second restaurant for Ramen Gaijin owners Matthew Williams and Moishe Hahn-Schuman, was inspired by extensive travels in Thailand. The food is their take on the Southeast Asian cuisine, with perfumed curries, lush seafood, sticky rice and spicy chili peppers. Opening in the thick of the pandemic last February, the duo built a temporary tent as health regulations fluctuated, despite having a semi-enclosed outdoor space. Like other restaurateurs, they struggled to hire staff as many servers and cooks changed careers or opted to collect unemployment rather than return to jobs that generally pay low wages. Williams and Hahn-Schuman also separated with founding partner Lowell Sheldon in July.

Despite these challenges, tables continue to be booked well in advance at Khom Loi and the response to the new restaurant has been positive, Williams said, the Bib Gourmand frosting on the cake.

“This is a really nice validation of the hard work and sacrifice everyone on our team made this past year to open Khom Loi under the tough specter of the pandemic. We’re humbled and excited for the challenge of living up to the expectations and making the restaurant better each day,” Williams said.

Two Sonoma restaurants named Bib Gourmands

Top Chef finalist and restaurateur Casey Thompson opened Folktable at Cornerstone Sonoma in early 2021 with a limited takeout menu that only hinted what the restaurant would later become. A sprawling indoor cafe and an expansive patio amid the magnificent gardens and shops of the Sonoma marketplace came to life in late spring with the arrival of chef de cuisine Melanie Wilkerson, who delivered a signature menu that ranges from nibbly starters like tomato and peach salad to Japanese-inspired tater tots, Sonoma hot fried chicken and spicy poke.

“Michelin Guide’s Bib Gourmand announcement is an incredible accomplishment for Folktable. The whole team has worked so hard to not only open safely during the pandemic, but to create a vibrant community gathering space alongside our beautiful, seasonal dishes. We are gratified, humbled and immensely honored to see our vision recognized by such a prestigious international institution,” said Casey Thompson, Folktable Consulting Executive Chef and Director of Culinary Development for Sonoma’s Best Hospitality Group.

Valley Bar + Bottle in downtown Sonoma soft-opened last July with fanfare about the young owners’ cool vibe, carefully crafted food and thoughtful wine selections, but gained traction when it was named one of the best bars in America by Esquire Magazine in June. Co-owner Lauren Feldman did not respond to requests for comment.

Bib Gourmand winners are re-assessed each year, according to organizers, but can be dropped if the restaurant no longer meets the criteria. Wine Country Bib Gourmand winners in 2019 included Backyard (closed), Bravas, Chalkboard, Ciccio, Cook St. Helena, Diavola, El Molino Central, Farmstead, Glen Ellen Star, Grace’s Table, Gran Electrica, La Calenda, Oenotri, Ramen Gaijin, Redd Wood (closed), Risibisi and Stockhome.

This year’s newcomers spanned a breadth of California cuisines and locales rather than focusing exclusively on San Francisco, Wine Country and Los Angeles, with picks in Sacramento, San Diego, Santa Barbara and the Central Coast and the oft-overlooked North Coast, where Marin-based Tony’s Seafood restaurant in Marshall also was recognized.

Here is a complete list of the new additions to the California Bib Gourmands with Inspector notes…

ASA South (San Francisco): The kitchen manages to infuse a bit of fun into its repertoire of serious food. There’s something for everyone on this wide-reaching carte, especially if you love fish which is sustainably harvested.

Bee Taqueria (Los Angeles): This casual taqueria with serious focus and creative style arrives courtesy of the talented chef Alex Carrasco. Tacos, ceviche and tostadas reign supreme on the menu, which draws culinary inspiration from the chef’s childhood in Mexico City.

Bettina (Santa Barbara): After making a match at New York City’s Roberta’s, Brendan Smith and Rachel Greenspan took their pizza-powered love affair to the West Coast, leaving bohemian Brooklyn for a gleaming perch in the Montecito Country Mart.

Callie (San Diego): The cuisine takes advantage of the best ingredients SoCal has to offer in highly shareable dishes featuring the bold, sunny flavors of the Mediterranean. Vegetables and seafood steal the show, with spice as a key supporting character.

Cesarina (San Diego): Most of the menu is mix-and-match, with a selection of pasta shapes and sauces that can be paired to your liking. Those on a quest for indulgence should look no further than the truffled gnocchi with a cream sauce, served in its own copper pot.

CHAAK Kitchen (Orange County): The team behind these stoves swimmingly brings the vibrant smoke-and-spice-focused cuisine of the Yucatán Peninsula to life.

Chifa (Los Angeles): Chifa is the term used by Peruvians to refer to “Chinese restaurant.” The succinct menu pulls from family recipes and childhood memories to pack in flavor at every twist and turn.

Ciccia Osteria (San Diego): Set in a converted home in the heart of Barrio Logan, this adorable osteria is a true family operation. Francesca Penoncelli, who hails from Turin, leads the kitchen, along with her husband Mario Casineri, a Milan native.

Colapasta (Santa Monica): Nestled into a breezy locale just a few blocks from the Pacific, this modern trattoria packs a big culinary punch, thanks largely to the considerable talents of chef Stefano De Lorenzo.

Corazon Cocina (Santa Barbara): The Santa Barbara Public Market is full of alluring eateries, but after your first taste of this charming taco stand, you’ll want to pledge your heart. Chef and owner Ramon Velazquez mastered the craft of handmade tortillas and zesty salsas.

Dija Mara (San Diego): You’ll find some serious Indonesian cooking here. Excellent nasi goreng combines fried rice with shrimp, pork belly, chicken and the yolk of a sunny egg, while charred eggplant with smoked tomato sambal and crispy fried shallots is a textural and flavor-forward delight.

Dumpling Home (San Francisco): This casual eatery excels in the delicate art of soup dumplings, which arrive with supple skins and spoonfuls of delicious broth far clearer and more distilled than most.

Fable & Spirit (Orange County): The room is packed with an unmistakable hum of happy diners diving into delicious pub grub. You’ll want to order the Guinness brown bread which is an absolute delight, especially paired with plump P.E.I. mussels bathed in a thyme butter.

FOB Kitchen (San Francisco): This popular Filipino restaurant began as a pop-up. The menu is loaded with keepers, but keep your options open for tantalizing specials, such as sweet and sour sinigang with pork, eggplant and daikon or Janice’s ribs.

Heritage Barbecue (Orange County): Punctuality is of the essence as everyone is here, early and eager, for chef and owner, Daniel Castillo’s food. His creations draw inspiration from central Texas, so when that sweet scent of California white oak gets going, find yourself transported on a riotous journey, starting with slices of glistening brisket.

Horn Barbecue (San Francisco): Arrive early to this local sensation from pitmaster Matt Horn as there is bound to be a wait. It’s well worth your time though, as the chef’s “West Coast Barbecue” complete with inspiration is nothing less than rich, delicious and decadent.

iTalico (Palo Alto): The menu here is concise and well-edited, but there are some winning dishes. Start things off right with the salumi and cheese extravaganza before moving on to carpaccio, burrata or tonno crudo.

Jiang Nan Spring (Los Angeles): This spot’s Shanghainese focus makes it a valuable addition to the San Gabriel Valley. Sweet vinegars and fresh seafood figure prominently, most apparent in plates like an irresistible platter of tilapia fried in a tempura-like batter flavored with seaweed.

Kazan (Los Angeles): The name is Japanese for “volcano” and conveniently, this soba-focused spot blows the lid off its competitors. The menu offers many a choice, including a vegetarian option, but the #7 (lamb in lava) is a clear winner.

Khan Saab Desi Craft Kitchen (Orange County): Originally from Pakistan, chef Imran Ali Mookhi displays a certain deftness with spices, flavors, and in his handling of red meat at this South Asian gem.

Konbi (Los Angeles): Konbi is the brainchild of chefs Nick Montgomery and Akira Akuto, who present a unique menu of Japanese sandwiches, product-focused small plates and Proustian pastries.

La Azteca (Los Angeles): This modest counter-service operation has been serving hefty burritos from East LA for many years now. Flour tortillas are made in-house every day in full view of the dining room and boast a kind of richness and chew that others don’t.

Loquita (Santa Barbara): Servers know the menu by heart, so follow their lead and start with tapas like crusty pan con tomate, before digging into hearty chorizo y pollo paella. An homage to the El Bullí olive is a contemporary signature, while carpaccio garnished with pickled mustard seeds and aged sherry vinegar is forever popular.

Los Carnalitos (San Francisco): The two brothers behind this operation, which started as a wildly popular food truck, present delicacies like huaraches and quesadilla de huitlacoche that rarely appear on other menus in town. Here, quesadillas are made from house-made tortillas, so try the one filled with squash blossom, queso fresco and tomatillo salsa.

Luscious Dumplings (Los Angeles): It’s hard to order poorly at this delightful retreat. The menu is concise, with half of the items dedicated to the eponymous specialty.

Mentone (Central Coast): The carte is unusual, unveiling fried sardines with Meyer lemon aioli or white bean soup with chickpeas in a prosciutto broth. Pizzas take the cake, such as the “Pesto” shimmering with fromage blanc, Crescenza, and caciocavallo, or “Sardenaira” with tomato sauce, anchovies and olives.

Morning Glory (San Diego): It’s strictly breakfast and brunch at this spot in San Diego’s Little Italy. It’s all about familiar favorites and of-the-moment meals; hello, avocado toast and shakshuka.

New Dumpling (San Francisco): It is all in the name at this vivacious and cheery spot where dumplings are the star of the show. Watch them being made in the open kitchen, then consult the chalkboard for featured menu items.

Nixtaco (Sacramento): This unassuming taqueria, tucked into a strip mall in Roseville, is a sweet little spot that packs big flavor punch. The salsa bar alone—featuring five outstanding varieties, including a smoky peanut chipotle and tangy salsa verde—is reason enough to warrant a visit.

Oliver’s Osteria Mare e Monti (Orange County): Set just minutes from the Pacific Coast Highway, this Italian gem makes a delightful sight. Chef Erik De Marchi’s menu has something for everyone. He takes a range of familiar dishes and enhances them with an authentic flair.

Pho 79 (Orange County): If you are no stranger to the slurp, then Pho 79 is likely already on your circuit. After all, this place is an institution. Opened in the early 80s, it’s widely considered to ladle some of the best and most praiseworthy pho in Southern California.

Range Life (San Francisco): Tuck into appealing bites like fig toast with a drizzle of olive oil and salt, or delicately fried yellow squash and green tomatoes over toasted pumpkin seeds and basil aioli.

Routier (San Francisco): Belinda Leong and Michel Suas have long been recognized as Bay Area pastry royalty, so naturally, this foray into sit-down dining is a treat. To sweeten the pot even further, they tapped JP Carmona, formerly chef de cuisine at Manresa, to lead the kitchen.

Spinning Bones (San Francisco): On the quaint island of Alameda comes this causal concept from restaurateurs, Mike Yakura and Danny Sterling. Billing itself as a Californian rotisserie, the menu is also strewn with Hawaiian and Japanese accents.

Taquería El Paisa (San Francisco): This Oakland institution is widely hailed as the temple of tacos. Meat is given the starring role here, and offal, including tripe and cabeza, are of special note.

Tacos Oscar (San Francisco): The menu is scrawled in chalk, and while it’s simple—tacos and tostadas—it changes often. Meat, such as the braised pork shoulder topped with an avo-tomatillo salsa and chicharrónes, is a staple; but clever vegan versions, like the charred broccoli with soy-cashew cheese, give animal proteins a run for their money.

Top Hatters Kitchen (San Francisco): Husband-and-wife co-owners Matthew Beavers and DanVy Vu opted to honor this fixture’s former life as a family-owned hat shop by keeping the name. Chef Vu leads the kitchen, and her skillful contemporary combination of Vietnamese and Californian flavors is tantalizing.

Tumbi (Santa Monica: Just a block from the bustle of the Santa Monica Promenade, Tumbi feels worlds away, offering inventive Indian cooking in an industrial-chic setting.

Um.ma (San Francisco): The menu is peppered with Korean classics and served family-style, and it’s as small and inviting as it gets. Transcendent kimchi jjigae arrives bubbling hot with soft tofu, tender pork belly, tangy cabbage and a hearty broth.

WoodSpoon (Los Angeles): It’s clear that hospitality runs through the veins of chef and owner, Natalia Pereira, who originally hails from Brazil. The cozy dining room is lined with framed photographs and wine bottles. The chef’s careful and skilled hand is also evident in her food, which tastes of pure passion.

Yue Huang (Sacramento): This Cantonese restaurant is a hidden treasure. The dim sum selection features the standard array of steamed, baked and fried delights; however, diners are bound to also run across a range of more interesting items.

The post Michelin Taps Three Sonoma Restaurants for 2021 Bib Gourmand appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.