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.

Sonoma, with its rich history, scenic landscapes, and renowned food and wine culture, offers a wealth of experiences for all types of visitors. Whether you’re drawn to its picturesque plaza, surrounding vineyards or delightful dining scene, there’s no shortage of things to see, do and taste. To make the most of your time in this charming town, we’ve rounded up a few of the must-visit spots that will make for a perfect, laid-back day in Sonoma.

Sonoma Plaza makes everyone feel as if it’s their place. Designed by General Mariano Vallejo in 1835, it’s home to City Hall, a duck pond, rose garden and plenty of benches for prime people-watching. Start the day with espresso, waffles and mimosas at Sunflower Caffè (421 First St. W.), a sunny gathering spot right on the park that understands breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After, wander past the plaza’s Sebastiani Theatre (476 First St. E.) to check out what’s playing — the venue hosts both independent movies and occasional live shows.

A short drive away, raise a glass to Wine Country history at Buena Vista Winery (18000 Old Winery Road), in a tasting room that dates to 1857. The theatrical light-and-sound show at the winery’s Wine Tool Museum details early local history and stories of Buena Vista’s eccentric founder, Agoston Haraszthy.

Haraszthy’s historical tales continue at nearby Bartholomew Estate Winery (1000 Vineyard Lane). This was originally part of the same estate as Buena Vista, and guests are encouraged to wander the property just as the self-proclaimed “Count of Buena Vista” might have done. At Bartholomew Estate, you can opt for a guided forest bathing experience or escape solo on more than three miles of trail before sitting down to taste wines and nibble on marinated olives, pickled veggies, baba ganoush and more from Sonoma’s Spread Kitchen.

Flavors of the season aren’t limited to wine. In their smart tasting room a short drive from downtown, Hanson of Sonoma (22985 Burndale Road) mixes warm boozy delights like hot chocolate made with organic espresso vodka. It’s hard not to love, especially on a chilly afternoon. For a decadent splurge, pair vodka martinis with Thomas Keller’s Regiis Ova caviar.

Back at the plaza, reserve ahead at Valley (487 First St. W.) for a locally inspired, farm-to-table dinner and thoughtful, low-intervention wines. The crispy rice with ginger and scallions, and a custardy boiled egg with spicy, umami-laden XO sauce are standouts among an ever-changing lineup. Interesting visiting chef collaborations and special events happen throughout the year.

With so much to see and do in the city of Sonoma, it’s no surprise national outlets often sing its praises. Sonoma has been ranked the No. 1 U.S. city for luxury on a budget, the top place to elope in the country and one of the most timeless towns in California.

The post How to Spend A Perfect Day in Sonoma 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.

The tiny west county town of Graton is merely a blip on the radar (there’s not even a stoplight), but it is the essence of all that is weird, wonderful and deliciously delightful about the farther-flung regions of Sonoma County. Click through the above gallery for some of our favorite spots to grab a bite in and around Graton.

The post The Secret Sonoma Foodie Destination Only Locals Know About appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Every town has hidden gems that locals know, but usually elude outsiders. These restaurants are top-notch contenders that may not be on your radar. We’ve handpicked some gems worth seeking out. Click through the above gallery for details.

The post 5 Hidden Gem Restaurants You Need to Try in Sonoma County 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.

Truly, spring is one of the most beautiful times to be in Wine Country. Hills are still green and we’re all ready for longer days and shorter nights. Though plenty of restaurants have opened in the last few months, I’ve had a wave of nostalgia for some classic spots that have either changed significantly since my first visit, opened a new location, or just drew me back in for another look. So get out and enjoy yourself this spring — and that’s an order!

Click through the above gallery for photos. 

Pat’s International, Guerneville

For nearly 80 years, Pat’s Cafe quietly persisted in downtown Guerneville. With a focus on breakfast and lunch, meals were hearty workaday diner standards with family- friendly prices and fisherman-friendly hours. And for three generations under the ownership of the same family, not much changed.

Time meandered by like the nearby Russian River as salmon runs came and went. Floods came and went. Lazy Bear weekends, summer resort-goers, and Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence came and went.

Then came David Blomster and his Korean Fried Chicken.

Six years ago, Blomster began quietly hosting an evening pop-up at Pat’s that featured Asian-inspired dishes with California flair. It’s messy, saucy, cram-it-in-your-face kind of food, with his sweet-savory fried chicken as the star. It stuck.

Now, Blomster is heading the whole Pat’s show, taking ownership of the restaurant, removing the old bar, creating a new menu, and changing the name to Pat’s International to refl ect the gentle mashup of cuisines he’s featuring.

You can sit at the retro-cool diner counter or pad into the dining room with wall-to-wall green carpeting and wooden picnic tables. Napkins, silverware, and jam are already on the table.

Though you can certainly stumble into Pat’s with blinders on, it’s the journey into the town’s history and Blomster’s quirky design sensibility that’s a huge part of the appeal.

To take anything at Pat’s at face value is to miss everything. Every surface tells a story, from the mottled “pecky cypress” wood on the walls to the geometric plastic ceiling tiles that are actually an art installation by artist Jim Isermann, to a meticulously detailed 1950s Russian River map made by Bill Schaadt, considered one of the world’s greatest fly fishermen.

Everything at Pat’s comes with a side of history. Or fried chicken. Your choice.

BEST BETS

The KFC Sandwich, $10: The classic fried chicken sando comes with slightly spicy sweet and savory sauce, vanilla slaw, aioli, and a brioche bun. Or skip the chicken and get a fried KFT, made with tofu.

Mac and Cheese, $17.50: You can go with the plain mac, made with cheddar, Gruyere, and Parmesan cheese, but why not sex it up a little and throw some Korean Fried Chicken on top? If you can eat the whole bowl, I salute you and your powerful appetite.

Ham Benedict, $15: Why hasn’t everyone thought to make eggs benny with cheesy Mornay sauce instead of hollandaise? Details. Truly a triumph of yum.

Huevos Rancheros, $14: The classic made with layers of crispy tortilla, black beans, a thick disc of scrambled eggs, salsa, and sour cream.

Chicken Pozole, $16: A heaping helping of mild green chile and shredded chicken soup with hominy. Guaranteed to cure your winter blues.

Also check out: Tofu scramble, biscuits and gravy, hot cakes and syrup, a grass-fed burger, a vegan soba noodle bowl, “Catch of the Day” fish and chips, or the Reuben.

16236 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-4007, patsinternational.com.

K & L Bistro

When this tiny Sebastopol bistro won a Michelin star in 2013, it was an honor as well as a curse for owners Karen and Lucas Martin.

“We never had aspirations for that. We were just cooking and doing what we loved. We just wanted to be this little bistro,” according to Lucas, who runs the front of the house while Karen tackles the busy kitchen. “I mean, at one point we had a crib in here,” said the father of two. “We just wanted to enjoy what we did.”

Though they lost the star in 2009, the food has only improved over time, with an expanded menu and an expanded restaurant. It’s changed up its Parisian focus to a more diverse and contemporary menu that includes their son’s ode to In-N-Out’s Animal-Style French fries, ramen, mussels marinière, chicken piccata that honors Ralph’s Bistro (a favorite, now-closed Healdsburg cafe), lush ravioli, and Brussels sprouts.

A full bar, hopping happy hour, and desserts worth saving room for make it one of the few places where I think the prices are worth every penny. K&L isn’t cheap, but I’m betting you won’t walk away disappointed. Or hungry. After several cringe-worthy meals at local restaurants at the same price point, K& L was like settling into a warm bubble bath — comforting, decadent, and worth savoring each delicious moment.

119 South Main St., Sebastopol, 707-823-6614, klbistro.com.

The Bagel Mill

I am one of those tedious ex-New Yorkers who moan about how terrible the bagels are in California. We also gripe a lot about crummy pastrami and your ridiculous little pizzas. But mostly, it’s the bagels, people. They’re like puffy dinner rolls. It’s crazy. The Bagel Mill in Petaluma is the first local baker to even get close to perfection, both boiling and baking these ancient carbo-loaders into chewy, snappy rings of goodness — but with a Sonoma twist: farm-to-table sourdough whole-grain bagels.

212 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-981-8010, thebagelmill.com.

Santa Rosa Seafood Raw Bar & Grill

I don’t get the chance to do repeat dining at a lot of restaurants while in search of new experiences, but I happened to hit up Santa Rosa Seafood’s cafe the other day while searching for oysters. In many ways, it was bittersweet, having last been at the joined restaurant/fish market tasting oysters with owner Mike Svedise, who died unexpectedly in 2017. His presence still looms large. I was really impressed, however, to see that everything was as fresh and delicious as when it opened years ago. It’s really not much to look at, and parking is dicey, but fresh ahi poke is so good that they put the sauce — a smoky sesame oil or spicy mayo — on the side. Truthfully, it’s almost a shame to cover it up. The fish and chips are outstanding, as are the cioppino and the fresh oysters. The only thing missing was Mike, a bottle of vodka, and a little hot sauce to wash it all down.

958 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-579-3474, facebook.com/srseafoodgrill.

The post The Hottest Restaurants in Sonoma County Right Now, March 2020 appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Tasting an entirely new flavor is like discovering a color you’ve never seen. Consider that mindbender while I explain ssamjohng — a Korean chili sauce that’s become the new ultraviolet. Sitting at a 5-foot-long hibachi table inside the recently opened HanBul Korean BBQ with owner Han Soh, he points to a vaguely tan mixture with the kind of reverence reserved for church.

“That’s required,” he says as we sit among a forest of stainless steel bowls. Amid the mayhem of kimchi, pickled radishes, slivers of garlic, and sesame oil studded with sea salt, his thin metal chopsticks wave around the sauce made with miso, chile pepper paste, green onions, garlic, honey, sesame seeds, and sesame oil. “A lot of this is nice to have, but ssamjohng is required,” he says.

Slightly sweet, savory, salty, and mildly spicy, it’s almost impossible to describe other than to say, delicious.

Located on Seventh Street in Santa Rosa, adjacent to his other restaurant, Haku Sushi, Soh’s namesake Korean barbecue was in various stages of “opening soon” for 28 months. But Soh, who is a second-generation Korean, was determined to create the kind of restaurant that he would love in Sonoma County.

From its high-tech imported electric grill tables to its Asteroids video machine and from-scratch sauces, Soh says he wanted a gathering place for families and friends to hang out around the table and eat together, Korean-style. But most of the foods on the table, even for a professional eater, lie deep beyond the realm of recognition. Soh says that even for him, many of the banchan (little side dishes) that line our table are unknowns.

“In Korea you just shut up and eat what your mom made you,” he said, adding, “We don’t have a word for ‘family-style dining’ in Korean. It’s just called eating.”

Go for the family-style barbecue “set” that comes with three or four kinds of meat, the banchan omakase, soup, vegetable crepe, steamed egg, and rice. If you’re not really sure what to order for a group, go this route. You can do beef, pork, seafood, or various combinations of meats. If you’re going a la carte, dolsot bibimbap is a colorful pile of vegetables and fried egg placed atop rice that’s sizzling on a scalding-hot stone bowl. Think of it as the Korean version of fajitas.

HanBul Korean BBQ, 522 Seventh St., Santa Rosa, 707-919-3094.

Click through the gallery for more local restaurants to visit right now. 

The post 6 Sonoma County Restaurants You Need to Visit Right Now appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

Fall is the best time to eat out in Wine Country. Local farms and gardens overflow with of-the-moment produce that makes its way onto restaurant tables throughout the county. It’s also a great season to explore the cuisines of other lands — German, Vietnamese, Filipino, and Mexican — that bring unexpected flavors and dishes to the table. Here are a few spots to savor this seasonal embarrassment of riches.

Click through the gallery for the yummy pictures. 

Brot — German comfort food and drink come to Guerneville

Harkening back to her midwestern roots, Guerneville restaurateur Crista Luedtke’s homey German-style bratskellar just put the cherry on top of the town’s burgeoning food scene.

A mix of on-trend design, quirky charm, and classic Bavarian dishes, Luedtke and Chef de Cuisine Joey Blank have distilled the classic beer hall menu into a “best of” playlist that includes potato pancakes, spätzle, sauerbraten, schnitzel, creamed herring, and sausages. Mit kraut und bier. Lots of Deutsches bier.

The interior has been overhauled with added seating and thoughtful touches like a wall of cuckoo clocks and creative paneling to evoke the outline of the Alps. Old German movies play silently in the background, while an array of mason jars near the beer taps hold white asparagus pickle. It’s cute without feeling overly precious.

Brot — which joins Luedtke’s other ventures, boon eat + drink, El Barrio, and boon hotel + spa — translates as “bread” in German. For the stalwart entrepreneur, “brot” means more than a loaf of rye. It also means livelihood, and Luedtke has made it her mission to bring vitality to residents of the destination river town. That means a 20% service charge that allows her to pay the staff a living wage. In these days that offer a limited pool of local staff, surging food costs, and skyhigh rents for commercial space, many restaurateurs find themselves providing more of a public service than enjoying the largesse of a lucrative for-profit venture.

Though the menu itself can be daunting, with a heaping helping of umlauts and hard-to-pronounce words, the food itself is familiar and comforting with crunchy potato pancakes, an Alsatian pizza, spätzle (think tiny dumplings), and broasted chicken. With the addition of vegan sausages, the ever-popular schnitzel, and seasonal salads, there’s something for most everyone to enjoy.

Like any German restaurant worth its Märzenbier, Brot has an Oktoberfest-tastic lineup of Bavarian beers on tap. Luedtke has also gone to great lengths to have not only the proper glassware, but traditional wheat beers, lagers, and pilsners, many of which come from Bavarian brewmasters Schneider Weisse. They also serve incredible Rhône wines and desserts worth saving some room for. Brot is already a popular addition to the local melting pot of cuisines, and a testament to the fortitude that Luedtke continues to show in her adopted hometown. Plus, her mom — who helps in the kitchen — makes some truly legit potato pancakes.

Open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday at 5 p.m. 6218 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-6102 brotguerneville.com.

West — Handmade Burgers, Sonoma

Making cheap hamburgers comes at a high cost, according to Garrett Sathre, the owner of West — Handmade Burgers in Sonoma (technically Boyes Hot Springs).

A born and bred Sonoman, he’s a passionate advocate for grass-fed, sustainably sourced organic beef. He also understands that $20 for a burger, fries, and a milkshake is out of touch for everyday eaters.

That’s why he spent two years working with nearby Stemple Creek Ranch to source a great burger and try to keep surging costs at bay. It wasn’t an easy process, but he’s done it.

Instead of just buying ground beef, Sathre and his wife, Nicole Benjamin, purchase a whole cow each week from Stemple Creek. They flip patties for lunch and dinner daily and sell high-quality cuts of beef from a small refrigerator at the front of the restaurant. It’s your one-stop beef shop.

The restaurant offers five plays on their grass-fed burger, from simple to black-tie. There’s plain (homemade sauce, onions, tomatoes, butter lettuce, and homemade pickles and ketchup), cheeseburger, a Point Reyes Blue cheese burger, a smoked Cheddar and fried onions West Burger, and the luxurious truffle burger with truffle cheese. Fries and onion rings are far better than your usual burger bar along with homemade milkshakes.

18375 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-343-1479, facebook.com/WestHandmadeBurgers

Cocina Mana, Windsor

Never far from their roots as tamale cart operators, the Morales family’s Windsor restaurant is all simple homestyle Mexican cooking. Unsurprisingly, their famous tamales are a key feature on the menu, served up a la carte or in bowls with red or green salsa. Hefty tacos guisados plates with shredded chicken, beans, and rice are under $10, and their chilaquiles are a perfect hangover remedy.

From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., you can get champurrado, a warm Mexican chocolate drink made with cinnamon and masa harina.

7238 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 128, Windsor, 707-657-7701, cocinamana.com.

Tambayan, Santa Rosa

Where to find adobo chicken, lumpia, halo-halo, or banana sauce? Larkfield’s Tambayan.

You’ll find both familiar and “what exactly is this?” Filipino dishes that blend traditional island flavors (taro, coconut milk, banana leaves, banana sauce, fish) with influences from China (egg rolls, rice, soy sauce, steamed buns), Spain (adobo), and America (Spam — you’re welcome).

The family-run restaurant isn’t fancy, but offers up cozy homestyle cuisine like rib-sticking breakfast (silog) noodle bowls, beef satay, and off-beat specialties like pan-grilled milkfish, pork sisig (minced pork with rice, onions, and mayonnaise), and laing with dried taro leaves, coconut milk, and pork.

Go in with an open mind and hungry belly, because some of the best dishes require a bit of trust if you’re not used to having your meal on a banana leaf. Condiments are definitely part of the experience, and contrary to its name, banana sauce is a lot like sweet ketchup.

Save room for halo-halo. This traditional dessert combines crushed ice, evaporated milk, coconut strips, sweet beans, gelatin, and a scoop of purple yam ice cream.

600 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa, 707-843-3824.

Corner Cafe, Santa Rosa

Tasty Vietnamese food at a donut shop? It’s a thing. Though it seems like an odd pairing, there’s a long history of immigrants from Southeast Asia opening donut shops that happen to also serve the foods of their homeland. You can thank Ted Ngoy, a Cambodian refugee who is widely credited for not only building his own donut empire in the 1980s, but providing seed money for hundreds of other immigrants to purchase the high-profit-margin sweet shops throughout the state.

This spot had a slightly different trajectory, owned by longtime donut-maker Frank Whigham and his Cambodian wife, Champa, for more than a decade. The couple typically worked 18-hour days, sticking to fresh donuts of every stripe. At 89, Frank was ready to retire, recently transferring ownership to Kanha Kien, another Cambodian who owns Santa Rosa’s Yo Panda. That Corporate Center Drive cafe offers — you guessed it — donuts and Vietnamese food.

Go for the pho, barbecue pork banh mi, fresh rolls, and noodle bowls, but save some room for mango shaved ice, a specialty. Mango ice cream is shaved into impossibly thin stacked ribbons of flavor, topped with a pile of fresh mango and sugar syrup. They’ve also got a taro root version with strawberries that’s a more exotic take. Of course, you can’t leave without a couple donuts too.

4275 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-539-2416.

Miracle Plum, Santa Rosa

Neighborhood market meets specialty food shop meets bottle shop. And then there are the popup dinners and cooking classes.

Defying simple categorization, Miracle Plum embraces the idea of delicious things made well. The selection changes frequently, so one day you may find local honey and handmade pottery at a dumpling pop-up and the next time gelato and microbrews.

Owned by Santa Rosa natives Sallie Miller and Gwen Gunheim, the open space is constantly changing with the seasons and recent inspirations.

208 Davis St., Santa Rosa, 707-708-7986, miracleplum.com.

Worth the Drive…Tony’s Seafood, Marshall

This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it restaurant in the tiny hamlet of Marshall was a charming seafood destination until it wasn’t. A popular fish house for nearly 70 years, families came from miles around for the bay-to-plate menu. By the time the restaurant changed hands in 2017, however, it was a fading relic from another era.

After a two-year remodel by the owners of Hog Island Oyster Co., Tony’s has been reborn as a vibrant, modern seafood house with some of the best food and best views of Tomales Bay.

Old oyster shells litter the ground on the strip of land south of the cozy restaurant, giving a satisfying crunch underfoot. The smell of brine is a companion for the mildly harrowing journey along Highway 1, but the reward is a cozy, modern room filled with sunlight and bowls of shells on every table.

Seafood is the main attraction, naturally, with mostly local clams, mussels, crab, and oysters. There’s also fresh Alaska cod, halibut, salmon, and anchovies along with a handful of seafood-free items like the Tony’s burger, or battered-veggies and local greens if you’re fish-averse.

Whatever you do, don’t miss the clam chowder. There’s no flour to thicken it and only fresh, shell-on clams from nearby Hog Island Oysters making it an interactive experience as well as a tasty one. This version is heavy on the good stuff with aromatic herbs, fresh cream, and bacon, and light on the fillers (potatoes and carrots). This is what chowder should always be and rarely ever achieves.

18863 Shoreline Highway, Marshall, 415-663-1107, tonysseafoodrestaurant.com.

The post 6 Sonoma County Restaurants You Need to Visit Right Now appeared first on Sonoma Magazine.

The most important part of any trip, aside from where to stay, is where to eat.

While adventuring through the cities, towns and burgs of Wine Country, amazing meal opportunities are literally around almost every bend. If you’re like us, though, doing a little research beforehand on iconic local dining destinations can make your visit far more delicious — and less likely to end up at a drive-thru just because everyone’s starving.

Click through the gallery for some of the best Sonoma restaurants for first-time visitors.

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