From gyros and burgers to burritos and poke, here's 25 local restaurants with great value and great food.
Burger, Acme Burger, Cotati: Locally-raised, sustainable 1/4 pound beef burger for $5.95? it's a crazy good deal with Franco American buns and their own "Awesome Sauce." 550 East Cotati Ave., Cotati, acmeburgerco.com. (Heather Irwin)
Sandos, Broadway Market, Sonoma: Pay no attention to the slightly janky outside, because inside, there's a world of yum. The pastrami sandwich with homemade sauerkraut comes griddled or cold on a choice of nine kinds of bread, for about $7. One can eat well for $5-$10 throughout the entire menu. 20511 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-938-2685, broadwaymarketsonoma.com.
Meatball Bread Bowl, Slice Shack by Mary's, Sonoma: Forget the soup. Mary's fills a tasty bread bowl with their famous giant meatball and marinara. Slather cheese on top (or not) and it's all yours for $7.95. 14 West Spain St., Sonoma, maryssliceshack.com.
Tacos, Las Diablitas Taco Shop, Sonoma: $1.00 taco Tuesday, excellent homemade salsa bar and fresh chips. 18976 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma. (Courtesy photo)
Bagels, Homegrown Bagels, Sonoma: Beautiful bagels and bialys have been made here for nearly 40 years, and there are a variety of breakfast and lunch sandwiches, too. Best deal: six bagels and cream cheese for just $10. 201 W. Napa St., No. 21, Sonoma, homegrownbaking.wordpress.com. (Benjamin F. / Yelp)
Valley Joe Burger, Chili Joe's, Petaluma: An old-school cheeseburger, with American cheese, iceberg lettuce, mayo and red relish on a sesame seed bun. Simple, but brilliant. Smother the whole thing with chili for an extra dollar. 312 Petaluma Boulevard South, Petaluma, chilijoes.com. (Erik Castro)
BBQ Plates, What A Chicken!, Petaluma: You'll smell it before you see it, with a massive grill perfuming the entire block with mesquite smoke and grilling chicken. Choose from mixed grill plates, as well as tacos, fall-off-the-bone ribs, a so-so-sides like potato salad, coleslaw, and Spanish rice. Instead, get the freshly made corn tortillas and spend some time at the salsa bar. There's usually a line, so you'll have time to ponder the menu. 708 E. Washington, Petaluma.
The Amy Burger, Amys Drive-Thru, Rohnert Park: Double veggie patties, double cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle, secret sauce, $5.59. 58 Golf Course Drive West, Rohnert Park, amysdrivethru.com. (Beth Schlanker)
Anything in a bun, The Wurst, Healdsburg: Ridiculously good brats and burgers for a song. 22 Matheson St, Healdsburg. (Sammie G. / Yelp)
Anything in a bun, The Wurst, Healdsburg: Ridiculously good brats and burgers for a song. 22 Matheson St, Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin)
Tamales Bowl, Cocina Mana, Windsor: The county's best tamales (hands down) made fresh daily, bowl-style with all the fixin's. 9238 Old Redwood Hwy STE.128, Windsor, cocinamana.com.
Burrozilla: Castaneda's Marketplace, Windsor: Bust a very happy gut with the Burrozilla, a full pound of carne asada wrapped in two flour tortillas with rice, beans, pico de gallo, salsa, cheese, crema and guacamole. At $12.99, it feeds two. 8465 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-838-8820, visit on Facebook.
Reuben Sandwich, Mac's Deli, Santa Rosa: It's a splurge to eat their hearty pastrami Reuben, but with a mess of fries on the side, $8.95 seems ridiculously reasonable. Breakfast is a winner, too, for two eggs with pastrami, home fries or hash browns, and a bagel for $8.95. 630 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-3785, macsdeliandcafe.com. (John Burgess)
Piadina with Roasted Carrots, Urban Pizza, Santa Rosa: Prosciutto on freshly made flatbread with pesto, mozzarella, arugula and cabbage, $9.50. 500 Mission Blvd., Unit B, Santa Rosa, urbanpizzasantarosa.com.
Curry Udon, Ippinn Udon, Santa Rosa: Fried tofu and veggies in a warm Japanese-style curry sauce. Filling enough for two meals, $8.99. 1880 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, ippinnllc.com. (Heather Irwin)
Tacos and Sopes, Freaking Tacos, Santa Rosa: In the sweet spot between delicious and cheap are Freaking Tacos for just $1.50 each. Sopes are $3.35 and the al pastor is the thing. 400 W. Third St., Santa Rosa. (Stephanie A. / Yelp)
Gyro, Fourth St. Deli, Santa Rosa: Thin strips of beef with tzatziki, tomatoes, onions are wrapped in a grilled lavash, $9.95. Everything is made fresh, and their Middle Eastern dishes -- falafel, hummus, mujadara (rice and lentils), dolmas and gyros -- are terrific. 300 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin)
Poke Bowl, T4 Tea For U, Santa Rosa: Pick just what you want in your poke bowl, but we recommend the salmon. Less is more, but seaweed salad and pickles make the meal, $10.50 for three scoops. 2280 Mendocino Ave #3C, Santa Rosa.
Dim Sum, Hang Ah, Santa Rosa: Though the little plates of spring rolls, shiu mai, sticky rice in lotus leaf, or bean curd skin roll can add up, at $3.25 to $5.25 each make for a an economical shared lunch or dinner. 2130 Armory Dr., Santa Rosa. (Jeff Kan Lee)
Bahn Mi Sandwiches, Thuan Phat, Santa Rosa: Still the best, still only $3.95. 3020 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin)
Teriyaki and Fried Jerky, Teriyaki Chicken Bowl, Santa Rosa: Though Thai and Laotian specialties are worth checking out (ie: fried beef jerky), the teriyaki is really good, as is the peanut chicken and whatever's on special. Be adventurous. 473 Stony Point Rd., Santa Rosa.
Pupusas, Pupuseria Salvadorena, Santa Rosa: Hearty little pockets of fried masa with cheese, meat or beans, $2.50. 1403 Maple Ave, Santa Rosa.
Fried Stuff, Quickly, Santa Rosa: Tasty fried seafood on sticks, bubble milk teas, and other Asian snacks draw a Santa Rosa High and Santa Rosa Junior College crowd. At $3-$4 for most items, thrifty eaters can munch on fried baby octopus, squid balls, calamari rings, and shrimp trigon, washed down with a mango milk tea. 1880 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-303-7412, quicklyusa.com
Fish and Chips, The Boat House, Bodega Bay: For $11.95, you get a big portion that would demand a doggie bag if you didn’t want to consume every last fluffy battered, crisp-fried, steamy bite right on the spot. Restaurant owners pull cod fresh from the bay, and cooks turn the sweet flesh into light-as-air masterpieces served with thick-cut fries, lemon wedges, and tartar sauce. Best seat: a tiny table overlooking the water. 1445 Highway 1, Bodega Bay. (Courtesy photo)
I get hassled (almost daily) about how expensive restaurants can be in Sonoma County. Sometimes it’s justified, because, well, good ingredients aren’t cheap. Neither is good help or a good location. But that’s beside the point of this story — Sonoma County’s Cheap Eats! We’ve found 25 restaurants with great value and great food — mostly ones we haven’t talked about lately. Check the gallery above for the whole list.
Have a favorite we missed? Let us know in the comments…
I still have not seen any mention of Bubble cups on Piner. I have been enjoying the best Asian fusion food for years from this place. super nice owners and by far the best bahn mi, crab puffs and egg rolls I have ever had. everything is like under 10 bucks too and freshly made.
“What A Chicken” in Petaluma is not inexpensive for what you get, a small, over cooked, whole chicken with dry meat for $12.00? I don’t think so. Best to go to either Sprouts or Lucky’s and get one of their rotisserie chickens for $7.00. JMHO ~ ~ ~
The Wurst? meh
Your have no clue what your are talking about. You must be a vegan. No where else in Sonoma County such a wide selection of sausages, brats, and smashburger, and their impressive array of toppings and mustards is unmatched.
Yes wide selection.
But, slow service. Counter bottleneck. I’ve had sausages served to me that were cold in the center. And the article is called “25 Best Cheap Eats”.
It’s not necessarily cheap nor top 25.
Yes wide selection.
But, slow service. Counter bottleneck. I’ve had sausages served to me that were cold in the center. And the article is called “25 Best Cheap Eats”.
It’s not necessarily cheap nor top 25.
No dear. You get hassled daily because you’re an elitist who only promotes elitist things. Think about it. You had to be “hassled” to make this list.
Are you angry about everything? I thought your loco weed was supposed to mellow you out, yours isn’t working.
Now you’re following me to food sites? You’re a sick depraved stalker? Who knew?
Sorry dearie, I am not following you anywhere. I just so happen to like to read the food blog and saw your obnoxious comment there.
Please. Pot/kettle
Do you need a pot, a kettle or both? What are you trying to brew up?
Hey Carrie, you are criticizing a woman that put together Sonoma County Meals. The organization that made sure all the victims of the Tubbs Fire had at least a decent meal every single day. Go bitch in your bathroom mirror!
We all volunteered in some way or another during the Tubbs Fire. She isn’t exempt from her elitism because she did a good deed. That was all for publicity anyway. And how cute are you that you set up an account just to defend your elitist friend.
Sonoma Family Meal still serves several thousand meals each week to 55 families who remain displaced. You’re welcome to volunteer with us any time. sonomafamilymeal.org
Wow. Lemme make sure that I let me family know that I’m an elitist. They’ll get a kick out of that. If you ever actually met me, I think you would reconsider. The sweatshirt and shoes with holes usually give it away.
Then why did you have to be “hassled” into printing an article with more affordable places to eat? Almost everything you write highlights the rich.