You could easily spend a weekend eating your way through Sonoma and not get to even a fraction of the great restaurants in town. Here are a few favorites.
The Classic, Girl and the Fig: This Sonoma Plaza bistro has been a required stop for travelers for more than 30 years. French with a California twist, it's never stuffy and always a treat. We're fans of the signature fig and arugula salad, steak frites and steamed mussels. A full bar includes "sorbet sippers" like the In Ernest with lemon lime and orange sorbet, rum, Luxardo and brandied cherries. Plus a stunning wine list. 110 West Spain St., Sonoma, thegirlandthefig.com. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Fig and arugula salad at the Girl & the Fig in Sonoma. (Alvin Jornada/The Press Democrat)
Garden Dining, FolkTable: Located at Cornerstone Sonoma, home of the Sunset Test Gardens, this casual, seasonally-driven restaurant has Top Chef's Casey Thompson at the helm. You can graze on charcuterie boards, seasonal salads and soups; share some Okonomiyaki Tots (a Japanese take on tater tots); grab a thick BLT or power-up with bigger dishes, including Turkish eggs with Greek yogurt or a lobster roll. 23584 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, folktable.com. (Thomas J. Story)
Fried chicken from Folktable in Sonoma. (Courtesy of Folktable)
Fancy Dinner, Layla: Long summer evenings are made for outdoor dining at this MacArthur Place Hotel restaurant. A new chef is taking over the reins, so expect some menu changes, but dishes on the current Cal-Mediterranean menu have been impressive, with seasonal dishes including panzanella with heirloom tomatoes, patatas bravas (fried potatoes with aioli) and crispy Spanish octopus. Cocktails are a special delight. Full bar. 29 E. MacArthur St., Sonoma, macarthurplace.com. (Courtesy of MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa)
Outdoor dining area at Layla restaurant at MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma. (Karyn Millet/MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa)
Whole roasted sea bass with fingerling potatoes, fennel, pearl onion, lemon and garlic seed with a glass of Walt Sonoma Coast chardonnay at Layla restaurant at MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma. (Erik Castro/for The Press Democrat)
Basque cheesecake with vanilla macerated berries and served with an Irish coffee at Layla restaurant at MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma. (Erik Castro/for The Press Democrat)
Inside Layla restaurant at MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma. (Courtesy of MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa)
The Celebrity, Wit and Wisdom: Chef Michael Mina's menu has remained mostly the same since opening in 2020, but that's not a bad thing. Mina is a celebrity, but also one heck of a cook who knows how to create a menu that's both approachable and intriguing. One of the best meals we've ever had included braised short ribs in puff pastry, Liberty Farms duck wings, heirloom roasted tomatoes and the carbonara pizza. 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, witandwisdomsonoma.com. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Roasted heirloom carrots with vadouvan yogurt, piquillo pepper, walnuts and tangerine vinaigrette at Wit and Wisdom in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Carbonara pizza with crispy guanciale, Yukon gold potatoes, poached farm egg, Pecorino Romano at Wit & Wisdom in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Savory “pop-tart’ with braised short rib, horseradish cream au poivre at Wit & Wisdom in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Patio space at Wit & Wisdom in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Breakfast, Baker and Cook: This tiny husband-and-wife-run cafe in Boyes Hot Springs is a morning must not just for bread, brioche, beignets and croissants, but also for oft-changing entrees. Biscuits and gravy, polenta with peppers, quiche and melon with eggplant, cucumbers, lemon and mint is worth getting up for. Very limited outdoor seating, order online for pickup. 18812 Highway 12, Sonoma, bakerandcooksonoma.com. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Avocado toast with butternut squash and pomegranate seeds from Baker & Cook in Boyes Hot Springs. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Tapas Tapas, Tasca Tasca: It's easy to love a restaurant that's a mix-and-match opportunity of the fabulous flavors of Portugal. Seven small bites are only $43 and selections include imported and local cheeses, tomato gazpacho, caldo verde (the national soup of Portugal), striped bass ceviche, salt cod cakes, pork sliders, goat stew, steak tartare and much more. 122 West Napa St., Sonoma. tascatasca.com. (Erik Castro/for Sonoma Magazine)
Portuguese Mac & Cheese at Tasca Tasca Portuguese Tapas Restaurant & Wine Bar in Sonoma. (Erik Castro/for Sonoma Magazine)
Fresh Tortillas, El Molino Central: Both a destination and a locals' favorite, this casual Mexican cafe makes all of its tortillas from scratch, and not just from masa, but from house-ground corn. Everything on the menu is rustic and filling, but chicken tamales with Oaxacan mole, beer battered fish tacos, enchiladas Suizas and nachos with green sauce are top picks. Limited outdoor seating. 11 Central Ave., Sonoma, elmolinocentral.com. (Jeff Kan Lee/The Press Democrat)
Ultimate Sushi, Shige Sonoma: Along with Hana Japanese in Rohnert Park, this is one of the few Japanese-run restaurants with Tokyo-worthy nigiri and chirashi, whole grilled squid, karaage (fried chicken) and udon soup. 19161 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, shige-sushi.com. (Alvin Jornada/The Press Democrat)
Kaarage (fried chicken) at Shige Sushi restaurant in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Toki Roll at Shige Sushi. (Alvin Jornada/The Press Democrat)
Counter dining at Shige Sushi restaurant in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Cool Kids, 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 pretty much can't go wrong. 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 are faves. Open for dinner and brunch with unusual and unexpected small-production wines. 487 First St. West, Sonoma, valleybarandbottle.com. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Fried chicken with cucumber and coconut peanut curry from Valley Bar + Bottle on the Sonoma square. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Tortilla Espanola with anchovies from Valley Bar + Bottle on the Sonoma square. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
The Newcomer, Animo: In mere months, former Per Se Chef Josh Smookler and his wife, Heidy Mu He, transformed a humble taqueria into a destination restaurant that's sure to become a Sonoma classic. Defying simple categorization, the menu focuses on dry-aged, hearth-driven dishes for the table, like whole Spanish Turbot, Boquerones Toast with white anchovies is a required dish, along with scallops crudo with yuzo and burnt cheesecake. A seat next to the open kitchen is both warm and entertaining. 18976 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, @animo_restaurant on Instagram. (no phone or website yet). (Robbi Pengelly/Sonoma Index-Tribune)
Heidy Mu He chats with opening day customers Kirsten Simone Rhude and Mel Salada at the Animo restaurant on Highway 12, near the intersection of Verano Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. (Robbi Pengelly/Sonoma Index-Tribune)
an Lennon, left, and Ben Flajnik enjoy a meal on the opening day of the restaurant Animo on Highway 12, near the intersection of Verano Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. (Robbi Pengelly/Sonoma Index-Tribune)
Refrigerated meats are visible in the open kitchen on the first day of service at the restaurant Animo on Highway 12, near the intersection of Verano Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. (Robbi Pengelly/Sonoma Index-Tribune)
Heidy Mu He waits as Chef Josh Smookler puts the finishing touches on a steak the opening day of the restaurant Animo on Highway 12, near the intersection of Verano Avenue on Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022. (Robbi Pengelly/Sonoma Index-Tribune)
The town of Sonoma has a vibrant dining scene that often gets short shrift in comparison to the glitzier Healdsburg. The walkability of the town square, the unpretentiousness and the focus on locally-sourced ingredients makes it a required stop for Wine Country adventures. You could easily spend a weekend eating and not get to even a fraction of the great restaurants in town. Here, however, are some favorites that never let us down. Click through the gallery for details.
