In a time of change and uncertainty, extolling the virtues of a perfect ball of burrata or a 10-course tasting menu may seem out of touch. But when you look at the bigger picture, it’s food that brings us all to the table. This year, we’ve chosen 25 Sonoma County restaurants that each bring a strong reason to be in our community and in our lives, whether a stunning plate of pasta, a sublime slice of lemon cream pie, or a singular point of view on the restaurant industry, it’s all important. Food is connection, food is love — and Sonoma County’s singular connection to land and sea creates a common ground we can all appreciate.
Enclos
Because it’s time for a Michelin star in the town of Sonoma.
Not every restaurant has that singular ambition of worldwide recognition woven into its DNA. But Enclos is a rising star destination that’s about to change all that. In March, Michelin inspectors dangled a tasty carrot by including it as one of 15 “recommended” California restaurants that could be on the shortlist for 2025 stars. It happened just three months after the opening, a rare feat for a fledgling.
Chef Brian Limoges, who was on the opening teams of San Francisco’s Quince and Birdsong, has the experience, drive and financial backing to reach for those stars. In January, he hit the ground running with an 11-course tasting menu that pays homage to the flora and fauna of Sonoma Valley, his new home. Instagram collectively swooned at tiny bites of venison and tree lichen perched on a found deer antler and Lilliputian ice cream sandwiches atop a honeycomb frame. Dining at this level is as much about over-the-top artful presentation as it is about pristine sourcing and complicated technique.
With a $325 price tag and just 30 seats spread over two elegantly appointed rooms, this is a bespoke luxury experience for a niche audience. But Limoges is raising the fine dining bar to a new level in Sonoma County, giving us a renewed pride of place and another chance at stardom. 139 E Napa St., Sonoma. 707-387-1724, enclos-sonoma.com
Acorn Cafe
Because French toast should always come piled this high.
There’s something gleeful about a breakfast standard gussied up with brioche and tall whipped mascarpone, cacao nibs, and a hearty scoop of coffee ice cream. No doubt this is an adult version of French toast, but it’s one that speaks to the kid in all of us.
Acorn is the breakfast and brunch spot that Healdsburg needs, with sunny lemon ricotta pancakes with lemon curd, whipped ricotta, and lavender ice cream and a riff on Dr. Seuss’s green eggs and ham, made with herby yogurt, poached eggs, and grilled ham seasoned with dukkah spices.
Everything about the place radiates joy, with orange pops of color throughout the interior, a bright and open floor plan that floods the space with light, and owner Beryl Adler’s obvious enthusiasm for adding a little wonder to your brunch. 124 Matheson St., Healdsburg. 707-955-7001, acornhealdsburg.com
Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria
Because deep roots matter.
When Chefs Franco Dunn and Thom as Oden opened Santi restaurant in 2000, Geyserville was a tiny community. Their Italian restaurant honored what Press Democrat food writer Diane Peterson described as cucina povera, the soulful and frugal genius of Italian peasants with dishes like trippa alla Fiorentina and spaghettini Calabrese. Dunn and Oden’s passion ignited a generation of Sonoma County chefs eager to learn Old World ways of making pasta, salumi and bread from scratch.
Among the young recruits were three important chefs who later opened their own restaurants — Ari Rosen of Scopa and Campo Fina, Liza Hinman of Spinster Sisters, and Dino Bugica, who founded Diavola in Geyserville in 2008.
There’s a clear line that carries through from Dunn and Oden’s ideals to Bugica’s Geyserville restaurant today. Ingredients are local, the pizzas and pasta pay homage to Italian home cooking, and the delicious charcuterie is made in-house. The brick oven inside the restaurant glows — and trippa alla Fiorentina is still on the menu. 21021 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. 707-814-0111, diavolapizzeria.com
The Goose & Fern
Because mate is just another word for friend.
If a British pub could be transported lock, stock and barrel to Santa Rosa, this would be it. Darts, pints and football — the kind with a soccer ball — are on tap, along with stellar pub food, including top-notch fish and chips, Guinness pie, and the world’s best sticky toffee pudding.
Clyde Hartwell, who speaks with a brogue as thick as his salt-and-pepper beard, runs the come-as-you-are establishment with his wife, Brittany, a trained pastry chef. He’s the guy behind the bar who’ll shout for you to grab yourself a table and refers to just about everyone as “mate,” because in his pub, you are. 116 Fifth St., Santa Rosa. 707-843-4235, thegooseandfern.com
Buck’s Place
Because these walls hold 119 years of stories.
A couple miles off Sonoma’s downtown Plaza, Buck’s Place has served as watering hole, polka hall, music venue and family-style restaurant since 1906. These days, its roadhouse charm shines brighter than ever thanks to owners Erika and Chad Harris, founders of Sonoma Valley’s popular Lou’s Luncheonette and Jack’s Filling Station, spots that, like Buck’s, feel heavy with the trappings of another era.
At Buck’s Place, the couple take a turn towards Italy, offering up red-tablecloth classics like chicken Parmesan, hoagies with all the gabagool, and crunchy-gooey mozzarella sticks. Pizza is the main event — Chicago deep-dish sometimes, or grandma-style Sicilian, crunch-edged Detroit, and the basic New York 16-inch round.
While the patio is dog- and family-friendly, we also like to head for the bar, a grown-up spot where you can grab a beer or one of their excellent daiquiris and chat with the locals. 401 Grove St., Sonoma. 707-231-1245, bucks-place.com
Marla Bakery & Cafe
Because summer suppers make us happy.
Marla is, of course, a bakery at heart, a year-round sanctuary of carbohydrates and sugar. Piles of impossibly large croissants, housemade bagels and breads, dark chocolate brownies, and slices of French apple pie peek from their glass case, along with the cult-favorite, croissant-muffin chimera, called the Crebble.
But Marla has a summer secret. From June to October, owners Amy Brown and Joe Wolf host a series of monthly dinners with similarly sustainability-minded local farmers, cheesemakers and winemakers. Tickets are announced by email and social media, so you need to be a follower to grab a seat.
Once you’ve experienced Amy Brown’s talents outside the pastry realm, it’s easy to see why the intimate dinners frequently sell out. Yes, she knows her way around a boule, but the former Nopa chef also knows how to tease the of-the-moment flavors from heirloom tomatoes, fresh goat cheese and sweet corn. This summer, the team is planning monthly pair-ups with Mt. Eitan Cheese, Lani Chan and Nathan Bender of Occidental’s Big Spoon Sauce Co., and a whole hog roast with Eric Sussman of Eye Cyder and County Line Vineyards. 208 Davis St., Santa Rosa. 707-852-4091, marlabakery.com
Quiote
Because blue tortillas just taste better.
Maybe it’s all in our mind, but the heirloom blue corn masa that this Petaluma restaurant uses for its tortillas just tastes, well, corn-ier. Or maybe it’s just because they use the buzzy Masienda masa that chefs line up for, sourced from small, traditional farmers across Mexico. (Food writers tend to get excited about that kind of thing.)
After hitting the comal, the tortillas turn nearly black, framing the brilliant colors of pink pickled onions, green avocado and citrusy cochinita pibil. This isn’t your usual taqueria fare, but family history following a line from Jalisco, Mexico to Sonoma County. The chile-marinated barbacoa (short rib), al pastor with ayocate beans, and fish tacos always make our best-of lists. Don’t miss the enchiladas smothered with mole and stuffed with chicken and braised Rancho Gordo pinto beans in broth. 121 Kentucky St., Petaluma. 707-774-6130, quiotemx.com
Bazaar Sonoma
Because compromise isn’t a word in their vocabulary.
Sean Quan and Jenny Phan of Bazaar Sonoma take a rigorous approach to classic regional Chinese dishes and refuse to Americanize their food to appeal to a broader audience. There’s no General Tso chicken, sweet and sour pork, or fortune cookies — instead, the seasonal menu leans into comforting, family-style dishes like whole sizzling fish, Hainan chicken, clay pot rice, and Hong Kong-style noodle soup.
Bazaar Sonoma is like going to a friend’s house, if that friend cooked like a Chinese mother who had also happened to work at a three-Michelin-starred restaurant (which Quan did). But the young couple are also hoping you’ll find a sense of community in their shared dishes and linger over a cup of tea.
BaSo is a natural extension of the couple’s outsider pop-ups — Second Staff’s spicy fried chicken, the high-low FNCY + PNTS, and the late night Matriarch that targeted off-duty hospitality workers and curious foodies. Quan and Phan are certainly ones to watch as they continue to evolve, one dumpling at a time — and on their own terms. 6566 Front St., Forestville. 707-614-8056, bazaar-sonoma.com
Augie’s French
Because we could live on warm baguettes.
“Are the baguettes still warm?” is a silly question to ask at Augie’s because, of course, they are still warm. These long batons of crackly crust and airy crumb are a signature of Mark and Terri Stark’s downtown Santa Rosa ode to French bistro culture, along with boeuf bourguignon and escargots floating in Pernod and garlic butter — two things that happen to go nicely with baguettes.
The French 75, a cocktail made with Cognac, gin and sparkling wine, also pairs nicely with baguettes, especially while relaxing on the streetside patio. Any further questions? 535 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707-531-4400, augiesfrench.com
Psychic Pie
Because pizza comes in all shapes and sizes.
At Psychic Pie, it’s hip to be square. Or sometimes round. Either way, it’s definitely Roman. Cut by the square or by the slice, owners Nicholi Ludlow and Leith Leiser-Miller are enthusiastic proponents of pizza al taglio or “by the cut,” as it’s done in Rome. Portions are measured by one, two or three fingers, as big or small as you’d like, and topped with rotating seasonal ingredients such as mushroom and chèvre, roasted leek cream and veggies, or pork ‘nduja sauce with pepperoncini, roasted peppers and aged Estero Gold cheese.
Occasionally, this pint-size pizzeria surprises with 16-inch tonda pizzas, the thin and crispy circular cousin of the al taglio , and they’ve even been known to serve up a hoagie or two. Ludlow and Leiser are natural collaborators, floating all boats with their rising tide of popularity, introducing us to pizza-friendly local products like Big Spoon Sauce Company’s chili crisp, Mad Marvlus’ fizzy natural wines and chef Preeti Mistry’s limited edition Hawt Sauce. 980 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol. 707-827-6032, psychicpie.com
Cyrus
Because Douglas Keane has a lot to say.
Beneath the caviar carts, rare wine collections and shaved truffles, fine dining restaurants are in trouble. Inequity is widespread, with cooks often earning less than half of what a server makes. Health insurance is a rare benefit, vacations often nonexistent, flexible schedules unworkable and burnout rampant.
Chef Douglas Keane has a solution, and he’s just written a book about it. “Culinary Leverage: A Journey Through the Heat” recounts his years-long journey from clueless line cook to executive chef of a Michelin-starred restaurant. It’s got plenty of dirty secrets, juicy tidbits, and names named, but most importantly, it gets to the heart of how the restaurant industry can fix itself. The answer: Less staff, more training, and higher salaries.
It took a 10-year hiatus, a pandemic, a divorce, and some serious soul-searching to get there, but Keane’s “everyone does everything” mindset at Cyrus is living proof that the idea works.
His luxurious multi-course menu has guests sipping Champagne and wandering through the restaurant’s manicured vineyard — but his egalitarian ethos strikes a chord for restaurant workers struggling to pay rent and the restaurateurs struggling to stay afloat. 275 Highway 128, Geyserville. 707-723-5999, cyrusrestaurant.com
A&M BBQ
Because Texas brisket is what’s up.
Fellow Californians keep trying to convince me that tri-tip makes for great barbecue. It does not. The lean cut can make for a lovely fajita, but it is fundamentally unsuited for low and slow cooking — the very definition of barbecue.
Brisket, of course, is the king of ’que, and veteran pitmaster Kris Austin knows his way around this well-marbled piece of meat. A well-cooked brisket is the most primal of foods, smoky and charred, with soft bits of melted fat and yielding meat. With slaw and beans and thick slices of bread to sop up the juices, it’s a meal worth an amen any day.
Mississippi-born Austin has barbecue in his soul. He learned the craft from his mother, aunts and uncles, finally taking the tongs after years of apprenticeship. And like so many things in life, barbecue is a skill that’s never truly mastered. You just keep working at it. 495 S. Main St., Sebastopol. 707-8881315, ambbqllc.com
The Beet
Because Friday nights are for turning up the beat.
Cloverdale is usually a pretty sleepy town after dark, but on Friday nights from 9 p.m. to midnight, everyone’s dancing to the beat (beet?). Though this spot remains a mild-mannered restaurant and wine lounge by day, the owners realized there was a serious lack of hip-swaying and busting sweet moves in the north Sonoma County ’burg. As night falls, the weekly jump and jive comes to life. Just remember your dancing shoes. 116 E. First St., Cloverdale. 707669-5080, cloverdalebeet.com
Lightwave Coffee & Kitchen
Because where else does a skate park come with such delicious treats?
The Russian River town of Monte Rio is known for three things: its proximity to the secretive gatherings at Bohemian Grove, the Pink Elephant Bar, and Lightwave Coffee & Kitchen. Only one of those places right now is open to the public — and it has cake.
Follow the signs for the Monte Rio skatepark to Lightwave, a curious indoor-outdoor cafe bedazzled by a garage-sale decor, rooted in vibey California skateboard culture, and entirely west county wonderful. A short distance from the river, you’ll join both locals and in-the-know beachgoers at this secret garden of delights. The scraping sound of skateboards (and the occasional wipeout) are the soundtrack to your meal, along with spicy Monte Rio gossip and the occasional whimper of a dog begging its owner for a snack.
The menu ranges from simple bagels and smoothies to North African shakshuka with red peppers and eggs, Middle Eastern flatbread with eggplant and tahini, and fat slices of lox and beets on challah bread on the weekends.
But before all of that, order dessert. Co-owner Gal Ginzberg’s Instagram is a billion-calorie ode to adventurous cheesecakes and pies flavored with halva, lemon cream, pistachio, and strawberry. They can sell out quickly, so be sure to get there early. 9725 Main St., Monte Rio. 707-865-5169, lightwavecafe.square.site
The Redwood
Because you don’t have to love pet-nat to join the party.
The vibe at The Redwood, a wine bar, bottle shop, and cafe from chef/wine geeks Geneva Melby and Ryan Miller is decidedly New School, with a staff that’s obsessively well versed in anything skin-contacted, unfiltered or wild-yeasted.
You’ll find eager advocates of low-intervention wines on both sides of the bar here. But even if you’re not entirely convinced, it’s worth spending time with the wine list for two reasons: One, this is the next generation of wine, a sector of the industry that continues to be on the upswing. And two, tasting notes like “spring air” and “garrigue” (the forest floor of scrubland) are wonderfully weird and entertaining.
Yes, there is a whole section of the menu devoted to tinned fish, because every cool wine bar has tinned fish for some reason. But move past the sardines to Melby’s more intriguing bites, including Liberty Duck mousse with grilled bread, yellowtail crudo with pickled rose petals, and the trip-worthy Route 1 pita-and-dip array with homemade hummus, smoky baba ghanoush and labneh with dates.
Melby has a knack for Mediterranean and North African cuisine, with savory braised lamb shank with couscous, sole tagine, or roasted squash with Calabrian chile on the dinner menu. On Sunday, don’t miss the outstanding Turkish-style breakfast with jammy eggs, feta, tahina, pickled vegetables and grilled bread. 234 S. Main St., Sebastopol. 707-861-9730, theredwoodwine.com
Casino Bar & Grill
Because Saint Evelyn’s spirit lives on.
Evelyn Casini was the heart and soul of the Casino. Even at 97, she was the ever- present, no-nonsense matriarch who could stare down a man twice her size and then grab a beer with him. When she passed away last year, Bodega locals mourned and wondered what would become of the 100-year-old bar, with its creaky wood floors, herd of stuffed deer heads and ancient jukebox — a place that has served as a gathering space and watering hole for generations.
Fortunately, Evelyn’s granddaughter-in-law, Brandi Mack, has recently taken over, ushering the Casino into a new era. Recent renovations to the bar have expanded the kitchen and fancied-up the cozy dining room, though there’s still plenty of character — and characters — to be found inside.
Mack is also carrying on Evelyn’s support of up-and-coming guest chefs, who take over the tiny kitchen at the end of the bar a few nights a week and spread their wings. This spring, chef Amelia Telc of Half Hitch, whose resume includes buzzy restaurants you’ve definitely heard of in New York and San Francisco, pops up for dinner Friday through Sunday, with globally inspired dishes like pot au feu and Cantonese fish with ginger. Her weekly lineup is driven by trips to farmers markets and what’s just come in at the dock, meaning you never quite know what you’ll get. And that’s the fun of it.
On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Alyssum Revallo of Alyssum’s Kitchen makes her mark with comforting soups, salads, and flatbread along with smokey kalua pork and flourless chocolate cake. For updates on guest chef pop-ups, check Instagram @casinobarandgrill. 17000 Bodega Hwy., Bodega. 707-876-3185
Valette
Because Dustin isn’t the only Valette who is a Healdsburg icon.
When chef Dustin Valette opened his namesake plaza restaurant 10 years ago, his dad took up residency in the dining room — and we are all better for it. Bob Valette, now 84 years old, spent 45 years with Cal Fire flying specialized tanker planes on critical operations that ranged from the Mexican border up to Oregon. Only a handful of pilots can fly these converted military planes, known for dropping thousands of gallons of all-too-familiar reddish-pink fire retardant. Bob Valette’s dangerous job often meant leaving Dustin and his siblings in the care of family members at a moment’s notice, with little idea of when (or if) he’d return.
For most of that time, the family’s hometown was a quiet, dusty, Alexander Valley hamlet with only a handful of restaurants frequented by winemakers and ranchers. Now, Healdsburg has blossomed into an international dining destination with a growing constellation of stars and nods and regular celebrity sightings.
“Pops,” as the senior Valette is best known, spends his evenings at his son’s fine dining restaurants as unofficial greeter and full-time storyteller. He’s easily picked out amidst a sea of well-heeled visitors and Healdsburg regulars, in his jeans and black T-shirt with the Valette logo. With a glass of wine in hand, he constantly circulates, proudly letting everyone know he’s Dustin’s dad. 344 Center St., Healdsburg. 707-473-0946, valettehealdsburg.com
Valley
Because food connects neighbors.
In January, Valley chefs Emma Lipp and Stephanie Reagor hosted a trip to Oaxaca, Mexico for a deep dive into culinary history. They brought back not just recipes, but an ongoing connection to farmers and producers, resulting in a special Oaxacan menu at the restaurant. It’s just another way the Valley team, which also includes Lauren Feldman and Tanner Walle, has always made a point to marry food and culture in a way that feels intentional.
Over the past year, that’s included a series of dinners dedicated to the legacy of Chinese culture in Sonoma, a dinner celebrating the Jewish and Hungarian cuisine of Jeremy Salamon of Agi’s Counter in New York City, and an event to honor local critic Elaine Chukan Brown’s groundbreaking new book on the history of California wine, which recognizes the oft-ignored contributions of Indigenous peoples and Mexican immigrants within the industry. At Valley, you’ll always find good food — and food for thought. 487 First St. W., Sonoma. 707-934-8403, valleybarandbottle.com
Rocker Oysterfeller’s at the Wharf
Because of heaping mounds of fried seafood.
Dining at the coast is a coin toss. Sometimes the fish is fresh and local, but other times, you’re probably eating frozen Alaskan cod and soggy French fries. Sonoma’s seafood fans demand better, which is why the Captain’s Platter at Brandon Guenther and Shona Campbell’s new restaurant is the catch we’ve been waiting for.
This is classic wharf-side dining with some Southern twists — not surprising, since the original Rocker Oysterfeller’s in Valley Ford highlights shrimp and grits and fried chicken. Here, however, the focus is on the “surf,” with blackened rockfish, clam chowder and Dungeness crab. The best bet, however, is the Captain’s Platter, the holy grail for those on a pilgrimage for fried seafood.
It’s a ridiculous amount of saltine-fried shrimp, beer-battered rock cod, salt and pepper calamari, a Dungeness crab cake and Kennebec fries, served with tartar, rémoulade and cocktail sauce for your dipping pleasure. I’ve looked for something as impressive as this on the coast for decades and never before found it. A tip of the captain’s hat to the kitchen. 595 Highway 1, Bodega Bay. 707-772-5670, rockeroysterfellers.com
Table Culture Provisions
Because everyone loves an underdog.
If you had to bet on the success of two guys who opened a fried chicken takeout restaurant during the pandemic, the odds would be long. But betting those same two guys would be in the running for a 2025 Michelin star? We’re talking multi-million-dollar lottery-level odds.
The long odds weren’t for lack of talent or tenacity — it’s just that chefs Stéphane Saint Louis and Steven Vargas didn’t have loads of wealthy backers or long culinary pedigrees before opening Table Culture Provisions. They had $1,000 and a vision of putting Petaluma back on the Michelin map.
In March, their passion and commitment led to TCP being tapped as a “recommended” restaurant (along with Enclos in the town of Sonoma) by Michelin inspectors. If the restaurant receives a star, Saint Louis will be the first black chef in California to be recognized. And that’s something all of Sonoma County is rooting for. 312 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma. 707-559-5739, tcprovision.com
Underwood Bar & Bistro
Because a secret Thai menu at a French restaurant screams Sonoma County.
French onion soup, steak frites, cauliflower gratin, and pad grapao moo. Though one of these things is not like the others, at Underwood it all makes sense.
Chef Mark Miller’s Graton menu has always been focused on comforting bistro classics like croque madame, frisée salads with lardons, and duck leg confit with green French lentils. His real passion, though, is Thai food. After years of traveling to southeast Asia, he fell in love with the vibrant sweet, sour, salty, spicy flavors of Thailand and learned how to make curries, sauces, and complex dishes from a Thai cooking mentor. “Working in a Thai kitchen — it was amazing. It just changed me,” says Miller.
During the pandemic, Underwood shifted to an all-Thai menu to simplify takeout. Cheeseburgers just don’t travel as well as pad Thai does. And locals loved it. While the Underwood menu has mostly returned to fan favorites, Miller keeps a handful of his favorite dishes — hat yai fried chicken, Thai lettuce cups and spicy pork pad grapao moo — in the mix. Pad Thai, however, remains the top seller. “I’m not sure why, but we serve hundreds of them each week,” he says.
This year, Miller hopes to do a Thai pop-up featuring some of his favorite recipes, happy to have an excuse to fire up the wok and cook what he loves. 9113 Graton Road, Graton. 707-823-7023, underwoodgraton.com
Shokakko
Because Spam fries are what chefs really want on their days off.
Tired of fine dining foams and tweezers, a merry band of three fine-dining chefs drew inspiration from late-night Japanese yatai food stalls selling ramen, fish cakes and skewers of grilled chicken. The trio have used their highbrow culinary skills to create skyscraper-sized fried chicken sandwiches, Spam fries, husky crab and cheese-filled croquettes, and cult-favorite cream-filled fruit sandwiches.
“It’s the things we liked eating on our days off. The stuff we couldn’t find in Sonoma County,” says chef Elijah Trujillo of the food trailer he co-founded with his partner Kayla Hendrix and friend Kazuya “Kaz” Makishima in August 2024. You’ll find their kitchen trailer at various breweries and events around Sonoma County, and the weekly lineup of their stops is posted on Instagram @eat_shokakko.
Stella
Because pasta is the new kale.
I can’t quite remember when pasta became a bad word, but it’s time to welcome back a good plate of tagliatelle and step away from the lacinato and spaghetti squash. Like forever.
Stella takes a deep dive into the bottomless well of time-tested pasta – Roman tonnarelli (spaghetti’s chunkier cousin), lumache (snail-shaped) and creste di gallo (rooster’s crest) made daily. The dried stuff in your pantry has nothing on these silky ribbons and toothy tubes meant to grip every last drop of sauce. You will be ruined for anything else after eating a plate of Stella’s housemade rigatoncini with Bolognese.
The Kenwood restaurant is a much-anticipated new venture from Glen Ellen Star founder Ari Weiswasser, his wife Erin, and managing partners Spencer and Ashley Waite. Glen Ellen Star’s chef de cuisine, Bryant Minuche, leads the kitchen.
The wood-fired oven plays a leading role at Stella, but it isn’t used for pizzas. Here the oven is for roasting vegetables, meats, and even cheese, all to bring a kiss of smoke. You’ll also want to peruse the seasonal mozzarella selections — aka the mozzarella bar — including burrata with brown butter walnuts and 12-year aged balsamic vinegar and buffalo mozzarella with anchovy and a farm-fresh egg yolk. Save room for the Baked Gelaska, a riff on Baked Alaska with sponge cake, raspberry sorbet, and vanilla gelato topped with a swirl of torched marshmallow fluff. You can always go back to kale tomorrow. 9049 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood. 707-801-8043, stellakenwood.com
Wild Poppy
Because the patio is everything, and so is the queso.
Warm days call for lazy mornings with mimosas and “cosmic queso” nachos on the rambling outdoor patio of this perfectly imperfect restaurant. It’s always been a magical place, full of nooks, crannies, and hidden spaces for adults and kids to explore. The remote location a few miles outside Sebastopol has been both blessing and curse, but the historic roadhouse finally seems to have hit its stride with an inclusive plant-forward menu that doesn’t exclude meat eaters.
This is west county, after all, and cosmic nachos with plant-based cheese sauce and cashew crema are not only normal, they’re expected. What’s unexpected is that the creamy cashew queso dip with a swirl of pepita chimichurri and a side of slaw is delightful, even if plant-based cheese isn’t your jam.
Sit by the babbling stream hidden by steep slopes covered in ivy and shaded by eucalyptus trees. The world slows for a moment or two while you enjoy heirloom beans and greens with polenta, fish tacos, or a fat grilled mushroom sandwich on focaccia. 9890 Bodega Hwy., Sebastopol. 707-503-6332, thewildpoppycafe.com
Troubadour
Because it’s been shouted from the rooftops.
Fine dining chefs-turned-entrepreneurs Melissa Yanc and Sean McGaughey are media darlings for a reason. Recognized by The New York Times, the James Beard Foundation and the Michelin Guide, the couple have created quite the following around their quirky food businesses around Healdsburg, which launched with beloved bakery Quail & Condor.
And when you have bread, you have sandwiches — the foundation of Troubadour, the second act in the ambitious couple’s culinary story. By day, Troubadour pairs freshly baked bread with a revolving lineup of fillings, including ham and brie with honey, fresh ricotta and roasted carrots, and creamy egg salad. Sounds simple, but these sandwiches are anything but.
Come nightfall, McGaughey and his small team shift gears for Le Diner, with seasonal French dishes like escargot, bouillabaisse, and duck breast stuffed with mushrooms and dates, either à la carte or as part of a seven-course tasting menu, and served on mix-and-match Limoges china. Troubadour’s kitchen lacks a proper hood or stove (it used to be a cupcake decorating room), so much of the cooking is done in simmer baths and low-temperature ovens, an even more incredulous feat. 381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-756-3972, troubadourhbg.com
