Author: Heather Irwin

Heather Irwin is the chief fork of BiteClubEats.com, the definitive source for Sonoma County and Wine Country food and dining news. You can find even more stories at BiteClubEats.com

The Pharmacy Cafe Opens in Santa Rosa

Food is love. Food is happiness. And now, food is medicine? Eating healthy, whole, unmodified and unprocessed food to heal our bodies isn’t exactly a new idea, but it’s one that’s coming back to the forefront as diabetes, heart disease and cancers related to sugary, fatty Western diets become epidemic. And that’s the mission behind […]
The "Raw Fish of the Day" is the chef's selection. This day it included cucumbers and blood oranges at Oso restaurant in Sonoma. (Photo by Charlie Gesell)

Sebastopol’s Ramen Gaijin Leads Sonoma County’s Passion for Japanese Restaurants

Written by Heather Irwin for BiteClubEats. Don’t know an izakaya from an omakase? Don’t worry, you will. Although nearly a third of Americans included in a 2015 National Restaurant Association survey said they regularly eat sushi or “Japanese” food, the lion’s share of that is Americanized sushi, strip mall teriyaki and Top Ramen. But homestyle […]

Easter Brunch in Sonoma County

Written by Heather Irwin for BiteClubEats. As if a day off from kitchen duty isn’t enough for mom (or dad), bottomless mimosas, grilled lamb and chicken and waffles should pretty much seal the deal. Here are our top brunch picks for Easter Brunch in Sonoma County for March 27, 2016. Jimtown Store: Take a trip […]

Coming Soon to Santa Rosa: Flower and Bone

Written by Heather Irwin for BiteClubEats. The owners of Santa Rosa’s popular Naked Pig Cafe have a new project in the works called Flower and Bone, slated to open in Santa Rosa in summer 2016. Partners Dalia Martinez and Jason Sokach are converting an early 20th century mercantile building at 5th St. and Humbolt into […]

Bella Rosa Coffee Company: Building Santa Rosa’s Perfect Cuppa Joe

Four years ago, Jon Bixler and Cynthia Buck didn’t know a thing about coffee, but they did know David Greenfield. A bear of a guy with a shaggy gray goatee, piercing hazel eyes and a penchant for welding together brilliant contraptions for roasting coffee, Greenfield had a million-dollar idea without a home. With more than […]

The Best Deals of Sonoma County Restaurant Week 2016

Written by Heather Irwin for BiteClubEats. Best. Sonoma County Restaurant Week. Ever. After six years of trial and error, the more than 100 regional restaurants participating in this year’s Sonoma County Restaurant Week (March 7-13, 2016) have dialed it in with great meals at great prices for 2016. I’m more impressed with the lineup this […]

Santa Rosa’s Secret Breakfast Spot

Written by Heather Irwin for BiteClubEats. Shhh. Don’t tell anyone, but we’ve found a secret Santa Rosa breakfast spot. Local cook Damon Gault slings hash from around 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Sunday mornings at Sprenger’s Tap Room (446 B St., Santa Rosa). And by “around” we mean as long as people are eating and his food doesn’t […]

Review of Franchettis Wood Fire Kitchen in Santa Rosa

Written by Heather Irwin for BiteClubEats. Two forks + one bite of polenta cake = friendship on the line. Over a recent lunch nosh-fest my gal pal and I had nearly inhaled a plate of seared polenta with truffle porcini spread, mushrooms, arugula and tiny Peruvian sweet peppers ($14) at the new(ish) Franchettis Wood Fire […]

Sonoma County’s Best Food and Wine Pairings

Written by Heather Irwin for BiteClubEats. Chefs have become the secret weapon at Sonoma wineries trying to woo your tastebuds, not simply with a bite of bread or a dull plate of cheese and crackers, but with Michelin star-worthy dishes. In Sonoma County, more and more wineries are offering these intimate white tablecloth experiences that […]