16 Best Restaurants in Healdsburg

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Agave: This locals favorite for Mexican cuisine is far more than a taqueria. Owner Octavio Diaz' mom's authentic Oaxacan mole is excellent (and laborious to make). The mezcal selection is second-to-none. 1063 Vine St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2411, agavehealdsburg.com (Crista Jeremiason/The Press Democrat)

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Barndiva: This recently Michelin-starred restaurant showcases everything that’s great about Sonoma County. Chef Erik Anderson carefully concocts dishes such as hay-smoked bone-in pork chops with fermented pineapple, trout crudo with brown butter and a yuzu curd tart with sweet cherry sauce. Cocktail wunderkind Scott Beattie combs local orchards for drink ingredients that make for stunning beverages. The more casual weekend brunch includes dressed-up hot dogs, fried chicken toast and a Reuben Benedict. 231 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-431-0100, barndiva.com (Jil Hales)

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Kumquat dessert at Barndiva in Healdsburg. (Jil Hales)

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Bravas Bar de Tapas: Bravas’ expansive patio is a year-round draw, with the restaurant’s sangrias, ciders, wines and cocktails served with bites of Iberico ham and Manchego cheese, tuna belly salad, mushroom escabeche, bacon-wrapped dates with blue cheese and Marcona almonds. The menu is expansive, so come hungry. 420 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-433-7700, starkrestaurants.com (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)

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The indoor bar at Bravas Bar de Tapas, in Healdsburg. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)

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Chalkboard: This quiet retreat inside the Hotel Les Mars is a something-for-everyone spot where you’ll find plenty of locals nibbling on pork belly biscuits, housemade pasta, roasted chicken and cabernet-braised short ribs. Much of the produce comes from the restaurant’s farm at Chalk Hill Estate. 29 North St., Healdsburg, 707-473-8030, chalkboardhealdsburg.com (Conner Jay/For Sonoma Magazine)

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Dry Creek Kitchen: Chef Charlie Palmer's Healdsburg institution opened in 2001, long before Healdsburg was the dazzling food mecca it is today. The three-course prix fixe dinner is a solid choice with classics like short rib agnolotti, smoked Duroc pork chop, New York strip steak and apple tarte tatin. Open most holidays with special menus. 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-431-0330, drycreekkitchen.com (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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Dry Creek Olive Oil Cake with citrus curd, blackberries, mint from Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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Guiso Latin Fusion: Tucked away on quiet North Street, this humble bistro is one of the city’s best-kept secrets. Chef Carlos Mojica riffs on Caribbean and Latin flavors, creating sunny, upbeat dishes like Camarones Borrachos (sauteed prawns with tomato sauce) and homey paella with chicken, prawns, clams and linguica over saffron rice. 117 North St., Healdsburg, 707-431-1302, guisolatinfusion.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Healdsburg Bar and Grill: Owned by a Michelin-starred chef, this casual bistro is where Healdsburg comes to grab a burger, beer-battered onion rings, fried chicken sandwiches and local beers. Plus, it has the area’s best Bloody Mary. 2245 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-3333, healdsburgbarandgrill.com (Healdsburg Bar and Grill)

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Lo & Behold: Want to know where off-duty restaurant staff hang out? You’ll find them here, kicking back with a craft cocktail and gourmet(ish) bar food like queso dip with potato skins, beef brisket tacos, burgers and a “chum bucket of fries.” Make sure to order the “World’s Best Vodka Soda” with local vodka nd “Unicorn Tears.” So good. Open until midnight. 214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-5021, loandbeholdca.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Phatty Margarita at Lo & Behold in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Matheson, Roof 106: Chef Dustin Valette’s ambitious multi-story restaurant complex includes, downstairs, a cocktail bar, a wine wall with by-the-glass vending machines (top-notch stuff, of course) and a more formal dining menu (don’t miss the Tamanishiki Rice Porridge or Aged Sonoma Duck). Upstairs, enjoy pizzas, salads and nibbles on the covered deck. 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-723-1106, themeathson.com (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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Snake River Wagyu Babette with potato pave, alliums horseradish and black truffle from The Matheson in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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Margherita Salametto Flatbread at Roof 106 at The Matheson in Healdsburg. (Michael Woolsey)

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Quail and Condor: Two SingleThread alums' deep dive into bread making has become a destination bakery with an ever-changing lineup of challah, sourdough loaves, sweet croissants, insanely good Kouign Amann, cinnamon rolls and more. Order online to ensure you'll get something before the cases are stripped bare. 149 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-473-8254, quailandcondor.com (Emma K. Morris)

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SingleThread Farm Restaurant: A 15-plus-course tasting menu at this three-Michelin-starred restaurant is an event, not just a night out. 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. 131 North St., Healdsburg, 707-723-4646, singlethreadfarms.com. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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An open kitchen design allows the guest to watch the creation of their meal at Single Thread Farms Restaurant in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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Spoonbar: Located inside the H2 Hotel, this restaurant has weekly specials (Crabby Sunday, Fried Chicken Dinners) for the family as well as a good selection of locally sourced produce and meats. Don’t miss their cocktail lineup. It’s a perfect place for watching the world go by through the floor-to-ceiling windows. 219 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-7222, spoonbar.com. (Kim Carroll)

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Troubadour: The owners of Quail & Condor bakery have expanded their repertoire to include this sandwich shop by day, French bistro by night. For "Le Diner," Chef Sean McGaughey loves to play with classics like escargot with parsley veloute, herb salad with black sesame, and coq au vin with pommes Lyonnaise. $125 prix fixe menu, reservations only. 381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, troubadourhbg.com (Emma K. Morris)

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Sandwich from Troubadour in Healdsburg. (Emma K. Morris)

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Taste of Tea: This sweet, family-owned Japanese tea house has homey bento boxes, ramen, rice bowls and hard-to-find onigiri (rice balls). An extensive tea menu has more than 80 choices from around the globe, pus, sake cocktails, milk tea and matcha. 109 North St., Healdsburg, tasteoftea.com (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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Bento Box with chicken Katsu from Taste of Tea in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)

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Valette: The eponymous restaurant of Chef Dustin Valette 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. 344 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-473-0946, valettehealdsburg.com (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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Peppercorn crusted New York steak with wild mushroom fondue, and roasted bone marrow, served with potato and pepper hash, by chef Dustin Valette at his Valette restaurant in Healdsburg. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)

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Willi's Seafood: Serious seafood-centric food is usually best left to the coast. Willi’s Seafood is a rare inland exception, with a bevy of half-shells and sea fauna. Cocktails and small plates for sharing are the order of the day. Don’t miss the lobster roll or Dungeness Crab Louie, along with one of the area’s best local raw oyster bars, steamer pots of mussels swimming in PBR and Old Bay and a selection of seafood tartares. 403 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, 707-433-9191, starkrestaurants.com (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)

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