Best Sonoma County Restaurants Under $40, Bib Gourmand 2018 Winners

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Michelin's 2018 SF Bay Area Bib Gourmand winners have been announced. Nine of the 67 winners are in Sonoma County. Click through the gallery to find out who won and see photos from each restaurant. (In this photo, Spanish Tortilla Espanola at Backyard Forestville, photo by John Burgess)

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Backyard, Forestville: The chefs at this Forestville restaurant source the menu from their own backyard: meats from local ranchers, fish from local fishermen, fruit from local orchards, vegetables from local farms, wine and beer from local producers.

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Tim's Burger, voted one of the best burgers in Sonoma County, with housemade kimchi, bacon, Jorge Matos cheese, egg and Village Bakery bun at Backyard in Forestville. (Photo by John Burgess)

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Daniel Kedan's Antipasti at Backyard in Forestville.

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Chef Daniel Kedan at Backyard Forestville. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Buttermilk onion rings at Backyard in Forestville. (Courtesy photo)

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Pasta Carbonara with onion, morels mushroom, guanciale and garlic from chef Daniel Kedan at Backyard in Forestville. (Photo by John Burgess)

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Bravas Bar de Tapas, Healdsburg: This popular spot has indoor seating and outdoor dining in the backyard, where a bar has been built. Sample from a wide variety of authentic Spanish tapas (snacks), some cold, some hot, some liquid, some not. There’s paella for two or four, and a wine list with lots of Spanish selections, including 13 Sherries. It’s a friendly, relaxing atmosphere for nibbling good food and drinking good wine with friends. (Photo by Christopher Chung)

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Homemade Garlic & Manchego Sausage at Bravas Bar de Tapas, in Healdsburg. (Photo by Christopher Chung)

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Croquettes at Bravas Bar de Tapas in Healdsburg. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Long Cooked Pork Cheeks Bocadillos at Bravas Bar de Tapas, in Healdsburg. (Photo by Christopher Chung)

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SHED Healdsburg: Home to one of Wine Country’s best chefs, Perry Hoffman, this combination of coffee shop, shrub bar, sit-down restaurant, take-out deli and market is a foodie paradise. There is a limited selection of fresh produce, cheeses, meats and other deli items, but here, it’s best to call ahead if you want one of their luxe picnic baskets filled with sandwiches, fruit and macarons. Or just grab a few pastries and some homemade ice cream for the car.

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Wild fennel soup with smoked trout, lemon verbena, croutons, $9, at SHED Cafe in Healdsburg. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Chef Perry Hoffman at SHED Cafe in Healdsburg, California. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Roasted Little Farm Potatoes with tomato sauce, garlic aioli and fines herbs, $10 at Shed Cafe in Healdsburg. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Pacific Yellowtail with tai soi, ginger, citrus, togarishi, $18 at SHED Cafe in Healdsburg. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Chalkboard, Healdsburg: Enjoy an assortment of dishes that range from house made pastas and crudo to fried chicken and locally grown squash. The plates are small enough to share, but be warned: some dishes will make you act like a spoiled child – you won’t want to part with a single bite.

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English Pea Soup at Chalkboard Bistro in Healdsburg (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Pork belly biscuits with maple glaze and pickled onion. (Photo by Conner Jay)

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The "Candy Bar" with brownie, caramel, roasted milk chocolate cremeaux and nougat ice cream is served at the Chalkboard Restaurant in Healdsburg. (Photo by Conner Jay)

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Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria, Geyserville: Fresh slices of house-cured lardo on top of a wood-fired pizza. Toss on a few tomatoes and you’ll never look at another piece of mushroom and pepperoni quite the same way again. And it’s just one of the devilish pizzas at Dino Bugica’s pizzeria, Diavola. In this photo, the Salsiccia Pizza, containing house sausage, red onions, and pecorino, at Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria, in Geyserville. (Photo by Christopher Chung)

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Davy Jones Locker pizza at Diavola in Geyserville is a seafood extravaganza. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Dino Bugica, chef/owner of Diavola in Geyserville. (Photo by Chris Hardy)

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Glen Ellen Star, Glen Ellen: It looks like a funky frame shack, but the big star on the front of the building suggests just how good chef Ari Weiswasser’s food can be. The wood-fire oven is central to his cooking, and the dishes seem, at first glance at the menu, to be standard fare, yet they have surprising flourishes and hidden flavors. The wine list is a trove of little-known treasures.

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Glen Ellen Star features local produce and meats using a wood-fired oven in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Chef Ari Weiswasser's Spring Pea Soup with ricotta Gnude, parmesan and mint at the Glen Ellen Star restaurant. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Glen Ellen Star features local produce and meats using a wood-fired oven in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Glen Ellen Star features local produce and meats using a wood-fired oven in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Glen Ellen Star features local produce and meats using a wood-fired oven in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Glen Ellen Star features local produce and meats using a wood-fired oven in the heart of the Sonoma Valley. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Monti’s Rotisserie and Bar, Santa Rosa: Enjoy a rustic Mediterranean meal on Monti’s patio. Then walk it off, shopping in open air Montgomery Village. 

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Ramen Gaijin, Sebastopol: Chefs Matthew Williams and Moishe Hahn-Schuman call themselves “gaijin” as a play on the Japanese term for non-Japanese people, but all ethnic differences end in the kitchen. This is the real deal, with authentic, outrageously delicious Japanese fare including robata yakitori meats, artisanal pickle platters, and the star: ramen with handcrafted noodles and succulent pork chashu. The upscale izakaya setting is warm and whimsical, while the craft cocktails are works of art.

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Pickled vegetables and bonito flakes at Ramen Gaijin and Sebastopol. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Left to right, The Pickle Plate, Yakitori (from top; Chicken Tsukune, Hokkaido Scallop, Broccoli, and Wagyu Short Rib) and Maguro Poke from Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol. (Photo by John Burgess)

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Spicy Tan Tan Ramen with Sapporo noodles, sesame, scallion, pork belly chashu, spicy ground pork, charred cabbage, woodier and a 6 minute egg from Ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol. (Photo by John Burgess)

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The re-opening of ramen Gaijin in Sebastopol after an expansion. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Eggplant parmigiana at Bib Gourmand winner Risibisi Restaurant in Petaluma. (Photo by Beth Schlanker) 

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Chef Douglas Keane at Bib Gourmand Winner Two Birds One Stone in St. Helena. (Photo by Beth Schlanker)

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Foie gras with cherry gelee and popped sorghum at Two Birds One Stone, opened by chefs Douglas Keane and Sang Yoon in St. Helena, Napa. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Bib Gourmand winner Two Birds One Stone in St. Helena, Napa. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Duck Egg Custard with uni and crab at Two Birds One Stone in st. Helena, a project of Chefs Douglas Keane and Sang Yoon. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Wagyu beef at Two Birds One Stone in St. Helena, Napa. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Specialty cocktails at Two Birds One Stone, run by chefs Douglas Keane and Sang Yoon in St. Helena, Napa. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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The famous chicken wings at Two Birds One Stone in St. Helena. (Photo by Heather Irwin)