20 Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurants to Try in Sonoma County

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Don Julio’s, Rohnert Park: This Salvadorian pupusería is well loved by locals who rave about the handmade pupusas (thick corn tortillas stuffed with a savory filling and paired with spicy coleslaw). There are plenty of other options, too, including burritos, taco salads, tortas and enchiladas. 217 Southwest Blvd, Rohnert Park, 707-242-3160. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)

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Tropical Beef Burrito with tropical potato mix, pinto and white beans, Spanish rice, guacamole, roasted corn & red pepper salsa in a spinach tortilla from Don Julio's Latin Grill & Pupusas in Rohnert Park. (John Burgess / The Pres. Democrat)

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Sonoma Sourdough Sandwiches, Petaluma and Rohnert Park: Unless you work on Industrial Avenue (in Petaluma) or State Farm Drive (in Rohnert Park), there’s really no reason to be in this part of town — other than stopping by Sonoma Sourdough. This sandwich shop serves up a solid Reuben, along with more than a dozen sandwiches, ranging from meaty combinations of cold cuts to vegetarian. 5440 State Farm Drive, Rohnert Park, 1320 Industrial Ave., Petaluma. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Sonoma Sourdough salami sandwich (and hungry dog in the background). (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Smokin' Bowls, Rohnert Park: Beef-tallow fries topped with all manner of cheese, pulled pork, mashed potatoes and gravy — even ice cream. 295 Southwest Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-665-5265, smokinbowls.net. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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The S'mores bowl at Smokin' Bowls in Rohnert Park. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)

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What a Chicken, Petaluma: Choose from mixed grill plates, as well as tacos and fall-off-the-bone ribs. Sides include potato salad, coleslaw and Spanish rice. We recommend going for the freshly made corn tortillas. 706 E. Washington, Petaluma, 510-776-7615. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Roy’s Chicago Dogs at the Yard, Petaluma: This tiny, sit-at-the-counter joint offers variations of Vienna Beef franks for meat aficionado. Consider the traditional all-beef wiener, a half-pound “Home Wrecker,” a spicy fire dog or a Polish dog. Then load up with the 50 topping options, such as homemade pineapple mustard, Hell Fire sauce, onion rings and blue cheese. Also worth howling about: homemade pies and deep-fried Oreos. 84 Corona Road, Petaluma, 707-774-1574. (Terry Hankins)

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Hole in the Wall, Sebastopol: You can’t ignore a restaurant literally named Hole in the Wall Restaurant. This Sebastopol mainstay is one of the best for breakfast (all day), with seven kinds of Benedicts, crepes and a rare favorite — the Dutch Baby, a German-style pancake with caramelized sugar, apples and nutmeg. 972 Gravenstin Hwy. South, Sebastopol, 707-827-6040, holeinthewallrestaurantsebastopol.com. (Chris Hardy / Sonoma Magazine)

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Sonoma Burger, Sebastopol: Gravenstein Grill's pandemic pop-up burger spot has become a brick and mortar fast-casual restaurant in west Sebastopol. Burgers are small but tasty and most ingredients are sourced locally. The thin, bacon-fat fried onion rings are a delight, as is the fried chicken sandwich and a very flavorful tempeh burger. Griddled dogs get a nice crisp caramelization through and through. 173 Pleasant Hill Ave. North, Sebastopol, sonomaburger.com (Courtesy of Sonoma Burger)

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Barley and Bine, Windsor: Grab a table or a seat at the bar and peruse the 32 beers, ciders and kombucha on tap. Tot-tine—the lovechild of Ore-Idea Tater Tots and Canadian poutine (brown gravy, cheese curds and fries)—is a hot mess of deliciousness with bacon, melted mozzarella, green onions and gravy. 7765 Bell Road, Windsor, 707-657-7774, barleybinebeercafe.com. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)

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Tater tot poutine at Barley and Bine Tasting Room in Windsor. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

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Austin's Southern Smoke BBQ, Santa Rosa: This legit Texas-style barbecue pop-up can be hard to pin down, appearing most (but not all) Mondays at Old Possum Brewing in Santa Rosa. Brisket and pulled pork nachos are best bets. Check their pop-up schedule to see when the pitmaster is in. 357 Sutton Place, Santa Rosa, austinssouthernsmokebbq.com (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Sonoma Crust, Santa Rosa: Chef Anne Sanusi has dialed in what hundreds of chefs before her couldn’t: The perfect chicken waffle sandwich. Rather than fried chicken perched atop a waffle, Sanusi hand-breads and fries a fat breast while simultaneously ironing a fluffy Belgian-style waffle that she cuts in half and tops with aioli, tart coleslaw and just a soupçon of magic. 1040 N. Dutton Ave., Suite A, Santa Rosa, sonomacrust.com. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Beignets at Sonoma Crust in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

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Canevari's Delicatessen & Catering, Santa Rosa: This no-frills Italian-American deli is the kind of spot Tony Soprano and his buddies would like if they lived in Santa Rosa, ordering signature sandwiches for lunch, like the Meatball Sub, BBQ Tri Tip and Spiced Pulled Pork, or homemade ravioli, and cannoli for dessert. You might leave with slightly less healthy arteries and cooking smells lingering in your hair and on your coat (the "no-frills" part includes a not-so-well-ventilated kitchen) but it's totally worth it: this hidden gem is one of the best delis in Sonoma County. 695 Lewis Rd, Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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The Spicy Pulled Pork Sandwich on a grilled soft roll with Calabrian chili aioli and orange fennel slaw from Canevari's Delicatessen & Catering in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

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Taqueria Molcajetes, Santa Rosa: Molcajete typically refers to a large volcanic stone bowl that is heated to approximately the temperature of the sun. Meats, fresh cheese, cactus paddles, green onions and seafood are mixed with a spicy chile stew and the whole sizzling, furious thing is brought to your table. It will remain steaming, molten and bubbling for nearly half an hour as you are enveloped by a refreshing meat and vegetable-scented steam. 1195 W.  College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-544-8280. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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You won't find advertising or sandwich boards at Taqueria Molcajetes and no one has emailed me about their farm-to-table cuisine. The door is set into a dark and somewhat unwelcoming corner of the former G&G shopping center (it’s a Safeway now). Inside the small doorway is a larger interior filled with throngs of people who come for their giant burritos. The molcajete is easily enough for two starving linebackers or a family of 6. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)

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Taqueria Molcajetes was featured on Guy Fieri’s show “Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives.” Fieri called it “without question, one of the best Mexican food experiences I have ever had.” Find more local restaurants featured on the show here. (La Prensa Sonoma)

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Mission Kitchen and Bar, Santa Rosa: Chef Jesse Mcquarrie is finding a new audience for his creative takes on comfort food at this unassuming neighborhood bar. There's just something about the sweetly spicy Korean fried chicken sandwich we just discovered, along with his Dan Dan Noodles, Sloppy Joe Nachos and fish and chips (Friday through Sunday only). 52 Mission Ave., #111, Santa Rosa, missionkitchenbar.com. (Photo: @parkwestonphoto / Derek Coleman)

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Corner Park Café, Santa Rosa: Tasty Vietnamese food at a donut shop? It's a thing. Though it seems like an odd pairing, there's a long history of immigrants from southeast Asia opening donut shops that also serve the foods of their homeland. This version is especially delish, with pho, barbecue pork banh mi, fresh rolls and noodle bowls. Save some room for mango shaved ice, a specialty.  Of course, you can't leave without a couple of donuts, too. 4275 Montgomery Dr., Santa Rosa, cornerparkcafe.com.

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BBQ pork spring roll at Corner Cafe in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

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Mango shaved ice at Corner Cafe in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

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Tambayan, Santa Rosa: If you’re jonesing for some lumpia, halo-halo or adobo chicken, this Larkfield restaurant offers authentic cuisine from the Philippines. Tambayan means “hang out” in Tagalog (the native language of the Philippines). 600 Larkfield Center, Larkfield-Wikiup, 707-843-3824. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)

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Halo halo at Tambayan Filipino restaurant in Larkfield. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

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Bowl and Roll, Santa Rosa: You’ll be lucky to find a table at this combination sushi roll, ramen and Korean barbecue spot. What we love here is the simple Korean BBQ bulgogi: strips of steak marinated with soy sauce, garlic and sesame oil served over white rice. You’ll easily have some leftovers when paired with a roll or appetizer. 1331 Guerneville Rd., Suite Q, Santa Rosa, 707-595-3772. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Pupusería Salvadoreña, Santa Rosa: If you’re lucky, you’ll hear the swap, swap, swap of the kitchen ladies smacking out pupusas — corn cakes filled with cheese, vegetables or meat — and griddled to perfection. The pupusería also serves up tamales, yuca frita and empanadas, but hey, you’re here for the pupusas. 1403 Maple Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-544-3141. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Banh Mi at Thuan Phat, Santa Rosa: Still one of the best Vietnamese banh mi and, at $3.75, a steal of a deal. There is exactly one tiny table inside, so take a hint and get it to go. Looking too long at the polka dot walls will give you a headache anyway. 3020 Santa Rosa Ave., Suite H, 707-889-3966. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Mango Shaved Snow Ice at Yo Panda, Santa Rosa: Oh. My. Snow. Hawaiian shave ice just got bumped down our list of favorite things. Similar, but entirely different, shaved snow is a Taiwanese-style dessert made with frozen low-fat milk shaved into impossibly thin stacked ribbons of flavor. Mango snow topped with fresh mangos and sugar syrup makes for a crave-worthy summer treat. 925 Corporate Center Pkwy, Santa Rosa, 707-522-1388. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)

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Yo Panda also serves up freshly-baked pastries every morning and Boba (bubble tea).

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Tostilocos and Acai bowls at El Huerto Sonoma: This Sonoma storefront with healthy food as its main mission is run by a local farming family, offering fresh-pressed juices and acai bowls, along with seasonal granola and fruit bowls. What we love is the contrast of trendy avocado toast for just $4.75  and “skin glow” pressed juices along next to Mexican classics like Tostiloco (Tostito chips, mango, jicama, cucumber, peanuts, tamarind candy and lime) and mangonada. 19213 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma, 707-934-8791. (Courtesy photo)

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Luxe Option — Burdock Bar: The sister eatery to Duke’s Spirited Cocktails is Healdsburg’s version of Harry Potter’s Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, existing only to a self-selecting crowd. Once inside, you see there’s a bit of magic about it, but bring a full wallet. Cocktails are $20 each (crafted with care) and each small-plate dish is better than the last. Pork belly with mole and beef carpaccio are favorites. 109A Plaza St., Healdsburg, 707-431-1105, burdockbar.com (Courtesy of Allison Webber)