The Best Hidden Gems and Secret Spots in Santa Rosa

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It may be a hole-in-the-wall eatery down a remote country lane. Or a great place to visit, right there in plain sight, yet never before noticed. These hidden things give Sonoma County its texture, its, substance, its je ne sais quoi. They’re what you find if you stay awhile, and allow yourself to sink below the surface. And they’re yours for the seeking. Click through the gallery for our favorite hidden gems and secret spots in Santa Rosa. (Photo: The Spinster Sisters restaurant, photo by John Burgess)

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SOFA, So Good, South of A Street: The South A Street district concealed on the back side of Santa Rosa’s Juilliard Park is an old-fashioned cluster of small shops, galleries, artist studios and eateries refreshingly free of anything close to a chain. No Starbucks, just Atlas Coffee Co. down an alley with a hodge-podge of found furnishings, a record player and great java. Denizens have dubbed it SOFA and it’s full of surprises, including one of the city’s top restaurants (The Spinster Sisters), one of its finest bakeries and cafes (The Criminal Baking Co. & Noshery) and the edgy Imaginists theater company. South A Street and Sebastopol Avenue, Santa Rosa. (Photo by Beth Schlanker)

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Brewpub in a Grocery Store, Tap Room at Whole Foods Coddingtown: Why didn’t someone think of this before? The Tap Room at Whole Foods Market in Santa Rosa is a respite from the chore that can be grocery shopping, thanks to its island of beer-a-tude. Craft brews on tap, appetizers and pizzas are served, and dozens more bottled beers are in the cooler. Would-be home brewers will be inspired by the beer-making kits and fresh hops for sale. 390 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa, 707-542-7411. (Photo by Christopher Chung)

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Cut the Rug with Flamingos, Dancing at the Flamingo Lounge: Sunday nights are salsa (and bachata) nights in The Flamingo Lounge, the retro bar inside the Flamingo Conference Resort & Spa in Santa Rosa. Every week, local salsa bands take over the lounge and crank out live music for smartly dressed dancers. The party usually starts at 7 p.m., when dance pros offer an hour of salsa lessons ($10 a person). Open dancing ($8) begins at 9 p.m., and usually stretches late into the evening. Order food before 9 p.m. and get 10 percent off. 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-8530. (Photo by Erik Castro)

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Happy Hour Revival, The Villa Restaurant: Perched atop a hill overlooking eastern Santa Rosa, the Villa Restaurant & Bar is a traditional Italian eatery that has long been a favorite hangout of the older bocce set. But it’s quickly gaining traction as a kitschy happy-hour haunt by a new generation. With special drinks and apps available from 3 to 7:30 p.m. daily, selected beers and wines are just $3.50; value-priced tummy busters include $3.50 fried zucchini, fried polenta and chicken skewers, $8.95 steamed clams, small pizzas for $6.50 and a petite plate of spaghetti and meatball for $8.50. 3901 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-528-7755. (Courtesy Photo)

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Ricardo’s Special, Ricardo’s Bar & Grill: Inspired by the long shuttered Ingram’s Chili Bowl on Old Redwood Highway in Santa Rosa, Ricardo’s Bar & Grill serves Ricardo’s Special to in-the-know customers, an open-faced burger topped with chili and cheese and surrounded by hash browns. 2700 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-545-7696. (Courtesy Photo)

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Birds and Burros, The Bird Exchange: Odd animals are the attraction at the Bird Exchange and Honkey Donkey Farm, a popular stop for families on Hall Road in Santa Rosa. The Bird Exchange, a bird store and supply shop, has one of the largest selections of exotic avians in Northern California, hundreds at any given time. Next door, the Honkey Donkey Farm is home to more than 100 miniature Sicilian donkeys, pint-sized beasts that grow to an average 30 to 32 inches tall, making them a favorite among young kids who are about the same size. 5355 Hall Road, Santa Rosa, 707-575-0433. (Photo by John Burgess)

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The Man Slaw, Sprenger’s Tap Room: The Man Slaw at Sprenger’s Tap Room in Santa Rosa is coleslaw with hot sauce and chopped pieces of bacon. Women can order it, too, though it’s not on the menu. When the restaurant has salted caramel ice cream, it will also make a salted caramel beer float. Brickyard Center Shopping Center, 446 B St., Santa Rosa, 707-544-8277. (Press Democrat Photo)

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A Kid’s Kind of Fish Shop, Ceasar’s Tropical Fish: No one will mistake it for Sea World, but Caesar’s Tropical Fish in Santa Rosa is nearly as much of a kid thriller as a splash by a killer whale. In darkened display rooms, little ones go eyeball to eyeball through aquarium glass with audaciously hued saltwater exotics, bug-eyed goldfish and a resident Madagascar cichlid that seems to want to nibble at noses. 1648 Piner Road, Santa Rosa, 707-546-7456. (Courtesy Photo)

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A Pie for the Ambivalent,  Jackson’s Bar & Oven: There’s a certain feeling of trust when you walk into Jackson’s Bar and Oven in Santa Rosa and order the “Undecided” from the wood-fire pizza menu. It’s always made with undisclosed ingredients that could include heirloom tomatoes, wild mushrooms, chorizo and clams. Sometimes there’s red sauce, sometimes it’s white, and sometimes it’s olive-oil-based. The pizza is not quite as popular as the margherita and house-made sausage versions, but the “Undecided” has gained a following among folks who just want to have fun. Trust the chef. 135 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-6900. (Photo by Crista Jeremiason)

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Succulent Ceviche, Sazon Peruvian Cuisine: You’ll have to keep a sharp eye out for Sazon Peruvian Cuisine, a cocina secreted away on Sebastopol Avenue in southwest Santa Rosa. The beef-heart skewers, lomo saltado (Peruvian steak frites) and aji de gallina (pulled-chicken stew) are fantastic, but it’s the ceviche we crave. Leche de tigre (tiger’s milk) is the tart, briny, magical citrus marinade that “cooks” the raw seafood in ceviche. Packed with eye-popping flavor, it’s considered by Peruvians to be both aphrodisiac and hangover cure. 1129 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-523-4346. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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The Pullman Kitchen: A giant pan of paella goes on the stove Tuesday afternoons at Santa Rosa’s The Pullman Kitchen, and it keeps sizzling through the evening. It’s all you can eat, but when it’s gone, it’s gone. 205 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-4300. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Covers You Covet, Treehorn Books: Remember books? Before Kindle? The folks at Treehorn Books love tomes so dearly they celebrate them in a mishmash clutter of new and used treasures, at bargain prices to encourage us to read more. Row after row, shelf after shelf (plus ladders to reach them), there are all kinds of inventive categories such as the Sixties, Fire & Disasters, Counter-Culture, Earthquakes & Floods, Drama, first editions (including signed) and lots of rare gems, plus the more expected History and Children’s Literature sections. 625 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-525-1782. (Photo by Erik Castro)

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El Roy’s Mexican Grill: The popular El Roy’s Mexican Grill trucks can be found in Petaluma, parked at the intersection of East Washington Street and Lakeville Highway, and in Santa Rosa, on Sebastopol Road. There are tables and benches to sit and chow down, and customers rave about everything from the fish and shrimp tacos to the horchata drinks. 760 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-843-2166; E. Washington Street and Lakeville Highway, Petaluma, 707-241-6534. (Courtesy Photo)

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Burning Man Without the Desert, Paradise Ridge Winery: The giant “LOVE” sculpture at Paradise Ridge Winery was created for the Nevada festival in 2007 and now has a permanent home in the winery’s secluded meadows. Every year, other Burning Man pieces are installed for rotating shows curated by the Voigt Family Sculpture Foundation. That might mean temples (the ones that don’t get burned), towers and wind machines placed along paths amid the groves. Most of the pieces are interactive: feel free to crawl and clamber. 4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-528-9463. (Photo by Robbi Pengelly)

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Sweet and Savory Buns, East Wind Bakery: Pastry worlds collide at East Wind Bakery, an off-the-beaten-path patisserie in west Santa Rosa, resulting in kimchee- and Chinese sausage-stuffed croissants, garam-masala-spiced sweet buns, Thai chicken pot pies and Japanese milk bread studded with Earl Grey tea. This beautiful little bakery owned by Doug Quick and Tony Tam is an East-meets-West labor of love. Go with a sense of adventure and a hungry belly, and don’t miss the “Sea Foam” coffee, made with a sweet, salty whipped cream and Asian spices. 3851 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-568-6081. (Photo by Heather Irwin)

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Groovy Racing, Slot Car Raceway: Slot-car racing didn’t die with America’s innocence in the 1960s. It’s alive and well in Rohnert Park, where Slot Car Raceway welcomes hobbyists to race their miniature model cars on slotted tracks, steered by hand-held controllers. While most enthusiasts leaped to more sophisticated iRacing on computers, Slot Car Raceway does it old school with its in-shop track and cases full of parts and equipment for home hobbyists. If you fondly recall your 1967 orange Manta Ray and spring-loaded plunger, this place is for you. 305 Southwest Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-795-4156. (Photo by John Burgess)

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On the Rocks in Roseland, Whiskey Tip: One particular block of Sebastopol Road in Santa Rosa, near Stony Point Road, is a destination mostly for souls seeking motor oil, a garden-hose bib or a laundromat. Yet here also flourishes a newish tavern that ably pairs two of life’s greatest gifts. The place is called Whiskey Tip Bourbon & BBQ, and it has a spacious patio with games out back and sports on the telly inside. Just add a glass of distilled artistry and one single, great cube of diamond-clear ice. Sit back and relax. 1910 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707 843-5535. (Courtesy Photo)

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Dinner with the Show, Green Music Center: Dine before one of the indoor/outdoor shows at Green Music Center in the summer. For roughly $100 to $140, attendees are greeted with a glass of sparkling wine, seated on the front row of the Dining Terrace — one of the best outdoor seats available — and served a three-course meal, followed by the show. Wine and beer are available for purchase and you can pre-order a boxed salad or sandwich from Boudin Bakery and a bottle of wine. They’ll be waiting for you when you arrive, whether you’re seated at a table or on the lawn. Green Music Center on the Sonoma State University campus, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park, 866-955-6040. (Photo by Will Bucquoy)

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Fish AND Cut Bait, Hana Japanese Restaurant: One of the best restaurants in Sonoma is tucked into an unlikely spot in the DoubleTree Plaza shopping mall in Rohnert Park. For the past 25 years, Hana Japanese Restaurant owner Ken Tominaga has sourced the best and freshest raw fish in the world to create mouthwatering nigiri, sushi and makimono rolls. The menu also includes a wide range of traditional Japanese dishes. Wash it all down with sake chosen by one of the few sake sommeliers around. 101 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-586-0270. (Photo by Jeff Kan Lee)

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