Interior at Tony’s Galley in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
A little more than a year after opening his namesake restaurant in Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village, chef Tony Ounpamornchai will close Tony’s Galley (722 Village Court) Saturday, March 19.
Fear not, however, because the chef plans to transform the space into Mandarin Kitchen on April 1.
Ounpamornchai, who’s also behind Sea Thai Bistro, Sea Noodle Bar and Raku Ramen and Rolls, said the new restaurant concept is “mostly heirloom recipes from my parents. Food that I will cook at home.” The menu will feature lots of Chinese cooking influences, but it is still in development, he said.
News of the transition was announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page:
“A little over a year ago, we introduced you to Tony’s Galley, the new but familiar face that you’ve learned to love … a new-old friend whom we share our moments together, good, bad, sad and happy. … And just like a friend, there will be a time that we have to part ways. For us at the Galley, the time is soon, and a goodbye is in order.”
Tony’s Galley gift cards will be honored at the new restaurant, Ounpamornchai said.
The Tell Burger with cheese from the William Tell House in Tomales on Sunday, May 29, 2021. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
With so many new restaurants popping up in Sonoma County, you’ve got to keep on top of things to know where to go. But sometimes you just want something simple; something tried and true: a cold beer, a juicy burger and the cozy embrace of a classic joint where you can hang out with friends.
Here are five longstanding, homegrown pubs — packed with Sonoma County characters, good food and great fun — that you always can rely on. Click through the above gallery for a peek inside and a few must-order dishes.
Russian River Pub — opened in 1972 and purchased and renovated in 2005 by Wendy Gause — has a loyal following for its dozen local beers on tap, local wines and cocktails, plus delicious dishes like Fieri’s favorite chicken wings with housemade sauce, along with charbroiled burgers, a saucy pulled pork sandwich and a steak sandwich smothered in melted jack, sautéed mushrooms and sweet onions.
Check out daily specials such as an open-faced meatloaf sandwich with mashed potatoes, old-fashioned tri-tip stroganoff and a huge, shareable warm chocolate brownie sundae. Bonus: Russian River Pub is open until midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
Cold pints, live music six nights a week, 10 big-screen TVs, Guinness beer and Irish coffee capped in clouds of homemade cream … this Sonoma square joint has everything a proper pub needs.
Murphy’s also beckons with hearty dishes from the Emerald Isle, like Irish stew stocked with lamb, shepherd’s pie smothered in Irish cheddar, corned beef and cabbage, and bangers and mash. There is fancier fare, too, like luscious lamb strips plated with escarole, beets, grapes, apples, gorgonzola cheese and watermelon radish.
Be sure to dig into the top-notch mussels; a heaping bowl of briny seafood, bacon, baby potatoes, parsley, lemon, garlic butter and rich Irish cream sauce.
464 First St. E, Sonoma, 707-935–0660, sonomapub.com
Olde Sonoma Public House
You could call this Sonoma pub a “dive,” but only in the best possible way. This is a happy place to listen to some live music, watch a game, relax with a beer on the patio (32 drafts, alone!) or play pool, darts and pinball. You could even belt out a few tunes during karaoke night.
While Olde Sonoma doesn’t have a kitchen, and thus no food of its own, the innkeepers encourage guests to dine at the bar via takeout or delivery from adjacent restaurants.
And there’s great stuff to order. We recommend Taqueria Sonoma next door, serving up hearty huaraches, a chile relleno burrito, or a torta Cubana stuffed with crispy breaded steak, chorizo, eggs, salchicha sausage, ham, cheese, jalapeño and avocado.
18615 Sonoma Highway, Suite 110, Sonoma, 707-938-7587, oldesonomapub.com
Shrimp Louie Salad and the Fish N’ Chips at Steiner’s Tavern in Sonoma. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Steiners Tavern
Steiners is open 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week and has been welcoming customers since 1927. What’s not to love about a casual, comfy place that charms with a beer on tap for just $5 or a Cosmo for $6?
There’s nothing fancy here, but that’s how we like it, with the compact kitchen cranking out gut-filling, mouthwatering standards such as buffalo-sauced chicken wings, golden battered mini corn dogs, and spicy jalapeño poppers.
Dig into daily specials, too, such as chilaquiles, or penne pasta in creamy chile poblano sauce with chicken.
The Tell Seafood Tower with oysters, crab, ceviche and clams from the William Tell House in Tomales on Sunday, May 29, 2021. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
William Tell House Saloon & Inn
This historic 1877 restaurant (locals call it “The Tell”) may not be located in Sonoma County proper but remains a best-kept secret for the cool cats of west county.
Stop in for killer housemade Bloody Marys; hot, messy, perfect barbecue oysters draped in bacon, Fresno chiles, herbed butter and cotija; local catch fish and chips in golden beer batter; and a superb ahi sandwich of rich pink seared sashimi tuna, creamy avocado slabs, sliced cucumber, purple slaw and drizzle of sweet soy on a soft roll brushed with fiery-spicy dynamite sauce.
Note: Only open Friday through Sunday during winter.
Fried Potatoes with pimenton aioli at The Redwood in Sebastopol. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
I was expecting a nice charcuterie board. I got one of the most impressive meals I’ve had this year.
When Khom Loi alums Geneva Melby and Ryan Miller soft-launched The Redwood in late February (just days before officially opening on Feb. 23), I planned to stop in for a glass of cloudy wine and maybe a courtesy nibble. It sounded nice, but I’d keep my dinner reservations elsewhere.
Ninety minutes later, I was still eating (and drinking) because once the first dishes came to the table — crisp cubes of potatoes with pimenton aioli ($7) and a plate of fresh pita with the best baba ghanoush ($8) I’ve ever eaten, I wasn’t about to miss out on anything else. The reservations were canceled, I moved to a more expansive table and settled in for the night.
The menu is divided into snacks, small plates, big plates and desserts. Snacks and small plates are available from 1 to 9 p.m.; larger dishes and desserts are available after 5 p.m. The menu will change seasonally, but hopefully, the Route One Pita and Dips will remain permanently.
Melby takes some liberties with the classic Mediterranean hummus, baba ghanoush and labneh, adding za’atar, sumac and fresh herbs to the creamy labneh, but it’s a lovely diversion. Spring for all three dips (with pickled onions and sliced radish) and three large pieces of Tomales’ famous Route One Bakery’s fluffy pita for $22. It will easily feed at least two people.
Route 1 Pita and Dip with pickled fresh vegetables, served with Chickpea Hummus with Za’atar, left, Seasoned Labneh with herbs & Baharat, and Baba Ghanoush with Sumac, at The Redwood in Sebastopol. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
The Scallop Crudo ($16) with tart slices of kumquat, fennel and drips of fennel frond sauce is chefs-kiss good with Weingut Brand “Electric Chardonnay Acid Test” 2021 with hints of pineapple, lemonade and “lightning bolts.” That’s a wine descriptor worth stealing.
Carrots and Black Sauce ($17) stole the show, however. Caramelized carrot spears with fried cumin and feta sit atop a pool of “black sauce” made with skins of the smoky eggplant used in the baba ghanoush. It’s mixed with honey, vinegar and caramelized onion for an umami bomb of flavor. A bright herb salad with parsley and mint lightens the dish perfectly. Arroz Negro ($25) is a heaping bowl of risotto dyed black with briny squid ink and topped with bites of grilled squid.
There’s plenty more to choose from, including a selection of gourmet tinned fish with potato chips and pickles ($17 to $23), Liberty Duck Chicken Liver Mousse with fig mostarda ($14), Braised Lamb Shank ($39), Roasted Squash and Maitakes ($19) and Semolina Crepes with spiced honey butter ($10).
Melby’s menu is truly a stunner that you can go back to repeatedly as the seasons change.
J. Brix Sunrise Over Skin at The Redwood natural wine bar in Sebastopol. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
When I first spoke to The Redwood last September, Melby (the chef) and Miller (the beverage director) were just at the trailhead of their journey to open a natural wine bar and kitchen at the former Ginger Thai in Sebastopol. The duo had tested the concept at pop-ups for more than 18 months, found a brick-and-mortar space to remodel and were ready to share their passion for the fast-growing field of low-intervention, native yeast, unfutzed-around-with style of wine.
It’s exactly what the next generation of wine drinkers want in their glasses because there are no rules about pairing or silly explanations. Clutch your pearls, darling, because at The Redwood, sediment in your glass is a positive, cloudiness is expected and a little funk never hurt anyone.
“When we moved (to Sonoma County), we started meeting all of these natural winemakers, joining this community but realizing that we had to go to SF or Oakland to buy or even have a glass of these natural wines in person,” Melby said last September.
The casual tables for two or eight are scattered about, with a friendly bar front and center. You can just eat, you can just have a drink, you can do both or just grab a bottle and go. The selection of wines runs from light French Beaujolais and skin-contact whites (the J. Brix “Sunrise over Skin” riesling from Los Alamos is a stunner) to meaty syrahs and cabernet francs. The bottle list runs four pages and is a perfect primer on the world of natural wines. A great variety of wines also are available by the glass.
A small but well-stocked bottle shop includes dozens of approachable and affordable wines to take home.
The Redwood is at 234 S. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-861-9730, theredwoodwine.com. Open from 1 to 9 p.m. Thursday through Monday.
Heather Irwin is the Dining Editor of the Press Democrat and Sonoma Magazine. You can reach her at heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com.
Fork Roadhouse, west of Sebastopol. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
When Sarah Piccolo closed her Sebastopol restaurant, Fork Roadhouse, in late November, she quickly realized that it wasn’t just the food her customers would miss, it was the sense of community she fostered at the west county roadhouse.
“I learned that this was a home for people. They missed the space, and they loved to escape here,” she said.
With the help of a longtime friend, Jesica Lyons, of the local plant-based pop-up J.E.S., the restaurant is coming back to life as a food collective. The growing cast of food businesses at Roadhouse Collective include Lyons, Piccolo’s Fork Catering, Bayou on the Bay (Bradley Wildridge), Happy Cat Pizza (Mark Boccardi) and SubHuman, a sandwich concept from Spencer Hochman.
“Times have changed, and we want to work hand-in-hand together. We’re sharing each other’s knowledge and resources,” Piccolo said. The food collaborators will share the space as an event venue, commissary kitchen and pop-up space for their restaurant concepts.
Owner/chef Sarah Piccolo at Fork Roadhouse. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
For Piccolo, collaboration isn’t just a nice idea. It’s a necessity.
“This is a unique business model that works with today’s inflation, and it just being harder to have a business in Sonoma County; people need commissary space without the expense of a full restaurant. It’s taking the stress off and creating community,” she said.
The Roadhouse Collective also will share the expense of key employees, like a dishwasher, Piccolo said.
“We just all really need each other right now,” she said.
The Roadhouse Collective will have a preview opening March 2 with classic Fork Roadhouse food, Friday will feature J.E.S. plant-based food and Saturday night and Sunday brunch with be with Bayou on the Bay. Menu details and information about future events and pop-ups can be found at roadhousecollective.com and at Instagram.com/roadhousecollective. 9890 Bodega Highway, Sebastopol.
More dining news
Food Fight for Reproductive Rights
On March 5, chefs Bryan Oliver (Little Saint), Liza Hinman (Spinster Sisters) and Crista Luedtke (Boon Eat + Drink) will join a celebrity lineup of Healdsburg mixologists for a food and cocktail competition benefiting reproductive justice.
Attendees of the ticketed event at Healdsburg’s Little Saint can watch the chefs and drink-makers duke it out and taste small plates, hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. Tickets are $100 per person and will benefit ACCESS Reproductive Justice and Indigenous Women Rising. Attendees must be 21 or older.
Petaluma has become a mini-hub for winery tasting rooms, with Adobe Road Winery, Barber Cellars, Black Knight Vineyards, Sonoma Portworks, and Brooks Note setting up shop downtown.
Last month, DRNK Wines joined the club with the launch of its pop-up tasting room at The Bagel Mill.
Wine with bagels? Is that even a thing? No, it isn’t — at least not yet. DRNK (pronounced “drink”) welcomes wine lovers only after the bagel shop has packed up its schmears for the day. Open 4-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, the venue pours wines by the flight, glass, and bottle.
While DRNK already runs a tasting room at its winery property in Sebastopol, co-owners Ryan and Katie Kunde loved the idea of opening an “urban” outpost in downtown Petaluma. The Bagel Mill, owned by Katie’s sister Glenda Dougherty, offered the perfect venue for an afternoon-to-evening pop-up.
Ryan Kunde of DRNK Wines. (Tina Caputo)
“We like being near a city hub,” says Ryan. “You can come in for a taste before your dinner reservation or stop in after.” Guests can also order food from Stockhome restaurant next door via a QR code and have it delivered to DRNK in take-out containers.
Though the Petaluma tasting room is new, DRNK Wines is not. A fifth-generation winemaker, Ryan founded the winery in 2012 with Katie and her parents Dale and Nancy Dougherty. This was a natural progression for Ryan, who grew up on the Kunde Family Estate in Sonoma Valley. After a post-college stint in wine sales for E. & J. Gallo, he did a couple of harvest internships at local wineries that helped him discover his true calling: making small-lot wines from distinctive vineyards across Sonoma County.
“This is one of the most agriculturally diverse counties, and there are more grape varieties grown in the correct locations here than ever before,” says Ryan. “This is kind of the golden era for viticulture in California, but Sonoma County is special in that there’s so much diversity.”
Ryan likes to let each individual site determine the direction for the wines while taking people a little bit by surprise. “As a boutique producer,” he says, noting that the winery makes just 1,000 cases per year, “it’s kind of my responsibility to bring wines to people that they don’t expect to like. I’ve have people tell me, ‘I’m not really a Chardonnay person, but that was really good.’”
Whatever Ryan makes, his dedication to craft comes through. The wines are approachable and delicious, showcasing beautiful balance and bright purity of fruit.
At the DRNK Wines pop-up in Petaluma. (Tina Caputo)
Flights at DRNK’s Petaluma pop-up, priced at $30 for a choice of six selections, currently include two Pinot Noir wines, a Sauvignon Blanc, a red blend and an old-vine Zinfandel. For a fun twist, the winery also offers a lively Sauvignon Blanc Pet-Nat and a fresh Pinot Gris Orange Wine. Wines are also available by the half-flight, glass, and bottle.
If all goes well for the pop-up, DRNK may eventually seek out a full-time space downtown. “It’s possible,” says Ryan. “Anything could happen.”
The tasting room is open 4-8 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays. 212 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-823-3637, drnkwines.com
The term “ghost wineries” may conjure images of restless spirits wandering winery corridors, but it doesn’t refer to haunted vineyard estates. Rather, it describes the handful of California wineries founded in the 19th century that were laid to rest in the wake of a series of challenges in the early 20th century until, years later, they were resurrected by new winemakers.
These historic winery estates offer locals and visitors alike an opportunity to go in search of lost time, while sipping some fine wine, of course. But before we explore the ghost wineries of Sonoma and Napa counties, let’s begin with some history.
At the end of the 19th century, California’s budding wine industry was rapidly expanding. The Gold Rush had drawn an influx of people to Northern California in search of the good life, among them pioneering winemakers from Europe, who imported cuttings from Old World vineyards.
But the early 20th century delivered twin blows to the region’s wineries. First came the San Francisco earthquake and fire of 1906, which destroyed warehouses full of inventory, and then World War I and its economic challenges.
The passing of the Volstead Act in 1919, banning all manufacturing, sales and consumption of alcoholic beverages, devastated California wineries. Before Prohibition, there were 700 wineries in the state. By the time it was rescinded in 1933, only 40 remained.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, abandoned winery estates fell into disrepair. Some were revived by new owners during later, more favorable times. The resilient few still thrive today.
These long-lived estates, having stood the test of time, are the ghost wineries of California. They’re reminders of the trials faced and the successes achieved by local winemakers and the European immigrants who set the stage for the Wine Country known around the world today. Here are a few to visit.
Buena Vista Winery
Founded in 1857 by Hungarian immigrant Agoston Haraszthy, Buena Vista is the second-oldest winery in California and is often referred to as the oldest premium winery in the state. (The oldest winery in California is D’Agostini Winery, founded in 1856.)
Haraszthy immigrated from Europe in 1840. Following in the footsteps of the forty-niners, he found the perfect terroir for “purple gold” and, as the self-proclaimed Count of Buena Vista, he established a reputation as an experimental vintner, a shrewd businessman and a flamboyant evangelist. He died as he had lived — dramatically — in an alligator-infested river in the jungles of Nicaragua in 1869.
During the Long Depression of 1873-77, the Buena Vista Vinicultural Society, now operating the winery, was forced to liquidate its assets and file for bankruptcy. Phylloxera, an insect pest of grapevines, destroyed the vineyards just before World War I.
Then came Prohibition. In 1941, United Press news executive Frank Bartholomew bought 435 acres of Buena Vista land, replanted some of the original vineyards and restored Haraszthy’s historic winery.
The legend of Haraszthy and his winery is now recreated by Buena Vista owner Jean-Charles Boisset, a modern-day version of the eccentric count. The best way to get a taste of the winery’s history (and some wine) is to reserve the Barrel Tasting & Winery Tour ($50), which takes visitors on a stroll through the winery grounds and into the Champagne Cellar for a taste of current-release wines. The tour continues into the wine caves where guests can sample wine from the barrel.
Be warned, this ghost winery is among those said to be haunted, so don’t be surprised if you see the old count sipping some wine.
Actor George Webber as the Count of Buena Vista. (Buena Vista Winery)
Gundlach Bundschu Winery
The Bundschu family has farmed their Sonoma Valley vineyard estate for 165 years, making Gundlach Bundschu the oldest “continuously family-owned winery” in California.
The winery was founded by Bavarian-born Jacob Gundlach, who bought 400 acres of land in Sonoma in 1858, named the property Rhinefarm and planted 60,000 vines. Ten years later, Charles Bundschu, from Mannheim, Germany, joined the company and, in 1875, became part of the family when he married Gundlach’s daughter Francisca.
When Jacob Gundlach died in 1894, Bundschu took over the reins of the family business. The winery held its first vintage festival two years later, celebrating harvest with “song, poems and prose.” (The tradition continues to this day with the annual Huichica festival, featuring live music performances, food and wine.)
The 1906 earthquake and fire destroyed the winery’s production facilities, 1 million gallons of wine and three family homes. Charles Bundschu, never fully recovering from the shock of the disaster, died four years later, at 68, from an illness contracted during the fire. His sons, Carl and Walter, assumed control of the family business.
After a brief period of renewed success — including 19 awards in the international wine competition at the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exhibition in San Francisco — Gundlach Bundschu Winery faced another challenge. Prohibition forced the family to close the winery and liquidate the company, with just the family Rhinefarm property remaining.
The family pivoted by selling grapes, including to local winemakers following the end of Prohibition. They didn’t resume wine production until the 1970s, under the leadership of Walter’s grandson, Jim. Jim’s son, Jeff Bundschu, was appointed president of Gundlach Bundschu in 2001. Katie Bundschu, Jim’s daughter, joined the family business on a full-time basis in 2012 and now serves as vice president for marketing and sales.
Visitors to Gundlach Bundschu, or Gun Bun for short, can choose from a variety of experiences, such as a vineyard and cave tour ($75), which includes “legendary stories” about the Bundschu family and their historic winery, or a tour of the property aboard a Swiss army transport vehicle, or Pinzgauer ($105), with stops and tastings along the route.
View from the Gundlach Bundschu Rhinefarm in Sonoma Valley. (Gundlach Bundschu)
Inglenook
Finnish sea captain Gustave Niebaum arrived in San Francisco in 1868 with a cargo of fur hides and seal skins worth $600,000, collected on an Alaskan journey. He established the Alaska Commercial Co. and grew his fortune.
In 1879, he bought the Inglenook property in Rutherford with dreams of establishing a winery “to rival the very best European chateaus.” His winery chateau was completed eight years later and, in 1889, Inglenook received the Silver Medal for Purity and Excellence at the Paris Exposition Universelle.
The 1906 earthquake and the death of Niebaum in 1908 delivered considerable blows to the winery, which eventually shut down during Prohibition. Niebaum’s widow, Suzanne, then reopened the winery following the repeal of Prohibition, and Niebaum’s grandnephew, John Daniel Jr., continued his granduncle’s legacy from 1939 to 1964.
In 1975, Eleanor and Francis Ford Coppola purchased part of the Inglenook property and produced their first vintage of Rubicon, a red Bordeaux-style blend. Eventually, they bought the historic chateau, which they restored in the late 1990s.
Today, visitors can explore the chateau during a Private Library Tour and Tasting ($125) and sip wine paired with food at the winery’s European-style bistro.
Chateau Montelena, located at the foot of Mount Saint Helena, was founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs, an entrepreneur from New Hampshire who came to San Francisco in early 1850.
Tubbs had made a fortune from the rope business during the Gold Rush and, together with his brother Hiram, had established a successful chandlery business and cordage factory in San Francisco. In 1882, he purchased 254 acres of land just north of Calistoga and built a large home and winery, which he named Hillcrest Estate. The original winery burned down and was replaced by two stone buildings, later named Chateau Montelena.
Winemaking at Chateau Montelena ceased with the onset of Prohibition, and Tubbs pivoted to selling grapes. In 1958, the Tubbs family sold the winery to Yort Wing Frank, who, together with his wife, Jeanie, created a Chinese garden and Jade Lake on the property.
Ten years later, the winery sold to Lee and Helen Paschich, who brought in Jim Barrett, a lawyer, as partner. Barrett replanted the vineyard and, in 1976, with Mike Grgić as winemaker, the Chateau Montelena 1973 chardonnay won first place in the white wine section of the historic Judgment of Paris wine competition.
Jim Barrett’s son, Bo Barrett, is now the winemaker at Chateau Montelena. Visitors can taste wines and tour the property by reservation ($55-$120, depending on experience). Limited walk-ins also are available 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.
The Chinese gardens at Chateau Montelena in Calistoga. (Chateau Montelena)
Hall Wines
In 1873, New England sea captain William Peterson bought 49 acres of land in northern Napa Valley, planted grape vines and set about becoming a winemaker. By 1885, he had completed the construction of a 5,000-square-foot winery, built from solid stone and wood.
Shortly thereafter, phylloxera destroyed Peterson’s vineyards, and the old sea captain decided it was time to return to the East Coast. He sold his vineyard property to San Francisco building contractor Robert Bergfeld, a German immigrant, who chiseled away Peterson’s name above the winery entrance and replaced it with his own.
Bergfeld restored the vineyards and then produced wine for 12 years at his namesake winery before it sold again and then closed during Prohibition. It reopened as the Napa Valley Winery Cooperative after Prohibition was repealed, allowing grape growers who bought into the co-op to ferment, produce and sell their wines at the winery.
In 2003, Kathryn and Craig Hall purchased the Bergfeld Winery. Three years later, they started a seven-year process to restore the historic stone and wood winery building, which had fallen into disrepair.
Today, it serves as a tasting room and visitors center and Hall Wines encompasses nine vineyards, including the historic Bergfeld vineyard, which captain Peterson planted in the late 1800s. Visitors can explore the historic winery and grounds in St. Helena during the Hallmark tour ($75), which also introduces them to the artwork displayed around the property.
401 St. Helena Highway S., St. Helena, hallwines.com
La Jota Vineyard Co. in Angwin. (La Jota Vineyard Co.)
La Jota Vineyard Co.
Founded in 1898 by Frederick Hess, a Swiss immigrant, La Jota earned international recognition when it won a bronze medal for its Blanco wine at the 1900 Paris Exposition and then gold at the St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904.
Despite its early success, the winery didn’t survive Prohibition and remained abandoned for more than 50 years until it was purchased by former oilman Bill Smith in 1974 and reopened in 1982.
In 2005, California wine pioneer Jess Jackson (founder of Kendall-Jackson) and his wife, Barbara Banke, purchased La Jota Vineyard Co. Today, winemaker Chris Carpenter and his team produce small lots of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and chardonnay from the winery’s Howell Mountain vineyards.
This year marks the 125th anniversary of La Jota Vineyard Co. To celebrate, the winery will re-release one of its “most notable and memorable vintages” each month. Visitors can get a taste of history in the original winery building, which Hess built from volcanic ash rock quarried on the property.
Rachel Seitz, left, and Emi Gutierrez, both of Santa Rosa, finish their night run during Healdsburg Running Co’s run and a meal afterward at Lepe’s Taqueria in Santa Rosa, Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat) 2023
Through group runs and events, the shop for running shoes and all sorts of striding gear has become, for veteran and newbie runners alike, a social hub where a community built around health and fitness comes together, often over adventure, wine, beer and food.
Store founder Skip Brand, a self-proclaimed “computer nerd” and “running nerd” opened the store in 2015.
The move came after years of working and living in Silicon Valley, including stints at Yahoo and as CEO of Martini Media, a San Francisco digital marketing company. His doctoral degree from Arizona State University is in technology policy.
But after a couple decades in the field he’d decided it was time for a change. He’d bought an 800-square-foot home in Healdsburg in 2005. His store on Center Street came 10 years later.
“What happens, at least in my family, is when you turn roughly 50, you take your day job and stop. And you do your passion,” said Brand, 57.
Running has always been an outlet for him. But he’s never been much of a “solitary runner,” he said. Instead, he enjoys running with others, chatting along the way.
“The great thing about running with someone is that they’ll tell you a lot,” Brand said. “Or, if you’re running, you’ll listen a lot, even if you’re not a great listener.”
The store allowed him to mesh that approach to people with a new business, and with his digital marketing experience, seek to forge a community in Healdsburg centered around running.
“I just set a really simple goal in saying, ‘I want Healdsburg to be ‘Healthsburg,’’” Brand said.
‘The four Cs’
Healdsburg Running Co. is organized around four verticals, or what Brand calls “four Cs”: community, charity, camps and commerce.
The first is about bringing more people into the sport, which can be intimidating for non-runners and first-timers.
Healdsburg Running Co. seeks to ease any anxiety through a diverse, inclusive sense of community. Its runs are described as “beginner-friendly.” Most are based out of single point, be it a tasting room or trailhead. Everyone ends up at the same place, which alleviates the stress of the meetup, Brand said.
Another way to motivate people to run, Brand explained, is with a good cause.
“The store and our runs started with kind of creating a community somewhere that everyone was welcome,” said Brand. “And then when we would do runs, or do a race, it was all based on raising money for a charity,” he said.
The majority of the store’s races partner with the nonprofit foundation Live Like Drew, which helps support the children of vineyard workers who are in need of college scholarships.
Much of the fun at HRC, though, stems from its camplike-approach to runs, treating them as adventure-filled outings.
That can mean pairing up a miles-long workout with a post-run gathering at a local brewery or a meal at a restaurant. The Tuesday ladies-only runs are a hit, often featuring a wine or beer tasting and gear demo. A spinoff Facebook group with more than 470 members includes women lighting out for running events around the world.
Runs for kids and trail-based weekend runs fill out a busy weekly schedule for Healdsburg Running Co.
Brand said a recent run drew about 60 people, who piled into Sprinter vans on their way to Crooked Goat Brewery in Petaluma for a post-run celebration. Petaluma’s Acme Burger was the base for another run, because who doesn’t love a juicy burger and some tater-tots — carb loading — after a workout with friends?
As for commerce, Brand, a former marketing executive, has harnessed social media and enlisted an enthusiastic group of store ambassadors to promote the club and business through its runs, races and product demos.
“The last thing you want to do in retail in today’s world is try to sell something, if that makes sense,” he said. “Especially for (younger people), (they’re) like ‘I don’t want to be sold something — I’ll demo something and see if I like it, or educate me.’ Everything is indirect.”
Case in point: Professional runner David Laney joined a recent Saturday run. He brought along Swedish running shoes by Craft Sportswear for runners to test.
The range and repetition of run options also is part of the magic. They are promoted across the store’s site and social media. If you can’t make one, try for the next. Most runs happen rain or shine.
The youthful energy of Brand’s 15-member staff — large for an independent running store — and their social media fluency keeps it all running smoothly, he said.
Two trends have fueled Healdsburg Running Co.’s success.
One is the appeal of group runs, a major shift in a sport where the solo outing has long held sway in marketing if not personal preference. That’s no longer so, Brand said.
“The running community said, ‘Hey, I’d rather run with somebody if it’s going to be raining out for the month, I can go to the Ladies’ Night when it’s raining because I could suffer with a bunch of other ladies,’” he said. “And they’ll laugh about it, it’s kind of fun.”
The isolation imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic is a contributing factor. People spent much of their days alone, so leisure time is more about connecting with others when possible.
The second factor? Nature, specifically running on trails — which Sonoma County has aplenty — has appealed to a wider cross-section of runners.
“Even if you do half your runs on the road, but you do a Saturday Trail Run, you call yourself a trail runner,” Brand said.
It comes back to the pressure of time and pace, he said.
“The reason trail running is growing literally 35% year after year, is mostly because nobody has to tell what their 5K time or their marathon time is,” Brand said. “They only ask when you trail run, ‘Did you finish?’”
HRC hosts trail runs every Saturday. These outings, which tend to be longer — sometimes over 20 miles — explore trails across the North Bay, from Mount Tamalpais to Lake Sonoma.
“That’s why they’re willing to travel a little bit further because it’s like, ‘Hey, even if I walk 10 miles, I’m still in the beautiful sun at Stinson Beach,” he said.
The community
Women make up a growing share of runners in the U.S., so Healdsburg Running Co.’s Ladies Night runs serve a dominant demographic.
The Tuesday runs are guided by Dominique Chevalier, the store’s co-manager, who ran track in high school and college.
“A group of ladies who are now still in the company and still work with us had said, ‘Hey, on Tuesdays we want to do runs, Ladies’ Night — and we don’t want any men. we don’t want any kids. we just want to do our own thing. Can you support us?’” Brand said. “And we were like, ‘Of course.’”
The regulars now form a foundation of the community that’s arisen around the business, Brand said.
Another demographic that’s specifically given a space to run is children, especially after clocks spring forward next month and Day Light Saving Time kicks in.
Kids can participate in Friday runs that are a bit shorter, about a mile or more, while parents hang around the store, which is set up to allow for some lounging.
Until those longer days kick in, though, many of HRC’s group runners are people with day jobs looking for some company as they squeeze in their workouts in the dark.
“It’s a lot about camaraderie at the end,” Brand said.
The crew
HRC wouldn’t be able to host the events and runs it does if it weren’t for the crew behind the store.
Chevalier, the co-manager, began working for the company five years ago, at first part time and hosting the Ladies’ Night runs. Today, she puts in up to 35 hours a week, and participates in all of the weekly runs.
Chevalier, 37, a mother of two young children, says she still runs plenty outside of the store events, too. In November, she ran the Rio Del Lago 100-mile race, an ultramarathon on trails in the Sierra Nevada foothills that took her over 29 hours to complete.
It took far more training time to prepare, she said.
Chevalier said the main difference between trail running and road-running is the concept of time.
“It doesn’t matter if you have a 7-minute mile, or an 18-minute mile, because it depends on what your terrain is, you know?” Chevalier said. “You’re just out there enjoying the camaraderie of everyone else that’s out there.”
One of Chevalier’s favorite memories with the HRC took place in 2022 and involved the annual Lake Sonoma 50, Sonoma County’s premier off-road ultramarathon.
“It kept getting pushed off and pushed off during COVID, and we finally had it in September which was ridiculous and not smart, which we would find out later,” Chevalier said. “It ended up being 98 degrees, and you know, it was tough out there.”
Though the heat and lack of shade created a challenge, Chevalier said, the packs of hearty runners and race volunteers persevered.
“All of our community was out there at each aid station, and it was so cool to see that like, they were hot, too, right? But they were just volunteering their time and supporting all of us, even though it wasn’t comfortable for them, and that’s pretty cool,” Chevalier said.
The long Saturday trail runs she and others use to train for such races are her favorite part of the Healdsburg Running Co.’s community, she said.
“It’s just this beautiful morning of just pure joy because it’s like, we’re out there in this gorgeous nature on a gorgeous trail, exercising and endorphins are up,” Chevalier said. “I smile to myself sometimes when I’m on the trail because I’m like, ‘I love this community and life and being out here every Saturday.”
Her advice to anyone interested in running or joining with HRC runs, which are free: Just come try it. You won’t be left behind.
“Passion is priceless,” Brand said. “So as long as our runners and our staff and people who show up are just as passionate about having fun and running and enjoying good food and good company, then even someone who’s not as passionate is like, ‘Dude, I’m in.’”
Yes, the rumors are true: The topnotch burgers, cheesy crinkle-cut fries and custard milkshakes that have made New York City-based Shake Shack an international fast food darling are coming to Sonoma County.
Montgomery Village General Manager Brittany Mundarain confirmed the forthcoming opening in a news release Monday. “We are thrilled Montgomery Village will be the location of Santa Rosa’s new neighborhood Shack,” Mundarain said in the statement.
The Bay Area has 11 Shake Shacks, including one in Larkspur and three in San Francisco, along with locations in Oakland and the South Bay. There are currently no locations in Wine Country. An official opening date for the Montgomery Village Shake Shack is yet to be announced, but Mundarain said it could open by next winter.
Shake Shack will open at Santa Rosa’s Montgomery Village in late 2023. (Shake Shack)
An East Coast rival to California’s In-N-Out (both have their rabid fans), Shake Shack will no doubt make locals weigh in on the merits of the upstart. Founded by NYC restaurateur Danny Meyer (who opened three-Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park), the restaurant is best known for its elevated but simple take on fast food. The fresh Angus beef is never frozen or pumped with hormones, the potato buns are delightfully smushy, and fancy shakes (tiramisu, Dreamisicle) are a thing.
Debuting in 2001 as a tiny hot dog stand in Madison Square Park, Shake Shack became an instant hit, expanding its offerings to include fancy cheeseburgers, a vegetarian fried mushroom burger, a fried chicken sandwich and gourmet shakes. The recent addition of a white truffle burger has upped its cachet even further.
There is, of course, also a secret Shake Shack menu, though topping a burger with peanut butter doesn’t exactly ring my bell. (I mean, maaaaybe.)
The restaurant chain, which has nearly 400 locations worldwide, also focuses on animal welfare and is well-known for its supportive work environment and for programs that further its mission to “Stand for Something Good.”
“Whether partnering with local artists and ingredient purveyors, or fundraising with Santa Rosa non-profits and schools, we can’t wait for Shake Shack to become a part of our community,” said Mundarain in the news release from Montgomery Village.
Street tacos at Bird and the Bottle in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Happy hours are here again
Altamont General Store (3703 Main St., Occidental) offers happy hour deals from 4 to 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday with small plates, $6 pints and $10 wines by the glass. Look for tasty morsels like Bodega Bay crab fried rice, honey walnut prawns and Hurricane fries (dishes change up weekly). 707-874-6053, altamontgeneralstore.com.
Bird and the Bottle (1055 Fourth St., Santa Rosa) is bringing back their happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday through Thursday with $6 classic martinis, $3 beers and supersized margaritas for the table for $30. Tasty $6 bites include pastrami tacos, smoked chicken wings, everything-spiced fries and chicken skin cracklings. 707-568-4000, birdandthebottle.com.
Hell’s Kitchen chef-testant and purple-haired badass Mary Lou Davis is joining local tastemakers Bayou on the Bay for a four-course Cajun meal in Sebastopol April 1. The dinner is loosely based on Disney’s animated movie about a young woman who dreams of owning a restaurant but instead ends up a frog (at least for a while). If you’ve seen Chef Mary Lou’s penchant for cosplay on her Geeks and Grubs YouTube channel (youtube.com/@GeeksGrubs), there’s good reason to hope for some costuming as well. The event will be held at Fork Roadhouse (9890 Bodega Highway), which closed in November but has since become a popular pop-up spot. Tickets are $125 per person, details online at Instagram.com/bayou.onthebay.
Tomato soup and a grilled kimchi and cheese sandwich from Lunch Box restaurant in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Cold weather cues cravings for comforting soups. Plain and simple and always better the next day, soup isn’t about the ingredients so much as it is about the way a steaming bowl of comfort makes you feel. It’s time to warm up with some of our favorite local soups. Click through the above gallery for details.
