HenHouse Brewing to Release Coveted Big Chicken Monday. Here’s Where to Find It

By Sarah Doyle
HenHouse Brewing Co.’s 2023 Big Chicken Double IPA will be released Feb. 6. (HenHouse Brewing Co.)

A clucking good time is in store for beer lovers starting Monday, Feb. 6, when HenHouse Brewing releases its highly anticipated Big Chicken “Zero-Day” Double IPA at taprooms, bars and restaurants throughout the Bay Area.

This will be the eighth annual release of Big Chicken, and HenHouse expects to pour 60,000 pints of the sudsy stuff within the week. What makes Big Chicken special is that it’s packaged, delivered and served in a single day, preserving its arresting freshness.

Founded in 2012, HenHouse sells a variety of IPAs, plus pale ales, stouts, saisons and sours, many of them released on a rotating basis. Those who live in Sonoma County know a new HenHouse beer seems to appear on store shelves weekly.

The Santa Rosa-based brewery has inspired a sense of pride among Sonoma County beer drinkers who remain stoked on the brewery’s ultra-fresh, hop-driven beers and clever, esoteric packaging.

More than 400 bars and restaurants will serve the West Coast-style Double IPA beginning Monday, Feb. 6, through Friday, Feb. 10. But you also can sample Big Chicken during the weekend, by heading to the HenHouse taproom in Santa Rosa or Petaluma, where it will be poured through Sunday, Feb. 12 — if it lasts that long.

Sonoma County bar and restaurant locations that will serve Big Chicken were announced on HenHouse’s social media channels Jan. 31, including Acre Pizza in Petaluma and Sebastopol, Brew Coffee and Beer in Santa Rosa, Duke’s Spirited Cocktails in Healdsburg, Flagship Taproom in Cotati and Hopmonk Tavern in Sonoma.

Find all locations here:

Refreshed each year, the recipe for Big Chicken highlights the HenHouse production team’s favorite ingredients, techniques and trends from the previous 12 months. “Zero-Day” refers to the beer’s fleeting availability.

“One of the most exciting things about this year’s release is that we used Genie Barley from Crane Farms in Penngrove, which was malted at Admiral Maltings in Alameda,” said Zach Kelly, HenHouse’s brewmaster. “Sonoma County is really focused on agriculture, so using more locally grown ingredients and developing tighter relationships with our farmers is important to us.”

But blink and you’ll miss it. Big Chicken is expected to fly the coop in a matter of days. Cans of Big Chicken 2023 will only be available at the HenHouse Santa Rosa Brewery Tasting Room and Petaluma Palace of Barrels. Cans will be allocated each day from Monday, Feb. 6, to Sunday, Feb. 12. HenHouse said it can’t guarantee the daily allocations will last until closing or after Feb. 12.

At 10% ABV (alcohol-by-volume), this year’s Big Chicken is all you’ve ever wanted in West Coast-style Double IPA. A combination of Simcoe, Cascade, Centennial, Mosaic and CTZ hops provides burly, dank, resinous pine aromas lifted by notes of fresh, ripe grapefruit. The full-bodied mouthfeel gives way to a hop-imbued burst of fresh grapefruit, followed by a complex yet crisp finish.

Greener than hops

For HenHouse Brewing, this year’s release of Big Chicken is especially significant as it’s the first time the beer was produced with the brewery’s new carbon dioxide-capture system.

During the fermentation process, carbon dioxide is typically released into the atmosphere, where it adds to greenhouse gas emissions. With carbon-dioxide-capture technology, HenHouse is able to recover the carbon dioxide and use it to carbonate their beer.

“There are so many byproducts in beer production, and the CO2-capture system has allowed us to make a dent in our carbon footprint,” Kelly said. “At HenHouse, we think about how we can improve processes instead of just doing them as fast as we can.”

For more information, visit henhousebrewing.com/bigchicken.

You can reach Staff Writer Sarah Doyle at 707-521-5478 or sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com.

Costeaux French Bakery Names New Chef, Launches Pop-Up Dinners

By Heather Irwin

Now in its 100th year, the popular Costeaux French Bakery in Healdsburg has announced the addition of Jorge Flores as executive chef.

Flores is an alum of Campo Fina, the French Garden (where he began as a dishwasher), Chef Josh Silvers’ Petite Sirah and Bear Republic. A native of Mexico, he came to the U.S. at age 14, learned English and worked evenings and weekends to support his family. He was also a board member of the community services nonprofit Corazon Healsburg and supported its creation with former Campo Fino owner Ari Rosen.

Flores has created a new menu for the bakery cafe and the bakery’s first pop-up dinner, Olive You, Costeaux, on Feb. 14. The dinner will include an olive bar, olive tartine, carrot ginger soup, beef tenderloin, vegetarian Wellington (with olives, of course) and a lemon olive oil cake. Tickets are $100 per person and include a meet and greet with olive expert Don Landis, charcuterie from Journeyman Meat Co., olive oil from Dry Creek Olive Company and wines from Trattore Farms and Pedroncelli Winery in Geyserville. Details at costeaux.com/product/olivedinner 

417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-1913 costeaux.com

Mushroom Cubano with a pinot noir from Kivelstadt Cellars and WineGarten at the corner of Hwy 12 and Hwy 121 in Sonoma Thursday, October 20, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Mushroom Cubano with a pinot noir from Kivelstadt Cellars and WineGarten in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna with avocado, kewpie and served with chips from served with ÒTwice RemovedÓ RosŽ from the taps at Kivelstadt Cellars and WineGarten at the corner of Hwy 12 and Hwy 121 in Sonoma Thursday, October 20, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna with avocado, kewpie and served with chips from served with Twice Removed Rosé from the taps at Kivelstadt Cellars and WineGarten in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
More dining news

Kivelstadt Cellars chef Jennifer McMurry is offering a five-part dinner series to highlight the delicious culinary variety of the place we call home (that’s Sonoma County, if you didn’t already know). Limited seatings under the stately sycamore trees are available for $58 per person (additional wine pairing for $30).

Menus include three courses with dishes such as local Dungeness crab salad, fresh pappardelle pasta with braised pork, chicken pot pie, petrale sole with pea shoot pesto and baked Alaska. Dinners are selling out quickly but can be reserved at exploretock.com/kivelstadtcellars.

22900 Broadway, Sonoma, kivelstadtcellars.com.

‘It’s Been an Incredible Ride’: Toad in the Hole Pub in Santa Rosa Closes after 17 Years

By Heather Irwin
Bartender Colin Carney serves up a pint of Old Speckled Hen fine ale at the Toad in the Hole Pub in Santa Rosa, Saturday, Sept. 8, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)

Toad in the Hole Pub in Santa Rosa, known for its British vibe and “Cheers”-like warmth, has closed after 17 years.

For many, the Railroad Square spot wasn’t just a place to get a pint. It was where friends gathered to watch live local bands, find camaraderie during World Cup matches or belly up to the bar with a basket of fish and chips.

But like so many other restaurant and bar owners, owner Paul Stokeld said he just can’t make the numbers pencil out anymore.

“It was a battle through COVID, and after that we were just trying to get back on a level playing field,” he said. “But we were behind the eight ball the whole time.”

In what’s come to be a sad procedure for many small businesses, Stokeld informed fans of the closure on Facebook Jan. 29.

“It’s been an incredible ride. We cannot dig out of the ‘hole’ that COVID gave us, and the cavalry is not coming,” he wrote.

Hundreds of comments flooded in immediately — from a family who brought each of their children to the Toad before going home from the hospital, a musician who played his first public show there, a married couple who met at the pub and many others who saw Toad in the Hole as an extension of the Old Vic, owned by Stokeld’s uncle, Chris Stokeld.

That downtown watering hole closed in 2003 but was a longtime destination for more than a decade. It’s also where the younger Stokeld learned to make his uncle’s much-loved meat pies, which were on the menu at Toad.

“My uncle established what a pub means here,” Paul Stokeld said. “It’s a community hub and has its own energy. I just took up the mantle proudly and kept it going.”

Toad in the Hole joins a growing list of breweries and pubs that have closed in recent months, including Steele and Hops in Santa Rosa and Grav South Brewing Co. in Cotati, and others, like Third Street Aleworks, who plan to close when their lease runs out this year.

Stokeld said one of the main challenges was the food program.

“We became known as a restaurant, more than anything else, as tap rooms proliferated. Regulars became people that came here to eat, and there just isn’t enough money in that. We were doing all the bistro stuff, getting our food (locally) and then we had to charge higher prices,” he said.

“It all just snowballs, and there’s nothing you can do about it. When the numbers don’t add up, they don’t add up.”

The meat pies, pints and music aren’t going away entirely, however. Stokeld is co-owner of Healdsburg’s Elephant in the Room. He and KC Mosso, a longtime musician and promoter, have frequent events and bands at the tiny space (which Stokeld plans to expand), along with the famous pies.

“We established a nice little pub in Healdsburg for the proletariat,” Stokeld said.

Several people have expressed interest in buying the Santa Rosa pub, according to Stokeld, but so far no one has offered what he needs to come out above water, financially.

“All of the help the government said would come after COVID just isn’t true,” he said. “Everyone is shaking the tree for money. It’s just time to hang it up.”

Where to Get the Best Sushi Rolls in Sonoma County

By Heather Irwin

Think of sushi rolls as the chimichangas of Japanese food—not exactly authentic, but “authentic adjacent.” Covered with a rainbow of sauces, tobiko, spicy mayonnaise, and eel sauce (always eel sauce!), they’re a gateway to more traditional ways of serving raw fish, like nigiri and maki. Love them or hate them, they’re here to stay, and getting flashier by the day. Click through the above gallery for some of our favorites.

Guy Fieri Brings Super Bowl Tailgate Party to Arizona

By Heather Irwin

Football fans will get a face full of Flavortown when Sonoma County’s celebrity chef Guy Fieri throws a mega-tailgate party for 10,000 people next to Glendale’s State Farm Stadium in Arizona on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 12.

Billed as the largest free culinary event in football history, Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate will feature more than 20 restaurant pop-ups and bars, as well as musical performances by artists Diplo and LoCash, in an empty lot just a stone’s (or football’s) throw from the Super Bowl 2023 arena. The five-hour event will run from 11:30 a.m. until kickoff.

“I love the Super Bowl. It’s one of my favorite things in the world. But very few people have a chance to go. They want to be with other fans cheering on their team,” said Fieri from the set of “Guy’s Grocery Games” in Windsor, where he is shooting a new season.

A rendering of the setup of the tailgate event. (Courtesy)
A rendering of the setup of the tailgate event. (Courtesy of guysflavortowntailgate.com)

After years of hosting Super Bowl parties at his home in Sonoma County, as well as high-end culinary events at previous games, Fieri wanted to create a large-scale food and entertainment event for everyone.

“I always have these big ideas and visions. Why not throw a tailgate? I’m doing this to take care of people and have a good time in a fun environment and celebrate with other fans,” he said.

Fieri’s handpicked lineup for the tailgate includes 10 Arizona-based restaurants featured on his Food Network show, “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” as well as local restaurants from the Phoenix area and “custom creations” from Fieri, such as bites from his fast-food concept Chicken Guy.

Within 18 hours of announcing the Super Bowl tailgate, the event’s ticket site received more than 34,000 requests, Fieri said. Event organizers are working to ensure fairness, he added.

Fieri is already being asked if the tailgate will become a regular event at Super Bowl games.

“Let me just get one off the ground,” he said. “It’s a lot, but it’s going to be amazing.”

Where to Celebrate Black History Month in Sonoma County

By Lonnie Hayes
Dorian Bartley plays the upright bass while she sings vintage classics during the Vintage Jazz and Blues Concert at the Petaluma Museum. Bartley will perform Friday with her vintage jazz and blues group The doRiaN Mode as part of the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum’s Black History Month celebration.

Black History Month starts Wednesday and continues throughout February. Across Sonoma County, community organizations, public libraries, musicians, artists and others will host performances, discussions, celebrations and more to highlight Black history and culture, including the impact of Martin Luther King Jr., whose birthday was celebrated Jan. 15.

From jazz and drumming performances to a discussion with Black artists at the Museum of Sonoma County, there are many ways to get involved and celebrate Black History Month.

Feb. 2 and Feb. 10

Sonoma County Library will host an enrichment program, “Hip Hop for Change: Theory of Hip Hop Evolution, Music and Culture.” The program is geared to teens (grades 7 to 12) and includes live and interactive presentations around both historic and modern examples of hip-hop’s principles. Learn about the connection between peace, love, unity and hip-hop. More information at bit.ly/3Y13Nyv.

The premiere of this event will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 2, at the Rincon Valley Regional Library, 6959 Montecito Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707-537-0162.

An additional presentation will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. Feb. 10 at the Sebastopol Regional Library, 7140 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, 707-823-7691.

Feb. 3

As part of its Black History Month celebration, the Petaluma Historical Library and Museum will host a concert by local vintage jazz and blues group The doRiaN Mode. Bob Johns plays piano/trumpet, with David Scott on saxophone and flute, Tony Blake on drums and Dorian Bartley on bass and vocals.

According to the museum’s website, Bartley formed the group in 2013 to explore the roots of jazz. Born in Detroit to an African American father and white mother, she “grew up in a family that valued music as an expression of art, identity and politics. She loves jazz and its balance between creative freedom and structure, the fun of swing and phrasing.”

7 to 9 p.m. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets $35 for downstairs and $40 for balcony seating. 20 Fourth St., Petaluma. More information and tickets at bit.ly/3Gy7uEU.

Feb. 4, 11 and 18

Sonoma County Library will celebrate Black History Month at a handful of libraries with an African Music and Arts Village. This event is family-friendly and interactive and will highlight the cultural traditions of South Africa. Baba Shibambo will share indigenous music and generational stories.

The premiere of this event will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 4, Feb. 4, at the Rincon Valley Regional Library, 6959 Montecito Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707-537-0162. More information is at bit.ly/3Dhu3wr. Additional events are:

  • 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 11 at the Healdsburg Regional Library, 139 Piper St., Healdsburg, 707-433-3772.
  • 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 18 at the Northwest Santa Rosa Library, 150 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa, 707-546-2265.
  • 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Sonoma Valley Regional Library, 755 W. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-996-5217.
Feb. 7

Join in memorializing King and his legacy with Sonoma State University’s HUB Cultural Center walk to the memorial at the SSU Lakes. The walk honors King’s commitment to nonviolent social justice and his work for legal equality for Black Americans. It is recommended to meet with the HUB staff outside of SSU’s Student Center at noon for the walk to the Lakes or meet at the Lakes shortly after. For more information, email austindi@sonoma.edu. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park.

Feb. 12

From 2 to 3 p.m., join in a discussion and screening of the recording “How to Have Difficult Discussions About Race” at the Cloverdale Regional Library, 401 N. Cloverdale Blvd., 707-894-5271. This screening is suitable for ages 12 and up and is aimed at helping people gain confidence in discussing race while promoting equity and inclusion. More information at bit.ly/3JibU5L.

An additional screening of the recording will take place from 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 25 at the Sonoma Valley Regional Library, 755 W. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-996-5217. More information at bit.ly/3XWfW84.

Feb. 18 and 25

Sonoma County Library is hosting Afro-Peruvian dance performances at several libraries throughout the month:

  • 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Rohnert Park Cotati Regional Library, 6250 Lynne Conde Way, Rohnert Park, 707-584-9121. More information at bit.ly/3HEnJlA.
  • 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 25 (with a focus on a drumming workshop) at the Northwest Santa Rosa Library, 150 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa. More information at 707-546-2265 and bit.ly/3XJJ96i.
  • 2 to 3 p.m. Feb. 25 (with a focus on a drumming workshop) at the Central Santa Rosa Library, 211 E. St., Santa Rosa. More information at 707-308-3020 and bit.ly/3Hee2sy.
Feb. 18

“Black to the Future,” an event featuring musicians of color and community speakers on two stages, will take place from 5:30 to 11:40 p.m. at HopMonk in Sebastopol. A free outdoor show from 5:30 to 8 p.m. will feature artists Aduio Angel, Simone Mosely and Crumb Dread, followed by a ticketed show from 9 to 11:40 p.m. with artists Kayatta, Erica Amrbin and D. square. Proceeds will go toward the Black Student Union at the Santa Rosa Junior College. Purchase tickets for the second show at wl.seetickets.us/HopMonkSebastopol. 230 Petaluma Ave, Sebastopol, 707-829-7300.

Feb. 18

A community town hall at SSU, “Amplifying Black Voices in Sonoma County,” aims to create a welcoming space for discussion between Black students, staff and faculty, as well as Black community members in Sonoma County. The event at Stevenson Hall 1400 on SSU’s campus will provide room for listening, learning and sharing experiences. Following the event, attendees can enjoy refreshments and appetizers. For more information, email austindi@sonoma.edu. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park.

Feb. 19

The Museum of Sonoma County and Petaluma Blacks for Community Development will host a discussion with contemporary Black artists about their work, especially the theme of resistance in their art. Sonoma County metal artist Denise Ward will moderate the talk with artists Unity Lewis, Michael Granville, TheArthur Wright and BAMR The Artist. Tickets: $10, or $5 for museum members. For more information, go to bit.ly/3kbT7P2.

Feb. 25

Healdsburg Jazz will celebrate Black History Month with a concert featuring Terrie Odabi’s Blues of Resistance at the Raven Theater, starting at 6:30 p.m. The event will entail a presentation led by Healdsburg Jazz’s Artistic Director Marcus Shelby, titled “Soul of the Movement: Meditations on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” followed by a concert with vocalist Odabi accompanied by her band. General admission is $30 and student admission is $15. Purchase tickets at bit.ly/3DcDqh2. 115 N. St., Healdsburg, 707-433-6335.

Feb. 28

Sonoma County Library will host a virtual discussion with acclaimed author Sadeqa Johnson about her latest novel, “The House of Eve,” from 1 to 2 p.m. The coming-of-age story touches on themes of race, motherhood and sacrifice. To register for the online talk, visit libraryc.org/sonomalibrary/24211/register.

Feb. 28

The first Black Joy Fest at SSU aims to “promote unity on campus, celebrate the journey and progression of Black history, as well as engage in cross-cultural exchange.”

Visit the celebration from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Seawolf Plaza on the SSU campus. For more information, email gomezs@sonoma.edu or go to bit.ly/3CCm6BV. 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park.

Throughout the month

At any time, explore literature by Black authors or literature centering around race and culture. The Sonoma County Library has curated a list of novels, audiobooks and more at sonomalibrary.org/blogs/news/black-history-month-2023.

Exciting New Hotel Offerings in Sonoma County

By Dana Rebmann
A vintage fireplace with a view at Jenner’s Timber Cove Resort. (Timber Cove Resort)

Sonoma County hotels continue to roll out new experiences and offerings. From winemaker dinners to hot tubs in the redwoods to weeklong tours, here’s what you need to know about the local hotel scene right now. Click through the above gallery for a peek at the properties.

A new dining experience

Winter brings fewer crowds and new experiences along the Sonoma Coast.

Timber Cove Resort’s restaurant, Coast Kitchen, is launching a series of monthly winemaker dinners. Each four-course dinner menu will be paired with featured local wines. Upcoming winemaker dinners include RAEN Winery in February, and Small Vines Winery in March. Tickets are $150 per person and reservations can be made by calling 707-847-3231.

Weekend guests at the resort have another incentive to slow down and enjoy winter sunsets along the coast. The weekly Cheers to the Sunset experience takes place every Saturday and includes a complimentary champagne toast for all guests.

21780 Highway 1 Jenner, 707-847-3231, timbercoveresort.com

Two Airstreams at AutoCamp in Guerneville now feature outdoor, wood-fired hot tubs. (AutoCamp Russian River)

A new way to relax in the redwoods

Glamping in Guerneville just got a little more glamourous. Two of the sleek Airstreams at AutoCamp now feature outdoor, wood-fired hot tubs big enough for two to three people. Redwood Suites also boast a queen size bed, a sofa that converts into a full size bed, full bathroom, well-stocked kitchen and a patio with fire pit. Rates start at $329.

4120 Old Cazadero Road, Guerneville, 888-405-7553, autocamp.com

New excursions

Through the end of March, guests at Montage Healdsburg can go fungi foraging with a Sonoma County mycologist — better known as an expert mushroom-hunter. The two-hour Mushroom Foray experience (offered in partnership with Adventure IO) includes a guided forage and hike, a foraging pocketbook, a bottle of wine, mushroom-themed snacks and a gift bag. $699 for two people.

100 Montage Way, Healdsburg, 707-979-9000, montagehotels.com

Guests at Montage Healdsburg can learn how to safely forage for mushrooms in Sonoma County. (Courtesy of Fabian Wiktor)

A new kind of tour

The Astro in Santa Rosa is launching weeklong tours of Sonoma County. Astro Adventures will introduce participants to local wine, beer, spirits, food and more. The inaugural adventure, set for mid-February, focuses on wine; a spirits tour follows at the end of the month, and two beer tours are on tap for late-March and early April. The $1599 per person tour charge (taxes included) covers lodging at the midcentury motor lodge, several meals at Astro’s sister restaurant, The Spinster Sisters, tasting fees, transportation and some goodies to bring home. Tours are being kept small, ranging from 10 to 20 people.

323 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa, 707-200-4655, theastro.com

9 Best Winter Spa Experiences in Sonoma County

By Dana Rebmann
The Vi La Vita spa at Vintners Resort in Santa Rosa. (Vintners Resort)

Northern California may be sunnier than many places in winter, but that doesn’t mean we don’t get our fair share of rain, gray skies and gloomy weather. While we can’t do anything about the dampness and the cold, we can take steps to pamper ourselves a little extra this time of year. From a cozy cedar enzyme bath to a relaxing vegan body wrap, a trip to the spa can make you feel all warm inside, regardless of the weather outside. Click through the above gallery for some of our favorite winter spa experiences in Sonoma County.

Everything You Need to Know About Santa Rosa’s New Airport Restaurant

By Heather Irwin
Initial renderings of proposed remodels at Flying Ace Kitchen + Taproom restaurant at the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport. (Images provided by SSP America)

Since the recent closure of Sky Lounge restaurant at the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, there’s been plenty of buzz about the new tenants, SSP America, and their plans.

The 15-year-old Sky Lounge, owned locally by Jim Goff, changed hands in early January after a competitive bidding process awarded the contract to SSP.

The new restaurant will be called Flying Ace Kitchen + Taproom, a nod to Schulz’s “World War I Flying Ace” Snoopy (who frequently fought the Red Baron from his doghouse in the “Peanuts” cartoons), according to SSP representatives.

The global company develops and operates airport restaurants, including 1300 Fillmore and Union Street Gastropub at San Francisco International Airport and Oakland Draft House at Oakland International Airport.

“We want to create a taste of place and make sure passengers coming in know they’re in the middle of Wine Country,” said Kyle Phillips, Vice President, Concepts & Development at SSP America.

Plans include a major remodel and bringing in a high-profile Bay Area chef to create a new menu. Construction will happen in stages to keep the airport’s only full-service restaurant — currently operating under the name Tap & Pour, also from SSP — open for limited breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Renderings of the new restaurant show an open indoor/outdoor space nearly double the current size. Adjustable glass panels will allow outdoor bar seating, and a revamped patio will have tables and lounge seating around a fire pit.

Phillips added that most of the Sky Lounge staff were offered jobs at the new restaurant.

Chef David Lawrence will create the new menu for the restaurant, focused on local products and dishes. A resident of Sonoma, Lawrence has an extensive culinary background and owned 1300 Fillmore and Black Bark BBQ in San Francisco (both are now closed). In his native London, he worked with the French chefs Albert and Michel Roux at their U.K. restaurants, including Michelin-starred Le Gavroche and the Waterside Inn.

Lawrence’s menu won’t fully debut until the restaurant officially opens (possibly late 2023), but Lawrence has a few dishes he’s planning for the casual pub.

“Fish and chips, done fresh to order,” he said. He also plans to include the signature fried chicken sandwich from his restaurant in San Francisco, adding that sushi — a staple of Sky Lounge — will make an appearance.

“We want to keep people happy and incorporate things that are Sonoma. There’s an ocean right here next to us, and Sonoma is the garden of California because everything grows here,” Lawrence said.