The approaching new year means we’re peeking into the future for upcoming restaurant openings. Unsurprisingly, most will be in Healdsburg and the fast-growing restaurant mecca of Sebastopol. Crickets from Santa Rosa. Click through the above gallery to see what’s on the horizon.
New year’s resolutions always have been my thing. Sure, I fail every year, miserably, like most of us. But it never dampens my enthusiasm for trying to lose that 10 pounds, exercise more and cut back on processed food.
This isn’t about those kind of resolutions. It’s about setting intentions for how I’d like to eat at home and in restaurants this year. Hopefully, these will inspire you to not worry about diets or restrictions and instead engage with the amazing bounty ripe for the picking in Sonoma County.
Without further ado, here are my 2023 resolutions. What are yours?
When I was growing up, my mom thought Lawry’s salt was an exotic seasoning. The few spices and herbs we did have in the house were so desiccated they turned to dust before imparting any flavor. Sure, dill, rosemary, curry powder and onion salt are pantry workhorses, but it’s harder to incorporate less-familiar flavors — saffron threads, sumac, cardamom — with any consistency.
Try: SouthPaw Seasonings, made in Santa Rosa, offers creative blended seasonings that take the guess work out of cooking with spices (southpawseasonings.com). Sonoma Spice Queen Wind McAlister recently opened a new Petaluma spice shop featuring organic, hand-crafted spice mixes (Oaxacan Mole BBQ Rub, Anju Indian Chai Spice Mix, Moroccan spice mix and Thai Curry), as well as dried herbs and artisanal salts. 9 Fourth St., Petaluma, 707-776-7678, sonomaspicequeen.com
Meat-centric meals are a simple standby, but I’ll trade a bland piece of chicken for a big bowl of roasted or wood-fired vegetables any day.
Try: Indian cuisine often features meatless dishes that are full of flavor, and spices. Winter can be a tough time for yummy fresh veggies, but learning to incorporate farm market root vegetables is a goal.
Cheap, industrially raised meat is just that. Locally raised beef, chicken and pork have more flavor, and though they’re also pricier, they’re worth the expense. One option is to get a delivery subscription, like that from Panizzera Meat Co., with meat delivered to your doorstep (3905 Main St., Occidental, panizzerameatco.com). Sonoma County Meat Co. sells locally butchered pork, chicken and beef; so does Victorian Farmstead Meat Co. in Sebastopol.
Trying a restaurant in its first weeks or months of operation is exciting (and my job), but seeing its menu evolve is something I rarely have time to do. My goal in 2023 is to return to 30 restaurants I haven’t been to since their opening.
I’ve turned down few dishes in the last 16 years working as a Press Democrat restaurant writer (I had to draw the line at fish eyeballs). But I want to explore even more. The Taco Chronicles I wrote about last year for Sonoma Magazine gave me insight into the complexity of this beloved street food. In 2023, let’s take some deep dives into other international cuisines together.
At the same time, I tend to avoid certain menu items like chicken or steak in favor of more flashy fish or vegetarian dishes. Yet good roasted chicken or perfectly cooked steak can be a revelation.
Life is short. Make sure you always have room for its sweetness.
The new year is upon us and with it comes a flurry of new offerings at hotels throughout Sonoma County. From new properties to multi-million-dollar remodels, here’s what you need to know about Sonoma County’s hotel scene right now. Click through the above gallery for a peek at the properties.
Originally part of the Best Western Dry Creek Inn, the Villa Toscana building and its 60 accommodations are being updated and rebranded into a separate hotel property, The Lodge at Healdsburg. Guest rooms will feature a king bed, new furniture, wood flooring, a freestanding soaking tub, a fireplace and an assortment of other amenities. The boutique hotel is accepting reservations beginning March 2023. Part of the Tapestry Collection by Hilton, the property is pet-friendly; dogs of all sizes are welcome.
1261 Grove Street, Healdsburg, 1 -800-774-1500, thelah.com
Santa Rosa’s midcentury motor lodge The Astro is now offering apartment accommodations. Spinster Hospitality, which also owns nearby The Spinster Sisters restaurant, has purchased a neighboring building and converted it into three apartment units with a public courtyard. A pathway connects the new units to The Astro. All of the apartments feature a full kitchen; two apartments offer two bedrooms and one bathroom. The third apartment boasts four bedrooms and two bathrooms. A seven-day minimum stay is required.
323 Santa Rosa Ave, Santa Rosa, 707-200-4655, theastro.com
Thanks to charming updates in 2022 to all 12 cottages and the restaurant at Nick’s Cove, there were already plenty of incentives to get a coastal getaway on the calendar. But with 2023 comes the news that all cottage guests now have access to complimentary kayaks. Just tell the innkeeper when you’re ready to get out on Tomales Bay and they’ll take care of the rest.
23240 Highway One, Marshall, 415-663-1033, nickscove.com.
It’s time once again to peer into the crystal ball and see what the new year will bring to our tables.
Part trend watching, part guesswork, our predictions for what we’ll be eating and drinking in 2023 have a lot to do with ideas that have gained traction in 2022, plus shifts in how we view food, dining and sustainability.
In 2022, plant-based foods had a breakout year as meatless eating hit the mainstream. The effects of the pandemic on the workforce continued to plague restaurateurs, too, while luxury dining maintained its foothold and mocktails went prime time.
We’ll see all those trends gain even more momentum as economic and environmental challenges influence supply chains. Here are some of the innovations I predict will continue in 2023, finding new audiences or becoming significant trends for Sonoma County diners.
Robots in the kitchen, fantasy food created by artificial intelligence and TikTok food trends are surging forward for 2023.
Sure, foams, liquid nitrogen and other molecular gastronomy still have a place in the high-end culinary world, but typical diners are looking to their computers for recipe inspiration and international food trends. We sift through stunning images of unreal foods generated by AI robots to whet our appetites.
An Israeli journalist recently used an AI-image generator to create his own version of sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts for Hanukkah) that look like something out of Wonderland. He hopes eventually to create real versions of the doughnuts.
Restaurateurs are using computers to create recipes and track inventory as well as optimize workflow with limited staffing.
TikTok trends like the butter board — a charcuterie board filled with flavored butters and decorated with salts and spices — have become viral must-try activities. Cloud bread, a simple three-ingredient bread, was the top 2022 trend on TikTok with 3.4 billion views.
Somewhere between heavy drinking and teetotaling is moderate and mindful drinking. More cocktail lists are including low-alcohol or nonalcoholic drinks that are every bit as creative and crafty as their boozier siblings.
The recent opening of Luma (50 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707-772-5037, lumaeatery.com) featured an extensive menu of nonalcoholic mocktails infused with high-octane flavors including the Dreamsicle, made with orange juice, coconut cream and vanilla syrup, and the Green Meanie with pineapple, mint, cilantro, jalapeño and seltzer.
But sustainable meat is in. After a surge of initial interest in Beyond and Impossible burgers, the novelty is wearing off and consumers are dubious about the actual benefits of the much-touted meat replacements.
To taste like meat, plant-based ingredients are highly processed, but they aren’t necessarily holding up to the promise of healthier-for-you foods aimed at omnivores.
Sustainably raised local meat is becoming more popular (even as local slaughter facilities struggle), with players like Stemple Creek Ranch in Tomales (stemplecreek.com) or Panizzera Meat Co. (3905 Main St., Occidental, 707-874-9770, panizzerameatco.com).
The connection between food and climate is unmistakeable, and people are finally paying attention. In Sonoma County, an estimated 45,500 tons of food waste end up in our landfills, according to the Sonoma County Food Recovery Coalition.
Carbon emissions from transporting food, pesticides and the toll of industrial farming are increasingly changing what we eat. Local and seasonal produce are becoming more important to consumers, especially those looking to meatless diets to ease the nip of inflation.
Climate-conscious brands — some using food-production by-products like vegetable pulp, ugly or bruised fruit and spent grains — are teaching consumers about the massive amounts of commercial waste by making tasty snacks, flours and sweets. Check out The Ugly Company (theugly.company), which transforms bruised fruit into healthy snacks.
Dates, specifically, are having a moment as the sweet but sustainable alternative to honey or sugar. Bee colony collapses and the nutritional void of sugar have consumers looking for a 1-to-1 sweet replacement that tastes good. Locally, there are plenty of sustainably maintained bee colonies and great regional honey, including Hector’s Honey Farm (year-round at local farmers markets).
Kelp is another sustainable product that reduces carbon emission, is nutritious and is easily grown. Watch for more kelp farming and kelp-based foods in 2023. Check out Heidi Herrmann’s Strong Arm Farm products (strongarmfarm.com) for sustainably sourced dried seaweed from Sonoma County.
Dehydrated foods that can be turned into a meal by adding water are both eco-conscious (less weight for transport) and shelf-stable. In 2023, you might see even more sauces, stews and other foods that can be quickly hydrated.
Tamarind: This tart and tasty fruit is popular in Mexico but grows in most tropical climates and is often featured in Indian and Asian cuisine. Try Tamarind BBQ Prawns at Stark’s Steak and Seafood (521 Adams St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-5100).
Yaupon: This herbal tea has been used for centuries by indigenous Americans as a stimulant (it has caffeine). The native plant has a citrus flavor that’s easy on the stomach and won’t give you the jitters. (Find it at Whole Foods.)
Avocado oil: A high smoke point and good fatty acids are bringing this oil to the forefront. Most specialty grocers carry it.
Mushrooms: This is the super food of the moment, despite being anything but new. Fungi have a variety of health benefits and are becoming popular as more than a pizza topping. Look for dried mushroom jerky or mushroom teas at Jewels of the Forest (177 Pleasant Hill Ave. N., Sebastopol, 707-326-6308).
A historic hotel in Monte Rio, most recently known as the Village Inn & Restaurant, has changed name and look. Now Boho Manor, the renovated property combines Art Deco style with a laidback West County vibe.
This is not the first time this Russian River hotel has changed name. Originally a summer home, it debuted as the River View Inn in 1906. It rose to fame in 1942, when it appeared in the musical film “Holiday Inn,” starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire. (The film won an Academy Award for Best Original Song, Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.”) The hotel was then known as Holiday Inn for a decade until it was renamed Village Inn & Restaurant in 1952.
70 years later, new owners began renovating the riverside property this July. With a nod to the hotel’s Hollywood past, all 12 rooms were completely remodeled and styled with gold accents and bold colors and patterns. Three rooms were also added to the property.
“We redesigned all the rooms to the Gatsby theme and added multiple amenities including fire pits, more outdoor seating, lounges and private cabanas for guests and day visitors,” said co-owner and Sonoma County resident Pierre Erasmus.
Outdoor enthusiasts looking to float down the Russian River or explore rural West County can rent kayaks, paddleboards and bicycles at the hotel. Unicorn and swan inflatables are also available for those wanting to create an Instagram-friendly vacation photo.
A former storage space has been transformed into the Boho Club, a speakeasy where hotel guests and members of the public can listen to live jazz every Saturday night. The intimate venue seats approximately 30 and offers two sets each evening; the first at 6:30 p.m. and the second at 9 p.m.
Boho Manor’s onsite restaurant is open for dinner four nights a week. Friday, Saturday and Sunday, it serves dishes like Fettuccine Alfredo, chicken wings, New England clam chowder and ribeye steak. The menu is then transformed on Thai Tuesdays, with offerings like Pad Thai Goong (fried rice noodles with shrimp, egg, tofu, green onion, bean sprouts and ground peanuts) and Larb Gai (spicy fried chicken with shallots, onion, mint and cilantro).
A Sunday afternoon tea service is set to debut in January, and a day spa, offering treatments like Swedish and Thai massage, is in the works for next spring.
Boho Manor, 20822 River Blvd., Monte Rio, 707-865-2304, bohomanor.com. Rates start at $140.
Mother Nature has a way of providing remedies for all ailments. For thousands of years, people have gathered at geothermal mineral springs to ease their pains, from achy muscles to weary minds. The natural heat and mineral content of the springs have been reported to soothe arthritis pain, improve circulation, relieve certain skin conditions and more.
In the mountainous valleys of the West, where the temperature of the earth increases with depth (known as geothermal gradient), water percolating under the crust can come into contact with hot rocks. This interaction can circulate the heated water to the surface, forming hot springs. California has around 60 hot springs attractions — the most in the U.S. — and Wine Country is an idyllic locale to experience them.
Pack your swimsuits and check out the best mineral hot springs in Sonoma and Napa counties.
The doctor is in at this Calistoga wellness resort, providing relief and tranquility in its healing mineral waters since 1952. Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs, which received a shoutout in The New York Times’ “U.S. Hot Springs Guide,” contains three geothermal mineral pools — one indoors and two outdoors — lined with conifers and palm trees.
The reimagined spa features eight new mineral baths, plus four mud baths, a steam room and various body wellness treatments, from CBD-infused baths to aromatherapy massages. A therapeutic stay at the resort is complete with outdoor games, fire pits, an on-site Southwestern health food restaurant and a mineral soak in the secluded spa garden.
1507 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, 707-942-4102, drwilkinson.com
Retro-inspired with comfort at the forefront, this chic midcentury-modern motel has three geothermal pools and a spacious spa garden for sublime relaxation. Calistoga’s natural hot springs feed into the mineral pools: an 80-84 degree main pool, 90-96 degree wading pool and 100-104 degree spa whirlpool. The site’s MoonAcre Spa has quaint clawfoot tubs to rest easy in geothermal mineral water before detoxing in the steam room or after a much-needed massage.
1880 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, 707-942-0991, calistogamotorlodgeandspa.com
Four geothermal mineral pools take center stage at this Napa Valley resort, where guest rooms encircle a large outdoor patio dotted with pergolas, palm trees and pools in varying sizes. The impressively sized lap pool, resting at 80 degrees, sits next to a sun deck to relax after an energizing swim. A cozy fire pit lies between the lap pool and a smaller, 100-degree mineral pool, while a kiddie pool is located by the snack bar. For a deeply relaxing soak, there’s the 104-degree jet pool under a covered patio.
1006 Washington St., Calistoga, 707-942-6269, calistogaspa.com
This luxe, Spanish mission-style inn rests atop an ancient thermal mineral spring, which flows over 1,000 feet below the hotel. This spring feeds into Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa’s five geothermal pools, ranging in temperature from 85 to 102 degrees. The main resort pool outside sits near the Water Tower Bar for easy alfresco dining and cocktails, which can be enjoyed in a private poolside cabana.
The Watsu Pool, naturally heated to 98 degrees, is surrounded by palm trees with a trickling water fountain nearby for ultimate tropical relaxation. Then there’s the 92-degree Spa Pool shaded by redwoods and the indoor Roman-style bathhouse, featuring two mineral water soaking pools, an exfoliating shower, halotherapy sauna and an aromatherapy steam room.
100 Boyes Blvd., Sonoma, 707-938-9000, fairmont.com/sonoma
The geothermal aquifer coursing underneath this resort is rich in minerals like sulfur, so you may notice an odor and coloration to the water, but that doesn’t detract from the heavenly accommodations and spa specials. Steam gently rises from the naturally heated mineral spring pool (85-88 degrees) and the two jetted spa pools (98-104 degrees), all of which are sheltered, with skylight windows allowing the sun’s rays to filter in. If you’re seeking a more intimate hot springs soak, spa tub rooms are available — large suites with private mineral baths and electric fireplaces.
1713 Lake St., Calistoga, 707-942-8000, goldenhaven.com
Located in the heart of Calistoga, this upscale resort has been providing rejuvenating comfort in a gorgeous setting for over a century. The hotel features an Olympic-sized mineral pool, one of the largest pools in the state, built in 1913 along with the surrounding Mission Revival-style buildings and bungalows. The pool is fed by natural, on-site thermal geysers and kept between 92 to 102 degrees for an optimal, relaxing soak. An outdoor fireplace cabana lounge awaits poolside, and there’s a separate, smaller Adult Pool for those who want a quieter, more intimate swimming experience, nestled in a lush setting for more privacy.
1712 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, 707-709-8139, indianspringscalistoga.com
This geothermal mineral spring in Glen Ellen had been around for centuries before Ethel and Harold Morton purchased the property in 1946, operating it as Morton’s Warm Springs five years later. Ownership of the springs changed hands over generations, each taking care to preserve the healing waters and surrounding flora while reimagining the space with community in mind. Morton’s has three geothermal mineral spring pools in varying sizes, nestled under a canopy of oaks and sitting just a stone’s throw from Sonoma Creek.
The property also includes geothermal showers, changing rooms, picnic and BBQ areas, and an organic, locally-sourced cafe. After a pool replastering job gone awry, Morton’s had to close its regular 2022 season, but plans to reopen next summer. Applications for season passes – which offer unlimited seasonal use of the pools plus other perks – are available now for the 2023/2024 season.
1651 Warm Springs Road, Glen Ellen, 707-833-5511, mortonswarmsprings.com
Experience a Tuscan villa-like retreat in Wine Country at Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort, with its world-renowned natural geothermal water and mud bath traditions. An outdoor pool, between 92 to 96 degrees depending on the season, and hot tub (103 degrees) are surrounded by trees and plants to accommodate a calming swim in a lush setting.
The indoor jetted pool, at 100 degrees, is in a quaint tiled room with a sauna and changing rooms. For a more intimate mineral soak, opt for a Splendido suite, complete with a two-person Jacuzzi tub filled with geothermal water next to a homey fireplace. Or book a 55-minute private mineral bath at the spa, which includes a clay mask and sugar scrub.
1300 Washington St., Calistoga, 707-942-2122, romanspahotsprings.com
This lavish and dreamy Napa Valley retreat is part of of the Auberge Resorts Collection of luxury hotels. During your stay at Solage, it will be difficult to pull yourself away from the spa bathhouse featuring five geothermal mineral water pools in varying temperatures. Taking a dip in the vitality cold plunge pool (60-65 degrees) is an invigorating start to your day, and the jetted saline and mineral pools (102-104 degrees) are optimal ways to relax as body tension melts away. A detox in the eucalyptus steam room is a great way to fully unwind after calming the body and mind in the ambient temperature, magnesium rich pool. With Solage’s hydrotherapy bathing rituals, healing self care is a breeze.
755 Silverado Trail N., Calistoga, 707-226-0800, aubergeresorts.com/solage
After a day of wine tasting, downtown shopping and cycling nearby trails, settle down in this boutique Calistoga hotel with an on-site well feeding geothermal heated mineral water into its swimming pool and whirlpool. The pool and hot tub contains 100% natural Calistoga mineral water, so it will have a greenish yellow hue due to the high mineral content, which leaves you feeling relaxed and reinvigorated. Alternate dips in the pool with short rests in the dry sauna or steam room for a soothing, restorative stay.
1865 Lincoln Ave., Calistoga, 707-942-9400, upvalleyinn.com
There are so many reasons to shop for secondhand furniture, starting with the environmental benefits of reusing goods.
Then there are the style rewards, like the originality of a vintage piece and the way it lets you envision a past era of design. Mixing older pieces into a newer decor can make a room more interesting. And then there’s durability — “they don’t make ’em like they used to.” The couches, sofas and woodwork of today’s fast furniture industry don’t hold up, literally, in comparison to many of their predecessors available in vintage stores.
Sonoma County has a vibrant vintage and antiques shopping scene. Here’s a small sampling of favorite shops to visit.
Laurie MacDuff sources most of the inventory for French Salvage Antiques La Maison from flea markets and estate sales in France’s Loire Valley. Her store on Bodega Avenue, just outside downtown Petaluma, is painted in dramatic charcoal color and is draped year-round in a magnolia garland that has turned a rich amber color. The windows offer a glimpse of the decorative pieces inside.
Unlike most antique or secondhand stores, the inventory here is carefully curated and styled. In MacDuff’s hands, a simple pot of herbs gets new life on an antique marble-topped side table. Vintage vessels or baskets filled with flowers become showstopping decor atop grand tables, armoires and sideboards.
In addition to furniture, the store offers new fabrics from France, linens from Italy, acrylic trays by Gien and Rigaud scented candles. Regular visits to French Salvage Antiques La Maison will offer plenty of style inspiration for your home.
307 Bodega Ave., Petaluma, 415-407-2816, frenchsalvageantiques.com
All sorts of midcentury marvels are on display at vintage store Retrospect in Sebastopol.
The store specializes in the clean-line, low-profile styles of the ’50s and ’60s. You’ll find lots of teak, sofas and chairs (like the streamlined-yet-comfortable penguin lounge chair) here, as well as accessories like lamps, canisters and mugs. To finish that midcentury look, Retrospect proprietor and artist Gregory Odle offers his own modern mixed media paintings and vinyl records he converts into good-looking clocks.
104 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol, 707-291-7058
This furniture and consignment store is one of several excellent boutiques in the Sonoma Antique Mall on Eighth Street in Sonoma. In addition to a rotation of eclectic furniture — from a fringed sofa to flower-print swivel chairs — there’s an upholstery studio on site.
Dick Belanger has decades of experience and keen design abilities to refurbish pieces. On the sales floor you might also find an antique chair or vintage bench that he and his apprentice have transformed into wonderfully refreshed pieces.
Sonoma Reclaimed Furniture & Consignment, Workshop 19618, Eighth St. E., SonomaReclaimed.com, @SonomaReclaimed and upholsteryworkshop1972.com
Home design trends are a-changin’. We asked some stellar Sonoma designers what they predict is coming in 2023. Click through the above gallery to find out how to style your home in the new year.
The long-awaited plant-focused restaurant from Shuckery owner Jazmine Lalicker has debuted on the Petaluma waterfront. Luma Bar and Eatery officially opened Sunday, Dec. 18.
Filled with soft organic colors, modern furnishings and a spectacular new bar, the 3,600-square-foot space, including a heated patio overlooking the river, is unrecognizable from its former incarnation as Dempsey’s bar.
Sustainability is a pillar of the new restaurant. The primarily meatless menu of sustainably sourced dishes is overseen by chef and (maybe a little ironically) butcher Travis Day, who launched Thistle Meats in Petaluma.
Cocktails have a similar eco-aware mission. Alfie Turnshek heads a well-thought-out bar program with a refreshingly large selection of low- or no-alcohol concoctions with fresh herbs, super juices and syrups. Cocktails ($16) use citrus as an accent rather than a focus due to the high environmental impact of transporting out-of-season fruit, Lalicker said.
Instead, drinks like the Changeling include aquavit, gin with a pineapple-vanilla infusion, Icelandic yogurt, lemon and fennel liqueur that’s remarkably refreshing yet creamy and warming. A new favorite is the Hard Aport with bourbon, rye, port wine, espresso and orange oil.
The main menu is broken into sections with snacks ($8 to $10), appetizers ($14 to $20), mains ($20 to $28) and sweets ($12). Protein, including Liberty Duck rillette ($10) and Stemple Creek Brisket ($12), are sides you can add to main courses or eat separately.
Lalicker and Day have taken a forward-thinking approach to sourcing and presentation, using thin 4-ounce cuts of Stemple Creek’s carbon-neutral beef or duck wings to make the rillette rather than the more common duck breast.
“We’re working to move cuts of meat that typically wouldn’t sell, so they’re not going to waste. Everyone buys duck breast, but not the wings,” Lalicker said. The wings are slow-cooked in fat and seasonings, shredded and mixed with fat in jars or ramekins. The result is a dense spread of rich meat.
There are already several fan favorites on the menu, including the Braised Greens and Beans ($24) with charred cabbage, Swiss chard and beans in a savory broth or the pillowy gnocchi ($20) with roasted sunchokes and mushrooms.
“We want people to understand that we are here to listen to them. We want to make this a place you want to go. I think Petaluma is ready for this,” Lalicker said.
The restaurant is open 5 to 10 p.m. daily. Reservations are suggested. 50 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707-772-5037, lumaeatery.com
Click through the above gallery for a peek at each restaurant and menu highlights.
After two devastating years for the restaurant industry, independent restaurateurs who hung on by their fingernails through the pandemic hoped 2022 might be different. Instead, mounting inflation, staffing shortages, supply-chain problems and a general dearth of hope led to a wave of closures and disappointments.
But that’s not the whole story. Dozens of innovative restaurateurs not only opened in 2022 but found critical and commercial success. Some started small, with pop-ups to gauge interest, while others were multi-million-dollar launches that led to national exposure.
There’s no simple formula for success. Indeed, some restaurants eventually will fail while others continue to succeed. Yet a few factors seem to indicate a winning plan: location (Sebastopol and Healdsburg are hotbeds of food innovation), price (very high or very low), previous success as a pop-up or other food business and an eye-catching menu (very familiar or very unfamiliar).
The dining scene in Sonoma County is changing as the population changes. Younger families want good food at a good price. Many new restaurants have young cooks in the kitchen who have bold ideas and can take huge risks. Experiential dining — where eating is just part of the adventure — is gaining popularity, as are highly personalized multi-course meals.
Most of the restaurants on this list use hyper-local, seasonal ingredients that diners want and serve plant-based dishes that appeal to health-conscious eaters hoping to reduce their carbon footprint. All are service-focused and locally owned.
Dining likely will never return to what it was before 2020. Our tastes and habits have changed, and restaurateurs have to change, too.
Here are the most important openings of 2022.
With one of the buzziest openings of the year, Animo took Instagram by storm; its whole Spanish turbot, Iberico pork, visually striking apple wall and fiery hearth-cooked food appeared on just about every local chef’s social media. The menu is Basque meets Korean meets Californian, and owners Josh Smookler and Heidy Mu keep things interesting with new dishes. 18976 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma. Instagram: @animo_restaurant
Why it matters: Esquire magazine named Animo to its 2022 list of Best Restaurants in America, and we’ll be surprised if it doesn’t get some Michelin stars in 2023. Smookler and Mu, who are young parents, left a life in New York to settle in Sonoma, where they invested their life’s savings to make a splash in Sonoma County’s food scene.
A Michelin star just three months after debuting made it clear Cyrus was the most important Sonoma County restaurant opening in 2022. A decade after closing the original Cyrus in Healdsburg (it had two Michelin stars when it closed in 2012), Chef Douglas Keane opened this new multi-million dollar Geyserville space serving a mix of opulent, painstakingly created European and Japanese bites arranged with culinary tweezers and served on bespoke ceramic dinnerware. With panoramic views of Alexander Valley, a 4,000-plus bottle wine list and doting service, it doesn’t get a whole lot more pinkies up than this $295, 17-course prix fixe meal. However, compared to other high-end Wine Country restaurants that charge upwards of $500 per person for their multi-course meals, it’s a relative deal.
Why it matters: With its unorthodox staffing model, Cyrus employs only about 20 staff, a third of the staff size of the original Cyrus. All employees share tips and work both front and back of the house. Insiders are watching closely to see if the model works and if it could be the future of sustainable, living-wage jobs in the restaurant industry.
Vertice Hospitality, co-owned by Kyle and Katina Connaughton of Michelin-starred Single Thread, and their staff put months of research and development into making an entirely plant-based menu (no meat, dairy nor ingredients with animal products) that would appeal to a broad swath of eaters. Some dishes worked, others didn’t, but the food experiment fit Little Saint’s vibe as a creative art and performance space. 25 North St., Healdsburg, 707-433-8207, littlesainthealdsburg.com
Why it matters: Though management of the food program has been turned over to Little Saint owners Jeff and Laurie Ubbens, Vertice brought a scientific approach to creating a true plant-based menu.
Duke’s Spirited Cocktails founders Laura Sanfilippo and Tara Heffernon partnered with chef Sean Raymond Kelley for a small-plates and cocktails lounge at the former Mateo’s Cocina Latina location. The globe-trotting menu pairs perfectly with best-of-class cocktails. 214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-5021, loandbeholdca.com
Why it matters: This dream project isn’t just for the upper crust. The restaurant stays open late, welcoming fellow food-industry workers to come in after a shift for a drink or three. We’re happy the Duke’s crew have landed on their feet and are making a mark in Healdsburg.
This longtime pop-up’s first brick-and-mortar location serves classic burgers, fries, grilled cheese melts and East Coast hoagies. The Burger Harn ($18), with cheddar, “fancy sauce,” onion butter, red onion and shredded iceberg lettuce gets our nod for the ultimate bun-and-meat combination. 128 N. Main St., Sebastopol, lunchboxsonomacounty.com
Why it matters: If you don’t drool a little at their Instagram (@_lunch_box_), you’re made of more stoic stuff than the rest of us. Burgers aren’t that complicated, but doing them correctly is. That’s why we love this spot so much.
After a complete overhaul of the old Madrona Manor, the restaurant — still headed by chef Jesse Mallgren — has tossed aside complex molecular gastronomy for more approachable but still opulent dishes. 1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-395-6700, themadronahotel.com
Why it matters: New ownership and a new outlook haven’t totally jived with Mallgren’s earlier approach to dining, but the new menu gives locals a reason to go for more than birthdays and anniversaries. The stunning decor has vastly improved the experience, along with a creative cocktail list and options for lunch and brunch. We’re watching the evolution closely.
We love the industrial-size Gold Chai Cinnamon morning rolls for $5.50. Everything at the bakery/cafe is vegetarian or vegan, with many gluten-free choices. 5306 Old Redwood Highway N., Petaluma, 707-665-0644, magdelenas.com
Why it matters: A bakery that covers all diets moves the needle. That it looks and tastes incredible makes it a place everyone can enjoy.
This 400-square-foot, Parisian-style seafood cafe at The Barlow is neatly laid out to include nine counter seats and a variety of outdoor tables for al fresco dining. Oysters are, unsurprisingly, a menu highlight. They’re served raw, baked and fried. The rest of the menu leans on sustainable shellfish, fish, prawns and octopus, all approved by the Monterrey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch as “Best Choices” for eating. 6770 McKinley St., Suite 130, Sebastopol, Instagram.com/oyster_sebastopol
Why it matters: The oceans are overfished, and if we aren’t careful, many species could soon be off the menu. Chef Jake Rand (who also owns Sushi Kosho in The Barlow) offers a delicious take on sustainability. And the mix of bubbly and seafood just works.
The vibe might be psychedelic, but this chef-inspired Roman-style pie isn’t messing around. In the spring, the funky pizza pop-up from Bay Area baker Nicholi Ludlow and his wife, Leith Leiser-Miller, found a permanent home in Sebastopol. The shop’s rectangular 9-inch-by-9-inch pizzas are sold by the pound, along with salads, wine, beer and the world’s most buttery cookies. 980 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol. 707-827-6032, psychicpie.com
Why it matters: The small restaurant hosts emerging pop-ups, new wineries and food businesses in addition to serving great pizza. The community-minded couple are helping drive the growth of the Sebastopol food scene and create a vibrant new energy in the west county town.
Chef Sean McGaughey is the guy in the baker’s apron at Troubadour Bread and Bistro, a French-inspired restaurant that pops up five nights a week in the nibble-size bakery he and wife Melissa Yanc founded in 2021. The couple is also behind Healdsburg’s buzzy Quail & Condor bakery that opened in 2020. Troubadour is refreshingly single-minded in its vision of elevated French bistro cuisine, not Cal-Ital or Mediterranean-French or another fusion. It’s just French, with all the unpronounceable but delicious sauces that have been perfected over centuries. 381 Healdsburg Ave. in Healdsburg. troubadourhbg.com
Why it matters: McGaughey and Yanc are Single Thread alums who gained attention making bread at a simple pop-up. They’ve continued to evolve, buoyed by fans, and a full-fledged restaurant is likely to emerge from this young couple. Clearly, they are ones to watch.
Easy Rider: Easy Rider is that rare bird that fits with the moment, with their approachable Southern-inspired menu, elevated flavors and damn good cocktails on the bustling corner of Kentucky and Washington streets in downtown Petaluma. 33 Washington St., Petaluma, 707-774-6233, easyriderpetaluma.com
Kancha: Chef Angel Cayllahua is an experienced chef and sommelier with a simple but delicious menu of cold and warm tapas-style plates drawn from his Peruvian upbringing and Japanese restaurant training. Cold seafood bites of ceviche, tartare and causas (a Peruvian potato dish) are his specialty. 643 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-623-9793, kanchasr.com
Maison Porcella: Maud and Marc-Henri Jean-Baptiste opened this wine bar and retail location for their French-style charcuterie and wine-import business. You’ll find pates, savory pastries, sausages and charcuterie, ham, chicken liver mousse and pork rillettes, grab-and-go sandwiches (like their signature croque-monsieur), salads and a relaxing wine bar on Fridays and Saturdays. 8499 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 114, Windsor, 707-955-5611, maisonporcella.com
Piala: This Georgian restaurant is a window into the cuisine of the country of Georgia, located at the intersection of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. Co-owner Jeff Berlin wanted to bring its unique flavors to Sonoma County. Piala serves by-the-glass pours of Georgian wine varietals Krakhuna, Rkatsiteli and Saperavi. Georgia is home to one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. 7233 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol, 707-861-9186, pialanaturalwine.com
Saucy Mamas: Even on a sober Sunday, the joint has the Saturday-night feel of a lively rural roadhouse, with waitstaff bringing out plate after plate of ribs, cornbread waffles and the evening’s special shrimp and grits as fast as the kitchen can keep up. Saucy Mama’s puts the soul in soul food by fusing the deeply Southern flavors of Yvette Bidegain’s family’s Louisiana heritage with her own California culinary twists. 16632 Highway 116, Guerneville, 707-604-7184.
Sol Food: Best bets at this Puerto Rican spot include pollo al horno, maduros (sweet fried yellow plantains), Cubano sandwiches and Tembleque, a creamy coconut pudding with mango sauce. Early on, the dishes disappointed a bit, but the menu has since settled in. Don’t forget a bottle of pique (spicy vinegar) sauce to pour on everything. 151 Petaluma Blvd S., Suite 129, Petaluma, 707-347-5998, solfoodpickup.com
Sonoma Pizza Co.: The open, airy restaurant in downtown Forestville brought much-needed casual, family-friendly dining to the sleepy town and its surroundings. Plus, the pizza is excellent! It opened in early June with wood-fired and traditionally baked pizzas dressed with traditional and not-so-traditional toppings. 6615 Front St., Forestville, 707-820-1031, sonomapizzaco.com
Warike RestoBar: A full bar with pisco sours and other pisco cocktails, plus excellent ceviche, tequeños de cangrejo (wontons stuffed with crab and shrimp) and causa marina (potatoes and crab) make this place worth a visit. The lomo saltado is one of the most flavorful versions around. 527 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-536-9201, warikesf.com
