As the largest city in Sonoma County, Santa Rosa boasts a wide range of things to do for the whole family, in addition to an impressive dining scene to fit any occasion. With so much to do, see and eat, we’ve narrowed down some quintessential spots for an effortless, perfect day in Santa Rosa.
Gazing into the breakfast pastry case atMarla Bakery (208 Davis St.), it’s clear tough decisions will have to be made. A savory caramelized onion-cheddar scone might be easier to nibble while wandering nearby Railroad Square, but the sticky buns also beckon. Maybe today’s the day to go for both.
The Crebble: croissant dough rolled in maple sugar and sea salt from Marla SR Bakery and Cafe in Santa Rosa, Nov. 16, 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)Cast Away Yarn Shop in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square has walls of colorful yarn for sale, craft supplies and gifts. The shop has been a staple business in the area for over 10 years. Photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
Railroad Square is brimming with inspiration — you just have to be in the right mood to see it. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the neighborhood’s nooks and crannies offer up vintage vinyl and shoes and what’s said to be one of the largest yarn stores in the country.
Hop back in the car for a nostalgic journey with Snoopy and the Peanuts gang at the Charles M. Schulz Museum (2301 Hardies Lane). Watch a timeless animated special in the theater, then seek firmer footing and a moment of calm in Snoopy’s outdoor labyrinth.
Paloma, 6, and Fernando Lopez, 4, of Healdsburg celebrated the 20th anniversary of The Charles M. Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, Monday, Aug. 15, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)Churros from La Churroteka food truck at Mitote Food Park in Santa Rosa’s Roseland neighborhood. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Further south in the Roseland neighborhood, the food trucks atMitote Food Park (100 Sebastopol Road) offer up some of the best Mexican eats in Sonoma County. For lunch, feast on carnitas tlayuda at Antojitos Victoria or fish tacos at Pezcow. A stop at La Churroteka for a churro filled with chocolate is a must.
At the mountaintopCoursey Graves Estate Winery (6860 Serenity Way), just east of the city in Bennett Valley, unwind with a Bordeaux blend while taking in panoramic views of the Monet-inspired lily ponds and gardens. There’s even a Monet-style arched footbridge.
Coursey Graves Estate Winery in Santa Rosa. (Coursey Graves Estate Winery)Breads & Spreads at Monti’s in the renovated Montgomery Village space in Santa Rosa. (Monti’s)
You might feel as though you’ve traveled the world by the time you land back in town at Monti’s (714 Village Court), which reopened in the fall of 2024 after a major renovation. Spreads & Bread is fun to order with hummus, sweet and spicy eggplant, whipped beet feta and za’atar flatbread to share.
Farm Beef Burger with Fries and a beer for a casual meal at sunset on the back deck of the Sea Ranch Lodge Restaurant Friday, February 21, 2025, on the northern Sonoma coast. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Winter coastal travelers are a hearty bunch. Between November and March, Sonoma and Mendocino’s wind-swept coasts are often blustery, rainy, cold and generally perfect for sitting around a fire. And for a certain kind of tourist, that’s not a bad thing. Crowds are mostly nonexistent, traffic is light, the ocean churns with spectacular fury, and it’s peak mushroom and Dungeness crab season. Personally, it’s my favorite time to get away.
I recently spent a long weekend traveling from Santa Rosa to Mendocino, with stops in Sea Ranch, Gualala, Stewart’s Point and Elk. And while there are many excellent restaurants along the route, my goal was to try some less-charted spots with plenty of local charm. Here are five of my favorite, off-the-beaten-path restaurants you won’t find in the guidebooks.
Sea Ranch Lodge, Sea Ranch
The remodeled Sea Ranch Lodge Restaurant main dining room with sunset seating Friday, February 21, 2025, on the northern Sonoma coast. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)Spaghetti with Dungeness Crab, chili flake, lemon, & mint from the Sea Ranch Lodge restaurant Friday, February 21, 2025, on the northern Sonoma coast. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
The weathered gray redwood homes of Sea Ranch are about being in harmony with the natural elements and the rugged coastal landscape.
The iconic community of 2,200 homes located 65 miles north of Santa Rosa centers around the Lodge, which underwent a radical overhaul in 2018 to embrace its groundbreaking 1960s design aesthetic. After languishing for years, the redesigned Lodge and its guest rooms are stunning, midcentury modern spaces with gas fireplaces, breathtaking views of the nearby Pacific and some of the best whale-watching on the coast.
The restaurant, now overseen by chef Darren McRonald (formerly of Pullman Kitchen in Santa Rosa), is starting to find its groove after the pandemic, with new spring and summer menus on the horizon. It’s worth stopping by for an early dinner to enjoy a sunset over the ocean, well-made cocktails and seasonal dishes, including a hearty bowl of Dungeness crab ($42) with spaghetti noodles, spicy lemon, olive oil and mint. We also enjoyed Braised Short Ribs ($44) with garlic mashed potatoes, carrots, tomatoes and perfectly braised beef.
Don’t miss the Apple Crisp ($16), a buttery bread pudding with plenty of fruit if it’s available.
Fish tacos from the Gualala Seafood Shack. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
You don’t have to go through a lumber yard to get to this hidden fish taco shop, but you certainly should. Hidden along the Coast Highway, just past the True Value Hardware and piles of lumber, is the Seafood Shack, also known as The Shack. The smell of French fries and fried fish will accost you upon entering. When you leave, you will smell like French fries and fried fish for hours, a sign of a good fish taco shack. Baja rockfish tacos ($6.75) are what you want, either fried or grilled (tip: get both). They’re massive handfuls of local fish, cabbage, pico de gallo and chipotle aioli piled into a corn tortilla. These messy monsters are worth the dry-cleaning bill. Also delish is the Dungeness Melt ($24) on a soft roll with melty cheese, mayo and a whole lot of sassy-spicy crab.
Twofish Baking, Stewarts Point Store, Stewarts Point
Margaret Smith cuts a tray of Window Pane pastry at the Twofish Baking Co. at the Stewarts Point General Store Friday, July 19, 2024, near Sea Ranch. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)Raspberry Window Panes from the Twofish Baking Co. at the Stewarts Point General Store Friday, July 19, 2024, near Sea Ranch. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
According to my mother, we had to be there before 8:30 a.m. or they would be out of sticky buns for the day. Elbows sharpened, I was willing to push small children from my path, should it come to that. Fortunately, when we showed up at 8:45 a.m., there were still plenty of sticky buns, morning buns, muffins, scones and other sugary breakfast carbohydrates left. The sticky buns are delightful, but I think violence would be ill-advised. You can eat at a community counter inside the charming Stewart’s Point Store or take your sweets to go.
Poke bowl at Gnar Bar on the Mendocino coast. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
With just a handful of countertop seats, Gnar Bar is all about fat bowls of tonkatsu, miso and vegetarian broth with noodles, bok choy, mushrooms and a jammy egg. It’s the perfect winter warmer if you’re toddling around Mendocino (average temperature 55 degrees). While you’re there, check out the fried chicken sandwiches, fresh sushi rolls, pot stickers, shumai, chicken katsu, Spam musubi, umami fries and poke bowls. This is where the cool kids eat.
Trout tartare at Greenwood Restaurant in Elk. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)Maine lobster ravioli at the Greenwood restaurant in Elk. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Located inside the Sacred Rock Inn grounds, this remote restaurant is worth a stop, especially if you’re staying at the inn. Chef Ryan Seal is an under-the-radar talent who shouldn’t be. After stints at Calistoga Ranch, Solage, Morimoto and SPQR in San Francisco, as well as Round Pond Estate, he’s mostly a one-man show at this recently-renovated inn (he also delivered our breakfast and runs the more casual Elk House on the property). Steelhead Trout Tartare ($24) with buttermilk beurre blanc, green apple and smoked trout roe was luxurious, beautifully plated and elevated my expectations of what tartare can be. Also excellent: Uni Carbonara ($32) with Fort Braff sea urchin sauce, squid ink bucatini and trout roe and Maine lobster ravioli ($34) with fromage blanc, brown butter crumble and sweet pickled onion. Reservations required.
Unless it’s raining, the expansive terrace is the place to be at Martinelli Winery & Vineyards in Windsor. (Martinelli Winery & Vineyards)
Sonoma County is rich in multigenerational wineries — the region is home to more than 20 winegrowers who’ve been farming their family’s original land for a century or longer — and that seems to be especially true in the Russian River Valley.
In the late 19th century, Martinelli Vineyards & Winery’s founders began planting Zinfandel on the area’s hillsides, joining a wave of Italian immigrants who settled in the area around that time. Today, the winery is run by the family’s fourth and fifth generations.
The story
Martinelli’s tale begins in the 1880s with teenagers Giuseppe Martinelli and Luisa Vellutini, who eloped from their village in Tuscany and made their way to California. Giuseppe had been a winemaker in Italy, and he knew his way around vineyards, so he soon landed a job planting vines for a local farmer.
Two years later, with ambitions of starting a family winery, Giuseppe used the money he earned to buy a hillside property in the Russian River Valley. Planting Zinfandel and Muscat of Alexandria on a 60-degree slope was no easy task, but they stubbornly persevered. (The vineyard later became known as Jackass Hill, because only a jackass would plant vines on that kind of terrain. Even now, the site remains Sonoma County’s steepest non-terraced vineyard.)
Lee Martinelli tools around in a tractor on Jackass Hill in Forestville, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. One of the steepest hills to pick wine grapes in Sonoma County, the Zinfandel vines (with muscat, too) were planted in the 1890s. The only way to disc or get the fruit down the hill is with the tractor. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)Lee Martinelli looks over one of the oldest zinfandel vines planted on Jackass Hill in Forestville, Thursday, Aug. 3, 2017. One of the steepest hills to pick wine grapes in Sonoma County the land has been in the Martinelli family for generations. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
After Giuseppe’s death in 1918, the founder’s 12-year-old son Leno took over the vineyard and continued farming it for 75 years. Leno’s son Lee Sr. took the baton from his father in the early 1990s, and he’s still farming Jackass Hill to this day — despite being in his mid-80s.
Though the Martinellis had always made wine for home consumption, they didn’t produce a commercial bottling until 1986. That’s when they converted an old hop kiln and barn on Windsor’s River Road into a winery and tasting room.
Martinelli now farms 470 acres of estate vineyards — including Zinfandel, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and more — in the Russian River Valley, along with the Fort Ross-Seaview and Green Valley appellations. Grapegrowers at their core, the Martinellis sell the vast majority of their grapes to other wineries, including Benovia, Patz & Hall and Gary Farrell.
The vibe
It’s hard to miss Martinelli’s big red barn as you’re driving along River Road. The tasting room has a comfortable vintage feel, with lots of dark wood, black-and-white family photos on the walls and an old-school tasting bar. Unless it’s raining, the expansive terrace is the place to be. Overlooking the barn below and flanked by vines, it’s a pretty, shaded spot with lots of tables and lounge seating.
Unless it’s raining, the expansive terrace is the place to be at Martinelli Winery & Vineyards in Windsor. (Martinelli Winery & Vineyards)Zinfandel put Martinelli Winery & Vineyards on the map, but Burgundian grapes are now stars of the show. (Martinelli Winery & Vineyards)
On the palate
Zinfandel put Martinelli on the map, but these days the winery is more of a Pinot Noir and Chardonnay house. Fittingly for a family of growers, the Martinelli approach is hands on in the vineyards and low key in the cellar.
Among the Russian River estate wines, I’m a fan of the 2020 Lolita Ranch Chardonnay ($62) with its green-apple-meets-lemon pie appeal. The 2022 Zio Tony Ranch Pinot Noir ($85) is a juicy number that’s rich with red and black fruit flavors. Don’t leave without sampling the charming 2023 Guiseppe & Luisa Zinfandel ($58).
Tasting options include the estate-focused Terrace Tasting ($50); the Wine & Cheese Experience ($75), which pairs single-vineyard wines with Sonoma County cheeses; and the Collector’s Flight ($125) of highly rated, limited-edition wines.
Beyond the bottle
Just a quick drive from the winery is another classic: Healdsburger. This humble burger stand on Healdsburg Avenue serves up brioche buns of beefy goodness starting at $11.50 for the basic “Big Daddy” on up to $18 for the “Racer 5” topped with beer-sauteed mushrooms. Be sure to add the fresh-cut fries.
Martinelli Winery & Vineyards, 3360 River Road, Windsor. 707-525-0570, martinelliwinery.com
Tina Caputo is a wine, food and travel writer whose work has appeared in numerous publications, including SevenFifty Daily, Visit California, HuffPost and Sonoma magazine. Follow Tina on Twitter @winebroad, view her website at tinacaputo.com, and email her story ideas at tina@caputocontent.com.
A farm boy from rural Illinois, Mark “Mooka” Rennick started recording local bands on a cheap analog tape machine while still a student at Sonoma State University in the ’70s. After buying a mixing board used by the Beach Boys, he moved to an old chicken farm in Cotati, where he built Prairie Sun Recording, a residential recording studio for top-notch artists who flocked from around the world to live, eat and breathe music together.
As word spread, many of his musical heroes showed up at his door: Tom Waits, Gregg Allman, Nancy Wilson, Primus, Faith No More, Wu Tang Clan, Van Morrison, The Doobie Brothers, Mickey Hart and Iggy Pop.
Two years ago, that journey came to an end as rent increases forced him to close the studio’s doors. But at age 72, in addition to working at satellite studios here and in Portland, Rennick is finally returning to his original dream — to record his own music.
Music producer Mark ‘Mooka’ Rennick in the recording studio. (Chad Surmick / Sonoma Magazine)
What’s in a name
There was a student newspaper at the University of Illinois called Prairie Sun. But, also, my good friend back home has a prairie restoration project that I’m still heavily involved in. I’ve been back to burn the prairie for the last five years in a row. Every spring, we go back. There are 10 acres under cultivation that we planted in 1972. It’s all about restorative agriculture and it all relates to the same world we have here in Sonoma County.
Musical memories
One of the great stories is Jack Kerouac, who was living at his mother’s house in Florida and sang one of his poems into his mom’s cassette recorder. Then Tom Waits came in and did a recording of that mix at Prairie Sun, and now it’s in the national archives.
Lessons learned
You learn humility and open-mindedness. We were 24/7, 365 days a year. Artists came from all over the world to live with us. You learn to give back, because you can get really insulated in your own little world. And these people became like family. We would have Thanksgiving with them and their children and their families. I’m still in touch with many of them.
New material
I finished an album called “Sons of Lincoln,” by this spoken-word collective I’m in called The Abolitionists. I still want to be a talent, and I’m working on finishing my own solo record, which I have over 225 tracks for. It’s not something I just started.
Over the years, as artists came through Prairie Sun — Dick Dale, Jack Antonoff, Prairie Prince — we recorded tracks together… Now, I finally have the freedom to work on my own record.
The Bruscheteria food truck at Clif Family Winery in St. Helena. (Kristen Loken/Clif Family Winery)
I may not want to “Eat Dirt,” but I’m sure as heck going to try it, if only to blast proof-of-life photos all over my social media. And I think that free advertising is exactly what the team at Priest Ranch is counting on with their new, teasingly subtitled “Taste The Terroir” pairing at their Yountville tasting room.
More on that actual experience later, but this is just one example of how local wineries are increasingly trying to bring in younger generations. Older adults may be surprised, but some local food pairings have been evolving past elegant, expected nibbles like dainty bites of roast duck with Pinot Noir.
Recently, I’ve been seeing more out-there offerings, ranging from sour cream and chive potato chips, to seasonal Halloween candy, to cotton candy fluff (truly, served with a Dry Creek Valley winery’s sparkling Moscato).
Some of them work surprisingly well.
At Yountville’s Priest Ranch Winery & Tasting Room, which is one of the local wineries offering pairings with younger people in mind. (Priest Ranch Winery)
The other week, I was at the Anderson Valley International White Wine Festival in Boonville, and snacked on wasabi peas while I sipped a 2023 Matanzas Creek California Chenin Blanc. The tongue-tingling fiery, crunchy snack made me salivate, bringing out the wine’s intriguing prickly pear, green banana and salty acidity. I later bought a package of wasabi peas for my home sipping regimen.
It’s also true that others matchings don’t succeed.
I still tremble over the trauma of the Flamin’ Hot Cheetos one Calistoga winery pushed on me alongside its syrupy sweet Muscat dessert concoction a few years ago (that tasting room has since closed).
As always with wine, your palate is personal, so stop in at these tasting rooms to see if these pairings work for you. And then if you want to go home and eat jelly beans while sipping Grenache, just remember, it’s whatever makes you happy.
Potato chips and pizzettas at Silver Trident
The Potato Chip Extravaganza, featuring artisanal potato chips paired with Silver Trident wines, at Silver Trident Winery in Yountville. (Boris Zharkov)
Long known for its Potato Chip Extravaganza that brings five wines paired with five flavors of potato chips ($75), the Yountville winery has two things to announce.
One, the tasting room has moved, relocating from its posh stone building that also housed an eye-candy Ralph Lauren store to a smaller, much less flashy salon tucked behind Wells Fargo Bank on Washington Street.
Two, we can now dig into a Pizza Pairing. Which is not a novel idea, but is fun any way you slice it. These noshes are actually pizzettas, specifically tall slabs of crusty, airy focaccia with a variety of toppings, like sweet butternut squash, feta, basil and hot honey paired with Apollo’s Folly Rosé of Pinot Noir.
It’s pricey at $80, so you can make your own decision about paying that for savory topped bread made by a caterer and warmed up in a toaster oven behind the tasting room’s front desk.
But if you’re curious about trying the elegant wines, the pizzettas elevate the tasting.
The puppy pairing at Silver Trident Winery in Yountville. (Silver Trident Winery)
A Symphony No. 9 Sauvignon Blanc is good with the goat cheese, golden beets, pickled red onion and shiso slice, while the Benevolent Dictator Pinot Noir is excellent with duck confit, spiced plum balsamic and peppercress.
Playing with Fire Red Blend matches smoothly with meaty maitake mushrooms and curls of spicy capicola (dry-cured pork salume), and Twenty Seven Fathoms fits perfectly with red wine-braised beef, caramelized fennel, thyme and alderwood smoked sea salt.
For an extra $20, you can sit on the patio and treat your dog, too. The new Puppy Pairings is an add-on luxury bringing a take-home Silver Trident-branded water bowl and four handmade doggy treats. It’s a cute menu — a wine bottle shaped peanut butter rye cookie, a blueberry “Grrr-Nola” bone, a wine glass shaped peanut butter rice cookie, and a Nuggets the Squirrel peanut butter and oats treat.
The “Eat Dirt” chocolate “soil” pairing at Priest Ranch in Yountville. (Bob McClenahan)At Priest Ranch Winery & Tasting Room in Yountville. (Priest Ranch Winery)
The soil in the new “Eat Dirt” pairing turns out to be chocolate “soils,” as in high-end cacao-based delicacies from chocolatier Chris Kollar of Yountville’s Kollar Chocolates. Or as the winery’s website endearingly calls them, “clumps.”
Four bonbons pair with four wines ($65), in flavors including a Loam & Lemon of Meyer lemon white chocolate with bee pollen, raw sugar and Oreo crumbs for nibbling with Block 71 Sauvignon Blanc. I’m not a fan of dulling a great wine with what’s usually aggressive chocolate, but this pairing is a winner, nicely floral and gently sweet.
The Clay & Cocoa pairing is another success, delivering pomegranate-pink peppercorn spiked dark chocolate ganache, cocoa nibs and chocolate crumbs paired with Block 136 Cabernet Sauvignon.
I have to admit that, to me, it’s a reach to say the chocolate — even the shaved chocolate ribbon of crumbles snaking down the middle of the wood serving board — can reflect the soil characters in which grapes are grown. But then, perhaps I just haven’t eaten enough dirt.
The Bruscheteria food truck at Clif Family Winery in St. Helena. (Kristen Loken/Clif Family Winery)Polenta tots from Clif Family Winery in St. Helena. (Clif Family Winery)
For a do-it-yourself pairing, the St. Helena winery offers its own Clif Family Bruschetteria food truck. A wine educator is on hand to guide you through the menu if need be, but mix and match as you like.
Try the vegan, gluten-free polenta tots made with heirloom red flint corn and chili powder, paired with the Clif Chardonnay, or the Firecracker Salad with kale, Napa cabbage, Meyer lemon-miso dressing, pickled carrots and sweet and spicy curry seeds alongside the Clif Viognier.
If the specialty PB&J bruschetta is on offer, get that, too. Housemade blackberry jam, melds with peanut butter, wildflower honey mousse, crunchy roasted peanuts and sunflower seeds on grilled Model Bakery sourdough. I like it with the light and relatively dry Grenache Rosé, which balances the sweet jelly and creamy peanut butter.
Smoked and pickled beet, Grazin’ Girl gorgonzola, crispy onion, caraway, and seeds from Songbird Parlour Thursday, November 21, 2024, in Glen Ellen. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Sonoma County Restaurant Week (Feb. 24–March 2) is not only a delicious way to get out and try some new (or familiar) restaurants — it’s an economic driver for Sonoma County’s hospitality industry.
In 2024, it generated $5.5 million in revenue, with a direct impact for restaurants of $3.2 million and an estimated 80,297 customers, according to the Sonoma County Economic Development Collaborative. It’s a boon for chefs and restaurateurs during the slow winter season.
During Restaurant Week, participants offer specially priced meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner for between $15 and $60. Additionally, there are $6 “sweet perks” (usually desserts) and, this year, a new option of family-style offerings.
If you want to do a little preplanning, the Sonoma County Restaurant Week website lists prices and menu selections for over 100 restaurants, though diners aren’t required to order from the special menus.
I’ve sifted out some best bets based on value, food quality or, in a few cases, screaming deals. You can see the complete list of participating restaurants and menus (when available) at socorestaurantweek.org.
$6 sweet perk
Scones from A La Heart Kitchen in Forestville Friday, July 1, 2022. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
A La Heart Catering: Blueberry-maple-bacon or strawberry-Meyer lemon scone with coffee or tea. 6490 Mirabel Road, Forestville, 707-527-7555, alaheart.com
Cookie! Take a Bite: Seven cookies of your choice and a free brownie or lemon bar. 430 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa, 707-291-1785, cookietakeabite.com
Criminal Baking: Breakfast sandwich on English muffin or gluten-free focaccia and fresh fruit. 808 Donahue St., Santa Rosa, 707-888-3546, criminalbakingcompany.com
$15 lunch
Costeaux Bakery: Wagyu burger with pomme frites and a slice of cake. 417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-1913, costeaux.com
$25 lunch
Meatballs and mashed potatoes at Stockhome restaurant. (Courtesy of New Rev Media)
Stockhome: Shrimp Skagen with toasted brioche and Swedish meatballs with mashed potatoes and gravy. 220 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-981-8511, stockhomepetaluma.com
$35 lunch
Salt & Stone: Salad, half Dungeness crab and Bay shrimp melt and butterscotch bread pudding. 9900 Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood, 707-833-6326, saltstonekenwood.com
$30 dinner
Downtown Barbecue: Three-course dinner includes a half rack of St. Louis ribs or smoked tri-tip, and banana pudding. 610 Third St., Santa Rosa, 707-843-4830, downtownbarbecue.co
$40 dinner
Tisza Bistro: Smoked burrata with apple butter, Wiener schnitzel with butterball potatoes or chicken paprikash, black forest pot d’crème or Viennese apple strudel. 165 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-291-5193, tiszabistro.com
Holstein Schnitzel with fried farm egg, fresh anchovies, crispy capers and watercress from Tisza Bistro chef/owner Krisztian Karkus Monday, February 12, 2024, in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)The Chirashi sushi bowl features a variety of fresh sashimi from Sushi Kosho in Sebastopol’s Barlow District. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Canneti Roadhouse: Prawn bisque and rosemary focaccia crostini; beef cacciatore over white corn polenta; lemon panna cotta with dark chocolate sauce. 6675 Front St., Forestville, 707-887-2232, cannetiroadhouse.com
Dry Creek Kitchen: Kanpachi crudo with lemon-white soy vinaigrette, braised short rib with Preston polenta and caramelized carrots, Meyer lemon cheesecake. 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-431-0330, drycreekkitchen.com
Songbird Parlour: Smoked and pickled beet with Grazin’ Girl Gorgonzola; choice of ricotta gnudi, salmon with Vadouvan brown butter or duck confit; vanilla ice cream with olive oil and honey. 14301 Arnold Drive, Suite 3, Glen Ellen, 707-343-1308, songbirdparlour.com
Smoked and pickled beet, Grazin’ Girl gorgonzola, crispy onion, caraway, and seeds from Songbird Parlour, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Glen Ellen. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)Table Culture Provisions chef Stéphane Saint Louis serves a collage of late spring bites for two, including squid-ink madeleines, asparagus cappuccino, and golden orbs of Indian pani puri filled with Dungeness crab salad. (Kim Carroll)
Table Culture Provisions: Seafood risotto or braised short ribs with hand-cut bone marrow fries in peppercorn sauce; opera cake. 312 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-559-5739, tcprovision.com
The Girl and The Fig: Duck liver terrine, steak au poivre, rice pudding with whipped caramel. 110 W. Spain St., Sonoma, 707-938-3634, thegirlandthefig.com
The Matheson: Linguine carbonara, bone-in pork chop with roasted Brussels sprouts, vine-to-bar chocolate ganache or Meyer lemon cheesecake. 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg, thematheson.com
Valette: Hawaiian ahi poke, herb-crusted Mt. Lassen trout with potatoes and Béarnaise sauce, ItsNotA “Snickers Bar” (a legendary Valette dessert). 344 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-473-0946, valettehealdsburg.com
$70 dinner for four
Sam’s Mediterranean: Two appetizers with pita, mixed gyro platter with salad, baklava and Turkish delight. 613 Martin Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-584-0220, samsmeddeli.com
The lobby at Montage Healdsburg. (Montage Healdsburg)
Sonoma County continues to stand at the forefront of luxury hospitality, with two of its Healdsburg-based properties, Montage Healdsburg and SingleThread Farms & Restaurant, earning top honors in the 2025 Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards. These two remarkable establishments have earned Forbes’ prestigious five-star luxury rating for the fourth consecutive year.
Forbes describes these annual awards as an “independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, spas and ocean cruise ships.” The magazine’s Star Rating system puts an emphasis on reviewing service quality.
“Ensconced among the vineyards in Sonoma, Montage Healdsburg immerses you in Wine Country,” wrote Forbes. “The hotel, which debuted in January 2021, seamlessly blends into the landscape, with its 130 rooms tucked into bungalows that bear the same shade of brown as the heritage oaks that cloak them.”
The lobby at Montage Healdsburg. (Montage Healdsburg)
The Montage Resort has a reputation for attracting the rich and famous to its 250-acre estate nestled in the hills above Healdsburg. According to The Hollywood Reporter in 2022, pop star Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey Bieber, are among the high-profile guests who have stayed at the property.
Among its sumptuous offerings, the resort boasts a 4,635-square-foot accommodation called the Guest House, starting from around $5,000 per night. Catering to well-heeled travelers, the hotel unveiled in 2021 its “The Sky’s the Limit” package, which runs up to $95,000. The package includes private jet flights from anywhere in the United States.
The Guest House, Montage Healdsburg’s presidential suite. (Montage Healdsburg)The pool at Montage Healdsburg. (Montage Healdsburg)
In addition to its five-star rating of the Montage Resort, Forbes also highlighted the Montage Spa and the resort’s restaurant, Hazel Hill, with their own four-star ratings.
The 11,500-square-foot Montage Spa includes 11 treatment rooms, a fitness center and a zero-edge pool.
But the resort’s commitment to tranquility extends beyond the spa.
“The terrace at Hazel Hill places you above Montage Healdsburg‘s vineyards, with the Mayacamas Mountains’ rolling hills unfolding beyond them and Mount St. Helena looming in the distance,” wrote Forbes. “It’s a stunning Sonoma scene. A fresh, seasonal meal will give you even more of a reason to linger and savor the scenery.”
English Pea Soup poured at the table over lavender, coconut yogurt and vintner’s coppa from Hazel Hill at Montage Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
A short drive south of Montage, located in downtown Healdsburg, SingleThread is the only three-star Michelin restaurant in Sonoma County. Run by husband-and-wife team chef Kyle Connaughton and farmer Katina Connaughton, the restaurant also has a five-room inn where guests can stay the night. (Forbes separately included the inn in its “recommended” list of places to stay.)
“To call SingleThread Farms a restaurant is akin to calling Buckingham Palace simply a house. This temple of haute cuisine in Sonoma County’s quaint town of Healdsburg delivers on the oft over-used promise of ‘farm to table,’” wrote Forbes.
Sourcing ingredients from its 24-acre biodiverse farm in the Dry Creek Valley, SingleThread serves a kaiseki-style 11-course menu.
“To source purveyors for SingleThread’s incredible array of seafood items, executive chef Kyle treks six times annually to Japan, the country that serves as inspiration not only for his lauded donabe clay pot cooking techniques, but also for SingleThread’s elegant and serene dining room interior,” wrote Forbes.
At SingleThread restaurant in Healdsburg. (Garrett Rowland/Sonoma County Tourism)An elegantly presented dish at the three-Michelin star SingleThread in Healdsburg. (John Troxell/Sonoma County Tourism)
Sonoma County’s list of award-winning properties doesn’t stop there. MacArthur Place Hotel and Spa in Sonoma received two separate four-star ratings from Forbes: one for the entire property and another for the recently refurbished Spa at MacArthur. Forbes also recommended the property’s restaurant, Layla.
Forbes Travel Guide Star Award inspectors rate properties based on up to 900 objective criteria, according to Forbes. The inspectors are always anonymous and spend at least two days staying at the hotels they review. See the complete list of 2025 awardees here.
Jason Teplitz and Dylan Hunn at their wedding ceremony in Kenwood. (Kathryn White)
Dylan Hunn and Jason Teplitz met in college at Stanford, when they were assigned to be teaching assistants for the same introductory computer science class. Now living in San Francisco and working in the field of artificial intelligence, the couple hosted their September wedding at Kenwood’s Chateau St. Jean Winery. With family spread across the country (Dylan grew up in Texas, and Jason’s parents are in Connecticut), they loved the idea of introducing their loved ones to Wine Country during the bounty of harvest season.
“There’s just something specific about Sonoma. The wines are amazing, but it’s also a little bit low-key,” says Dylan. “You’re showing everyone one of the hidden gems of California.”
The couple envisioned a relaxed afternoon garden party, “idyllic and pastoral,” as Dylan describes it, with a Jewish ceremony in the shade of a pergola and a reception in the gazebo.
“We wanted the whole thing to feel like a cocktail hour where you really have time to talk to everybody and hang out together,” says Dylan.
Dylan Hunn and Jason Teplitz at their wedding ceremony in Kenwood. (Kathryn White)Dylan Hunn and Jason Teplitz’s wedding ceremony and reception included a harvest luncheon and relaxed afternoon garden party. (Kathryn White)
A harvest luncheon — three types of pizza, salmon and chicken, and Mediterranean sides and spreads — was followed by wedding cake and fig-and-port gelato scooped from a cute gelato cart. Their 60 guests embraced the garden party vision, playing chess and bocce and dancing a traditional hora on the grand lawn next to a grove of redwood trees.
After many years together, the couple agree they didn’t expect being married to feel all that different — and yet, so much has changed.
“I thought the wedding was just going to solidify something that was already basically true, but that ended up not being how I felt at all,” says Jason. “Immediately after, it just felt like such a change of mindset, such a change in how we think about things.”
Dylan and Jason say they now look forward to the warm nostalgia they feel each time they return to Sonoma Valley, where their new life together had its launch.
A multi-tiered wedding cake topped with fresh berries and figs by Flour and Bloom Cakes. (Kathryn White)Zinnias and fall grasses decorated the tables. (Kathryn White)
Best of Margarita: Best Of La Rosa Tequileria & Grille Monday, July 8, 2024. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
You don’t have to wait until Cinco de Mayo to enjoy the sweet, sour, salty, boozy taste of a well-made margarita.
Often hailed as the quintessential Mexican cocktail, the origins of the margarita remain debated — some claim it was invented in Tijuana in the 1930s while others say the first margarita was concocted by a Dallas socialite at her Acapulco vacation home in 1948.
No matter where it came from or how you like yours — frozen or on the rocks, with or without salt, flavor-infused or classic — Sonoma County serves up some marvelous margaritas. Here are our top picks.
La Rosa Tequileria & Grille, Santa Rosa: La Rosa’s La Diabla is a favorite margarita made with lime, strawberry (or other fruits, your choice) and muddled serrano chiles, served on the rocks. A little spicy, a little naughty. If heat isn’t your thing, try one of their 12 other margaritas, or keep it simple with a sip of tequila from the expansive bar, which features over 180 artisan tequilas and mezcals. 500 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-523-3663, larosasantarosa.com
A Prickly Pear Margarita with chicken fajitas at La Rosa Tequileria & Grille in Santa Rosa. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Paradise Sushi, Santa Rosa: Ignore the fact that they’re not made with real tequila, because this sweet little flight of margs is every bit as tasty. Pair with a couple of California rolls, and you’re in for a brilliant evening. 119 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, paradisesushi.net
Lazeaway Club at the Flamingo Resort, Santa Rosa: Grab a poolside table and a fresh margarita and enjoy the “ode to idleness” vibe at the renovated resort. 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-510-4533, lazeawayclub.com
Sweet T’s, Santa Rosa: The secret to the Texas Margarita? Pineapple and a kick of cayenne pepper. But oh, how sweet it is. 9098 Brooks Road South, Windsor, 707-687-5185, sweettssouthern.com
Ricardo’s Bar & Grill, Santa Rosa: A popular hangout for Bennett Valley residents, Ricardo’s serves up tasty martinis and a delicious house margarita that uses Sauza Blue tequila and is served on the rocks in a tall, skinny glass. Or go big with their top shelf — it’s worth the upgrade. Pair it with shrimp tacos from the secret menu and you’ll be more than satisfied. 2700 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-545-7696, ricardosbarandgrillca.com
Cascabel, Santa Rosa: Originally a tequila lounge based out of San Rafael, Cascabel opened a second location in Montgomery Village. They offer up plenty of delicious tequila-focused cocktails, with the Margarita de la Casa as number one on the list. 909 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-521-9444, cascabelbayarea.com
Tamarind margarita from El Gallo Negro in Windsor. (El Gallo Negro)
El Gallo Negro, Windsor: This Windsor restaurant and mezcaleria serves up Oaxacan-influenced dishes and a margarita for everyone with 11 festive options, including their house margarita, La Margarita, a Mezcal margarita, skinny margarita and the Mucho Caliente. 8465 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-838-9511, elgallonegro.net
Agave, Healdsburg: Agave offers one of the largest tequila selections in the county and hosts regular tastings. Order a house margarita or go big with La Reyna del Sur, which is made with Herradura silver tequila, fresh squeezed lime and Grand Marnier. Enjoy your margarita al fresco with chef Octavio Diaz’s mother’s speciality, traditional molé from Oaxaca. 1063 Vine St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2411, agavehealdsburg.com
Roof 106, Healdsburg: The Modern Margarita is a wonder of modern alchemy. This classic cocktail is crystal-clear, making for a sneaky drink that’s every bit as good as the original. Maybe better. 106 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-723-1106, thematheson.com
The Modern Margarita from Roof 106 in Healdsburg is a wonder of modern alchemy. This classic cocktail is crystal-clear, making for a sneaky drink that’s every bit as good as the original. Maybe better. (Courtesy of The Matheson)
Maya Restaurant, Sonoma: Maya serves up contemporary Yucatan cuisine and the largest tequila selection in town. All of their margaritas use 100% Blue Weber Agave tequila and their house margarita is no joke — it packs a punch with silver tequila, orange liqueur, and fresh lemon and lime juice. For something a bit more fruity, try their pomegranate margarita. 101 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-935-3500, mayarestaurant.com
La Casa Restaurant, Sonoma: One of the oldest restaurants in Sonoma knows how to throw down the margaritas — they offer six types — many use recipes that date back to the restaurant’s 1967 opening. Try the Coat Rack, which uses Cazadores Reposado tequila, Cointreau and fresh squeezed lime, or order a house margarita during happy hour. 121 E. Spain St., Sonoma, 707-996-3406, lacasarestaurants.com
Taqueria La Hacienda, Sonoma: Sonoma locals flock to La Hacienda, not just for their hearty portions of Mexican food, which includes the best homemade molé in town, but also for their gigantic margaritas. Skip the house margarita and go top shelf with a blend of their famous margarita mix and El Jimador Tequila Blanco Triple Sec, topped with floats of Grand Marnier and Cointreau. They also serve a margarita using organic tequila. 17960 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-939-8226, lahaciendasonomabarandgrill.com
Oso Sonoma, Sonoma: Oso’s food is great and so are their cocktails. Pair Oso’s shrimp tacos with a blood orange margarita, which uses Sabé Teq, blood orange puree, lime, agave and salt. 9 E. Spain St., Sonoma, 707-931-6926, ososonoma.com
Mi Pueblo, Petaluma: Mi Pueblo, located in the heart Petaluma’s historic downtown, hosts a popular happy hour, with speciality margaritas, such as their jalapeño margarita. Local fans describe Mi Pueblo’s margaritas as being “the size of a mixing bowl” and therefore shareable for two — but would you really want to share your margarita? 108 Kentucky St., Petaluma, 707-769-9066, eatmipueblopetaluma.com
Plaza Tequila, Petaluma: Popular with happy hour enthusiasts, Plaza Tequila offers margarita lovers plenty of options to pair with their expansive menu. Treat yourself to a top shelf margarita, which is topped off with a float of Cointreau, and sit back and relax on their shaded patio. 600 E. Washington St., Petaluma, 707-776-4949, plazatequila.com
Mi Ranchito, Cotati: Mi Ranchito loves tequila so much they have their own tequila club. Their specialty margaritas run the gamut of colors, tastes and sizes. Try La Borracha, which is topped off with a mini-Corona beer or a refreshing cucumber margarita that uses Milagro silver tequila. 7600 Commerce Blvd., Cotati, 707-795-7600, miranchitocotati.com
Margarita from El Barrio in Guerneville (Kelly Pulieo)
El Barrio, Guerneville: One of the hottest spots in Guerneville, El Barrio pairs tequila and mezcal craft cocktails with small Mexican plates. USA Today calls their La Adelita margarita — made with Cebeza tequila, Cointreau, hibiscus, and lime — “sultry.” They also offer mezcal margaritas, like the El Barrio, which uses just a few simple ingredients: Fidencio mezcal, agave and lime juice. Order some Mexican deviled eggs and chill on the patio. 16230 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-7601, elbarriobar.com
Underwood Bar and Grill, Graton: A popular hangout for locals, including winemakers and artists, Underwood offers a top notch craft cocktail program, which of course includes a margarita. Their Mercury Margarita uses Herradura Blanco tequila, Grand Marnier, Cointreau, house-made sweet & sour, and fresh orange juice. It’s a perfect match with their signature grilled hamburger. 9113 Graton Road, Graton, 707-823-7023, underwoodgraton.com
El Coronel Mexican Restaurant, Sebastopol: This family-friendly establishment, with an outdoor patio, makes for a great spot to enjoy one of nine speciality margaritas — especially if you love a more fruity twist. Their Pink Cadillac margarita stars Chambord, giving it a distinct raspberry flavor, and the Georgia Peach features peach Schnapps. 1015 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-829-7010, elcoronelrestaurant.com
Rocker Oysterfeller’s, Valley Ford: This Valley Ford saloon offers contemporary twists on classics, including the margarita, which comprises fresh lime, Arette tequila, Patron Citronage and agave. Enjoy it with their beer-battered fish tacos, served with apple-fennel slaw and a spicy remoulade sauce. Too many margaritas? Sleep it off at their onsite hotel. 14415 Highway 1, Valley Ford, 707-876-1983, rockeroysterfellers.com
Heather Irwin and Sarah Stierch contributed to this article.
Idlewild Wines in Healdsburg focuses on a lengthy selection of Piedmontese-northern Italian grapes, grown in the Russian River Valley and Mendocino County. (Courtesy of Idlewild Wines)
You don’t have to study wine to enjoy drinking it. But learning more about its origins and nuances can certainly enhance the experience.
Julie Rothberg, the founder of Odyssey Wine Academy in Healdsburg, points out that wine classes such as those offered through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) can help people discover regions and wines they otherwise wouldn’t encounter.
“It’s really just giving people a global perspective on wines,” said Rothberg, who is also the president of Medlock Ames winery in Healdsburg. “Especially here in Northern California, we very much have a ‘house palate’ because we’re drinking what’s close. But there’s this whole world of wine that’s just so amazing and fantastic.”
Julie Rothberg, president of Medlock Ames winery, during a wine education class at the Odyssey Wine Academy. Rothberg is also the founder of Odyssey Wine Academy, which provides WSET courses. (Erik Castro/for The Press Democrat)
Rothberg and other expert instructors teach WSET courses at Odyssey’s original spot in Bacchus Landing, as well as at a new location at Avinage wine shop in downtown Petaluma.
She said she likes the WSET program because it teaches a systematic approach to tasting.
“It’s a way to break down wine into its structure and components and aromas and flavors, which allows you to really understand what it is you’re drinking,” she said. “It tells you something about where it came from and it helps you enjoy and evaluate a wine so that instead of just saying, ‘I like a big bold red,’ or, ‘I like fruity wines,’ you’re able to really articulate that you like high-acid wines or softer tannins or something with a really rich mouthfeel.”
Although some of Rothberg’s students are wine professionals, she said many are people who are just passionate about wine. “About half the students don’t work in wine,” she explained. “They just love it and want to learn more.”
Here’s where to find wine tasting classes — from half-day workshops to multilevel courses — in Sonoma County and Napa Valley.
Sonoma County wine classes
Wine tasting at Idlewild Wines in Healdsburg. Every Sunday, the tasting room hosts a deep dive into the world of Italian wines. (Courtesy of Idlewild Wines)
Idlewild Wines Sunday School
Every Sunday, the tasting room in downtown Healdsburg hosts a deep dive into the world of Italian wines — including those made in Italy and wines made from Italian grape varieties grown in California. Idlewild founder and winemaker Sam Bilbro leads the Sunday afternoon events ($50), with each focusing on a different region or producer. This spring, look for a comparative tasting of wines from Friuli and the Südtirol with selections from Comunitá, Idlewild’s sister winery.
Julie Rothberg during a wine education class focusing on French and Spanish varietals at Odyssey Wine Academy at Bacchus Landing. Rothberg said she likes the WSET program because it teaches a systematic approach to tasting. (Erik Castro/for The Press Democrat)Damien Carney at his Avinage wine shop in Petaluma. Avinage hosts WSET courses from Odyssey Wine Academy. (Tina Caputo)
Odyssey Wine Academy
Located at Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg and Avinage wine shop in Petaluma, Odyssey Wine Academy offers three levels of WSET certification courses ($385-$1,600), as well as smaller, private classes on request. The single-day Level 1 course, aimed at wine novices, introduces students to the components of Old- and New World wines. Level 2, consisting of two full-day classes, is better suited to people who work in the wine industry or already have some wine knowledge and would like to make a career change. The intensive Level 3 course, a precursor to the WSET Diploma certification, involves four months of advanced classes.
Compline wine bar/restaurant/merchant sells a selection of wines with notes to educate and help the buyer at the Napa restaurant. This restaurant and wine shop offers seated wine seminars throughout the year. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)The cheeseburger and duck-fat fries at Compline Restaurant in Napa, Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024. This restaurant and wine shop offers seated wine seminars throughout the year. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Compline
A locals’ favorite for its excellent burger with duck fat fries and its intriguing wine selection, this restaurant and wine shop in downtown Napa also offers seated wine seminars ($100) throughout the year. Recent themes for the two-hour evening sessions have included a tasting with Axel Heinz of Château Lascombes in Bordeaux and a Tokaj Masterclass with Hungarian wine importer Eric Danch.
For those who want to know the full story behind one of California’s most famous appellations, the CIA’s local outpost offers The History of Napa Valley in 8 Glasses ($85). Over 90 minutes, participants learn about the region’s soils and microclimates while tasting wines from some of the region’s pioneers.
Along with WSET Level 1 to Level 4 courses ($399-$1,197), the academy offers weekly blind tasting workshops ($45). The hourlong study sessions are led by Master of Wine candidates and suitable for anyone who wants to become a better taster, delve into wine structure, grape varieties and more. Monthly master class sessions ($129) feature interactive tastings led by top wine specialists, covering such topics as Coombsville Cabernet Franc. The two-day Champagne Specialist course ($799) explores the history, production methods and tasting techniques of French sparkling wines. For those who can’t make it to in-person classes, there are lots of online options.
