The northernmost city in the Bay Area, Cloverdale is home to less than 9,000 residents. But those who frequent its small downtown know it offers some excellent restaurants.
This is a place to enjoy a great meal in an old-school setting; while much of Sonoma County is becoming increasingly modern, Cloverdale, settled in 1859, has retained its rural charm. Nestled between oak-studded hills and sprawling vineyards, it is surrounded by quaint farms, small wineries and bucolic parks.
Here are five restaurants to try on your next visit. Click through the above gallery for best dishes.
El Milagro Cocina Mexicana
Chef de Cuisine Julio Vasquez tempts with “la cocina de la abuelita” (grandma’s cooking) and specialties like guisados (stews, braised dishes and stir-fries), nopales (cactus) enchiladas, and pescado del día smothered in zesty garlic sauce.
Try the Mexico City style street tacos in flavors like spicy mole verde dotted with pipián squash, and dig into daily specials such as “tacos de nada” from Hermosillo, Sonora – the crispy bundles are stuffed with goodies like potato, beans, chorizo, chicken and Oaxacan cheese.
Set in the historic Owl building, the festive space offers a spacious garden patio, as well.
Steak tacos at El Milagro in Cloverdale. (Ana M./Yelp)
Plank Coffee
The organic coffees and teas are premium, and there’s more to explore at this boho-chic, wood trimmed café. Plan on a vegan-vegetarian breakfast or early lunch, with fancy belly fillers like the mouthwatering Parisian with two fluffy organic eggs, gooey cheddar, avocado and heirloom tomato on a buttery croissant.
A fresh-made Healdsburg Bagel Company bagel comes topped with eggs, melted sharp cheddar, Beyond meat “sausage” and spicy mayo, while a toasted Village Bakery roll arrives stuffed with melty provolone, Duncan’s amazing cremini mushrooms sautéed with garlic, onion, tamari, Bragg’s liquid aminos and fresh thyme, all crowned in braised local greens.
And yep, during the fall season, you can sip a killer pumpkin spice latte, crafted with housemade organic pumpkin plus a double shot of house-roasted Pine Mountain espresso.
227 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707-894-6187, plankcoffee.com.
Piacére Ristorante Italiano
It takes a lot of work to keep customers coming back for 22 years. That’s what Piacére owners José and Mary Pelayo have accomplished with this intimate, old-school Italian trattoria. How old fashioned? Entrees include complimentary bread, plus soup or salad.
But there’s much more than spaghetti here. Go for the enormous yet delicate shiitake ravioli bathed in a silky pesto cream sauce, or the chicken Veneziana, the tender breast napped in a light marsala sauce with tangy artichoke and mushrooms for a creamy, meaty, comforting meal.
Don’t miss the from-scratch desserts — traditional tiramisu impresses with real, ground espresso beans.
504 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707-894-0885, piacereristorante.com.
Mixed Tropical Seafood Cocktail from owner/chef José Pelayo of Piacere Italian Steak & Seafood in Cloverdale. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat).
Tian Yuen
Although the Bay Area is famous for its Asian cuisine, it can be hard to find delectable Asian dishes in far northwest Sonoma County. Cloverdale’s KS Tian Yuen comes to the rescue, with the flavors of China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand and Taiwan.
The casual spot is popular for takeout, but owners Ming Cheng Kuo and Mei Jung Shih put lots of love into signature dishes like sensationally sour seafood-mushroom tom yum soup; succulent beef and eggplant glistening in green curry; and ginger shrimp tossed with onion, carrot, celery, water chestnut, and zucchini and tree fungus (wood ear mushrooms).
If you’ve never had squid hot basil before, dig in — it translates to chewy-savory calamari tumbled with garlic, onion, red pepper, green pepper, mushrooms and fresh basil — and is entirely delicious.
The red curry with chicken is served at Tian Yuen restaurant in Cloverdale. (Conner Jay/The Press Democrat)Appetizer at Wolf House Brewing in Cloverdale. (Courtesy of Wolf House Brewing)
Wolf House Brewing
A patio/beer garden and live music adds extra appeal to this spot for craft beers brewed onsite, plus pub food favorites. The rotating, seasonal suds get the party started with creations like a Therapy Session IPA (hoppy, floral, earthy, citrusy, piney, fruity and bitter) or a Burning Daylight lager/Pilsner (crisp, with a creamy finish).
Naturally, there are pretzels with beer cheese dip, chicken wings with all kinds of sauces, including the “face melter,” and a lavish steak-n-cheese sandwich loaded with thinly sliced sirloin, mozzarella, provolone, grilled peppers, onions, lettuce and mayo. Note: the gorgeous sausages are from Healdsburg’s boutique Journeyman.
Kim Kardashian poses for photographers as she arrives to the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in Washington, Saturday, April 30, 2022. Kardashian visited Healdsburg last week. Click through the gallery for photos. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)
Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner made an express visit to Sonoma County last week, according to Business Insider. The mother-daughter team joined Goldman Sachs CEO David Solomon on stage at the investment banking firm’s annual Builders and Innovators Summit, held this year at the luxury resort Montage Healdsburg, the financial and business news website reported.
“For more than a decade, our Builders and Innovators Summit has been where exceptional entrepreneurs meet to take their businesses to the next level,” read a statement on the Goldman Sachs website.
Kardashian, who rose to fame alongside her family while starring in the reality TV show “Keeping Up with the Kardashians,” has continued to build her business empire by launching a series of companies within the beauty and fashion industries. Among her most recent business ventures is a private equity firm, Skky Partners, which she launched in September with co-founder Jay Sammons, a former executive at the private equity firm Carlyle Group.
Kardashian has leveraged the power of social media to promote her business ventures and to publicize products that she has been paid to endorse to her hundreds of millions of followers. This month, however, the reality TV star and social media influencer agreed to pay U.S. regulators $1.26 million to settle charges for failing to disclose that she was paid $250,000 to promote cryptocurrency token EthereumMax on her Instagram page.
Kim Kardashian and Kris Jenner at the 2017 LACMA Art + Film Gala held at the LACMA in Los Angeles, USA on November 4, 2017. (Tinseltown / Shutterstock.com)
Jenner, the CEO of Jenner Communications, spoke at the Goldman Sachs conference in 2020, when she discussed such topics as “growing her family’s brand into a business” and “trends shaping consumerism.”
Since opening in January last year, Montage Healdsburg has welcomed several celebrities, including pop star Justin Bieber and his wife, Hailey Bieber, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The hotel was named among the top hotels in Northern California by Condé Nast Traveler earlier this month.
Montage Healdsburg charges from $15,000 per night for its largest accommodation, the 4,600-square-foot Guest House. The hotel’s “The Sky’s the Limit” package, which includes private jet flights from anywhere in the United States, is $95,000.
Click through the above gallery for photos of the luxury hotel. Find more favorite celebrity spots in Sonoma County here.
When tech entrepreneur Mukesh Patel and his wife, Harsha Patel, purchased a home on a working farm in Sonoma, they had two main goals for the renovation: to be immersed in nature and to have indoor space to host family badminton games. They turned to Marin county architect Christie Tyreus, who designed a home with both these elements, creating a modern farmhouse aesthetic all its own.
Mukesh Patel wanted “a see-through house,” said Tyreus. “He wanted to feel like (he’s) in the vineyard.” This required replacing several of the walls with moveable 9-foot glass walls, which, according to Tyreus, is not just an engineering feat but also drastically reduces storage. Tyreus Design Studio solved this problem by adding built-in storage on the home’s remaining walls.
The glass walls afford each room a view of the surrounding landscape — you can watch the sun rise over fields from the east side of the home, or take in views of vineyards from the open kitchen, shaded by a tree.
The Patels are lovers of modern design but didn’t want their home to “stand out, or be out of context,” explained Tyreus. Instead, they wanted to “acknowledge the farm setting and agrarian tradition.” As a result, a modern flat roof was ruled out. Tyreus’s team kept the gabled shape and removed the eaves from the roof of the original home, which hadn’t been changed in 50 years.
The moveable glass walls are made by Vitrocsa and are noted for engineering that allows them to be oversized with narrow trims while remaining structurally sound. The siding is a stained blonde Accoya wood — an acetylene-treated pine known for its durability. It covers the entire exterior in vertical two-by-six boards and the color blends with the golden hue that the surrounding hills take on from early summer. A gray standing-seam metal roof provides fire resistance and contrasts with the otherwise warm-colored dwelling.
Interior design elements include oak wood floors, Neolith sintered stone countertops, and hand-troweled plaster in the bathrooms.
The badminton court is housed in the “event barn,” a cavernous space created from a dilapidated barn on the property. The interior has been painted slate – a stunning choice of color that had a pragmatic origin: to blend the exposed ductwork on the ceiling. Another wall of windows opens up this playing space toward the outdoors.
This true indoor-outdoor space has already been the site of a couple of weddings for family and friends. It includes a “centipede bar,” which is built in modules that can be taken apart, moved outside and reassembled.
Near the home, a traditional barn still stands and houses the equipment needed to run the farm. The working farm produces crops of vegetables for esteemed restaurants like Chez Panisse, Quince and Cotogna.
The Patels have developed their own interest in farming since making Sonoma their home. On weekends, they can be found working in and learning about the gardens. Click through the above gallery to see photos of their home.
A circa-1912 home near downtown Petaluma has hit the market. Listed for $924,000, the 1100-square-feet, three-bedroom, two-bathroom dwelling has plenty of century-old charm — how about a turreted sitting room, to start?
Outside the home, a stained wood fence — a modern update to the white picket fence — encloses a pretty front yard with dark bark, seating around a fire pit, and angular plants that pop green against the home’s iron ore-colored exterior.
A small front porch offers enough room for a bench from which the homeowner can do quaint things of the past, like waving to the neighbors. Design details, like a shiny brass mailbox and a teal-colored door, help complete the old-school look.
The interior of the home has been painted a bright white—Benjamin Moore’s White Dove — while closet doors, shelving and a bench are a contrasting deep gray. Staging, by Jennifer Pezzolo of Pezzolo Designs, has enhanced the color scheme with subtle choices that have a striking impact. Textiles are in black, white and neutral tones, allowing the original architectural elements to shine: ornamental window mullions, arched doorways, coffered ceilings, and original molding and wainscoting.
The kitchen has been outfitted with practical butcher block countertops. Modern light fixtures, like a Sputnik chandelier in gold and a wicker shade, provide pleasing warmth and contrast well with the overall design scheme.
In the backyard, outdoor furniture in wood and wicker give a clean and natural look. Mature redwoods create a sweet, nestled-in feeling. Click through the above gallery to view photos of the home.
For more information on this property, contact listing agent Jenny Watson with Vanguard Sonoma, at 707-789-0400, 415-497-7676, jenny.watson@vanguardsonoma.com, or Jennifer Aument, 707-548-2011, vanguardsonoma.com
Farmer-florist Lennie Larkin says moving into agriculture as a second career was the answer to many questions in her life. “I’d never loved anything like I love flowers; I’d never been so fascinated,” she says. “The cultivation of flowers caused me to slow down and be in the moment more than any- thing I’d ever done. Talk about mindfulness.”
Larkin, who grows an acre of garden roses and other blooms at B-Side Farm in Petaluma, is just one of a group of farmer-florists changing the face of the local specialty cut-flower industry, an industry worth $4 million in 2020. Sonoma’s growers are leaders in advocating for the use of sustainably grown, local flowers—the so-called “farm-to-vase” movement.
Flower lovers, brides, and designers have buckets of options for high-quality blooms grown just a few miles away. “I don’t need a wholesale account at the flower market in San Francisco anymore,” explains Jennifer McClendon, a farmer-florist who creates elegant wedding arrangements at Sebastopol’s JenniFlora. “With the relationships I’ve made here locally, I can source everything I need.”
Lennie Larkin of B-Side Farm in Petaluma. (Eileen Roche)
Flowers from B-Side Farm in Petaluma. (Eileen Roche)
Sonoma’s farmer-florists are expanding the range of blooms they grow, creating new avenues to support each other’s small businesses. And they are seeing real change in the inclusiveness of the industry as well. “I love the fact that people are so supportive of each other,” says Jude Crawford, who farms with her partner Dale Smith at Zannah Farms in Santa Rosa. “If I have a problem with cucumber beetles on my amaranth, I can reach out to other farmers to figure out what to do.”
Local growers value collaboration and community, explains Zoe Hitchner, who runs the flower program at Healdsburg’s Front Porch Farm, one of the largest farms in the county. She says there’s a feeling of abundance; that there is enough business to go around. “I can say to a client, ‘I can fill half of your order, and I recommend you go to these other growers, too.’”
Days on the farm are exhilarating and creatively fulfilling—but also a constant juggle as growers balance immediate needs with more long-term concerns. “You’re always having all these balls in the air: what you need to do today to get through the day, but also what has to happen to have flowers for sale three months from now,” says Larkin. “If you just put your head down and do the work right in front of you in the field, you’re going to screw up the next season of growing.”
The days start at dawn, as flowers do best when harvested while temperatures are still cool. Then it’s on to sorting and bundling blooms for market, arranging bouquets, prepping for weekend events, customer service, and business calls. Then there’s the constant weeding and field maintenance, much of it done on hands and knees. “Flowers are picky,” says Larkin. “A lot of them need to be corralled or netted or pinched or trained.”
And there’s the treachery of the season, too. Zoe Hitchner at Front Porch Farm has had to adapt her farming plan to broader concerns about drought and fire. It’s common at this time of year to be working and catch a smell of smoke in the air, she says, and during each of the last three years, they’ve been under evacuation warnings. Water—for farming, for local fish and wildlife, and for drinking—is an ever-present concern. The picturesque farm, located in a valley at a bend in the Russian River, draws its irrigation supply from the river, and in 2021, they had to stop irrigating entirely in mid-summer to help keep local water levels sustainable. Hitchner says most of the plants held on to allow them to continue to harvest and supply the market. “This year, we’ve made the choice to farm whatever is possible within the bounds of our year-round team,” she says.
Zoe Hitchner at Front Porch Farm in Healdsburg. (Eileen Roche)At Front Porch Farm in Healdsburg. (Eileen Roche)
Hitchner and others are mindful of what the local cut-flower industry needs to stay sustain- able, both from an ecological perspective, and from the viewpoint of their own work-life balance. To expand the conversation, Lennie Larkin, shown below, who mentors new farmers and is an officer at the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers, is writing a book about the economics of running a cut-flower business, relaying how growers can find out their cost of production or how they can set prices for a fair return on the work hours spent. “It’s about profitability, and that can feel like a dirty word at times,” she explains. “There’s often this sense that farmers should just be in it only for the love of the land.”
And yet a deep love of the land does remain a driving force for these farmer/ designers, who live in tune with the seasons and cultivate their aesthetic sensibilities even as they make their way through chores. “September is an absolutely stunning time on the farm,” says Hitchner. “The weather is just starting to turn, and really interesting clouds build up in the sky and the light changes. Everything feels really dramatic.”
Larkin says she feels the pull of the blooms in the field from the moment she wakes up. “I’ll keep glancing toward the window, just wanting to get out there and walk the fields and see everything—even though I know every flower that’s there, even though I saw them all just yesterday.” Entering the garden in the calm, early morning stillness, when the dew is glistening on the petals and the fields are in their most natural state, is what she calls a perfect moment. “It never fails to lift me up, honestly,” says Larkin. “Something new is happening every day.”
Dale Smith and Jude Crawford of Zannah Farms in Santa Rosa cut and arrange fresh bouquets daily for their farmstand, and sell buckets of flowers for DIY arrangements. (Eileen Roche)
At Zannah Farms in Santa Rosa. (Eileen Roche)
A Sonoma Cutting Garden
Plant beautiful blooms of your own with these farm-tested, designer-approved favorites.
Anemones: Zoe Hitchner calls these “the heroes of spring” for their ability to provide a succession of flowers for up to five months from a single planting. She plants corms the first week of October and covers them in a low tunnel or cold frame. Hitchner recommends planting in moist soil but then waiting to water until shoots emerge—too much water leads to rot.
‘Buddah’s Hand’ Cosmos: Each mature plant boasts dozens of small, tangerine- colored blooms, and the plant will easily naturalize in a cutting garden. Thin seedlings to allow plenty of space, as each will grow to 5 feet tall and wide.
‘Chantilly’ Snapdragons: Lennie Larkin of B-Side Farm says these sweetly fragrant blooms make beautiful “spike flowers” in hand-tied bouquets. She sows them in early spring in pots and transplants into the garden as
young seedlings. When harvesting, cut low for continued blooms.
David Austin Roses: Larkin’s favorite varieties of these chubby, old-fashioned roses include ‘Lady of Shalott,’ ‘Carding Mill,’ and ‘Golden Celebration.’ She recommends planting in the sunniest spot you can find and mulching well. They need lots of water (she suggests using buckets of grey water from the shower) and frequent fertilizing. In Sonoma’s ideal growing climate, Larkin is able to coax up to three rounds of bloom in a single season.
At Zannah Farms in Santa Rosa. (Eileen Roche)At Front Porch Farm in Healdsburg. (Eileen Roche)
‘Fata Morgana’ Scabiosa: An easy annual that attracts bees and butterflies and has a unique color, somewhere between peach, yellow, and pink. You can sow seeds directly just about any time of year, according to Hitchner. She plants one set of seeds in fall to overwinter into spring, and then starts sowing again in April, planting monthly through the summer.
Mexican Tuberose: These bulbs, native to Mexico and the Southwest, love Sonoma’s hot summer days and bloom prolifically from July until November. Hitchner says they turn up their intoxicating scent at night, attracting the sphinx moth and other pollinators. At Front Porch Farm, they are grown as a perennial, and every four years, the bulbs are dug up, divided, and replanted.
Queen Series Zinnias: Larkin says these are not your grandma’s zinnias, with subtle gradients of color that bring an antique vibe to bouquets. She recommends sowing seeds directly in the garden anytime from April through July. They seem to thrive even when ignored and don’t need rich soil.
‘Sahara’ Rudbeckia: Heat tolerant and in demand from florists for their moody pink and peach coloring, reminiscent of milky coffee. Rudbeckia is technically a perennial, but Hitchner grows it as an annual, starting plants each April from seed in a greenhouse, then transplanting into the field.
And… extra greenery: “The tones, textures, and shapes will elevate home-grown bouquets to the next level,” says Larkin. Some of her favorite greens for Sonoma gardens include lemon basil, silver dollar eucalyptus, and raspberry greens, with or without the berries.
Grown in Sonoma
BEES N BLOOMS/ SIDEKICK FLOWERS
Farmer/florist Seth Gowans leases land at Bees N Blooms and sells his organic flowers alongside Bees N Blooms lavender. Farmstand at 3883 Petaluma Hill Rd., Santa Rosa. 707- 293-8293, beesnblooms.com
DRAGONFLY FLORAL
A longtime favorite, this local farm in the Dry Creek Valley offers local delivery and event design. 707-433- 3739, dragonflyfloral.com
FEATHER FLOWER FARM
Farmer/florist Sierra Bannister sells homegrown flowers at her own small farmstand (email for details) and at Bill’s Farm Basket in Sebastopol. Her Instagram feed (@featherflowerfarm) is stunning. featherflowerfarm.com
FLATBED FARM
A diverse farm and flower operation with a farmstand, farm products, and bouquets for sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Farmstand at 13450 Hwy. 12, Glen Ellen. flatbed-farm.com
At B-Side Farm in Petaluma. (Eileen Roche)At Front Porch Farm in Healdsburg. (Eileen Roche)
FRONT PORCH FARM
A 110-acre farm by the Russian River with orchards, vegetables, and wine- grapes in addition to flowers. Flowers are sold at the Saturday farmers market in Healdsburg, to the FEED Sonoma produce hub, and wholesale to local designers. fpfarm.com
FULL BLOOM FLOWER FARM
Owner Hedda Brorstrom grew up in the area and runs a pretty farmstand along a country road, marked by a red mailbox. She also does events and offers weekly flower subscriptions in summer. Farmstand at 9516 Graton Rd., Sebastopol. 707-591-6968, fullbloomflower.com
THE HAPPY DAHLIA FARM
It’s dahlia time right now, and the growing fields are awash in color. A fun place for families to explore together. Farmstand at 2478 E. Washington St., Petaluma. 707-338- 9478, thehappydahliafarm.com
JENNIFLORA
Jennifer McClendon cultivates 1,500 heirloom roses on her 1.5 acre family farm in Sebastopol and designs stun- ning events. Call for bouquet pickup and local delivery. 707-495-9402, jenniflora.com
JOLEE BLOOMS & DESIGN
Owner Daniele Strawn has a diverse design background and runs a quarter-acre farm and a thriving event business in Occidental, with organic bouquets available for pickup or de- livery. 707-775-0101, joleeblooms.com
OAK HILL FARM
This landmark spot in Glen Ellen on over 700 rural acres has been farmed by members of the Teller/Bucklin family since the 1970s. Fresh flowers available at the Sonoma farmers mar- ket on Fridays and at the Red Barn Store farmstand from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays. 15101 Hwy. 12, Glen Ellen. 707-996-6643, oakhillfarm.net
POPPIES AND PETALS
At this you-pick farm, visitors can design and cut their own bouquet packed with organic, seasonal blooms. Bring your own vase. Open Tues., Thurs., Sat., and Sun. 500 Sanford Rd., Santa Rosa. 707-752- 7891, poppiesandpetalsfarm.com
STRONG ARM FARM
Heidi Herrmann focuses on beautiful tuberoses, primarily for the wholesale market. Herrmann was one of the founders of the North Bay Flower Collective, a local group that pro- motes the local flower movement and supports growers. strongarmfarm.com
SUNRAY FARM
A vegetable and flower farm in Sonoma focused on healthy soils and organic growing practices. They sell flowers at the Petaluma Eastside farmers market on Tuesdays, deliver weekly bouquets, and will sell large flower buckets for DIY arrangements. 707-210-9720, sunrayfarm.com
ZANNAH FARMS
Dale Smith and Jude Crawford cut and arrange fresh bouquets daily for their farmstand, and sell buckets of flowers for DIY arrangements. Farmstand at 5583 Occidental Rd., Santa Rosa. 707-247-5881, zannahfarms.com
Le Diner at Troubadour in Healdsburg. (Emma K Creative)
The hottest new restaurant in Healdsburg is a sandwich shop.
Actually, it’s a bread bakery by morning that turns into a sandwich shop during the afternoon and does a final quick change into an intimate chef’s counter at night.
Chef Sean McGaughey is the guy in the baker’s apron at Troubadour Bread and Bistro’s Le Diner, a French-inspired restaurant that takes over the nibble-size bakery five nights a week.
It’s the third collaborative project McGaughey and his wife Melissa Yanc have founded in Healdsburg, the buzzy Quail & Condor bakery that opened in 2020.
For McGaughey, making sandwiches and pastries just wasn’t the same thing as working in the kitchens of Single Thread, where he rose from executive sous chef to head chef over five years. His background in classic French cuisine, plus the precision he practiced at Michelin-starred Single Thread, were still calling.
“I thought that putting the same effort of cooking into making sandwiches was going to fill my tank, but it just didn’t,” he said on the heels of his first week of dinner service at the newly reminted Troubadour Bread and Bistro.
At Troubadour Bread and Bistro in Healdsburg. (Emma K. Morris)
The concept is simple: a five-course dinner for $125 per person, preordered through exploretock.com. On Tuesday through Saturday, McGaughey and his small team cook a dinner of seasonal, locally sourced dishes such as duck a l’orange with crisp salty skin, Wagyu steak tartare with a cured egg yolk, petite escargot served in a Limoges tea cup with creamy veloute and roasted garlic and a thick tomato slice with tart sauce vierge and caviar.
Much of the produce comes from the Single Thread farm in Alexander Valley. It’s stunning stuff, especially in a boulangerie with just 20 seats, all stools pulled up to counter seating. Much of the cooking is done in simmer baths and low-temperature ovens, to take advantage of every bit of space in the tiny kitchen.
“We don’t have a lot of refrigeration either, so it forces us to be creative and constantly change,” McGaughey said.
The restaurant is refreshingly single-minded in its vision of elevated French bistro cuisine. The menu isn’t 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.
“I’ve always liked cooking French food. It’s always been in my repertoire. These are the techniques you learn (in school). Even Single Thread is very much of the French tradition,” McGaughey said.
“I also love the mix of grand French cuisine, the copper pots stuff. But, on the flip side, I like bistro favorites and want to elevate those,” he said.
Sandwich from Troubadour in Healdsburg. (Emma K. Morris)
The four best seats in the house are at the counter facing Healdsburg Avenue. There, you can watch people go by (and be watched, eating) in the evening hours. More private seats at the bakery counter are better for intimate dining, and groups of up to four can sit at a communal table. The vibe is a mix of irreverence (don’t miss the Andre the Giant homage in the bathroom) and old-school French, with antique mix-and-match Limoges plates and a clubby San Francisco cafe atmosphere.
McGaughey has teamed up with Single Thread alum Tiffany Spurgeon as the restaurant’s host. Spurgeon, McGaughey and his wife are all part of an ever-growing cohort of Single Thread alums creating new food businesses with the support of their former bosses.
“We weren’t really sure what this was going to be, but it’s turned into a secret date-night restaurant,” McGaughey said. “We’re untraditional but fun, and we’re not going to take up your whole evening.”
Troubadour Bread and Bistro dinner service runs Wednesday through Sunday by reservation. The shop is located at 381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. Visit troubadourhbg.com.
Desiree Sizemore, right, screams as actor Emily Quintas, left, jumps towards her inside Uncle Chuckle’s 3D Mad House at Blind Scream Haunted House, in Rohnert Park, California on Wednesday, October 19, 2016. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
From candy lands to haunted houses to masquerade balls, there’s something for everyone to enjoy this Halloween season in Sonoma County. Here are some spooky activities for kids, teens and adults throughout October.
Haunted happenings for kids
Oct. 15 — Pumpkin Splash: The Honeybee Pool in Rohnert Park lets you take advantage of Sonoma County’s warm fall weather with a pumpkin splash party. Kids can swim in the pool and dive for pumpkins, which they can decorate afterward. Register at the Rohnert Park Community Center front desk or call the center at 707-588-3456. $15 admission. 1170 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park, rpcity.org
Oct. 22— The Dance Center’s Not-So-Scary Halloween Party: Check out the haunted house, games, crafts and Thriller choreography at the Dance Center in Santa Rosa. From 4 to 6 p.m., children ages 3 to 5 are invited to the Halloween party, with one parent or guardian. From 6 to 8 p.m., children ages 6 and up can be dropped off to attend the event. $15 per child (proceeds benefit the Jazz Companies). Sign up in advance at the front desk of the Dance Center, or call 707-575-8277. 56 W. Sixth St. Santa Rosa
Oct. 28 — Downtown Santa Rosa Trick or Treat: Who says kids can only trick or treat on Halloween? Downtown Santa Rosa businesses will present a Fall Fun Fest from 5 to 8 p.m., with games, a Ferris wheel, zip line, live DJ and more. Children 12 and younger are invited to dress up for some trick-or-treating at local businesses and a costume contest at 6:15 p.m. in Old Courthouse Square. Adults can dress up, too, to compete in an adult costume contest at 7 p.m. Old Courthouse Square, downtownsantarosa.org
Oct. 30 — Spooky di Rosa: Tucked between Sonoma and Napa, the di Rosa Center for Contemporary Art will turn into Spooky di Rosa this Halloween, with trick-or-treating and a haunted museum from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Activities include a costume contest at 3 p.m., a spooky photo booth, face painting, courtyard games and music. “Gremlins” ages 17 and under are $5; “The Living” pay general admission (adults $20; seniors 65 and older and students $17). 5200 Sonoma Highway, Napa, 707-226-5991, dirosaart.org/halloween
Oct. 31 — Cotati Candy Land: The annual Cotati Candy Land trick-or-treat event returns to La Plaza Park with goodies from local businesses from 2 to 5 p.m. The free event takes place outdoors; no registration is required.
Frightening fun for families
Weekends in October — Blind Scream Haunted House: For those who enjoy the adrenaline rush of a good scare, Blind Scream is a great place to get your heart pumping. Now located just south of the Santa Rosa Plaza, the haunted house is open on select dates throughout October. This year’s theme is “House of Superstitions.” Those brave enough to enter will walk (or run) through a “dilapidated old dwelling deep in the dank, dark woods.” Here live three terrible sisters, “each one as evil as hell itself.” Tickets are $25-35 and can be purchased online (blindscream.com/haunted-house) or at the door. This activity is not recommended for small children or kids who are easily scared. 98 Santa Rosa Plaza, Santa Rosa, 707-953-3909, blindscream.com
Throughout October — Halloween Home Displays: The Press Democrat has created a map of the best Halloween home displays in the county, making it easy for you to get into the spooky mood any day of the week. Check out the map (pressdemocrat.com/article/news/map-halloween-decorated-homes-in-sonoma-county) to plan your route. Then walk or drive with family or friends to enjoy some creative decorations throughout the month.
Oct. 23 — Santa Rosa Symphony Spooktacular: The Santa Rosa Symphony will perform thrilling tunes and “ominous masterpieces” at the Green Music Center’s Weill Hall to get you and your family into the Halloween spirit. The Symphony Spooktacular, which begins at 3 p.m., will include film scores from “Harry Potter” and “Pirates of the Caribbean,” as well as works by Saint-Saëns and Mussorgsky. Costumes are encouraged. Tickets (tickets.srsymphony.org) are $20 for adults, $10 for children 12 and under. Weill Hall, 1801 E. Cotati Ave., Rohnert Park.
Oct. 29 — Pumpkin Festival and Costume Competition: Enjoy a festive morning with the family at the Healdsburg Farmers’ Market’s 38th annual Pumpkin Festival and Costume Competition. The event begins at 8:30 a.m. and features a variety of fun activities, including pumpkin carving, “pumpkin-car” races and, of course, costume contests (event attendees pick the winners). Registration for pumpkin-car races and costume contests is open 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Healdsburg Farmers’ Market, Vine St., healdsburgfarmersmarket.org/pumpkin-festival-2022
Oct. 31 —Annual Halloween Open House: From 3 to 5:30 p.m., check out the Halloween celebration at the Guerneville Regional Library. The nonprofit organization River Friends of the Guerneville Library organizes the event and invites people of all ages to dress up and have fun. Guests can decorate pumpkins, compete for prizes, make scary buttons and more. They also receive a free book. This event is free, no registration is required. Guerneville Regional Library, 14107 Armstrong Woods Road, Guerneville, bit.ly/3VtA9RT.
For the grown-ups
Throughout October – Haunted Sonoma Plaza Ghost Tour: Hear dark tales of Sonoma’s history on spooky ghost tour at the Plaza. Local guides who love the paranormal will tell you all about the town’s hauntings on a half-mile walk. 8 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. $27 per person. Go to bit.ly/3g9OIKw for tickets.
Oct. 28 — Halloween Bash: From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., Santa Rosa’s Epicenter will hold its second Halloween Bash, with three DJs, three dance floors and three full bars. Join hundreds of costumed partygoers for a night of bowling, dancing, arcade playing and even some ax throwing. The laser tag area will be turned into a haunted house, and there will be food and drink specials available. This event is for people 21 and older. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased online at bit.ly/3efGZtD. Epicenter, 3215 Coffey Lane, Santa Rosa.
Oct. 28-29 — Hallowine Run: Join runners and wine enthusiasts alike for the Hallowine Run, which will make its return to Wine Country after a three-year hiatus. The two-day event includes kid-friendly activities and an evening welcome reception on Oct. 28, and a half marathon (which participants can run as a two-person relay) and a 5K race on Oct. 29.
The Oct. 29 races begin at Orsi Family Vineyards in Healdsburg and take runners on scenic loops through the Dry Creek Valley. The half marathon begins at 7:30 a.m.; the 5K starts at 8:25 a.m.
There’s a post-race wine and music festival from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., with live music, wine tasting, a costume contest and awards ceremony at 10:30 a.m. Profits benefit the Hall Steps Foundation, which supports women and children living in poverty in Ethiopia. Registration is open until Oct. 28 at hallowinerun.com/registration-info.
Oct. 29 — Halloween Masquerade Ball: Buena Vista Winery in Sonoma hosts its annual Halloween Masquerade on the last Saturday night of October. Celebrate “the Roaring ’20s, Great Gatsby-style” with live music, dancing, small bites and Buena Vista wines. General tickets are $125 ($100 for members). The event begins at 7 p.m. Buena Vista Winery, 18000 Old Winery Road, Sonoma, 800-926-1266, buenavistawinery.com
Flat Iron Steak Frites at Underwood Bar and Bistro in Graton. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
The tiny west county town of Graton is merely a blip on the radar (there’s not even a stoplight), but it is the essence of all that is weird, wonderful and deliciously delightful about the farther-flung regions of Sonoma County. Click through the above gallery for some of our favorite spots to grab a bite in and around Graton.
Spirit Works Distillery owners Timo and Ashby Marshall are celebrating their 10-year anniversary making gins, whiskeys and vodka in Sebastopol’s Barlow September 30, 2022. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
A lot has changed since Timo and Ashby Marshall launched Spirit Works Distillery in Sebastopol’s Barlow a decade ago.
“For starters, we now have a staff,” said Ashby Marshall, co-founder and head distiller. “Sometimes (people) don’t believe we used to do everything ourselves. It still feels weird to have help.”
In 2012, Spirit Works was among the first three businesses to move into The Barlow, along with Woodfour Brewing and Kosta Browne winery. Back then, the property had yet to grow into the buzzing outdoor marketplace it is today, with wineries, breweries, restaurants, artisan shops and, of course, a distillery.
“When we signed our lease, the broader concept for The Barlow still remained on paper,” said Timo Marshall, co-founder and operations manager. “But they needed someone to believe in them, and we needed someone to believe in us. So it worked out well.”
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this month, Spirit Works Distillery has been a passion project for the husband-and-wife team since Day One. Among their award-winning spirits, you’ll find vodka, gin and whiskey produced with organic red winter wheat; their bestselling four-grain bourbon; and a delicious, juicy sloe gin made with fresh sloe berries.
To commemorate the anniversary, Spirit Works is releasing a limited-edition 8-year-old rye whiskey ($90), the oldest release for the brand.
“There were two barrels I’d had my eye on in the cellar for quite some time,” said Ashby Marshall, who created the limited-release rye. “One was producing beautiful fruity notes, while the other was very spicy, with coriander, cardamom and caraway. I felt like the flavors would meld beautifully together.”
The brand’s leading tenet is what they call “grain to glass,” reflecting the couple’s commitment to producing their spirits with organic whole grains.
“‘Grain to glass’ sounds like a nice marketing term, but it’s massively important to us,” Timo Marshall said. “Some craft distillers just buy alcohol, tweak it a bit, then bottle it. But we start production with high-quality raw materials and process everything on-site. We want to know where all our ingredients come from.”
So do their customers. In recent years, Timo Marshall said, many people have shifted from asking which ingredients go into their products to instead asking where the ingredients are sourced from. They’re more invested in learning about the brand’s intent, and they want to buy products that support the local economy, he said.
Spirit Works Distillery are celebrating their 10-year anniversary in Sebastopol’s Barlow with the release of an 8-year-old rye whiskey. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Change for distilleries
Among the most significant changes in the industry that the Marshalls have experienced since launching Spirit Works was the passage of the Craft Distiller’s Act in 2015.
Before the act passed, craft distilleries in California were not allowed to sell their spirits directly to consumers in a tasting room. They also couldn’t charge for tastings or tours, or accept tips.
“People would come in for a tasting and we wouldn’t charge them,” Timo Marshall said. “Then they would want to buy our products, and we would tell them to buy our spirits elsewhere. They were very confused.”
Now, customers can buy up to 2.25 liters of spirits per day directly from the tasting room. That lets the distillery experiment with small batches of new products and get consumer feedback before deciding whether to release new products into the marketplace.
“The Craft Distiller’s Act has had a huge impact on the creativity and imagination of the craft distillery industry as a whole,” Timo Marshall said. “Once it passed, distillers began making these really fascinating spirits in California. It has been an amazing change to our industry.”
Spirit Works has not been immune to the effects of the pandemic, with the tasting room being forced to close for months. Fortunately, the Marshalls were able to retain their entire staff and keep production flowing.
For California’s craft distillers, the unforeseen silver lining of COVID-19 has been the passage of Assembly Bill 920 in March 2022. Designed to “mitigate the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on craft distillers and resulting loss of revenue,” the temporary bill authorized craft distillers to ship up to 2.25 liters of spirits directly to consumers — something that wasn’t allowed previously. Last month, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a stopgap measure to extend the bill until Jan. 1, 2024.
“Being able to ship directly to consumers has been a massive change,” Timo Marshall said. “Before, customers would have to visit the tasting room to pick up their spirits club shipments, which limited our geographic reach. The bill has really helped us expand our business and hire more people, which is great for our community and the economy.”
A cocktail at Spirit Works Distillery in Sebastopol. (Loren Hansen)
Looking forward
While laws and legalities in the craft spirits industry may have changed over the last decade, Marshalls’ passion for producing quality grain-to-glass spirits remains strong.
Within the next few months, the distillery will release an exclusive Founder’s Reserve wheat whiskey, a hyper-local rye vodka, housemade citrus bitters and a unique sloe amaro.
They also are producing custom spirits for private clients, which is a significant and growing part of their business.
“The fact we’re still here after 10 years is huge to us,” Timo Marshall said. “We love seeing how Sonoma County has grown in its appreciation of craft spirits, and it’s incredible to think about all the people we’ve connected with over the years through the distillery. We’re so happy to be where we are in the industry.”
Additional Sonoma County luxury establishments that were recommended by Forbes include Farmhouse Inn (pictured) and Farmhouse Inn Restaurant in Forestville and Hotel Les Mars in Healdsburg. (Farmhouse Inn)
Condé Nast Traveler magazine has announced its annual Top 20 Hotels in Northern California: Readers’ Choice Awards. This year, five Sonoma County properties made the list, which was topped by Auberge de Soleil in Rutherford, Napa Valley.
Healdsburg, which was named “Sonoma County’s most charming town” by Condé Nast Traveler in August, had two hotels on the list: Montage Healdsburg took the No. 2 spot; Hotel Healdsburg ranked No. 10.
“This accomplishment wouldn’t be possible without the support of our dedicated hotel teams and the loyal guests that visit our beautiful town,” said Tallia Hart, CEO of the Healdsburg Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau. Click through the above gallery to see all the Sonoma County winners.
Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards, now in their 35th year, are the longest-running recognition of excellence in the travel industry. This year, more than 240,000 readers rated their top travel experiences around the world. Read more here.
