Last August, when news broke that wild pigs had ransacked the grounds of a Geyserville school, locals took notice. First the pigs tore up the baseball fields. Then, when school officials erected fencing to keep them away, they took to the rest of the campus, including the neatly manicured lawns by the front entry.
Perhaps we shouldn’t be so quick to blame the pigs. Like all animals, they’re just trying to get by. And we were the ones that brought them here to begin with. In the early 1700s, Russian and Spanish settlers introduced domestic pigs to California as livestock. Some of them went feral and later mated with European wild boars imported by a Monterey County landowner in the 1920s. (Whoops.) Today their hybrid progeny are well established throughout the state.
Like most successful invasive species, wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are survivors. They’re highly adaptable omnivores who like to dig for roots and tubers and are considered very intelligent. Hunting wild pigs in designated areas of the county has long been legal — and homemade wild pork sausage is a holiday tradition for some rural residents.
The herd of Watusi cattle at Safari West in Santa Rosa adopted a wild boar piglet in 2012. The cattle are native to Africa where they are traded as currency, and signify tribal status. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Their numbers, however, do not appear to be under threat. Granted, no one really knows how many wild pigs there are in Sonoma County, says Santa Rosa’s Stacy Martinelli, an environmental scientist with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The department doesn’t survey the wild pig population here or anywhere else in the state, she explains. The best population estimates come from extrapolating figures on tag returns from sport hunters and tallying depredation permits. By both measures, Sonoma County’s population levels are likely a bit above the statewide average. “We do have our fair share of pigs, for sure,” Martinelli says.
In summer, when the landscape is drier, the pigs find an irresistible bonanza of places to snuffle around and dig in the loose, irrigated soils of vineyards and playgrounds. Fortunately for schools and vineyards — and unfortunately for ranchers — this time of year is a different story.
“As the winter comes on, when we start to get the rains, then that usually alleviates the problem on these irrigated landscapes. They start foraging more in open grassland,” Martinelli says. “When the soils get really saturated, then we see a lot of ranchlands being turfed up.”
Tucked away in a redwood forest in Willits stands what’s likely to be the world’s tallest living Christmas tree — only accessible via train.
The brilliantly lit and decorated coastal redwood, towering at 222 feet tall, is Mr. Skunk’s Giant Christmas Tree. The festive conifer belongs to the famous Skunk Train in Northern California, which is offering holiday train rides to visit the tree through Dec. 31 (except on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day).
Train rides depart from Skunk Train’s depot in Willits (299 E. Commercial St.) and wind through the redwoods to the grand Christmas tree. The trip includes complimentary hot chocolate and holiday cookies as well as Christmas music and games. Tickets are $68.35 per person, $12.49 per dog and free for infants 2 and under. VIP tickets are $100.65 per person and include advanced boarding, priority concessions and a commemorative gift. Learn more and purchase tickets on skunktrain.com.
According to Guinness World Records, the world’s tallest cut Christmas tree, recorded in December of 1950, was a 212-foot Douglas fir erected at Northgate Shopping Center in Seattle, Washington.
Since then, various other places have claimed to house the world’s tallest or largest holiday tree.
In 2019, the Citadel Outlets shopping center in Commerce, California, purported to have the world’s tallest Christmas tree, though it stood at just 115 feet. The city of Enid, Oklahoma, asserted to have the tallest, fresh-cut Christmas tree in 2021 — however, it stood at 140 feet (and came from a forest in Northern California).
No other known, fully decorated Christmas tree, living or cut, can top the Skunk Train’s 222-foot merry redwood. The only ones taller are artificial, like the 236-foot Christmas tree in Colombo, Sri Lanka — recorded in the Guinness Records in 2016 as the largest artificial Christmas tree.
Melissa DeForest hauls out her recently cut Douglas fir tree with her daughters Avery, 5, and Kaitlyn, 7, as part of “The Great Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Hunt” hosted by LandPaths at Riddell Preserve west of Healdsburg on Sunday, December 2, 2018. (BETH SCHLANKER/ The Press Democrat)
Each year on a preserve outside Healdsburg, a simple tradition — finding the perfect tree — takes on a greater purpose: protecting the forest from wildfires. Since 2017, nonprofit LandPaths has invited the public to Riddell Preserve for its annual “Great Charlie Brown Christmas Tree Hunt.” It’s a fun, eco-friendly event where visitors help thin the forest by cutting down a free holiday tree.
The scenic preserve has 400 acres of peaceful oak woodlands, majestic redwoods and rolling grasslands overlooking breathtaking Dry Creek Valley. Removing scraggly trees and invasive species reduces wildfire risk in overgrown areas made vulnerable by decades of fire suppression.
The day starts with a morning caravan up to the preserve, where drizzle often descends and dew is still visible on the forest floor. Pauline Hsu, who brought her two young children to last year’s hunt to cut down a live tree for the first time, says her family loved learning about the different species in the forest, including a massive lion’s mane mushroom they spotted.
Holiday sweaters and lots of smiles at the Riddell Preserve in Healdsburg for a tree hunt that helps the forest. (Miranda Carreño / Courtesy LandPaths)
After the hunt, the LandPaths stewardship team delivers dozens of trees to the Bayer Farm and Jeff’s Garden to be distributed for free to community members. Leilani Clark, LandPaths communication director, says the day fits right in with the group’s mission to get more families outdoors. “It feels really good, and it connects people with the land,” she says.
If you missed the annual Charlie Brown Tree Hunt on Dec. 7, LandPaths will host a Charlie Brown tree give-away from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Dec. 14, at Bayer Farm in Santa Rosa. The event is first come, first served, and includes warm beverages as well as holiday crafting opportunities.
The nonprofit will also host a Winter Celebration from 3-6 p.m., Dec. 21, at Bayer Farm in Santa Rosa. Bring your favorite cultural dish to the celebration to win a prize. The event will include holiday music and a wreath-making station (materials and instruction provided).
Hacienda Beach, seen from the bridge over River Road, continues to be a hotspot in the ongoing dispute over public access to privately owned beaches along the Russian River in Forestville, Friday, July 5, 2024. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Wayne Speer remembers decades ago when logging trucks would roar past his Forestville Club at all hours. Today, the lumber mill is long gone. Even his dark, windowless dive bar is a throwback to another era.
But walk down Front Street (aka Highway 116) for a block or two, and you’ll see signs of a new spirit taking root in Forestville. Maybe it’s the trippy Ricky Watts mural in front of the Record Mill vinyl shop. Or the newly opened, Asian-inspired Bazaar Sonoma next door, serving an addictively simple egg salad sandwich with yuzo mayo and crispy lotus on milk bread.
Leading the charge, Sonoma Pizza Co. opened shop across the street two years ago, building an instant following with wood-fired pizzas stacked with everything from peaches and pork cheek bacon to mushrooms and fennel sausage. Under towering redwoods and glowing paper lanterns, the shop’s back deck is a great place to savor a night out.
Zhong Dumplings with BaSo homemade chili crisp and sweet pork dumplings from Bazaar Sonoma, BaSo | Restaurant & Konbini, Oct. 17, 2024, in Forestville. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Mushroom Mycopia pizza at Sonoma Pizza Co. in Forestville. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)
“Forestville is kind of like the last area in Sonoma County to get gentrified,” says Brian Borchers, who owns Russian River Cycle Service, which makes custom bikes and rents to riders eager to get out on the 5.5-mile West County Regional Trail. Connecting Forestville to Sebastopol and Graton, the popular route runs past farms, vineyards and cafes.
Nightingale Breads owner Jessie Frost isn’t too worried about Forestville turning bougie, she says. “It’s still funky, and sweet and lively, but it’s also weird — and I mean that as in good weird. It’s west county weird.”
You want weird? Try naming a town “Forrestville” in the 1860s, after an early settler named Andrew Jackson Forrester, and then dropping the “r” and changing it to “Forestville.” True story.
People toast Ryme rosé at Ryme Cellars in Forestville. (Courtesy Ryme Cellars)
Turn right at Rick’s Auto, and you’ll wind up at Ryme Cellars, where husband-and-wife owners Ryan and Megan Glaab have a thing for Italian varieties like Vermentino, Fiano and Aglianico.
Come late fall and early winter, Forestville is one of those towns where everyone pitches in during the holidays. A guy nicknamed “Falcon Mike” hangs the Christmas lights along Front Street. Teaming up with the local chamber of commerce, Record Mill owner Chris McDonald started a new holiday town fair last year that returns on Dec. 7 with 30-40 local vendors and a roaming New Orleans brass band.
In the three years he’s owned the Record Mill, McDonald has seen nearly every walk of life coming in and out of the redwoods that surround the town. “It’s a drive-through town, but blue-collar locals are still here,” he says. “I feel like it’s one of those last west county towns that has a rural vibe that spans a full spectrum of people.”
Where to visit
A selection of breads from Nightingale Breads in Forestville. (Courtesy of Nightingale Breads)
Nightingale Breads
Loyal customers would probably riot if owner Jessie Frost discontinued her best-selling sliced seeded sourdough. For the holidays, Frost makes boxed panettone and a delicious gingerbread, adding Moonlight Brewing Company’s Death and Taxes black lager to the batter. 6665 Front St., 707-887-8887, nightingalebreads.com
Sonoma Pizza Co.
Try the wood-fired Pepperoni Nirvana pie prepared Chris’s Way with hot honey and ricotta, paired with local Joseph Jewel zinfandel. Or the “Italian Stallion” sandwich — what more could you need? 6615 Front St., 707820-1031, sonomapizzaco.com
Canneti Roadhouse
Chef-proprietor Francesso Torre makes his own olive oil, focaccia and fennel salame, and his classic “Tuna of the Chianti” swaps pork shoulder for fins. 6675 Front St., 707-887-2232, cannetiroadhouse.com
Dried Early Girl Tomato inflated with mozzarella espuma over basil oil and topped with caviar and fried curry leaf from chef Craig Wilmer at the Farmhouse Inn restaurant on River Road in Forestville, Friday, Aug. 18, 2023. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Farmhouse Inn
Last year, wine mogul Bill Foley purchased a majority stake in this exclusive luxury hotel (once bought out by Elon Musk for his birthday party) from siblings Joe and Catherine Bartolomei, who grew the 1873 vintage farmhouse into a world-class destination. 7871 River Road, 707-887-3300, farmhouseinn.com
River Bend Resort
A budget-friendly option with a giant Paul Bunyan statue out front. Where else can you spend the night in a 1970s VW Bus restored with hardwood floors? 11820 River Road, 707-887-7662, riverbendresort.net
Ryme Cellars
This Italian-leaning boutique winery hosts appointment-only tastings and super-tasty BBQ pickup parties. 6450 First St., 707820-8121, rymecellars.com
The Record Mill
Crate-digger alert: Owner Chris McDonald’s Japanese pressing of Bobby Charles’ self-titled 1976 album is a pretty good score. 6566 Front St., 707-820-7666
Extra virgin olive oil from McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma. (Courtesy of McEvoy Ranch)
Olio nuovo (“new oil” in Italian) is the olive oil bottled and released immediately after the annual harvest, before the oil begins to mellow.
With a bright, lean, freshness, olio nuovo can range from robust to more mellow in flavor. The strongest are often described jokingly as “two-cough” selections, with a peppery bite that is highly prized.
Sonoma County’s olive harvest kicked off early this year, with the first of the season’s olives heading to the mill in early October. Harvest typically continues through early December. Two primary mills, McEvoy Ranch and Olivino, process olives for many of the county’s local farms, and there are also public mills in Sebastopol, Glen Ellen, Sonoma and Healdsburg. With a number of places to taste local olive oil, here are eight picks for the season.
Molly Jackal volunteered to help pick olives during olive harvest at Baker Lane Vineyards in Sebastopol, Nov. 8, 2018. (Erik Castro/for Sonoma Magazine)
Baker Lane Estate
Stephen Singer’s 2024 Occidental Blend is not labeled “olio nuovo” but will be available soon enough after pressing that it is a de facto nuovo, with vivid flavors of artichoke, freshly mown hay and green apple. Online sales only. singer.wine
DaVero
The benchmark estate olio nuovo is sassy and elegant, with complex bitter and pepper flavors. 766 Westside Road, Healdsburg. 707-431-8000, davero.com
Figone Olive Co.
At their small shop on the plaza in the town of Sonoma, Figone releases an olio nuovo shortly after milling their blend of Spanish and Italian varieties.483 First St. W., Sonoma. 707-2829092, figoneoliveoil.com
Gold Ridge Organic Farms
Grower Brooke Hazen offers four olio nuovos: the classic Tuscan blend plus Picholine, Minerva and Arbequina single-variety oils. Hazen picks a bit later in the season, producing oils with a voluptuous, buttery texture. 3387 Canfield Road, Sebastopol. 707-823-3110, goldridgeorganicfarms.com
Olive oil pouring out of a spout into a large plastic container at Gold Ridge Organic Farms custom milling service facility in Sebastopol, Nov. 9, 2018. (Erik Castro/for Sonoma Magazine)
Extra virgin olive oil from McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma. (Courtesy of McEvoy Ranch)
McEvoy Ranch
This olio nuovo evokes the subtle flavors of winter greens — think cardoons, chicories and dandelions — with a trail of peppery heat, a signature quality of the estate’s seven Tuscan cultivars.5935 Red Hill Road, Petaluma. 707-778-2307, mcevoyranch.com
Olivino
The olio nuovo is a blend of five Tuscan cultivars from a 2,500-tree orchard that straddles the border of Sonoma and Mendocino counties and is milled with a traditional grinding stone and gravity press.14160 Mountain House Road, Hopland. 707-7441114, olivino.com
Preston Farm & Winery
Chaste Maiden Early Release Organic Olive Oil is a blend of 10 Italian and Spanish cultivars. Even in its youth, it is a delicate oil, with less of the peppery heat that defines many other oils.9282 West Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg. 707433-3372, prestonfarmandwinery.com
The Olive Press
The olio nuovo is made from the Spanish cultivar Arbequina, which hints of freshly mown grass, artichoke, apple and banana. 24724 Arnold Drive, Sonoma. 707-939-8900, theolivepress.com
Spud Point Marina in Bodega Bay. (Mariah Harkey/Courtesy Sonoma County Tourism)
Windblown locals know when the best weather rolls through this gorgeous coastal hamlet. “Fall and winter is probably my favorite time of the year because you don’t have all the fog like you do in the summer,” says Shona Campbell, who recently opened Rocker Oysterfeller’s at Lucas Wharf with her husband Brandon Guenther, bringing a new iteration of their popular Valley Ford seafood restaurant to the coast.
“Also, it’s more locals and less traffic in the fall and winter,” says Campbell, who also serves as president of the local chamber of commerce.
A boom-and-bust town that seems to ride the waves of the latest tourist or fishing season, there’s something still delightfully old-school about Bodega Bay. You can see it in the weather-beaten, yellow fishermen statues, the kite shops, the salt-water taffy shops (watermelon is the best-selling flavor at pink-and-white-striped Patrick’s of Bodega Bay) and the glass-encased shark jaws hanging on the wall at the Tides Wharf and Restaurant.
A beer with the Captain’s Platter, served with Dungeness crab, calamari, beer-battered shrimp, rock cod and fries. At Rocker Oysterfeller’s at Lucas Wharf in Bodega Bay on Friday, Aug. 23, 2024. (Erik Castro / For The Press Democrat)
Underneath the tourist kitsch, there’s still an authentic fishing village, even if it’s just barely hanging on by a 15-pound microfilament. The last two salmon seasons have been canceled. Every fall, the opening of crab season seems to get pushed back by state fish and game department officials wary of long crab-trap lines entangling migrating whales.
“We’re having a really hard time getting by,” says fisherman Tony Anello, who has been fishing for 56 years, and recently sold his boat, the Annabelle. He remembers when there were more than 100 boats fishing out of Spud Point Marina. Now, there are maybe 20, he says.
One of the smartest things he ever did was open Spud Point Crab Co. with his wife Carol Anello. The clam chowder that you see steaming in pots in the front has won nearly every tasting competition ever entered, and the crab sandwiches melt in your mouth. “Thank God for that, because if I had to count on fishing again, I would never be able to make it,” says Tony Anello.
Fishing boats at Spud Point Harbor in Bodega Bay. (Kim Carroll/Sonoma Magazine)
Getting into the holiday spirit, Campbell and Guenther are planning to host a series of New Orleans-style, three-course réveillon dinners at Rocker Oysterfeller’s throughout the month of December — without a doubt, oyster stew will be on the menu.
The most convenient place to stay on the main drag is The Inn at the Tides, especially if you’re one of those Hitchcock fans who can’t resist watching a looping video of Tippi Hedren renting a boat (in her fur coat) at the Tides in the 1963 film “The Birds.” From the hotel, it’s a short drive to the trailhead for the Pinnacle Gulch Coastal Access Trail, which leads a half-mile down to the beach along a narrow ravine. At low tide, you can hook up with the Shorttail Gulch Trail and make it a 1.9-mile loop, or wander down to Doran Beach in the other direction.
If four legs suits you better, hop on a horse and choose from beach rides, sunset ridge rides and wetlands expeditions offered through Five Brooks Bodega Bay equine outfit.
But sometimes the best thing to do is nothing at all. “I think people who come here are looking for relaxation, and some good Pacific air,” says Campbell. “It’s just a quiet, little village.”
Where to visit
Head to Spud Point Crab Co. and pick up delicious clam chowder, best enjoyed overlooking the ocean at Bodega Head. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
A sunset horseback ride at Chanslor Ranch in Bodega Bay. (Courtesy Sonoma County Tourism)
Spud Point Crab Co.
When the crab season is delayed in Bodega Bay, the Anellos source their crustaceans from either California fishermen plying in-season waters above Fort Bragg or from Oregon and Washington fisheries. 1910 Westshore Road, 707-875-9472, spudpointcrabco.com
Rocker Oysterfeller’s
This Southern-style roadhouse serves Louisiana hot barbecue oysters, barbecue shrimp, and shrimp and grits. 595 Highway 1, 707-772-5670, rockeroysterfellers.com
The Inn at the Tides
Perched on a hill above the Tides Wharf and Restaurant, the 86-room hotel offers sweeping views of the bay. 800 Highway 1. 707-875-2751, innatthetides.com
Pinnacle Gulch Coastal Access
Enjoy the recent $50,000 renovation of a 101-step stairway along this secluded beach trail. 20600 Mockingbird Road, 707-875-3540, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov
Five Brooks Bodega Bay
This wide-roaming equine outfit also offers horse-and-kayak combo trips. Some rides cross through newly preserved public lands at nearby Chanslor Ranch. 2660 Highway 1, 707-589-5040, fivebrooksbodegabay.com
The fried chicken sandwich at Twin Oaks Roadhouse on Old Redwood Highway in Penngrove. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat)
They might not stand out as much as a Michelin-starred spot or a multi-story eatery on Healdsburg Square, but overlooked spots can be found all around Sonoma County.
When talking about the Sonoma County dining scene, there are the famous restaurants we brag about to fancy out-of-town friends. Then there are the treasured little spots we like to keep secret: the diners, delis, convenience stores and under-the-radar eateries that rarely get the accolades they deserve but somehow still remain popular with neighborhood regulars.
We call them our “townie” spots: places you can walk to and share a meal with friends, where they have that one dish you just can’t live without. Everyone has their own list of these not-so-secret places, but here are some of our favorites.
Santa Rosa
The Sausage and Peppers Sandwich with a Spicy Deviled Egg from Canevari’s Delicatessen in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Canevari’s Deli: A Santa Rosa Junior College neighborhood classic that’s been around since, well, as long as anyone can remember. They have a tri-tip BBQ sandwich, meatball sub and homemade raviolis, and where else can you get a good gabagool? 695 Lewis Road, canevarisdeli.com
Lita’s Cafe: We know where the cops go for hearty, gut-filling breakfasts. Really, what better recommendation can you get than that? 1973 Mendocino Ave., 707-575-1628
Tambayan Filipino Eatery: You’ll find authentic Filipino cuisine here, like banana sauce, pork belly and pork sisig that make it worth the trip. 600 Larkfield Center, tambayanfilipinocuisine.com
Taqueria Molcajetes: This strip-mall Mexican restaurant has a local following who live for their carne asada and fiery molcajetes. 1195 W. College Ave., 707-544-8280
Walter Hansel Bistro: An excellent French bistro without all the hoity-toity. Lobster bisque, boeuf Bourguignon, Coquille St. Jacques — bon appetit! 3535 Guerneville Road, walterhanselbistro.com
Sebastopol
Burger from Lunchbox. (Courtesy of Lunchbox)
Lunchbox: Lunch Box burgers are the kind of messy, smushy, everything-good-about-beef burgers paired with “dirty fries,” a pile of crispy fries, chevre ranch dressing, bacon, green onion, roasted garlic and pepperoncini. You’ll need a handful of napkins and a stout appetite. 128 N. Main St., lunchboxsonomacounty.com
Cotati
Shige: Along with Hana Japanese in Rohnert Park, this is one of the few Japanese-run restaurants in Sonoma County with Tokyo-worthy nigiri and udon. (There’s also a second location in Sonoma.) 8235 Old Redwood Highway, shige-sushi.com
Windsor
PizzaLeah: Leah Scurto is an award-winning pizzaiolo who puts every bit of her soul into making the best pies in Sonoma County. We’re obsessed with the Old Grey Beard with mozzarella, fontina, sausage and hot honey. 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 116, pizzaleah.com
Healdsburg
Cachapa, a fresh corn pancake with mozzarella fresco, shaved broccoli salad, and honey lemon vinaigrette, at Guiso Latin Fusion restaurant in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Seafood Ramen with a medley of scallops, shrimp and squid in a shiso ponzu broth from Taste of Tea in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Guiso Latin Fusion: Named one of the best restaurants in America by Open Table, this tiny cafe mixes Latin and Caribbean flavors with panache. 117 North St., guisolatinfusion.com
Journeyman Meat Co.: Stop in for a salumi tasting or order one of their daily sandwiches or meaty sausages. 404 Center St., journeymanmeat.com
Taste of Tea: Healdsburg gets plenty of play for its chef-driven cuisine, but we like the homey Japanese flavors of this tea shop. 109 North St., thetasteoftea.com
Geyserville
Geyserville Gun Club: This Fellini-esque watering hole is almost too absurdly wonderful to be true. Brought to life by chef Dino Bugica, it’s the flip side of his more tourist-friendly Diavola Pizzeria and Salumeria. 21025 Geyserville Ave., geyservillegunclub.com
Cloverdale
Dahlia & Sage Community Market: A charming gourmet grocer with lots of locally sourced goodies, including a full deli, hot bar, salad bar and bakery. 115 E. Second St., dahliasagemarket.com
Penngrove
The fried chicken sandwich at Twin Oaks Roadhouse on Old Redwood Highway in Penngrove. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat)
Twin Oaks Roadhouse: Fried chicken sandwiches are the best bet. Come also for the live music, fresh beer, good friends and bread pudding with whiskey cream. 5745 Old Redwood Highway, hopmonk.com/twin-oaks
Penngrove Market: An adorable gourmet grocer and kitchen. Try the pizza or piandine. 10070 Main St., penngrovemarket.com
Petaluma
Pearl: Mediterranean cuisine spot tucked away in a surprising place. We recommend it for a brunch with someone special. 500 First St., pearlpetaluma.com
Sax’s Joint: You’ll find plenty of people waiting to get in on the weekend, but outside of Petaluma, Sax’s is pretty much unknown. All the usual diner fare is done deliciously. 317 Petaluma Blvd. S., saxsjoint.com
Rohnert Park
Rohnert Pork with fries, bacon, green onion, cheese and pulled pork at Smokin’ Bowls in Rohnert Park. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Smokin’ Bowls: French fries topped with so much yum. 295 Southwest Blvd., smokinbowls.com
Azalo!: Charbroiled kabobs, burgers and dogs. Conchinita pibil is a best bet. 5979 Commerce Blvd., Suite 8, 707-303-7702
Graton
Willow Wood Market Cafe: Though this breakfast and brunch spot has been around since 1995, it’s often overlooked in the one-stop-sign town of Graton. Try their homey-yet-impressive menus. 9020 Graton Road, willowwoodgraton.com
Kenwood
Palooza Brewery and Gastropub: Patio dining with burgers, wood-fired pizza and more. A permanent outdoor space has towering heaters and plenty of coverage to keep you warm during chilly evenings. 8910 Sonoma Highway, paloozafresh.com
Glen Ellen
Glen Ellen Village Market and Deli: You’ll be amazed at the deli case, prepared foods and gourmet goodies hidden in this unassuming grocery store. It’s possibly one of Wine Country’s best-kept secrets. 13751 Arnold Drive, glenellenvillagemarket.org
Sonoma
A Pita Bar with (clockwise from top left) herbs and salad, pita bread, farmer’s market pickles, mint yogurt sauce, chicken and beef shawarma and tomatoes from Cristina Topham, owner of Spread Kitchen in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Spread Kitchen: Chef Cristina Topham (known for her catering and farm market food) has opened a humble Lebanese-style cafe with fresh pita with hummus, beef and chicken shawarma, chickpea and black bean falafel and beef and lamb kofta. 18375 Sonoma Highway, spreadkitchensonoma.com
Occidental
Altamont General Store: A lunch favorite in Occidental, the Altamont General Store is a breath of fresh air, with an Instagram-worthy interior and plenty of grab-and-go dishes. 3703 Main St., altamontgeneralstore.com
Guerneville
Koala’s Fine Food: Sushi restaurants aren’t exactly a dime a dozen in far west Sonoma County, but then again, neither are cheese steaks. This casual family-run eatery brings together fish and chips, Korean bulgogi, Chinese won ton soup, Japanese ramen, cheese steak, nigiri and Hawaiian poke for a true something-for-everyone experience. 16380 Mill St., Suite A, koalasfinefood.com
Monte Rio
Shakshuka — a Middle Eastern dish of poached egg, zesty tomato sauce, onions and a side of hummus and puffy pita bread — at Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen in Monte Rio. (Daniel Beck/Sonoma County Tourism)
Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen: Located by the Creekside Skatepark, this curious little cafe is a mix of smoothies, bagels, pies and Middle Eastern cuisine. 9725 Main St., lightwavecafe.square.site
Northwood Bistro at the Northwood Golf Club: This hidden gem golf club has its own cafe with a lovely outdoor patio overlooking the course. The menu is simple, but the standard pancakes, omelettes and Benedicts just off the green start the day in style. 19400 Highway 116, northwoodbistro.com
Duncans Mills
Cape Fear Cafe: This tasty cafe in a tiny, quaint town features bacon chowder, a regional lineup of egg Benedicts (from grits to crab cakes) and ginger teriyaki chicken. 25191 Main St., capefearcafe.com
Cazadero
Raymond’s Bakery at Elim Grove Cottages: A cute, family-owned bed-and-breakfast with freshly made pastries, focaccia pizza and bread. 5400 Cazadero Highway, cazbakery.com
Bodega Bay
Buttery Dungeness crab sandwich from Ginochio’s Restaurant in Bodega Bay. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)
Ginochio’s Kitchen: Home to our favorite Dungeness crab sandwich. Ginochio’s buttery, griddled slices of white bread hold huge chunks of freshly picked crab and a slice of melted cheese. 1410 Bay Flat Road, ginochioskitchen.com
Casino Bar and Grill: This is a place to discover accidentally and then love unconditionally. A lineup of pop-up chefs steal the show including the Holly & Tali Show, Hunter Supper Club and more. 17000 Bodega Highway, facebook.com/thecasinobarandgrill
Jenner
Cafe Aquatica: We always, always stop here on trips up the coast for coffee, soup and whatever else sounds delish. 10439 Highway 1, cafeaquatica.com
Stewarts Point
Twofish Baking Company: Freshly made pastries, sandwiches, bread, salads, pizza and soup worthy of a drive up the coast. 32000 Highway 1, twofishbaking.com
Sea Ranch
The Sea Ranch Lodge: The 1960s-era Sea Ranch Lodge reopened in 2021 with new public spaces, including a redesigned restaurant, a new café and expansions to the bar, lounge and general store. 60 Sea Walk Drive, thesearanchlodge.com
Hanukkah celebration attendees dance in a circle in Healdsburg on Thursday, December 14, 2023. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish “Festival of Lights,” starts at nightfall Dec. 25 this year. Sonoma County is taking part in the festivities with dinners, drinks, public menorah lightings and more.
Traditionally, families celebrate the Jewish holiday (also called Chanukah) over the course of eight nights, lighting a candle on the menorah with a special blessing and enjoying foods fried in oil, such as latkes and sufganiyot (deep-fried jelly or jam-filled doughnuts). For kids (and adults), playing the dreidel is great way to win (or lose) gelt (chocolate “coins” wrapped in gold foil).
Here’s where to celebrate Hanukkah in Sonoma style.
Hanukkah Events
Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma
The Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma will host a number of events on select days throughout December for Hanukkah this year. Additionally, the center has a pop-up Chanukah Shoppe open all month long to stock up on holiday supplies like candles, menorahs, dreidels and gelt, as well as toys and decorations.
Dubbed as a “pre-Chanukah women’s night out,” the Jewish Center will host a Miracle of Chocolate event starting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12. The event will include creating custom chocolates with a variety of toppings and fillings, then packaging them in gift boxes to share and enjoy. $25 per ticket.
To kick off the first night of Hanukkah, join the center for its Chanukah Chinese Dinner, starting at 5 p.m., Dec. 25 (it is a common tradition among American Jews to eat Chinese food on Dec. 25, since most other restaurants are closed on Christmas Day). The evening includes lighting the menorah, a kosher Chinese dinner and a night of games for all ages. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for children.
Rabbi Dovid Bush, of Chabad Jewish Center, lights the first candle of the Grand Menorah, at the 5th Annual Chanukah at the River celebration presented by Chabad Jewish Center on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2019, in Petaluma. (Darryl Bush / for The Press Democrat)
The Jewish Center will present its 10th annual Chanukah Celebration & Helicopter Gelt Drop from 4:30-6 p.m., Dec. 29, at the Petaluma Fairgrounds (175 Fairgrounds Drive). The community event will include a grand menorah lighting, live DJ music, a raffle, an LED and fire performance, holiday crafts and games, latkes and jelly doughnuts, the world’s biggest dreidel and the anticipated helicopter gelt drop. Free with RSVP.
Join the center in lighting the last candle on the menorah during its Chanukah on Ice event, from 4-6 p.m., Jan. 1, at the Petaluma Fairgrounds. Guests can enjoy latkes and doughnuts as well as ice skating on the city’s new outdoor ice rink Luma Ice. Tickets are $20 for adults, $15 for children and seniors, and free for non-skaters and children 3 and under. Learn more and purchase tickets through the Luma Ice website.
To RSVP for the Chabad Jewish Center’s events, click here.
Chabad Jewish Center of Petaluma, 205 Keller St., Petaluma, 707-559-8585, jewishpetaluma.com
B’nai Israel Jewish Center
This Petaluma Jewish Center will host a Hanukkah dinner and party from 5-8:30 p.m. Dec. 28. The evening will include holiday music, the ritual of Havdalah (marking the end of Shabbat), candle lighting, family-friendly stories and games, latkes and a vegetarian dinner. Plus, door prizes and an “Ugliest Hanukkah Sweater” contest. Tickets are $25 per adult if you RSVP before Dec. 20, $30 afterward. Free admission for children 12 and under. Purchase tickets online.
740 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-762-0340, bnaiisrael.net
Congregation Ner Shalom
Cotati’s Ner Shalom will host a Hanukkah party from 4-7 p.m. Dec. 29. The evening starts with games and activities, followed by latkes and a potluck dinner. Guests can bring their own menorah and light it at the event. Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children ages 6 to 12, and free for children 5 and under. Purchase tickets online.
The Santa Rosa Jewish center will lead a menorah making workshop starting at 11 a.m. Dec. 15, at The Home Depot in Santa Rosa (100 Bicentennial Way). Guests of all ages can enjoy Hanukkah treats while building their own menorah. The event is free with RSVP. The center will also host a Hanukkah concert with the Oneg Shemesh Band, starting at 6 p.m. Dec. 29. Tickets are $25 and sponsorships, which include VIP seating for two, are $180. Reserve online.
2461 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, 707-577-0277, jewishsonoma.com
Congregation Shomrei Torah in Santa Rosa
The congregation will host a Shabbat Hanukkah from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 27. Its choir, Shomrei Shira, will provide music and there will also be latkes and doughnuts. Guests are welcome to bring their own menorahs to light at the beginning of the service. The event, which can also be livestreamed, is free but registration is required. Reserve online.
2600 Bennett Valley Road, Santa Rosa, 707-578-5519, cstsr.org
Congregation Beth Ami of Santa Rosa
Beth Ami will host two Hanukkah events this year: a Chinese dinner and movie night from 4-8 p.m. Dec. 25, and a latke dinner from 4-7 p.m., Dec. 29. The Chinese food and movie night includes vegetarian fare by Mark Dierkhising and David Kahn, with a showing of the 1979 Western comedy The Frisco Kid. Tickets are $25 for members of a Sonoma County synagogue, $30 for non-members and $15 for children under 16. RSVP to the Beth Ami office by Dec. 23.
The latke night begins with card and board games followed by a short service with Rabbi Ron Koas, candle lightings, Hanukkah songs and then dinner. The event is free but donations are accepted. RSVP to the Beth Ami office by Dec. 24. People can also order latkes to go: $18 for 10 homemade latkes. To-go latke orders due by Dec. 20. Call or email the office (office@BethAmiSR.org) to place order. Pickup times are 2-4 p.m. Dec. 23, 10 a.m. to noon Dec. 24, and after 3 p.m. Dec. 25.
4676 Mayette Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-360-3000, bethamisr.org
Sonoma Valley Chabad Jewish Center
The Chabad Jewish Center of Sonoma Valley will host a Hanukkah celebration starting at 5 p.m. Dec. 26, at the Sonoma Marketplace gazebo near Whole Foods (201 W. Napa St.). The celebration will feature a public menorah lighting, a live klezmer band, latkes, doughnuts and children’s activities. Free admission.
Jewish Healdsburg will host a community Hanukkah celebration starting at 5 p.m. Dec. 26 on the Healdsburg Plaza. A candle lighting will take place at 5:30 p.m., and the holiday celebration will continue at Acorn Cafe. RSVPs are appreciated.
Healdsburg’s Raven Theater will welcome The Klezmatics, a Grammy-winning klezmer band, performing from 7:30-9:30 p.m., Dec. 17, at the theater. The contemporary performance of traditional Eastern European Jewish music is part of the band’s “Toward the Light Hanukkah Tour.” General admission is $30, center seats are $50 and first row seats are $75. Purchase tickets online.
Strawberry jelly filled donut or sufganiyot for Hanukkah at Grossman’s Noshery and Bar in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Grossman’s Noshery & Bar
The Jewish deli and restaurant in Railroad Square will have Hanukkah offerings available to order between 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily from Dec. 25 through Dec. 31, for pickup between Dec. 26-31. (The deli will be closed Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.) Menu items include potato leek latkes with applesauce and sour scream, chopped liver and onions, matzoh ball soup, quinoa tabbouleh, braised brisket, smoked and pickled fish board, and chicken shawarma kebabs. Sweet and baked items include sufganiyot filled with strawberry jam, rugelach (chocolate orange or cinnamon almond), hamantaschen (blackberry thyme or apricot poppy), cinnamon and chocolate babka, black & white cookies and braided challah loaf.
308 1/2 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-7707, grossmanssr.com
Marla Bakery
The downtown Santa Rosa bakery will have sufganiyot available Dec. 24, 27 and 28 for Hanukkah. Sufganiyots are filled with choice of Meyer lemon cream or dulce de leche cream. $18 per box. Order online for pickup.
Penngrove Market is offering a ready-to-eat Hanukkah Dinner for four ($95) that will be available for pickup 4-6 p.m., Friday, Dec. 27. It will include beef brisket, potato vegetable latkes, matzoh ball soup and a green salad with honey-lemon dressing. Make advance reservations at the market or by calling 707-753-4974.
Forestville’s A La Heart Kitchen will offer latkes, matzoh ball soup, pot roast and more during regular business hour from Dec. 18 through Dec. 21. The restaurant will also have Hanukkah cookies from Rustic Bakery. Email orders to alaheart@sonic.net.
This Sonoma caterer has a combined Christmas and Hanukkah menu available for pickup and delivery. The menu includes quiche, savory puff pastries, matzo ball soup, latkes with apple sauce and sour cream, mushroom wellington, honey-glazed ham, yule log cream cake and more. Deadline to order is Tuesday, Dec. 17. Call or email feast@suncraftfinefoods.com to place order. Pickup and delivery is available on Dec. 23 and pickup only is available on Dec. 24.
Outdoor seating at Tony’s Seafood Restaurant in Marshall. (Tony’s Seafood)
Chef Matt Weinberger has taken over the kitchen of Tony’s Seafood in Marshall. Chef Matt Shapiro previously held the position.
Weinberger was a former chef at Santa Rosa’s Grossman’s Noshery & Bar (he created the restaurant’s Weinburger patty melt). He was also the opening chef at Marshall’s Nick’s Cove restaurant together with his wife, chef Heather Ames.
Fish and chips at Tony’s Seafood in Marshall. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Cafe La Haye owner Saul Gropman, center, is selling his well-known Sonoma restaurant to José and Marta López-Nuñes. Photo taken at the restaurant on East Napa Street on Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024. (Robbi Pengelly / The Sonoma Index-Tribune)
After 28 years as the face of Sonoma’s Cafe La Haye (140 East Napa St.), owner Saul Gropman has announced his retirement and that he will be selling the restaurant to a longtime employee.
On Monday, Gropman wrote on social media that he would be “passing the torch” to Jose Lopez, who has worked at the restaurant for 22 years, and Lopez’s wife, Marta.
Reached by phone, Gropman said that in the wake of his 70th birthday, it was time to move on.
“A couple years ago, Jose asked if I ever wanted to sell, he wanted to be the first in line,” said Gropman. “The team is super solid, and Jose wants to keep running it as is, with the whole staff staying. I didn’t want to bring in someone new who would bring in their own team.”
Saul Gropman, proprietor of Cafe La Haye restaurant on East Napa Street in Sonoma, has announced his retirement after 28 years. (Robbi Pengelly/Sonoma Index-Tribune)
Gropman added that he kept the restaurant running through the COVID-19 pandemic so that he wouldn’t have to lay off any of the eight staff members.
“They’ve been with me so many years, and they are like family,” he said.
Cafe La Haye opened in 1997, with Gropman working the front of house and business partner/chef John McReynolds leading the kitchen. Though the 34-seat bistro began serving only breakfast and lunch, Gropman realized that the only way to keep the business afloat was to drop the breakfast and lunch service and only serve dinner.
“John and I opened Cafe La Haye for a song, which you could do in those days. We were pretty much giving (breakfast) away,” he said.
During Cafe La Haye’s first decade, Gropman split his time between the restaurant and as head of the classical guitar program at San Francisco State University.
McReynolds, who died in July, left the restaurant in 2007 and became the founding chef of Stone Edge Farms and the author of the “Stone Edge Farm” cookbook.
In 2009, Jeffrey Lloyd became the executive chef at Cafe La Haye after stints at Michael Mina and Aqua Restaurants in San Francisco.
Dayboat scallops in a jasmine-dashi broth and pearl pasta with spinach at Cafe La Haye in Sonoma. On Thursday, March 27, 2014. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Cafe La Haye was a darling of San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer, frequently appearing on his Top 100 restaurants list. In 1998, Bauer called the restaurant one of the best finds of the year, and from that point, Gropman said, things never slowed down at the restaurant.
In 2018, the Michelin Guide noted Cafe La Haye for “fresh ingredients, carefully prepared in a good meal” and praised the restaurant for 18 years, though it never won a star or Bib Gourmand.
“I never wanted a star and I felt like we’re not a Michelin-star restaurant. We’re a bistro,” said Gropman. “I’ve seen too many people get a star or a Bib Gourmand and lose it, and that’s harder.”
Chef Lloyd left the restaurant this summer. Chef Marco Echeverria, the current executive chef, has worked at Cafe La Haye since 1998.
Gropman said he plans to remain at the restaurant through early January and is looking forward to spending more time playing his guitar. “I’ve got plenty of things I want to do,” he said.
