We only meant to find a few of our favorite things at Oliver’s Market. We ended up with more than 100 because, well, it’s Oliver’s and every aisle has a few more surprises.
From Princess cakes and a ridiculous array of cheeses to organic sauerkraut and every local brand of bacon we can think of, it’s always been one of our favorite spots to find gourmet local items (and not so local).
Sofia Englund, digital editor for Sonoma Magazine, and me (dining editor for Sonoma Magazine) spent a leisurely morning walking through Oliver’s at Stony Point snapping pix of our must-haves (or want-to-haves). Click through the above gallery to see our favorite things.
Short ribs at K&L Bistro in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin)
Truly, spring is one of the most beautiful times to be in Wine Country. Hills are still green and we’re all ready for longer days and shorter nights. Though plenty of restaurants have opened in the last few months, I’ve had a wave of nostalgia for some classic spots that have either changed significantly since my first visit, opened a new location, or just drew me back in for another look. So get out and enjoy yourself this spring — and that’s an order!
Click through the above gallery for photos.
Mac and Crack: KFC (Korean Fried Chicken) and macaroni at Pat’s International in Guerneville. (Heather Irwin)
Pat’s International, Guerneville
For nearly 80 years, Pat’s Cafe quietly persisted in downtown Guerneville. With a focus on breakfast and lunch, meals were hearty workaday diner standards with family- friendly prices and fisherman-friendly hours. And for three generations under the ownership of the same family, not much changed.
Time meandered by like the nearby Russian River as salmon runs came and went. Floods came and went. Lazy Bear weekends, summer resort-goers, and Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence came and went.
Then came David Blomster and his Korean Fried Chicken.
Six years ago, Blomster began quietly hosting an evening pop-up at Pat’s that featured Asian-inspired dishes with California flair. It’s messy, saucy, cram-it-in-your-face kind of food, with his sweet-savory fried chicken as the star. It stuck.
Now, Blomster is heading the whole Pat’s show, taking ownership of the restaurant, removing the old bar, creating a new menu, and changing the name to Pat’s International to refl ect the gentle mashup of cuisines he’s featuring.
You can sit at the retro-cool diner counter or pad into the dining room with wall-to-wall green carpeting and wooden picnic tables. Napkins, silverware, and jam are already on the table.
Though you can certainly stumble into Pat’s with blinders on, it’s the journey into the town’s history and Blomster’s quirky design sensibility that’s a huge part of the appeal.
To take anything at Pat’s at face value is to miss everything. Every surface tells a story, from the mottled “pecky cypress” wood on the walls to the geometric plastic ceiling tiles that are actually an art installation by artist Jim Isermann, to a meticulously detailed 1950s Russian River map made by Bill Schaadt, considered one of the world’s greatest fly fishermen.
Everything at Pat’s comes with a side of history. Or fried chicken. Your choice.
Cinnamon donut at Pat’s International in Guerneville. (Heather Irwin)
BEST BETS
The KFC Sandwich, $10: The classic fried chicken sando comes with slightly spicy sweet and savory sauce, vanilla slaw, aioli, and a brioche bun. Or skip the chicken and get a fried KFT, made with tofu.
Mac and Cheese, $17.50: You can go with the plain mac, made with cheddar, Gruyere, and Parmesan cheese, but why not sex it up a little and throw some Korean Fried Chicken on top? If you can eat the whole bowl, I salute you and your powerful appetite.
Ham Benedict, $15: Why hasn’t everyone thought to make eggs benny with cheesy Mornay sauce instead of hollandaise? Details. Truly a triumph of yum.
Huevos Rancheros, $14: The classic made with layers of crispy tortilla, black beans, a thick disc of scrambled eggs, salsa, and sour cream.
Chicken Pozole, $16: A heaping helping of mild green chile and shredded chicken soup with hominy. Guaranteed to cure your winter blues.
Also check out: Tofu scramble, biscuits and gravy, hot cakes and syrup, a grass-fed burger, a vegan soba noodle bowl, “Catch of the Day” fish and chips, or the Reuben.
Short ribs at K&L Bistro in Sebastopol. (Heather Irwin)
K & L Bistro
When this tiny Sebastopol bistro won a Michelin star in 2013, it was an honor as well as a curse for owners Karen and Lucas Martin.
“We never had aspirations for that. We were just cooking and doing what we loved. We just wanted to be this little bistro,” according to Lucas, who runs the front of the house while Karen tackles the busy kitchen. “I mean, at one point we had a crib in here,” said the father of two. “We just wanted to enjoy what we did.”
Though they lost the star in 2009, the food has only improved over time, with an expanded menu and an expanded restaurant. It’s changed up its Parisian focus to a more diverse and contemporary menu that includes their son’s ode to In-N-Out’s Animal-Style French fries, ramen, mussels marinière, chicken piccata that honors Ralph’s Bistro (a favorite, now-closed Healdsburg cafe), lush ravioli, and Brussels sprouts.
A full bar, hopping happy hour, and desserts worth saving room for make it one of the few places where I think the prices are worth every penny. K&L isn’t cheap, but I’m betting you won’t walk away disappointed. Or hungry. After several cringe-worthy meals at local restaurants at the same price point, K& L was like settling into a warm bubble bath — comforting, decadent, and worth savoring each delicious moment.
119 South Main St., Sebastopol, 707-823-6614, klbistro.com.
Lox and cream cheese sesame bagel at the Bagel Mill in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin)
The Bagel Mill
I am one of those tedious ex-New Yorkers who moan about how terrible the bagels are in California. We also gripe a lot about crummy pastrami and your ridiculous little pizzas. But mostly, it’s the bagels, people. They’re like puffy dinner rolls. It’s crazy. The Bagel Mill in Petaluma is the first local baker to even get close to perfection, both boiling and baking these ancient carbo-loaders into chewy, snappy rings of goodness — but with a Sonoma twist: farm-to-table sourdough whole-grain bagels.
Fresh oysters at Santa Rosa Seafood in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin)
Santa Rosa Seafood Raw Bar & Grill
I don’t get the chance to do repeat dining at a lot of restaurants while in search of new experiences, but I happened to hit up Santa Rosa Seafood’s cafe the other day while searching for oysters. In many ways, it was bittersweet, having last been at the joined restaurant/fish market tasting oysters with owner Mike Svedise, who died unexpectedly in 2017. His presence still looms large. I was really impressed, however, to see that everything was as fresh and delicious as when it opened years ago. It’s really not much to look at, and parking is dicey, but fresh ahi poke is so good that they put the sauce — a smoky sesame oil or spicy mayo — on the side. Truthfully, it’s almost a shame to cover it up. The fish and chips are outstanding, as are the cioppino and the fresh oysters. The only thing missing was Mike, a bottle of vodka, and a little hot sauce to wash it all down.
John McGinnis, who runs the beekeeping business Buzz Off Honey, at his home at Goah Way Ranch in Petaluma. (Erik Castro)
After a career selling Harley-Davidson motorcycles, driving trucks for Clover Stornetta Farms, and managing the vehicle fleet for a local plumbing supply company, John McGinnis became enchanted with honeybees.
Suffice to say the fit 70-year-old grandfather of three isn’t really retired. From a 60-acre ranch on the western slopes of Sonoma Mountain outside Petaluma, he now builds and sells high-quality beehive components, captures and relocates wild swarms (45 swarms last year alone), and raises bees of his own: a dozen healthy hives at present. And from the insects’ bounty, he and his wife, Darlene, produce and sell honey, candles, soaps, and lip balm. “It’s an interesting hobby. I always tell everybody, ‘It’ll change your life,’” McGinnis says. “It definitely changed my life. It’s an amazing thing.”
Darlene Gambonini-McGinnis dipping into honey created by Buzz Off Honey. (Erik Castro)
The land on which he and Darlene live and work, overlooking the Petaluma Valley straight to the bay, is dubbed Goah Way Ranch. That’s ironic, it turns out, given how friendly they are.
Set on a larger parcel owned since 1959 by Darlene’s father, who at age 82 also helps build hives, the ranch is in fact the best place to pick up the McGinnises’ various locally and lovingly handmade hive parts and bee products. That’s by appointment only, assuming one doesn’t take to heart the name of the couple’s honey brand, Buzz Off. Also sold in neat little jars at the nearby Penngrove Market, Buzz Off Honey is pure and natural to the utmost degree.
But it’s the affordable, made-to-order hive components for which John and Darlene are better known. Their catalog features a full range of wooden parts beekeepers need, including follower boards, wired frames, screened bottom boards, vented top covers, top feeders, telescoping covers, and hive stands. Everything is built from scratch except the frames and the hive boxes, which come unassembled.
John McGinnis holds a honeycomb at Goah Way Ranch in Petaluma. (Erik Castro)John McGinnis holding a pile of propolis, the resinous material collected by bees from the buds of trees and used as a cement in repairing and maintaining the hive at Goah Way Ranch in Petaluma. (Erik Castro)
Many of these components, most notably the bee-friendly “double deep” hive, are constructed according to designs developed by local beekeeping legend Serge Labesque, whose classes at Santa Rosa Junior College have taught generations of Sonoma County beekeepers. It was Labesque’s classes that first inspired McGinnis to build his second act around bees. “They’re amazing creatures,” McGinnis says, “and we want to keep them going.”
To purchase hives, buy local honey, or get help with a spring swarm, contact Goah Way Ranch, 707-478-9787 or goahwayranch.com
Dutton Goldfield Winery in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Dutton Goldfield)
There is an especially sweet slice of pinot noir and chardonnay heaven in Russian River Valley, on a short stretch of Gravenstein Highway North between Forestville and Sebastopol.
The legendary Mom’s Apple Pie shop is nearby, a reminder this relatively flat, grapevines-as-far-as-the-eye-can-see area once was overwhelmingly planted with apples. Today’s cash crops are pinot noir and chardonnay, and there is no better place than this 1.7-mile stretch of highway to sample wines from outstanding producers.
From north to south (Forestville through Graton to Sebastopol), five tasting rooms demonstrate the wide range of pinot noir and chardonnay styles that come from the Russian River Valley AVA and its cooler subset AVA, Green Valley of Russian River Valley. Luscious, juicy, fruity, savory, earthy, minerally, toasty, hedonistic, scintillating and intense … all variations of pinot and chardonnay are offered to those who cut through this swath.
As is a bit of history. The emergence of Russian River Valley and Green Valley as vital viticultural regions is largely attributed to Warren Dutton. His family’s Graton-centered ranch was planted predominently to apples — a viable business until the 1980s, when Washington state began taking command of the domestic category and demand for local Gravenstein apples and their juice dried up. Dutton began planting wine grapes, first chardonnay and later pinot noir, while shooing away naysayers who said the region was too cool to ripen wine grapes.
Gosh, were they wrong.
Dutton’s sons, Steve and Joe, took over the ranch after their father’s death in 2001. They now farm more than 1,200 acres of vineyards (and apples, too), keeping some of the grapes for their own wines and selling the rest. Refreshing natural acidity is a hallmark of wines made from Dutton-grown grapes, as they hail from sites cooled by the fog and breezes drawn in by the Russian River. That and a powdery, well-drained soil called Gold Ridge promote intensity in the grapes, with green apple and citrus characteristics typical in chardonnay and dark cherry, berry, cranberry and pomegranate notes in pinot noir.
Many others followed the Duttons to the Russian River and Green valleys for chardonnay and pinot noir production, and there are dozens of wineries to visit along Gravenstein Highway and its side roads. But it’s easy as pie to take this particular tasting route, less than two miles long and so very wide in intriguing wines.
From north to south…
Small bites at Dutton Estate Winery in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Dutton Estate Winery)
Dutton Estate Winery
Joe Dutton, with his brother Steve, co-owns Dutton Ranch and each owns his own winery. Several chardonnays ($42-$55) come from Dutton Ranch grapes, all of them balanced and vibrant.
For pinot noir, there is the Karmen Isabella ($46) and several pricier bottlings with familial connections. The Kylie’s Cuvee Sauvignon Blanc ($27), named for Joe’s daughter, is a like breath of fresh air on the palate.
The Casual Wine Tasting Experience at the tasting bar or garden can be upgraded to a wine and chocolate pairing, small bites with wine and a 90-minute experience including a visit to a chardonnay vineyard and cellar, followed by a tasting paired with cheeses.
8757 Green Valley Road (at Gravenstein Highway North), Sebastopol, 707-829-9463, duttonestate.com.
Dutton-Goldfield Winery
Steve Dutton joined former La Crema winemaker Dan Goldfield to establish this winery in 1998. Cherry-picking grapes from Dutton Ranch’s best sites, they bottle elegant, restrained chardonnays and pinot noirs. This is also one of the few area tasting rooms to offer riesling, gewurztraminer, pinot blanc, zinfandel and syrah, from not only Dutton vineyards, but also those in Marin and Mendocino counties.
The Discovery Tasting includes six wines, with appointments appreciated yet walk-ins welcome, based on availability. Reserve the Pinot Noir Road Trip or Classic Wine Experience; do the same for the wine and sushi and wine and cheese flights. If given the opportunity, be sure to taste the remarkably intense Rued Vineyard Chardonnay ($55) and exotic Fox Den Vineyard Pinot Noir ($62).
Carroll Kemp, Mark Estrin and Richard Crowell founded this brand, whose tasting room shares a parking lot with Dutton-Goldfield, in 2000. Their first wine was a syrah, and while syrah remains on the menu, chardonnay, pinot noir and a dynamite rosé of pinot noir have grown in production and stature.
Grapes from the estate vineyard in the Fort Ross-Seaview AVA, north of Bodega Bay, get the cold shoulder during the growing season, shuddering as they ripen. Somehow they do, retaining their crackling natural acidity and minerality in chardonnay and heady floral and forest-floor notes in pinot noir. Fruitiness and savoriness are in balance; these aren’t fruit bombs by any means. Estrin died in 2005 and Kemp left in 2017 to pursue personal projects. He turned winemaking over to his assistant, Tanner Scheer, and the wines are better than ever.
A new label and redesigned tasting room add sparkle to the visitor experience, which includes walk-in and elevated tastings, the latter requiring appointments. The wall of rosé bottles is a selfie slam dunk.
8400 Graton Road at Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, 707-829-8500, redcarwine.com.
The wall of rosé bottles at Red Car Wine Co. in Sebastopol. (Courtesy of Red Car Wine Co.)
Merry Edwards Winery
It’s been all change lately at this venerable pinot noir production house. Founder/winemaker Merry Edwards sold the winery and brand in early 2019 to the Louis Roeder Champagne house and officially retired in February 2020. Yet her influence runs deep with Heidi von der Mehden, who worked under Edwards for five years and became the head winemaker before the sale to Roederer.
The pinots, at least for now, are concentrated, intense and firmly structured. The Sonoma Coast ($48) and Russian River Valley ($51) blends and single-vineyard bottlings from the estate and purchased grapes ($63-$68) are standouts. The Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc ($36) will please those who don’t favor assertive, herbal styles.
Visits are by appointment, with a new experience recently added: The Library Collection (six vintages of a single-vineyard wine). Or start with the more informal, stand-up Appellation Tasting or the seated Estate Tasting.
When he owned Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, founder Brice Jones focused on chardonnay and built a brand found on restaurant lists throughout the country. After 25 years, he sold the winery in 1999 and created Emeritus as a pinot noir producer, relying on estate-grown grapes. His daughter, Mari Jones, is at the helm these days, with Brice in retirement.
The pinot noirs are on the sumptuous side, mouth-filling yet energetic. Highly recommended are the Hallberg Ranch ($45), Pinot Hill East ($75) and Pinot Hill West ($75) pinot noirs, from estate vineyards. If it’s available, try the Hallberg Blanc ($40), an intriguing, textured white wine made from pinot noir grapes.
Walk-ins are welcome at Emeritus; appointments are suggested and are required for experiences that include tours, tastings of single-vineyard and library wines and small bites.
Detroit-style pizza from Acre in Sebastopol with broccoli raab, whole milk mozzarella and WM Cofield blue cheese. (Heather Irwin / Sonoma Magazine)
Acre Pizza has since expanded to several locations including Petaluma, Cotati and Sebastopol. Their pies remain one of the best in Sonoma County, something that owner Steve DeCosse has worked hard to maintain. -HI
Alastair Hannmann talks about the glutinous fibers of pizza dough with the reverence of a theology student. After years passionately studying yeast, water and flour he is a true devotee of the art and science of pieology.
Working the ovens as the opening pizzaiolo of the new Acre Pizza in at Sebastopol’s Barlow market, he can turn a simple ball of fermented dough into a cheesy, crusty, bubbling masterpiece in a matter of minutes, then do it again and again and again as customers stream in.
Customers at Acre Pizza in Sebastopol. Heather Irwin/PD
In February, former Acre Coffee owner Steve Decosse opened his newest venture at the former Village Bakery location. He’s sharing the cavernous space with Red Bird Bakery, with just a few hundred feet carved out for serving up slices of New York- and Detroit-style pizza. Decosse saw in Hannmann the same kind of nerdy dough obsession he has, along with an array of pizza tattoos covering his arms, and the deal was done.
Alastair shows how he works the dough at Acre Pizza in Sebastopol. Heather Irwin/PD
If you’re scratching your head about why a coffee entrepreneur would pivot to pizza, the answer is pretty simple. Decosse loves pizza and has spent more than a year traveling the country to find out how to make the absolute best. Inspired by a seminar on pizza making with gluten guru Peter Reinhart (the founder of Brother Juniper’s Bread), Decosse went down the rabbit hole of pizza styles, landing on the popular New York-style thin crust and the trending Detroit style, a thick crust pizza baked in a cast-iron square pan with caramelized Wisconsin “brick cheese” (a semi-soft cheese that’s sold in a brick shape) as a key component. And oh, is it key.
This is California, so of course there is a lot of hand-wringing about ingredients other than cheese. Acre uses bespoke produce from FEED Sonoma, meat from SoCo Meat, California tomatoes and water buffalo mozzarella from Double 8 Dairy along with the bags of organic wheat from Utah piled against the walls. So that must be crazy expensive, right? You would be wrong.
Detroit-style pizza at Acre PIzza in Sebastopol. Heather Irwin/PD
A slice, which is a quarter of a 16-inch pizza, ranges from $4.50 to $5.50. Whole pies are between $18 and $20. That’s a dang good deal, in my book.
Like most good pizza places, the restaurant isn’t fancy but has large communal tables and benches inside. In good weather, it’s more fun to head outside where there are common tables for the neighboring businesses and kids scramble around in the grass.
Kinda the perfect way to eat the perfect slice.
Best Bets
Detroit-Style Pizza: Yes, it’s deep dish. No, it’s not Chicago-style. As the story goes, it was invented at a Detroit restaurant called Buddy’s Rendezvous in 1946. Owner Gus Guerra decided to put a Sicilian-style dough (which is more like focaccia) into a rectangular blue steel pan like those used for spare parts by Detroit auto workers.
Specialty pizza at with broccoli raab, whole milk mozzarella and WM Cofield blue cheese. Heather Irwin/PD
Like a good lasagna, the melty cheese gets all crispy and brown and sauce is typically put on top for extra punch. Like St. Louis or New Haven-style pizza, it remained mostly a regional thing until some Brooklyn hipsters got ahold of the idea. You know the rest of the story, but make no mistake, we’re pretty glad they did. The Detroit slices (which are actually square) at Acre stay pretty true to their roots, with cheese or pepperoni and cheese.
Cheese Slice: You gotta do a good cheese slice or fuggettaboutit. They do. Please properly fold it and don’t eat it with a fork. We’re Americans. We don’t eat pizza with a fork. Add Zoe’s pepperoni if you’re feeling crazy.
Potato Pizza: Sounds weird, tastes amazing. Super thinly sliced potatoes are layered atop whole milk mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, Gruyere, olive oil and rosemary.
Soft serve ice cream at Acre Pizza in Sebastopol. Heather Irwin/PD
Special Pizza: Each week, there’s a new spin on the traditional pizza toppings. We loved the gourmet mushroom pie, and recently they introduced a pie with WM Cofield blue cheese.
Buffalo Milk Soft Serve: Cow milk’s richer cousin, buffalo milk is often used in Italy but rare in the States. It’s got a slightly wilder flavor than straight-up milk, but it’s well worth trying this creamy treat.
Add a little Mike’s Hot Honey for some pizzazz. Vegan soft serve also available.
Caesar Salad: Lightly dressed with plenty of flavor on lovely romaine. We like throwing a little on our cheese slice to make an impromptu piadine.
Service is quick, and you can order online. Beer and wine is available, but no there’s no Acre coffee brewing. Gluten-free crusts are also an option. Hannmann said the high-quality flour they use is much gentler on the system. Pizza can be delivered to Barlow wine tasting and tap rooms like Crooked Goat or Seismic.
Sailor, left, and Lila Burt of Sebastopol check out the pizza varieties while their parents order at the new Acre Pizza in Sebastopol’s Barlow district. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Decosse is still futzing with the lineup to see what folks like best, but cheese and the weekly specialty pizza are always available.
Though you’ll want to stuff some ’za right into your face, take a second to appreciate the beauty of the soft air pockets in the crust, the sweetness of the sauce, the crispy curl of the pepperoni, the perfection of the melted cheese for a moment. Ahhh. Then commence stuffing.
6760 McKinley St., Suite 150, Sebastopol. Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, 707-827-3455, acrepizza.com
MacRostie Winery & Vineyards in Healdsburg. (Kim Carroll)
Another day, another national accolade for a Sonoma County destination.
This time the winner is Healdsburg, ranked No. 9 in the 2020 edition of TripAdvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice Awards.
The list, which was released this week, celebrates destinations that saw the biggest spikes in top reviews and ratings over the last year. That means Healdsburg has received a preponderance of positive reviews over the last 12 months.
But this latest honor is different. Holly Fox, general manager of Two Thirty-Five Suites just off the Healdsburg Plaza, said the shout-out from TripAdvisor is particularly satisfying because it’s based exclusively on traveler reviews—not on the preferences (or eccentricities) of travel editors and the writers who work for them.
“We know Healdsburg is a gorgeous place where the people are friendly and the food and wine are top-notch, but it’s rewarding to see that TripAdvisor reviewers know it too and are sharing their experiences with the world,” said Fox, who also serves as chair of the Healdsburg Tourism Improvement District. “We know travelers rely more and more on reviews so it’s a great sign to see that Healdsburg is so loved on Trip Advisor.”
Specifically, Healdsburg was recognized in a new award category—a category titled “Trending Destinations.” This recognizes destinations with positive traveler feedback that have seen the greatest increase in popularity and traveler interest over the last year.
According to Elizabeth Monahan, communications manager at TripAdvisor, the category hails those destinations that are both accessible and inspiring.
“Having Healdsburg receive a Travelers’ Choice Award is an incredible honor as [it] recognizes the top 1 percent of businesses and destinations on TripAdvisor,” she wrote in a recent email.
Neela Pal, vice president of brand for TripAdvisor, agreed.
“We know the best trips are often inspired and guided by people who’ve been there before,” she said. “From the hot destinations our TripAdvisor travelers are currently loving to fascinating new places whetting the appetites of more adventuresome explorers, these winners are all ones to watch and hopefully visit.”
The official TripAdvisor write-up highlights Healdsburg as “the place to be, with literally hundreds of incredible wineries within an easy drive among beautiful landscapes, as well as some of the coolest boutique hotels, over-the-top spas, and hip restaurants in the country.”
It also refers to Healdsburg as a “charming town,” and “one of the best wine regions in the United States.”
Other destinations in the top 10 of TripAdvisor’s annual Travelers’ Choice Awards were Key Largo, Fla.; Moab, Utah; Anna Mara Island, Fla.; Santa Barbara; Brooklyn; St. Louis; Park City, Utah; Fairbanks, Alaska; and Colorado Springs, Colo.
Calling all animal lovers! Spring is on its way, and so is your opportunity to take your kids (or any animal lover) on an outing to one of Sonoma County’s many farms, petting zoos, preserves, or animal shelters.
From safari tours to tropical fish stores, Sonoma County has something for everyone who wants to get up close with a furry, feline, feathered, or finned friend — you can even pair animal socializing with some wine tasting! Click through the above gallery for a few of our favorite spots.
Please note: Many animal farms, sanctuaries, and petting zoos have seasonal hours or are only open by appointment, so be sure to check their websites before going. Did we miss your favorite petting zoo, farm or animal experience in Sonoma County? Please let us know in the comments.
Learn about The Bird Rescue Center in Santa Rosa in this video
Top Chef contestant Casey Thompson is slated to open a new restaurant, Georgette, somewhere in Sonoma County this year.
Thompson is listed as representing Georgette, “…a new Sonoma restaurant slated to open late summer/fall of 2020” at the upcoming Sonoma International Film Fest’s “Chefs & Shorts” event. The special dinner pairs of top chefs like Douglas Keane, Thompson and Timber Cover’s Seadon Shouse with wine and food-focused films.
Chef Thompson was on Season 3 and Season 8 of Top Chef. (Instagram)
So, it’s a thing. Though neither Thompson or her reps are offering up much info, Casey did say via email that she is excited about the new venture and has lots of planning to do.
Thompson has lived in Napa for several years, offering private chef and restaurant consulting services as well as “working for various wineries pairing wines with foods selected from local farms”. So she clearly gets the Wine Country vibe.
Thompson was a Top Chef fan favorite on Season 3 and returned for Season 8’s “All-Stars”. She is currently Director of Culinary Development for Sonoma’s Best Hospitality Group (the website is not live, but claims “Some of the most incredible Sonoma businesses have come together under the Sonoma’s Best Hospitality Group umbrella to create new beginnings”).
Designed by Jensen Architects, the exterior of the new restaurant space will remain largely the same. Photos: Richard Barnes, Marion Brenner, Jack Journey, Jeremy Jachym
Imagine if you will, a wall of liquid chocolate and a levitating tray of truffles hovering before you. Boxes of chocolate mysteriously slide toward you from another wall that senses your movement.
This isn’t heaven or Willy Wonka’s factory—it’s the new Cyrus restaurant, a wonderland of food and magic slated to open in Geyserville within the next 12 to 18 months
Designed by Jensen Architects, the exterior of the new restaurant space will remain largely the same. Photos: Richard Barnes, Marion Brenner, Jack Journey, Jeremy Jachym
And this time, it’s really, really real.
With a 30-year lease already inked, the duo are moving forward with Cyrus 2.0 after several false starts since closing their Michelin-rated Healdsburg restaurant in 2012.
Designed by Jensen Architects, the exterior of the new restaurant space will remain largely the same. Photos: Richard Barnes, Marion Brenner, Jack Journey, Jeremy Jachym
Standing inside a stark glass and concrete building hidden among the Alexander Valley Vineyards, Chef Douglas Keane and longtime business partner Nick Peyton point out where new doors, windows, a state-of-the-art kitchen, lounge and of course, the magically Chocolate Room are planned.
Working with architect Tom Kundig of Seattle’s Olsen Kundig, renovations will cost an estimated $5 million, much of which has already secured from investors.
“This is everything we wanted to do. This is totally our concept,” said Keane standing inside the luxe 8,000 square foot space which was recently vacated.
The new Cyrus restaurant space. Heather Irwin/PD
Keane has designed multi-step experience at the former prune packing plant, with just 12 people per seating, going first through the bubble lounge for “sweet, sour, bitter and umami” canapes, caviar and a stunning view of the surrounding vineyards. The next experience is an interactive chef’s table for a series of raw or steamed dishes like sashimi, compressed vegetables or chawanmushi (a savory Japanese custard) will be served. The third stage is a formal dining room with views of a live-fire Argentinian grill, and finally onto the chocolate room.
It’s lavish, for certain, and will also have a large wine cellar and outdoor space for wandering. But Peyton and Keane also want to make the experience comfortable and inclusive. Like the original restaurant, there will be a lounge area open to the public for small bites and drinks.
Exterior landscape was originally done at the building by Andrea Cochran, who will also update the new landscape for Cyrus. Photo: Marion Brenner and ACLA
“We want to include the community who may want a cocktail or a bite, but not the whole experience,” said Keane.
The Top Chef Master’s winner also plans to have an equitable plan for employees, offering what he calls “career” wages to employees. Keane said his wait staff made up to $75,000 per year at the original restaurant while cooks made $30,000.
“We can’t keep fighting this,” said Keane about the ongoing labor shortage and the lack of living wages for restaurant staff. “We haveto do more with less.”
That means his original 56 person staff will go down to about 20, and all staff will work both front and back of house. Waitstaff will be trained to prepare food and kitchen staff will serve as servers.
“It’s training and technology,” he said. “With that we can do more with less.”
For Keane and Peyton, the road to reopening has been a long trip, but both have stood by their desire to re-establish the destination restaurant.
The original Cyrus, which received two Michelin stars, shuttered after wine magnate Bill Foley purchased the tony Les Mars Hotel, where Cyrus was located. The relationship soured between the two quickly, and Keane decided to shutter.
In 2014, Keane hoped to re-open Cyrus at a property owned by Jackson Family Wines near Jimtown.A small group of neighbors expressed concerns about zoning changes in the quiet vineyard area, and the plan for Cyrus once again 2.0 faltered.
In 2017, it was once again announced that Keane planned to reopen Cyrus in Alexander Valley in by 2019, but that also never came to fruition. He’s spent his time mostly in Napa over the last several years first with Two Birds/One Stone and most recently with Roadhouse 29. He is also part owner of HBG restaurant in Healdsburg.
In 1875, horticulturist Luther Burbank referred to Sonoma County as “the chosen spot of all this earth.” 145 years later, he’s not alone in his views. In addition to locals and visitors with an affinity for this area, several publications are big fans. In recent years, Sonoma County has been featured in The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, The Evening Standard, The Sun, among others. And now, Frommer’s travel guidebook and Forbes magazine have both named Sonoma County one of the best places to visit in 2020.
Listing the top 20 destinations for 2020, including Rome, Tel Aviv, Tokyo, and Dubai, Forbes said Sonoma County “offer(s) all the elegance of Napa without the crowds,” and added that, “following a string of wildfires, this resilient Wine Country enclave is open for business.”
The business magazine recommended wine tasting at Copain Wines in Healdsburg and The Donum Estate in Sonoma, as well as visits to the Sonoma International Film Festival (March 25-29) and the Sonoma Speed Festival (May 28-31). Hotel Les Mars in Healdsburg and MacArthur Place Hotel & Spa in Sonoma (which was recently named one of the best new hotels in the world) were also mentioned in the article.
Frommer’s, a travel authority for more than 60 years, highlighted Sonoma County in their annual roundup of “best places to go.”
“In 2020, we’re trading the overtouristed for the overlooked,” said Frommer’s staff writers, who “went looking for less-trampled places that nevertheless have no shortage of culture, adventure, food, and scenery.”
Sonoma County was voted the best destination in the world by Frommer’s readers, and was featured with The Bahamas, Papua New Guinea, Buenos Aires and Greenland, among other top travel destinations. It’s “an ideal setting for a classic wine country holiday … but with a diversity that sets it apart from most winelands: wild rivers and rustic cabins, spas and saddles, redwoods and Peanuts,” said Frommer’s.
If you’re planning a visit to Sonoma County in 2020, here are a few guides that will help you plan your trip:
