A cheese plate from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. with Point Reyes Toma, aged Gouda, salami, pimento cheese, Point Reyes Bay Blue and Original Blue cheeses. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
Oprah Winfrey recently released her hotly-anticipated annual list of “Favorite Things.” Among them is a body butter from Petaluma’s McEvoy Ranch and a cheese from a Point Reyes company.
With over 100 items on her list, Oprah highlights several small businesses with items that make great gifts and stocking stuffers for the holiday season.
Citrus and Verde Whipped Body Butter from McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma. The ranch’s Whipped Body Butter was listed on Oprah’s 2024 list of “favorite things.” (Courtesy of McEvoy Ranch)Verde Whipped Body Butter and olive oil from McEvoy Ranch in Petaluma. (Courtesy of McEvoy Ranch)
McEvoy Ranch Whipped Body Butter, $39
The family-owned McEvoy Ranch, located in rural south Petaluma, produces award-winning olive oils — and now its beauty products are in the national spotlight. Oprah called McEvoy Ranch’s Whipped Body Butter “a rich and luxurious moisturizer.”
The body butter is made with the ranch’s organic extra virgin olive oil — as well as rosehip fruit oil, hyaluronic acid and shea and cocoa butters — for a skin-nourishing, hydrating cream. Scents include citrus, lavender, unscented and an herbaceous verde. The whipped body butter is currently on sale for $39 on McEvoy Ranch’s website.
A cheese plate from Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. with Point Reyes Toma, aged Gouda, salami, pimento cheese, Point Reyes Bay Blue and Original Blue cheeses. The cheese company’s Cheese & Thank You gift set is on Oprah’s “Favorite Things” list of 2024. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.’s Cheese Celebration Collection landed on Oprah’s Favorite Things list in 2023. (Courtesy of Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co.)
Point Reyes Cheese & Thank You Gift Set, $95
Among Oprah’s favorite food gifts is a cheese gift basket from Marin-based Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. The Cheese & Thank You gift set is filled with a selection of handcrafted cheeses to pair with crackers and a spread.
“Thanks to four artisanal cheeses — TomaRashi, Gouda, Bay Blue and a just-so-good Truffle Brie — sweet olive oil crackers and a sour cherry spread,” Oprah stated, “the lucky recipients of this gift box (created just for us) will use the enclosed cheese knife to dive right in.”
In 2021, Santa Rosa-based Sonoma Lavender Co. made it on Oprah’s list for its lineup of scented stuffed animals. The heatable plushies contain a pouch of fragrant, soothing local lavender or eucalyptus.
In Napa Valley, Model Bakery’s English muffins made it on Oprah’s favorites list four times, in 2016, 2017, 2020 and 2021. The Napa County bakery opened a location in the East Bay in 2022.
Hawaiian Kalua Pork Tacos from Belly Left Coast Kitchen & Taproom in Santa Rosa in 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Sure, we can eat tacos every day of the year (and nobody could stop us from trying). But it is reassuring to have a dedicated day each week to stake a claim to the flavorful tortilla pockets.
It seems Taco Tuesday has always been in the zeitgeist, though its origins, and copyright, has been in contention for decades. According to a 2018 Thrillist article, Mexican restaurant chain Taco John’s has held the “Taco Tuesday” registered trademark since 1989. So protective of the trademark as they are, the restaurant has sent cease-and-desist letters to other eateries who use the phrase.
While Taco John’s claims to have been the first to use the phrase “Taco Tuesday,” in 1979, Thrillist stated it had been in use for several years prior. Baker’s Drive-Thru in Southern California has a “Taco Tuesday” campaign that dates to 1976. And Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar holds the trademark for “Taco Tuesday” in New Jersey, which it filed in 1979.
Finally, in 2023, Taco John’s formally abandoned its claim to the phrase after Taco Bell went on a high-profile quest to free the commonly used saying of trademark restrictions. That’s right; you can thank Taco Bell for liberating “Taco Tuesday” for all (well, in 49 states — Gregory’s Restaurant & Bar still holds the trademark in New Jersey).
Locally, some residents started their own Taco Tuesday campaign — with a healthy twist. Chad Hunt and Juan Chavez, founders of the North Bay Kruzers bike club, initiated the Santa Rosa Taco Tuesday Ride in 2021, which sees dozens of people biking through the Santa Rosa Junior College neighborhood en route to local food trucks for post-ride tacos (on Tuesdays, of course).
Juan Chavez, left, and Chad Hunt, founders of the Taco Tuesday Ride, with hardcore bicycle riders in Old Courthouse Square in Santa Rosa, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)Kris Culp of Santa Rosa stops with others on Fourth Street in Santa Rosa during the Taco Tuesday bike ride, May 31, 2022. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
On Election Day, locals rode through town in a lighted bike parade, from the SRJC parking lot to Mitote Food Park (see videos of the spirited community ride, as well as updates on future rides, on the group’s Facebook page). Find more information on schedules, start times and course routes for the weekly Taco Tuesday rides at downtownsantarosa.org.
So, now that Taco Tuesday is for everyone, we compiled some local restaurants that offer the best taco deals and specials on Tuesdays.
For more delicious tacos any day of the week, we rounded up the best in the county. And our dining editor has shared her overall favorites.
Taco Tuesday deals
Tres Mini Tacos Al Pastor at La Rosa Tequileria & Grille in Santa Rosa, on Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2015. (Beth Schlanker/ The Press Democrat)Chorizo, asada and al pastor tacos from Tipsy Taco & Cantina in Santa Rosa, 2017. (Ricardo Ibarra / La Prensa Sonoma)
El Coqui
This year, Puerto Rican favorite El Coqui rolled out “TacoRican Tuesdays,” only available in-store. The Tuesday deal includes $10 tacos made with the restaurant’s signature pollo al horno and garlic cilantro sauce, as well as $10 nachos with Puerto Rican black beans and garlic cilantro sauce. There’s also $5 micheladas and margaritas.
400 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-542-8869, elcoqui2eat.com
Tipsy Taco & Cantina
The Santa Rosa cantina offers $2 street tacos all day for Taco Tuesday, including veggie, chicken, carnitas, chorizo, asada and al pastor.
Hawaiian Kalua Pork Tacos from Belly Left Coast Kitchen & Taproom in Santa Rosa in 2023. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Belly Left Coast Kitchen and Taproom
In addition to Martini Mondays and Wine Wednesdays, this Santa Rosa taproom offers Taco Tuesdays with a fun lineup of street tacos and drinks. The street tacos are $5 and come with chicken, chorizo or pulled pork on a choice of flour or corn tortillas. Modelo Especial and tequila shots are each $5. Sample each of the deals with the Taco Tuesday Combo ($15) — a choice of taco, tequila shot and Modelo Especial. There are also margarita carafes for the table from $30-$35.
Formerly the Nutty Irishman, this restaurant and karaoke bar offers $3 tacos and $7 margaritas all day on Tuesdays.
995 Piner Road, Santa Rosa, 707-544-1447, dolansden.com
Sunny Cafe Food Truck
This taco truck down the way from Coffey Park hosts Taco Tuesday from 4-7 p.m. weekly with $2.50 tacos. Choose one of 10 meats (except fish or shrimp).
The favored Sonoma Mexican restaurant celebrates Taco Tuesday with a variety of deals and choices, such as five tacos (chef’s choice) for $12, or three citrus-marinated shrimp tacos for $11. To pair your nosh with a drink, go for the two tacos with a draft beer for $10. Vegan and vegetarian tacos are also available.
Vegan and al pastor tacos at Sonoma Eats restaurant in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)Taco Al Pastor at Taqueria Mi Pueblo in Petaluma on Wednesday, Nov. 7, 2012. (Jeff Kan Lee/ The Press Democrat)
Mi Pueblo
All Mi Pueblo locations in Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Windsor and Cotati offer Taco Tuesday deals every week. Tacos are just $1.50 all day at the Petaluma and Santa Rosa spots, and $3 for all taco choices (meat, fish or shrimp) at the Cotati location.
The Petaluma pub offers tacos for half off starting at 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday. For something a little different, try the crispy Brussels sprouts tacos or the ahi tuna poke tacos with avocado wasabi mousse.
3120 A Lakeville Highway, Petaluma, 707-782-9090, pubrepublic.com
Taqueria Sol Azteca
This Rohnert Park taqueria celebrates Taco Tuesday every week with $2 tacos. Plus, tacos dorados and super tacos for $3, as well as three quesabirrias for $6.
Starting the first week of November, this Windsor brewhouse will host Taco Tuesdays, elevated with handcrafted margaritas to pair with tacos and tortas. Stay tuned on Barrel Brothers’ Instagram for more details on the Tuesday specials.
Tacos from Castañeda’s Market in Windsor. The market sometimes offers Taco Tuesday deals, in addition to discounted taco bars for special occasions. (Courtesy Castañeda’s Market)Pork belly and kimchi taco, and a fish and chips taco, at Osito Style Tacos at the Barlow in Sebastopol (formerly Barrio). (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
Castañeda’s Market
This popular Mexican food market sometimes offers Taco Tuesday deals, in addition to discounted taco bars for special occasions. The market recently offered a “Taco-la Tuesday Presidential Platter” for Election Day — priced at $47 as Americans elected their 47th president. Keep an eye on the market’s Instagram for updates on deals.
8465 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 601, Windsor, 707-838-8820, castanedasmarket.com
Osito Style Tacos
This Barlow taco shop sometimes offers deals for Taco Tuesday — though it pays to follow Osito’s Instagram for updates and special deals. Last week, Osito offered 10% off taco orders if you mentioned its Taco Tuesday post to their team. Innovative creations await, such as chicken and waffle tacos with chipotle syrup and jambalaya tacos with shrimp, pork adobo and chimichurri.
All of Flagship’s taproom locations — Cotati, Windsor and Santa Rosa — offer a Taco Tuesday special, featuring $2 street tacos. Vegan and vegetarian options are also available.
8099 La Plaza St., Suite B, Cotati, 707-664-5904; 1001-1007 McClelland Drive, Windsor, 707-837-5654; 446 B St., Santa Rosa, 707-541-6716, flagshiptaproom.com
Super Chicken Nachos from Juanita Juanita in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
The perfect dish for sharing, the ultimate Super Bowl snack, the pub fare you can’t get enough of — nachos are the quintessential cheesy treat.
We have Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya García to thank for this simple yet glorious dish. As the story goes, in 1943 in the city of Piedras Negras, Mexico, a group of U.S. military wives arrived at the restaurant Club Victoria where García worked. With no chefs nearby to feed the hungry crew, García improvised a dish. He grated cheese onto a plate of tostados, broiled it for a few minutes until the cheese was perfectly melted and then topped it with sliced jalapeño. Thus was born Nachos especiales (Nacho’s special) and the world has been indebted to his cheesy genius ever since.
While we can honor García any day by stuffing our face with his namesake snack, it seems all the more fitting to do it on National Nacho Day, Nov. 6. So get in the nacho spirit and check out where to get the best plate of nachos in Sonoma County. Click through the above gallery for a taste and get the details below.
Nachos al pastor available from the EDK Cantina off West Spain Street in Sonoma. Photo taken on Thursday, May 30, 2024. (Robbi Pengelly/Index-Tribune)
Maya Restaurant
The name says it all: Maya Restaurant’s “Really Good Nachos” — topped with savory cheddar and jack cheese, spicy salsa roja, black beans and fresh pico de gallo — are, well, really good. 101 East Napa St., Sonoma, 707-935-3500, mayarestaurant.com
El Dorado Cantina
Also known as EDK Cantina, El Dorado Hotel’s take-out-only cantina offers nachos with black beans, chihuahua cheese, pickled carrots, jalapeños, pico de gallo and crema. Add-ons include chicken, al pastor and short rib birria. 405 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-996-3030, eldoradosonoma.com/edk-cantina
Sonoma Eats
The small nachos is a great appetizer for two to share and the large nachos with generous amounts of gooey cheese and other fixings is excellent for big groups (or have it all to yourself; we won’t judge). 18133 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-343-1141, sonoma-eats.com
Juanita Juanita
This hidden gem outside the town of Sonoma is a locals favorite. Nachos here come in meaty or meatless variations, with chips, beans, cheese, guacamole, Cotija cheese, jalapeños, salsa and sour cream. 19114 Arnold Drive, Sonoma, 707-935-3981, juanitajuanita.com
Gallina D’Oro
Formerly El Farolito, the local Diaz family restaurateurs continue a long Healdsburg tradition of farm-to-table Mexican cuisine. The nachos still excel, with housemade corn tortillas topped with melted cheese, frijoles fritos, guacamole, salsa and sour cream. 128 Plaza St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2807, gallinadoro.com
Nachos from El Gallo Negro in Windsor. (Courtesy of El Gallo Negro)
El Gallo Negro
Known for its authentic Oaxacan cuisine, El Gallo Negro (also run by the Diaz brothers) serves up masterfully decorated nachos on a bed of toasted housemade corn tortilla chips with all the usual fixings. 8465 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-838-9511, elgallonegro.net
Los Arcos
A nacho favorite among Yelp reviewers, Los Arcos’ Super Nachos with tender al pastor or carne asada — along with beans, cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole and a dollop of sour cream — come highly recommended. 1791 Marlow Road, Suite 6, Santa Rosa, 707-545-5858, losarcosrestaurantsr.com
Taqueria Molcajetes
The locally and nationally famous (thanks to the excellent food, and Guy Fieri) Taqueria Molcajetes offers a heaping plate of spicy, meaty Super Nachos fit for a king — or a hungry crowd of college kids. 1195 W. College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-544-8280
Los Molcajetes Bar & Grill
Now with a new third location in Sonoma, Los Molcajetes offers a loaded Birria Nachos dish topped with jack cheese, guacamole, salsa verde, grilled corn, black beans, pico de gallo, chipotle aioli, sour cream and cilantro. 1950 Piner Road, Suite 130, Santa Rosa, 707-843-4716; 6599 Montecito Blvd., Suite 110, Santa Rosa; 19101 Sonoma Hwy., Sonoma, 707-935-3287, losmolcajetesbarandgrill.com
ChoriVegan nachos from the Tacos Tijuana food truck at Shady Oak Barrel House in Santa Rosa on Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Tacos Tijuana
In 2021, rival chefs Miguel Canseco and José Rodriguez joined forces to launch Tacos Tijuana, a hybrid food truck and tiny kitchen in Santa Rosa. That’s very good news for fans of Mexican food, including nachos. The ChoriVegan Nachos come with corn chips, black beans, soy chorizo, vegan mozzarella cheese, bell peppers, avocado, vegan sour cream, green onions, tomatoes, cilantro and green salsa swirled with avocado. 3320 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-295-7775, instagram.com/tacostijuana707
El Rancho Taqueria
There’s something for everyone at El Rancho Taqueria, and the Super Nachos are no exception. Whether you’re going for a killer meaty plate or the fresh vegetarian version, these flavor-packed nachos won’t disappoint. 1451 Southwest Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-795-8537
Don Julio’s Rincon Latin Grill and Pupusas
While Don Julio’s specializes in pupusas, its Locos Nachos are just as mouthwatering. Crispy corn tortilla chips are topped with the works, including refried beans, jack cheese, guacamole and your choice of tender marinated meat. 217 Southwest Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-242-3160, donjulioslatingrill.com
El Roy’s Mexican Grill
Nacho connoisseurs flock to El Roy’s, where the generously sized Super Nachos are lavishly adorned with melted cheese, tender meat, fresh pico de gallo and guacamole, a light drizzle of sour cream and a healthy sprinkling of spicy jalapeño peppers. 210 Edith St., Petaluma, 707-774-3738, elroys.com
Enter the best shareable dish to pair with an IPA: Lagunitas’ Brewhouse Nachos with IPA beer cheese, black bean puree, pickled jalapeño, tomato, sour cream and green onion. 1280 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-778-8776, lagunitas.com/taproom/petaluma
Cosmic Nachos at The Wild Poppy Cafe bar along the Bodega Highway west of Sebastopol on Friday, May 3, 2024. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
The Wild Poppy
This Sebastopol cafe and market’s modest brunch menu includes “Cosmic Nachos,” made with corn tortilla chips, black bean puree, “cosmic” queso, cashew crema, coleslaw and scallion pepita chimichurri. 9890 Bodega Highway, Sebastopol, 707-503-6332, thewildpoppycafe.com
Viva Mexicana
Vegans and vegetarians can rest easy knowing Viva Mexicana serves up delicious Mexican food with plenty of options for them. The Vegan Nachos made with Daiya vegan cheese are as scrumptious as any dairy or meat-filled version of the dish. The vegetarian version of the Super Duper Nachos is topped with your choice of a garlic, eggplant and bell pepper sauté; or housemade potato and yam hash browns. 841 Gravenstein Hwy. S., Sebastopol, 707-823-5555, vivamexicana.com
The family-owned local favorite Guerneville Taco Truck offers consistently satisfying Mexican cuisine, and a reliably loaded, saucy plate of Nachos Supreme for your noshing pleasure. 16405 Highway 116, Guerneville, guernevilletacotruck.com
Ginochio’s Kitchen
If you’re craving smoked meat topped with melted cheese and mild chipotle sauce, it’s time to get Alicia’s Crackling Nachos at Ginochio’s Kitchen, with your choice of juicy pulled pork, tri-tip or beef brisket. 1410 Bay Flat Road, Bodega Bay, 707-377-4359, ginochioskitchen.com
Arts activist Spring Maxfield co-founded the Handcar Regatta in Santa rosa and now focuses on the Maker’s Faire and a new business called Sonoma Art Tours. (John Burgess)
Santa Rosa’s Spring Maxfield has been a fixture of the local art scene for over three decades. She holds multiple art degrees, but Maxfield is not an artist — not in the traditional sense, at least.
As executive director of Urban Arts Partnership, her work involves organizing, promoting and supporting the output, and thus the livelihoods, of other artists who call Santa Rosa home.
“I want people to be who they are, and I feel like there’s so many people that aren’t able to fulfill that in the economy that we have in Sonoma County,” says Maxfield, who recently received a Merit Award from the city of Santa Rosa. “If there are ways to create economic opportunities for artists, then I want to help with that.”
Maxfield’s next event is the 20th annual WinterBlast, an interactive art parade and open-studio celebration in Santa Rosa’s South of A (SofA) Arts District on Saturday, Nov. 9 (srurbanarts.org).
Urban jellyfish, lighted strands in see-through umbrellas are prepped for the WinterBlast Sofa District parade, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Santa Rosa. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
Finding Motivation
What motivates me is brilliant people. I encounter so many amazing humans every day who are not getting to sparkle because they’re working jobs they hate to support their art, when really what they should be doing is being creative. I’ve spent the last 30-plus years trying to find ways to turn that into an income for people, so that they can quit their dull jobs and create an economy from what they should be doing with their lives.
Rising Tides
The more art that’s out there, the more people recognize that it’s accessible to them. The more artists that are selling work, the better they are going to be at getting more customers. A rising tide floats all boats. Creating that economy is about educating the public and providing opportunities for artists to sell their work and for people to find art that they love.
Santa Rosa’s Art Scene
There are so many different pockets, and you’ll really see a very distinct flavor to each. You’re going to find what you’re looking for; there’s a little bit for everybody. I do think that there’s a growing appreciation for art in Santa Rosa. It is much more supported by businesses and the city itself than when I first started here.
Heading to Winterblast
It celebrates the coming darkness and winter in general, and is an irreverent, silly commentary on the “SofA” designation that the city gave that area many years ago. Artists started it by just pushing their studio sofas out into the street and having a party, and it’s evolved from there. I think right now, the purpose WinterBlast serves is giving the public an opportunity to immerse themselves in a very family-friendly expression of personal creativity.
Hiking along the Kortum Trail on the Sonoma Coast. (Jerry Dodrill)
Sonoma County has some of the most stunning stretches of coastline in the world. A hike on one of the many trails near the coast is a perfect way to take in the natural beauty and discover the unique landscapes of this region.
Eager to find the crème de la crème of trails on or near the coast, we consulted our friends at AllTrails, an outdoor recreational app with crowdsource reviews. Here are the 10 best hikes on the Sonoma Coast, according to the site.
Island in the Sky and Fern Tree and Badger Hill Vista
Located in Duncans Mills, this 3.8-mile loop trail is a moderately challenging hike that takes a little over two hours to complete. The trail has “stunning mountaintop meadows in full bloom each spring,” according to AllTrails. It’s popular with hikers and runners. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
Salt Point Trail to Stump Beach
For a relatively easy route with wide open views of the Pacific, try this 3.4-mile out-and-back trail near Stewarts Point. It takes a little over an hour to walk. “Seals are commonly spotted and even whales are sometimes observed! This is a great choice if you enjoy wildlife,” according to AllTrails. A favorite of birders, hikers and those looking to enjoy some solitude. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
Sea to Sky to Russian Gulch to Raptor Ridge Loop
This 9-mile loop trail in the Jenner Headlands Preserve takes about four and a half hours to walk. Classified as moderately challenging, it is popular with runners and hikers. “Overall, the trail offers great views, a mix of forest and ocean scenery, and gradual uphills….Hikers should be prepared for both sun exposure and shaded areas, as well as varying conditions,” according to AllTrails. Dogs are allowed, but must be on a leash.
Red Hill via Pomo Canyon Trail
Located near Jenner, this 5-mile loop trail takes about two and a half hours to walk. The moderately challenging trail tends to be a popular hiking spot. “Amazing views of the Russian River flowing to the Pacific Ocean. Very scenic hike that takes you through three different types of terrain,” according to AllTrails. Reviews on the site highlight the trail’s mix of coastal views, redwood forests and green hills. Dogs not allowed on this trail.
Bodega Head Trail
For another easy hike with striking views of the ocean, try this 1.6-mile loop trail near Bodega Bay. The route only takes about 40 minutes to complete. If you time your visit just right, you might just witness a natural wonder. “During their spring and fall migrations, grey whales can be spotted from here,” according to AllTrails. The peak months for whale watching are January through May. Dogs not allowed on this trail.
Salt Point and North Trail Loop
For a longer hike with a variety of terrain, this 8-mile loop trail near Cazadero just might pique your interest. It is a moderately challenging route that takes nearly four hours to walk. Redwoods, pine forests, prairies, and beach views are among the natural features you will encounter on the hike. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
Stillwater Cove Canyon Trail
This relatively short 1.3 mile loop trail near Stewarts Point takes about a half hour to walk, but is considered moderately challenging. The trail tends to be less frequented than some of the other ones on the list and is great for birders, hikers and runners. “The trail features gorgeous scenery with ferns, clover, and redwoods,” according to AllTrails. Dogs are allowed, but must be on a leash.
Salt Point-Stump Beach Trail
Located near Cazadero at Salt Point State Park, this 6.6-mile out-and-back trail takes almost three hours to walk. It is a moderately challenging trail that is popular with birders, hikers and runners. “It can be foggy along the Salt Point portion, but overall still beautiful with wildflowers mostly finished blooming. The Stump Beach portion may not offer any vistas, so hikers can turn back earlier if desired,” according to AllTrails. Dogs not allowed on this trail.
Coastal Bluff Trail to Sea Pine Beach
This trail near Gualala is 6.9-miles out-and-back and takes under two and a half hours to walk. It is classified as easy and is popular with hikers and runners. “At one point you can walk out onto a bluff overlooking Sea Pine Beach before turning back. Sea mammals are often spotted from the trail,” according to AllTrails. Dogs are allowed, but must be on a leash.
Kortum Trail: Shell Beach to Blind Beach
The last trail on the list, but certainly not the least, this 4.4-mile out-and-back trail is located on the coast near Jenner. It is a moderately challenging route that can be walked in just under two hours. A delight for birders, hikers and runners alike. “The trail is known for its beauty and panoramic views, especially in the Spring, Summer, and Fall seasons,” according to AllTrails. Dogs are not allowed on this trail.
Encacahuatado, pork ribs cooked in a peanut mole sauce from El Milagro Healdsburg, a block west of the square Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in downtown Healdsburg. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Neighborhood restaurants are the lifeblood of Sonoma County’s food scene, where servers know your name and order as soon as you walk in. Prices are usually reasonable, kids welcome, drinks stiff and there are plenty of opportunities to run into old friends. Some have been around for decades while others just seem to fit in right when they open.
Recently, I’ve been visiting some favorite old haunts worth discovering (or rediscovering).
Pizzando
Healdsburg in the daytime can be slow as a sloth. But come dusk, restaurant lights flood the streets and the party heads outside to semi-enclosed sidewalk parklets. Strolling past Pizzando, it’s hard not to notice al fresco diners — families, couples, friends — huddled around Neapolitan pizzas and hulking plates of pasta. It’s a delicious advertisement for the 12-year-old restaurant after a significant menu overhaul and interior expansion in 2023, something sorely needed at the longtime Hotel Healdsburg trattoria.
From left, Lori Taylor, Phyllis Sutton and Tracy Garrison grab a pizza for lunch from Pizzando on a day out in Healdsburg, Friday, June 2, 2023. Pizzando now offers an extended menu with hearty entrées, as well as a full bar. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Launched with just a handful of tables, a woodfired oven and little else, the restaurant was an also-ran in the glitzy, over-the-top Healdsburg restaurant scene for years.
That’s changed.
Pizzando now offers an extended menu with hearty entrées (lasagna and osso buco are favorites), excellent pasta, burgers and antipasti, a well-thought-out wine list (both local and Italian) and a full bar.
It’s also one of the few all-day restaurants downtown, offering their full menu from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. and a weekday happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m.
Cocktails from Pizzando in downtown Healdsburg. Pizzando has a well-thought-out wine list and full bar as well as a weekday happy hour from 3 to 5 p.m. (Courtesy of Pizzando)
Best Bets
Preserved Lemon Ravioli ($25): stuffed with creamy ricotta, the extra-large ravioli swim in a lemon-butter sauce you’ll be licking from the bowl (we used our extra pizza crust).
Melanzane alla parmigiana ($21): You’ll be eating on this for days, which is just fine, considering the mix of tart tomato sauce, baked (not fried) thinly sliced eggplant and globs of melty, stringy mozzarella happily melding into a tummy-filling treat.
Elderflower Spritz ($14): Aperol is out, and sassy St. Germaine elderflower liqueur is in. More delicate and less bitter, this fizzy spritz is a refreshing foil for all the cheese and carbs you’ll consume.
A charming, tucked-away cucina offering authentic regional Mexican cuisine from the owners of El Milagro in Cloverdale. While Healdsburg isn’t lacking in Mexican restaurants — from higher-end cafés to everyday taquerias — I’ve long been a fan of the bighearted, family-inspired dishes from chef-owners Alan Valverde, Julio Velazquez and Marco Zamora.
Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.
Mole Verde Pipian, braised chicken breast in housemade green pumpkin seed mole sauce from El Milagro Healdsburg, Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in downtown Healdsburg. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)Traditional pre-Hispanic Mole Rojo with a mix of spices perfected by co-owner Julio Velazquez’s mom from El Milagro Healdsburg, a block west of the square Friday, Nov. 1, 2024, in downtown Healdsburg. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Best Bet
You’re here for the mole, specifically, the Mole Verde Pipian (green pumpkin seed mole, $22) made with chiles, spices and crushed pumpkin seeds with braised chicken.
Even better is pork Mole Rojo ($22), an ancient recipe that predates the Spanish and is “a melody of the owners’ moms’ recipes.” Long stewed pork is infused with the sweet, bitter, intensely flavored sauce made with over a dozen ingredients. My new favorite mole.
Kin restaurant in Windsor Monday, Nov. 17, 2014. (Crista Jeremiason / The Press Democrat)
After 13 years in business on the Windsor Town Green, it’s easy to take this neighborhood restaurant for granted. However, the fact that I end up here so often with friends and family speaks to its broad appeal and well-made comfort food ranging from burgers and frickles to braised short ribs, mac and cheese and warm cobbler.
Hospitality industry veterans Brad Barmore and JC Adams intentionally created a casual restaurant with something on the menu for everyone without feeling like a compromise.
Open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, until 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Mac and cheese at Kin restaurant in Windsor. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Best Bets
Braised Short Rib ($30): Red wine-braised beef short rib piled on cheesy polenta is cozier than a cashmere sweater.
Kin Mac & Cheese ($18): An entree-sized, shareable portion of cavatappi pasta bathed in white cheddar bechamel sauce, topped with Parmesan bread crumbs. Carbs + cheese + bread crumbs = pure happiness.
The new Overshine Wine. Co in Healdsburg. (Courtesy of Leigh Ann Beverley)
Tasting rooms abound in Healdsburg (27 in downtown, alone). But for wine groupies who also enjoy following the industry’s increasingly changing owners, investors and labels, it’s an interesting time. Some new operations are like macramé, knotting together several proprietors and brands under one roof, and with winemakers taking multiple roles at a single business.
Sip some wine, follow along with these emerging “family trees,” and see how many new names you can — well, name.
Tasting at Overshine Wine Co. in Healdsburg. (Leigh-Ann Beverley)
Overshine Wine Co.
Set on Dry Creek Valley’s former Armida Winery hillside property that was built in 1989, Overshine opened its doors in June. But the retro tasting room and facility stays true to its original groovy style, designed like a giant Quonset hut and with nifty touches like record players to spin vinyl.
The work of Sonoma County winegrower/former Google exec David Drummond, varietals salute the classics, too, focusing on Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, Russian River Valley Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, plus assorted grapes from Overshine’s Il Campo vineyard.
Another notable twist: rising star winemaker and new Overshine general manager Sam Bilbro will be curating grapes from Drummond’s Las Cimas Vineyard in the Russian River Valley for his own Italian-style Idlewild brand that Drummond just acquired, and making Drummond’s new Comunità Italian-style brand, too. Look for those labels on the Overshine tasting list as the boutique operation gains steam.
The Mascarin Family Wines tasting room is located at the under-the-radar 32 Winds property, a gorgeous site with a wood barn, olive trees, towering walnut trees and views of the famous Dry Creek. (Mascarin Family Wines)
Mascarin Family Wines
You might not have heard of the boutique 32 Winds Wine, but the company is owned by third generation vineyard manager Ed Mascarin and his daughter Mia Mascarin-Oven. So this year they debuted a new label, named, of course, Mascarin.
You’ll find an introductory three flavors: a single vineyard Chardonnay from Sebastopol’s secret gem, two-acre Dalya Estate; a single vineyard Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast’s Moonshine Vineyard; and a complex Red Field Blend of co-fermented Rhone and Loire varietals from the Mascarin’s own Angelo vineyard near Healdsburg.
You visit at the under-the-radar 32 Winds property, a gorgeous site with a wood barn, olive trees, towering walnut trees and views of the famous Dry Creek.
1010 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-1010, 32windswine.com
Picnickers enjoy a glass of wine in Adirondack chairs at Truett Hurst Winery in Healdsburg. (Kim Carroll)
Truett Hurst and VML
This March, Phil Hurst regained control of the lauded Truett Hurst and VML brands he founded in 2008 but sold 10 years later to the large Washington-based Precept Wine Co. He wasn’t able to swing buying the ultra-pricey 24-acre Dry Creek Road estate he had established, but working with new partner Ken Wilson of the expansive Wilson Wines portfolio, he recently moved into a new tasting space next to downtown Healdsburg’s roundabout.
(Truett’s old location at 5610 Dry Creek Road was quickly snatched up and is now the Aesthete winery and tasting room.)
You’ll know you’re in the right spot when you see the giant red chair out front — it’s a salute to Truett’s Adirondack chairs that graced his original property along Dry Creek. Now, staff pours both the Truett Hurst and Hurst’s other VML labels in the same brick and slate lined shop, with signatures like Three Vineyards Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, a North Coast Burning Man Petite Sirah and a White Sheep Russian River Valley Pinot Noir.
At the new Comstock Wines tasting room at Bacchus Landing in Healdsburg. (Comstock Wines)
Comstock Wines
The Comstock family already has a lavish tasting room at its nine-year-old estate winery at 1290 Dry Creek Road in Healdsburg. But this summer, they opened a second one, 2.9 miles away. The space is set up in Bacchus Landing, a collective of boutique wineries just outside downtown Healdsburg.
The idea is to attract wine lovers wanting more of a casual, hip and perhaps impromptu experience without much of a drive from central Healdsburg, said general manager Kelly Comstock Ferris. Besides tastings, there’s bottle service, bocce ball games, and a collection of classic board games, such as Monopoly, Scrabble and Battleship. Bring your dog, linger and sip.
For something a bit different, remind yourself to try the standout Dry Creek Valley Blanc de Blanc sparkling, the Russian River Valley Viognier and the Sonoma Valley Grenache.
Stressing a vine by withholding water is actually a good thing, as it helps increase concentrated fruit flavors. But founder and vintner Rob Barney wants guests to relax at the tasting room he opened steps from the Healdsburg Plaza in July.
Barney began making wine in 2016, sourcing from a variety of vineyards across Sonoma and Napa counties for his signature Cabernet Sauvignons, Chardonnays and Pinot Noir. Texas wine lovers know him — Barney is from there and has his original tasting room in Richardson.
Chef Casey Thompson of Folktable restaurant in Sonoma, which closed in November of 2024. (Courtesy of Folktable)
It’s been a rough week for Michelin-noted restaurants in Sonoma County as both Healdsburg’s Molti Amici and Sonoma’s Folktable suddenly announced their closures. Both left goodbye posts on social media, prompting questions about the challenges many local restaurants are facing after a slow summer and challenging winter ahead.
Folktable, which closes Sunday, is connected to controversial Sonoma developer Ken Mattson, who is currently under federal investigation and facing several lawsuits for investment fraud.
The restaurant, along with other Sonoma businesses like The Depot restaurant and The General’s Daughter event space, is part of Mattson’s Sonoma’s Best Hospitality Group. It was one of a few businesses that had remained in Mattson’s once substantial portfolio, which has dwindled in the wake of bankruptcies and lawsuits.
Mattson also owns Cornerstone marketplace, where Folktable is located. Since the developer purchased Cornerstone from Darius Anderson (managing partner of Sonoma Media Investments, owner of The Press Democrat) in 2019, the once dynamic retail marketplace, restaurant hub and test garden for Sunset magazine has languished with high vacancies and a decline in foot traffic, according to businesses located there.
Mattson and his attorneys did not respond to a request for comments.
Folktable garnered a Michelin Bib Gourmand, given to notable restaurants with “good food at a moderate price,” in 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024. The closure of the Sonoma restaurant hit consulting executive chef Casey Thompson especially hard.
Chef Casey Thompson of Folktable restaurant in Sonoma. (Erika Cole)
Thompson, who competed on three seasons of “Top Chef,” was hired as the executive chef of Sonoma’s Best Hospitality Group in 2019. She recently appeared on Guy Fieri’s Tournament of Champions culinary showdown with chefs from around the country.
“While this is not the ending I had envisioned, I am filled with gratitude for the support, warmth and love we’ve received from our community and beyond over the years,” she wrote in an email.
“I remain hopeful that this is not a goodbye, but a step toward new beginnings,” she continued. “I would love to continue to cook good food for the community of Sonoma which has been our home for five years … I hope Sonoma will welcome us all with open arms after these tumultuous years.”
Meanwhile, Molti Amici, a Healdsburg restaurant founded by three SingleThread alums, closed unexpectedly Sunday.
The bocce court outside the back patio at Molti Amici in Healdsburg on Wednesday, July 19, 2023. The restaurant announced its closure Nov. 3, 2024. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat file)
The Press Democrat reported that the allegation, outlined in a brief entry in a Healdsburg police log, surfaced when someone claiming to hold ownership in Molti Amici called the police and told a Healdsburg officer that a “co-owner/business partner” had “failed to make deposits into the business account for several months,” from September 2023 to February 2024. The accusation was later recanted but the investigation remains open.
General manager Jonny Barr, who was the public face of the restaurant and listed as an owner on the restaurant’s website, has since moved out of state.
Molti Amici CEO Jason Cutrer told The Press Democrat that “the restaurant was just not in a good financial position to continue. We are all bummed and wish the staff and everyone who visited us, and loved us, the best.”
Chefs Sean McGaughey and Melissa Yanc, who worked together with Barr at SingleThread restaurant and helped him open Molti Amici and create its menu, said they had left the restaurant last summer to focus on their own business ventures, including Quail and Condor bakery, Troubadour Bread & Bistro and its evening alter ego, Le Diner, a multicourse dinner experience.
The pool at Calistoga Spa Hot Springs in Calistoga. (Courtesy Calistoga Spa Hot Springs)
Geography site WorldAtlas recently released a list of the most laid-back small towns in California. Of the 11 locales named, one is in Sonoma County and three in Napa County.
Acknowledging we could all use a vacation from the stress of everyday life, WorldAtlas tracked down the best destinations for relaxing in the “chill state of California.” Local laid-back towns featured include Sonoma, Calistoga, Yountville and St. Helena.
Read on below to discover what makes these towns ideal destinations for low-key leisure.
Sonoma
Avocado toast from Sunflower Caffe in Sonoma. (Sunflower Caffe)Obsidian Base Camp tasting room in downtown Sonoma. (Courtesy of Obsidian Wine Co.)Shaded chairs for a relaxing, laid-back time at Three Sticks Wines in Sonoma. (Courtesy of Three Sticks Wines)
It doesn’t get much more laid-back than sipping wines on a lazy Sunday in the heart of Wine Country. WorldAtlas stated Sonoma “encapsulates what a true small-town California life feels like,” noting its historic downtown plaza surrounded by cafes, theaters and tastings rooms.
Start with a sunny brunch of waffles and mimosas at Sunflower Caffé, seated at the cafe’s dreamy garden patio. Then sip some wines in a Japanese-style garden at Sonoma’s new Obsidian Base Camp tasting room, followed by a show at the historic Sebastiani Theatre.
WorldAtlas also recommends going on a local sip-and-stroll with friends via Gourmet Food and Wine Tours, offering immersive wine and food pairing tours in both Sonoma and Napa. Other laid-back wineries and tasting rooms to check out include the Sigh bubble bar, Three Sticks Wines and the 120-year-old Sebastiani Vineyards & Winery.
Planning to spend a whole weekend in Sonoma? We’ve mapped out the perfect three-day fall getaway to make the most of your time in the charming town.
Calistoga
Experience a Tuscan villa-like retreat in Wine Country at Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort. The Calistoga resort has world-renowned natural geothermal water and mud bath traditions. (Courtesy Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort)House specialty Green Chile Apple Pie and an Adaptogenic mushroom tea from the House of Better at Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort and Mineral Springs in Calistoga on July 6, 2021. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
With an abundance of spas and natural hot springs, Calistoga excels in rejuvenating relaxation. WorldAtlas highlights Calistoga Spa Hot Springs and Roman Spa Hot Springs Resort for massage treatments, volcanic ash mud baths and geothermal mineral pools.
The Napa town is home to popular attractions like the Old Faithful Geyser of California and award-winning Sharpsteen Museum. Both destinations are great opportunities to learn about Calistoga’s geology and history.
Explore more of the area’s laid-back resorts, restaurants, tasting rooms and historic sites with our guide to the best weekend getaway in Calistoga.
Yountville
Pepperoni pizza with basil and drizzled with spicy honey at Ciccio in Yountville, Monday, July 10, 2023. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)Tacos de Pescado with fried fish, chipotle mayo, cilantro, cabbage and lime from La Calenda, a Thomas Keller Restaurant Group project in Yountville. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Regarded as the “Culinary Capital of the Napa Valley,” Yountville is a real foodie’s destination. WorldAtlas noted the town’s three-Michelin-starred restaurant The French Laundry as well as another Thomas Keller standout, Bouchon Bistro.
If French fine dining isn’t your idea of laid-back, try the unpretentious, country western-inspired Ciccio. The Bib Gourmand-awarded restaurant offers Italian fare, like housemade pastas and wood-fired pizzas, in a rustic setting. La Calenda is another Bib Gourmand winner and one of the least formal of Keller’s restaurants. The Mexican restaurant specializes in traditional Oaxacan cuisine. Try the fish tacos made with stone-ground tortillas and enchiladas with a showstopping mole negro.
After getting your fill of world-renowned cuisine, WorldAtlas recommends feasting your eyes on the Wine Country town and surrounding countryside with Napa Valley Aloft Balloon Rides.
St. Helena
Beringer in St. Helena is one of the best Napa wineries for first-time visitors. (Courtesy Beringer Vineyards)A dish at PRESS Restaurant Napa Valley in St. Helena. (John Troxell/Courtesy Suited Hospitality)
This small town’s greatest charm, according to WorldAtlas, “lies in its historic downtown, which is dotted with lovely restaurants, galleries, and shops to leisurely while away your afternoon.”
For dining, try the Michelin-starred Press, which boasts the largest collection of Napa wines in the world. For more relaxed ranch vibes, try the Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch, excelling in farm-to-table fare.
Vintners David Drummond and Sam Bilbro of Overshine Wine Co. in Healdsburg. (Joshua Harding/Courtesy Overshine Wine Co.)
“It was serendipitous,” says Sam Bilbro of the first time he met David Drummond back in 2018. Drummond, the retired chief legal officer of Google and a former football wide receiver at Santa Clara University, had recently realized a lifelong dream by purchasing a 550-acre ranch in Sonoma. But there was a problem.
“It was 2019 and the grape glut had set in,” says Drummond. “I didn’t have any long-term contracts, so it was a very lean year for me.”
Bilbro, who specializes in Italian-style winemaking, convinced Drummond to take a leap into the Italian wines they both loved. They regrafted the entire vineyard over to 46 different types of Italian grapes, many of which are quite rare in California. Six years later, and the vines are thriving. Now, the two partners are diving headlong into a new venture called Overshine Wine Co., showcasing a trio of distinct brands.
In June, Drummond purchased Idlewild from Bilbro, who has stayed on as managing partner and winemaker. Drummond also bought Armida Winery, reimagining it as Overshine, a name inspired by the hip-hop band Onyx, and their newest label, Comunità, recently made its debut.
Vintners David Drummond and Sam Bilbro of Overshine Wine Co. in Healdsburg. (Joshua Harding/Courtesy Overshine Wine Co.)
If wine brands were musical bands
“Overshine might be Sly and the Family Stone, maybe updated with a hip-hop beat,” says Drummond, whose brother Ray Drummond is a well-known jazz drummer. “And Comunità would be more of a blend of what formed me musically, something like Robert Glasper, a jazz guy who leans heavily on soul and hip-hop.”
At the other end of the spectrum, “Idlewild would be the Clash,” says Bilbro.
Everybody under the tent
“The ethos of Overshine as a company is about openness, diversity and welcoming folks,” Drummond says. “Fine wine is sometimes exalted in a way that makes it seem not accessible to lots of people. So, we talk about doing that differently, using cultural signposts, whether it’s music, or the way we talk about wine, or the way we talk about our place, to make it clear that everybody is welcome…We’ll talk about how it feels to drink the wine, how it feels to be out there on the patio on a sunny day, listening to Grover Washington Jr.”
Introducing Overshine
“In reworking the tasting room, and fully remodeling the interior, we want it to be a spot where you want to come and spend your afternoon,” Bilbro says. “You’re not here for a transactional experience, standing at the bar, and then you get out of here. It’s more about: you come sit on the couch and lounge and enjoy your time and listen to some music, and have some great wines, and really enjoy that slice of the good life.”
