Ostiones (oysters) with mango leche de tigre, burnt scallion oil and borage blossoms from Arandas Friday, June 28, 2024 in Healdsburg. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Former ‘MasterChef’ contestant Adrien Nieto, the opening chef of Healdsburg’s Arandas restaurant, is transitioning from his lead role in the kitchen to the head of winery culinary operations at Foley Entertainment Group.
Executive chef Adrien Nieto of Arandas on Friday, June 28, 2024, in Healdsburg. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
The upscale Mexican restaurant, which opened in July in the former Chalkboard space inside Hotel Les Mars, is part of entrepreneur Bill Foley’s business portfolio, which includes Healdsburg’s Goodnight’s Steakhouse, The Farmhouse Inn restaurant in Forestville, sports venues, the Vegas Golden Nights hockey team and nearly 30 vineyards and wineries.
Arandas chef de cuisine, Felipe Hurtado, will now head kitchen operations.
During a family and friends pre-opening night, Chef Doug Keane works the kitchen at Cyrus in Geyserville. (Chad Surmick/The Press Democrat)
Chef Doug Keane once told me he would name names if he ever wrote a book. Soon, we’ll know, as the Top Chef Masters’ winner, owner of Michelin-starred Cyrus restaurant and occasional provocateur prepares for the launch of his memoir “Culinary Leverage: A Journey Through The Heat.”
Keane recently invited his social media followers to vote on a potential cover image for the book, which will hit shelves in February next year.
Keane’s book takes a sobering look at the dysfunction of the culinary industry and his efforts to create a healthier, more sustainable work model.
During a family and friends pre-opening night, guests enjoy the Kitchen Table while chatting with chef Doug Keane at Cyrus in Geyserville on Thursday Sept. 8, 2022. (Chad Surmick / Press Democrat)
When Keane reopened Cyrus in Geyserville in 2022, a decade after closing his original Michelin-starred restaurant in Healdsburg, he implemented an audacious plan to provide a living wage to staff, who share tips and roles throughout each shift — a server may be helping in the kitchen or a cook bringing plates to the table.
“It’s really exciting yet at the same time surreal and a tad scary to have this very deep window into me out there,” Keane said about his memoir. “I’m hoping it has a positive impact on the hospitality industry that needs more compassion and thought about the model. I also hope it allows people to keep moving forward through personal and professional struggle.”
Winemaker Scot Bilbro and architectural designer Lisa Steinkamp’s Healdsburg home. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
A deep-rooted connection to the landscape marks the rustic home of architectural designer Lisa Steinkamp and winemaker Scot Bilbro. On 5 rural acres in Healdsburg (“but just two minutes from Big John’s Market,” Lisa says), the couple and their son live in a simple, barnlike structure with broad connections to the outdoors from nearly every room.
“The thing we’ve always loved about this property is no matter where you are on it, whichever structure you’re in, you’re just looking at more wilderness,” says Scot. “It feels like you’re on a much, much bigger property than you are.”
The couple, who met in the early 2000s, were living in downtown Healdsburg in 2013 and had been looking for rural land for several years when Lisa got a tip from an old friend that the property was for sale. Though the outbuildings were in rough condition and overgrown with brambles, they could see the contours of the land held a beautiful shape, overlooking a sweeping view of a pond populated with herons, turtles and other wildlife.
“I was just itching to be able to walk out onto some meadow, to have some larger confines around us,” says Scot.
Winemaker Scot Bilbro and architectural designer Lisa Steinkamp enjoy a meal with their son, Booker, outside their Healdsburg home. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
He and Lisa designed the home together and undertook much of the construction themselves. They endlessly discussed the framing of the view through the antique windows they’d found, accumulating repurposed doors and redwood siding — even teaching themselves how to use SketchUp to draw their plans. Lisa envisioned a classic California indoor-outdoor home with pocket gardens and living spaces that blurred the distinction between inside and out.
“The thought process was to create a very small envelope of curated space around the house,” she explains. “It’s very clean, intentional. It was important not to have an immaculate garden space, but to feel like we were living in nature.”
Downstairs is one large room with separate spaces for living, dining, lounging and cooking. There’s a single bathroom that the entire family uses, and a bedroom for their son, as well as multiple sets of doors with views out to the pond and fields.
Scot and Lisa’s room is upstairs, reached via a set of stainless-steel scaffolding Scot repurposed from his winery. They’re the type of stairs more commonly used to access the tops of wine tanks during fermentation.
Stainless steel winery scaffolding leads to the upstairs sleeping space. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
The interior, including 25-foot-tall walls in the main living space, is clad entirely in gorgeous, inch-thick, foot-wide reclaimed redwood boards.
“We were almost finished, and Scot kept saying, ‘Hey, why don’t you sheetrock the walls,’” recalls Lisa. “And I said ‘I can’t. I can’t do it.’ I didn’t know what I was waiting for. But then I got a call from our wood guy, who had found some secret stash of barnwood sitting under a tarp somewhere. So I jumped in his truck and we got the wood, and that clad the entire space.”
Though built less than a decade ago, this is a storied home, one layered with a history and personality that reveal much about the family that built it. The living areas have wide comfy couches and lots of pillows for reading and nesting. Lisa is drawn to pieces with a background: a chandelier draped in fringe, opera costumes purchased for a song at a sample sale, handmade ceramics, an antique upright piano.
“The place is from the heart,” says Lisa. “It’s cozy — which is weird to say with 25-foot ceilings, you know.”
Double-height ceilings in the main living space. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
Their design decisions have been guided by a feeling of what is right for the home and the property, even if their choices seem unconventional or unusual.
“Our signal that we’re doing the right thing is whenever somebody says, ‘Why are you doing this?’ or ‘What do you see in this property?’” says Scot. “Basically, whenever someone tells us we’re crazy, we’re like, ‘Oh, we’re on the right track.’ Usually Lisa and I are totally in sync in terms of feeling there’s potential and magic in a place. And it’s all the better when nobody else can see it.”
The couple are proud to be passing along their creative values to their son, Booker,
who was just a toddler when they first moved to the property and is now 13 years old.
“We are doing a really good job of training our kid that used is good,” says Lisa. “In a world where fashion is in constant turnaround and quality has gone down and mountains of throwaway clothing are sent far across the ocean, he’s learning all that’s not necessary.”
Booker, who wants to be a pilot, spends his summers outside fishing for bass on the pond or tinkering with motorcycles and model airplanes. With a cheeky high-schooler’s sense of humor, he names all of the goslings on the pond Ryan. There’s a whole bevy of Ryan Goslings hatched each spring.
Wide glass doors open to a patio, where Scot Bilbro watches his son, Booker, fish for bass in the pond. (Eileen Roche/Sonoma Magazine)
“Booker’s exposure to all this has gotten us to the point where he’s the one who reminds us how to play outside. He gets us out on the lake, out on the paddleboard,” says Scot.
The family lives in tune with the seasons, throwing the doors wide open
each morning and eating outdoors on the patio most nights. Scot likes to grill whole fish or lamb, while Booker rolls out pasta from scratch. The three of them make big salads with produce grown in raised beds made from half-ton bins from the winery.
“Being in the wine industry, having every seasonal change mean something’s happening is really fun,” says Scot. “It makes you feel connected to your job and what’s going on and where you live in a different way.”
“I work really hard to be present. When you’re working in agriculture, you’re always looking ahead. There’s a similarity between working on projects at the house and growing grapes and making wine. You’re in the midst of a perpetual transformation — you’re watching the leaves come out, you’re watching the canopies. Suddenly there’s fruit, and suddenly again, it changes color, and then you’re in the cellar. I just think it’s an amazing process… It’s like one big choose-your-own-adventure story.”
Chris Christensen of Bodkin Wines. Photo developed in the 2022 Bodkin Light Skinned Zinfandel. (James Joiner/Sonoma Magazine)
Photographers have long experimented with developing black-and-white film in solutions of instant coffee, beer and other liquids — a time-honored and nontoxic alternative to traditional chemical processes.
Sonoma photographer James Joiner has now done the same with wine. He turned to longtime collaborator Ian Sullivan to help refine the method, and together they honed in on a process with red wine that worked not just well, but extremely well.
Joiner now has an ongoing partnership with Kodak to photograph the people he has come to know and admire in the wine world and develop the portraits in wines that hold meaning for the subjects, with the ultimate aim of releasing a book. Each portrait bears the mark of the winemaker via the subtle rosy glow from the wine in which it was developed.
Chris Christensen of Bodkin Wines. Photo developed in the 2022 Bodkin Light Skinned Zinfandel. (James Joiner/Sonoma Magazine)
Joiner’s interest in wine ignited in 2008 after meeting Sonoma winemaker Tony Coturri through a friend. Coturri offered him a bottle and, when Joiner declined, saying he didn’t really like to drink, Coturri poured him a glass anyway.
“Wine isn’t drinking, it’s stories in a bottle,” Coturri told him.
Something clicked, launching Joiner into an obsession with the stories of wine and the people who work with it.
“There’s a poetry in wine, and a poetry in analog photography,” Joiner explains. “So to be able to capture someone on film and have the actual light and energy from that split-second of exposure bond with the wine — it’s incredibly magical. The moment gets fused together forever inside the silver halide crystals that make up the black-and-white image. Plus, the process is completely nontoxic, which is important to me.”
“Sonoma is just… it’s an incredible spot,” says Joiner. “It’s been one of those rare places where you always seem to be in the right place at the right time, full of chance encounters and small-world moments.”
Rosalind Manoogian of Fog Crest Vineyard in Sebastopol. Photo developed in the 2018 Fog Crest Estate Pinot Noir. (James Joiner/Sonoma Magazine)
Rosalind Manoogian, Fog Crest Vineyard
“Shooting a proper portrait isn’t about just capturing someone’s likeness. That’s for driver’s licenses and passports. Portraits should speak to who the subject is and give insight into their character. To do this properly, most photographers have to learn to get out of the way and adapt to the situation.
Meeting Rosalind at her Fog Crest Vineyard estate tasting room, it immediately became clear that her elegance and confidence should take center stage. After shooting and talking with her for almost an hour, it was obvious she was as lyrical and complex as the Pinot Noir she produces. This shot — developed in a stunning 2018 Fog Crest Estate Pinot Noir — is more serious than some of the others. For that reason, it’s also one of my favorites. What’s that saying? ‘Fashion is fleeting, style is forever.’ Rosalind, and her wines, have style for miles.”
Hardy Wallace of Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah! in Sonoma. Photo developed in the 2022 Extradimensional Wine Co Yeah! Marvelous Mourvèdre. (James Joiner/Sonoma Magazine)
Hardy Wallace, Extradimensional Wine Co. Yeah!
“This was taken the very first time I met Hardy, at his production facility in Kenwood. While his expressiveness and stoke is well documented, nothing prepares you for the ball of positivity that is Hardy in real life.
I shot this with a fish-eye lens because I love how the distortion makes him feel larger than life. Fun fact, this was taken moments after discovering we were born in the same hospital in Salem, Massachusetts. Developed in Hardy’s 2022 Extradimensional Wine Co Yeah! Marvelous Mourvèdre, a beautiful, playful wine that defies the varietal’s brooding stereotype.”
Katie Rouse and Corinne Rich of Birdhorse Wines. Photo developed in the 2021 Birdhorse Barbera. (James Joiner/Sonoma Magazine)
Katie Rouse and Corinne Rich, Birdhorse Wines
“One of my favorite things about these wine film portraits is forcing myself to make an expressive image in a place I’ve often never been with someone I don’t really know. To be fair, I’d worked with Katie a bit in her role as assistant winemaker at Bedrock Wine Co., where this was shot, but never Corrine.
The newlywed couple were a photographer’s dream, more than willing to go the extra mile, as evidenced by the frames of Katie hosing Corrine down — something she certainly didn’t mind on a 104-degree July day. Processed in their 2021 Birdhorse Barbera, a delicate wine whose high acid content paired perfectly with the duo’s playfulness and the frenetic energy of the images.”
Patrick Cappiello of Monte Rio Cellars. Photo developed in the 2021 Monte Rio Cellars Zinfandel. (James Joiner/Sonoma Magazine)
Patrick Cappiello, Monte Rio Cellars
“I met Patrick before he was a winemaker, at his restaurant Pearl & Ash in New York City. He taught me how to saber Champagne with an iPhone for a story I was doing, and we stayed in touch. The way Patrick has willed himself into being a pivotal part of a new generation of winemakers always impresses me, as does his adherence to a DIY, punk-rock ethos.
The framing, film and super-wide lens make me think of classic early ’90s skate and hip-hop images, a vibe that works well for him. This was shot on Kodak Tri-X film and developed in Cappiello’s ebullient 2021 Monte Rio Cellars Zinfandel, which I think lent itself to the boldness of the images.”
Bibiana Gonzáles Rave of Cattleya Wines, Alma de Cattleya and Shared Notes. Photo developed in the 2021 Cattleya ‘The Reward’ Syrah. (James Joiner/Sonoma Magazine)
Bibiana Gonzáles Rave, Cattleya Wines, Alma de Cattleya, Shared Notes
“Bibiana met me at her winery for the shoot but was so excited to hear that I loved coffee she rushed me to another part of the building to show off her single origin, female-farmed coffee company, all roasted in-house and sourced in her native Colombia. Her excitement is as palpable as her sophistication, whether discussing the nuance of coffee imports or the clones that go into her breathtaking farming-forward wines at Cattleya.
Quick to laugh and naturally gregarious, Bibiana made photographing her, much like enjoying her wines, almost too easy. Developed in her mind-blowing 2021 Cattleya ‘The Reward’ Syrah, a wine so special they only make a handful of cases. Fitting for a portrait of a winemaker of the same caliber.”
Chris Christensen of Bodkin Wines. Photo developed in the 2022 Bodkin Light Skinned Zinfandel. (James Joiner/Sonoma Magazine)
Chris Christensen, Bodkin Wines
“When Chris rolled up to his Sebastopol winery and got out of his car with a vintage saber as big as his smile, I knew this was gonna be a fun one. Equal parts insightful, eccentric and hilarious, Chris is as effervescent as his sparkling wines, several of which he happily beheaded for our shoot.
We only went through one roll of film — 12 frames — and after developing them in his wonderfully autobiographically emoji-labeled 2022 Bodkin Light Skinned Zinfandel, I can say almost all of them rank among the favorites I’ve ever taken.”
Digital bonus: We’ve teamed up with photographer James Joiner and his friends at The Wine Makers podcast for a series of winemaker interviews in September.
The land that artist Alice Warnecke Sutro farms has been in her family for a century. (Liza Gershman/Sonoma Magazine)
Alice Warnecke Sutro has always looked to the land for inspiration. The rugged Warnecke Ranch, a 265-acre property in Sonoma’s Chalk Hill region with over a mile of frontage along the Russian River, has been in her family for six generations. The ranch is the place that feeds her soul, she says — the place where she can be the best version of herself.
“It’s why I manage the vineyard, make the wine and do the work. It’s all about the connection to the ranch.”
Growing up, the river was a peaceful place to swim and explore. Now, she takes her two children there to do the same. “It’s so beautiful down there. It’s imprinted in my mind as the most energizing place I can go.”
A scene of the Russian River near Alice Warnecke Sutro and her family’s Chalk Hill ranch in Sonoma. “It’s so beautiful down there,” she says. “It’s imprinted in my mind as the most energizing place I can go.” (Liza Gershman/Sonoma Magazine)
Alice — a grapegrower, winemaker and visual artist — studied art history at Stanford. She once held one of those student jobs that seem to only exist in the movies: maintaining works of art in the university’s outdoor sculpture garden. While soaping down a priceless Rodin bronze, she realized she was drawn to explore the places that had been home to the great artists she loved. Being able to touch and experience art in person was grounding to her artistic practice. Alice later lived and worked in Florence and Moscow before returning to the Bay Area’s California College of the Arts for a master’s degree in fine arts.
It was in graduate school that the young artist experienced a bit of a creative crisis. A professor had questioned aspects of her work, and she retreated to the family ranch to regroup. Alice found herself sitting on the ground, with her drawing paper beneath her, inside a large pigeon coop. Looking up at dozens of white pigeons, which had been raised on the ranch for 30 years, she simply began to draw what she saw.
“It’s hard to draw a bird because they always move. It was exciting, drawing faster and looser. Letting go of control made me more creative, exploratory and adventurous — and then the line in my work didn’t seem stale,” she says.
Recent works on paper inside Alice Warnecke Sutro’s rustic studio on her Chalk Hill ranch in Sonoma. (Liza Gershman/Sonoma Magazine)
Today, Alice continues that freely given expression, and has become known for life-size figurative line drawings as well as live art performances. She likens the performances to drawing under pressure — a concept she explores in the tradition of artists like Niki de Saint Phalle, one of her creative inspirations.
At Healdsburg’s Gallery Lulo, where she first explored the concept of live drawing, she’d sit in the gallery and invite people off the street to step inside, where she would draw them live and then give away digital copies of the portraits to the subjects.
“I don’t think museums are always the best places for art. They make it rare and inaccessible,” she says, pointing out that long ago, art was a form of ritual and often didn’t culminate in a single, stand-alone work.
Last summer, Alice created a monumental outdoor piece set in an olive grove at Petaluma’s McEvoy Ranch. Her “I’m On a Roll” mural spooled out in one 100-foot-long roll of paper, with 20 life-size portraits of real-life people, solicited on the spot and drawn in a span of 12 hours — an experience she likens to running a marathon, as she dug deep for the physical strength and focus to finish the work.
Alice Warnecke Sutro specializes in large-scale portrait projects, which she often draws on site and outdoors. With quick brushstrokes, she captures the essence of personality. (Liza Gershman/Sonoma Magazine)
“I was looking at subject matter and drawing, so my brain was working there. While talking to them, I was an active listener and active in the conversation and tried to remember things about them, but then I was also aware of the people around me. They are my audience, also.”
The live performance aspect of her art creates a deep connection with people.
“At the heart of my projects, there is always a person-to-person interaction,” she says. “Drawing from life gives my line a certain quality and helps make my work look how I want it to.”
Her recent installation, “Mistress of Memory,” at Healdsburg’s Harmon Guest House plays with the concept of hotels as transitive spaces, featuring life-size figurative drawings of women holding balloons over their bodies. Alice created art for six guest suites, as well as a large mural in the hotel restaurant — all accompanied by a flash-fiction writing project where hotel guest are invited to interpret the works. It’s a narrative, she explains, about making, and perhaps losing, memories.
“I like to open up my practice to other people. I think of it more like theater, like having a director or set producer.”
But drawing under such intense circumstances can take a toll. She utilizes her ranch as a place to recuperate “before getting back out there.” Her small, rambling studio, filled with family antiques and artifacts from around the ranch, was once used by her father, a landscape architect, as a drawing studio. It smells of the redwood from which it was built.
The whitewashed interior of Alice Warnecke Sutro’s art studio has a relaxed country feel, with plenty of places to stretch out. (Liza Gershman/Sonoma Magazine)
Alice says the studio is a place to look inward and work privately on smaller art pieces as well as short stories for an upcoming book.
“The internal work balances the public-facing part of the art,” she explains.
In late summer and early fall, Alice’s art takes a back seat to her duties as a rancher, grapegrower and winemaker. Alice and her aunt, Margo Warnecke Merck, manage an 80-acre vineyard, which produces some 350 tons of grapes that they sell to labels like Decoy, Matanzas Creek and Herzog. Alice holds back an additional 20 tons of fruit for her own label, SUTRO Wine Co. Her favorite fruit to work with is Cabernet Sauvignon, she says. “It’s the variety that can do the most. I love the grippiness and bitter taste.”
“I do often think about tannins as deep shadows on a painting.”
With a heavy harvest workload, Alice typically pauses larger works for a few months. Though, she keeps a list of musings and ideas close at hand and manages to create some time to write. She also occasionally uses an app on her iPad to “finish the stories” on drawings that are not yet complete. But the time away from more ambitious projects is another chance to recharge.
“I like that distance from it. I get reinvigorated to return to art-making with the seasons.”
Ever the farmer, with the promise of the future in mind, Alice is hopeful that this fall’s harvest will be the best vintage ever. After all, she says, “All farmers are idealistic romantics at heart.”
Alice Warnecke Sutro’s installations will be on display at Harmon Guest House through September, and she is also currently at work on a new exhibition at Escolar on the Santa Rosa Junior College campus in November. For more information, visit alicesutro.com. To shop Alice’s wines, including a crisp Sauvignon Blanc as well as her favorite Cabernet Sauvignon from Warnecke Ranch, visit sutrowine.com.
Coupon code website Wethrift recently released a list of the top 10 U.S. cities that offer luxury experiences at an affordable price. The August list included two Sonoma County cities — and Sonoma ranked No. 1.
According to Travel + Leisure, the Wethrift study looked at 956 Michelin-starred and Bib Gourmand restaurants as well as 348 luxury hotels across the country to come up with the 10 most affordable cities with 5-star experiences.
Seven of the cities on the list are located in California, and three of those are in the Bay Area. Healdsburg is No. 10 on the list and San Francisco comes in at No. 6.
Dish from Valley Bar + Bottle in Sonoma. (Eileen Roche/For Sonoma Magazine)
“Sonoma is the cheapest city for a 5-star experience, with an average restaurant price of just $43.75 and an average hotel price of $518,” the Wethrift team stated in their findings. “In Sonoma, you can enjoy restaurants such as Valley, then stay a night over at the Cottage Inn & Spa.”
Valley Bar + Bottle, also known as Valley, made it on our list of the best restaurants in Sonoma County this year. Favorite dishes here fall under the $40 mark — like the half chicken ($38) and the crispy rice cakes with ginger-scallion sauce ($14).
The best restaurants list also includes Sonoma’s Bloom Carneros, where everything on the dinner menu is under $30. We recommend the Tacos Dorados ($19): crispy rolled vegan tacos with sweet potato puree, avocado, salsa, cabbage and spicy pickles.
A room at Sonoma Creek Inn in Sonoma. (Courtesy Sonoma Creek Inn)
In terms of where to stay, Sonoma Creek Inn ranks as one of Wine Country’s best bargains. Additionally, Wethrift noted The Cottage Inn & Spa, on First Street, has the cheapest rate for “250 square feet of charm.”
Healdsburg, No. 10 on Wethrift’s list, is known for its upscale, high-price restaurants like Valette and SingleThread. But there are also some more affordable Healdsburg eateries, such as the Downtown Bakery, Otoro Sushi and the Wurst Restaurant.
Find more places to eat, sip and stay on a budget in Healdsburg and Sonoma here.
Margherita, the queen of pizzas with sauce of fresh tomatoes, melted mozzarella cheese with fresh basil and EVOO from L’Oro di Napoli in downtown Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
An influx of Italian settlers in the 19th century brought not only their winemaking skills but also their culinary traditions to Sonoma County. Unsurprisingly, some of our oldest restaurants (a few still in operation under second, third or even fourth generations) have kept family recipes as the backbone of their operations.
Newer takes on Italian cuisine often mix in California touches or focus on specific regions of Italy — from Milan to Sicily. With so much diversity in Italian cuisine alone, we’ve reached out to readers on our Facebook and Instagram to garner locals’ favorites in the county.
Scroll on below to find the best Italian restaurants in Sonoma County, starting with our dining editor’s top picks and followed by local faves. Mangia bene!
Our Dining Editor’s Top Picks
Steamed Clams with Linguini garlic, white wine and seasoned breadcrumbs from Campanella Friday, September 6, 2024 in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Campanella
An unapologetic “red sauce joint” that channels the red-and-white-checkered tablecloth, candles in the Chianti bottle, garlic-scented family trattorias that are the lifeblood of Italian American neighborhoods along the Atlantic Seaboard. The mix of old-world and new-world flavors speaks to the 19th-century migration of Italians (primarily from Southern Italy and Sicily) to New York. Garlic knots, Chicken Parm pizza, steamed clams with linguini and cheesecake are all standouts.
Paolo Pedrinazzi and his wife, Kathleen Escamilla, are the pasta whisperers of Sebastopol. Their homey cafe has all the charm of nonna’s kitchen as Escamilla scurries between tables, dropping plates of cacio e pepe, risotto and fresh pappardelle pasta with saffron cream to customers. And, of course, the 12-layer lasagna. Don’t miss the Bolognese and fresh tiramisu made daily.
Italian chef, Italian ingredients, Italian oven, Italian pizza. The most authentic Neapolitan pizza in Sonoma County goes from dough to done in seconds thanks to a super-heated woodfired oven. The homemade lasagna is unbelievably good.
Tiramisu at Cafe Citti in Santa Rosa. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Cafe Citti
This popular Kenwood restaurant relocated to Santa Rosa and continues to serve some of the best pizza, pasta and sauces around. We love their polenta with creamy porcini mushroom sauce. Dine on the restaurant’s covered and heated back patio, or pick up for an Italian meal at home.
2792 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-523-2690, cafecitti.com
Grata Italian Eatery
This charming, chef-run restaurant offers modern takes on classic Italian dishes. Gnudi alla vodka, risotto and cacio e pepe are favorite dishes. Open for lunch, dinner and cocktails.
A Victorian home sets the stage for pan-Italian cuisine (from Milan to Sicily). The food always impresses with its restrained simplicity (no gloopy sauces or overwrought pastas) and graceful presentation. Great for impressing parents, dates or coworkers.
835 Second St., Santa Rosa, 707-542-5800, cabianca.com
Pasta Fagioli (pasta and bean soup) at classy, longtime Petaluma restaurant Cucina Paradiso. (Sonoma Magazine)
Cucina Paradiso
Every pasta is a winner at this classy longtime Petaluma restaurant, but our favorite is the housemade ravioli, filled with roasted duck in sun-dried tomato, pine nut and basil sauce.
A trio of SingleThread alums opened Healdsburg’s hottest see-and-be-seen restaurant. The vibe is pure fun, as is the menu, with seasonal woodfired pizzas, seasonal housemade pastas, shared plates with locally sourced produce, clever cocktails, delish desserts and our favorite halibut crudo, with California chili oil.
Boscaiolo Pizza with fontina, mushroom medley and truffle from the Golden Bear Station Thursday, January 11, 2023 on Hwy 12 in Kenwood. (Photo John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Golden Bear Station
This restaurant from the owners of Sonoma’s Animo is an homage to Italy. Mostly. While the menu leans heavily on gourmet pizzas and pasta, it also includes dishes like tuna crudo, whole lamb saddle and Asian-inspired pork chop in dashi broth. Pizzas are a highlight, perfectly cooked without the bitter notes of char, and the pastas are equally impressive.
This under-the-radar trattoria serves hearty Tuscan dishes from Italian transplant Francesco Torre, who takes pride in the authenticity of his frequently changing dishes with local ingredients.
Ten-layer lasagna at Catelli’s in Geyserville. (Chris Hardy/for Sonoma Magazine)
Catelli’s
Lasagna with paper-thin layers of pasta and a tried-and-true meat sauce is a signature dish worth the trip north. Chef Domenica Catelli is one of Sonoma County’s bright lights, committed to using the best local ingredients. Don’t miss the burger or chicken parm.
You’ll swear you’re in Italy at this temple of charcuterie, woodfired pizza and classic Italian entrees, including oxtail ragu with pappardelle, braised beef tripe alla Fiorentina and spaghetti with pork cheek ragu. The cheeky hanging laundry lining the walkway to the back patio completes the experience.
Italian classics like spaghetti Puttanesca and veal piccata impress local diners at this neighborhood favorite. Creamy gnocchi Riviera never disappoints.
“Riviera is my favorite. Authentic, diverse and delicious menu,” said Jed Spencer on Facebook. “The lamb ravioli is outstanding. Fresh bread and olive tapenade is a real treat, even when you order to-go! It’s a family-run restaurant, so you know you’re getting great service. Everyone is very friendly and after chatting with the owner I felt like I had a better knowledge of Italy and its food. If you’re making a list, they MUST be on it!”
Wanda Lou takes an order from Pilar Marin and Andrew Reece on the opening night at Volpi’s Ristorante & Bar in Petaluma after a year’s hiatus since the start of the pandemic on Thursday, May 6, 2021. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Volpi’s Ristorante & Bar
Volpi’s in Petaluma dates back nearly 100 years, existing as a grocer and speakeasy before becoming a restaurant in 1992. Find Italian-American classics like spaghetti and meatballs, eggplant parmigiana and veal marsala.
“Love the old speakeasy and great family style food,” said Amanda Bolla of Volpi’s on Facebook.
Plenty of Healdsburg locals say this is a must-visit spot often overlooked by tourists, with elevated Italian dishes from chef-owner Shari Sarabi. The bolognese sauce is made with Kobe beef, veal and pork ribs for an extra luscious dish.
“Love the food, the vibe, the owners and staff, and the wine list,” said Paula Radell of Baci on Facebook. “We eat there so often we have a designated table for two. It never disappoints.”
This family-friendly cafe serves less frequently seen dishes, including roasted zucchini flowers and fava beans, along with two types of ravioli, cannelloni and spaghetti. It is one of the few places to get Nonna Zeppole (beignet-style doughnuts). The wine list includes some of the owners’ Italian-style D’Argenzio wines.
“Cibos, owner treats you amazingly and might even pour you a little complimentary glass of his favorite wine, which he bottles from his barrelhouse,” said Adam Turréy on Facebook.
1305 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-623-9906, ciborustico.com
Cannoli at LoCoco’s Cucina Rustica in Santa Rosa, on Sept. 24, 2013. (Alvin Jornada / The Press Democrat)
LoCoco’s Cucina Rustica
This cozy Italian trattoria is always packed with fans of their traditional pasta dishes (pappardelle with wild boar sausage, linguine with clams), shrimp scampi and veal saltimbocca. Homemade cannoli is a must-try.
117 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-523-2227, lococos.net
Dinucci’s Restaurant
This checkered-tablecloth, family-style Italian has been around for generations. Dinners include antipasti, sourdough bread, minestrone and salads. Choose from dishes like classic spaghetti, fettuccini, chicken Parmigiana and cannelloni crepes. It’s a good deal for a whole lot of food.
“@dinuccis for sure!! Everything is delicious. Especially the homemade minestrone 😋” said @alexis_starkey_ on Instagram.
This strip mall Italian spot impresses with dishes like crab ravioli, calamari dore, house gnocchi and a divine torta di cioccolata (chocolate cake) — plus an attentive waitstaff.
“Caffe Giostra in Petaluma because the food is consistently delicious and the owners and staff are so welcoming,” said David Hartranft about Caffe Giostra on Facebook.
1390 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-664-9441
Housemade gnocchi with a wild boar ragu at Risibisi Restaurant in Petaluma on Monday, July 30, 2012. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)
Risibisi
Housemade gnocchi with braised wild boar is a specialty at this Petaluma restaurant. Risotto is also a favorite.
“Risibisi Restaurant in Petaluma,” Keller Estate nominated on Facebook. “Great food and service.”
This locals’ favorite has a brief but focused menu with weekly specials from Sicilian-born chef Gaetano Patrinostro.
“[Mamma] Taninos in Sonoma. The best! A close second is Della’s just off the Plaza,” said Leslie Leutbecher on Facebook.
500 W. Napa St., Suite 512, Sonoma, 707-933-8826, mammataninos.com
Apple Fritters with two whole apple rings hand-dipped in sweet housemade batter and deep fried to a golden brown then dusted with powdered sugar from Negri’s Italian Dinners and Joe’s Bar in Occidental. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Negri’s Italian Dinners & Joe’s Bar
Family-run since 1943, this old-school Italian eatery is known for its homemade ravioli. The updated Joe’s Bar and Lounge features all the traditional Negri’s favorites Friday through Sunday, including their famous fried chicken, burgers, pizza and modern takes on classic cocktails.
“Gotta go with Negri’s Italian Dinners & Joe’s Bar in Occidental,” said Donna Jean Say on Facebook. “Authentic Italian food and great hometown people. Can’t get those raviolis anywhere else and the desserts, homemade by the Negri ladies, are to die for.”
Another local’s favorite and one of only a few restaurants in this charming north county town. You’ll find a long lineup of pasta, parmigiana, seafood, veal dishes and housemade tiramisu.
“Family-run, amazing steak specials, calamari dori, real Italian veal, fresh tiramisu made daily, good value prices,” said Tina Castelli of Piacére on Facebook.
The famous Spaghetti Half & Half with marinara and pesto and a half order House Salad from Art’s Place in Rohnert Park on Friday, Dec. 4, 2020. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Art’s Place
Founded by the late Art Ibleto, Sonoma County’s “Pasta King,” Art’s Place remains family-owned and has affordable Italian classics. The chicken marsala, fettuccini Alfredo and shrimp scampi get top reviews.
“Never had a bad meal,” said Cheryl Cook about Art’s Place on Facebook. “Friendly staff, good bar.”
A casual neighborhood cafe with an extensive pasta menu and approachable prices.
2700 Yulupa Ave., Suite 10, Santa Rosa, 707-542-9050
Honorable Mentions
The bruschetta trio at Sugo Trattoria in Petaluma. (Courtesy Sugo Trattoria)
Sugo Trattoria
This intimate Italian spot in Petaluma’s theater district offers an impressive lineup of bruschetta along with fan favorites like butternut squash risotto, pistachio-crusted salmon and a creamy pesto verdura.
5 Petaluma Blvd. S., Suite B, Petaluma, 707-782-9298, sugotrattoria.com
Trattoria Roma
This longtime family restaurant features an extensive menu of traditional Italian fare with hearty pastas, piccata, scallopini and saltimbocca.
Tucked away in east Petaluma’s Washington Square shopping center, Alfredo’s offers traditional Italian dishes at reasonable prices for lunch and dinner. Spaghetti Bolognese and housemade mushroom ravioli are standout dinner entrees. Get the tiramisu or chocolate gelato for dessert.
The menu here is split between California-inspired Italian dishes and German classics. Owner-chef John Franchetti has always made incredible Italian-style woodfired pizzas (though the German-style Flammkuchen pizza is also a favorite). Delicate arancini are addictive, as well as pasta pomodoro.
The Funghi di Limone pizza with white sauce, shaved artichokes finished with lemon oil from Rosso Pizzeria in Santa Rosa. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
Rosso
Woodfired pizza is a signature dish at this casual neighborhood wine bar and cafe; even local chefs say they love grabbing a round on their days off (the Funghi di Limone with mushrooms, cheese and lemon oil is tops). I make an annual pilgrimage for the fried chicken with caramelized pancetta glaze.
Graton Casino trattoria fronted by world-famous pizzaiolo Tony Gemignani offers five styles of pizza: woodfired Neapolitan and California-style; brick-oven Italian and American standards, as well as thick-crust Sicilian; and stone-oven New York and New Haven-style pizzas.
This little pizzeria in downtown Healdsburg specializes in Napolitana and Romana-style pizzas, and also offers seasonal bites, paninis, housemade pastas and organic soft-serve ice cream.
Francis Ford Coppola’s winery-based Italian restaurant features the film director’s favorite dishes in an airy, open dining room and offers sweeping views from the patio.
Nonna’s Meatballs made with beef, pork, pistachios and raisins then topped with marinara and ricotta from Campanella Friday, September 6, 2024 in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Campanella’s Chicken Parm Pie says everything you need to know about the new Brooklyn-meets-Sebastopol Italian American restaurant.
The hand-tossed pizza topped with mozzarella, vodka sauce and fried chicken cutlets is a throwback to owner Tom Rutledge’s favorite childhood snack when visiting his grandparents in Brooklyn and Queens. That, along with arancini, eggplant Parmesan, meatballs and pasta with long-simmered red sauce, were the East Coast staples he dearly missed in his adopted Sonoma County home.
So, he built a restaurant to satisfy his cravings.
Pepperoni pizza in the corner table in the garden patio at Campanella Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
“We are putting our twist on the ‘red sauce’ kind of comfort food from back East,” Rutledge said. “That happy combination of East Coast and Sonoma County, both in the kitchen and the bar, is what we look for throughout the menu. The team nailed it, and we will keep refining it and improving, but they nailed it.”
Recently opened in the former Flavor Bistro location, Campanella is an unapologetic “red sauce joint” that channels the red-and-white-checkered tablecloth, candles in the Chianti bottle, garlic-scented family trattorias that are the lifeblood of Italian American neighborhoods along the Atlantic Seaboard. The mix of old-world and new-world flavors speaks to the 19th-century migration of Italians (primarily from Southern Italy and Sicily) to New York.
For executive chef Anthony Paone (also a Brooklynite), nonna-inspired recipes, including his Italian grandmother’s arancini, are the key to the restaurant’s authenticity. After years in California’s fine-dining scene, Paone thought his days of tossing pizzas and making red sauce were behind him, but he’s embracing the full-circle moment.
Arancini is a fried risotto ball with beef ragu, peas and mozzarella from Campanella Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
“The arancini, that was grandma’s and how she made it for my Sicilian grandpa,” Paone said. Filled with rice, peas, mozzarella and beef ragu with a side of marinara ($7), they’re as comforting as an old quilt.
Campanella benefits from an infusion of California’s farm-to-table ethos, and Paone is enthusiastic about where he locally sources the meat, fish and produce. Still, the chef is clear that he’s not about to start putting edible flowers on anything. Instead, he bumps flavors with fresh herbs and glams up a simple salad with Little Gem lettuce, housemade basil Ranch, Meyer lemon, curls of fresh radish and fried capers ($16).
The interior vibe is fresh, bright and clean with crisp green hues, splashes of red wallpaper, a wall of purposefully mismatched paintings, an inviting patio and a sleek bar.
Helen Janek, center, celebrated her 100th birthday with her daughter Nancy with a dessert gift from the staff at Campanella Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
And watching over all of it is an imposing picture of Nonna. Not anyone’s nonna per se, because the image was generated from a collection of grandma photographs from Rutledge, Paone and others fed into an AI image generator. With designer glasses, windblown hair and a perky scarf, this is Nonna 2.0, inspired by the past and firmly rooted in the present.
“My grandmother, the inspiration for this project, was always happiest when friends and family gathered around her dining room table. I know she’d be thrilled watching the neighborhood come and do the same thing here,” Rutledge said.
Best bets
Garlic Knots, $9: The little knobs of buttery, doughy, yeasty garlic bread are stupido good. Dunk unabashedly into housemade basil Ranch dressing served for precisely that reason — Va bene.
Nonna’s Meatballs made with beef, pork, pistachios and raisins then topped with marinara and ricotta from Campanella Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Nonna’s Meatballs, $19: Traditional style with beef and pork, breadcrumbs and ricotta with a twist. The Moorish influence on Italy brought ingredients like pistachios and raisins, adding almost imperceptible sweetness. Served with a side of marinara, not swimming in it. Bravo.
Italian Butter Beans, $13: I loathe beans in any form except dripping in garlic butter (clearly a theme), and so tender they melt in your mouth. You’ll love these even if you’re a bean hater like me.
Eggplant Parm with vodka sauce, ricotta and mozzarella from Campanella Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Eggplant Parm, $16: My freezer is stocked with store-bought Angelo’s eggplant Parmesan because I can never get enough. I’m thrilled with the housemade version at Campanella with layers of cheese, crispy breaded eggplant, vodka sauce and crunchy burnt-cheese edges. Next time, I’m not sharing.
Chicken Parm Pie, $28: If there’s a signature dish at Campanella, it’s this impressive pizza. The dough is straightforward with a crisp, leopard crust and soft (though not undercooked) center, just like a New York pie should be. Vodka sauce — a creamy tomato sauce that uses a splash of vodka as an emulsifier (the alcohol cooks off) — lays the base for chunks of fried chicken tenders and a heavy hand of melty mozzarella. If you’re a purist, go for the Classic cheese ($22) with Ezzo pepperoni ($5) that curls and crisps perfectly.
Braised Beef Pizzaiola, $32: A giant chunk of melt-in-your-mouth-tender beef braised in marinara sauce. Historically, the pizza-maker’s wife would put meat in the still-hot oven to slowly cook overnight. The polenta was OK but could use a little more flavor — then again, by the time we ate it, our taste buds may have been garlic-overloaded.
Steamed Clams with Linguini garlic, white wine and seasoned breadcrumbs from Campanella Friday, September 6, 2024 in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Steamed Clams with Linguine, $26: You’re Frank Sinatra sitting with “The Godfather” and “Jersey Shore” casts. It doesn’t get more Italian American than this.
Sunday Supper and Specials, Market Price: There’s always something additional on the menu, and usually worth trying. Shrimp Scampi was one of our favorite specials, shrimp fettuccine loaded with garlic and all of the butter. Vampires be gone!
Cheesecake, $12: I am always dubious about cheesecake because it almost always disappoints. You will not be disappointed with this creamy, fluffy, tart and sweet slice with a buttery graham cracker crust and candied orange peels. If Rainbow Cookies are available, grab them as well.
Italian Rainbow Cookie from Campanella Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, in Sebastopol. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Meyer Lemon Fennel Spritz $13: Fennel-infused Limoncello with Prosecco, soda and lemon. I mean, how could you say no? It’s sweet and robust, so I diluted mine to even out the flavor and cut the booze a bit. Keep it classy.
Signora Blanca, $14: Charbay Meyer lemon vodka, Cointreau, lemon verbena syrup and an aquafaba foam. Naughty and nice.
Campanella offers some gluten-free pastas, as well as vegan and vegetarian options. Wine, beer and nonalcoholic cocktails are also available.
The former Oakville Grocery in Healdsburg has reopened as Acorn Cafe, serving breakfast, brunch and lunch. I stopped by for a quick bite and was wowed by the Tiramisu French toast ($16) made with brioche from Santa Rosa’s Goguette Bread, mascarpone sabayon (a rich cream sauce) coffee ice cream and a layer of cacao nib bark.
Tiramisu French toast at Acorn Cafe in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
The all-day menu from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. also features a locally-sourced Benedict with brown butter Hollandaise ($18), zesty shakshuka ($18) with two poached eggs, tomato sauce, eggplant and green olive tapenade, a fried chicken sandwich ($21), breakfast burger ($19), salads and espresso drinks.
From 3 to 5 p.m., stop by for snacks (the kitchen is closed) and a glass of wine or beer. Takeout salads and sandwiches are also available. I’ll dive deeper into this Healdsburg newcomer’s story in October.
Molcajete Poblano of roasted poblano chile, chicken, chorizo, queso Panela, onions, radish and cactus from Los Molcajetes Bar & Grill in Rincon Valley on Wednesday, September 9, 2020. (Photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
The owners of Los Molcajetes have opened a third location at the former Kina’s Cafe (19101 Sonoma Highway) in Sonoma.
The lengthy menu at the new restaurant focuses on seafood, including ceviche, aguachile, mixed seafood plates, a seafood molcajete, a whole fried perch and fish tacos. You’ll also find empanadas, nachos, shareable parradillas for a family, salads, sandwiches and chicken, beef or pork platters.
“Mojarra Frita” deep fried Mojarra fish with rice, black beans, a garden salad with a margarita from Los Molcajetes Bar & Grill in Rincon Valley on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2020. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)
The menu includes a glossary to help English speakers wade through Spanish descriptions (did you know “zarandeado” is a method for grilling fish over an open flame?)
Other locations for Los Molcajetes are at 1950 Piner Road and 6599 Montecito Blvd. in Santa Rosa. losmolcajetesbarandgrill.com
Correction: An earlier version of this story stated that Los Molcajetes was a Guy Fieri favorite featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in 2018. The Fieri favorite is Taqueria Molcajetes on College Avenue.
