Acme Burger at Acme Burger in Cotati. (Heather Irwin/Sonoma Magazine)
According to co-owner Erica Kniess, Acme Burger will open a fourth location — its second in Petaluma — at the former Flamez Grill, 701 Sonoma Mountain Parkway, in mid-July.
The casual eatery, which features locally sourced burgers, fish and chips, fried chicken and Straus milkshakes, first opened in Cotati in 2019.
The restaurant was founded by high-end chef Todd Kneiss, who found a challenge in creating the ideal burger — and he has.
I recently stopped by the Santa Rosa cafe, 1007 W. College Ave., for a turkey melt special with Gruyere cheese and caramelized onions, and the messy, five-napkin affair didn’t disappoint.
My parents swear by the fried fish sandwich, making frequent stops on their trips to Santa Rosa.
The couple opened their first Petaluma location on the west side, 330 Western Ave., in 2022. Find hours and details about their restaurants at acmeburgerco.com.
Glamping tent at the campground at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park. (Sugarloaf Ridge State Park)
Yes, summer is still the most popular time to camp, but there’s something to be said for getting outdoors when nature is at its peak vibrancy—crisp air, green hillsides, and fragrant wildflowers all included. Here are the best springtime camping spots in Sonoma County for every occasion.
For families
Casini Ranch Family Campground:Casini Ranch checks all the boxes, with rustic cabins and tent sites overlooking the Russian River, where families can swim, fish, and relax by a seasonal beach bonfire. Family-operated since 1965, Casini Ranch also has hayrides, movie nights, dance parties, and watercraft rentals. 22855 Moscow Rd., Duncans Mills. 800-451-8400, casiniranch.com
Sugarloaf Ridge State Park: With redwood forests and access to Sonoma Creek, Sugarloaf boasts year-round camping at nearly 50 campsites centered on a large meadow. Romance blossoms with the bloom of wildflowers, from delicate purple shooting stars to vibrant red Indian paintbrush. The Robert Ferguson Observatory hosts monthly stargazing parties, and the 25-foot seasonal waterfall is just a short hike from the campground. 2605 Adobe Canyon Rd., Kenwood, 707-833-5712, sugarloafpark.org
Teardrop trailer built by Joe Kasareff set up for camping at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, near Kenwood. (Kent Porter/The Press Democrat)
At the ocean
Bodega Dunes Campground: Overlooking Bodega Harbor, Bodega Dunes Campground is close to excellent seafood restaurants—and in spring, there is whale watching and bird watching to enjoy, as the adjacent beach is habitat for the threatened snowy plover. The campground has nearly 100 campsites, and though the ocean here is too dangerous to swim, you’ll have easy access to sandy beach walks, coastal hikes—even horseback rides. 2485 Hwy. 1, Bodega Bay. 707-875-3483, parks.ca.gov
For luxury
Wildhaven Sonoma: This riverfront Healdsburg glamping site has large, safari-style tents complete with electricity, Wi-Fi, outdoor patios, fire pits, and memory foam mattresses with heated mattress pads (goodbye, stiff necks!). And in true Sonoma County style, the campsite is a stone’s throw from a local swimming hole—a private stretch of the Russian River to launch your kayaks and innertubes. 2411 Alexander Valley Rd., Healdsburg. 707283-7773, wildhavensonoma.com
Spring Lake Regional Park: With wildflower hikes, mountain biking, and fishing on the lake, there’s plenty to do here. The park’s Environmental Discovery Center, geared to elementary schoolers, offers hands-on nature education and science experiments. Three modern cabins and 31 campsites are located in oak woodlands above the lake, and the swimming lagoon opens Memorial Day weekend. 5585 Newanga Ave., Santa Rosa. 707-565-2267, sonomacountycamping.org
For sunsets
Wright’s Beach Campground: This sandy beach spot at Sonoma Coast State Park offers gorgeous ocean and sunset views. Outdoor activities include whale and bird watching, hang gliding, and one of Sonoma County’s classic, must-do hikes: the Kortum Trail, which winds along bluffs and leads to several other nearby beaches. 7095 Hwy. 1, Bodega Bay. 707-875-3483, parks.ca.gov
A cheese flight at Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery includes Grazin’ Girl gorgonzola, Estero Gold, Estero Gold Reserve, Highway 1 Fontina, fresh mozzarella, fresh ricotta, and plain farmer’s cheese, in Valley Ford. (Christopher Chung / The Press Democrat)
If you’ve spent any time in Wine Country, you’ve likely seen a t-shirt reading, “Sweet dreams are made of cheese.”
Excellent locally made cheese is way of life here. There are 45 farms and creameries featured on the most recent, 2023 edition of the California Cheese Trail map, open for tours and spanning Sonoma, Marin and San Francisco counties, plus others across the north and central coasts, the Central Valley, Gold Country and Southern California.
But these listed properties are just a slice of local cheese culture — the Cheese Trail interactive map also features another 32 California cheesemakers which are not currently open to the public.
Clouds roll over Chileno Valley, as viewed from Wilson Hill Road. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
The mother lode of creameries resides in Sonoma County, operating on pastoral properties winding through canyons, pastures, sprawling meadows and oak-covered hills. And more creameries are being added each year as intrepid dairy scientists and artists fall in love with the delicious, classic profession.
One way to keep up is to attend the annual California Artisan Cheese Festival, held each spring in Sonoma County. It’s a multi-day showcase of relaxed cheese tastings, along with food and drink pairings, seminars at rural properties, cheesemaker-led farm tours and an Artisan Cheese Tasting & Marketplace showcasing more than 100 boutique cheese producers, winemakers, brewers and tiny-batch food crafters. (hint: all the activities sell out fast, so plan ahead).
Another way is to simply hop in your car and drive, visiting the farms and creameries on your own and sampling straight from the source. Start in San Francisco, then make your way to Valley Ford in west Sonoma County. For extra delight, follow this scenic route that will have you soaking up gorgeous landscapes, rural backroads, and oodles of cheesy charm.
A bucolic scene along Chileno Valley Road. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)
San Francisco
Daily Driver: Peek through the glass kitchen walls into this Dogpatch industrial space and café/mercantile to watch quark being hand made with Jersey cow milk from Silva Family Dairy of Tomales (quark is a German-style cheese similar to Greek yogurt). Fuel up for the day by grabbing a fresh-baked, wood-fired organic bagel slathered with hand-batted organic butter and cream cheese, plus a trade direct small-batch coffee. 2535 Third St., San Francisco, 415-852-3535, dailydriver.com
Nicasio/Marin County
Nicasio Valley Cheese Company: Hop on 101-N and take exit 456 for Lucas Valley Road, delivering you to this 1,150-acre certified organic bovine utopia. In 1919, Swiss immigrants Fred and his wife Zelma Dolcini Lafranchi established the Lafranchi Dairy; in 2010, his children changed the name but kept the classic cheese recipes made with fresh, sweet cow’s milk. There are guided cheese tastings and ranch tours on Friday mornings to help you find your favorite flavors from some dozen curated selections. 5300 Nicasio Valley Road, Nicasio, 415-662-6200, nicasiocheese.com
Achadinha Cheese Company’s family farmstead in Petaluma is home to some 240 goats and 30 dairy cows. (Achadinha Cheese Company)Broncha, a goat and cow milk blended cheese, aged for 6-months at Achadinha Cheese Company in Petaluma. (Erik Castro/for Sonoma Magazine)
Petaluma/Sonoma County
Achadinha Cheese Company: Next, travel through sprawling canyon wilderness and ranch sanctuaries (and right past another visitor favorite you might want to check out, the slightly more commercial Marin French Cheese Co.). A farm tour is a must at the delightful Achadinha. You’ll see the cheesemaking salons, milking parlor and the loafing barns where the girls (goats and cows) hang out, and then you’ll wrap it up with lavish cheese tastings. Plan on nearly two hours to take it all in, or, if you’re really adventurous, we highly recommend adding on a cheesemaking class, too, expanding the time to 2.5 hours. You’ll craft your very own cheese, then snack on a yummy deli sandwich and even more cheese. 750 Chileno Valley Road, Petaluma, 707-763-1025, achadinha.com
Ricotta surrounded with an olive and tomato dip at Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery in Valley Ford. (Christopher Chung / The Press Democrat)Cheese maker Joe Moreda in the aging room at the Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery. (John Burgess/Sonoma Magazine)
Valley Ford/Sonoma County
Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery: This is actually a café and country mercantile, but the cheeses are known across the country for their premium quality. The nearby ranch was founded in 1918 and is still owned by the same family. And the café wraps around the spectacular, humidity-controlled aging cheese room, showcasing endless wheels of signatures like gassy-nutty-buttery Estero Gold cheese, silky Highway 1 Fontina style cheese and rustic Grazin’ Girl Gorgonzola. Admire the cheese room, then dig into luxuries, like an array of grilled cheese sandwiches fit for a high-end restaurant (we particularly love the melted Fontina model, tucked with housemade roasted porchetta laced with kale slaw on rye ciabatta). 14390 Valley Ford Road, Valley Ford, 707-293-5636, valleyfordcheese.com
Looking to start a vegetable garden in Sonoma? Get insider tips from a professional gardener and learn how to grow your own food.
Professional gardener Rachel Kohn Obut loves vegetables, fruit trees, flowers, native species— anything that brings nourishment and beauty. She loves plants, and she understands them, too. She has studied permaculture and landscape design and served as farm manager at both Sweetwater Spectrum in Sonoma and Flatbed Farm in Glen Ellen. From 2018 to 2023, she ran her own vegetable and flower farm on a leased acre of land in Napa.
Today, Obut blends her agricultural and design backgrounds with her interest in native ecosystems to consult on edible gardens and residential landscapes in both Napa and Sonoma (littlemoonfarmnapa.com). She also runs her own backyard farm, selling cut flowers and veggie starts, including ‘Mara des Bois’ strawberries (her all-time favorite), ‘Jimmy Nardello’ sweet peppers, and the alluring ‘Piracicaba’ sprouting broccoli.
“There’s always more to learn in gardening,” Obut says. “I think the most exciting part is trying new varieties of vegetables and finding new ones that do well.”
Rachel Kohn Obut. (Rebecca Gosselin)
Rachel Kohn Obut’s tips for starting a vegetable garden in Sonoma:
Envisioning your garden
The spring is just really fun for visioning and planning. What do you want to do with your garden space? It’s the most exciting time of year for me. Once the danger of frost has passed, which is usually by mid-April—though the last few years we’ve sometimes had some later frost in parts of Sonoma County—and up until mid-May is the optimal time to be putting all kinds of plants in the ground.
Summer crops
Tomatoes, summer squash, basil, and cucumbers are the easiest ones to get started with. Varieties that do well in Sonoma Valley will be different from those that do well near the coast. For example, with tomatoes, if you’re in a cooler climate, cherry tomatoes will ripen faster and be more successful, whereas if you’re in Sonoma Valley or Healdsburg, you’ll have better success with all the heirlooms. ‘Copia’ tomatoes are an open-pollinated variety named for Copia in Napa, where I now consult, that has been one of my favorites for a long time.
I think having a drip irrigation setup is really useful. Hand watering is hard to do. Apply the best compost that you can, and supply a balanced vegetable fertilizer yearly. If you start to see your crops not doing as well from year to year, it could be a fertility imbalance occurring over time that can be easily corrected, or it could also be a soil-borne fungal disease. To identify the problem, get a soil test.
Relishing home-grown food
My enjoyment of food and eating and cooking definitely got me into farming in the first place, and has kept me farming. Food is a basic need, and growing vegetables feels like a really wholesome way to connect with the community. Having your own home garden can help you tap into that. Plus, food that’s super fresh and grown from your own garden is healthier and tastes better and can inspire your cooking.
Iconic 20th-century thinkers Ray and Charles Eames never lived in Sonoma County. The couple, married for almost four decades, are most associated with Los Angeles, where they built their famous Case Study home and ran the Eames Office, which applied their unique way of looking at the world to everything from furniture to museum exhibitions to educational films. Their classic documentary “Powers of Ten,” created in the 1970s for IBM, is still shown in many high-school science classes, and the supremely comfortable Eames lounge chair and ottoman anchor living spaces all over the world.
For many design fans, this is well-trodden history. But the part of the story less widely known is the Eames family’s deep connection to Sonoma County. In the early 1990s, Charles’s daughter, Lucia, bought 27 acres in west Petaluma’s rural San Antonio Valley. Over a lifetime of visiting Charles and Ray at their place of work, Lucia had absorbed their creative principles and became an accomplished sculptor and designer.
After purchasing the ranch, Lucia Eames hired a family friend, Sea Ranch architect William Turnbull, to design a home. The board-and-batten cluster of farm buildings he created is classic Sonoma County, with an internal courtyard protected from the wind and views that frame the rolling hills of the San Antonio Valley. Lucia Eames, who passed away in 2014, left the care of the ranch to her daughter—Ray and Charles’s granddaughter—Llisa Demetrios, who raised her two children there.
Husband and wife designers Charles and Ray Eames, far left, believed in being hands-on designers, often working through many different concepts before settling on a final design. (Eames Office, LLC.)Their granddaughter, Llisa Demetrios, lives by the same principles. (Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity/Aaron Wojack)
Demetrios, a bronze sculptor and museum curator who chairs the board of the Petaluma Arts Center, is now reenvisioning her grandparents’ legacy with a new Sonoma-based nonprofit. The imaginatively named Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, launched last year, aims to shed light on Charles and Ray Eames’s playful approach to design and offer fans new ways to connect with their work through an online journal and digital exhibitions. Hand in hand with that effort, the Petaluma property is undergoing a series of renovations to allow for better public access and position the ranch as a think tank for sustainable farming practices.
“This is a case study in a whole new way,” Demetrios says. “It’s the case study of applying my grandparents’ design thinking to the outdoor landscape. We want to create these moments of understanding, these moments of connection. And then from here, we want it to take an even broader view.”
On moving part of the Eames archives to Sonoma
“When Ray passed away in 1988, we knew that most of the two-dimensional archives from the Eames Office were going to the Library of Congress. But, as my mom liked to say, she walked back in after they’d picked up everything, and it looked like nothing had been taken. So we moved the rest to San Francisco.
Then, after the earthquake in 1989, my mother built this place. But what we have here today is still only about 5% of the collection. We’re still inventorying their work, 40 years later.”
A connection to the land
“What’s very special about this place is that this is agricultural land. And I don’t know if as many people know this about my grandparents’ work, but they always thought sustainably. They saved everything and discontinued materials like plastic and fiberglass when they learned they were bad for the environment. And I had a mom who wanted composting toilets, to gather water from the rooftops, solar panels. Today, we can do all that and more.”
The evolution of ideas
“My mom always called this place the ‘dry run.’ It was a place to try out ideas. What you see here is design both with a lowercase “d” and with a capital “D.” And what I mean by that is the process of how Ray and Charles got to the home runs. That was always my mom’s favorite part of the story, the iterative process: Showing how an idea evolved to make it successful and how Ray and Charles were always testing out ideas.”
Design for a lifetime
“My grandparents were known for making scale models—they wanted to work directly with the materials as early as possible. You couldn’t just sketch on a piece of paper, you had to be able to look at it and be hands-on. And they were always mending systems as opposed to replacing them. When they were asked to design airport seating, for example, they didn’t just talk to the person who was buying it, but also the person who would be maintaining it. And then in talking with the maintenance teams, they identified problems and made adjustments.”
Growing up Eames
“I thought everyone’s grandparents made three-screen slideshows for them, or movies like “Powers of Ten.” When I would visit them in Los Angeles, Ray would pick me up at the airport in her Jaguar and sweep me off to the office to spend time with her.”
The online exhibition “Ray’s Hand” highlights Ray Eames’s talents and graphic skills. (Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity/Nicholas Calcott)Llisa Demetrios. (Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity/Nicholas Calcott)
Learning by asking questions
“One time we went out to dinner, and Charles asked me if I had liked the borscht. I was quite young, and I said I didn’t like it very much. And without missing a beat, Charles said, ‘How would you have done things differently?’ Which means, if you’re going to complain about something, you need to have a better option.
And we talked about what I could have done instead, and all the vegetables at the farmers market, and how maybe borscht was the chef’s favorite food. We had this whole conversation about it for the three blocks back to the office… We were learning just by being around them. And that’s why I say that as cool as they were as designers, they were even more cool as grandparents.”
The joy of discovery
“What’s fun is watching the delight and surprise of someone realizing that Ray and Charles not only designed the ottoman that they’re familiar with, but that they also made short films or graphics or museum exhibits that they saw. I consider it an immersive experience when you come here. It’s always been exciting to me. I love watching people have an ‘aha’ moment—to look at how Ray and Charles solved problems and faced challenges, but also applying those ideas to today. This whole enterprise is about looking forward, not back.”
The ranch’s archives include early iterations of Eames office furniture, family photos, sketches, and other rare finds. (Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity/Nicholas Calcott)The ranch’s archives include early iterations of Eames office furniture, family photos, sketches, and other rare finds. (Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity/Nicholas Calcott)
The future of the Eames Ranch
A three-year remodel will make buildings more accessible and launch a laboratory of sustainable farming, applying Ray and Charles Eames’s design principles to the outdoor landscape. When complete, the family hopes to offer short retreats for makers and craftspeople and to open the ranch’s design archives to small groups for educational visits.
“There’s such a rich history of design in Sonoma and west Marin, and I love thinking about how this place can usher in the next generation of makers and people who use the land,” says Sydnor Elkins, the architect overseeing the renovation. New solar and geothermal arrays will power the home, barns, and a new greenhouse. The farm’s cattle are already part of research into rotational pasture management using virtual geo-fences. And over a mile of creek running through the property is being restored as habitat for steelhead trout.
The new Eames Institute of Infinite Curiosity, based in Petaluma, has robust online exhibits that illuminate the stories behind finds from the Eames archive. The institute also publishes Kazam! Magazine, a digital-only journal offering essays and interviews from a diverse group of design thinkers.eamesinstitute.org
A newly built modern farmhouse on 77 acres of rolling hills in Healdsburg’s Anderson Valley is listed for $8.7 million. (Ned Bonzi / Sotheby’s International Realty)
A newly built modern farmhouse on 77 acres of rolling hills in Healdsburg’s Anderson Valley is listed for $8,700,000. The three-bedroom, three-bathroom main home with a guest barn, pool and outdoor kitchen provides the setting for idyllic Wine Country living.
The modern farmhouse at 3171 Wright Ranch Lane has today’s homebuyers’ checklists covered with an open floor plan, large pocketing window walls, and the effortless aesthetic with subtly-toned quality finishes, like wide-plank floors, transitional-style fixtures, and quartzite counters.
Indoors, the natural setting does much of the design talking. Outside, there’s a pool with built-in Adirondacks, raised planting beds, and an outdoor kitchen with a heated loggia to extend the dining season. The barn offers accommodations and a party space.
And if you can tear yourself away from all the wonderful amenities, the property has hiking trails and olive trees.
The 1900-square-foot home has an open floor plan. (Kurt Lai)
Homebuyers looking for a sweet property with a side of small-town charm will like a new build in Sonoma’s west county. Listed for $925,000, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom home in the town of Occidental is part of Harmony Village — a new residential and commercial development taking shape on the site of the former Harmony School.
The school’s multipurpose room was donated to (and renovated for) Occidental Center for the Arts, and the remaining areas have been turned into homes and office spaces. The development is just a block-and-a-half from Occidental’s tiny-but-mighty town center that’s got some great boutiques, the legendary Italian restaurant Negri, and a superb Friday’s farmer’s market that typically includes dancing.
The 1900-square-foot home at at 14622 Kit Lane has pretty and practical finishes, like quartz counters and vinyl wide- plank floors. Cedar-wood trims and modern light fixtures give the home a warm and stylish vibe. Ample windows and a wraparound porch offer redwood views, characteristic of Occidental’s prized woodsiness.
At Passport to Dry Creek Valley. (Prinsley Photography)
Passport to Dry Creek Valley is celebrating its 33rd anniversary this year with a weekend full of special tastings and experiences. Set for April 26-28, the event has a “choose-your-own-adventure” format that allows participants to drop in on any of the 30 participating wineries — all based in and around Healdsburg. Each producer offers its own Passport theme and activities, including vineyard tours, live music, and creative food pairings from top chefs.
Dry Creek Valley is famous for Zinfandel, yet the compact wine region is also home to Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, bubbles, Italian varieties, and many other sip-worthy options.
The weekend kicks off on Friday with “Meet the Creators” events hosted by winemakers and winery principals at 16 boutique wineries. This is a chance for wine lovers to mingle with the people behind the wines. Saturday and Sunday are open-house days, with each location featuring signature wines and food pairings.
Along with Friday-only and two-day Saturday and Sunday passports, participants can buy add-on tickets for intimate Wine-derlust Dining Experiences around Dry Creek Valley. Passport prices range from $125 to $250, with discounts available for designated drivers. Read on for a preview of some of our favorite tour stops and experiences.
At Passport to Dry Creek Valley. (Prinsley Photography)
Amista Vineyards
The winery is celebrating its 20th anniversary on Saturday with a pop-up Spanish tapas bar. Guests will sample Amista’s still and sparkling wines with tapas bites like ceviche, jamón bocadillos, fire-roasted patatas bravas, and chorizo. On Sunday, take a casual tour through the vineyards with winemaker Ashley Herzberg and watch a demonstration of sparkling wine disgorgement.
Arrrrrrr you ready for some high-seas hijinks? Dry Creek Vineyard is leaning into its sailing community ties Saturday and Sunday with a fun pirate theme, complete with a live performance of rollicking sea shanties. Costumes are encouraged. Pirates and landlubbers alike will enjoy the latest releases of the winery’s Sauvignon Blanc, Zinfandel and Bordeaux blends, paired with beef or mushroom Bourguignon.
Tastings on the lawn at Dry Creek Vineyard in Healdsburg. (Dry Creek Vineyard)Dry Creek Vineyard is leaning into its sailing community ties Saturday and Sunday with a fun pirate theme, complete with a live performance of rollicking sea shanties. (Jenny Phan/Dry Creek Vineyard)
Dutcher Crossing Winery
The winery’s “Meet the Creator” event on Friday features a relaxed tasting on Dutcher Creek’s new patio with proprietor Debra Mathy and winemaker Nick Briggs. After sampling the 2023 Maple Vineyard “Bill’s Block” Zinfandel paired with a savory snack, guests can take a pedicab tour around the vineyard and check out a display of Mathy’s personal bicycle collection.
Head to Kokomo Saturday and Sunday for samples of the winery’s 2023 Grenache Rosé, paired with a spring pea and strawberry salad, and 2022 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel matched with chicken and waffles drizzled with hot honey. Visitors will also get a chance to sample the winery’s 2023 Pét Nat and 2023 Sauvignon Blanc as they rock out to winery’s house band, Smoke & Mirrors.
4791 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-0200, kokomowines.com
At Kokomo Winery during Passport to Dry Creek Valley. (Prinsley Photography)
Mauritson Wines
If you’ve always wanted to dine at SingleThread but never had the opportunity, Mauritson is the place to be on Sunday. The winery is pairing seasonal bites from neighboring SingleThread Farms with distinctive Zins from the Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and Rockpile appellations. Featured wines include the 2022 Dry Creek Valley Sauvignon Blanc, 2021 Russian River Zinfandel, 2021 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel, and 2021 Jack’s Cabin Vineyard Zinfandel from Rockpile.
Escargot at Brigitte Bistro in Petaluma. (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
In a nutshell: Chef/owner Nick Ronan serves the kind of food he loves best: hearty bistro-style dishes like beef bourguignon and duck confit, along with tableside beef tartare and the requisite steak frites. But instead of pandering to us, he brings the flavors of French homeland directly to the table. Ronan’s favorite motto, “Love. Food. Wine. Passion. Life. People” comes through in his comforting, homey cuisine.
For a long time, I’d given up on fancy French restaurants that boasted culinary superiority while kitchen staff worked the can opener on asparagus and veal demi-glace.
In the darkened dining rooms, dusty 1960s decor spoke of a long-gone age when men struck deals over hearty Burgundies, and women lunched over bottles of Chablis and salade vert. Thankfully, most of these scenarios have gone the way of the dinosaur.
But while classic French cuisine is at the heart of California’s cooking style — and most chefs cut their teeth making the mother sauces like béchamel and veloute — Sonoma County has only recently begun consistently embracing the authentic bistro-style and home cooking of France.
That’s why we’re saying a hearty, “Bonjour!,” to the new Brigitte Bistro in Petaluma.
Chef/owner Nick Ronan, who grew up between Paris and the south of France, is a guy who knows his French cuisine.
He’s worked in high-end European restaurants and co-founded several San Francisco restaurants, including the Pawn Shop, a now-shuttered dining experience requiring guests to enter through a faux pawn shop.
At Brigitte Bistro, he serves the kind of food he loves best: hearty bistro-style dishes like beef bourguignon and duck confit, along with tableside beef tartare and the requisite steak frites.
But instead of pandering to us, he brings the flavors of France directly to the table.
Ronan is a teddy bear of a guy with a propensity for enthusiastic hugging. His life motto (which everyone should have) is “Love. Food. Wine. Passion. Life. People,” which could come across as smarmy if he didn’t believe it wholeheartedly.
After going through several challenging years recently, including the death of his mother in 2023, he is even more dedicated to a life that embodies his personal tagline.
Bouef Bourguignon at Brigitte Bistro in Petaluma (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)French onion soup at Brigitte Bistro in Petaluma (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Housed in the former Wishbone and 3 Cooks Cafe space, which had become run down in recent years, Ronan gutted the interior and added walk-in bar seating, a chef’s counter overlooking the open kitchen, all new appliances and, somehow, a baby grand piano in the compact dining room.
After a few glasses of wine, Ronan said some piano-playing guests tickle the ivories with singalong favorites.
Wine is, naturally, a centerpiece of the menu. Most are approachably priced, with glasses mainly in the $12 to $18 range and bottles in the $32 to $80 range, though there are a handful over $200 if you’re feeling extravagant.
The wine list features Sonoma and Napa wines and well-selected French sippers that are excellent with food.
A few weeks after opening, service is on point, with several staff members coming from previous positions with Ronan. And, for patrons of the previous restaurants, the restroom is mercifully now inside. A minor detail, but funky, ice-cold potties accessed through the kitchen and down a claustrophobia-inducing alley always bugged me.
For Ronan, Brigitte Bistro isn’t a Michelin quest but a neighborhood gathering spot for a relaxed meal in the French tradition of feeding family and friends with love and passion.
Tableside tartare Brigitte Bistro in Petaluma (Heather Irwin/The Press Democrat)
Best bets
Onion Soup Gratinée, $16: I’ve finally found the onion soup that’s eluded me for decades. Not too sweet, not too salty, but just right. The kitchen doesn’t overwhelm the bowl with too many onions, and they’re caramelized exactly right. The melted Gruyere pulls like Rapunzel’s hair.
Tableside Steak Tartare, $18: A plate of individual ingredients — raw chopped beef, mustard, cornichons, capers and Worcestershire sauce — arrives at the table and is quickly swept into a bowl to be mixed before your eyes. It’s both a show and an appetizer.
Grandma Escargots, $16: To be fair, most escargots come from a can, and that’s not a fault. Most French fries come from a bag. Slathered in garlic and butter, they’re darn tasty, but even better is side tartine — a thick slab of bread smothered in parsley garlic butter with garlic confit. You’ll want to sleep alone after eating them.
Beef Bourguignon, $34: This is required dining. Impressive cubes of braised beef in a red wine-port broth melt with the touch of a fork into buttery parsnip puree. I’ve had good, bad and horrifying versions of this classic dish (which only a French person should ever be allowed to cook), but rarely anything worth noting. Ronan’s is outstanding (the one at Augie’s French in Santa Rosa is also incredible), and finally have a benchmark to beat.
Duck Confit, $36: This dish features another tableside performance: a top hat of mixed mushrooms and leeks in truffle sauce poured over the crisp-skinned duck. It is served with potatoes mille-feuille, thinly sliced potatoes cooked lasagna-style in fat. Order some extra bread to sop up all the extra sauce.
Chocolate Fondant, $12: If you’re a chocolate lover, this lava-style cake is for you. Served with sea salt caramel ice cream.
Childhood Vanilla Flan, $12: The name doesn’t do justice to the slice of creamy but slightly firm flan dotted with vanilla beans. Simple and not overly heavy with a perfect scoop of raspberry (on my visit) ice cream.
If you go
What: Brigitte Bistro
Why: Truly authentic French bistro fare made with love and passion is a much-appreciated addition to Sonoma County’s food scene.
It’s not unusual for a luxury resort to have its own private-label wines, but few can boast their own estate vineyards and signature wines crafted by a star winemaker. Those bragging rights now belong to Montage Healdsburg, which just released the first wines from its onsite vineyard.
The inaugural offerings, made under the Surveyor label by Aperture Cellars winemaker Jesse Katz, include two wines from the Alexander Valley appellation: a 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon and a 2021 Sauvignon Blanc.
“The vision for Montage Healdsburg has always been to create an authentic Wine Country experience for our guests,” said Allen Highfield, Montage Healdsburg’s general manager. “That’s why vineyards were woven into the fabric of the property’s design from the very beginning.”
Montage Healdsburg has launched its own wine label, Surveyor Wines. (Rachel Weill/Courtesy Montage Healdsburg)
Available only to resort guests and residents, the Surveyor wines are fittingly exclusive for the acclaimed property, set among 250 acres of oak woodlands and vines in Healdsburg’s Parkland Farms neighborhood. In 2021, Travel + Leisure named Montage as one of the best new hotels in the world, and earlier this year, the resort received a coveted five-star rating in the Forbes Travel Guide Star Awards.
The wines were far from an afterthought for the luxury hotel’s developers. In 2016, years before construction began, the Montage team hired Katz to identify potential vineyard sites on the property. Three years later, with the winemaker’s guidance, planting began.
The estate now includes Malbec, Merlot, Petite Verdot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc — totaling 15 acres throughout the property. For much of the plantings, Katz opted for high-density rows designed to produce more concentration in the fruit.
Accomplished winemaker Jesse Katz produces wines for Aperture Cellars, and Devil Proof Vineyards. Labels for his wines feature photographs taken by his well known photographer father, Andy Katz. (Christopher Chung / The Press Democrat)
Katz is known for making full-bodied wines with velvety tannins, and his skill has made him a sought-after winemaking consultant across Sonoma County. Before founding Aperture Cellars in 2009, he worked and trained at some of the world’s most prestigious wineries, including Screaming Eagle in Napa Valley and Pétrus in Bordeaux.
The Surveyor wines, named as a tribute to exploration and Sonoma County’s terroir, reflect Katz’s hallmark style. He describes the Cabernet Sauvignon as “complex and layered,” with aromas and flavors of ripe, black fruits. The Sauvignon Blanc shows a “decadent creaminess” tempered by bright notes of citrus and green apple.
Katz is already expanding the resort’s wine lineup.
“As the vines and the individual vineyard blocks mature, some of the unique characteristics are starting to show themselves,” he said. “In 2023, I designated a few blocks near the resort for a rosé program. These blocks were farmed and harvested intentionally and only for a rosé; they were picked a bit earlier to highlight the bright acidity, whole cluster pressed lightly for just a touch of beautiful color, and barrel fermented to give it complexity.”
The Olive Terrace at Montage Healdsburg’s Hazel Hill restaurant. (Christian Horan/Courtesy of Montage Healdsburg)
Resort guests also have the opportunity to witness the life cycle of the estate vineyard, from pruning to harvest. “All will be seen in real time as it takes place at the highest level,” Katz said. “We have also created a specific experience for Montage guests at Aperture winery, which overlooks the state-of-the-art facility where all the wines are made.”
Montage isn’t the only Northern California resort destination for estate-grown wines. Along with a 5-acre organic vineyard, The Four Seasons in Calistoga is home to Elusa winery, helmed by celebrated winemaker Thomas Rivers Brown.
