Additional Sonoma County luxury establishments that were recommended by Forbes include Farmhouse Inn (pictured) and Farmhouse Inn Restaurant in Forestville and Hotel Les Mars in Healdsburg. (Farmhouse Inn)
This article was originally published in July 2022.
Los Angeles is the place to go if you’d like to get a glimpse of a few celebrities but Wine Country also attracts its fair share of stars who, like everyone else, come here for the world-class wine, farm-to-table fare and beautiful landscapes.
The Hollywood Reporter published an article stating that Sonoma and Napa counties “have more to offer than ever before” and that some in Hollywood have “found solace” here during the pandemic, including singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers, actress Elizabeth Olsen and singer Kelly Clarkson.
For those really eager to see celebrities on their next Wine Country outing (or at least experience the area like a celebrity), there are online directories, like Galuxsee, that allow people to “search, save and share travel plans based on where celebrities have been.”
With the help of the Hollywood Reporter, Galuxsee, The Press Democrat and some social media sleuthing, we’ve compiled our own list of favorite celebrity spots in Sonoma and Napa counties. Click through the above gallery for all the details.
Summer is almost here and we are ready for some beach fun in the sun. To help combat your Vitamin D deficiency, we’ve rounded up a few coastal campgrounds in Sonoma, Mendocino and Marin counties that allow you to stay right by the beach. Click through the gallery for details and remember to check rules and regulations for each campsite.
Kristen and Ted Talley, French wine importers, at the end of the bar, were at the friends and family soft opening at The Punchdown Natural Wine Bar + Bottle Shop on Friday, May 12, 2023, in the Barlow in Sebastopol. (Erik Castro / For The Press Democrat)
D.C. Looney and Lisa Costa are eager to make friends in Sonoma County. The couple, who met as harvest interns at standout Pinot Noir producer Williams Selyem Winery in 2007, have longstanding ties to the area. Now, with the opening of their new wine bar, The Punchdown, at The Barlow in Sebastopol, the couple aim to build a community around their lineup of natural wines.
The Punchdown in Sebastopol is the second location for the couple’s burgeoning wine bar business. Their first Punchdown location, launched in Oakland in 2010, was a 2022 James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Wine Program. Now, they’re excited to expand their focus on natural, organic, and biodynamic wines — those produced with minimal sulfur dioxide (SO2), native yeast fermentation, and no fining, filtering or additions of any kind.
Izzy Juarez, left, and Wesley Hammond stocking the wine cooler at The Punchdown Natural Wine Bar + Bottle Shop at The Barlow in Sebastopol. (Erik Castro / For The Press Democrat)
“We’re really looking forward to bringing people together, especially those in the wine, food, and restaurant industries, to give them a taste of something a little different,” says Looney. “Who knows? Maybe we’ll introduce some local winemakers to natural wines, and they’ll be inspired to make their own.”
Looney and Costa plan to offer the area’s largest selection of natural wines under one roof.
Hundreds of natural wines from around the globe line the shelves, including selections from France, Italy, Australia, the Republic of Georgia, California, and beyond. Bottle prices are fair, and there is a special shelf for wines under $25. Wine flights and wines by the glass can be purchased at the bar along with small bites like charcuterie, spiced carrot dip, Spanish olives, fresh bread from Red Bird Bakery, and imported tinned fish.
Inside, the new wine bar has a rustic, handcrafted appeal, with salvaged redwood slabs topping the communal tables and reclaimed sequoia wood for the service bar, enhanced with Japanese shou sugi ban wainscoting applied by the couple themselves. Looney and Costa also sourced gnarled local grapevines to install on the walls.
“We want to do all we can to showcase the history of this region, while also bringing something a little different to the county,” explains Looney.
As a young student, Looney gained an appreciation for organic, biodynamic, and natural wines during a study abroad program in France. Over time, he says he and Costa started to feel put off by conventional winemaking techniques, which can include a number of additives. Natural wines, he believes, have a nuance and complexity all their own, and better reflect a sense of season and place. “You can make good, clean wine that doesn’t have all the life stripped out of it,” says Looney.
The couple, who are now raising their young daughter here, say Sonoma County is an ideal place for a bar focused on natural wines. Sonoma is where they met and fell for each other as harvest interns, and it’s also where they fell in love with California. “Salt Point State Park is like our vacation home,” says Looney. “We love camping and foraging for mushrooms, so it’s a great place to turn everything off and enjoy our hard work.
Lisa and I knew it was inevitable we would start a business in Sonoma County, because we love it so much.”
The Punchdown Sebastopol at The Barlow, 6770 McKinley St. 510-788-7877, punchdownwine.com
Tucker Taylor with a patch of Oyster Leaf, Mertensia maritima, in the Kendall-Jackson culinary gardens, Wednesday, June 7, 2023. Taylor sells what he doesn’t use to Michelin star restaurants around the Bay Area. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)
Native to the wild, rocky shores of Scotland and Northern Ireland, Mertensia maritima — also known as the oyster plant — has a deep, salty secret.
Nibble one of its fleshy, succulent-like leaves and you’ll taste a distinct flavor of oysters. It’s a trait that’s not gone unnoticed by some of the world’s top chefs, who’ve found culinary gold in the plant.
Tucker Taylor, an esteemed master gardener and director of culinary gardens at Jackson Family Wines, remembers the first time he learned of the seaworthy plant. It was about 15 years ago, when he was overseeing the culinary gardens at the French Laundry restaurant in Yountville.
“I received a text from chef Thomas Keller, who was in Lyon, France, at the time,” Taylor said. “He was raving about these oyster-flavored leaves he’d tasted and sent me a photo.”
After figuring out the botanical name of the plant — Mertensia maritima — Taylor ordered the seeds from a French website.
“I don’t speak French, so that was quite a challenge,” said Taylor, smiling. “But I’ve been growing the plants ever since.”
Oyster leaf — also known as oyster plant, seaside bluebells and sea lungwort — is a member of the Boraginaceae family, which includes borage, forget-me-nots, comfrey, heliotrope, bluebells and other flowering plants.
A perennial herb native to the British Isles, where it’s now found primarily in north Scotland and Northern Ireland, the oyster plant also grows in parts of Greenland and Scandinavia and in New England on the rocky shores of Massachusetts, Maine and Vermont.
Growing in low mounds with silvery, blue-green leaves that trail over the ground, the oyster plant produces bright bluebell-like flowers at the tips of its wandering stems.
In the culinary garden at Kendall-Jackson winery, neat rows of oyster plants are grown between the walnut trees, which give them respite from the hot afternoon sun. While they typically thrive in cooler habitats, Taylor said, the plant grows well under moderate temperatures like those in Santa Rosa.
A taste of the sea
Whether it’s grown on the steps of the sea or in a Sonoma County garden, the fleshy leaves of the oyster plant really do recall the taste and texture of its namesake bivalve. They’re curious and briny, with a viscous quality some may find appealing.
To Michelin-starred chefs throughout the Bay Area, however, the oyster plant tastes like gold. That’s why they turn to Taylor to source the rare delicacy.
“In the beginning, I went out on a limb and sold the leaves for $1 apiece,” Taylor said. “We were making $1,000 a week just on oyster leaves. Now we sell them for 50 cents apiece because the seeds are now sold domestically and more farmers are growing them.”
That doesn’t mean oyster leaves are easy to find. Taylor said he has a waiting list of chefs eager to buy them.
Currently, Taylor supplies the leaves to two dozen restaurants in the Bay Area that have a combined total of 30 Michelin stars. With three additional greenhouses scheduled to be built on the Kendall-Jackson property, he hopes to have the growing space to supply an additional dozen restaurants.
As for how chefs are using oyster leaf on their menus, Taylor said the leaves are typically served fresh, although they also can be cooked to mellow their flavor.
“I’ve had oyster leaf topped with a dollop of crème fraîche and a spoonful of caviar, which really enhanced the flavor of the leaves,” Taylor said. “But I’ve also had it incorporated into a pasta dish, and it was really delicious.”
Those pining for a taste of the curious leaves can sample them on Kendall-Jackson’s Seasonal Garden Tour and Tasting, where they’re brushed with a shallot-infused mignonette gel to mimic the taste of a fresh oyster. They’re also served as part of a crudité cone alongside other freshly picked treasures.
A plot to plant creativity
Oyster plant is just one of the uncommon delicacies Taylor grows in the 4-acre culinary garden at Kendall-Jackson. Other items of intrigue include ice lettuce from Africa, celtuce from China, Asian crosnes, Japanese radishes and 10 varieties of mint — like strawberry, orange, pineapple and chocolate. And that’s just the beginning.
As for why he’s passionate about growing rare produce, Taylor said it’s his way to play a part in the creative culinary process.
“Chefs are in the business of entertaining guests, and I like to think of myself as entertaining chefs,” Taylor said. “I try to share their mindset — how is something going to read on a menu, or the different colors, flavors and textures of a particular dish. I’m growing the colors for the chefs to paint with. I’ve always geeked out on that collaboration.”
Spicy Fried Chicken with Mac N Cheese and pickles from Lou’s Luncheonette in Sonoma. (photo by John Burgess/The Press Democrat).
It’s hard to hate fried chicken. Whether you grew up loving a big old bucket of KFC or sunk your teeth into granny’s Southern fried chicken, it’s a sense memory most of us share. Brined in buttermilk, dredged in flour and given a nice hot oil bath, there’s nothing quite like it. Click through the above gallery for some of our favorite summer fried chicken spots — many with takeout or dine-in available. Spread a blanket and hit the park for a perfect afternoon.
This year, Anderson Valley celebrates its 40th anniversary as an American Viticultural Area, or AVA. A lot has happened in this part of western Mendocino County since the appellation was designated in 1983, but it remains one of Wine Country’s best-kept secrets.
Even though Anderson Valley is located just an hour’s drive from Santa Rosa, this mostly rural area feels like a different world, with its majestic redwood forests, stately oaks, cooling creeks and the Navarro River, all framed by vineyards. Tucked inland near the coast, the area enjoys cool ocean breezes, making it a great destination on hot summer days.
Here’s where to eat, drink, stay and play during an Anderson Valley getaway.
Day 1
Settle in after your leisurely drive up Highway 128 mountainside with lunch at Lauren’s at the Buckhorn. Named for founder Lauren Keating, the casual wood-framed eatery looks like a saloon, but surprises with an ambitious menu hopscotching American, Asian, Italian, Mexican, and Cal-Med cuisines. There’s a full bar, too, showcasing lots of local wines, plus craft cocktails like the remarkable, tangy margarita spiked with local beets and serrano chiles.
Nosh on coconut prawns slicked with sweet chile glaze, or nibble on a zesty dip of whole roasted garlic and local goat cheese. Then tuck into spicy Thai curry, Alfredo pasta tossed with wild chanterelles, or crispy tostadas piled with shredded chicken, black beans, cheese and avocado.
Check into Boonville Hotel, a chic, modern roadhouse that’s cozy with 17 rooms and cottages centered around an oasis of gardens, creeks and patios. The amenities are charming, ranging from hammocks on private decks and balconies to fireplaces, slipper bathtubs, and vine-draped porches and sunrooms.
Check into Boonville Hotel, a chic, modern roadhouse that’s cozy with 17 rooms and cottages centered around an oasis of gardens, creeks and patios. (Boonville Hotel)The amenities are charming, ranging from hammocks on private decks and balconies to fireplaces, slipper bathtubs, and vine-draped porches and sunrooms. (Boonville Hotel)
Visit Goldeneye Winery, one of the most luxurious tasting venues in Anderson Valley (it comes from Dan and Margaret Duckhorn, of the famed Duckhorn label). Relax on the patio overlooking the gardens, fountain, the flagship Confluence Vineyard, and redwood forest.
Then enjoy the Estate Wine Tasting with Cheese & Charcuterie Pairing, and add a “barkuterie” board for your pup – it includes various bites like peanut butter biscuits, duck sausages, chicken apple sausage coins, and chicken wrapped sweet potatoes. And be sure to grab a bottle of the crisp, bright Goldeneye Brut Rosé sparkling to enjoy at your hotel later.
Order a “barkuterie” board for your pup at Goldeneye Winery in Anderson Valley. (Goldeneye Winery)Disco Ranch wine bar and specialty market boasts an impressive array of Mendocino wines (both still and sparkling), plus interesting European bottlings. (Christopher Chung/The Press Democrat)
Cap off a busy day with a casual dinner at Disco Ranch. The wine bar and specialty market boasts an impressive array of Mendocino wines (both still and sparkling), plus interesting European bottlings (Austrian Sparkling Pinot Noir!). Owner Wendy Lamer also puts together a variety of tapas that make building a full meal fun. Dig into smoked salmon and boursin on cucumber rounds; smoked duck breast sliders on Hawaiian rolls with sour cherry jam; roast beef sliders with balsamic caramelized onion chutney and Dijon mustard; and tins of Ortiz Spanish yellow fin tuna and mussels in escabeche.
Day 2
A delightful breakfast will be delivered to your room or cottage – granola, yogurt, fruit, scones, hardboiled egg, juice and coffee.
Stop in to visit with Lulu Handley, proprietor of Handley Cellars, and daughter of founding winemaker, the late Milla Handley. Bonded in 1982, the winery and CCOF Certified Organic estate vineyards thrive with Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gewürztramine – you can request a tour of the estate before heading to the nearby tasting room. Plan for some art education, too – when Milla was a child, her parents traveled to India, igniting a lifetime passion for collecting international folk art. These original acquisitions, as well as collections of Oaxacan, Balinese, and African folk art, are on display in the tasting room.
At Handley Cellars in Philo, request a tour of the estate before heading to the nearby tasting room. (Handley Cellars)Handley’s 2018 Riesling and 2021 Gewürztraminer in the Handley Cellars tasting room. (Darryl Bush/For The Press Democrat)
Next up is Brashley Vineyards, where Bram and Ashley Palm welcome guests with a tasting of five new-release, single vineyard wines (ask about the luscious and rare Pinot Noir Blanc – it’s fermented in a concrete egg). If you happen to stop in on a Monday between 11 a.m. an 4 p.m., you can also scarf winery chef Sean McTiernan’s delectable pizza hot off the grill.
Love up some lunch at Mosswood Market Cafe and Bakery. There’s so much to enjoy in this darling little café, starting with a steaming hot cup of masala chai. Tuck into a sautéed chicken wrap dotted with mango salsa. Paninis are made on Mosswood’s home-made rosemary focaccia, including a standout sammy of roasted eggplant, goat cheese, marinated red onion, and red bell pepper pesto. And the grilled Rueben is a favorite, stuffed with brisket pastrami, Gruyère and kosher sauerkraut on Fort Bragg Bakery rye bread.
But the empanadas are the real stars. Homemade every day, the golden, crusty bundles bulge with goodness like crisp bacon, potato and goat cheese, or chicken, black beans and feta. Just plan ahead – they are so popular they are almost always sold out by noon, so it’s best to order the day before.
Chill out with some Mother Nature time at Navarro River. The main stem begins less than 1 mile south of Philo at the confluence of Rancheria Creek and Anderson Creek, then flows through the Coastal Range to the Pacific Ocean. It’s a wonderful place to romp with your dog, admire an eleven-mile-long redwood tunnel to the sea, and swim in the gentle waters.
One of the things to know about Boonville Hotel is that you must reserve a dinner at the onsite restaurant during your stay (the restaurant is closed Tuesday and Wednesday). Which is a delightful commitment, since this is one of the finest restaurants in Northern California, under the direction of Michelin-star chef Perry Hoffman.
Reserve dinner at Boonville Hotel’s onsite restaurant. (Lucille Lawrence)Oysters with pomegranate kernels, Yorkville olive oil and shaved Fuyu persimmons with Penny Royal Laychee goat cheese, topped with pumpkin seeds, Piment d’Ville chili powder, lime zest, and bronze fennel sprigs at the Boonville Hotel. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
The five-course prix fixe feast changes weekly, but always wows with spectacular fare like Mendocino Coast rock cod with summer squash, preserved lemon, garden chives and Aleppo pepper; or slow cooked pork with ruby grapefruit and vadouvan California brown rice, Thai basil and charred cabbage. Explore the wine list, too – small lot, locally crafted stars include Foursight Wines (foursightwines.com), and Thomas T Thomas Vineyards (thomastthomasvineyard.com).
Day 3
Stop in for a tasting at Phillips Hill Winery, set on what was originally an apple farm. The Anderson Valley began as an Alsatian white wine region, before moving into other varietals like Pinot Noir. Phillips Hill salutes this heritage with top-notch dry Riesling and Gewürztraminer. Owner Toby Hill often is in the house to lead tastings, held in a more than 100-year-old barn where the fruit was dried for transport.
Head back to the Santa Rosa area, stopping at Boonville General Store for some quick, to-go snacks of of gluten-free carrot bread, carnitas flautas, or a roasted seasonal veggie sandwich with smoked mozzarella on house-baked bread.
Recommendations
Lauren’s at the Buckhorn, 14081 Highway 128, Boonville, 707-895-3869, laurensgoodfood.com
Big Bottom Market, the much-loved gourmet market whose biscuits once made Oprah’s holiday list of “Favorite Things,” has officially transitioned to Piknik Town Market, following the departure of co-owner Michael Volpatt and the sale of the business two weeks ago.
New owner Margaret van der Veen (known locally as “Mags”) quickly confirmed that the famous biscuits are still baked daily.
“Same recipe, same biscuit, different basket,” said van der Veen, who is co-owner of Brot Modern German restaurant with restaurateur Crista Luedke.
“People have been asking me for elevated groceries on Main Street for years, like fresh grab-and-go and more plant-based dishes,” she said. That includes the Greener Than Green salad with all sorts of greens, including Little Gem lettuce and Green Goddess dressing, and the Rainbow Salad.
“There’s every color in there, and it’s an ode to this town,” van der Veen said.
The market will be open for breakfast and lunch, adding more gourmet groceries and picnic provisions in the coming weeks and additional beer and wine selections. Piknik Town Market will reprise Big Bottom Market’s popular to-go picnic boxes filled with charcuterie, olives, nuts, fruit and cheese.
“I’m starting slowly and building the business, seeing what customers’ needs and wants are. But there is a hole for the upscale groceries in town. People want fresh baguettes without standing in line at large grocery stores,” van der Veen said.
Piknik Town Market is open from Friday through Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. (and open on Friday until 5 p.m.) 16228 Main St., Guerneville, 707-604-7295, pikniktown.com
More dining news
Summer Break for Cyrus: Chef Douglas Keane has announced that his Geyserville restaurant, the Michelin-starred Cyrus, will close for an employee holiday from July 3 to 13. “Part of this dream was always to provide a work environment that would sustain its employees, not drain them. This coming week marks our first-ever summer break and continued fulfillment of that promise. We hope to see you when we return, refreshed for service,” Keane said in an email. The restaurant opened last September and quickly gained attention from critics with its 20-course tasting menu and Keane’s focus on creating sustainable, living-wage employment for his staff.
Iggy’s Organic Burgers with duck fat and beef patty, buttery brioche, organic American cheese, ketchup, mustard, onions caramelized with a secret sauce, and pickles are served on the plaza, Friday in Downtown Healdsburg June 30, 2023. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
With the heat index rising and summer in full swing, I’ve got two new restaurants and an old favorite worth heading out for. Give yourself the night off from the kitchen and bring the family.
At Iggy’s Organic Burgers, come for the ice cream and cheesecake, stay for the burgers. Healdsburg is awash with new restaurants opening this summer. But for our money, one of the best options for a family night on the Plaza is the new Iggy’s Organic Burgers and Angela’s Organic Ice Cream shop housed together in a single space.
The narrow space has just a handful of tables flanking the parlor’s ice cream cabinets (the open freezer cases that you look into to drool over ice cream flavors like Dulce de Leche Brownie or Lemon Curd). But dripping ice cream cones and messy burgers are best consumed outside anyway. And you’ll be in good company with hordes of tots holding melting cones as they run through the Plaza.
Lavender Angela’s Organic ice cream is served in a sugar cone at Iggy’s Organic Burgers on the plaza in downtown Healdsburg. (Chad Surmick / The Press Democrat)
The burgers are a bit more adult (though kids will like them, too). My favorite is the Biggy ($12), made with two duck fat and beef patties, cheddar, “Million Island” dressing (like Thousand Island), caramelized onions, secret sauce, pickles, and not two but three buttery brioche buns. Take that, Big Mac. You’ll need a pile of napkins to eat this gooey mess of a burger with thin patties and all the dripping cheese and sauce. We’ll never eat one of those thick, half-pound monstrosities again. OK, we will, but this burger is truly astounding.
Fries ($5) are a new addition — freshly cut potatoes fried in duck fat and tallow. These aren’t for vegetarians.
The combination ice cream shop and burger restaurant also sells thick slices of cheesecake from the award-winning College Confectionista, Anamaria Morales.
Iggy’s is one of the few places in Healdsburg affordable enough to frequent regularly. Open until midnight on Friday and Saturday. 109 Plaza St., Healdsburg. Information is online at instagram.com/iggysburger.
Cozy Plum
A second outpost of Santa Rosa’s popular vegan comfort-food restaurant (the first is at 1899 Mendocino Ave. in Santa Rosa) has opened in Sebastopol at the former Slice of Life location.
The narrow interior looks pretty much the same as before, but the menu includes crossover dishes inclusive of vegans, vegetarians and omnivores.
As the latter, I’ve always appreciated chef Charles White’s approach to plant-based dishes that are flavorful. His creative riffs on familiar favorites include a Philly cheesesteak (the “steak” is a gluten-based meat alternative); “burgers” made with soy, peas and rice; and nachos loaded with beans, vegan cheese (that actually melts), pico de gallo and cashew sour cream.
The revamped menu has been abbreviated to include the best-of hits from the Santa Rosa location such as stuffed jalapeños, burgers, bowls and wraps. Best bets include the new Israeli couscous salad ($16.50) with large pearls of the pasta/grain (even foodies argue what category it belongs in) atop fresh greens with various seeds and an almond-chipotle dressing.
The Green Chile Cashew bowl ($17) is a heaping bowl of lettuce, rice, beans, salsa, cashew cream, quinoa and avocado tossed with housemade ranch dressing. It’s enough for two adults or a hungry teen.
If you’re a burrito fan, grab the Crispy Tenders wrap with faux chicken tenders (it’s the fried breading we all like anyway), shredded iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, and bread and butter pickles. Coconut “bacon” ($3 extra) adds a salty crunch.
It’s always the burgers I return to, like the fat Mushroom Gouda ($19.50) with crispy onions, pickled jalapeños, trumpet mushrooms, vegan Gouda cheese and a soft sourdough bun that’s been waved over the grill for a toasty munch. Virtuous and delicious.
Cozy Plum is at 6970 McKinley St., Sebastopol, 707-823-3333, cozyplum.com.
Return to Oyster
After a quick stop at The Barlow’s new Punchdown natural wine bar (note to self: wanting to love orange wine and actually liking it are very different things), I took a second pass at Oyster, a newish seafood spot from chef Jake Rand.
The indoor/outdoor space has expanded since opening in November 2022, doubling its seating.
And that’s a good thing, as outdoor tables on warm summer evenings are at a premium both for the oysters, ceviche, po’boys and recent addition of soft-shell crab, and for the impressive stock of bubbles from California and beyond.
The oyster poboy at Sebastopol’s Oyster restaurant. (Kim Carroll/For Sonoma Magazine)Mussels mariniere at Sebastopol’s Oyster restaurant. (Kim Carroll/For Sonoma Magazine)
While the Octopus a la Plancha and baked oysters are still favorites, one new dish might make my Best Dishes of the Year list: shrimp ceviche in coconut milk. Served in a petite bowl atop a platter of ice, it’s a creamy, rich dish with fresh avocado, sea salt flakes and red onion. What works so well is the complement of buttery bits of shrimp with the faint coconut flavor and tart citrus. Unlike other ceviches, it’s not too hot nor too fishy, nor cheapened with too many chopped vegetables or the zing of too much lemon. It’s just right.
If you like uni and roe, try the raw oysters topped with pearls of orange caviar and soft uni. It’s like inhaling an ocean breeze. Order the grilled bread with soft black garlic butter to sop up all the leftovers. Think of it as a quick trip to the coast without the crowds.
It’s a given that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but why not make it the most delicious? Start your morning with a kick of flavor at some of the best Santa Rosa restaurants and cafes.
Outdoor patio at Molti Amici in Healdsburg. (Adahlia Cole)
Just hours before Molti Amici’s friends and family preview Wednesday, the Healdsburg restaurant looks like an HGTV home makeover set with just hours to go before the reveal.
A cacophony of saws, hammers and squeaking ladders is the soundtrack behind owner Jonny Barr, who flits around the renovated space sweating every detail. Everything must be perfect because expectations are high for the former SingleThread general manager and his team.
The restaurant at 330 Healdsburg Ave. officially opens Friday evening in the former Campo Fina space, offering a Californian-Italian menu of fire-kissed Neapolitan pizzas, housemade pastas and “unconventional” cocktails.
“People are stopping by all day, popping in to see what’s coming. It’s fun to walk them through and take the time. There’s just so much excitement from the community,” said Barr.
The restaurant-industry veteran has enlisted a group of close friends to round out his team, including co-executive chefs Sean McGaughey and Melissa Yanc (Troubadour Bread & Bistro, Quail & Condor Bakery), who created the menu, along with chef de cuisine Matthew Cargo and bar director Danielle Peters.
Neapolitan pizza with squash blossom, zucchini and ricotta at Molti Amici in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin)
Molti Amici loosely translates to “many friends” in Italian.
“Molti Amici starts with friendship. Sean and I first connected at SingleThread, and it was like peanut butter and jelly. We just go together,” said Barr.
Husband and wife team McGaughy and Yanc worked at the three Michelin-starred restaurant before launching their Healdsburg businesses.
The outdoor patio, with 23 tables, is currently the only seating at the restaurant. The bright outdoor space includes an eight-seat bar, bocce court and wood-fired oven for piping hot pizzas. The restaurant’s interior is incomplete, but Barr hopes to open it within two weeks.
Barr took over the space in December after the unexpected closure of chef Ari Rosen’s restaurant Campo Fina — a Healdsburg institution for more than 10 years.
The goal has been to pay homage to the restaurant’s history while giving it a fresh, new look.
Expect seasonal dishes like a summer-inspired pizza with zucchini and ricotta, salad with stone fruit, fennel pollen and watercress, or a Raviolo al’ Uovo with truffle and sage brown butter.
Larger dishes include spatchcock chicken and bone-in rib-eye.
Tiramisu and panna cotta at Molti Amici in Healdsburg. (Heather Irwin)
The dessert menu, overseen by pastry chef Melissa Yanc includes simple classics like panna cotta dressed up with labneh and blackberries and tiramisu with Marsala wine.
Drinks include an unnamed cocktail (an emoji of an enthusiastic Italian hand gesture) made with Campari, prosecco and orange, wine, beer and nonalcoholic cocktails.
As contractors put the finishing touches on the patio and art is hung on the walls, Barr leans back in his chair contemplatively in a brief quiet before the storm.
“I’m kind of a swan right now. The surface may look cool, but I’m paddling like crazy under the water. But this is really just about friends doing the things we love,” he said.
The restaurant will be open 5:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday with an abbreviated menu at the opening and a more extensive menu coming in a few weeks. Lunch service will be added later this summer.
Molti Amici, 33o Healdsburg Ave., moltiamici.com. Reservations are highly recommended.
