On the eve of The Junction’s May 11 opening, the sprawling hilltop beer garden already felt like the neighborhood gathering place Santa Rosa didn’t know it was missing. Friends and family filled the expansive patio for a preview night while children swarmed the playground slide in gleeful chaos and adults clustered around pizzas, fried cheese curds and spicy chicken wings. Craft beer and espresso martinis flowed as dogs circled hopefully beneath the tables, waiting for stray crumbs.
Among the crowd was Gaspare Bernardo, who operated The Villa for more than four decades. Sitting with his family over pizza, Bernardo — now in his 80s — watched the transformation of the longtime restaurant space that had been dormant for years. According to co-owner Liz Fiedler, he was simply happy to see life return to the building.
Fiedler, her husband Dez Fiedler and business partner Jimmy Simpson saw possibility in the shuttered property when few others did.
The reopening marks a fitting second act for the former Villa restaurant, which had been vacant for more than three years, slowly deteriorating above Montgomery Drive. After a year of renovations and a top-to-bottom reimagining of the decades-old Italian landmark, the original doors were finally ready to open again.
“We feel so lucky that we got to inherit this iconic spot,” Fiedler said. “We really didn’t realize how much the space means to the community.”
Now in its second week of business, The Junction already hums with the confidence of a seasoned neighborhood restaurant. The owners, veteran restaurateurs who also operate a sister beer garden in Mill Valley, have tapped into a familiar formula: approachable food, ample outdoor seating and an atmosphere designed equally for families, groups of friends and lingering afternoons.
Even during the dinner rush, blistered pizzas move steadily from the kitchen and the restaurant’s 30 beer taps rarely sit idle.
The vibe is the draw
The Junction leans fully into its role as a family- and dog-friendly gathering space, pairing casual counter service with sweeping views toward Trione-Annadel State Park. The menu sticks to familiar crowd-pleasers at approachable prices, positioning the restaurant as an easy choice for midweek dinners, post-soccer-practice meals and weekend brunches.
Inside, the 150-seat dining room and bar can feel cavernous and a little loud during peak hours. Outside, the mood softens beneath oversized umbrellas on the palm-lined patio, where fire pits encourage diners to settle in for another round.
Nearly every inch of the former restaurant has been reworked. Gone is much of the faded 1970s aesthetic, replaced by clean lines, soaring open-panel windows and more than 4,000 square feet of outdoor lounge space.
Near the entrance, a screen-free arcade features shuffleboard, foosball, vintage Skee-Ball machines and a photo booth — thoughtful additions clearly intended to keep children occupied long enough for parents to enjoy a leisurely meal.
Parking remains one of the few challenges. During busy hours, cars line the steep driveway and some diners opt to park below and walk up. A nearby overflow lot helps ease congestion, but consider the climb an excuse for that extra beer and side of cheese curds.
What was once an empty shell with an uncertain future now feels firmly restored as a lively communal space — one poised for another half-century of neighborhood memories.
“Not many places get a fully packed house the first weekend they open, and that’s saying a lot since we have over 500 seats,” Fiedler said. “We are so honored to be a part of its history.”
Best bets
Margherita Pizza, $22: The 14-inch pies land somewhere between New York and California styles, with blistered edges, thin crusts and restrained toppings. The Margherita combines fresh and dry-aged mozzarella with tomato sauce, basil, smoked salt and Parmesan. The generously sized pizzas are meant to be shared. Also worth trying: the Forbidden Fruit ($26), topped with roasted pineapple, capicola and red onion, and the Shroomer ($28), a white pie layered with mushrooms, Taleggio, mozzarella and sunflower-seed pesto. For children, the Kid’s Cheese Pizza ($20) arrives lightly baked with extra cheese and, as the menu promises, “Nothing Green,” proving the kitchen fully understands the very specific tastes of a 5-year-old.
Mozzarella Cheese Curds, $10: Bite-sized fried curds from Valley Ford Creamery arrive crisp and chewy, paired with marinara and housemade Ranch. Their neatly uniform shape also eliminates the perennial cheese-curd complaint: nobody gets stuck with the tiny pieces.
Fried Brussels Sprouts, $10: You can almost tell yourself you’re eating healthy cruciferous vegetables, aside from the hot honey and hazelnut crumble that tops these sprouts. I mean, it’s not like they’re French fries, right?
Korean Wings, $12: Buffalo wings with an Asian twist. Crisp whole wings coated in sticky gochujang sauce deliver a lingering sweet heat. They may be too spicy for younger diners, which simply leaves more for everyone else.
Italian Chop Salad, $14: A hearty mix of greens topped with soppressata, provolone, pepperoncini and Champagne vinaigrette — a classic chopped salad that remains surprisingly difficult to find locally.
Chocolate Chip Cookies, $5: Two warm chocolate chip cookies sprinkled with sea salt arrive soft and just underbaked. Valley Ford Creamery soft serve, with a texture closer to gelato than traditional soft serve, is also available.
The Junction is at 3901 Montgomery Drive in Santa Rosa, 707-800-7631, thejunc.com. Open 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday.