It’s not a snack, and it’s not a meal — it’s that one perfect bite that makes your eyes roll back and forget everything else for a few moments. Usually indulgent and always comforting, it’s the menu item you know you shouldn’t order, but always do anyway.
Saganaki Flambé, Kalimera
Salty Halloumi cheese is spectacular just simply grilled, but when it’s drenched in booze and lit on fire with a blast of heat that threatens eyebrows, it’s even better. Kalimera, in downtown Santa Rosa’s Brickyard Center, has a menu full of Greek drama but the saganaki — Cyprus cheese covered with honey, raisins, apricots, and brandy — is a scene stealer when it gets a tableside flambé. Opa! 458 B St., Santa Rosa. 707-308-4928, kalimerabarandgrill.com
Chicken Tenders, Lo & Behold
Chef Sean Kelley’s “Almost Famous Chicken Tendies” are ready for their close-up. The chef-y version of this kid food classic, they’re the juiciest strips of crunchy, salty fried chicken ever. Dipped in homemade ranch with a side of pickles, they’re worthy of a standing ovation. 214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-5021, loandbeholdca.com
Caviar and Onion Dip, The Madrona
A little bit lawn party, a little bit frat party, this luxurious high-low dip makes the perfect cocktail bite on the tented patio of one of Healdsburg’s best kept secrets. Go for brunch, and wander through the garden, or a quick pre-dinner nosh at Hannah’s bar. 1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg. 707-395-6700, themadronahotel.com
Fish Tacos, El Molino Central
Hand-ground masa and loving hands pressing fresh tortillas one by one are the key to El Molino’s cult-like following. But those in the know head straight for the puffy, beer-battered fish tacos with light breading, spicy arbol chile salsa, and lime crema to cool things down. Your future self will thank you for grabbing some tortillas and tamales for later. 11 Central Ave., Sonoma. 707-939-1010, elmolinocentral.com
Little Baskets, Sea Thai Bistro
Though it reads a little plain on the menu, this cheeky appetizer for the table is made with a nest of flash-fried egg noodles, shredded carrot, crescents of crisp cucumber, cherry tomatoes, onion, cashew, and sweet chili vinaigrette wrapped in lettuce cups. Part salad, part hors d’oeuvres, it’s all about the holy Thai trinity of flavors: Sweet, sour, and savory. 2350 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa. 707-528-8333, seathaibistrobar.com
Martini Prawns, Osake
Did chef Gary Chu invent these devilishly crisp shrimp awash in a creamy sweet-spicy sauce? No one really knows, but Sonoma County is happy to give him full credit. Once a fixture of his now-shuttered eponymous Chinese restaurant, they’ve found a new home at Osake. Served in a martini glass with a tangle of shaved carrot, these prawns put cocktail shrimp to shame. 2446 Patio Court, Santa Rosa. 707-542-8282, osake-sushi.com
Mozzarella Sticks, Buck’s Place
It’s not often someone insists you try the mozzarella sticks at a restaurant, but this is one of those times. The brains behind the county’s best Nashville fried chicken (Lou’s Luncheonette) have created gooey batons of pure delight — a crisp, Parmesan-dusted batter outside and soft mozzarella inside. Grab your phone to capture the ultimate cheese pull. 401 Grove St., Sonoma. 707-231-1245, bucks-place.com
Dadinho de Tapioca, Dawn Ranch
The $155 “All That” tasting menu from Guerneville’s Lodge at Dawn Ranch is one of the most under-the-radar deals for top-tier dining. Co-executive chefs Ignacio Zuzulich and Juliana Thorpe have created a menu that draws heavily on their South American roots. Dadinho de Tapioca, a favorite Brazilian snack, is one of several first bites on the tasting menu. The exterior crunch gives way to a melty, cheesy middle. Fortunately, dadinhos are also available at the lodge lounge if you’re just stopping by for a nibble. 16467 Highway 116, Guerneville. 707-869-0656, dawnranch.com/dine
Chef’s Choice: Hand Rolls at Geyserville Gun Club
Liza Hinman of The Spinster Sisters
If a dive bar had an interior designer and a professional chef, you’d have the Geyserville Gun Club. The flip side to chef Dino Bugica’s Diavola, the GGC, as it’s called, is an after-hours favorite of chefs like Hinman, who are ready for some hearty grub when the apron comes off. Hinman, who worked with Bugica at the legendary Santi, clocks the hand rolls filled with spicy scallops, sliced amberjack, salmon belly, or unagi as a best bite. 21025 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-814-0036, geyservillegunclub.com
This article was excerpted from our guide on 50 Essential Dishes To Try in Sonoma County, originally published in the May/June 2026 issue of Sonoma Magazine.