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	<title>Sonoma restaurant Archives - Sonoma Magazine</title>
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	<title>Sonoma restaurant Archives - Sonoma Magazine</title>
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	<item>
		<title>Hazel, Sonoma Eats Restaurants Reopening This Summer</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/hazel-sonoma-eats-restaurants-reopening-this-summer/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather Irwin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 02 Jun 2026 20:38:11 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[BiteClub]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things To Do in Sonoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New in Wine Country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[hazel]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[occidental restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[restaurant openings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sonoma country restaurant openings]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma restaurant]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=136203</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="212" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-300x212.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-300x212.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-1024x722.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-768x542.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-1536x1083.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-2048x1444.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-1200x846.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>An Oaxacan restaurant in Sonoma and a casual eatery and pie shop in Occidental are set to reopen in new locations this summer.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/hazel-sonoma-eats-restaurants-reopening-this-summer/">Hazel, Sonoma Eats Restaurants Reopening This Summer</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="212" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-300x212.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-300x212.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-1024x722.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-768x542.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-1536x1083.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-2048x1444.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-1200x846.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p hidden>
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<img src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/jb0711_hazel_009-1024x624.jpg" alt="" />
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</p>
<p>Hazel restaurant in Occidental will reopen this summer in the <a href="https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2017/07/02/occidental-locals-lament-loss-of-popular-barley-and-hops-tavern/">former Barley and Hops space</a> at 3688 Bohemian Highway.</p>
<p>The casual eatery, run by husband-and-wife team Jim and Michele Wimborough, closed last fall after nearly a decade when its previous location at 3782 Bohemian Highway <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/local-chefs-breathe-new-life-into-former-hazel-space-in-occidental/">was sold</a>. Since then, the couple has hosted pop-ups and events at the Inn at Occidental while searching for a new, permanent home.</p>
<p>Many of Hazel’s <a href="https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2025/07/21/at-hazel-in-occidental-10-years-of-comfort-food-and-community-2/">signature comfort dishes</a>, such as Brussels sprouts, vegan Caesar salad and pot roast, will return. Michele Wimborough also noted that several new menu items will be introduced.</p>
<p>“It’s really fun being uptown, and we’re right across from the farmers market, in the middle of everything,” she said.</p>
<figure id="attachment_17158" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-17158" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-17158" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/JB1022_HAZEL_002_752949.jpg" width="800" height="549" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/JB1022_HAZEL_002_752949.jpg 800w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/JB1022_HAZEL_002_752949-300x206.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/11/JB1022_HAZEL_002_752949-768x527.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" / alt="Owner/chefs Jim and Michele Wimborough of Hazel restaurant in Occidental. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-17158" class="wp-caption-text">Owner/chefs Jim and Michele Wimborough of Hazel restaurant in Occidental. The couple will reopen their casual eatery this summer. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat, file)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_134948" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134948" style="width: 1707px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-134948 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TPD-L-BS-041326-Parkside8.jpg" alt="Owners Hayley Cutri and her husband Efrain Balmes at Parkside Eats in Santa Rosa Monday, April 13, 2026. The couple will reopen their Sonoma Eats restaurant this summer." width="1707" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TPD-L-BS-041326-Parkside8.jpg 1707w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TPD-L-BS-041326-Parkside8-200x300.jpg 200w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TPD-L-BS-041326-Parkside8-934x1400.jpg 934w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TPD-L-BS-041326-Parkside8-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TPD-L-BS-041326-Parkside8-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TPD-L-BS-041326-Parkside8-1366x2048.jpg 1366w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/TPD-L-BS-041326-Parkside8-1200x1800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 1707px) 100vw, 1707px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134948" class="wp-caption-text">Owners Hayley Cutri and her husband Efrain Balmes at Parkside Eats in Santa Rosa Monday, April 13, 2026. The couple will reopen their Sonoma Eats restaurant this summer. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<h4>Popular Sonoma restaurant to reopen</h4>
<p>Sonoma Eats will reopen this summer after closing in March due to a significant rent increase, according to owners Efrain Balmes and Hayley Cutri. The closure occurred just weeks before the couple opened their second restaurant, <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/parkside-eats-brings-american-and-mexican-comfort-food-to-former-santa-rosa-taqueria/">Parkside Eats</a>, in Santa Rosa.</p>
<p>The new Sonoma Eats location will be in Sonoma, though the exact address has not been announced. The restaurant will offer table service and takeout with a menu of Mexican classics.</p>
<p>“I can already smell the mole,” said Cutri, who will help open the new location.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/hazel-sonoma-eats-restaurants-reopening-this-summer/">Hazel, Sonoma Eats Restaurants Reopening This Summer</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<media:content medium="image" url="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/26Seq0hklrh9GFNk0jy0Ode5nJw-1-300x212.jpg" width="300" height="212"/>	</item>
	<article id="nativo-sf" class="post-blurb"></article>	<item>
		<title>Glen Ellen Star Chef Opens Smash in Sonoma</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/glen-ellen-star-chef-opens-smash-in-sonoma/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather Irwin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 26 May 2026 20:29:25 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[BiteClub]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things To Do in Sonoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New in Wine Country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Burgers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[burgers sonoma county]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[family friendly]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smashburgers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[sonoma county burgers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma restaurant]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=135971</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="225" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-300x225.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-768x576.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-1200x900.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>Chef Ari Weiswasser, the restaurateur behind Glen Ellen Star and Stella, has opened Smash, a fast-casual restaurant on Sonoma Plaza devoted to lacy-edged smashburgers and a family-friendly vibe.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/glen-ellen-star-chef-opens-smash-in-sonoma/">Glen Ellen Star Chef Opens Smash in Sonoma</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="225" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-300x225.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-300x225.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-768x576.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_tray-1200x900.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p hidden>
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<img src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/cDYbExyofEyOv9lwWElt6l56UIg-1024x633.jpg" alt="" />
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</p>
<p>Sonoma has a <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/stella-glen-ellen-star-chef-opening-a-smashburger-spot-in-sonoma/">new burger spot</a>, and you won’t need a reservation to get in.</p>
<p>Chef Ari Weiswasser, the restaurateur behind Glen Ellen Star and <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/stella-restaurant-is-a-rising-star-in-kenwood/">Stella</a>, has opened Smash, a fast-casual restaurant on Sonoma Plaza devoted to lacy-edged smashburgers, fried chicken sandwiches, fries, tater tots and milkshakes. The menu is intentionally spare — and that’s part of the appeal.</p>
<p>After years spent crafting polished farm-to-table cuisine, Weiswasser is leaning into something simpler, faster and a lot less fussy. Alongside the burgers is a vegetarian falafel burger, plus beer, wine, canned cocktails and boozy milkshakes for adults as well as kid-friendly ones. Extras like bacon marmalade and a Thousand Island-inspired Smash sauce give the standard pickle-lettuce-tomato formula a bit of Sonoma swagger. For maximum indulgence, pair the canned espresso martini with a float of vanilla milkshake. I’m open to a little Watmaugh strawberry shake, too.</p>
<figure id="attachment_135974" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-135974" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-135974" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_interior.jpg" alt="Smash in Sonoma" width="2560" height="1590" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_interior.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_interior-300x186.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_interior-1024x636.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_interior-768x477.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_interior-1536x954.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_interior-2048x1272.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/smash_interior-1200x745.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-135974" class="wp-caption-text">Smash, a new smashburger spot from chef Ari Weiswasser, has opened in Sonoma. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Located in the former Taub Family Outpost space, Smash is bright and contemporary, with self-serve ordering, bar seating, communal tables and a small patio. The room hums with noise and energy — fitting for a family-friendly restaurant designed with approachable prices in mind. Diners seeking a quieter experience may want to take their burgers to go. Upstairs, the Beacon speakeasy offers a more polished setting, serving craft cocktails alongside the full Smash menu.</p>
<p>Open less than a week, the restaurant is already drawing weekend crowds and quickly establishing itself as a local gathering spot.</p>
<p>Open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday. <em>497 First St. W., Sonoma, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/smashsonoma">instagram.com/smashsonoma</a></em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/glen-ellen-star-chef-opens-smash-in-sonoma/">Glen Ellen Star Chef Opens Smash in Sonoma</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<item>
		<title>Stella, Glen Ellen Star Chef Opening a Smashburger Spot in Sonoma</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/stella-glen-ellen-star-chef-opening-a-smashburger-spot-in-sonoma/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather Irwin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:10:33 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[BiteClub]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things To Do in Sonoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New in Wine Country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[burgers sonoma county]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[smashburgers]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma restaurant]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=134389</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="264" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-300x264.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Stella and Glen Ellen Star chef/owner Ari Weiswasser" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-300x264.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-1024x902.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-768x676.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-1536x1352.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-2048x1803.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-1200x1057.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>The chef behind Stella and Glen Ellen Star plans to open a fast-casual burger and fried chicken restaurant at the historic Taub Outpost building this spring.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/stella-glen-ellen-star-chef-opening-a-smashburger-spot-in-sonoma/">Stella, Glen Ellen Star Chef Opening a Smashburger Spot in Sonoma</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="264" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-300x264.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="Stella and Glen Ellen Star chef/owner Ari Weiswasser" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-300x264.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-1024x902.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-768x676.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-1536x1352.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-2048x1803.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/jb0327_stella_010-1200x1057.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p hidden>
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<p>Ari Weiswasser, the chef behind <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/stella-restaurant-is-a-rising-star-in-kenwood/">Stella</a> and Glen Ellen Star, plans to open a fast-casual burger and fried chicken restaurant on Sonoma Plaza in May. The restaurant, called SMASH, will occupy the historic Taub Outpost building on First Street West.</p>
<p>The menu is expected to include smashburgers, fried chicken sandwiches, fries, milkshakes, craft cocktails and boozy shakes.</p>
<p>The restaurant will offer both dine-in service and takeout, with an eye toward al fresco dining in the nearby plaza. SMASH will also supply food for the existing upstairs bar, the Beacon at Taub Outpost.</p>
<figure id="attachment_134392" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134392" style="width: 1800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-134392 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/smash_logo.gif" alt="SMASH will open on the Sonoma Plaza this summer. The fast-casual burger spot is a new project from Stella and Glen Ellen Star owner Ari Weiswasser. " width="1800" height="1378" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134392" class="wp-caption-text">SMASH will open on the Sonoma Plaza this summer. The fast-casual burger spot is a new project from Stella and Glen Ellen Star owner Ari Weiswasser. (Courtesy of Ari Weiswasser)</figcaption></figure>
<p>“After years of cooking seasonal, ingredient-driven menus, we loved the idea of creating something more playful and casual,” Weiswasser said. His business partner, Spencer Waite, is also part of the venture.</p>
<p>The restaurant will be located at 497 First St. W. in Sonoma.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/stella-glen-ellen-star-chef-opening-a-smashburger-spot-in-sonoma/">Stella, Glen Ellen Star Chef Opening a Smashburger Spot in Sonoma</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<title>Swiss Hotel in Sonoma Remains a Historic Wine Country Dining Institution</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/swiss-hotel-in-sonoma-remains-a-historic-wine-country-dining-institution/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather Irwin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Mon, 16 Mar 2026 22:02:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[BiteClub]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things To Do in Sonoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New in Wine Country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[historic restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[italian food]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Italian restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma County foodie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Swiss Hotel]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=134167</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="199" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-300x199.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-300x199.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-768x510.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-1536x1021.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-2048x1361.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-1200x797.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>Inside Sonoma’s Swiss Hotel, five generations of family tradition — and one famously secret cocktail — keep locals coming back.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/swiss-hotel-in-sonoma-remains-a-historic-wine-country-dining-institution/">Swiss Hotel in Sonoma Remains a Historic Wine Country Dining Institution</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="199" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-300x199.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-300x199.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-768x510.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-1536x1021.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-2048x1361.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-1200x797.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p hidden>
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</p>
<p>Kristin Dunlap Schantz is the only person in the world who knows the recipe for the Swiss Hotel’s signature cocktail, the Glarifee.</p>
<p>The closely guarded family formula — a twist on an Irish coffee — has been passed down through generations, with only one custodian at a time. Dunlap Schantz inherited the recipe from her grandmother, along with a responsibility that carries a whiff of legend, the kind reserved for the Colonel’s 11 herbs and spices. If you’re hoping she might reveal even a hint of what’s in it, think again. Her father, mother and even her husband don’t know the ingredients.</p>
<p>The Glarifee is just one of many well-loved traditions at Sonoma’s Swiss Hotel, <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/historic-restaurants-of-sonoma-county/">one of Wine Country’s last truly historic restaurants</a>. The 175-year-old building, constructed in 1850 for the brother of Gen. Mariano Vallejo, is designated California State Parks Commission Historic Landmark No. 496. And with an unbroken chain of family ownership since 1935, the Swiss — as locals call it — still serves many of the same recipes that have long defined its menu.</p>
<figure id="attachment_134169" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134169" style="width: 1811px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-134169 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_007.jpg" alt="Popular Irish coffee cocktail at the Swiss Hotel in Sonoma" width="1811" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_007.jpg 1811w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_007-212x300.jpg 212w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_007-990x1400.jpg 990w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_007-768x1086.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_007-1087x1536.jpg 1087w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_007-1449x2048.jpg 1449w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_007-1200x1696.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1811px) 100vw, 1811px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134169" class="wp-caption-text">Ted Dunlap developed “The Glarifee,” a “cold” Irish coffee cocktail, in 1965 in the bar at the Swiss Hotel. Photo taken Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>For Dunlap Schantz, the place isn’t just historic. It’s home.</p>
<p>A fifth-generation Sonoman, she grew up at the Swiss, celebrating birthdays, graduations, weddings and funerals with her extended family in one of the rambling complex’s private dining rooms. Her father, Tom Dunlap, owns the restaurant with his sister, Teddi Respini. But Dunlap Schantz is the restaurant’s day-to-day presence — an Energizer Bunny who zips from room to room, checking details and greeting employees by name. Many, after decades on staff, feel like family, too.</p>
<figure id="attachment_134177" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134177" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-134177" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_014.jpg" width="2560" height="1733" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_014.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_014-300x203.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_014-1024x693.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_014-768x520.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_014-1536x1040.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_014-2048x1386.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_014-1200x812.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" / alt="The kitchen staff behind the swinging door into the bar at the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134177" class="wp-caption-text">The kitchen staff behind the swinging door into the bar at the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_134180" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134180" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-134180" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_006.jpg" width="2560" height="1776" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_006.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_006-300x208.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_006-1024x710.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_006-768x533.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_006-1536x1066.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_006-2048x1421.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_006-1200x833.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" / alt="GM Kristin Dunlap Schantz holds a Sweet Sausage &amp; Portobello Mushroom Pizza with mozzarella and roasted tomato in the bar at the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134180" class="wp-caption-text">General manager Kristin Dunlap Schantz holds a Sweet Sausage &amp; Portobello Mushroom Pizza with mozzarella and roasted tomato in the bar at the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<h4>Where everybody knows your name, or at least your dog’s</h4>
<p>Legacy is everything to Dunlap Schantz, who represents five generations of Sonomans who have welcomed patrons to the Swiss as if it were their home — and every guest a member of the family.</p>
<p>“Everyone who comes through the doors is an extension of our family. That’s our legacy to Sonoma,” she said.</p>
<p>With staff members who have worked at the restaurant for more than 30 years, including her chef, greeting guests by name is an important protocol.</p>
<p>“And if we don’t know your name, we probably know your dog’s name,” Dunlap Schantz said of the front patio, where well-behaved dogs often sit alongside their owners. At the bar, she added, the staff will almost certainly remember your drink. “And we never forget a face.”</p>
<figure id="attachment_134175" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134175" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-134175 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_016.jpg" alt="The Swiss Hotel in Sonoma" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_016.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_016-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_016-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_016-768x512.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_016-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_016-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_016-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134175" class="wp-caption-text">The Swiss Hotel restaurant inside the 175-year-old adobe built by Don Salvador Vallejo Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_134178" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134178" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-134178" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_012.jpg" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_012.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_012-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_012-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_012-768x512.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_012-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_012-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_012-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" / alt="The Swiss Hotel low ceiling wine room in the 175-year-old adobe building Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134178" class="wp-caption-text">The Swiss Hotel low ceiling wine room in the 175-year-old adobe building Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<h4>The vibe</h4>
<p>Like many restaurants surrounding the centuries-old Sonoma Plaza, the Swiss Hotel conceals its true size behind a modest façade. Step inside and the place keeps unfolding: a maze of rooms and patios stretching across nearly half an acre behind the historic building.</p>
<p>Most recognizable are the handful of coveted sidewalk patio tables out front — prime territory for people-watching on the plaza with a Glarifee in hand. Inside, the restaurant opens onto a large dining room and an oasis-like covered patio where locals linger over drinks and plates of pasta. Farther back, additional outdoor spaces are tucked into the property, including a cellar room used for private dinners and a sprawling event area shaded by old trees.</p>
<p>The main dining room leans toward date-night elegance, with white tablecloths, neatly folded napkins and polished glassware beneath hazy black-and-white family photos lining the walls. Out on the patio, red-and-white checkered tablecloths give the space a relaxed, jeans-and-T-shirt feel.</p>
<p>The bar is another world entirely — low ceilings, dark wood paneling and stools that have hosted decades of characters, including a relative of Ernest Hemingway who, according to legend, gave the Glarifee its name, alongside World War II-era female pilots, local winemakers and politicians.</p>
<figure id="attachment_134172" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134172" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-134172 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_011.jpg" alt="Swiss Hotel bar" width="2560" height="1693" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_011.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_011-300x198.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_011-1024x677.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_011-768x508.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_011-1536x1016.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_011-2048x1354.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_011-1200x794.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134172" class="wp-caption-text">The Swiss Hotel bar inside the building constructed around 1850 on the plaza in Sonoma Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_134173" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134173" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-134173" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_013.jpg" width="2560" height="1604" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_013.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_013-300x188.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_013-1024x642.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_013-768x481.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_013-1536x962.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_013-2048x1283.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_013-1200x752.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" / alt="Five-star general Hap Arnold once left his hat in the bar at the historic Swiss Hotel, and there it remains on the wall Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134173" class="wp-caption-text">Five-star general Hap Arnold once left his hat in the bar at the historic Swiss Hotel, and there it remains on the wall Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>For generations, the Swiss has been the kind of place where deals were brokered, friendships cemented and locals marked life’s milestones. If the walls could talk, they would tell the story of Sonoma’s evolution from rural hamlet to polished Wine Country destination.</p>
<p>But history alone doesn’t keep the place buzzing night after night.</p>
<p>For all its nostalgia, the restaurant endures because diners return for its hearty lineup of Italian and Swiss classics, such as polenta, robust meatballs, a chophouse-style wedge salad, eggplant Parmesan, pot roast and seafood pappardelle.</p>
<figure id="attachment_134174" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134174" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-134174" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_005.jpg" width="2560" height="1639" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_005.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_005-300x192.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_005-1024x656.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_005-768x492.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_005-1536x983.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_005-2048x1311.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_005-1200x768.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" / alt="The Chophouse Wedge Salad with iceberg lettuce, radish, onion, tomato, crumbled bacon and creamy blue cheese dressing from the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134174" class="wp-caption-text">The Chophouse Wedge Salad with iceberg lettuce, radish, onion, tomato, crumbled bacon and creamy blue cheese dressing from the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_134171" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134171" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-134171" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001.jpg" width="2560" height="1701" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-300x199.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-1024x680.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-768x510.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-1536x1021.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-2048x1361.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-1200x797.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" / alt="Seafood Pappardelle with scallops, prawns, lobster meat, Calabrian peppers, arugula, fresh tomatoes and a saffron lobster butter sauce from the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134171" class="wp-caption-text">Seafood pappardelle with scallops, prawns, lobster meat, Calabrian peppers, arugula, fresh tomatoes and a saffron lobster butter sauce from the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>In a town where chef-driven dishes topped with edible flowers and foams are the norm, the Swiss has stuck to what it does best: generous portions, strong drinks and a room full of regulars who treat the place like their second dining room.</p>
<h4>Fun fact</h4>
<p>The Glarifee’s name is a mashup of “glazed Irish coffee.” Creamy and sweet, with a deceptively potent dose of Irish whiskey, the drink is strong enough that two might leave you under the table — something this reporter learned the hard way. Consider it Sonoma County’s sneakiest cocktail.</p>
<p>“Everyone calls it something different — glacé, glacier, colofee, giraffe,” Dunlap Schantz said. Her grandmother once mixed the drink in a bathtub before transferring it, jug by jug, to the bar. (Don’t worry: It’s no longer made in a bathtub.)</p>
<figure id="attachment_134176" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134176" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-134176 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_002.jpg" alt="Swiss Hotel wine and chicken Parmesan" width="2560" height="2495" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_002.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_002-300x292.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_002-1024x998.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_002-768x749.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_002-1536x1497.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_002-2048x1996.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_002-1200x1170.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134176" class="wp-caption-text">Chicken Parmesan with mozzarella cheese and marinara, served with creamy basil pesto linguine from the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<h4>Most popular dishes</h4>
<p>Pizzas, fried calamari and rigatoni Bolognese.</p>
<h4>The name</h4>
<p>The Swiss Hotel was originally called the Tocino Hotel. Generations ago, when the original Swiss Hotel across Sonoma Plaza burned down, the family salvaged the old sign and hung it above their door. Just like that, the Swiss Hotel was reborn.</p>
<figure id="attachment_134170" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134170" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-134170 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_015.jpg" alt="Swiss Hotel historical plaque" width="2560" height="1954" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_015.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_015-300x229.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_015-1024x782.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_015-768x586.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_015-1536x1172.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_015-2048x1563.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_015-1200x916.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134170" class="wp-caption-text">The Historical Landmark plaque on the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_134179" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-134179" style="width: 2008px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-134179" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_004.jpg" width="2008" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_004.jpg 2008w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_004-235x300.jpg 235w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_004-1024x1305.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_004-768x979.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_004-1205x1536.jpg 1205w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_004-1606x2048.jpg 1606w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_004-1200x1530.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2008px) 100vw, 2008px" / alt="The Caramel Nut Sundae with candied nuts and crushed amaretto cookies from the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-134179" class="wp-caption-text">The Caramel Nut Sundae with candied nuts and crushed amaretto cookies from the historic Swiss Hotel Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026 on the square in Sonoma. (John Burgess/The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<h4>The price</h4>
<p>Appetizers $14–$20; salads $12–$16; pizzas $23–$30; entrées $18–$42; desserts $8–$11. Portions are generous, so expect leftovers.</p>
<h4>The deals</h4>
<p>No corkage fee on Wednesdays.</p>
<h4>The place</h4>
<p>Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, with lunch only on Sunday. Closed Monday. <em>18 W. Spain St., Sonoma, 707-938-2884, <a href="https://swisshotelsonoma.com/">swisshotelsonoma.com</a></em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/swiss-hotel-in-sonoma-remains-a-historic-wine-country-dining-institution/">Swiss Hotel in Sonoma Remains a Historic Wine Country Dining Institution</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<media:content medium="image" url="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/TPD-L-jb0219_swisshotel_001-300x199.jpg" width="300" height="199"/>	</item>
	<article id="nativo-sf-1" class="post-blurb"></article>	<item>
		<title>Sonoma’s Valley Bar + Bottle Earns Rare James Beard Semifinalist Spot</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/james-beard-semifinalist-sonoma/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather Irwin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Thu, 22 Jan 2026 01:12:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[BiteClub]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things To Do in Sonoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New in Wine Country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[james beard]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[james beard awards]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma County foodie]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Valley Bar + Bottle]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=132595</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="234" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-300x234.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-300x234.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-1024x799.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-768x599.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-1536x1199.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-2048x1598.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-1200x937.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>A tiny Sonoma restaurant has earned a rare James Beard semifinalist nod, standing alone in a year crowded with big-city names. Here’s who was nominated. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/james-beard-semifinalist-sonoma/">Sonoma’s Valley Bar + Bottle Earns Rare James Beard Semifinalist Spot</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="234" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-300x234.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-300x234.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-1024x799.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-768x599.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-1536x1199.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-2048x1598.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/jb1003_valley_001-1200x937.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p hidden>
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<p>In a field dominated by San Francisco and Los Angeles chefs, Emma Lipp and Stephanie Reagor of <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/new-sonoma-wine-bar-and-restaurant-serves-up-natural-wines-and-a-french-vibe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valley Bar + Bottle</a> earned Sonoma County’s only chef semifinalist nomination for the <a href="https://www.jamesbeard.org/stories/james-beard-award-semifinalists-2026" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2026 James Beard Awards</a>.</p>
<p>The partners behind Valley Bar + Bottle in Sonoma were named semifinalists Wednesday morning in the “Best Chef: California” category. Other semifinalists include San Francisco chefs Kim Alter of Nightbird, Harrison Cheney of Sons &amp; Daughters, and Kosuke Tada of Mijoté, as well as Sarah Cooper and Alan Hsu of Oakland’s Sun Moon Studio.</p>
<p>Derek Stevenson, beverage director of Calistoga’s <a href="https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2022/12/16/auro-in-calistoga-is-a-hidden-gem/">two-Michelin-starred Auro,</a> was also recognized as a semifinalist in the Outstanding Professional in Beverage Service Category.</p>
<p>Often described as the Oscars of the food world, the James Beard Awards will announce finalists March 31, with winners revealed June 15 at a ceremony in Chicago.</p>
<figure id="attachment_87343" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-87343" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-87343 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/B0LDFfhZMO4-D5I8A2zvK43Gxmw-scaled.jpg" alt="Chefs Stephanie Reagor, left, and Emma Lipp in the open kitchen at Valley Bar + Bottle on the Sonoma Square. Valley earned a James Beard nod." width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/B0LDFfhZMO4-D5I8A2zvK43Gxmw-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/B0LDFfhZMO4-D5I8A2zvK43Gxmw-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/B0LDFfhZMO4-D5I8A2zvK43Gxmw-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/B0LDFfhZMO4-D5I8A2zvK43Gxmw-768x512.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/B0LDFfhZMO4-D5I8A2zvK43Gxmw-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/B0LDFfhZMO4-D5I8A2zvK43Gxmw-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/B0LDFfhZMO4-D5I8A2zvK43Gxmw-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-87343" class="wp-caption-text">Chefs Stephanie Reagor, left, and Emma Lipp in the open kitchen at Valley Bar + Bottle on the Sonoma Square. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>For Valley Bar + Bottle, the recognition is notable, if not entirely unexpected. The 52-seat restaurant has earned a Michelin Bib Gourmand for three consecutive years, recognizing quality and value, though it has never received a star. Since opening in 2020, it has built a devoted following and a national profile. Esquire named it one of the “<a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/sonoma-wine-bar-named-among-the-best-bars-in-america/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Best Bars in America</a>” in 2021, followed by coverage from <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/3-favorite-restaurants-in-sonoma-county-according-to-the-new-york-times/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The New York Times</a> in 2023.</p>
<p>&#8220;We are excited for our team to be acknowledged for all the hard work they do stewarding local produce and telling culinary stories – ancestral, historic and present,&#8221; said Lipp, speaking from London. &#8220;Our goal is to be in partnership with the land, our team and our community, and sometimes that feels like a successful vision and it&#8217;s nice when that vision translates to others.&#8221;</p>
<p>Valley Bar + Bottle is known for its ingredient-driven cuisine, a natural-wine-focused bottle shop, and a wine list curated with the same care as the menu. Lipp and Regor co-own the restaurant with Lauren Feldman and Tanner Walle. The four also operate <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/owners-of-popular-wine-bar-and-restaurant-open-valley-swim-club-in-sonoma/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Valley Swim Club</a> in Sonoma.</p>
<figure id="attachment_107897" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-107897" style="width: 1556px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-107897 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/032022_Valley-Sonoma_ERoche_3-Edit.jpg" alt="Valley restaurant in Sonoma earned a James Beard nod" width="1556" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/032022_Valley-Sonoma_ERoche_3-Edit.jpg 1556w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/032022_Valley-Sonoma_ERoche_3-Edit-182x300.jpg 182w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/032022_Valley-Sonoma_ERoche_3-Edit-622x1024.jpg 622w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/032022_Valley-Sonoma_ERoche_3-Edit-768x1264.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/032022_Valley-Sonoma_ERoche_3-Edit-934x1536.jpg 934w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/032022_Valley-Sonoma_ERoche_3-Edit-1245x2048.jpg 1245w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/032022_Valley-Sonoma_ERoche_3-Edit-1200x1974.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1556px) 100vw, 1556px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-107897" class="wp-caption-text">Dish from Valley Bar + Bottle in Sonoma. (Eileen Roche/For Sonoma Magazine)</figcaption></figure>
<h4>That&#8217;s it?</h4>
<p>Still, Wednesday&#8217;s James Beard Awards announcement raises a familiar question in Wine Country: <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/wheres-the-love-how-the-james-beard-awards-snubbed-sonoma-chefs/">Why does James Beard recognition remain so elusive</a>?</p>
<p>Since 2000, only six Wine Country chefs or restaurants have won James Beard medals, three of them connected to The French Laundry in Yountville. The restaurant won Outstanding Restaurant in 2006, while its then chef de cuisine, Corey Lee, was named Rising Star Chef of the Year. Thomas Keller followed with Outstanding Restaurateur honors in 2007.</p>
<p>The remaining wins came from Douglas Keane of Cyrus, who won Best Chef: Pacific in 2009, under a broader regional category; Christopher Kostow of St. Helena’s Restaurant at Meadowood won Best Chef: West in 2013, and SingleThread restaurant in Healdsburg won &#8220;Best Restaurant Design (75 Seats and Under)&#8221; in 2017.</p>
<p>But SingleThread, which has held three Michelin stars since 2019 and appears regularly on global &#8220;best restaurant&#8221; lists, has never won a James Beard Award in the chef or restaurant categories.</p>
<p>Part of the disparity lies in how the awards are determined.</p>
<h4>What’s in an award?</h4>
<p>Michelin stars are awarded by anonymous inspectors who pay for meals and evaluate restaurants almost exclusively on the quality and consistency of the food, often favoring formal tasting menus at the highest end of the market. Stars apply to restaurants, not individual chefs, and can be gained or lost year to year.</p>
<p>The James Beard Awards, by contrast, are judged by a large panel of industry professionals and journalists organized by region. Criteria extend beyond the plate, weighing factors such as community engagement, equity, integrity and leadership. The awards have faced scrutiny in recent years, particularly over diversity. In 2020, after no Black winners were named in major chef and restaurant categories, the foundation <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/25/dining/james-beard-awards-cancel.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">canceled the awards</a> and overhauled the judging process.</p>
<p>The Michelin awards have also<a href="https://guide.michelin.com/us/en/article/features/restaurant-industry-diversity-inequity"> faced criticism</a> for a lack of diversity, particularly in their selection of chefs of color and women for star recommendations.</p>
<figure id="attachment_84269" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-84269" style="width: 1359px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-84269 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/valley-bar-bottle-photo-by-emma-k-morris-1.jpg" alt="Valley Bar + Bottle in Sonoma" width="1359" height="906" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/valley-bar-bottle-photo-by-emma-k-morris-1.jpg 1359w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/valley-bar-bottle-photo-by-emma-k-morris-1-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/valley-bar-bottle-photo-by-emma-k-morris-1-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/valley-bar-bottle-photo-by-emma-k-morris-1-768x512.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/valley-bar-bottle-photo-by-emma-k-morris-1-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1359px) 100vw, 1359px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-84269" class="wp-caption-text">Valley Bar + Bottle in Sonoma. (Emma K Creative)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_105994" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-105994" style="width: 2048px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-105994 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/rXoEhl4Ol2n4nje4kzSd7p7oHF4.jpg" alt="Fried chicken from Valley Bar + Bottle in Sonoma, which earned a James Beard nod" width="2048" height="1529" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/rXoEhl4Ol2n4nje4kzSd7p7oHF4.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/rXoEhl4Ol2n4nje4kzSd7p7oHF4-300x224.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/rXoEhl4Ol2n4nje4kzSd7p7oHF4-1024x765.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/rXoEhl4Ol2n4nje4kzSd7p7oHF4-768x573.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/rXoEhl4Ol2n4nje4kzSd7p7oHF4-1536x1147.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/rXoEhl4Ol2n4nje4kzSd7p7oHF4-1200x896.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2048px) 100vw, 2048px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-105994" class="wp-caption-text">Fried chicken with cucumber and coconut peanut curry from Valley Bar + Bottle on the Sonoma Square. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<h4>Who will win?</h4>
<p>Predicting James Beard Award winners remains difficult.</p>
<p>In 2025, none of Sonoma County&#8217;s semifinalists won an award. Today, the broader Wine Country region has nine <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/michelin-starred-restaurants-in-the-bay-area/">Michelin-starred restaurants</a>. These include SingleThread and The French Laundry (three stars), <a href="https://www.pressdemocrat.com/2025/06/26/a-lifetime-dream-fulfilled-sonoma-countys-enclos-restaurant-wins-2-michelin-stars-in-stunning-debut-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Enclos in Sonoma</a> and Harbor House in Elk (two stars), and Auberge du Soleil in Rutherford, Auro in Calistoga, Cyrus in Geyserville, Kenzo in Napa and Press in St. Helena (one star each).</p>
<p>For now, Valley Bar + Bottle’s semifinalist nod stands as a bright spot for Sonoma County and a reminder that James Beard recognition has long been harder to secure north of the Golden Gate.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/james-beard-semifinalist-sonoma/">Sonoma’s Valley Bar + Bottle Earns Rare James Beard Semifinalist Spot</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<title>Sonoma’s Cafe La Haye Is Classic, Reliable and Always Comforting</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/sonomas-cafe-la-haye-is-classic-reliable-and-always-comforting/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather Irwin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 11 Nov 2025 19:40:41 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[BiteClub]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things To Do in Sonoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New in Wine Country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cafe La Haye]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Chefs]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma County restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma restaurant]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=130516</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="235" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-300x235.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-300x235.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-1024x803.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-768x602.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-1536x1204.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-2048x1606.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-1200x941.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>Nearly three decades after it opened, this Sonoma bistro remains a charming, reliable dining destination. Here's what to order. </p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/sonomas-cafe-la-haye-is-classic-reliable-and-always-comforting/">Sonoma’s Cafe La Haye Is Classic, Reliable and Always Comforting</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="235" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-300x235.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-300x235.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-1024x803.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-768x602.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-1536x1204.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-2048x1606.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-1200x941.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p hidden>
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</p>
<p>When Cafe La Haye owner Saul Gropman <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/sonomas-cafe-la-haye-changing-hands-as-longtime-owner-retires/">announced his retirement in December 2024</a>, Sonoma Valley collectively clutched its pearls. The bespectacled host had been a welcoming presence in the intimate dining room since the restaurant opened in 1996 — a rare fixed point in a county where the culinary landscape is always in flux.</p>
<p>Nearly a year later, the restaurant hasn&#8217;t missed a beat. The dining room is still packed with locals who reliably show up for pork chops and risotto.</p>
<p>Inside, little has changed: it&#8217;s the same art, the same menu and the same cozy split-level room that has made it a neighborhood favorite for nearly three decades. And that’s precisely why it still works under new husband-and-wife owners José López Nuñes and Marta Elena Echeverría Bacab.</p>
<figure id="attachment_130532" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-130532" style="width: 1787px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-130532 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_009.jpg" alt="Cafe La Haye owners Jose Lopez Nuñez and Marta Elena Echeverría Bacab" width="1787" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_009.jpg 1787w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_009-209x300.jpg 209w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_009-977x1400.jpg 977w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_009-768x1100.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_009-1072x1536.jpg 1072w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_009-1430x2048.jpg 1430w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_009-1200x1719.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1787px) 100vw, 1787px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-130532" class="wp-caption-text">Cafe La Haye owner Saul Gropman sold his critically acclaimed Sonoma bistro last year to 25-year employee Jose Lopez Nuñez and his wife Marta Elena Echeverría Bacab Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Chef José has spent nearly 25 years in the pint-sized kitchen, learning his craft under its inimitable founding chef, John McReynolds. Though McReynolds left La Haye in 2007 and died in 2024, his bistro-classic sensibility and gregarious energy still hover over the line like a cheerful patron saint.</p>
<p>“We thought about changing things, but locals gave us feedback to keep Cafe La Haye for what it was known for,&#8221; said chef Andrew Lopez-Echeverría, who now works with his father in the kitchen and as a host in the dining room.</p>
<p>Today, the restaurant is firmly a family affair: daughter Karen Lopez-Echeverría runs the front as general manager, Marta handles the books, and her brother, Marco Echeverría, has worked in the kitchen for over two decades. Their easy familiarity brings warmth and continuity.</p>
<figure id="attachment_130533" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-130533" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-130533" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_011.jpg" width="2560" height="1707" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_011.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_011-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_011-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_011-768x512.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_011-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_011-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_011-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" / alt="Chef Marco Echeverria started in 1998 in the kitchen at Cafe La Haye Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-130533" class="wp-caption-text">Chef Marco Echeverría started in 1998 in the kitchen at Cafe La Haye Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_130527" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-130527" style="width: 2182px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-130527" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_006.jpg" width="2182" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_006.jpg 2182w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_006-256x300.jpg 256w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_006-1024x1201.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_006-768x901.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_006-1309x1536.jpg 1309w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_006-1746x2048.jpg 1746w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_006-1200x1408.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2182px) 100vw, 2182px" / alt="Fresh pappardelle pasta with prawns, saffron, tomato and roasted garlic at Cafe La Haye Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-130527" class="wp-caption-text">Fresh pappardelle pasta with prawns, saffron, tomato and roasted garlic at Cafe La Haye Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The specials board still reads like a &#8220;greatest hits&#8221; album — seasonal tweaks, few radical shifts — and the regulars wouldn’t have it any other way. Cafe La Haye is the kind of place where swapping out the fresh pappardelle ($37) could spark an uprising. There’s no need for constant reinvention of something that already works.</p>
<p>That doesn’t mean it’s lost its cachet. Cafe La Haye’s quiet refusal to reinvent itself has become its signature. It&#8217;s comfort food for a pearl-and-platinum crowd that likes what it likes — and in Sonoma, that’s money in the bank.</p>
<h4>The vibe</h4>
<figure id="attachment_130530" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-130530" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-130530" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_005.jpg" alt="Cafe La Haye " width="2560" height="1760" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_005.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_005-300x206.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_005-1024x704.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_005-768x528.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_005-1536x1056.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_005-2048x1408.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_005-1200x825.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-130530" class="wp-caption-text">Cafe La Haye Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The 40-seat room has a modern, white-tablecloth look that feels upscale without getting stuffy. A small elevated section — just three steps up — offers cozy bistro banquette seating ideal for date nights, though you&#8217;ll be shoulder-to-shoulder with neighboring tables. Six tin-topped bar seats give guests a front-row view of the kitchen. Open-beam ceilings and large windows keep the space bright and airy, while contemporary canvases add pops of color without visual clutter. It&#8217;s timeless, with a subtle &#8217;90s gloss that nods to its origins.</p>
<h4>The food</h4>
<figure id="attachment_130526" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-130526" style="width: 1730px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-130526 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_003.jpg" alt="Cafe La Haye restaurant in Sonoma" width="1730" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_003.jpg 1730w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_003-203x300.jpg 203w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_003-946x1400.jpg 946w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_003-768x1136.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_003-1038x1536.jpg 1038w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_003-1384x2048.jpg 1384w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_003-1200x1776.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1730px) 100vw, 1730px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-130526" class="wp-caption-text">Braised short ribs in a puff pastry with carrots, peas and horseradish-leek cream at Cafe La Haye Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Despite its diminutive size, the kitchen turns out big flavors, leaning into contemporary American classics like the much-loved grilled pork chop with warm mustard seed vinaigrette ($36), pan-roasted chicken with goat cheese and rich, dreamy polenta ($34) and braised short ribs in puff pastry with horseradish cream ($22).</p>
<p>The beef carpaccio ($19) is fine, but a tangle of arugula, red onion, cucumbers and balsamic vinegar overwhelms the simplicity of the dish. Don’t miss the cheesecake ($12), light and airy with a drizzle of raspberry coulis.</p>
<h4>Fun fact</h4>
<p>Watch for classic dishes to reappear on the menu, an homage to the McReynolds era. A favorite is the fried eggplant in coconut chili sauce ($16), made with soft cubes of Japanese eggplant and topped with sesame seeds and green onions.</p>
<figure id="attachment_130525" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-130525" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-full wp-image-130525" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001.jpg" width="2560" height="2007" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-300x235.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-1024x803.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-768x602.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-1536x1204.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-2048x1606.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/TPD-L-jb1030_lahaye_001-1200x941.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" / alt="Pork chop with warm mustard seed vinaigrette, roasted mushrooms, potato gnocchi and Swiss chard at Cafe La Haye Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-130525" class="wp-caption-text">Pork chop with warm mustard seed vinaigrette, roasted mushrooms, potato gnocchi and Swiss chard at Cafe La Haye Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<h4>Most popular dish</h4>
<p>The grilled pork chop is the undisputed “can’t take off the menu” item, along with the daily risotto and short ribs in puff pastry.</p>
<h4>The price</h4>
<p>Starters are priced from $12 to $22, while mains range from $27 to $58. Expect to pay approximately $80-$90 per person, including wine.</p>
<h4>The spot</h4>
<p>140 E. Napa St., Sonoma, 707-935-5994, <a href="https://www.cafelahaye.com/">cafelahaye.com</a>. Reservations are highly recommended.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/sonomas-cafe-la-haye-is-classic-reliable-and-always-comforting/">Sonoma’s Cafe La Haye Is Classic, Reliable and Always Comforting</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<title>Chef, Founder of Sonoma’s The Girl &#038; The Fig Announce New Restaurant</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/chef-founder-of-sonomas-the-girl-the-fig-announce-new-restaurant/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather Irwin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:12:35 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[BiteClub]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things To Do in Sonoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New in Wine Country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sondra Bernstein]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma restaurant]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[the girl and the fig]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=128446</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="200" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-768x512.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>While the concept for the new Sonoma restaurant is still in development, the owner and chef hint at a late 2025 opening.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/chef-founder-of-sonomas-the-girl-the-fig-announce-new-restaurant/">Chef, Founder of Sonoma’s The Girl &#038; The Fig Announce New Restaurant</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
]]></description>
										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="200" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-300x200.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-768x512.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/GettyImages-2166530342-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p hidden>
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</p>
<p>John Toulze of The Girl &amp; The Fig has confirmed that he and founder Sondra Bernstein are taking over the lease of a longtime Sonoma restaurant. At first, the exact location remained a closely guarded secret — until the restaurant itself dropped an important announcement.</p>
<p>On Aug. 22, Maya Restaurant <a href="https://www.facebook.com/mayarestaurantsonoma/">posted on its Facebook page</a> that it will close after 28 years in business. &#8220;Fig will be taking over the space at the end of September,&#8221; the post stated.</p>
<p>The Facebook post went on to show support for the upcoming restaurant and announced Maya&#8217;s final day of service, Sept. 21. The Sonoma restaurant is located at 101 E. Napa St.</p>
<figure id="attachment_126279" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126279" style="width: 2202px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-126279 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jb0613_poppy_005.jpg" alt="Poppy Restaurant in Glen Ellen" width="2202" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jb0613_poppy_005.jpg 2202w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jb0613_poppy_005-258x300.jpg 258w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jb0613_poppy_005-1024x1190.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jb0613_poppy_005-768x893.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jb0613_poppy_005-1321x1536.jpg 1321w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jb0613_poppy_005-1762x2048.jpg 1762w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/jb0613_poppy_005-1200x1395.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2202px) 100vw, 2202px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-126279" class="wp-caption-text">Truite du Mont. Lassen with romano beans, fingerling potatoes, romesco sauce and toasted almonds from Poppy restaurant Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Glen Ellen. Chef and restaurateur John Toulze announced he and The Girl &amp; The Fig founder Sondra Bernstein will open a new restaurant in Sonoma later this year. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The news follows the June debut of <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/with-new-poppy-restaurant-in-glen-ellen-longtime-restaurateurs-return-to-their-roots/">Poppy in Glen Ellen</a>, the freshest sprout on The Girl &amp; The Fig’s ever-growing family tree.</p>
<p>While the concept for the new venture is still in development, Toulze hints at a late 2025 opening. Consider this your first taste — more delicious details to come.</p>
<p><em>Maci Martell contributed to this article.</em></p>
<p><em>You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at <a href="mailto:heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com">heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com</a>. Follow Heather on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/biteclubeats">@biteclubeats</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/chef-founder-of-sonomas-the-girl-the-fig-announce-new-restaurant/">Chef, Founder of Sonoma’s The Girl &#038; The Fig Announce New Restaurant</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<title>Farmhouse Sonoma Is the Community Hub Downtown Needed</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/farmhouse-sonoma-is-the-community-hub-downtown-needed/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Carey Sweet]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Fri, 15 Aug 2025 16:33:20 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Magazine]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things To Do in Sonoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New in Wine Country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma restaurant]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=128233</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="201" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-300x201.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-300x201.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-1024x688.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-768x516.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-1536x1031.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-2048x1375.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-1200x806.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>Every visit at this Sonoma restaurant feels like a family affair, where locals gather for meals, cocktails and gossip.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/farmhouse-sonoma-is-the-community-hub-downtown-needed/">Farmhouse Sonoma Is the Community Hub Downtown Needed</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="201" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-300x201.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-300x201.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-1024x688.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-768x516.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-1536x1031.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-2048x1375.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_005-1200x806.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p hidden>
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<p class="cph-dropcap">Sonoma has no shortage of dining destinations, but Farmhouse Sonoma has filled a niche for a long-needed casual, affordable, family-friendly spot in Sonoma Springs. When it <a href="https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/farmhouse-sonoma-restaurant-palms/">opened in April</a>, the spacious restaurant almost instantly became a community hub, where locals gather for meals, cocktails, and gossip.</p>
<p>This charming bistro at the north end of Sonoma is owned by Pemba Sherpa, a well-known restaurateur <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/in-californias-wine-country-sherpa-restaurateurs-celebrate-and-share-nepalese-culture/">whose extended family runs several Nepalese restaurants</a>, including Taste of the Himalayas in downtown Sonoma.</p>
<p>Farmhouse is a change of pace for Sherpa, who came to California from Nepal in 1997 to attend college and culinary school. Instead of his signature Nepalese, Tibetan, and Indian cuisine, the menu here is brimming with classic American-Mediterranean fare like golden brioche French toast at breakfast, Cobb salad adorned with both blue cheese and ranch dressing, crisp fried calamari with saffron-lime aioli, and pastas made fresh daily.</p>
<figure id="attachment_126901" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126901" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-126901" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_006-1024x648.jpg" width="1024" height="648" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_006-1024x648.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_006-300x190.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_006-768x486.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_006-1536x973.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_006-2048x1297.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_006-1200x760.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" / alt="Pappardelle Carbonara from Farmhouse Sonoma in the old Palms restaurant location Friday, May 9, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-126901" class="wp-caption-text">Pappardelle Carbonara from Farmhouse Sonoma in the old Palms restaurant location Friday, May 9, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Together with chef Sonam Sherpa, Pemba has created dishes that are surprisingly refined for such a relaxed, reasonably priced hangout. (The two are unrelated, despite the same last name, which is common in the Himalayas where many work as climbing guides.)</p>
<p>Sherpa spent a year renovating the restaurant space, which previously housed the Palms Grill. The transformed dining room gleams with newly exposed high ceilings, a sophisticated cream-and-black color palette, and bamboo accents. Sherpa’s landlord, Justin Altamura, crafted the dramatic steeple-style foyer using old-growth redwood reclaimed from a barn once owned by his grandfather in Napa — a place where the famed racehorse Seabiscuit was known to vacation. Additional woodwork in the dining area was done by Sherpa’s cousin from New York.</p>
<figure id="attachment_128230" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-128230" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-128230" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_014-1024x683.jpg" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_014-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_014-300x200.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_014-768x512.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_014-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_014-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_014-1200x801.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" / alt="A selection of wines at Farmhouse Sonoma in the old Palms restaurant space Friday, May 9, 2025 in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-128230" class="wp-caption-text">A selection of wines at Farmhouse Sonoma in the old Palms restaurant space Friday, May 9, 2025 in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<figure id="attachment_128227" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-128227" style="width: 2560px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-128227 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_015.jpg" alt="Farmhouse Sonoma" width="2560" height="1681" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_015.jpg 2560w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_015-300x197.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_015-1024x672.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_015-768x504.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_015-1536x1009.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_015-2048x1345.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/jb0512_farmhouse_015-1200x788.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-128227" class="wp-caption-text">Farmhouse Sonoma in the old Palms restaurant space Friday, May 9, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Every visit here feels like a family affair. There are handshakes and hugs all around —  from both regulars and new patrons as guests pause to greet Sherpa and his wife, Tenzin Yangchen, who helps at the restaurant in the evenings after her day job as a pharmacist.</p>
<p>Sherpa says the new restaurant exists because of the community. “We’ve been through it all — recessions, the pandemic, wildfires — and the reason we’re still in business is because of the locals.”</p>
<h4>Best Bets</h4>
<figure id="attachment_126906" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-126906" style="width: 1924px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-126906 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_002.jpg" alt="Grilled Branzino from Farmhouse Sonoma" width="1924" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_002.jpg 1924w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_002-225x300.jpg 225w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_002-1024x1362.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_002-768x1022.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_002-1154x1536.jpg 1154w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_002-1539x2048.jpg 1539w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/jb0512_farmhouse_002-1200x1597.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1924px) 100vw, 1924px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-126906" class="wp-caption-text">Grilled Branzino from Farmhouse Sonoma in the old Palms restaurant location Friday, May 9, 2025, in Sonoma. (John Burgess / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p><strong>Tuna Crudo:</strong> Dry aging for 10 days results in tuna that is meltingly tender with concentrated flavor. It’s a generous portion with a refined finish that includes sake, watermelon, and calamansi.</p>
<p><strong>Bruschetta:</strong> Topped with burrata and caramelized peach chutney that is delicious enough to eat straight from a jar with a spoon.</p>
<p><strong>Pappardelle Carbonara:</strong> Pasta is made fresh from scratch, then tossed with salty pancetta, English peas, wild mushrooms, and a delightfully rich cured egg-yolk sauce.</p>
<p><strong>Grilled Branzino:</strong> Delicate whole herb-crusted fish is served tail-on and butterflied atop whipped potatoes then finished with grilled lemon and chimichurri.</p>
<p><em>18999 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma. 707-210-0515, <a href="https://www.farmhouse-sonoma.com/">farmhouse-sonoma.com</a></em></p>
<p><em>This article originally ran in The Press Democrat. Read the full-length article <a href="https://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/lifestyle/sonoma-restaurant-farmhouse-2/">here</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/farmhouse-sonoma-is-the-community-hub-downtown-needed/">Farmhouse Sonoma Is the Community Hub Downtown Needed</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<title>Stella Opens in Kenwood March 1</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/stella-opens-in-kenwood-march-1/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather Irwin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Wed, 26 Feb 2025 23:31:55 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[BiteClub]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
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		<category><![CDATA[Ari Weiswasser]]></category>
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		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=122829</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="245" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_mulfadine-300x245.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_mulfadine-300x245.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_mulfadine-1024x836.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_mulfadine-768x627.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_mulfadine-1536x1254.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_mulfadine-1200x980.jpg 1200w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_mulfadine.jpg 1584w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>New Kenwood restaurant from chef Ari Weiswasser's Glen Ellen Star team will feature housemade pasta and a mozzarella bar.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/stella-opens-in-kenwood-march-1/">Stella Opens in Kenwood March 1</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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<p class="">After 15 months of anticipation, the Glen Ellen Star team has announced that their <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/owner-of-glen-ellen-star-opening-new-restaurant-in-kenwood/">second restaurant</a>, Stella, will open March 1.</p>
<p>The Cal-meets-Ital restaurant will lean heavily on housemade pasta and wood-fired meats at the former Cafe Citti (9049 Sonoma Highway) location. Unlike Glen Ellen Star, there will be no pizza — but there will be a mozzarella bar.</p>
<p>The restaurant is the newest venture for chef Ari Weiswasser, his wife Erin and managing partners Spencer and Ashley Waite. Glen Ellen Star&#8217;s chef de cuisine, Bryant Minuche, will lead the Stella kitchen.</p>
<figure id="attachment_122850" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122850" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-122850 size-large" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_lumache-1024x857.jpg" alt="Stella in Kenwood" width="1024" height="857" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_lumache-1024x857.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_lumache-300x251.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_lumache-768x643.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_lumache-1200x1004.jpg 1200w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_lumache.jpg 1224w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-122850" class="wp-caption-text">Lumache pasta with aji amarillo pesto, chanterelles, puffed sorghum from Stella in Kenwood. (Stella)</figcaption></figure>
<p>The opening menu lists <strong>seven types of fresh pasta</strong> ($24-$31), including bucatini cacio e pepe, lobster ravioli, lumache with aji amarillo pesto (a vegan cashew version is also available) along with tagliatelle with prosciutto and spicy mafaldine (a ribbon-shaped pasta). Entrées include a Duroc pork chop with lemon caper butter sauce ($42), Snake River Farms bavette steak ($45) and whole grilled Daurado fish.</p>
<p>Italian mozzarella and burrata dishes — <strong>aka the mozzarella bar</strong> — include burrata with brown butter walnuts and 12-year aged balsamic vinegar, buffalo mozzarella with anchovy and a farm egg yolk, and mozzarella with artichoke and lemon vinaigrette all served with fettunta (fancy garlic bread).</p>
<figure id="attachment_122834" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122834" style="width: 1437px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-122834 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_bavettesteak.jpg" width="1437" height="2560" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_bavettesteak.jpg 1437w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_bavettesteak-168x300.jpg 168w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_bavettesteak-786x1400.jpg 786w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_bavettesteak-768x1368.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_bavettesteak-862x1536.jpg 862w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_bavettesteak-1150x2048.jpg 1150w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_bavettesteak-1200x2138.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1437px) 100vw, 1437px" / alt="Stella in Kenwood"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-122834" class="wp-caption-text">Bavette steak from Stella in Kenwood. (Stella)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Cozy Italian desserts like tiramisu, ricotta zeppole (doughnut holes) and chocolate olive oil cake will also be on the menu, but it’s the Baked &#8220;Gelaska&#8221; with vanilla gelato, raspberry sorbet, sponge cake and torched marshmallow fluff that has us extra excited.</p>
<figure id="attachment_122837" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-122837" style="width: 889px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-122837 size-full" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_zeppole.jpg" alt="Stella in Kenwood" width="889" height="1584" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_zeppole.jpg 889w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_zeppole-168x300.jpg 168w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_zeppole-786x1400.jpg 786w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_zeppole-768x1368.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/stella_zeppole-862x1536.jpg 862w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 889px) 100vw, 889px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-122837" class="wp-caption-text">Zeppole doughnuts with mascarpone and candied fruit from Stella in Kenwood. (Stella)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Wines by the glass or bottle are mainly from Sonoma and Napa, and a handful of low-proof cocktails, including a <strong>white Negroni and Stella Spritz</strong>, are offered.</p>
<p>The restaurant will include a dining room with a fireplace, chef&#8217;s counter seating and a covered outdoor patio. Stella will be open for dinner from 4:30 p.m. daily. Reservations are available at <a href="https://www.stellakenwood.com/">stellakenwood.com</a>.</p>
<p><em>9049 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, 707-801-8043</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/stella-opens-in-kenwood-march-1/">Stella Opens in Kenwood March 1</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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		<title>Owner of Sonoma’s Cafe La Haye Selling Restaurant To Longtime Employee</title>
		<link>https://www.sonomamag.com/sonomas-cafe-la-haye-changing-hands-as-longtime-owner-retires/</link>
		
		<dc:creator><![CDATA[Heather Irwin]]></dc:creator>
		<pubDate>Tue, 10 Dec 2024 21:35:03 +0000</pubDate>
				<category><![CDATA[BiteClub]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Food + Drink]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma Restaurants]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Things To Do in Sonoma]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Trending]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[What's New in Wine Country]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Cafe La Haye]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Sonoma restaurant]]></category>
		<guid isPermaLink="false">https://www.sonomamag.com/?p=120644</guid>

					<description><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="188" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-300x188.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-300x188.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-1024x641.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-768x481.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-1536x961.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-2048x1282.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-1200x751.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p>
<p>The cafe's owner of 28 years has announced his retirement and will pass the torch to a longtime employee, keeping the whole crew aboard.</p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/sonomas-cafe-la-haye-changing-hands-as-longtime-owner-retires/">Owner of Sonoma’s Cafe La Haye Selling Restaurant To Longtime Employee</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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										<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p hidden><img width="300" height="188" src="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-300x188.jpg" class="attachment-medium size-medium wp-post-image" alt="" decoding="async" loading="lazy" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-300x188.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-1024x641.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-768x481.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-1536x961.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-2048x1282.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/LaHaye01-1200x751.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" /></p><p hidden>
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<p>After 28 years as the face of Sonoma&#8217;s Cafe La Haye (140 East Napa St.), owner Saul Gropman has announced his retirement and that he will be selling the restaurant to a longtime employee.</p>
<p>On Monday, Gropman wrote on social media that he would be &#8220;passing the torch&#8221; to Jose Lopez, who has worked at the restaurant for 22 years, and Lopez’s wife, Marta.<br />
Reached by phone, Gropman said that in the wake of his 70th birthday, it was time to move on.</p>
<p>&#8220;A couple years ago, Jose asked if I ever wanted to sell, he wanted to be the first in line,&#8221; said Gropman. &#8220;The team is super solid, and Jose wants to keep running it as is, with the whole staff staying. I didn&#8217;t want to bring in someone new who would bring in their own team.&#8221;</p>
<figure id="attachment_120646" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120646" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-120646 size-large" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SonomaCopes19-1024x748.jpg" alt="Sonoma's Cafe La Haye" width="1024" height="748" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SonomaCopes19-1024x748.jpg 1024w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SonomaCopes19-300x219.jpg 300w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SonomaCopes19-768x561.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SonomaCopes19-1536x1121.jpg 1536w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SonomaCopes19-2048x1495.jpg 2048w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SonomaCopes19-1200x876.jpg 1200w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-120646" class="wp-caption-text">Saul Gropman, proprietor of Cafe La Haye restaurant on East Napa Street in Sonoma, has announced his retirement after 28 years. (Robbi Pengelly/Sonoma Index-Tribune)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Gropman added that he kept the restaurant running through the COVID-19 pandemic so that he wouldn&#8217;t have to lay off any of the eight staff members.</p>
<p>&#8220;They&#8217;ve been with me so many years, and they are like family,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>Cafe La Haye opened in 1997, with Gropman working the front of house and business partner/chef John McReynolds leading the kitchen. Though the 34-seat bistro began serving only breakfast and lunch, Gropman realized that the only way to keep the business afloat was to drop the breakfast and lunch service and only serve dinner.</p>
<p>&#8220;John and I opened Cafe La Haye for a song, which you could do in those days. We were pretty much giving (breakfast) away,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p>During Cafe La Haye’s first decade, Gropman split his time between the restaurant and as head of the classical guitar program at San Francisco State University.</p>
<p>McReynolds, <a href="https://www.sonomanews.com/article/news/sonoma-chef-and-author-john-mcreynolds-dies-at-74/">who died in July</a>, left the restaurant in 2007 and became the founding chef of Stone Edge Farms and the author of the &#8220;Stone Edge Farm&#8221; cookbook.</p>
<p>In 2009, Jeffrey Lloyd became the executive chef at Cafe La Haye after stints at Michael Mina and Aqua Restaurants in San Francisco.</p>
<figure id="attachment_120649" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-120649" style="width: 1015px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-120649 size-large" src="https://www.sonomamag.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SR20140329PHOTOLIFESTYLE3290099988-1015x1400.jpg" alt="Cafe La Haye in Sonoma" width="1015" height="1400" srcset="https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SR20140329PHOTOLIFESTYLE3290099988-1015x1400.jpg 1015w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SR20140329PHOTOLIFESTYLE3290099988-218x300.jpg 218w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SR20140329PHOTOLIFESTYLE3290099988-768x1059.jpg 768w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SR20140329PHOTOLIFESTYLE3290099988-1114x1536.jpg 1114w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SR20140329PHOTOLIFESTYLE3290099988-1485x2048.jpg 1485w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SR20140329PHOTOLIFESTYLE3290099988-1200x1655.jpg 1200w, https://d1sve9khgp0cw0.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/SR20140329PHOTOLIFESTYLE3290099988.jpg 1740w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1015px) 100vw, 1015px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-120649" class="wp-caption-text">Dayboat scallops in a jasmine-dashi broth and pearl pasta with spinach at Cafe La Haye in Sonoma. On Thursday, March 27, 2014. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)</figcaption></figure>
<p>Cafe La Haye was a darling of San Francisco Chronicle restaurant critic Michael Bauer, frequently appearing on his Top 100 restaurants list. In 1998, Bauer called the restaurant one of the best finds of the year, and from that point, Gropman said, things never slowed down at the restaurant.</p>
<p>In 2018, the <a href="https://guide.michelin.com/en/california/sonoma/restaurant/cafe-la-haye">Michelin Guide</a> noted Cafe La Haye for “fresh ingredients, carefully prepared in a good meal&#8221; and praised the restaurant for 18 years, though it never won a star or Bib Gourmand.</p>
<p>&#8220;I never wanted a star and I felt like we&#8217;re not a Michelin-star restaurant. We&#8217;re a bistro,&#8221; said Gropman. &#8220;I&#8217;ve seen too many people get a star or a Bib Gourmand and lose it, and that&#8217;s harder.&#8221;</p>
<p>Chef Lloyd left the restaurant this summer. Chef Marco Echeverria, the current executive chef, has worked at Cafe La Haye since 1998.</p>
<p>Gropman said he plans to remain at the restaurant through early January and is looking forward to spending more time playing his guitar. &#8220;I&#8217;ve got plenty of things I want to do,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p><em>You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at <a href="mailto:heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com">heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com</a>. Follow Heather on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/biteclubeats">@biteclubeats</a>.</em></p>
<p>The post <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com/sonomas-cafe-la-haye-changing-hands-as-longtime-owner-retires/">Owner of Sonoma’s Cafe La Haye Selling Restaurant To Longtime Employee</a> appeared first on <a href="https://www.sonomamag.com">Sonoma Magazine</a>.</p>
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