The Paris Olympics may be over, but you can still get a taste of France in Sonoma County.
Like tasty forest mushrooms, French restaurants and bakeries are popping up everywhere, embracing the zest for good food, good wine and good butter that defines Gallic cuisine.
Certainly, French techniques and a flair for local ingredients are at the heart of Wine Country’s unique style of cooking, but classic white-tablecloth French restaurants have been few and far between in these parts since the 1980s.
But a new generation of Francophiles have embraced the time-honored flavors of the birthplace of modern cuisine as well as a wave of French newcomers to the region, who bring with them the traditions and authentic recipes of their homeland.
Vive la cuisine française!
Scroll on below for some of our favorite spots to say bonjour to French fare throughout the county, and click through the above gallery to get a peek of the restaurants.
Goguette Bread
Long-fermented loaves are the bread and butter of this family-run French boulangerie, sold still warm if you time your pickup right (preorders are recommended). The expanded footprint of the bakery means even more to love, including creamy French custard ice cream (try their espresso + ice cream affogato), sandwiches and buttery cookies. Open 1:30-9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.
59 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, goguettebread.com
La Gare
A locals’ longtime (45 years and counting) go-to for Old World French cuisine. You’ll find well-established white-tablecloth-standards, including Coq au Vin, Chateaubriand, frog legs and garlicky escargots on the enduring menu. The Railroad Square staple was recently featured on KQED’s “Check, Please! Bay Area.” Open 5-9 p.m. daily for dinner.
208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-528-4355, lagarerestaurant.com
Augie’s French
Paying homage to Auguste Escoffier, the father of modern French cuisine, restaurateurs Mark and Terri Stark’s classic French bistro serves classic-yet-approachable fare with dishes like steak frites and mussels, escargots, Salade Lyonnaise and steak tartare. Chef Quincey Sanders, formerly of Portland’s Le Pigeon, heads the kitchen, and we can say that the tender, homey Beef cheek Bourguignon could make a grown man cry.Open daily.
535 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-531-4400, augiesfrench.com
Pascaline Bistro
Doing double duty as bakery and cafe, this French-owned carb-loading destination is ground zero for flaky croissants, kouign-amann and sweet pastries for breakfast (or lunch), along with hearty sandwiches, quiche and salads after 10:30 a.m. Pascaline also serves a bistro-style dinner from 5:30-9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, with offerings such as boeuf bourguignon, veal viennoise and mushroom farrotto, plus a wine list with selections from France to Wine Country.
1021 Hahman Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-303-7151, pascalinebistro.com
Sarmentine
French expat Alexandra Zandvliet turned a pandemic pop-up into a multi-location patisserie zeitgeist. The original, popular shop in Santa Rosa expanded to The Barlow in Sebastopol in 2023, taking over the former Red Bird Bakery location. Just last month, Sarmentine opened its third location in Petaluma. Don’t miss the baguettes, chocolate tarts, cream-filled Mille-feuille and seasonal cakes like bûche de Noël. Plus, lunch sandwiches, cheeses, terrines and other French goodies.
52 Mission Circle, Suite 112, Santa Rosa; 6760 McKinley St., Suite 150, Sebastopol; 840 Petaluma Blvd. North, Petaluma, 707-623-9595, sarmentine.com
Brigitte Bistro
Chef/owner Nick Ronan’s bistro-style cooking is the real deal. Raised between Paris and the south of France, he has created a menu that is a reflection of the food he loves best — beef bourguignon and duck confit, cheese souffle, onion soup gratinée, tableside beef tartare and the requisite steak frites (desserts are also stunning). But it’s Ronan’s bear-hug style of welcoming everyone like family, encouraging evening singalongs at the dining room’s baby grand piano, that really defines his restaurant. For Ronan, Brigitte Bistro isn’t a Michelin quest, but a neighborhood gathering spot for a relaxed meal in the French tradition of feeding family and friends with love and passion.
841 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-981-8381, brigittebistropetaluma.com
Maison Porcella
Initially focused on French-style charcuterie, cheeses and wines, this husband-and-wife-owned wine bar has expanded to include lunch and weekly dinners. The croque-monsieur is why you’re here, and it’s well worth the 15-minute wait. Lunch is served Tuesday through Saturday and dinner is served Tuesday through Friday. Intimate and charming.
8499 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-955-5611, maisonporcella.com
Costeaux Bakery
This Healdsburg bakery has been a favorite for sourdough baguettes, croissants and their addictive French onion soup since 1973 (the bakery was built in 1923, next to the current location). Deep dish quiche always impresses, with ham, bacon, mushrooms, cheese and a few veggies just for good measure. A go-to for great cakes, as well. Open Saturday through Monday for breakfast and lunch.
On Tuesdays and Wednesdays, the bakery becomes an al fresco dinner cafe, allowing chef Jorge Flores to spread his culinary wings. An alum of Healdsburg’s Scopa and Campo Fina restaurants, he’s spent time in some top-notch kitchens and has the chops to create crowd-pleasers like chicken paillard and a dreamy braised short rib with rosemary polenta. Reservations recommended, open 4 to 8 p.m.
417 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-1913, costeaux.com
Troubadour
This daytime boulangerie and gourmet sandwich shop magically transforms into Sonoma County’s tip-topiest French cafe Wednesday through Sunday evenings. Limited seating offers an intimate six-course dining experience from chef Sean McGaughery, who MacGyvers the tiny kitchen into a Michelin-noted force of nature. The menu features seasonal, locally sourced dishes like duck a l’orange, Wagyu steak tartare, and petite escargot served in a Limoges tea cup. Requires a prepaid reservation, so plan ahead.
381 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-3972, troubadourhbg.com
Les Pascals
This butter-yellow cafe is impossible to miss and a favorite of bicyclists for pastries and coffee. Classic croissants, brioche and breads, the hard-to-find Paris-Brest (a doughnut-shaped éclair), sandwiches, quiche and the required French onion soup are on the menu. Open every day except Wednesday.
13758 Arnold Drive, Glen Ellen, 707-934-8378, lespascalspatisserie.com
Maci Martell contributed to this article.
