They might not stand out as much as a Michelin-starred spot or a multi-story eatery on Healdsburg Square, but overlooked spots can be found all around Sonoma County.
When talking about the Sonoma County dining scene, there are the famous restaurants we brag about to fancy out-of-town friends. Then there are the treasured little spots we like to keep secret: the diners, delis, convenience stores and under-the-radar eateries that rarely get the accolades they deserve but somehow still remain popular with neighborhood regulars.
We call them our “townie” spots: places you can walk to and share a meal with friends, where they have that one dish you just can’t live without. Everyone has their own list of these not-so-secret places, but here are some of our favorites.
Santa Rosa
Canevari’s Deli: A Santa Rosa Junior College neighborhood classic that’s been around since, well, as long as anyone can remember. They have a tri-tip BBQ sandwich, meatball sub and homemade raviolis, and where else can you get a good gabagool? 695 Lewis Road, canevarisdeli.com
Lita’s Cafe: We know where the cops go for hearty, gut-filling breakfasts. Really, what better recommendation can you get than that? 1973 Mendocino Ave., 707-575-1628
Tambayan Filipino Eatery: You’ll find authentic Filipino cuisine here, like banana sauce, pork belly and pork sisig that make it worth the trip. 600 Larkfield Center, tambayanfilipinocuisine.com
Taqueria Molcajetes: This strip-mall Mexican restaurant has a local following who live for their carne asada and fiery molcajetes. 1195 W. College Ave., 707-544-8280
Walter Hansel Bistro: An excellent French bistro without all the hoity-toity. Lobster bisque, boeuf Bourguignon, Coquille St. Jacques — bon appetit! 3535 Guerneville Road, walterhanselbistro.com
Sebastopol
Lunchbox: Lunch Box burgers are the kind of messy, smushy, everything-good-about-beef burgers paired with “dirty fries,” a pile of crispy fries, chevre ranch dressing, bacon, green onion, roasted garlic and pepperoncini. You’ll need a handful of napkins and a stout appetite. 128 N. Main St., lunchboxsonomacounty.com
Cotati
Shige: Along with Hana Japanese in Rohnert Park, this is one of the few Japanese-run restaurants in Sonoma County with Tokyo-worthy nigiri and udon. (There’s also a second location in Sonoma.) 8235 Old Redwood Highway, shige-sushi.com
Windsor
PizzaLeah: Leah Scurto is an award-winning pizzaiolo who puts every bit of her soul into making the best pies in Sonoma County. We’re obsessed with the Old Grey Beard with mozzarella, fontina, sausage and hot honey. 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 116, pizzaleah.com
Healdsburg
Guiso Latin Fusion: Named one of the best restaurants in America by Open Table, this tiny cafe mixes Latin and Caribbean flavors with panache. 117 North St., guisolatinfusion.com
Journeyman Meat Co.: Stop in for a salumi tasting or order one of their daily sandwiches or meaty sausages. 404 Center St., journeymanmeat.com
Taste of Tea: Healdsburg gets plenty of play for its chef-driven cuisine, but we like the homey Japanese flavors of this tea shop. 109 North St., thetasteoftea.com
Geyserville
Geyserville Gun Club: This Fellini-esque watering hole is almost too absurdly wonderful to be true. Brought to life by chef Dino Bugica, it’s the flip side of his more tourist-friendly Diavola Pizzeria and Salumeria. 21025 Geyserville Ave., geyservillegunclub.com
Cloverdale
Dahlia & Sage Community Market: A charming gourmet grocer with lots of locally sourced goodies, including a full deli, hot bar, salad bar and bakery. 115 E. Second St., dahliasagemarket.com
Penngrove
Twin Oaks Roadhouse: Fried chicken sandwiches are the best bet. Come also for the live music, fresh beer, good friends and bread pudding with whiskey cream. 5745 Old Redwood Highway, hopmonk.com/twin-oaks
Penngrove Market: An adorable gourmet grocer and kitchen. Try the pizza or piandine. 10070 Main St., penngrovemarket.com
Petaluma
Pearl: Mediterranean cuisine spot tucked away in a surprising place. We recommend it for a brunch with someone special. 500 First St., pearlpetaluma.com
Sax’s Joint: You’ll find plenty of people waiting to get in on the weekend, but outside of Petaluma, Sax’s is pretty much unknown. All the usual diner fare is done deliciously. 317 Petaluma Blvd. S., saxsjoint.com
Rohnert Park
Smokin’ Bowls: French fries topped with so much yum. 295 Southwest Blvd., smokinbowls.com
Azalo!: Charbroiled kabobs, burgers and dogs. Conchinita pibil is a best bet. 5979 Commerce Blvd., Suite 8, 707-303-7702
Graton
Willow Wood Market Cafe: Though this breakfast and brunch spot has been around since 1995, it’s often overlooked in the one-stop-sign town of Graton. Try their homey-yet-impressive menus. 9020 Graton Road, willowwoodgraton.com
Kenwood
Palooza Brewery and Gastropub: Patio dining with burgers, wood-fired pizza and more. A permanent outdoor space has towering heaters and plenty of coverage to keep you warm during chilly evenings. 8910 Sonoma Highway, paloozafresh.com
Glen Ellen
Glen Ellen Village Market and Deli: You’ll be amazed at the deli case, prepared foods and gourmet goodies hidden in this unassuming grocery store. It’s possibly one of Wine Country’s best-kept secrets. 13751 Arnold Drive, glenellenvillagemarket.org
Sonoma
Spread Kitchen: Chef Cristina Topham (known for her catering and farm market food) has opened a humble Lebanese-style cafe with fresh pita with hummus, beef and chicken shawarma, chickpea and black bean falafel and beef and lamb kofta. 18375 Sonoma Highway, spreadkitchensonoma.com
Occidental
Altamont General Store: A lunch favorite in Occidental, the Altamont General Store is a breath of fresh air, with an Instagram-worthy interior and plenty of grab-and-go dishes. 3703 Main St., altamontgeneralstore.com
Guerneville
Koala’s Fine Food: Sushi restaurants aren’t exactly a dime a dozen in far west Sonoma County, but then again, neither are cheese steaks. This casual family-run eatery brings together fish and chips, Korean bulgogi, Chinese won ton soup, Japanese ramen, cheese steak, nigiri and Hawaiian poke for a true something-for-everyone experience. 16380 Mill St., Suite A, koalasfinefood.com
Monte Rio
Lightwave Coffee and Kitchen: Located by the Creekside Skatepark, this curious little cafe is a mix of smoothies, bagels, pies and Middle Eastern cuisine. 9725 Main St., lightwavecafe.square.site
Northwood Bistro at the Northwood Golf Club: This hidden gem golf club has its own cafe with a lovely outdoor patio overlooking the course. The menu is simple, but the standard pancakes, omelettes and Benedicts just off the green start the day in style. 19400 Highway 116, northwoodbistro.com
Duncans Mills
Cape Fear Cafe: This tasty cafe in a tiny, quaint town features bacon chowder, a regional lineup of egg Benedicts (from grits to crab cakes) and ginger teriyaki chicken. 25191 Main St., capefearcafe.com
Cazadero
Raymond’s Bakery at Elim Grove Cottages: A cute, family-owned bed-and-breakfast with freshly made pastries, focaccia pizza and bread. 5400 Cazadero Highway, cazbakery.com
Bodega Bay
Ginochio’s Kitchen: Home to our favorite Dungeness crab sandwich. Ginochio’s buttery, griddled slices of white bread hold huge chunks of freshly picked crab and a slice of melted cheese. 1410 Bay Flat Road, ginochioskitchen.com
Casino Bar and Grill: This is a place to discover accidentally and then love unconditionally. A lineup of pop-up chefs steal the show including the Holly & Tali Show, Hunter Supper Club and more. 17000 Bodega Highway, facebook.com/thecasinobarandgrill
Jenner
Cafe Aquatica: We always, always stop here on trips up the coast for coffee, soup and whatever else sounds delish. 10439 Highway 1, cafeaquatica.com
Stewarts Point
Twofish Baking Company: Freshly made pastries, sandwiches, bread, salads, pizza and soup worthy of a drive up the coast. 32000 Highway 1, twofishbaking.com
Sea Ranch
The Sea Ranch Lodge: The 1960s-era Sea Ranch Lodge reopened in 2021 with new public spaces, including a redesigned restaurant, a new café and expansions to the bar, lounge and general store. 60 Sea Walk Drive, thesearanchlodge.com
