There are two types of people in the world: those who hover over their plates ready to swat away anyone too close, and those who prefer to exchange bites exploring everything and claiming nothing. These dishes were made for sharing, so expect a rogue fork to pop onto your plate at any moment.
Oktoberfest Platter, Tisza Bistro
Torn between chef Krisztian Karkus’ crispy schnitzel and housemade sausage? Skip the decision and get both. Lean all the way in with a German smorgasbord that reads like an Oktoberfest greatest hits: Fried veal schnitzel, bratwurst, three kinds of sausage, a duck leg, potato dumplings, sauerkraut, red cabbage, spätzle with mushroom sauce, cucumber salad and lingonberry jam. Just keep the yodeling of joy to a minimum. 165 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-291-5193, tiszabistro.com
Magic Nachos, Gio y Los Magos
These aren’t just nachos, they’re magical nachos. Find the truck at Mitote Food Park with the unhinged wizard zapping a torta with lightning and presto, you’ve found Gio y Los Magos. Their take on the happy hour classic is a foil-covered plate piled high with tortilla chips, a daring amount of cheese, guacamole, sour cream, carnitas, diced onions and cilantro. What’s magic about that? They’ll disappear before your eyes. 100 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa. instagram.com/gioylosmagos
Dino Ribs, A&M BBQ
They may not be sourced from a brontosaurus, but these jumbo beef ribs look positively Flintstonian. Most days, you’ll find pitmaster Kris Austin at the outdoor smoker, tending Texas-style brisket, chicken and sausages. On Saturdays and Sundays only, though, Dino Ribs take top billing. Fall-off-the-bone tender, caramelized outside and juicy within, they’re worth the line. Don’t skip the sides: candied yams, collard greens and baked beans are all made in-house. 495 S. Main St., Sebastopol. 707-888-1315, ambbqllc.com
Tableside Steak Tartare, Brigitte Bistro
If you’ve ever wanted a whole restaurant to turn and stare, here’s your moment. A rolling cart, wheeled tableside, is stocked with everything needed to build a perfect tartare. With a bit of theater, raw quail egg, Dijon mustard and olive oil are whisked into an emulsion, then finely chopped flank steak, cornichons, capers and Worcestershire get their moment. Voilà, tartare. Served with potato chips and a healthy dose of fun, it’s equal parts show and starter. 841 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma. 707-981-8381, brigittebistropetaluma.com
Chicken Parmesan, Catelli’s
Juicy, breaded chicken with a pool of sassy tomato sauce and melted burrata on a bed of smoky, buttery polenta is the very definition of comfort food. Served bubbling hot in a cast-iron skillet, this is the pinnacle of chicken Parm. If you’re still not convinced, the Catellis’ generations-long history of feeding Sonoma County like family is a pretty good sign you’re in the right place. 21047 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville. 707-857-3471, mycatellis.com
Onion Gratinée, Bistro Lagniappe
There are a handful of dishes that will make you weak in the knees and linger in your taste memory, and this is one of them. Layers of sweet onions are caramelized in butter for hours, then bathed in Parmesan broth, blanketed with white cheddar and Gruyère, and baked in a wood-fired oven. Foamed bechamel and a dusting of black pepper finish the whole glorious thing. It looks simple, but behind that quiet beauty are hours of labor. 330 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg. 707-473-8181, lagniappehealdsburg.com
Mush-A-Roni, PizzaLeah
You don’t go to PizzaLeah just for the pizza — you go for Leah. With the trophies and titles to back it up, she’s one of the world’s top pizza pros. She makes a limited number of her award-winning square pan pies each day and the one with mushrooms, pepperoni and shaved Parmesan is a fan favorite, but when they’re gone — they’re gone. If that’s the case, console yourself with Old Grey Beard, a spicy, saucy round pie with fontina, mozzarella, Italian sausage, Calabrian peppers, hot honey and orange zest. It’s hard to go wrong. 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 116, Windsor. 707-620-0551, pizzaleah.com
Vegetarian Combo, Abyssinia
A manhole-sized platter of tangy injera, an Ethiopian flatbread, topped with spicy berbere lentils, split peas fragrant with garlic and ginger, tomato-simmered collard greens, and mashed chickpeas are a reminder of how deeply flavorful and remarkably rewarding plant-based eating can be. The vegetarian combo is a great way to dive into this rip-and-dip cuisine, built for scooping, sharing and using your hands. Order an extra side of injera made with gluten-free teff flour just in case. 913 Fourth St., Santa Rosa. 707-568-6455, my-abyssinia.com
Chef’s choice: Duck wings at Wit & Wisdom
Ari Weiswasser of Stella and Glen Ellen Star
The owner of Glen Ellen Star, Kenwood’s Stella, and Smash, the new smashburger spot in Sonoma, has plenty on his plate these days. But when it’s time to chill with some friends and family, Wit & Wisdom’s sticky orange, Grand Marnier-glazed duck “wings” are his top pick for passing around the table. Extra napkins required. 1325 Broadway, Sonoma. 707-931-3405, witandwisdomsonoma.com
This article was excerpted from our guide on 50 Essential Dishes To Try in Sonoma County, originally published in the May/June 2026 issue of Sonoma Magazine.
