Three Sonoma County Restaurants Named Among Best Places To Eat in the Bay Area by Yelp

A Forestville pizzeria, French-inspired Sonoma bistro and New York-style deli in Santa Rosa, as well as five Napa restaurants, are among the 100 best Bay Area restaurants, according to Yelp Elites.


Yelp recently released its list of “Top 100 Places to Eat in the Bay Area, according to Yelp Elites.” Among the best bay eats are a Forestville pizzeria, a French-inspired bistro in Sonoma and a New York-style deli in Santa Rosa, as well as five Napa restaurants.

Forestville’s Sonoma Pizza Co. and Sonoma’s The Girl & The Fig both placed in the top 50 on the list, at No. 41 and No. 45, respectively. Grossman’s Noshery & Bar in Santa Rosa ranked at No. 73.

According to Yelp, it determined the best of Bay Area restaurants based on “the total volume and ratings of reviews given by Yelp Elite Squad members between August 2023 and August 2024.” All featured businesses were also marked open and had a passing health score as of Aug. 29, 2024.

Sonoma Pizza Co. in Forestville is among the best restaurants in the Bay Area, according to Yelp
Bora Bora pizza at Sonoma Pizza Co. in Forestville. (Heather Irwin / The Press Democrat)

Sonoma Pizza Co., No. 41

Sonoma Pizza Co. opened in June of 2022, quickly gaining popularity for its excellent wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza. The modern, family-friendly pizzeria offers traditional pies, like the simple yet divine Margherita, as well as some not-s0-traditional signature pizzas made with long-fermented dough. The Tati, for example, features Fra’Mani mortadella, frisée and pistachios, while the Fennel Sausage pie includes sweet and spicy peppadew peppers and Meyer lemon gremolata.

Chris Smith and Eda Atasoy, the husband-and-wife owners of Sonoma Pizza Co., stated in a press release that they were honored to be named in the Yelp list of Bay Area’s best restaurants. “This recognition reflects the hard work of our team and our passion for the craft of artisan pizza.”

In addition to pizza, find bright salads, shareable tapas, meat and veggie lasagnas, housemade dips and decadent desserts. Vegan and gluten-free options are available for all pizzas at no extra charge.

6615 Front St., Forestville, 707-820-1031, sonomapizzaco.com

Yelp named Sonoma's The Girl & The Fig among best Bay Area restaurants
Pastis-scented steamed mussels and fries at The Girl & The Fig in Sonoma. (Beth Schlanker/The Press Democrat)
Yelp named Sonoma's The Girl & The Fig among best Bay Area restaurants
Fig and arugula salad with toasted pecans, pancetta, Laura Chenel chevre and a fig and port vinaigrette at The Girl & The Fig in Sonoma. (Erik Castro/for The Press Democrat)

The Girl & The Fig, No. 45

Sonoma’s The Girl & The Fig — which OpenTable named in its 2023 list of best American restaurants for outdoor dining — was founded in the late 1990s in Glen Ellen before moving to the Sonoma Plaza in 2000.

Since then, the French-inspired eatery has built up quite the reputation. Lady Gaga reportedly had lunch at the restaurant during a 2012 visit to the county. And the bistro’s Fig Salad is a dish readers can’t live without.

Other praise-worthy meals, according to Yelp elites, include the duck confit, wild flounder meunière and flat iron steak with frites. Also recommended are the sea salt chocolate chunk cookies, available for shipping.

110 W. Spain St., Sonoma, 707-938-3634, thegirlandthefig.com

Brunch items include: a Lox & Latke Benedict that has House made lox, schmaltz hollandaise, and GB rye toast, front center, with beverages: coffee and a Weekend at Bubbie’s that has tequila, passionfruit, habanero syrup and tajin rim, at Grossman’s Noshery & Bar, in Santa Rosa, on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Other plates are Lox Plate, Terri’s Favorite with avocado toast, and GB Cinnamon Babka French Toast. (Photo by Darryl Bush / For The Press Democrat)
Brunch items include: a Lox & Latke Benedict that has housemade lox, schmaltz hollandaise and GB rye toast, front center, with beverages: coffee and a Weekend at Bubbie’s that has tequila, passionfruit, habanero syrup and tajin rim, at Grossman’s Noshery & Bar, in Santa Rosa, on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Other dishes are Lox Plate, Terri’s Favorite with avocado toast and GB Cinnamon Babka French Toast. (Darryl Bush / for The Press Democrat)

Grossman’s Noshery & Bar, No. 73

Opened in the summer of 2020 during the height of the pandemic, Grossman’s Noshery & Bar defied the odds of persistent restaurant closings with its homey Jewish deli offerings.

Everything on the menu is a winner, from the towering Reuben on housemade rye to the potato leek latkes served with applesauce and sour cream. There are also Old World deli staples like knish, chopped liver and onions, chicken kreplach and smoked whitefish salad. Desserts and other bakery items here are delightful and habit-forming, especially the rugelach, babka, and chocolate crinkle and black & white cookies.

308 1/2 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-7707, grossmanssr.com

Napa restaurants

The French Laundry
The French Laundry in Yountville on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. (Crista Jeremiason / The Press Democrat)
Winston’s Cafe & Bakery
Huevos rancheros and eggs Benedict along with to-go orders sit in the window at Winston’s Cafe & Bakery in Napa, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2023. (Beth Schlanker / The Press Democrat)

Among the Napa County restaurants featured on Yelp’s top 100 list are Farmstead At Long Meadow Ranch in St. Helena (No. 47), The French Laundry in Yountville (No. 58), Winston’s Cafe & Bakery in Napa (No. 67), Rutherford Grill in Rutherford (No. 72) and La Cheve Bakery and Brews in Napa (No. 87).

St. Helena’s Farmstead features seasonal dishes with ingredients sourced from the estate’s farm and ranch. Chef Thomas Keller’s three-Michelin star French Laundry focuses on fine French cuisine and also has its own exclusive wine label, Modicum.

Winston’s Cafe & Bakery, named after the owners’ dog, is a farm-to-table breakfast and lunch eatery with Filipino influences. Rutherford Grill, nestled near historic sites like Beaulieu Vineyard and Elizabeth Spencer Winery, offers seasonal American comfort food and a robust wine list. La Cheve Bakery and Brews is a Mexican brunch spot featuring dishes like concha French toast, molletes and traditional pan dulces, plus fun cocktails.