Mardi Gras — the colorful, pre-Lenten celebration held on Shrove Tuesday (March 4) — is right around the corner, and Sonoma County has some New Orleans-level festivities planned.
French for “Fat Tuesday,” Mardi Gras tradition calls for eating all the fats in the home in preparation for Lent fasting. In addition to feasting, the day is filled with festive music, costumes and parades. Not ones to turn down a good time, Sonoma County restaurants and bars have a handful of celebrations in store for people to bask in the revelry.
All events take place on Mardi Gras day, March 4, unless noted otherwise.
Mardi Gras Party and Feast at Rio Nido Roadhouse, Rio Nido
The Russian River’s Rio Nido Roadhouse will host two events for Mardi Gras this year. Its annual Mardi Gras Party will take place from 4-7 p.m., March 1, featuring Sonoma County’s NOLA funk and jazz group Bourbon Street Brass Band. New Orleans-inspired food will be served, including Louisiana gumbo, muffuletta sandwiches, beignets and king cake, as well as specialty cocktails.
The roadhouse will host its Fat Tuesday Feast from noon to 7 p.m., March 4, with live jazz music from Bay Area band Honey Disposition. NOLA menu specials will be served all day, featuring po’boys, crawfish boudin balls, Cajun shrimp and grits, and desserts, plus cocktails. Music starts at 5 p.m. Both the Mardi Gras Party and Fat Tuesday Feast are for all ages; no cover charge.
14540 Canyon 2 Road, Rio Nido, 707-869-0821, rionidoroadhouse.com
Mardi Gras with Parish Cafe & Elephant in the Room, Healdsburg
Healdsburg’s New Orleans-inspired Parish Cafe will team up with nearby bar and music venue Elephant in the Room for its fourth annual Fat Tuesday party. Parish Cafe will serve traditional Louisiana dishes, such as crawfish, jambalya, muffuletta and beignets, from 2-8 p.m. Meanwhile, on the stage at Elephant in the Room, there will be live music performances by Brian Boudin Band, Spike Sikes and His Awesome Hotcakes, and Vernon “Ice” Black and The House Party. There will also be a photo booth, kids’ activities like mask decorating, and drinks from Flambeaux Wines and Fogbelt Brewing. Tickets are $25 for adults, $10 for children ages 2-12 and free for children under 2. Food and drink tokens are $8. Purchase tickets on Eventbrite.
The Parish Cafe, 60 Mill St., Healdsburg, 707-431-8474, theparishcafe.com. The Elephant In the Room, 177 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, elephantintheroompub.com
Mardi Gras Celebration with Sally Tomatoes, Rohnert Park
Sally Tomatoes will host a Mardi Gras celebration and community night from 5-8 p.m. at its Rohnert Park events venue. The night will include a Cajun buffet featuring portobello soup, dirty rice, big chicken mamou, cornbread with honey butter, carved roast beef and pecan sugar cookies. General admission is $20 for adults and $10 for kids. Call to RSVP.
1100 Valley House Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-665-9472, sallytomatoes.com
34th Annual Mardi Gras Mambofest, Petaluma
Petaluma’s Mystic Theatre will host its annual Mardi Gras Mambofest, featuring a night filled with live music, food and revelry. Starting at 6:15 p.m., festivities kick off with a band-led street parade through downtown and back to the theater. Bay Area Americana group California Blue Runners will get the music flowing at 7 p.m., followed by Rhythmtown-Jive performing from 8:15-9:45 p.m. Next door, McNear’s Saloon will serve Cajun food and drinks. General admission is $15. Purchase tickets online.
23 Petaluma Blvd., Petaluma, 707-765-2121, mystictheatre.com
Semla at Stockhome, Petaluma
As in the sweet Swedish tradition for Fat Tuesday, Petaluma’s Stockhome restaurant will offer its annual semla — a cardamom bun filled with whipped cream and marzipan (sweet almond paste). The treat is only available during the month of February, so you’ll want to order your semla by Feb. 28 in time for Mardi Gras. A single semla is $9, an order of six semlor (plural for semla) is $48 and a dozen semlor is $108. Order for pickup online.
220 Western Ave., Petaluma, 707-981-8511, stockhomerestaurant.com
More dining options for Mardi Gras
In addition to New Orleans cuisine from The Parish Cafe in Healdsburg and semla from Stockhome in Petaluma, there are plenty of other eateries in the county to enjoy traditional Mardi Gras and Louisiana-inspired foods. Shrove Tuesday is also known as Pancake Day. Head to Healdsburg’s Acorn Cafe (124 Matheson St.) for the fattest pancakes in the county. Find more of our favorite pancakes in Sonoma County here.
Bag O’ Crab: Seafood boils, including shrimp, crawfish and more, plus Cajun and “Louisiana Flavor” seasoning options. 1901 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-843-7267, bagocrabusa.com
Rocker Oysterfeller’s: Shrimp étouffée, Cajun pasta and beignets at the Valley Ford location. New Orleans barbecue shrimp, blackened Gulf shrimp and Carolina grits, Cajun blackened pasta, Creole fisherman’s stew and sticky praline bread pudding at the Lucas Wharf location. 14415 Highway 1, Valley Ford, 707-876-1983; 595 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-772-5670, rockeroysterfellers.com
Saucy Mama’s Jook Joint: Cajun chicken, po’boys, fried catfish, fried okra and beignets. 16632 Highway 116, Guerneville, 707-604-7184, saucymamasjookjoint.com
Simmer Claw Bar: Vietnamese-Cajun seafood boils, including shrimp and crawfish, with Cajun seasoning option. 595 Rohnert Park Expressway, Rohnert Park, 707-806-2080, simmerfamily.com
Smackin Soul Food: Cajun fried shrimp, black-eyed peas and rice, Cajun chicken alfredo and more. Email smackin707@gmail.com for catering. instagram.com/smackinsoulfood
Sweet T’s Restaurant + Bar: Hush puppies, boiled and seasoned shrimp, catfish po’boy, Cajun shrimp gumbo, shrimp and grits and blackened catfish. 9098 Brooks Road S., Windsor, 707-687-5185, sweettssouthern.com