Now in its 15th year, Sonoma County Restaurant Week (Feb. 19-25) highlights dozens of local restaurants with value-oriented prix fixe menus. Winter is a painfully slow time of the year for restaurateurs, and the program brings a needed business boost with special menus and offerings.
Each year I select some favorites that I think offer a good value and interesting menu. That doesn’t mean there aren’t some great choices I haven’t highlighted. I hope you’ll take some time to browse through the Sonoma County Restaurant Week website and explore all the menus at socorestaurantweek.org.
Reservations are highly recommended since many restaurants will fill up — especially on weekend nights. Hopefully, you’ll find some new spots, revisit old favorites and experience all the deliciousness of Sonoma County restaurants.
Lunch
$15, Acre Pizza: Giant slice, personal Caesar and lemonade. 6760 McKinley St., Sebastopol. Also in Petaluma and Cotati, acrepizza.com.
$15, The Grove Cafe: Recently revamped cafe at RCU headquarters. The lunch offering includes a warm prime rib sandwich — thinly sliced prime rib on toasted ciabatta bread, caramelized onions, smoked Gouda cheese and horseradish aioli served with house-made potato chips and a sweet treat for dessert. I’m not saying it’s fancy, but it’s a nice lunch option. 3033 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, thegrovecafe.org.
$15, Parish: Grab a cup of gumbo and a shrimp or fried green tomato po’boy at this NOLA-style restaurant. Another $5 gets you three beignets. 60 Mill St, Healdsburg, theparishcafe.com.
$25, Hazel Hill at Montage: Rub elbows with the jet set at this ultra-luxury hotel, if only for lunch. The view from the outdoor dining area is worth the price of admission alone. Two-course lunch includes a salad, duck rilletes, or cauliflower soup; coq au vin, cavatelli pasta, or grilled rockfish. 100 Montage Way, Healdsburg, montage.com/healdsburg.
$25, Stockhome: The best Restaurant Week deal here is the two-course lunch menu that includes shrimp Skagen with toasted brioche and Swedish meatballs with mashed potato, gravy, lingonberry, and pickled cucumber. 220 Western Ave., Petaluma, stockhomepetaluma.com.
Dinner
$35, Agave: Best mole in Sonoma County. Three courses include salad, Mole Negro de Oaxaca Chicken (vegetarian option available), and churros. 1063 Vine St., Healdsburg, agavehealdsburg.com.
$35, Canneti Roadhouse: Grilled Romaine with Pecorino cheese or cremini mushroom soup with focaccia; beef cacciatore over white corn polenta or pasta with fava leaf pesto, tiramisu or chocolate pannacotta. 6675 Front St., Forestville, cannetiroadhoues.com.
$35, Diniucci’s: Four courses include antipasti plate, salad, beef and spinach ravioli with Bolognese, petrale sole or cannelloni crepes. 14485 Valley Ford Estero Road, Valley Ford, dinuccisrestaurantandbar.com.
$35, Taste of Tea: Japanese homestyle cooking is the focus of this expansive teahouse. The four-course meal includes a pickle plate and tea, miso soup, ramen and dessert. An extra $5 gets you a boba milk tea. 109 North St., Healdsburg, thetasteoftea.com
$35, Townes: The newly-opened Townes restaurant in downtown Santa Rosa offers several three-course options, including trout tartar, coq au vin, Meyer lemon mousse or steamed mussels, flat iron steak frites, and olive oil cake. 610 Third St., Santa Rosa, meetattownes.com.
$35 Trillium Wine Bar: Another newcomer wants to impress you with a cup of seafood chowder, Dungeness crab roll, and coconut cake. 16222 Main St, Guerneville, trillium.bar.
$35, Inca’s Peruvian Cuisine: Well-crafted Peruvian dishes with lots of choices on its three-course menu, including ceviche or Causa Santa Rosa (a personal favorite); pan-fried rockfish or Arroz con Pollo (chicken and rice), Papa Ala Huancaina; tres leches lucuma cake or Peruvian caramel custard. 799 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol.
$55, Criminal Baking Co.: Dinner for four includes take-and-bake Pot Pie (gluten-free available) plus family-style side salad for four and 4 cookies or bars. 808 Donahue St., Santa Rosa, criminalbaking.com.
$55, Underwood Bar & Bistro: Longtime West County hangout is often overlooked by other parts of the county, but the food is destination-worthy. We’re especially impressed by their secret Thai menu, featured in the three-course option. Go for the Hat-Yai Fried Chicken with sticky rice and cucumber salad. 9113 Graton Rd, Graton, underwoodgraton.com.
$55, Dry Creek Kitchen: Michelin-quality dining includes a three-course meal of kanpachi crudo or beet salad; steak with potato pave, creamed Swiss chard, or pasta with wild mushrooms, lemon, Parmesan cream, and rosemary; yuzu cheesecake or orange caramel tart. 317 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, drycreekkitchen.com.
