Zoftig is a Juicy New Santa Rosa Lunch Hideaway

What happens when a high-end Napa chef turns his attention to sandwiches and salads? Zoftig.


Fine dining was never a perfect fit for Matt and Sonjia Spector, the chef/owners of the critically acclaimed JoLe restaurant in Calistoga and Mattyson in Philadelphia.

“My grandmother always said live life with zoftig,” said Matt. A Holocaust survivor, she often used the Yiddish term that roughly translates as “fullness” that comes with being well-fed. “My uncle would constantly tell me to make sandwiches more zoftig –– or chubby,” Matt laughs, referring to the word’s more cheeky translation––a plump frame which literally means “juicy.” A life of late nights and Instagram-worthy menus just wasn’t the couple’s idea of finding abundant happiness –– or juiciness –– in their lives.

A sign at Zoftig in Santa Rosa. Facebook
A sign at Zoftig in Santa Rosa. Facebook

“Matt and I aren’t fancy people,” said Sonjia, who was JoLe’s pastry chef. “We would come greet guests (at JoLe) with flour on our shoes,” she said. Most folks found the informality charming. But some weren’t amused by the casual vibe in tony Napa. “Matt was always trying to fit into a box he wasn’t comfortable in.”

Matt Spector, chef and owner of Zoftig restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD
Matt Spector, chef and owner of Zoftig restaurant in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD

So after selling the restaurant in 2016 (and doing a chef stint at Sonoma’s Girl and the Fig) the couple began looking for a restaurant to call their own again. This time, however, it would be close to their Santa Rosa home and only open for breakfast and lunch, giving them more regular daytime hours rather than perpetual night shifts. With two sons, the couple was ready for more zoftig. Which is exactly why they named their new cafe after that elusive feeling — Zoftig.

Porchetta banh mi from Zoftig in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD
Porchetta banh mi from Zoftig in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD

Focused on simple, yet well-made sandwiches, salads, and bowls, the concept doesn’t sound particularly fascinating at first pass. Until you realize that Matt makes everything from scratch — from the roasted chicken and Diestel turkey to oven-roasted tomatoes, and fresh porchetta for his own take on a Vietnamese banh mi. It’s a grab-and-go lunchtime spot near downtown Santa Rosa that’s far better than it actually needs to be, featuring bread from their next-door neighbors at Goguette, fresh chicories, and kale from FEED Sonoma and salad add-ins including paprika roasted cauliflower, goat Gouda, and grilled crimini mushrooms.

If, like us, you’ve been jonesing for a giant DIY salad packed with healthy arugula, farro, grapefruit slices and decadent Point Reyes blue cheese or a harvest bowl full of roasted squash, pumpkin seeds, and dried cranberries, we’ve found the spot where you’ll be well-fed.

Best Bets

The breakfast menu is still in flux and chances are some of the dishes will change up over time, but we brought our leftovers to the newsroom and the consensus was, essentially — yum. Build-your-own salads are $8.95, and wraps and bowls are between $10.50 and $13.50. Most are easily splittable for two. Beer and sodas available.

Go Light

Roast chicken sandwich with apple Brussels sprout slaw, sharp cheddar, Dijon. Heather Irwin/PD
Roast chicken sandwich with apple Brussels sprout slaw, sharp cheddar, Dijon. Heather Irwin/PD

Roasted chicken ($11.50): This is what every deli sandwich aspires to be. Shredded, seasoned chicken with apple and Brussels sprouts slaw, tangy dijon mustard, sharp cheddar cheese and aioli on an airy ciabatta roll. We could easily eat this daily.

Falafel Wrap ($10.50): Grilled lavash stuffed with thick falafel patties, hummus, crisp cucumbers, sweet pickled red onions, tahini, and avocado. Too often this Middle Eastern staple is drier than the Negev desert, slathered with bitter, gritty tahini and stuffed with tasteless tomatoes. The sweetness of pickled onions, and moisture of good hummus, avocado and cucumber make it a lunchtime mitzvah.

Go Green

Beets and Greens Salad ($10.50): A giant bowl of greens studded with roasted beets, walnuts, pickled onions and a light buttermilk dressing. I might swap out a vinaigrette, but a solid meal of a salad.

Hanna salad with quinoa, kale, arugula, olives, red peppers, chick peas and tahini dressing at Zoftig. Heather Irwin/PD
Hanna salad with quinoa, kale, arugula, olives, red peppers, chick peas and tahini dressing at Zoftig. Heather Irwin/PD

Hanna Salad ($11): Virtue in a bowl. Peppery arugula with kale, quinoa, tomatoes olives, cukes, roasted red peppers, chickpeas and tahini dressing. Named after Matt’s mom. And as a mother, we know she’d be happy you’re eating your greens.

Go Big

Korean BBQ Burrito ($12.50): This food truck mashup is stuffed with sweet grilled short ribs, kimchi, daikon and short-grain brown rice inside a tortilla. It’s rib-sticking and hearty — not for dainty eaters.

Philly Special ($11.50): A nod to the Spectors’ time in Philly, where they ran a BYOB small plates restaurant, there’s no steak or cheese whiz in this version (though I’d be totally into that). Instead, fried chicken cutlets, bitter broccoli rabe, roasted garlic and provolone (natch) tell your tastebuds to fuggetaboudit and get to chompin’. Tart oven-roasted tomatoes class the whole thing up a notch.

Porchetta banh mi from Zoftig in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD
Porchetta banh mi from Zoftig in Santa Rosa. Heather Irwin/PD

Banh Mi ($12): Porchetta is the secret ingredient. This rich, crispy rolled pork is paired with tasty chicken liver mousse, pickled carrot and daikon, cilantro mint and jalapeño mayo. If you aren’t a huge fan of heat, skip the jalapeños sprinkled on top. They’re often a sizzling mask for lower-quality ingredients, but here, you’ll want to actually taste the ingredients. My favorite sando on the menu.

Zoftig Eatery, 57 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, (707) 738-3558, instagram.com/zoftigeatery

Comments

12 thoughts on “Zoftig is a Juicy New Santa Rosa Lunch Hideaway

  1. I had lunch there today and the place was packed! That is a good sign! I ordered a turkey wrap and it was huge and delicious! They have a great selection of nice sodas, Yerba Mate and Kobucha, and beer and wine as well.

  2. We just had a late lunch there for the first time yesterday and it was delicious! It is really nice to have another lunch / sandwich spot that is of such good quality. Wish them the best and hope they stick around for as long as possible. We definitely have it on our revisit list!
    Good luck Matt and Sonjia!!

  3. In the story in the printed version of the paper I did not see the address listed anywhere, making this “hideaway” true to it’s description. Maybe I missed it. Online the address was shown at the end of the story, thank you. Was it in the printed version?

  4. My dictionary says “zoftig” means pleasantly plump or bosomy.

    Irwin and the Spectors seem to believe that the word describes a feeling of some kind.

    What gives?

  5. Matt and Sonjia are amazing chefs, we often went Matyson in Philadelphia when we lived in NJ. One of the 5 best in Philly. Enjoyed several meals at Jole and Fig Cafe during the past couple years with Matt cooking. Can’t wait to try Zoftig!

  6. An amazing place in Santa Rosa for some well thought out, delicious sandwiches and salads made with quality ingredients! Highly recommend it!

  7. After two delicious trips to Zoftig Eatery, I can only express thanks for such a healthy and tasty diner. And a bonus is that a great bread bakery is just next door. Thanks Heather, for a great overview of this fun and fine place to eat. A good choice for a quick solo bite, a meet-up lunch, or for something to-go. I found the atmosphere to be casual, warm, and friendly.

  8. Had lunch here yesterday. Sooooo good. Stopped by Goguette Bread next door too. It was a great day for eating in the neighborhood. Looking forward to making this a regular lunch stop. Welcome Matt, Sonjia, and team!

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