Sonoma County Secrets

If you will be visiting Sonoma County you will probably do your research and know about restaurants like Valette in Healdsburg and Girl and the Fig in Sonoma plus popular wineries like Buena Vista, Gloria Ferrer, and Coppola. These are all great places, but if you want to get off the tourist path and discover a few things only a long-time local might know, here's my list of semi-hidden gems.

Restaurants

When new, often fancy, restaurants pop up they tend to get lots of press and lots of visitors. Here are a few that never got on that list (sometimes because of their location or not being fancy enough) or because many have forgotten about them and moved on to the next trendy eatery.

Bravas Bar de Tapas, Healdsburg. There are dozens of eateries in the little town of Healdsburg. This one sort of got lost in all the years of new openings of grander and more expensive restaurants. A Spanish-style spot in an old cottage near downtown. 

El Molino Central, a couple miles from the Sonoma Square. Homemade Mexican food. Where the locals go for a tasty, affordable meal.

The bar at John Ash

La Gare, Santa Rosa. Family-owned with a menu that's barely changed since they opened in 1979. You'll leave happy and satisfied. Two words: Beef Wellington.

John Ash, Santa Rosa. I've lived here so long I remember when this was the restaurant to go to for your upscale meal. Okay, it was the only place to do that at the time. Owner John Ash left his restaurant a long time ago and it's moved to the same property as the Vintner's Inn. The atmosphere is great, the bar is great, the food impeccable. 

Picazo Café, a couple miles off the Sonoma Square. Another cheap eatery in Sonoma where the locals go for breakfast and lunch.

River's End, Jenner. Sitting overlooking the Pacific in the little village of Jenner where the Russian River empties into the sea. Food and cocktails are quite good, the view is spectacular. No better place for sunset.

Rocker Oysterfeller's, Valley Ford. This restaurant/bar is "hidden" sort of near the coast in the middle of nowhere (western Sonoma County is often the middle of nowhere). They call themselves a southern roadhouse. I think that means top-quality eats and drinks in a very casual setting. Yes, local oysters are the specialty, but there's plenty of other seafood plus fried chicken cuz it's southern.

Coffee

Your morning coffee and muffin deserves something local instead of Starbucks.

Avid (Acre) Coffee, Petaluma, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol. Recently changed its name from Acre to Avid after being sold. The new owner has been in the local coffee biz for 25 years, so I assume it's still the same high quality.

Flying Goat Coffee, Healdsburg, Santa Rosa. Love their coffee and blueberry muffins, not as big a fan of their prices. You get what you pay for, I guess.

Wineries

Linda & Hank Wetzel founded AVV
on his father's property in 1975

There are many well-known wineries.  Here are a few that maybe don't get the press, but I like them because they are family-owned and have good wine at good prices. Nothing fancy here.  If you're a Napa wine fan, you may be shocked at their pricing.

Alexander Valley Vineyards, near Healdsburg. Free, walk-in tastings. Very reasonable prices, some topnotch wines, family-owned. If you can find a better Cabernet for the price...

Balletto, between Santa Rosa and Sebastopol. The family specializes in the local star, Pinot Noir, but make plenty of other wines, all at reasonable prices.

Pedroncelli, near Geyserville. They've been around long enough to remember Prohibition. This winery  specializes in Zinfandel and Cabernet, but makes lots of others. I love them for their quality-for-the-price that can't be beat.

The Outdoors

You can see the depression
that is the fault line

Bodega Head, Bodega Bay. A peninsula that juts into the Pacific. Fun fact: Bodega Bay sits on the North American plate while Bodega Head is on the Pacific plate as the San Andreas Fault runs right through here. Lots of great vantage points for checking out the coast and migrating whales.

Stillwater Cove. Beautiful and remote. A half-hour north of Jenner on Highway 1. There a region park with camping plus other lodging nearby. Also visit historic Fort Ross (a 200 year old Russian settlement).

Sonoma County Regional Parks. Some offer easy to moderate wooded walks (Spring Lake, Sonoma Vly), some have views (Taylor Mtn), some are close to civilization (Spring Lake, Shiloh), others aren't (Sonoma Mtn).

Attractions

Paradise Ridge
image from pressdemocrat.com

Charles Schulz Museum, Santa Rosa. The Snoopy Gallery & Gift Shop, plus Snoopy's Ice Rink and the Warm Puppy Cafe. Who doesn't love Snoopy? For kids of all ages.

Paradise Ridge sculpture garden, Santa Rosa. Besides great wines and views, Paradise Ridge Winery is home to a large, spread out sculpture garden that's free to visit during the winery's operating hours.

Transcendence Theatre Company, Glen Ellen at Jack London State Park (way off Broadway). Spectacular outdoor shows during the warmer months.