Where to Eat and Drink in Sonoma County Now
By Jessica Colley
Jessica Colley is a freelance travel and food writer. Follow her on Twitter @jessicacolley.
You land in San Francisco, rent a car, and roll the windows down. You drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, and as traffic thins, Sonoma comes into sight. This California county isn’t only the relaxed, cool cousin of Napa—it is also home to fresh, soulful cuisine. From wineries to oyster bars to restaurants to farms, Sonoma County offers dining experiences that rival the quality of its wines. Here are 10 of our current favorite places to indulge in Sonoma County, but when the ingredients are this fresh, it hardly feels like indulging at all.
STONE EDGE FARM ESTATE VINEYARDS AND WINERY
When visiting wine country, it can be easy to fall into a common trap: moving so quickly between places that they all become a blur. Slow down for Stone Edge Farm, open by appointment only, where you can learn about organic farming and bee keeping before getting your hands dirty with a cooking classic in a gorgeous converted barn. Then, overlooking the vines, sit down to taste the fruits of your labor alongside a glass of Stone Edge Farm Estate Cabernet Sauvignon. This is simply a perfect wine country day.
SEASIDE METAL OYSTER BAR
A bit of a “Restaurant Row” has been developing in Guerneville, and the Seaside Metal Oyster Bar is a welcome addition to Main Street. Owned by twin brothers Mike and Tim Selvera, of popular Bar Crudo in San Francisco, this seafood-centric spot is ideal for slurping local oysters and clams, devouring crab and lobster, or on a chilly day, warming up over seafood stew and pan roasts. Warning: The cozy, relaxed space will almost certainly induce a spontaneous ordering of another round of a dozen more oysters.
SOCIAL CLUB RESTAURANT AND BAR
If you want some live music along with your meal, check out Social Club in Petaluma. Known for its whiskey selection and craft cocktail list, this is the spot for rustic, satisfying fare like white cheddar mac and cheese with applewood bacon or country fried chicken with classic potato salad and grilled corn on the cob. Brunch is equally appealing, with big bloody marys, buttermilk biscuits served with whipped honey butter, and smoked short rib hash with poached eggs.
Plan Your Trip: Visit Fodor’s Napa and Sonoma Travel Guide
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