By Ashleigh | November 16, 2009 12:00 pm
Selecting restaurants and delicacies to feature in this post was extremely hard. Sonoma has so many unique places to dine – and as I’ve already stated, they all have the freshest and finest ingredients! So, I’ve picked a variety of places throughout the county – all extremely different in their fare and ambiance.
First stop is the Girl & the Fig, located in Sonoma. The restaurant features “a wonderful antique bar with French aperitifs & traditional cocktails, an award-winning ‘Rhone Alone’ wine list, a seasonal menu, cheese & charcuterie platters, and outdoor patio seating.” The food is excellent and is a must visit if you’re in the town of Sonoma.
Next stop is Sebastopol, the location of the Starlight Wine Bar & Restaurant. This was an extremely unique and fun find. The restaurant is located within an authentic Pullman train car – no joke! It’s a bit tough to find the restaurant as the train car is housed within a building – but it’s worth circling around a few times to ultimately locate this restaurant. The chef was trained in New Orleans and has worked under many renowned chefs. You can definitely taste the New Orleans influence in the dishes – my husband fell in love with the Gumbo – best he’s ever had! We had a very tough time selecting our entrees, so this will definitely be on our list of places to visit again next time we head back to Sonoma.
We located a cute town square in Windsor – Windsor Town Green – just north up Highway 101. The next two locations are actually across the square from one another – and both worth a stop when shopping at antique stores and other unique finds in the town.
KC’s Downtown Grill has a style straight out of the 1950s. The food was excellent and the service was extremely friendly. The owners’ son, Austin, was our waiter and he gave us some great recommendations. For my fellow Texans who know a GREAT burger, KC’s is your place – my husband was right at home with the Austin Burger. We didn’t get a milkshake, but those are supposed to be pretty spectacular as well.
I have quite the sweet tooth, so we made the trip across the street to Powell’s Sweet Shoppe. The store was a walk down memory lane with candies and chocolates I remembered growing up with – Fruit Stripe Bubble gum among others. Scoop for yourself candy, gelato and a ridiculous amount of chocolate – had I not been in a rush to go drink wine, I could have done serious damage at Powell’s. Extremely noteworthy was the Willy Wonka section in the back of the store – Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory was playing, and there were autographed photos of Gene Wilder and the child stars from the movie. Super cool!
Heading a bit farther up Highway 101 is the town of Healdsburg – prime time for shopping and so many dining selections. Next time we go to California, I think I will plan to stay in Healdsburg for a few nights – particularly during the Holidays!
That being said, the last dining selection is located in Healdsburg – Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar. Willi’s food was great – seafood at its best, and the wine list is wonderful as well. Willi’s “extensive list of small plates combine with the eclectic drink menu to make visitors feel right at home. Designed for sharing, the menu features items ranging from New England Style ‘Rolls” and Latin-inspired skewers to ceviches and tartares.” Bring your appetite – so many great items from which to choose!
Now that we’ve covered dining, “wining” and lodging in Sonoma, it’s time to see how you can take the spirit and personality of this great place and bring a little bit of Sonoma to your wedding. Stay tuned for details!
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