One of the qualities you’ll most appreciate about Sonoma County, with its quiet byways and evocative sense of history, is that the place can transport you back in time. Yet don’t be fooled: Sonoma County is constantly changing. On your next trip, enjoy both its lasting charm and its ongoing evolution—starting with a good meal and a glass of Sonoma Pinot Noir.
In the listings below, check out the changes and additions you can expect in the Sonoma County restaurant, winery, and lodging scene in 2024. Then fold these ideas into your itinerary for your next excursion to the area.
Your Sonoma trip will be seamless in light of the recently renovated Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, which completed a $40 million renovation last fall. An improved flight schedule, generous terminal expansion, and added airline carriers will make your trip to and from Northern California a breeze. We’ll see you soon!
Recently Debuted
Sonoma County’s buzzing food and wine scene is better than ever, especially with the addition of these new hotspots.
106 Matheson Street, Healdsburg, CA 95448, (707) 579-7916
Founded by former “Top Chef” contestant Phillip Frankland Lee, along with Margarita Kallas-Lee, a pastry chef, Sushi by Scratch first launched in 2017 in Los Angeles. Later, the restaurant expanded to Montecito, earning a Michelin star and celebrity following. Scratch specializes in Omakase dining, which translates as “I leave it up to you” and implies a chef-curated tasting experience. At the Healdsburg location, guests are invited to partake of 17 courses of nigiri ($165), or “new wave” dishes like bone marrow nigiri and hamachi topped with sweet corn pudding, sourdough breadcrumbs, and housemade soy sauce.
8445 Sonoma Highway, Kenwood, CA 95452
With the success of their smash-hit restaurant Animo to their credit, restaurateurs Josh Smookler and Heidy He sought new horizons—even if only just across town. In contrast to Animo (a high-end concept combining Basque, Korean, and Jewish influences), Golden Bear Station is a casual American brasserie welcoming diners with a rustic chic menu of pizza, pasta, burgers, and more. Situated in the heart of Sonoma Valley, the restaurant is well located near a range of vineyards and tasting rooms, as well as Wine Country day hikes. Smookler calls the cuisine “approachable” and prices are easy on the wallet.
27 E. Napa Street, Suite E, Sonoma, CA 95476, (707) 682-9324
In the brief time since its opening, this welcoming space off the Sonoma Plaza has already been named one of the “5 Best New Tasting Rooms of 2023″ by the San Francisco Chronicle. With his previous wine label (Dirty & Rowdy Family Winery), Hardy Wallace built a devoted following by exploring Mourvèdre and lesser known varietals. For his latest undertaking, he teamed up with wife Kate Graham; the two offer single-vineyard Grenache, Carignane, Sémillon, thoughtful blends, and more. Billing their bottles as “spaceships that transport wine lovers,” the highly creative couple host events that have included multisensory tasting experiences, beach campouts, and funk concerts. Every sip will take you places.
6770 McKinley Street, Sebastopol, CA 95472, (707) 824-5600
Housed in a former apple processing plant in West Sonoma County, minutes from the Sonoma Coast, The Barlow is a wine and culinary haven where winemakers, distillers, farm-to-table food producers, artists, coffee roasters, and restaurateurs thrive. Recently, the facility began offering guests a behind-the-scenes look inside operations of some of its most popular tenants, including II Fusti (olive oil), Wm. Cofield (cheese), and Pax Winery (wine). Tours last 90 minutes and consist of seven stops.
