Sonoma County

Aside from the quaint, homey feel, the dishes here evoke a simple sort of elegance that happens when you use clean, seasonal ingredients to the best of their ability. — Time Out

The chef's more creative side emerges in some of the appetizers, including three meaty scallops crusted in crisped chorizo...and resting on a plantain-like Japanese sweet potato puree. — San Francisco Chronicle

Crisp-crusted, richly sauced Margherita and other pizzas thrive in the torrid heat, as do tender whole fish entrées and vegetables roasted in small iron skillets. — Fodor's

It's thoroughly charming, and the bustling interior gives you the sense that the food is going to be good...it continues to attract crowds from Santa Rosa, Guerneville, Forestville, Sebastopol — San Francisco Chronicle

Music plays quietly in the background while servers carry inventive seasonal cocktails at this restaurant that abandons the homey vibe of many Wine Country spots in favor of a more urban feel. — Fodor's

The compact menu at this cheerful bistro, a Glen Ellen fixture, focuses on California and French comfort food—pot roast and duck confit, for instance, as well as thin-crust pizza. — Fodor's

Chef Charlie Palmer's ultramodern restaurant enchants diners with clever combinations of flavors and textures in dishes based on seasonal, often local ingredients. — Fodor's

Rooms in this remodeled 1843 building strike a spare, modern pose with their pristine white bedding, but the Mexican-tile floors hint at Sonoma's Mission-era past. — Fodor's

The space includes two outdoor patios and an interior that features farmhouse tables, tile floors...bar by the entrance and the rotisserie in the center are the focal points of the corner storefront. — San Francisco Chronicle

It has a true sense of place, thanks to Steve Litke's weekly changing menu...the dining room is as quaint as the outside, with generously spaced tables. There's a fireplace in one room. — San Francisco Chronicle

A more elaborate restaurant, Rustic, overlooks the vineyards. As for the wines, the excess continues in the cellar, where Coppola's team produces several dozen varietal bottlings and blends. — Fodor's

Just east of the Plaza, Della Santina's serves cuisine influenced by its owners' Tuscan roots (they hail from Lucca). — Fodor's

The low lighting, well-spaced tables, and gas fireplaces at Stark's create a congenial setting for dining on steak, seafood from the raw bar, and sustainable fish. — Fodor's

The rustic Italian food is also a hit at Sonoma farmers' markets, where the chefs send out fresh specialties from a mobile cafe, including a wood-burning pizza oven on wheels. — San Francisco Chronicle

“Slice of New Orleans” tucked away in a tiny cottage off Healdsburg Plaza vends “super-good” Cajun-Creole breakfasts and lunches featuring one of the “the best po' boys this side of the Rockies” — Zagat