Sonoma County Restaurants

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Eating in Sonoma County can be just as much of a treat as wine tasting. Sonoma restaurants offer a wide variety of cuisine and range from five-star elegant dining rooms to drop-in-and-sit-at-the-counter local eateries. How much you spend on your next meal is totally up to you.

What you will find at many Sonoma County restaurants are fresh ingredients that come from both the land and the sea. The area is known for its organic foods, including excellent produce, and also for its amazing seafood that comes from the Pacific Ocean as well as nearby rivers. Fishermen bring in fresh catches each day, with much of it going directly to the area's fine dining restaurants.

Where to Go

Of course, your choices for Sonoma restaurants will be somewhat dictated by your location in the county, though it's not hard to travel from one town to another in Sonoma to find a particular restaurant that interests you.

The county seat of Santa Rosa by far boasts the largest number of eateries. Because it's a large city, the options are quite varied. Old Town Santa Rosa is home to several elegant restaurants featuring a diverse cuisine, including French, Italian, Mexican, Chinese, and those eateries that specialize in seafood. Fine Sonoma County wines are offered with meals. Other choices of Santa Rosa restaurants include familiar fast food locations, smaller cafes and bistros, delis, and popular chains.

Similarly, Rohnert Park restaurants include familiar chains, fast food, and a number of privately-owned eateries that offer a variety of cuisine.

If you're looking for something that says "Sonoma County" rather than a restaurant that can be found anywhere in the U.S., head to the town of Sonoma. These smaller restaurants are charming and usually quite wonderful. Ranging from hearty steakhouses to Latin fare, Sonoma restaurants are fun to explore.

Many of the smaller towns - both inland and on the coast - may offer only a few restaurants each, but some are quite spectacular. Check out the offerings in Bodega Bay, Petaluma, Glen Ellen, Jenner, Kenwood, Sebastopol, Guerneville, Geyserville, and Monte Rio. Don't let appearances fool you. Though some of these Sonoma restaurants don't look like much from the outside, what you'll find on your plate may surprise you.

Excellent Sonoma dining may also be found in the restaurants of the many B&Bs and country inns scattered throughout the county. Many of these establishments employ chefs who've graduated from world-renowned culinary arts schools.

Food-Related Festivals

Sonoma restaurants aren't the only place you'll find great food. Towns and cities throughout Sonoma County sponsor a number of annual food-related festivals and events each year. Check out the Crab and Fennel Fest in Sonoma, the Gravenstein Apple Fair in Sebastopol, the Seafood Art and Wine Festival in Bodega Bay, the Santa Rosa Harvest Fair or Heirloom Tomato Festival, and the quirky Butter and Egg Parade in Petaluma.

Each highlights something special about the town in which they take place and many of these festivals combine the wonderful wines of Sonoma County with excellent food, fun, and special events.