Will be going up to Napa/Sonoma next weekend (first of Oct). Due to high prices of lodging in both Napa and Sonoma, we are staying in Santa Rosa. Haven’t stayed up there previously.
Any recommendations for dining, etc?
Thanks
Can’t help on food (though you might want to miss Guy Fieri’s place - Johnny Garlic’s or whatever the hell it is), but the beer’s really good at Russian River Brewing right downtown. Warning - it can get pretty crowded with college students and others of the “younger persuasion” and downright noisy.
Huge + 1 on Zazu.
Also, Starks Steakhouse is tasty, nice wine list to boot. Had a wonderful lunch there two weeks ago.
Santa Rosa-
Rosso (great rustic Italian and pizza)
Russ River Brewing Co (beer much better than food)
Syrah (Josh has his shiz together- sit at the bar in front of the kitchen if it is just two of you)
Zazu (echoing others)
Healdsburg-
Cyrus (sit in the bar area and go a la carte if you don’t want to go the distance. If you feel like going the distance-- go the distance)
SCOPA (rustic Italian that probably delivers more holla per dollar than any place around- make a reservation now or you won’t get in)
ZIN (Country Cooking up quite a few notches- wine co. soul food)
Gualdalajara (great cheap mex across from McD’s)
Bovalo (lunch on the plaza owned by the same peeps at Zazu)
Plenty of others, but these are the spots where I eat.
Thanks everyone for the help.
We are also going to stop by the Sonoma Harvest Fair on Saturday.
+1 on Rosso, Cyrus and Zin…
JD
Just got back from Santa Rosa. We stayed at Hyatt. With AAA rate, you get an excellent breakfast for free. Not the usual buffet.
Rosso is excellent pizza for lunch in SR.
Otherwise, you may as well drive up to Healdsburg. We had a fantastic meal at Madrona Inn, more interesting than French Laundry a couple nights earlier.
Willi’s Seafood was good for a light lunch.
In Occidental (same distance as Healdsburg) there’s Bistro des Copains. Relaxed atmosphere. Good, reasonably priced food and wine.
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Last night we ate at Zazu. Just wonderful. Everything was fresh picked - for the veggies, etc.
The wait staff couldn’t have been nicer and more accommodating - wife and I split each dish. They didn’t mind and said it allowed us to try more dishes.
Wine list was nice.
Tonight Mosiac. Highly recommended by Denise Seylem @ WesMar. We had a nice tasting there this morning.
We also hit Wildflour bakery - which shouldn’t be missed.
Sonoma Harvest Fair was disappointing. The wines being poured were average. A lot of what I was looking for seemed to have bailed in favor of working crush and harvest.
Did get a chance to visit with Kathleen Inman at her new — all sustainable - winery and tasting room. Tasted her new chard which was “just my style.”
Zazu rocks. I knew you would like it.
Tonight Mosiac.
So, how did you enjoy Mosaic? The weather should have accommodated dinner on the patio as last night was kind of balmy. Tell me you had their wild mushroom appetizer. The filet is also a winner.
Sonoma Harvest Fair was disappointing. The wines being poured were average. A lot of what I was looking for seemed to have bailed in favor of working crush and harvest.
I kind of felt the same way walking through it yesterday. Had a mission to seek out fellow Berserker Eric Keating and try his wines but alas he was not there for the public pouring. I did see Novy for the first time in forever. They said the only reason they were there was the late harvest. Harvest keeps many away as does their indifference to competitions.
Did you stop by our table?
Sorry I wasn’t able to pour. Harvest was part of the reason I stayed away, but the main reason was the opening of my tasting room in Cornerstone Sonoma in Carneros (Gloria Ferrer is across the street from me for those who know the area). Priorities.
I opened 3 weeks ago and have been there every day. Off to bed so I can wake up at 5:30 to check on the vineyards, take berry samples from Sonoma to Healdsburg, then drive back down to Carneros to open the tasting room at 10AM. Not complaining… this is what I signed up for, and I’m loving it.
Stop on by sometime! ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
Mosaic was also fantastic. Yes, we sat out on the patio. And, yes, we had the mushroom appetizer. Very delish.
We took advantage of the tasting menu option which saved us some money.
I would go back to either Mosaic or Zazu in a heartbeat. Two of the better meals I have had in a while.
Also - both had great wait staffs.
I didn’t do any tasting at the Harvest Fair. Sort of just walked the floor and gave my tickets to some folks who looked like they were tasting anything.
We would also have stopped by Eric’s tasting room had I known it was there - we drove right past it. Next time.
Thanks to all for the help.
Very cool. The place with the up and down white picket fence? I drive right by there around noon every other Monday. Oh look, that’s today. See you then.
Sorry Ted… I didn’t notice this thread until recently. It would have been nice to meet you and pour my wines.
Also, I am not sure of how much I am allowed to promote my wines on the message board. That’s why I haven’t really mentioned it yet. I think that rubs some people the wrong way, even if there are people who would like this information Maybe I will start one thread letting people know?
See you later this afternoon, Brian!
Tasty wines and a very nice tasting room. Eric did a great job with the decor. Very inviting and comfortable. I liked the displays of soil samples from the various vineyards alongside the finished product. Nice touches right down to the cork wrapped tasting menus. First class all the way! ![[welldone.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/f/fc9709a841aa9379fd892a9cf0b535b05f473b86.gif "[welldone.gif]"){kind=small}
+1 I stopped in and met Eric this past weekend and the place is amazing. 5$ for tasting 4 great wines and that is refundable on purchase. Eric was kind enough to pour me a taste of his young 08 beckstoffer GIII cab and that is some mighty tasty juice. Dark fruits, cocoa and the signature dust stood out the most for me. Like i said its young but its beautiful.
Stop feeling sop special. He poured me a taste too. 
I poured that a sample to a gentleman from Wisconsin, and he joined the Executive Club and purchased a case.
It was great meeting you both, and hopefully I will be seeing you around.
This dish rocks! Glad you had it. I want it now.