Out back at Barndiva in Healdsburg
We’re big fans of the Sonoma Valley, one of the largest regions in California Wine Country. When we’re wine tasting up Sonoma way, we spend most of our time in and around the lovely, historic commercial center of Healdsburg.
Healdsburg’s downtown is built largely around a shady square of a park that’s peppered with cute little shops and bistros.
Here you can happily while away an hour or more just looking at books at Copperfield’s (formerly Toyon Books) or kitchen gadgets at Plaza Gourmet.
Or, you could just as easily grab a gelato at Bovolo and plunk yourself down on their back patio.
If you’re interested in a very casual, indoor dining experience (and some gorgeous onion rings), check out Fitch Mountain Eddie’s on the main square. Especially cozy on a chilly autumn evening, this kitschy place is decorated with lots of 1950s memorabilia and always boisterously full.
If you’re more in the mood for an elegant-but-relaxed wine country dining experience, scoot over a block to Barndiva. It’s set in a spectacularly-renovated barn with an amazing collection of art objects (most of which are for sale one door down in its neighboring home furnishings store); its backyard garden, with a huge ceramic fountain, is big enough to host a wedding.
The prettiest seats for lunch at Barndiva are out on the cobblestone front patio with its iron bistro tables and canvas umbrellas, amongst the lavender and preppy patrons. (Expect to see at least one man with a sweater knotted over his shoulders; try to pretend this isn’t happening.) Order anything with chips, as they’re fabulous oval-shaped, waffle-cut fries served in their own mini-colanders. We’d recommend the perfectly grilled steak frites, which come with brightly steamed, locally-grown veggies.
Personally, we’d skip the in-town tasting rooms — almost everything you’ll find here can be found easily in most California wine shops and grocery stores. For two exceptions, see The Women of Sonoma Wine Trail.
To stock up on wine tasting snacks for the journey along Sonoma’s Wine Road, visit the Saturday morning Healdsburg Farmer’s Market or immerse yourself in the glorious shelves of the Oakville Grocery right on the main square.
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See related posts
Northern California: Napa & Sonoma
The Women of Napa Wine Trail
Images of Northern California
