guide to sonoma // napa

i can't believe we've been living in the bay area for almost two years 

and only made it to sonoma//napa recently! we are now
obsessed with the area and plan to make lots of weekend
trips from the city. just a little disclaimer...we don't

drink wine! ha, so this guide will show all

the other great things this area has to offer!

xo

guide to

S O N O M A

the girl & the fig

everyone in sonoma knows this place,

and loves it. we had the best meal of

the year here, and we're still full from it!

you can see our full review of it here,

or you can just trust us and go. be sure

to try the fig arugula salad and the

lavender crème brûlée..not to be missed.

*make a reservation!

el dorado kitchen

promise me that you will go to lunch here.
it was my favorite lunch ever. get the crab
salad and the panna cotta with rhubarb for
dessert. sit out on the patio if it's warm!

olive & vine

this place is in glen ellen, a little north

of the town of sonoma...where lots of 

 amazing food can be found! trust me, this 
place is special. i love driving up the 
road here and off the beaten path to
get here. the owner catherine is the
best and has done an incredible job
with olive & vine. it has a very 

personal, warm feel while offering 
upscale dining. try their caesar salad!
 see our fun dinner there with 
my parents by clicking here.

red grape pizza

"new haven style" thin crust pizza

with such fresh toppings grown in

their garden. right off sonoma square!

see pictures and details of our yummy 

lunch there by clicking here. we recommend
the bbq chicken pizza...one of the best!

the cottage inn & spa

if you want to stay right near town,

cottage inn & spa is a great little bed & breakfast

right off of sonoma square. so cozy + comfortable...

and they serve breakfast in a darling basket

hanging on your door in the morning.

see our stay and review here!

chateau sonoma

magical french antiques store...

whether you're into antiques or not,

stop in here and be transported to france.

sonoma cheese factory

remember, you're not only in wine country..

but cheese country too! stop in here for some

fun tastings..and then go down the street

for a cheese plate at the girl & the fig.

sonoma valley cyclery

you'd be silly to come to sonoma and

miss the chance to rent a bike and go

through the pretty roads and towns.

we rented from sonoma valley cyclery and

highly recommend them. they are in a great

location a few streets off the main square, so 

you can park there and ride on a gorgeous

12 mile loop through the prettiest wineries.

brenna will set you up and you'll love it!

sonoma overlook trail 

this is a pretty hike right near sonoma

square if you don't want to drive too far.

{there are lots of other hikes to be discovered

in the future!} you can ask for directions to the

trailhead from town, and enjoy this overlook

of the valley! it's not too difficult, just nice

and helps balance all that good food!!

sebastiani theatre

because my husband has a thing for

old movie theatres, we will include this one.

we went in and heard about the history and 

saw part of a movie {we were late after a 

10 course meal!!} the best part is that they

not only show movies here, but they also have

musicians, comedians, etc. who come to perform.

sonoma state historic park

along with all the food + shopping there's some

history! see the state historic park to see

more about the six sites of sonoma.

kenwood inn & spa

north of sonoma is kenwood, where the

nicest hotel we've ever stayed in is.

the kenwood inn & spa was life

changing. we can't say enough good

things about staying here. it felt

like tuscany! so charming and relaxing.

see our stay and feature here.

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guide to

N A P A

napa is so close, but has a very different

feel. it has some of the best food, and

the town is cute to explore! like i said,

we spent less time here so this guide won't 

be complete until next visit, but here are a few..

grace's table

we stopped through napa and had lunch

at the delicious grace's table. this little bistro

has quite the menu from around the world.

chef mauro sat and talked to us while we

ate, explained his garden, background, etc.

we were so impressed. definitely get the skillet

cornbread with lavender honey butter (!!!)

and try the beet/avocado salad. incredible.

oxbow public market

oxbow public market is well known,

for good reason! some of the best food in

the entire region is here. all the time in SF

i will see things that come "from oxbow market."

food lovers must stop here! it's just across the river.

you can see a few pictures from our time at

oxbow market here. we have already set up

some more features when we visit next!

c casa

this place is not to be missed in oxbow market.

c casa has the most unique food and is so worth

stopping in. catherine has turned "tacos"

into gourmet works of art! you have to try

them...also, the treats! so cute and so unique.

i dream of their sunshine bars! stop in for sure!

model bakery

this mother-daughter bakery is in oxbow market, 

and it is aptly named because it truly is a "model" 

for baking! they just released a new cookbook 

and i am getting it solely for their famous english 

muffins...stop in and grab a bag, they normally 

sell out by noon! they are melt-in-your mouth 

incredible. seriously, you have to try one!

the kitchen door

one of the restaurants in oxbow market

is the kitchen table. it's amazing! we

just stopped by for some samples

due to our busy schedule, but we

loved hearing about the restaurant

and already have a date set to go back

for the full experience.

cate & co.

this is in oxbow market and the same owner as 

c casa, with a completely different feel. they make 

everything by hand, and you have to try their 

salads. mmMMM! *gluten-free treats here.

the meritage resort

we discovered this lovely resort last time we

visited with my parents, and chase + i both said

we want to go back again soon. it is a little bit 

south of the town of napa, so it feels secluded 

and quiet. it is great for couples and families,

as different parts of the resort accommodate

both. my favorite part is the vineyards right

on the edge of the resort with a pretty path

you can take to walk all through them.

if you're looking to stay on the napa

side, it's great. see more here!

/////

other areas we've heard about

in the region and can't wait to explore:

• healdsburg •

• west sonoma •

• yountville •

sonoma/napa lovers...please comment with any favorites!

until next time, we can't wait to visit again! 

xo