Sonoma Wine Country for Food Lovers 2-Day Itinerary

Sample Beer and Cheese on Local Tours, Dig into Authentic Italian, and Meet the Makers at a Food and Art Hub

Get a head start on your foodie tour by waking up at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa in Sonoma.

The Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn is not only a luxurious place to stay overnight but also a culinary hotspot at its on-site restaurant, Santé. In the morning, enjoy gourmet treats like lemon pancakes, farmer’s omelets, or Dungeness crab Benedict. (Don’t forget to drop back into the lobby at the end of the day to unwind and taste local wines.)

On the more casual side, a stay at the Sonoma Creek Inn is a cozy, budget-friendly way to wake up in the heart of Sonoma Wine Country. Right next door, you’ll find the Creekside Café, a local favorite for home-style breakfasts and lunch.

If you’re in town on a Sunday morning, make your way over to the girl & the fig for brunch. This restaurant is a favorite of food magazines for its “country food with French passion,” and the brunch menu here is a hit with plates like baked eggs provençal and breakfast tartine.

Any day of the week is perfect for waffles, yogurt parfaits, espresso, and pain au chocolat at the Sunflower Caffé.

For sweet, flaky breakfasts on the run, you can’t go wrong with a pastry from Basque Boulangerie Café.

Back to the Land

From Sonoma, head to Petaluma, the epitome of country chic, with a boutique-laden downtown and cluster of hip restaurants that contrast the agricultural roots that once earned this town the nickname “egg capital of the world.” The seamless marriage of farms and frills means that today, Petaluma is the perfect place for a unique food adventure.

Tara Firma Farms produces grass-fed beef and pastured poultry and pork and offers free visitor tours on most weekends. You’ll see a fully operational, sustainable farm and the onsite farm store bursting with good things.

The Achadinha Cheese Co. offers farm tours and cheese-making classes. It is a family-operated ranch where they milk cows and goats for their own farmstead cheeses and raise cows, pigs, sheep, horses, and chickens.

Top off your farm tours with a cold one at Petaluma’s Lagunitas Brewery, which offers free tours every day of the week. The brewery’s IPAs, pale ales, pilsners, and a dozen other year-round and seasonal brews put Petaluma on the map with beer aficionados.

California Meets Italy

In downtown Petaluma, lunch means delicious Italian dishes. You can’t go wrong at Risibisi or Sugo Trattoria, both elegant-rustic establishments with authentic paninis, pasta, and salads on the menu.

Feeling more casual? Even the pizza in Sonoma County inspires fanatical followings. For classic deep-dish at its best, don’t miss Old Chicago Pizza.

Made With Love

For all things food in Sebastopol, The Barlow is a culinary hub that connects visitors to quality products and the people who make them.

If wine’s your taste, check out the Pax Wines tasting room at the Barlow.

Beer lovers should visit Crooked Goat Brewing and Seismic Brewing Company.

Farm to Fork

For dinner at The Barlow, don’t miss Osito Style Tacos for mouthwatering Mexican-style street food crafted with organic seasonal ingredients and a gourmet edge, served in a relaxed, paper plate kind of setting.

Sweet Dreams

For dessert, walk to Screamin’ Mimi’s, a Sonoma County mainstay that makes fresh ice cream daily. Mimi’s has 300 recipes in its canon, but we recommend a scoop of their legendary Deep Dark Secret.

Drift off at one of the area’s charming B&Bs and inns. At the Pearlessence Vineyard Inn, enjoy timeless serenity and views of the garden, pond, and scenic vineyard. 

A 20-minute drive takes you to the town of Occidental, where the Inn at Occidental specializes in luxurious rooms with whimsical touches. Food fanatics should ask for the “Kitchen Cupboard” room decorated with antique cooking utensils.

Breakfast in the Redwoods, Cook Like a Local, and Dine in Sonoma Wine Country Chic

Many of Sonoma County’s inns are known for exceptional, locally sourced breakfasts served to guests each morning. But if you’re eager for an early start, head west for a destination breakfast.

In the redwood-hemmed hamlet of Occidental, the Howard Station Café has quickly become a favorite for plates like corned beef hash, blueberry-cornmeal pancakes, and tasty gluten-free waffles.

Be sure to take a post-breakfast wander down Occidental’s main street to take in the redwoods and hills surrounding the little town. Check out 6 Fun Things to Do in Occidental before hopping in the car.

A Taste of Wine Country

Head to Healdsburg, the epicenter of Sonoma Wine Country and a town obsessed with food, wine, and living well. Whet your appetite with a fun cooking lesson or demonstration at Relish Culinary Adventures, which promises expert cooking with Sonoma Wine Country flair. Most classes end with a meal paired with carefully matched local beers or wines.

Visitors enjoy Healdsburg’s biggest draw: Wine. There are many walkable Healdsburg tasting rooms, so you can stroll and sip your way around the historic town square.

Culinary Stars

Cap off your Sonoma Wine Country food adventure with traditional Spanish tapas at Bravas Bar de Tapas. Or go for dishes like swordfish, chevre-honey-and-lavender croquettes, and Sonoma duck at Barndiva.

Vintage Inns, Vineyard Views

For a luxurious B&B stay, check into The Madrona, a historic showpiece built in 1881, now with modern and artistic appointments throughout. Just one mile from downtown Healdsburg, this boutique hotel with classic rooms and private bungalows boasts a seasonal saltwater pool, electric bikes, an exclusive lounge, and farm-fresh dining.

Eat Your Heart Out

If your day in the town of Sonoma has you hungry for more, you’re in luck: Sonoma Wine Country boasts enough world-class restaurants to keep your stomach happy for a lifetime.

In the little town of Geyserville, you’ll find a trio of fabulous Italian restaurants: Family-run Catelli’s, homemade-salumi-centric Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria, and Rustic, a restaurant featuring director Francis Ford Coppola’s favorite Italian dishes located at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery.

In Bodega Bay, don’t miss the freshest seafood plucked straight from the sea and served in a cozy neighborhood setting at Terrapin Creek Café.

To the west, look to the coastal town of Jenner for food so good it may even distract you from your table’s breathtaking ocean views at the River’s End Restaurant & Inn. Here you’ll savor sea bass or filet mignon while watching the sunset over Pacific Ocean waves.