Great Local Eats Where You Can Find Our Family's Wines!
Our family and staff are always asked by customers visiting our downtown Sonoma tasting room, "So, where do you recommend that we eat?" Here are five of our favorites – a few are located just steps from our tasting room!
Depot Hotel Restaurant
www.depotsonoma.com
Since 1985 the Ghilarducci family has hosted Sonoma families with meals inside the historic Depot Hotel building as well as on the charming poolside courtyard where guests dine in the rear of the building. In 2014, Chef Antonio Ghilarducci, son of Gia and Michael, took over the reins as Head Chef, while their daughter, Gianna, took over the wine list supporting several Sonoma labels including ours. The menu changes daily, with most ingredients coming from local area farmers. During Dungeness crab season you are sure to see our father, Joe, enjoying their crab cannelloni. Try our Roche Carneros Pinot Noir with the veal scalopine … you won’t regret it!
B & V Whiskey Bar & Grill
www.bvsonoma.com
Award-winning Chef Carlo Cavallo’s restaurant is across from the old Mission. This is Sonoma Plaza's only brew pub, whiskey bar, and live music venue. B & V's menu is wine country inspired with farm-to-table elements, Italian and French influences, and also features good old-fashioned BBQ and burgers. Our eight-year-old niece Kara loves their root beer floats! They have our Carneros Chardonnay listed on their menu, which is amazing with their selection of oysters or salads.
Mamma Tanino’s
www.mammataninos.com
Executive Chef Gaetano Patrinostro’s Italian restaurant is located in the Sonoma Valley center on 5th Street West and is only open for dinner. His wife, Kim, warmly greets guests upon their arrival and will frequent tables to share stories and check that all is well throughout the evening. Their restaurant is truly a local’s favorite. Literally a one-man show in the kitchen, you can watch Gaetano from your table as he is filling everyone’s orders. We always order Gaetano’s calamari each time we visit as this was a favorite dish of our mother’s. The chicken marsala paired with our Carneros Merlot featured on their wine list is off-the-hook.
Mary's Pizza Shack on the Plaza
www.maryspizzashack.com
With the first restaurant opening back in 1959, the shack on the Plaza is the ultimate Sonoma family restaurant. Every child in town knows Mary’s. Either the booths, the breadsticks, the meatballs, salami in your salad, or the make-your-own-pizza are all kids favorites. Our family’s only custom pizza that we order is pesto, with mushrooms and Italian sausage. You will often find our staff sneaking over there for lunch or enjoying dinner at the bar. Our Carneros Pinot Noir with the Toto’s pizza is pretty incredible.
Murphy's Irish Pub
www.sonomapub.com
Down a cobbled stone alley way, you will find the only Irish pub in Sonoma – and it is a good one! Sit outdoors or outside on their intimate, covered patio. The menu is filled with traditional Irish dishes as well as local favorites and the kitchen is open late. Carrie, my sister, always orders the shepherd’s pie and it never disappoints. The Irish love salmon and our Carneros Pinot Noir pairs swimmingly with the grilled salmon on their menu.
So, I hope you are able to visit one or two of these local eats during your next trip to Sonoma. I am sure that they will become some of your “favorites” as well.
Slainte!
Mara Roche