Dinner recommendations in Sonoma?

[JimW]

OK, I've been to Sonoma many times for dinner, but I wanted to see what the experts might come up with. Here's the setup...

My wife and I are heading up to Sonoma this Sunday for two nights at the Sonoma Mission Inn. We do not have dinner reservations anywhere yet for Sunday or Monday.

Where would you recommend we go for dinner while we are in wine country being pampered for a couple of days?

[Red Bandana]

Check out the Farmhouse Inn. Wonderful atmosphere - relaxed but elegant. Excellent service. Great food. Finish with the cheese plate and port!

[JimW]

The Farmhouse Inn sounds great, and we will definitely try it some time. But Mapquest puts it at around a 47 minute drive from the Sonoma Mission Inn, so we'll continue the search for something closer to the town of Sonoma.

Thanks for the tip, though.

[Dining Diva]

If you haven't been before, you should try Deuce..2 minutes from town center!
Lovely patio dining - great wines, gorgeous presentation of impeccably fresh, well excuted dishes and always love their desserts!
Dining Diva

[Laura]

I would like to second Red Bandana's recommendation for the Farmhouse Inn and Restaurant. I've had two fantastic dinners there -- great food, great atmosphere, good wine list, etc. The cheese plate is indeed extraordinary.

If you're looking to combine fine dining with a little adventure, the Farmhouse Inn is a great spot. It is within two miles of several campgrounds AND -- even better -- it's just down the road from Burke's Canoes. Burke's rents canoes right on the Russian River. From its launch site, you can paddle (or just float) about ten miles through the beautiful redwoods of Forestville and Guerneville. There are plenty of spots to stop and picnic, swim, bird-watch, or just admire the trees. The best day I've ever had in wine country was a Burke's canoe trip followed by a delicious dinner at the Farmhouse Inn and a good night's sleep in my tent pitched in a cool redwood grove!

[Mary Rosenthal]

I had the good fortune of being wooed in Sonoma by my now-husband who lived there at the time (2004). Here are a few of my favorite places to eat/drink:

Special Occasion: Cafe la Haye Restaurant, 140 E. Napa Street (just off the square). It's cozy in size but big on delicious, local cuisine and outstanding wines to match (they'll help you choose the right wine for your meal, and it won't just be the most expensive one on the menu). It's sophisticated (definitely a foodie spot) without being stuffy, and the staff is very friendly and knowledgeable. It's expensive, but not crazy-expensive, and it's well worth it.

Outdoor dining: The Girl and the Fig, 110 W. Spain (on the square). I wouldn't rave about the cuisine and service here like I do for Cafe la Haye, but it is totally fine, and you have a much better chance of getting a reservation last minute here. The atmosphere is what sells this place - outside under the trees with little white lights in them. Very romantic on a nice evening.

Cocktails on the porch: try the Swiss Hotel. The adobe was built in 1850, it sits right on the square (110 W. Spain), so you can soak up some Sonoma history, along with some excellent people watching.

Casual: Juanita Juanita Mexican Restaurant, 19114 Arnold Drive. When you've had enough of the fine wining and dining and want to grab dinner in your shorts and tee shirt, go to Juanita Juanita. Great Mexican food, ice cold beers, and Trivial Pursuit cards hanging about the tables to entertain yourselves with. (Warning: it's very popular and small but the service is swift.)

Picnic: first stop at the Sonoma Cheese Factory on the square (2 W. Spain St.), and pick up great deli food, then head to Bartholemew Park Winery (1000 Vineyard Ln), get a bottle of their wine, and enjoy your picnic in their very large, shaded picnic grounds. This is the spot I fell in love ...