No trip to the wine country – not matter what wine region that might be – is complete without experiencing the cuisine of the region. As long as humans have been making wine, chefs have been creating food that pairs with those wines, and to me, the dinner after a day of wine tasting is a chance to sit back and drink and enjoy wine from the region instead of just smelling, sipping, and spitting during a tasting. Here are the spots we hit on our recent trip to Sonoma, staring with the Glen Ellen Star in Glen Ellen, a fairly new, but quite popular restaurant right in the heart of Glen Ellen.

Brussels sprouts appetizer topped with brown sugar bacon marmaladeChef Ari Weiswasser plating my soupSpring pea soup with ricotta gnudi Lamb meatballs in a spicy harissa tomato sauce over creamy polentaWhole roasted dourade with preserved meyer lemon and romesco sauceGnocchi with pea shoots, shaved rhubarb, and shredded chickenTart cherry cobbler with house made vanilla bourbon ice creamRed quinoa stuffed acorn squash
A great place for lunch near the Sonoma Coast region is The French Garden Restaurant. Visit on a sunny day and enjoy daily harvested produce from the restaurant’s bio-intensive farm.Red quinoa salad with hard cooked eggsThe French Garden salad with chicken – what presentation!Charcuterie platter
Most people who been to Sonoma know of The Girl and The Fig, right on the square. It’s hugely popular, and always packed, so be sure to make a reservation ahead of time.Flight of sparking winesArugula, fig, and goat cheese saladDuck confit over farroShort ribs with white beans and broccoliniDon’t discount the wineries when you are thinking of where to eat on your wine adventure. Often during the spring barrel tasting season or around harvest time, they have parties with food on site, like this giant paella feast we enjoyed.Beef carpaccio
Right across the street from The Girl and The Fig in Sonoma is the El Dorado Hotel & Kitchen, a popular hotel with a decent restaurant serving classic wine country cuisine.Burrata with roasted garlic, tomato sauce and balsamic gelTuna tartareRoast Petaluma chicken with smoked potato skin purée,
housemade sausage hash, romesco and a poached eggLobster tails (a special when we were there)Truffle fries – enough to shareAmuse bouche of pesto covered mozzarella with tomatoes
We were staying near Kenwood, and Glen Ellen is the closest town, so we found ourself back here at Olive & Vine for dinner on our last night. They source organic produce locally from small farms through Sonoma Organics for their ever changing seasonal menu.Goat cheese flan with radish salad – incredible.Roast chicken (again)Shrimp risotto