The Ultimate Healdsburg Neighborhood Guide

The Sonoma County hot spot has more culinary thrills per block than some major cities.

WHERE TO DINE

Little Saint, designed by Ken Fulk, offers wine, a plant-based menu and great music.

My goal when visiting Healdsburg each time is to discover the town in new ways. This trip, I did it by bike courtesy of Hotel Healdsburg. I pedaled through lovely neighborhoods and even out to the high school to run around on the turf for an hour. Cycling here is flat, easy and safe. It’s also dreamy, where I kept thinking, “Yeah, I could live here.”

But if visitors want to take in the breadth of this place, start in the 19th-century plaza and roam on foot. The excellent eateries within a few blocks of the square reminded me that wine country offers more than world-renowned pinots and chardonnays. It’s a dining Valhalla.

Paella at Bravas Bar de Tapas

Dry Creek Kitchen

Chef Charlie Palmer’s wine country playground is tucked away on Healdsburg Avenue. The buzzy dining room holds large floral bouquets, arched white ceilings and comfortable banquettes. Chef Shane McAnelly’s three- or six-course tasting menus lean heavily on Sonoma County, with standouts like grilled Brokaw avocado with trout roe, pickled onions, marinated beets and crunchy quinoa to give the dish its zesty backbone; Ora king salmon with Brentwood corn and Toybox tomato; and charred squash baba ganoush, piquillo pepper, Dwelley Farm beans and squash blossoms. Every table receives a skillet of freshly baked, pillowy soft focaccia. 317 Healdsburg Ave., 707.431.0330, drycreekkitchen.com

Bravas Bar de Tapas

Ever fall in love with a restaurant before tasting its food? The Spanish tapas resto by James Beard finalists Mark and Terri Stark sits inside a gorgeous old Craftsman house with fabulous art, including a white ceramic bull lording over the dining room. Best bet: head outside to the back patio and its orange tables shaded by a massive pine tree and umbrellas. I love the imported tins of mussels, smoked trout, wild bluefin tuna and sardines picante. The presentation—atop a wood plank with grilled sourdough, pickled veggies and condiments—is everything. I choose mackerel bathed in curry and create heavenly bites with sourdough while dipping pickled cauliflower and onion in harissa sauce. The restaurant also dishes exceptional tapas, including cauliflower, spinach and mushroom with dates and pine nuts. Insider tip: Don’t miss paella nights. 420 Center St., 707. 433.7700, starkrestaurants.com

Look for elevated Mexican fare at the new Arandas.

Valette

A tavern-like feel reigns at Valette, especially with posts and beams and a historic 14-foot painting from the Sotoyome Market. Chef and co-owner Dustin Valette’s ambitious menu includes standouts like makrut lime and melon gazpacho; local halibut with Dwelly yellow corn, hominy, Little Neck clams and Jimmy Nardello peppers; and Liberty duck breast. Insider’s tip: Order the It’s Not a Snickers Bar Deux with cocoa tuile peanut powder, dark chocolate and sea salt ganache. 344 Center St., 707.473.0946, valettehealdsburg.com

Costeaux French Bakery

The handsome bakery isn’t all about baguettes and lattes; the culinary team, led by Jorge Flores, prepares memorable fare with a distinct wine-country flourish. Favorites include a deep-dish quiche with black forest ham, applewood-smoked bacon, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, spinach, Jarlsberg and cheddar cheese; and the aptly named Best Morning Burger, topped with spinach, chipotle aioli, cheddar cheese, avocado and a sunny side egg on a Costeaux English muffin. 417 Healdsburg Ave., 707.433.1913, costeaux.com

Chef Shane McAnelly leads the kitchen at Charlie Palmer’s Dry Creek Kitchen.

Troubadour Bread & Bistro

Sean and Melissa McGaughey’s hot spot is a boulangerie by day and bistro by night, with breakfast pastries crafted by their sister bakery Quail & Condor. Don’t overlook the yummy breads baked each morning at 4 a.m. The morning and early afternoon menus include a sandwich gem: sumac roasted carrots, pesto, burrata, arugula and pickled red onion. For dinner, choose between fan favorites like oyster Chaudfroid or steak tartare with spot prawn, leek confit and cured egg yolk. The wine menu includes Healdsburg gems like a BloodRoot Vineyards rosé and a Brick & Mortar pinot. 381 Healdsburg Ave., 707.756.3972, troubadourhbg.com

Arandas

The recently opened restaurant showcases elevated Mexican fare from chef Adrien Nieto. Look for a robust cocktail menu and memorable dishes like summer squash tacos with Morita-Calabrian chiles, pine nuts, mint and pepita salsa; and tacos with cauliflower, mole verde, broccolini and salsa de nopal (or opt for tacos with NY strip or the local daily catch). Insider tip: Spend time at the sleek bar before dinner, and order one of the inventive cocktails from the mixology team, including the Bustamante Paloma: Contraluz mezcal, grapefruit, Campari, lime, agave, smoked rosemary, Fever-Tree grapefruit tonic and Tajín rim. 29 North St., 707.473.8030, arandashealdsburg.com

The outdoor shower at Hotel Healdsburg is shrouded by lush landscaping.

Little Saint

This is the best place to eat, drink and listen to live music in wine country. When the Ken Fulkdesigned Little Saint opened two years ago, it became an instant hit, with a plant-based menu from chef de cuisine Bryan Oliver, local wines, a coffee bar, vegan ice cream, mixology classes and an upstairs stage that has hosted everyone from Phoebe Bridgers to The Heavy Heavy. Little Saint has a farm, producing fresh fare for its all-day menu. The team also collaborates with Saint Joseph’s Arts Foundation and presents exhibitions of local artists. 25 North St., 707.433.8207, littlesainthealdsburg.com

Hotel Healdsburg offers plenty of inviting outdoor areas to relax and enjoy Sonoma wines.

WHERE TO STAY

Hotel Healdsburg

Hotel Healdsburg is a charming hideaway one block from the town square. Its beige exterior is laced with lush vines. The property boasts a range of amenities—complimentary touring bikes, breakfast, pool and fitness center—that make it a perfect home base for exploring wine country. Guests will find an austere design, with bleached hardwood floors, abundant natural light, and rooms graced with towering shutters, Bose speakers, 20-foot ceilings and marble baths. 25 Matheson St., 707.431.2800, hotelhealdsburg.com

The exterior of Hotel Les Mars

Hotel Les Mars

The intimate Relais & Chateau property offers 16 suites, villas and rooms in a setting that mixes French and wine country chic. Details abound here, including an attentive staff, four-poster beds, an expansive fireplace and wardrobe, a deep soaking tub and in-room coffee and tea choices that rival a Parisian cafe. The new Arandas is another reason to make this your address for a day or two. 27 North St., 707.433.4211, hotellesmars.com