Best of Sonoma County 2023

2023 PRESS DEMOCRAT READERS' CHOICE

$8.99

2023

FOOD WINE ART RECREATION SHOPPING MUSIC HEALTH & WELLNESS

Readers’ Choice2023

Chief Executive Officer

Eric Johnston

Editor Richard A. Green

Managing Editor

Antonie Boessenkool

Designer

Elissa Torres

Photography Editor

Brett Wilkison

Photographers

John Burgess, Christopher

Chung, Kent Porter, Beth Schlanker and Chad Surmick

Contributing Writer

Penny Popken

Contributing

Photographers

Erik Castro, Alvin A.H. Jornada, Aimee Chavez and Nicholas Vides

Chief Revenue Officer

Karleen Arnink-Pate

Director of Digital Ad Operations

Tomas Chadsey

Director of Customer Success

Jasey Fordley

Chief Revenue Strategist

Adam Bush

Events & Sponsorships Director

Brandelle McIntosh

Specialty Content Manager

Ken Jaggie

Director of Advertising Operations

Dennis Sheely

Advertising Operations Director

Mark Flaviani

Distribution

Dava Amador

Cover Design

Antonie Boessenkool and Elissa Torres

JOHN BURGESS JOHN BURGESS

It’s time to rethink your healthcare

At Canopy Health, we’ve created an integrated healthcare experience where the standout feature is the freedom of our assigned members to obtain high-quality care among our alliance’s physicians and hospitals - no matter where you live or work in the Bay Area.

Through the Alliance Referral Program, members have access to in-network services with the entire Canopy Health alliance of over 5,500 providers, 30 hospitals, 70+ urgent care centers, and six medical groups across the Bay Area, including Providence, UCSF Health, John Muir Health, and more.

We work with our health plan partners, UnitedHealthcare and Health Net to provide access to some of the best hospitals in the Bay Area. Look for a health plan with one of our partners that features the Canopy Health network

JOHN BURGESS

The Best of

Food&Wine

It’s no wonder Sonoma County is a hot spot for new restaurants, start-up winemakers and stylish watering holes — our bounty of fresh produce, seafood, wine and beer and culinary talent is plentiful. Even during the challenging pandemic, ambitious chefs and restaurateurs plunged ahead and opened new businesses, some which have become local favorites. Readers also told us about the eateries, food trucks, barbecue spots and cocktail bars they’ve treasured for years. Winners are checked (√); others are runners-up.

Best Happy Hour: During happy hour at Stark’s Steak & Seafood, martinis are $5 and popular happy-hour food items include cheese fondue, prime rib banh mi, ahi tuna tacos and a $9 cheeseburger.

The Best of Food&Wine

Artisan Cheese

√ Cowgirl Creamery, Products available at local grocery stores, 866-433-7834, cowgirlcreamery.com

Bohemian Creamery, 7380 Occidental Road, Sebastopol, 707-293-3336, bohemiancreamery.com

Wm Cofield Cheesemakers, 6780 McKinley St., No. 110, Sebastopol, 707-755-0130, wmcofieldcheese.com

Bakery

√ Wild Flour Bread, 140 Bohemian Highway, Freestone, 707-874-2938, wildflourbread.com

Goguette, 59 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, goguettebread.com

Red Bird Bakery, 556 E. Cotati Ave., Cotati (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-521-9838, redbirdbakery.com

Bar

√ Fern Bar, 6780 Depot St., Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-861-9603, fernbar.com

McNear’s Saloon & Dining House, 23 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-765-2121, mcnears.com

Wit & Wisdom, 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-931-3405, witandwisdomsonoma.com

BBQ

Best Burrito

√ El Roy’s Express Mex, Inc., 760 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-843-2166, elroysxpressmex.com

Roy Cabrera operates a restaurant and food truck in Petaluma, along with three food trucks in Santa Rosa. When asked the secret to his people-pleasing burritos, Cabrera says, “We’re very consistent. When someone has a burrito in Petaluma, it tastes the same as in Santa Rosa.” Cabrera started the business in 2005 when he was fresh out of high school, bringing his first food truck to Petaluma in 2007. “I’ve been doing this 18 years and I still love it. I still have the same passion for it.”

He’s also grateful for his hardworking staff: “I have an amazing crew who all love what they do.”

Don Pancho’s, 285 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-775-2474, donpanchosmexicanfood.com

√ Sweet T’s Restaurant + Bar, 9098 Brooks Road S., Windsor, 707-687-5185, sweettssouthern.com

KINSmoke, 304 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-473-8440, kinsmoke.com

Lombardi’s Gourmet Deli & BBQ, 3413 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-773-1271, lombardisbbq.com

Breakfast

Los Tres Chiles, 2765 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-304-5724, lostreschiles.com

√ Hank’s Creekside Restaurant, 2800 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-8839, hanks-creekside.com

Jeffrey’s Hillside Cafe, 2901 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-5466317, jeffreyshillsidecafe.com

Mac’s Deli, 630 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-3785, macsdeliandcafe.com

Brunch

√ Cafe Mimosa, 456 College Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-293-9450, cafemimosaaa.com

Fern Bar, 6780 Depot St., Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-861-9603, fernbar.com

The Parish Cafe, 60 Mill St., Healdsburg, 707-431-8474, theparishcafe.com

Best Burrito: Roy Cabrera operates El Roy’s Express Mex, Inc. which has multiple locations around Sonoma County.

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Best Bar: The Harvest Moon cocktail is made with gin, lemon juice, yusu syrup, Nigori sake, tonic and pomegranate juice from Fern Bar.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Doughnut

√ Johnny Doughnuts, 1200 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-308-4836, johnnydoughnuts.com

‘We’re a handcrafted doughnut shop,” says Corey Samo, director of operations for Johnny Doughnuts. “We’re crafting doughnuts from scratch.”

The secret to the popular sweets? “Our doughnuts are made using a 1920s-era recipe that uses potato in the dough.”

Customers return again and again for classic raised and old-fashioned doughnuts, along with cinnamon rolls, apple fritters and crodoughs, a croissant crossed with a doughnut. There are also wheat-free and vegan doughnuts on the menu.

Johnny Doughnuts was founded by Craig Blum in San Rafael in 2013. There are now locations in San Francisco, Marin and Santa Rosa, plus two doughnut trucks for private events.

Burger

√ Superburger, 1501 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-546-4016, originalsuperburger.com

Acme Burger, 1007 W. College Ave., Suite D, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-6157309, acmeburgerco.com

Sonoma Burger, 173 Pleasant Hill Ave. N., Sebastopol, 707-827-8817, sonomaburger.com

Butcher / Purveyor

√ Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-2843530, oliversmarket.com

Sonoma County Meat Co., 35 Sebastopol Ave., Santa Rosa, 707521-0121, sonomacountymeatco.com

Willowside Meats, 3421 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 707-546-8404, willowsidemeatsllc.com

Caterer

√ Park Avenue

Catering, 591 Mercantile Drive, Cotati, 707-793-9645, parkavecater.com

Chacho’s Catering, 707-975-8152, chefchacho.com

Mazza Catering, 707-953-3359, mazzacatering.com

Chef

√ Roger Praplan, La Gare French Restaurant, 208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-528-4355, lagarerestaurant.com

Danny Girolomo, Wit & Wisdom, 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-931-3405, witandwisdomsonoma.com

Mauro Gutierrez, Quinua Cocina Peruana, 500 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-776-7789, quinuacocinaperuana.com

Happy Donuts, 8962 Brooks Road S., Windsor, 707-838-3526

The Jelly Donut, 443 Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-544-8494

Best Doughnuts: Doughnuts are on display at Johnny Doughnuts in Santa Rosa. The Johnny Doughnuts team, below, pauses in Santa Rosa. The business was founded by Craig Blum in San Rafael in 2013. There are now locations in San Francisco and Marin.

JOHNNY DOUGHNUTS

The Best of Food&Wine

Coffee

√ Avid Coffee, 2365 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-595-5984, avidcoffee.com

Land and Water Coffee, 621 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-527-3731, landandwater.coffee

Retrograde Coffee Roasters, 130 S. Main St., No. 103, Sebastopol, 707-827-8065, retrograderoasters.com

Comfort Food

√ Sweet T’s Restaurant + Bar, 9098 Brooks Road S., Windsor, 707-687-5185, sweettssouthern.com

Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 2280 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-581-2751, mountainmikespizza.com

Quinua Cocina Peruana, 500 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-776-7789, quinuacocinaperuana. com

Craft Beer

√ HenHouse Brewing Co., 322 Bellevue Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-987-4577, henhousebrewing.com

Crooked Goat Brewing, 120 Morris St., No. 120, Sebastopol (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-827-3893, crookedgoatbrewing.com

Old Caz Beer, 5625 State Farm Drive, Suite 17, Rohnert Park, 707-978-3974, oldcaz.com

Craft Cocktail

√ Fern Bar, 6780 Depot St., Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-861-9603, fernbar.com

Lo & Behold Bar and Kitchen, 214 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-756-5021, loandbeholdca.com

Wit & Wisdom, 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-931-3405, witandwisdomsonoma.com

Distillery

√ Spirit Works Distillery, 6790 McKinley St., Suite 100, Sebastopol, 707-634-4793, spiritworksdistillery.com

Alley 6 Craft Distillery, 1401 Grove St., Unit D, Healdsburg, 707-484-3593, alley6.com

Griffo Distillery, 1320 Scott St., Suite A, Petaluma, 707-879-8755, griffodistillery.com

Young & Yonder Spirits, 449 Allan Court, Healdsburg, 707-473-8077, youngandyonder.com

Deli

√ Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-2843530, oliversmarket.com

Fourth Street Deli, 300 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-573-9832, fourthstreetdeli.com

Mac’s Deli, 630 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-3785, macsdeliandcafe.com

Dining Experience

√ La Gare French Restaurant, 208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-5284355, lagarerestaurant.com

Gravenstein Grill, 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, 707-634-6142, gravensteingrill.com

Wit & Wisdom, 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-9313405, witandwisdomsonoma.com

Dive Bar

√ John & Zeke’s Bar & Grill, 420 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-3735

440 Club, 434 College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-542-2550

The Dirty, 616 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-575-1354, dirtydive.com

Eats on the Coast

√ Fishetarian Fish Market, 599 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-875-9092, fishetarianfishmarket.com

Spud Point Crab Co., 1910 Westshore Road, Bodega Bay, 707-8759472, spudpointcrabco.com

The Tides Wharf & Restaurant, 835 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-875-3652, innatthetides.com/tides-wharfrestaurant

Farm to Table

√ Gravenstein Grill, 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, 707-634-6142, gravensteingrill.com

Americana, 205 Fifth St., Suite A, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-755-1548, americanasr. com

Risibisi, 154 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-766-7600, risibisirestaurant.com

Best Distillery: Spirit Works Distillery in Sebastopol uses organic grains for its spirits and offers tastings at its location in the Barlow.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Eats on the Coast: Andy Marshall eats a raw oyster at Fishetarian Fish Market in Bodega Bay.

BETH SCHLANKER

The Best of Food&Wine

Best Happy Hour

√ Stark’s Steak & Seafood, 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-5100, starkrestaurants.com

Mark and Terri Stark opened their eponymous Stark’s Steak & Seafood in 2008, making it the fourth restaurant in their empire. “This was our first opportunity to buy the real property,” Terri Stark says. “It was time for us to put our name up in neon lights.”

The couple instantly knew where they wanted to take their new restaurant. “It spoke to us as a classic steakhouse,” Terri says.

The building in the northwest Railroad Square district had a storied past. During Prohibition, illicit distilling took place in the basement and bootleggers would hang a sign depicting a stork out front as a signal to potential customers that liquor was available.

In a nod to that history, Terri says, “We named our bar area the Stork Club.” With its generous size, glass entry doors each etched with a stork and seating for 75, the Stork Club has become a favorite weeknight happy-hour destination.

“We opened right at the beginning of the recession, so we started a Blues Buster Happy Hour,” Terri says. “We decided we’d rather give food away than throw it away. It became a huge hit.”

During happy hour, martinis still sell for $5 and popular happy-hour food items include the cheese fondue, prime rib banh mi, ahi tuna

tacos and a $9 cheeseburger.

“It’s old-school, the entertainment part before the dining room,” Terri says of the Stork Club. The decor has a vintage feel as well. “We inherited a lot of blackand-white framed photographs from way back when.”

Once cocktails have been enjoyed and visitors are inside the dining room, many opt for the steaks that Stark’s is known for: “It’s certified Angus beef, and we have our own dry-aging room on site,” Terri says.

Accompanying the steaks is an array of classic sauces, including bernaise, peppercorn, salsa verde, truffle aioli and house steak sauce. And, of course, Stark’s offers all the traditional sides including creamed spinach, roasted mushrooms, loaded baked potato, cauliflower and Gruyere gratin, onion rings and more.

Many customers come for their favorite steaks to celebrate special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. “It’s very popular for Valentine’s Day,” Terri says. “We’ve had a lot of proposals take place over the years.”

The dining room exudes a romantic feel, Terri says. “It has a rich, warm, traditional feel. You can tuck into a corner and feel that you have some privacy.”

Best Happy Hour: Patrons enjoy happy hour at Stark’s Steak & Seafood in Santa Rosa. Mark and Terri Stark opened the restaurant in 2008.

Gravenstein Grill, 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, 707-634-6142, gravensteingrill.com

Seared, 170 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-762-5997, petalumaseared.com

JOHN BURGESS

The Best of Food&Wine

Food Truck

√ El Roy’s Express, Mex, Inc., 760 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-843-2166, elroysxpressmex.com

Galvan’s Eatery, 707-836-5087

Lila’s Streetside Eats, 707-757-0205

Gluten-Free Menu

√ Wild Goat Bistro, 6 Petaluma Blvd. N., No. A5, Petaluma, 707-658-1156, wildgoatbistro.com

Fern Bar, 6780 Depot St., Suite 120, Sebastopol, 707-861-9603, fernbar.com

La Gare French Restaurant, 208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-528-4355, lagarerestaurant.com

Ice Cream / Yogurt

√ Screamin’ Mimi’s, 6902 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 707-823-5902, screaminmimisicecream.com

Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar, 539 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-978-3392, thenoblefolk.com

Sweet Scoops Homemade Ice Cream, 408 First St. E, Sonoma, 707-721-1187, sweetscoopsicecream.com

Kid-Friendly Restaurant

√ Mary’s Pizza Shack, Multiple North Bay locations, 707-573-1100, maryspizzashack.com

Handline, 935 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-827-3744, handline.com

Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 2280 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple North Bay locations), 707-544-2828, mountainmikespizza.com

Juice Bar

√ The Nectary, 7300 Healdsburg Ave., Sebastopol (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-829-2697, thenectary. net

Fruity Moto Restaurant, 9054 Windsor Road, Windsor, 707-892-2906, fruity-moto-restaurant.square.site

Juice on the Square, 1305 Cleveland Ave., Suite B, Santa Rosa, 707-800-7953, juiceryco.com

Late Night Eats

√ NY Pie, 65 Brookwood Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-526-9743, new-york-pie.com

El Roy’s Express Mex, Inc.,, 760 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-843-2166, elroysxpressmex.com

Speakeasy, 139 Petaluma Blvd. N., Suite B, Petaluma, 707776-4631, speakeasypetaluma.com

Indian / Himalayan

√ Himalayan Restaurant, 810 McClelland Drive, Windsor, 707-838-6746, himalayanrestaurant windsor.com

Himalayan Tandoori and Curry House, 969 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-824-1800, himalayantandooriandcurryhouse.com

Kafal Restaurant, 535 Ross St., Santa Rosa, 707-595-3311, kafalca.com

Yeti Restaurant, 190 Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-521-9608, yeticuisine.com

Latin (not Mexican)

√ El Coqui Puerto Rican Cuisine, 400 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-542-8868, elcoqui2eat.com

Quinua Cocina Peruana, 500 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-776-7789, quinuacocinaperuana. com

Sol Food, 151 Petaluma Blvd. S., No. 129, Petaluma, 707-347-5998, solfoodrestaurant.com

Margarita

√ La Rosa Tequileria & Grille, 500 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-523-3663, larosasantarosa.com

Don Pancho’s, 285 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-775-2474, donpanchosmexicanfood.com

El Gallo Negro, 8465 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-838-9511, elgallonegro.net

Meal Under $20

√ Sonoma Burger, 173 Pleasant Hill Ave. N., Sebastopol, 707-827-8817, sonomaburger.com

Lila’s Streetside Eats, 707-757-0205

Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 2280 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple North Bay locations), 707-518-2751, mountainmikespizza.com

Best Pizza: A team member prepares dough at Mary’s Pizza Shack in Boyes Hot Springs, which is the original location of the local restaurant chain.

AIMEE CHAVEZ

Best Ice Cream: Screamin’ Mimi’s owner Maraline Olson holds one of her desserts at the Sebastopol shop.

JOHN BURGESS

The Best of Food&Wine

Best Italian

After operating Italian restaurants in Marin County for many years, Joe LoCoco headed north and opened LoCoco’s Cucina Rustica in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square nearly 20 years ago.

“I was looking to open in a tourist location,” LoCoco says. He checked out Healdsburg but noticed the Santa Rosa location had more activity. The area continues to draw a lot of visitors as well as passengers on the SMART train.

From the beginning, LoCoco’s aim has been to serve traditional ItalianAmerican fare made with top-notch ingredients. “I’m not looking to reinvent the wheel,” he says. “I wanted people to come in and say, ‘This is the best veal Parmigiana or spaghetti and meatballs’ People taste the quality.”

LoCoco’s family heritage is Sicilian; however, dishes at the restaurant hail from various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Piedmont and Sicily.

“Our signature dish is the veal chop Valdostana with prosciutto and fontina,” LoCoco says. But customers also clamor for dishes like osso buco with saffron risotto and pappardelle with wild boar sauce.

“We draw a lot of regulars and also a lot of visitors,” LoCoco says. “People on vacation will come in two or three nights in a row. They’ll say, ‘We just went to Italy and this food is as good or better.’ People who know highquality Italian food appreciate us.”

Customers have come to love LoCoco’s housemade sausage, ravioli, gnocchi and cannolis, but diners also are drawn to the restaurant’s energy.

“There’s a buzz,” LoCoco says. “It’s high-energy. We’re very friendly.”

Customers flock to LoCoco’s to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries and other special occasions. “We have regulars who come in once or twice a week. We have customers from all over Sonoma County, people from Napa, people from Novato, people from Gualala, our old customers from Marin,” he says. “We’re recommended by a lot of hotels, concierges and wine-tasting rooms. I get a lot of restaurateurs, the Starks, John Ash (dining at LoCoco’s).”

LoCoco is proud to focus on local, seasonal foods. In the summer, he’ll harvest tomatoes from his 2-acre Novato garden and highlight them in an ultra-fresh Caprese salad. When autumn arrives, he’ll feature crostini with freshly picked figs, mascarpone and prosciutto.

“My philosophy is that I try to be creative and different but only serve what’s in season,” he says. In other words, there’s no Caprese salad on the menu in the dead of winter.

Although LoCoco has stepped away from day-to-day kitchen duties at the restaurant, he adds, “I love to cook. I love pleasing people and interacting with the customers. I’m in the element when I’m at the restaurant.”

At home in Novato, LoCoco and his wife, Kendal, have a recently remodeled kitchen and a big patio with a wood-burning pizza oven and rotisserie grill, so food-centric parties are frequent occurrences, with LoCoco happily wearing the chef’s apron.

Best Italian: Customers dine at LoCoco’s Cucina Rustica in Railroad Square in Santa Rosa.

Caffe Giostra, 1390 N. McDowell Blvd., Suite L, Petaluma, 707-664-9441

Riviera Ristorante, 75 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-579-2682, rivieraristorante.net

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Celebratingajobwelldone.

Kaiser Permanente is proud to announce that readers of The Press Democrat voted Dr. Vanessa DeSousa Best Pediatrician in Sonoma County, and named Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa as Best Hospital and Best Place to Work in Sonoma County. We’d like to extend our heartfelt appreciation for the recognition. Our doors, hearts and minds are always open to help you thrive. Learn more at kp.org/santarosa

For all that is Sonoma County. For all that is you.

The Best of Food&Wine

Mexican

√ Mi Pueblo, 7384 Commerce Blvd., Cotati, 707-792-4380, eatmipueblocotati.com

Don Pancho’s, 285 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-775-2474, donpanchosmexicanfood.com

Los Tres Chiles, 2765 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-304-5724, lostreschiles.com

Outdoor Dining

√ Gravenstein Grill, 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, 707-634-6142, gravensteingrill.com

La Gare French Restaurant, 208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-528-4355, lagarerestaurant.com

Wit & Wisdom, 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-931-3405, witandwisdomsonoma.com

Pan-Asian Restaurant

√ SEA Thai Bistro, 2350 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-528-8333, seathaibistrobar.com

Goji Kitchen, 1965 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-523-3888, gojikitchen.com

Khom Loi, 7385 Healdsburg Ave., No. 101, Sebastopol, 707-329-6917, khomloisonoma.com

Kirin, 2700 Yulupa Ave., No. 3, Santa Rosa, 707-525-1957, dinfo.me/onlineorder/#/home/ menu/?restid=kirin

Soban Korean Cuisine, 255 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-769-3112, sobanpetaluma.com

Place to Buy Wine

√ Bottle Barn, 3331-A Industrial Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-528-1161, bottlebarn.com

Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-284-3530, oliversmarket.com

Wilibees Wine & Spirits, 700 Third St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-978-3779, wilibees.com

Best New Restaurant

√ Lunch Box Burgers + Sandwiches, 128 N. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-347-9881, lunchboxsonomacounty.com

After a few years of selling food as a pop-up at local wineries and breweries, Derek and Megan Harn opened Lunch Box Burgers + Sandwiches in Sebastopol last year. They chose Sebastopol, says Megan, “because we just found a lot of community support in the area.”

Lunch Box is open for breakfast and lunch, and the most popular item by far is the Burger Harn, with a locally sourced Angus beef patty, American cheddar, fancy sauce, onion, tomato, lettuce and dill pickle on a Costeaux brioche bun.

“The fried chicken sandwich is a close second,” Megan adds.

Brothers Cafe, 3135 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-541-6345, brotherscafesr.com

Ramen

√ Ramen Gaijin, 6948 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 707-827-3609, ramengaijin.com

Ippinn Udon & Tempura, 1880 Mendocino Ave., Suite D, Santa Rosa, 707-521-9911, ippinnllc.com

Raku Ramen & Rolls, 2424 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-6239668, rakuramenandrolls.com

Red Wine

√ Balletto Vineyards, 5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, 707-568-2455, ballettovineyards.com

A Raffanelli Winery, 4685 W. Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-1385, arafanelliwinery.com

Wilson Winery, 1960 Dry Creek Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-4355, wilsonwinery.com

Seafood

√ Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar, 403 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-4339191, starkrestaurants.com/ stark-restaurant/willisseafood-raw-bar

Fishetarian Fish Market, 599 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-8759092, fishetarianfishmarket.com

The Shuckery, 100 Washington St., Petaluma, 707-981-7891, theshuckeryca.com

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

Best New Restaurant: The exterior of Lunch Box Burgers + Sandwiches in Sebastopol. The business sells sandwiches, burgers, melts, sides and salads and has a kid’s menu. The Burger Harn, below, with fries from Lunch Box Burgers + Sandwiches.

Eddie’s Kitchen, 409 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-293-9906, eddieskitchen.org

The Redwood, 234 S. Main St., Sebastopol, 707-861-9730, theredwoodwine.com

The Best of

Best Sushi

√ Hana Japanese Restaurant, 101 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-586-0270, hanajapanese.com

Hana Japanese Restaurant opened in Rohnert Park in 1990, and the restaurant has been wowing Sonoma County residents with traditional Japanese cuisine and ultra-fresh sushi ever since.

So when founder and chef Ken Tominaga died unexpectedly last year, Hana’s legions of loyal customers rallied around the restaurant.

“The community was not going to let Hana go out of business,” says Keita Tominaga, Ken’s son. “It was an overwhelming amount of energy. It’s one of the few things that kept me going.”

The younger Tominaga had not originally intended to follow in his father’s footsteps, but after working several kitchen jobs, he says, he “got pulled into this world.”

To further his culinary education, in 2018 Keita moved to Japan for three years and worked in Tokyo restaurants to learn the traditional techniques of Japanese cuisine. While there, he not only honed his kitchen skills, but he met and married his wife, Haruka.

Once back home in Sonoma County, he was eager to showcase his newfound skills at the family restaurant and carry on close relationships with longtime vendors who had worked with Hana for more than 25 years.

“The relationship is the most important thing,” Keita says. “Our fish and seafood comes from Japan, the United States and different parts of the world. They know we have high standards and clientele with high standards. They know that standard and that they can’t send things that are subpar.”

Educating local diners in the classic styles of preparing Japanese cuisine is key. “It’s important for the restaurant that we continue to show people the traditional way, the proper way,” Keita says.

However, he also expects to put his own stamp on the cuisine his father made so popular locally.

“The approach might be different,” Keita says. “It’ll be a different form than my father, but the roots will be the same. You have to know the rules to break the rules.”

As he carries on the family tradition at Hana, Keita reflects on his life in the business. “It’s something I grew up in,” he says. “I was either at the house or the restaurant. It’s a part of me.”

Still, he is immensely grateful for the support of long-time customers. “I would not have been able to do it without the community,” Keita says. “I’m excited for what’s ahead. I’ve been in the sushi bar full-time now, and I’m looking forward to seeing people.”

Best Sushi: Makimono Deluxe Sushi Platter from Hana Japanese Restaurant in Rohnert Park. Taka Uchida, below, makes sushi for take-out orders. The restaurant’s sushi menu includes Makimono, nigiri and sashimi. There is also a kitchen menu with soups, ramen and other small bites.

Osake Japanese Restaurant, 2446 Patio Court, Santa Rosa, 707-542-8282, osake-sushi.com

Umé Japanese Bistro, 8710 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-838-6700, umebistro.com

ERIK CASTRO

The Best of Food&Wine

Romantic Meal

√ Stark’s Steak & Seafood, 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-5100, starkrestaurants.com

Gravenstein Grill, 8050 Bodega Ave., Sebastopol, 707- 634-6142, gravensteingrill.com

La Gare French Restaurant, 208 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-528-4355, lagarerestaurant.com

Risibisi, 154 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-766-7600, risibisirestaurant.com

Sandwich

√ Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-284-3530, oliversmarket.com

Canevari’s Delicatessen & Catering, 695 Lewis Road, Santa Rosa, 707-545-6941, canevarisdeli.com

Lila’s Streetside Eats, 707-757-0205

Ulia’s Delicatessen, 130 Stony Point Road, Suite F, Santa Rosa, 707-525-8542, uliasdeli.com

Sparkling Wine

√ Iron Horse Vineyards, 9786 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol, 707-887-1507, ironhorsevineyards.com

J Vineyards & Winery, 11447 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 888-594-6326, jwine.com

Korbel, 13250 River Road, Guerneville, 707-824-7000, korbel.com

Sports Bar

√ Ausiello’s 5th Street Bar and Grill, 609 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-579-9408, ausiellos5thstreetgrill.com

Beyond the Glory Sports Bar and Grill, 1371 N. McDowell Blvd., No. 130, Petaluma, 707-971-8366, btgpetaluma.com

Epicenter / Victory House, 3215 Coffey Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-806-2256, visitepicenter.com

Best Pizza

√ PizzaLeah, 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 116, Windsor, 707-620-0551, pizzaleah.com

Leah Scurto opened her Windsor pizzeria in March 2020, right as the pandemic was beginning. And while she built up a bustling take-out business during that time, she’s grateful eat-in dining is back with a vengeance.

“I love it when people get to eat it fresh from the oven,” says Scurto, who also likes to add fresh produce like peaches and figs to seasonal pizza specials.

PizzaLeah’s most popular pizza is the Old Grey Beard, with red sauce, mozzarella, fontina, Italian sausage, Calabrian peppers, hot honey and orange zest.

“It’s sweet and spicy and citrus-y,” she says. “People seem to love it.”

Acre Pizza, 6761 McKinley St., No. 150, Sebastopol (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-827-3455, acrepizza.com

Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 2280 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple North Bay locations), 707-581-2751, mountainmikespizza.com

Steak

√ Stark’s Steak & Seafood, 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-5100, starkrestaurants.com

Cattlemens, 4619 Redwood Drive, Rohnert Park (multiple North Bay and Bay Area locations), 707-585-7603, cattlemens.com

Wit & Wisdom, 1325 Broadway, Sonoma, 707-931-3405, witandwisdomsonoma.com

Sweet Treat

√ Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar, 539 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-9783392, thenoblefolk.com

Fleur Sauvage Chocolates, 370 Windsor River Road, Windsor, 707892-2162, fleursauvagechocolates.com

Sift Dessert Bar, 404 Mendocino Ave., Suite A, Santa Rosa, 707-703-4228, siftdessertbar.com

Taco

√ Galvan’s Eatery, 707-836-5087

Don Pancho’s, 285 N. McDowell Blvd., Petaluma, 707-775-2474, donpanchosmexicanfood.com

Tacos Costa Sonoma, 19315 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, 707-5298591, tacos_costa_sonoma.bio.link

ALVIN A.H. JORNADA

Best Pizza: PizzaLeah co-owner Leah Scurto lays out the toppings for a Triple Threat pizza at her restaurant in Windsor.

Best Sweet Treat: Owner Christian Sullberg cuts a slice of Peanut Butter Pie at Noble Folk Ice Cream and Pie Bar in Santa Rosa.

BETH SCHLANKER

Photo by Emma K Morris.

Best

Best

√ East West Cafe, 557 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, 707-546-6142, eastwestcafesantarosa.com

Nawar Laham opened East West Cafe with his late brother Maen in 1991. Originally located in Montgomery Village, the restaurant has since moved to Summerfield Road.

“My brother was the creative force,” Laham says. “He always had this idea. We call it California-Mediterranean.”

The brothers grew up in Damascus, Syria, so they incorporated many of their favorite childhood dishes into the menu. “These are things my mother made for us: tabbouleh, falafel, hummus, beet dip with yogurt and tahini.”

Though East West Cafe currently has long-time chefs in the kitchen, the brothers originally created the food.

“I was in the kitchen for the first four or five years,” Laham says. “I still make all the sauces, the soups, the dressings. It has worked out beautifully. We’ve been so blessed with this place.”

The big draw of East West Cafe, according to Laham, is that the menu satisfies both vegetarians and meat eaters. Among the customers, “more than half are vegan or vegetarian; the rest are meat eaters,” Laham says. “But they can sit at the same table and enjoy the meal together.”

Ironically for a sought-out vegetarian/vegan restaurant, the most popular dishes are the chicken salad and the beef burger. “They’re our top sellers.”

Other popular items include the taco plates and tostadas along with fajita wraps where hummus is used as a base for the meat fajitas. “It’s something you’d have in California, with a touch of Mediterranean.”

East West Cafe’s to-go business really ramped up during the pandemic and still accounts for about 15% to 20% of all sales, Laham says. “We love our to-go business. It definitely saved us, plus the patio out front was a life-saver.”

And he is grateful for the many staff members who have shared his vision for so many years. “We have employees who have been with us for 20 to 25 years. We really are a family.”

Laham also appreciates the many customers who come from as far away as Marin, Petaluma and Rohnert Park to dine at East West Cafe. “We’re blessed. We love Santa Rosa and Sonoma County and having enough people who are health-conscious and appreciate what they eat. It’s incredibly satisfying. This kind of menu doesn’t exist in many other restaurants.”

Best Vegetarian / Vegan: East West Cafe’s Mediterranean Platter has a medley of Mediterranean delicacies: hummus, baba ghanouj, beet delite, stuffed grape leaves, tabbouleh, falafel patties and pita bread. East West Cafe owner Nawar Laham, below, pauses in the restaurant.

Cozy Plum Bistro, 1899 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-526-3333, cozyplum.com

Little Saint, 25 North St., Healdsburg, 707-433-8207, littlesainthealdsburg.com

Vegetarian / Vegan

CHAD SURMICK

The Best of Food&Wine

Take Out

√ Sonoma Burger, 173 Pleasant Hill Ave. N., Sebastopol, 707-827-8817, sonomaburger.com

Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 2280 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple North Bay locations), 707544-2828, mountainmikespizza.com

Quinua Cocina Peruana, 500 Petaluma Blvd. S., Petaluma, 707-776-7789, quinuacocinaperuana. com

Tasting Room

√ Paradise Ridge Winery, 4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-528-9463, prwinery. com

Bricoleur Vineyards, 7394 Starr Road, Windsor, 707-857-5700, bricoleurvineyards.com

D’Argenzio Winery and Tasting Room, 1301 Cleveland Ave., Suite A, Santa Rosa, 707-546-2466, dargenziowine.com

Region., 180 Morris St., Suite 170, Sebastopol, 707-329-6724, drinkregion.com

White Wine

√ La Crema Winery, 3575 Slusser Road, Windsor, 707-525-6200, lacrema.com

Balletto Vineyards, 5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, 707568-2455, ballettovineyards.com

J Vineyards & Winery, 11447 Old Redwood Highway, Healdsburg, 707-431-5430, jwine.com

Taproom

√ HenHouse Brewing Co., 322 Bellevue Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-987-4577, henhousebrewing.com

Barley & Bine Beer Cafe, 7765 Bell Road, Windsor, 707-657-7774, barleybinebeercafe.com

Old Caz Beer, 5625 State Farm Drive, Suite 17, Rohnert Park, 707-978-3974, oldcaz.com

Best Taproom: Some of the 130 different beers brewed by HenHouse Brewing Co. in the past year are on display at one of their taprooms. The taprooms are located in Santa Rosa and Petaluma.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Take Out: The Smash Burger with a side of crispy onion rings from Sonoma Burger in Sebastpol.

JOHN BURGESS

Sonoma County’s Premier Hearing and Audiology Specialists since 1959

Sonoma County’s Premier Hearing and Audiology Specialists since 1959

Sonoma County’s Premier Hearing and Audiology Specialists since 1959

Sonoma County’s Premier Hearing and Audiology Specialists since 1959

We are grateful for your continued trust in us as your hearing care providers. We love Sonoma County and are passionate about the work we do and the amazing community we ser ve.

We are grateful for your continued trust in us as your hearing care providers. We love Sonoma County and are passionate about the work we do and the amazing community we ser ve.

We are grateful for your continued trust in us as your hearing care providers. We love Sonoma County and are passionate about the work we do and the amazing community we ser ve.

We are grateful for your continued trust in us as your hearing care providers. We love Sonoma County and are passionate about the work we do and the amazing community we ser ve.

We are grateful for your continued trust in us as your hearing care providers. We love Sonoma County and are passionate about the work we do and the amazing community we ser ve.

We are grateful for your continued trust in us as your hearing care providers. We love Sonoma County and are passionate about the work we do and the amazing community we ser ve.

Ca ll 707-509-8267 sit

Ca ll 707-509-8267

sit www.goo dh eari ng. co m for all y our he aring nee ds

Ca ll 707-509-8267 sit www.goo dh eari ng. co m for all y our he aring nee ds

Ca ll 707-509-8267 sit www.goo dh eari ng. co m all y our he aring nee ds

Ca ll 707-509-8267 sit www.goo dh eari ng. co m all y our he aring nee ds

ma County locations to serve you

ma County locations to serve you

ma County locations to serve you

ma County locations to serve you

you

Petaluma • Santa Rosa | East • Oakmont • Sonoma

Petaluma • Santa Rosa | East • Oakmont • Sonoma

• Petaluma • Santa Rosa | East • Oakmont • Sonoma

Petaluma • Santa Rosa | East • Oakmont • Sonoma

www.goodhearing.com

www.goodhearing.com

www.goodhearing.com

www.goodhearing.com

Real Life

The Best of W

hether we’re remodeling our kitchens, in need of a sharp new ’do for a night out, looking for a bouquet to give Mom on her birthday or trying to furnish our homes to make a cozy haven, the county’s small businesses provide the services and goods we turn to again and again. Readers told us their favorite contractors, veterinarians, mechanics, barbers, wedding planners, health clubs and more that have earned their business with good service. Winners are checked (√); others are runners-up.

Best Barber: Customers get haircuts at Groomsmiths in Santa Rosa. The shop offers haircuts and shaves.

JOHN BURGESS

The Best of Real Life

Accounting

√ Pisenti & Brinker

LLP, 3562 Round Barn Circle, No. 200, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-542-3343, pbllp.com

Houghton & Houghton CPAs, 850 Second St., Santa Rosa, 707-5753535, houghtonandhoughtoninc.com

LH Harris CPA, 1260 N. Dutton Ave., Suite 160, Santa Rosa, 707-546-2727, lharriscpa.com

Acupuncturist

√ Annette Romios, 4730 Hoen Ave., Suite A, Santa Rosa, 707-555-7148, acupuncturemama.com

Pamela Sauers, 1049 Fourth St., Suite D, Santa Rosa, 831-247-2527

Nick Buddle, 5755 Mountain Hawk Drive, Suite 201, Santa Rosa, 707-921-9661, sonomaacupuncture.com

Aesthetician

√ Dr. Tom Cosmetic Surgery, 70 Stony Point Road, Suite G, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707- 542-8346, drtomcosmetic.com

Artemedica, 1002 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-577-8292, artemedica.com

Waxology by Marri Bailey, 1111 Sonoma Ave., Suite 208, Santa Rosa, 707-328-4412, waxedbymarrib. com

Auto Body Shop

√ G&C Auto Body,

251 Bellevue Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-525-3520, gandcautobody.com

Cloverdale Eagle Tech Collision & Towing, 208 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707-894-3977, eagletechcollision.com

Randy Hanson Auto Body, 2080 Llano Road, Santa Rosa, 707-575-9620, randyhansonautobody.com

Western Auto Body, 3172 Condo Court, Santa Rosa, 707-525-1767, westernautobody.com

Attorney

√ Jarin Beck, (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-433-4842, weltyweaver. com

Dan Raff, 17 Keller St., Petaluma, 707-879-8040, rafflawoffice.com

Angelle K. Wertz, 610 Davis St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-3737, lawangelle. com

Auto Detailing

√ Advanced Auto Detailing, 2549

Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-526-2200, advancedautogroup.com

Auto Sport Detailing, 1945 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-579-3710, autosportdetailing.com

Skinn’s Kustoms, 3977 Santa Rosa Ave., Suite B, Santa Rosa, 707-483-6793, kinnskustoms. com

Auto Glass Replacement

√ Advanced Auto Glass, 2460 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-526-5700, advancedautogroup.com

Reliable Auto Glass, 5625 State Farm Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-588-7999

West Coast Auto Glass, 3546 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-953-3062, westcoast-autoglass. com

Best Acupuncturist: Annette Romios of Acupuncture Mama in Santa Rosa heats up a cup used to help treat muscle pain.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Auto Body Shop: G&C Auto Body opened in 1972 and has since expanded to multiple locations throughout Northern California including in Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Sonoma, Sebastopol, Windsor, Ukiah and Napa.

KENT PORTER

Thank You Sonoma County

Voted Sonoma County's Best Eye Doctor

Voted Sonoma County's Best Eye Doctor

Dr. Kimberly Lyons, OD

Dr. Kimberly Lyons, OD

Voted Sonoma County's Best Eyeglass Store

Voted Sonoma County's Best Eyeglass Store

Lyons Optometry

The Best of Real Life

Best Cabinetry

√

Kelly Silverstein opened Humanity Home & Cabinetry in Santa Rosa 11 years ago with a goal of helping homeowners get the best product at the best price. “Our entire philosophy is educating our clients on the pros and cons of every decision and letting them make an educated decision,” Silverstein says.

The business caters to both residential and commercial customers throughout Sonoma County.

“We’re a full-service interior-design firm and we also sell cabinetry. We happen to do an awful lot of kitchens, and the biggest part of a kitchen is the cabinetry,” Silverstein says.

Rather than outsourcing the cabinets, “we decided to take that over. We work with four different cabinet manufacturers and we have 10 different lines to offer clients. We have stock cabinetry for (tight) budgets, fully custom and everything in between.”

With four interior designers, an architectural drafter and a showroom manager, the business focuses on several areas: interior design, cabinetry, countertops and tile for bathrooms and backsplashes, plus

full architectural drafting services for new construction, accessory dwelling units and whole-house remodels.

Humanity Home & Cabinetry’s client base runs the gamut, but “most of our clientele have been in their homes quite a while and they want to update their home,” Silverstein says. “We also have people purchasing second homes in Wine Country with an eye toward retirement.”

While her clients tend to be “really sophisticated,” Silverstein finds it critically helpful for them to be familiar with National Kitchen & Bath Association guidelines and to know which styles, products and finishes won’t soon look dated. For instance, the fancy shower jet a customer wants may not be sold in California, or the look they fell in love with while watching HGTV may not be the best choice for their home remodel.

“We really work with our clients in how they live. We want it to look beautiful, but it also has to work for that particular client,” she says.

“Design is a healthy mix of form and function.”

Best Cabinetry: Humanity Home & Cabinetry owner Kelly Silverstein, center, pauses with her staff Alison Bockman, from left, Kacie Elbert, Chase Lindsay, Rae Petenes, and Edwin Cruz-Larios in the Santa Rosa showroom.

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

The Best of Real Life

The Best of Real Life

JOHN BURGESS

Auto Glass Tinting

Auto Glass Tinting

√ A Shade Darker Window Tinting, 3093 Wiljan Court, Suite A, Santa Rosa, 707-546-2827, ashadedarker.com

√ A Shade Darker Window Tinting, 3093 Wiljan Court, Suite A, Santa Rosa, 707-546-2827, ashadedarker.com

Santa Rosa Window

Tint, 3200 Dutton Ave., Suite 421, Santa Rosa, 707-879-8468, santarosawindowtint.com

Santa Rosa Window Tint, 3200 Dutton Ave., Suite 421, Santa Rosa, 707-879-8468, santarosawindowtint.com

Sun Tint, 1022 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-545-8468, suntintauto.com

Sun Tint, 1022 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-545-8468, suntintauto.com

Auto Repair

Auto Repair

√ Fincher’s Auto Service Inc., 82 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-431-2218, finchershealdsburg.com

√ Fincher’s Auto Service Inc., 82 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-431-2218, finchershealdsburg.com

Coogler’s Auto Repair, 990 Piner Road, Santa Rosa, 707-236-8692, cooglersautorepair.com

Coogler’s Auto Repair, 990 Piner Road, Santa Rosa, 707-236-8692, cooglersautorepair.com

Cloverdale Automotive & Tires, 210 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707-894-1072, cloverdaleautomotive.com

Cloverdale Automotive & Tires, 210 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707-894-1072, cloverdaleautomotive.com

Bank

Bank

√ Exchange Bank, 545 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-524-3301, exchangebank.com

√ Exchange Bank, 545 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-524-3301, exchangebank.com

Luther Burbank Savings, 500 Third St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-578-9216, lutherburbanksavings.com

Luther Burbank Savings, 500 Third St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-578-9216, lutherburbanksavings.com

Best Barber

Best Barber

√ Groomsmiths, 1199 Yulupa Ave., Suite B, Santa Rosa, 707-843-7260, groomsmithsbarbershop.weebly.com

√ Groomsmiths, 1199 Yulupa Ave., Suite B, Santa Rosa, 707-843-7260, groomsmithsbarbershop.weebly.com

hen Omar Hernandez and his wife, Angeles Alcanter Hernandez, took over Groomsmiths last year, they embraced the old-fashioned feel of the Santa Rosa barber shop. “Our customers like it,” Omar says. “It’s kind of vintage inside.”

WWhen Omar Hernandez and his wife, Angeles Alcanter Hernandez, took over Groomsmiths last year, they embraced the old-fashioned feel of the Santa Rosa barber shop. “Our customers like it,” Omar says. “It’s kind of vintage inside.”

The husband and wife, who both cut hair, have aimed to make Groomsmiths a welcoming place for families. Customers range from mothers with children to older gentlemen.

The husband and wife, who both cut hair, have aimed to make Groomsmiths a welcoming place for families. Customers range from mothers with children to older gentlemen.

“We try to help anyone who comes in, even without an appointment,” Omar says.

“We try to help anyone who comes in, even without an appointment,” Omar says.

1st Class Barbershop, 6580 Hembree Lane, Suite 250, Windsor, 707-836-4068, thefirstclassbarber.com

1st Class Barbershop, 6580 Hembree Lane, Suite 250, Windsor, 707-836-4068, thefirstclassbarber.com

The Gentlemen’s Barbershop, 9025 Old Redwood Highway, Suite D, Windsor, 707-838-8536, thegentlemensbarbershopwindsor.com

The Gentlemen’s Barbershop, 9025 Old Redwood Highway, Suite D, Windsor, 707-838-8536, thegentlemensbarbershopwindsor.com

Summit State Bank, 500 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-568-6000, summitstatebank.com

Summit State Bank, 500 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-568-6000, summitstatebank.com

Child Day Care

Child Day Care

√ Tiny Treasures

Preschool, 6170 Montecito Blvd., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-539-8469, tinytreasurespreschool.net

√ Tiny Treasures Preschool, 6170 Montecito Blvd., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-539-8469, tinytreasurespreschool.net

Little Angels Children’s Center, 4305 Hoen Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-579-4305, littleangelskids.com

Little Angels Children’s Center, 4305 Hoen Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-579-4305, littleangelskids.com

Woodside West School, 2577 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 707-528-6666, woodsidewestschool.com

Woodside West School, 2577 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 707-528-6666, woodsidewestschool.com

Children’s Boutique

Children’s Boutique

√ Cupcake Children’s Boutique, 723 Village Court (multiple North Bay locations), 707-579-2165, shopcupcake. com

√ Cupcake Children’s Boutique, 723 Village Court (multiple North Bay locations), 707-579-2165, shopcupcake. com

Carpet Care

Carpet Care

√ North Coast Carpet Care, 445 Portal St., Cotati, 800-573-3555, northcoastcarpetcare.com

√ North Coast Carpet Care, 445 Portal St., Cotati, 800-573-3555, northcoastcarpetcare.com

Elite Carpet & Tile Care, 707-583-6569, elitectc.com

Elite Carpet & Tile Care, 707-583-6569, elitectc.com

Esteam Carpet & Tile Care, 3351 Industrial Drive, Suite 1, Santa Rosa, 707-575-4939

Esteam Carpet & Tile Care, 3351 Industrial Drive, Suite 1, Santa Rosa, 707-575-4939

Hush Kids, 830 McClelland Drive, Windsor, 707-657-7346, shophushkids.com

Hush Kids, 830 McClelland Drive, Windsor, 707-657-7346, shophushkids.com

Bon Ton Studio, 120 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-591-4116, bonton-studio.com

Bon Ton Studio, 120 Matheson St., Healdsburg, 707-591-4116, bonton-studio.com

Chiropractor

Chiropractor

√ Mordecai-Dumbadse Chiropractic, 817 Second St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-8929, mdmchiro.com

√ Mordecai-Dumbadse Chiropractic, 817 Second St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-8929, mdmchiro.com

Salud Chiropractic, 443 Rohnert Park Expressway W., Rohnert Park, 707-206-9717, saludchiro.com

Salud Chiropractic, 443 Rohnert Park Expressway W., Rohnert Park, 707-206-9717, saludchiro.com

Scotty Steam Clean, 7790 Bell Road, Windsor, 707-578-0173, scottysteamclean.com

Scotty Steam Clean, 7790 Bell Road, Windsor, 707-578-0173, scottysteamclean.com

Wellness Chiropractic, 4761 Hoen Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-575-8988, wellnesschiropractic.info

Wellness Chiropractic, 4761 Hoen Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-575-8988, wellnesschiropractic.info

Best Barbershop: Groomsmiths co-owner Omar Hernandez touches up Abel Gomez’ cut in Santa Rosa. The shop offers haircuts and shaves.

Best Children’s Boutique: An employee looks at merchandise at Cupcake Children’s Boutique in Santa Rosa.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Barbershop: Groomsmiths co-owner Omar Hernandez touches up Abel Gomez’ cut in Santa Rosa. The shop offers haircuts and shaves.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Children’s Boutique: An employee looks at merchandise at Cupcake Children’s Boutique in Santa Rosa.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Cosmetic Surgeon

√Dr. Walter Tom, 70 Stony Point Road, Suite G, Santa Rosa (multiple North Bay locations), 707-542-8346, drtomcosmetic.com

Since 1999, Dr. Walter Tom and his team have been offering Sonoma County residents an array of cosmetic services and procedures.

Clients come in for everything from Botox and fillers to photo facials and micropeels, according to practice administrator Dionne Burroughs.

“We also do surgery,” she adds. Procedures offered include breast augmentation, liposuction, facial fat grafting, leg vein surgery and more.

What sets Dr. Tom’s office apart, Burroughs adds, is the customer service. “Our team is very nurturing and loving and supportive. We all work beautifully together.”

Dr. Gregory Chernoff, 3540 Mendocino Ave., Suite 300, Santa Rosa, 707-544-3232, chernoffcosmeticsurgery.com

Dr. Victor Lacombe, 1002 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-577-8292, artemedica.com

Counters and Stone

√ North Coast Tile & Stone, 3854 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-586-2064, nctile.com

Ceramic Tile Center, 2157 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-578-1350, ceramictilecenter.com

John’s Formica Shop, 2439 Piner Road, Santa Rosa, 707-544-8585, johnsformicashop.com

Surface Art Countertops, 443 Allan Court, Healdsburg, 707-4317693, surfaceartcountertops.com

Credit Union

√ Redwood Credit Union, 2763 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-545-4000, redwoodcu.org

Community First Credit Union, 501 College Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-546-6000, comfirstcu.org

First Tech Federal Credit Union, 2500 Mendocino Ave., Suite C, Santa Rosa, 855-855-8805, firsttechfed.com

Dentist

√ Dr. Justin Phillips, 2655 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-542-1026, phillipsfamilydentalcare.com

Dr. Leslie Jue, 95 Montgomery Drive, Suite 124, Santa Rosa, 707-546-1680, juesmiles.com

Dr. Sean Wilson, 98 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-735-0831, seanwilsondds.com

Dermatologist

√ Dr. Julie Plante, 4739 Hoen Ave., Santa Rosa, 707528-4239, sonomaderm.com

Dr. Helena A. Longin, 3883 Airway Drive, Suite 203, Santa Rosa, 707-521-7760, sutterhealth.org

Dr. Judith Hong, 2725 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-545-4537, redwoodfamilydermatology.com

Best Cosmetic Surgeon: Cosmetic surgeon Dr. Walter Tom founded the Aesthetic Laser and Vein Centers in 1999.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Dance Studio

√ The Dance Center, 56 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-8277, thedancecenter.com

The Dance Center in Santa Rosa’s Railroad Square district has been around long enough to have taught generations of Santa Rosans.

“I opened the studio in 1978,” says owner Vicki Suemnicht. “I’m going into my 45th year.”

Initially offering training only in tap dance, the business first operated as The Tap Dance Studio.

“I wanted to expand because there was a need,” Suemnicht says. So she began offering classes in jazz, ballet and musical theater and changed the name to The Dance Center in 1992.

Students as young as 3 can take classes at the center and begin working their way up to a preteen program. “We have a large teen program as well as adult classes,” Suemnicht says. “Our oldest student is 80.”

Today, the center focuses on seven styles of dance: tap, jazz, ballet, hiphop, contemporary, musical theater and acrobatics — a form of strength and conditioning for dancers that involves flips, cartwheels and splits.

“We have close to 90 classes a week for all ages and all levels,” she says. “We also have 11 dance companies.” Auditions are held each spring, and competitive dance teams participate in competitions throughout the year. “We do very well in competitions.”

Students who become serious about dance “stay with us through high school and go on to college and dance professionally or have a dance major,” Suemnicht says. Two of her previous students currently work as dancers at Disneyland, and others have worked on cruise ships.

Dancing these days isn’t just for girls, either, Suemnicht says. “We’re getting more boys all the time, and that’s really fun to see.”

Though she initially served as the sole instructor at The Dance Center and still teaches 15 to 20 classes herself, Suemnicht says growth has brought more employees, with 18 instructors and three office staff members currently on the payroll.

Suemnicht is especially gratified when parents who took classes as children sign up their kids for a class, then decide to join an adult class themselves. “We have three generations of dancers who have kept The Dance Center in their lives. It’s very rewarding.”

The future is bright for The Dance Center, she says.

“We got through COVID. When many studios closed, we stayed alive. We were on Zoom for a year and a half,” she says. “But we’re rebounding and we’re able to offer more. The more students we have, the more we can branch out. I still love what I do and every year is exciting and fun.”

Best Dance Studio: A group performs a tap routine at the Dance Center in Santa Rosa.

Encore Dance Theatre, 207 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Suite B, Cloverdale, 707-688-2188, encoredancecloverdale.com

The Movement LAB, 981 Airway Court, Suite C1, Santa Rosa, 707-206-7444, dancersmovementlab.com

MATT KOEHLER

The Best of Real Life

Doctor

√ Dr. Thomas A. Neal, 717 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-433-7258, sutterhealth.org

Dr. David Begert, 131 Stony Circle, Suite 1600, Santa Rosa, 707-541-7700, sutterhealth.org

Dr. Michael Boyers, 2323 Bethards Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-542-1611, psjhmedgroups.org

Dr. Roger Pitzen, 555 Petaluma Ave., Suite C, Sebastopol, 707-823-3210, sutterhealth.org

Dog Groomer

√ Debbie’s Pet Boutique, 431 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-395-4410, debbiespetboutique.com

Dog & Hydrant, 9240 Old Redwood Highway, No. 120, Windsor, 707-838-8158, dogandhydrant.com

Hair of the Dog Pet Grooming, 2770 Stony Point Road, Suite G, Santa Rosa, 707-331-3143, hairofthedogsr.com

Electrician

√ Ongaro & Sons, 2995 Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple North Bay locations), 707-9088025, ongaroandsons.com

B. Henry’s Quality Electric, 707-985-8968, diamondcertified.org/ report/b-henrys-quality-electric-inc

Reyff Electric, 636 Martin Ave., Rohnert Park, 707-999-2756, reyffelectricinc.com

Thor Cary Electric, 707-836-0494, thorcaryelectric.com

Event / Wedding Planner

√ So Eventful, 427 Allan Court, Healdsburg, 707-385-9632, so-eventful.com

J-Lux Designs, 707-495-2799, j-luxdesigns.com

Pura Event Design, 831-595-4906, puraeventdesign.com

Eye Doctor

Dr. Kimberly Lyons, 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 108, Windsor, 707-8389393, lyonsoptometry.com

Dr. Tiffany Moore, 800 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-542-1554, empireoptometry.com

Dr. Jeffrey Ricks, 534 Larkfield Center, Santa Rosa, 707-578-2020, sonomaeyeworks.com

Eyeglass Store

√ Lyons Optometry, 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 108, Windsor, 707-8389393, lyonsoptometry.com

Empire Optometry and Eyewear, 800 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-542-1554, empireoptometry. com

I.SEE. Optical Company, 210 N. Cloverdale Blvd., Cloverdale, 707-669-0365, iseeopticalcompany.com

Flooring

√ North Coast Tile & Stone, 3854 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-586-2064, nctile.com

Healdsburg Floor Coverings, 1423 Grove St., Healdsburg, 707-433-8008, healdsburgfloors.com

Rugworks, 5879 Commerce Blvd., Rohnert Park, 707-395-9707, rugworks.com

Funeral Home

√ Daniels Chapel of the Roses, 1225 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-525-3730, danielschapeloftheroses.com

Eggen & Lance, 1540 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-545-3747, srmel.com

Parent-Sorensen Mortuary, 850 Keokuk St., Petaluma (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-763-4131, parentsorensen.com

Windsor Healdsburg Mortuary & Crematory, 9660 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor, 707-838-6000, whmortuary.com

Best Furniture Store

√ Cokas Diko Home Furnishings, 1125 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-568-4044, cokasdiko.com

Twenty-five years ago, Patrick Mutt and Ramon Espinoza opened Cokas Diko in Santa Rosa with a goal of providing Sonoma County residents with a different sort of furniture shopping experience. “We offer something you don’t find in a traditional furniture store. I try to work with vendors who aren’t available in this area,” Mutt says. “We also sell off our floor, and we have a warehouse that’s fully stocked.”

He recalls the story of a couple who came in recently. After three hours of shopping, they had furnished their entire empty house. “All we couldn’t do was the mattresses,” Mutt jokes.

Old Town Furniture, 110 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-8287, oldtownfurnitures.com

Mark Thomas Home, 707 Fifth St., Santa Rosa, 707-542-1855, markthomashome.com

Garage Door

√ Overhead Door Company of Santa Rosa, 1805 Empire Industrial Court, Santa Rosa, 707-542-4949, overheaddoorsantarosa.com

Hanson Overhead Garage Door Service, 466 Primero Court, Suite A, Cotati, 707-526-7800, hansongaragedoor.com

Keen Garage Doors, 3632 Airway Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-321-9578, keengaragedoors.com

Turbo Garage Door, 1695 Piner Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707888-8106, turbogaragedoor.com

General Contractor

√ Harkey Construction, 810 Denbeste Court, No. 101, Windsor, 707-836-1315, harkeyconstruction.com

Fondare Finish Construction, 799 Piner Road, Suite 212, Santa Rosa, 707-293-9241, fondarefinish.com

Holly Construction, 73 Saint James Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-664-7022, hollygc.com

Best Furniture Store: Cokas Diko Home Furnishings co-owners Patrick Mutt, left, and Ramon Espinoza pause in their Santa Rosa furniture store.

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

The Best of Real Life

Grocery Store

√ Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County location), 707-284-3530, oliversmarket.com

Big John’s Market, 1345 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-7151, bigjohnsmarket.com

Dahlia & Sage Community Market, 115 E. Second St., Cloverdale, 707-669-2320, dahliasagemarket.com

Hardware Store

√ Friedman’s Home Improvement, 4055 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-584-7811, friedmanshome.com

√ Garrett Ace Hardware, 10540 Old Redwood Highway, Windsor (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-433-6590, garretthardware.com

Sebastopol Hardware Center, 618 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol, 707-823-7688, sebastopolhardware.com

Health Club

√ Airport Health Club, 432 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707-528-2582, airportclub.com

Montecito Heights Health Club, 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-526-0529, montecitoheights.com

Parkpoint Health Club, 1911 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-996-3111, parkpointhealthclub.com

Hearing Aid Company

√ Kenwood Hearing Centers, 1421 Guerneville Road, Suite 224, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-296-7006, goodhearing.com

Audiology Associates, 1111 Sonoma Ave., No. 316, Santa Rosa, 707-503-0167, audiologyassociates-sr.com

Park Place Hearing, 696 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 707-283-7853, parkplacehearing.com

Limo / Transportation

√ Pure Luxury Transportation

4246 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, 800-626-5466, pureluxury

Elite Excursions, 3173 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, 707-326-9564, elite-excursions.com

Sonoma Sterling Limousines, 29 Maxwell Court, Santa Rosa, 707-542-5444, sonomasterlinglimo.com

Heating and Air

√ Henry Mechanical, 7656 Bell Road, Windsor, 707-838-3311, henrymechanical.com

Ongaro & Sons, 2995 Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple North Bay locations), 707-579-3511, ongaroandsons.com

Moore Home Services, 3321 Industrial Drive, 707-243-8220, moorehomeservices.com

High School Coach

√ Derek DeBenedetti, Cardinal Newman High School (baseball), 4320 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-546-6470, cardinalnewman.org

Jon Schwan, Montgomery High School (boy’s soccer), 1250 Hahman Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-890-3830, montgomeryhighschool.com

Trent Herzog, St. Vincent de Paul High School (football), 849 Keokuk St., Petaluma, 707-763-1032, svhs-pet.org

Hospital

√ Kaiser Permanente, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-393-4000, healthy. kaiserpermanente.org

Providence Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, 1165 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-525-5300, providence.org

Sutter Santa Rosa Regional Hospital, 30 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-576-4000, sutterhealth.org

Insurance Agent

√ Erica Bishop, 111 E. First St., Cloverdale, 707-8948800, ericabishopinsurance.com

Christi Spina, 3900 Mayette Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-523-3006, farmers.com

Joseph Magelitz, 4795 Old Redwood Highway, Suite D, Santa Rosa, 707-546-2332, farmers.com

Interior Design

√ Humanity Home & Cabinetry, 799 Piner Road, Suite A, Santa Rosa, 707-595-5046, humanity-home.com

Gina Rachelle Design, 961 Gravenstein Highway S., No. 130, Sebastopol, 415-501-0024, ginarachelledesign.com

Inspired Spaces, 3388 Regional Parkway, Suite B, Santa Rosa, 707-546-0997, inspiredspacesdesign.com

Jewelry Store

√ ER Sawyer

Jewelers, 638 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-0372, ersawyer.com

Falling for Dainty, 240 Center St., Healdsburg, 707-473-8367, fallingfordainty.com

Vintage Jewelers & Gifts, 8796 Lakewood Drive, Windsor, 707838-1661, vintagejewelersandgifts.com

Best Auto Body Shop: Pure Luxury Transportation owner Jennifer Buffo stands outside one of the shuttle buses in their fleet in Petaluma. The company has been in business for over 30 years.

BETH SCHLANKER

√

Mike Chavez got his start in painting as a teenager while working for the father of a good friend. Later, he worked with Northen Painting in Healdsburg.

“They were my mentors,” Chavez says. “They took me under their wing and taught me. They helped me become a craftsman.”

Chavez soon realized how gratifying it was to complete a painting project.

“There’s a satisfaction you get from taking something that looks old and making it look good, giving it new life. I enjoy working with people that are genuinely excited about having their home painted,” he says. “I get satisfaction giving them exactly what they envisioned.”

He opened his painting company 13 years ago, serving Santa Rosa and greater Sonoma County. Now he has a staff of 23 providing both interior and exterior residential and commercial painting services.

If there’s a new residential painting trend, he’s often the first to see it.

“People are using a lot of one single color throughout the home,” Chavez says. “Whites are really popular. People use white to create a blank canvas for art and furniture.”

Pops of bright colors like red and orange are also trendy. “Definitely front doors and sometimes full rooms,” he says.

For home exteriors, homeowners are leaning toward neutrals, “soft beiges like beach grasses,” he says. “Earthy colors are definitely coming

back, and whites are really popular.”

Among Mike Chavez Painting’s recent projects was a complete painting overhaul of Montgomery Village. “It’s been completely modernized. We took a custom residential approach to a commercial project. We gave them something that’s going to last a really long time.”

He’s also proud of the work his crew did on the Rio Theater in Monte Rio several years ago. “The biggest challenge was keeping things almost exactly as they were before, keeping it true to the era it was built in.”

But what Chavez enjoys most is using his skills to give back to the community. One recent project was the Phoenix Theater in Petaluma, a place he spent a lot of time as a teenager. “I repainted the Phoenix in 2020. I donated the labor and Kelly-Moore donated all the paint. It felt really good to do that for a place that means so much to me.”

He also has donated painting services to local groups like The Living Room, for women and children at risk of becoming homeless, and for TLC Child & Family Services. “Those are the things that mean a lot to me. It feels good to do good for people who do good.”

Chavez adds, “I’m proud to be part of this community and to provide a good place to go to work for my employees, having this be a career for them and not just a job. Somebody gave me an opportunity, and when I find people in a similar situation, it feels good to do that for them as well.”

Best Painting Company: Mike Chavez, of Mike Chavez Painting, opened his painting company 13 years ago, serving Santa Rosa and greater Sonoma County.

Best Painting Company

Mike Chavez Painting, 516 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-595-2128, mikechavezpainting.com

Darling & Associates Painting, 707-546-4615, darlingpainting.net

Russell’s Room by Room Painting, Santa Rosa, 707-479-6194

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

The Best of Real Life

Kitchen and Bath Remodel

√ North Coast Tile & Stone, 3854 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-586-2064, nctile.com

Humanity Home and Cabinetry, 799 Piner Road, Suite A, Santa Rosa, 707-595-5046, humanity-home.com

Inspired Spaces, 3388 Regional Parkway, Suite B, Santa Rosa, 707-546-0997, inspiredspacesdesign.com

Studio H Designs, 5430 Commerce Blvd., Suite 1E, Santa Rosa, 707-843-7544, studio-h-designs. com

Landscaper

√ JB Landscape, 8908 Heritage Drive, Windsor, 707-529-1811, jaredblandscape. com

Gardenworks, 20325 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-857-2050, gardenworks-inc.com

Thomas Landscapes, 10150 Los Amigos Road, Healdsburg, 707-337-9847, thomaslandscapesca. com

Men’s Clothing Store

√ Patrick James, 2340 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-523-2346, patrickjames. com

Eraldi’s Mens Wear & Shoes, 475 First St. W., Sonoma, 707-996-2013, eraldis-shoes.edan.io

Let It Fly, 836 McClelland Drive, Windsor, 707-620-0975, letitflywindsor.com

Mini / Self Storage

√ Southpoint Self-Storage, 4201 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-206-9400, southpointselfstorage.com

Best Self Storage, 155 Fremont Drive, Sonoma, 707-939-1110, bestselfstoragesonoma.com

Cotati Rohnert Park Storage, 8364 Santero Way, Cotati, 707-664-1010, crpstorage.com

Pet Boarding

√ K9 Activity Club, 4340 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, 707-569-1394, k9activityclub.com

Balanced Behavior Inc., 7215 Conde Lane, Windsor, 707-892-1972, balanced-behavior.com

Paradise Pet Resorts, 2120 Bluebell Drive, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-595-3834, paradisepetresorts.com

Mortgage Company

√ Redwood Credit Union, 2763 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-5454000, redwoodcu.org

CrossCountry Mortgage, 1101 College Ave., Suite 200, Santa Rosa, 707-583-8101, crosscountrymortgage.com

Pinnacle Home Loans, 525 College Ave., Suite 231, Santa Rosa, 707-495-4385, pinnacle-loan.com

Nail Salon

√ Zen Nails, 760 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-545-5341, zennailssr.com

Indulgence Nails Day Spa, 8465 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 607, Windsor, 707-8378387, sakuragardenperinton.com/ indulgencenailsdayspa

Shiloh Nails & Spa, 6580 Hembree Lane, Suite 253, Windsor, 707-837-1890, shilohnailsandspa.com

Orthodontist Practice

√ Smile Orthodontics, 1880 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-546-8600, sonomacountyorthodontics. com

Craig Davis Orthodontics, 5200 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park, 707585-2500, craigdavisorthodontics.com

Payne Orthodontics, 1820 Sonoma Ave., Suite 36, Santa Rosa, 707-546-5234, paynesperfectsmileclub.com

Pediatrician

√ Dr. Vanessa DeSousa, 3925 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-393-4033, mydoctor. kaiserpermanente.org

Dr. Kenneth Prosser, 500 Doyle Park Drive, Suite 100, Santa Rosa, 707-544-6090, psjhmedgroups.org

Dr. Kevin Hamann, 5900 State Farm Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-393-4033, kaiserpermanente.org

Pest Exterminator

√ We Care Pest Solutions, 304 Sutton Place, Santa Rosa, 707-7433851, wecarepest.com

Nature Pacific Pest Services, 642 Martin Ave., Suite A, Rohnert Park, 707-364-1319, naturepacificpest.com

NatureScience Pest Control, 642 Martin Avenue, Suite A, Ronert Park, 707-586-2514, naturesciencepest.com

Western Exterminator, (formerly Hitman Termite & Pest Control), 600 E. Todd Road, Santa Rosa, 707-408-7093, hitmenpest.com

Pet Store

√ Western Farm Center, 21 W. Seventh St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-0721, westernfarmcenter.com

Clover Dog Pet Supply and Wash, 1129 S. Cloverdale Blvd., Suite F, Cloverdale, 707-669-0212

Village Pets & Supplies, 4263 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-539-7142, ilovevp.com

Best Pet Boarding: Natalie Grail, who co-owns the K9 Activity Club with her sister Alicia Collins, gets wet dog kisses from some of the canine guests in Santa Rosa.

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

Best Personal Trainer

√ Angelica Rivas-Sanchez, 1818 La Plaza, Suite 104, Cotati, 707-385-1585, fmpfitness.club

Alifelong athlete, Angelica Rivas-Sanchez found her calling as an athletic trainer 15 years ago.

“I started right out of high school,” Rivas-Sanchez says. She initially pursued a career as a firefighter but changed course after breaking her wrist. “I dove into corrective exercise and injury prevention. I realized my true calling had always been human science and human performance. I focus on body mechanics, range-of-motion mechanics and injury prevention.”

She began working as a trainer in local gyms and was soon booking up to 20 appointments a day. When the pandemic closed gyms, she decided to open her own studio. For a year, she looked for a place to rent before finding her current spot in Cotati, conveniently located between Petaluma and Santa Rosa where most of her clients live.

“I had 100 ‘nos’ before I got one ‘yes,’” she remembers. “Nobody wanted to take the risk. But before I knew it, I was completely booked.”

Her clients range in age from 9 to 90-something, and business is going so well that Rivas-Sanchez recently expanded into the space next door.

“I work with a lot of seniors,” she says. She helps older people with balance, hand-eye coordination, cognitive reflexes and other challenges

of aging. “There are things you can do to enhance those. It’s a whole mind, body and soul connection, and I believe in that. You want to create habits that are lifetime habits.”

She mentions one older client who had a brain aneurysm a few years ago. “When I first met him, he couldn’t walk,” she says. “Now he walks 2 to 3 miles a day and he works out twice a week.”

Rivas-Sanchez also has worked with people suffering from osteoporosis, and she tailors strength and weight-training regimens to their needs. “The muscle protects the bone. You want to build more muscle mass to protect their bones,” she says.

“My other clientele is youth athletes,” she says, from high-school and college athletes to kids as young as 9 who participate in recreational youth sports. “With kids, I teach them body control. I want them to be effective with full control of their limbs.”

Rivas-Sanchez spends a lot of time educating herself about the intricacies of body mechanics in order to better serve her clients.

“I’ve taken private courses. I read a lot of books.” Connecting with trainer Donnie Raimon, who travels with and trains professional basketball players, has been especially helpful. “Donnie is the top of the top. I’m really glad I have him on speed dial.”

Best Personal Trainer: Personal trainer Angelica Rivas-Sanchez, left, works with Michaela Rosenbaum, a soccer player for UCLA, during a training session at her Functional Movement & Performance Training facility in Cotati.

Mike Stauber Fitness, 10 Enterprise Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-322-8392, mikestauberfitness.com

Veronica Hernandez, Sonoma, 707-318-9531, intuitivefitnessandhealth.com

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

The Best of Real Life

Physical Therapist

√ Patrick Kam, 2798 Yulupa Ave., No. 1, Santa Rosa, 707-527-4001, healthcare4ppl.com

Alexander Krohn, 3883 Airway Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-521-8962

Alison Kobayashi, 2798 Yulupa Ave., No. 1, Santa Rosa, 707-527-4001, healthcare4ppl.com

Plant Nursery

√ King’s Nursery, 1212 13th St., Santa Rosa, 707542-4782, kingsflowernursery. com

Harmony Farm Supply and Nursery, 3244 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-823-9125, harmonyfarm.com

Cloverdale Nursery, 216 S. Cloverdale Blvd., 707-894-6654, cloverdalenursery.info

Plumber

√ Ongaro & Sons, 2995 Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple North Bay locations), 707-579-3511, ongaroandsons.com

Holman Plumbing, 125 Foley St., Unit A, Santa Rosa, 707-360-6550, holmanplumbingca.com

707 Plumbers, 880 Piner Road, No. 49, Santa Rosa, 707-292-2262, 707plumbersinc.com

Real Estate Agent

√ Isaiah Chass, 10 Fourth St., Petaluma, 707-781 8487, livxplore.com

Heather Thurber, 1619 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-522-2900, bhgre.com

Emily Albert, 2416 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-799-0269, corcoran.com

Kristen McKenna, 900 College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-490-2049, vanguardsonoma.com

Rob Sullivan, 151 Petaluma Blvd. S., Suite 137, Petaluma, 707-772-9171, robsullivanhomes.com

Private School

√Cardinal Newman High School, 4320 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-546-6470, cardinalnewman.org

St. John the Baptist Catholic School, 217 Fitch St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2758, sjshbg.org

Real Estate Company

√ W Real Estate, 500 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-5910570, wrealestate.net

Better Homes and Gardens Wine Country Group, 1619 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-5222900, winecountrygroup.com

LivXplore Real Estate, 10 Fourth St., Petaluma, 707-781 8487, livxplore.com

Real Estate Team

√ The Hedges-Davis Group, 6790 McKinley St., No. 120, Sebastopol, 707696-7325, timothy-hedges. vanguardproperties.com

Marquis Farwell Homes, 109 Mill St., Healdsburg, 707-6950123, marquisfarwellhomes.com

Thurber Ross Real Estate Group, 1619 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-344-9944, thurberross.com

Roofing Company

√ Capstone Roofing, 412 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707-575-3577, capstoneroofing.biz

ARS Roofing and Gutters, 1400 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa, 707-584-5900, arsroofing.com

Sutter Roofing and Sheet Metal, 3880 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-829-5050, sutterroofingsheetmetal.com

Summerfield Waldorf School, 655 Willowside Road, Santa Rosa, 707-575-7194, summerfieldwaldorf.org

Best Private School: Santino Acevedo receives his diploma after graduating from Cardinal Newman High School in June.

NICHOLAS VIDES

The Best of Real Life

Salon

√ Diva Salon, 910 McClelland Drive, No. 9573, Windsor, 707-837-9663, divasalon.net

Halo Salon, 52 Mission Circle, Suite 115, Santa Rosa, 707-578-1072, halosantarosa.com

Moxie A Salon, 1818 La Plaza, No. 102, Cotati, 707-794-9461, moxieasalon.net

Senior Care Facility

√ Spring Lake Village, 5555 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-538-8400, covia.org/ spring-lake-village

Cogir, 4855 Snyder Lane, Rohnert Park, 707-585-7878, cogirofrohnertparkseniorliving.com

Summerfield Healthcare Center, 1280 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, 707-539-1515, summerfieldhealthcare.net

Villas Assisted Living, 214 W. Third St., Cloverdale. 707-894-3119, thevillasatcloverdale.com

Shoe Store

√ Sole Desire Shoes, 710 Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 855-854-4861, soledesire.com

Birkenstock Village, 1155 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-525-1064, birkenstockvillage.com

Fleet Feet, 720 Third St., Santa Rosa, 707-569-1494, fleetfeet.com

Shopping Experience / Area

√ Montgomery Village, 911 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-545-3844, mvshops.com

Healdsburg Plaza, Healdsburg Avenue and Matheson Street, Healdsburg, 707-433-6935, sonomacounty.com/articles/ shopping-plaza-healdsburg

The Barlow, 6770 McKinley St., Sebastopol, 707-824-5600, thebarlow.net

Best Yoga Studio

√ Windsor Fitness Club, 9238 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 202, Windsor, 707-757-4441, windsorfitnessclub.com

Business partners Allison Villegas and Freddy Peña opened Windsor Fitness Club in Windsor a year ago before recently expanding to Santa Rosa.

“We have yoga, Pilates, barre classes and strength classes,” says Villegas, who’s been teaching Pilates and yoga for nine years. “Everything is in a heated room.”

The club now has 25 instructors, with 12 of them specializing in yoga. “We offer beginning to intermediate to advanced levels of yoga,” Villegas says. “We welcome everybody in. It’s friendly and inviting. It’s a community.”

Energize Hot Yoga, 522 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-9642, energizehotyoga.com

YogaSix, 368 Coddingtown Center, Santa Rosa, 707-527-6454, yogasix.com

Solar Company

√ Northern Pacific Power Systems, 5600 Skylane Blvd., Suite 104, Santa Rosa, 707-528-7652, northernpacificpower.com

Solar Works, 400 Morris St., Sebastopol, 707-829-8282, solarworksca.com

Taylor Energy, 612 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol, 707-494-6008, taylor-energy.com

Sports Medicine

√ Dr. Ty Affleck, 1255 N. Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-546-9400, srsportsmed. com

Dr. Todd Weitzenberg, 3975 Old Redwood Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-566-5557, kaiserpermanente.org

Dr. Kent E. Yinger, 208 Concourse Blvd., No. 1, Santa Rosa, 707-544-3400, redwoodorthopaedic.com

Teacher / Educator

√ Mark McLain, Hilliard Comstock Middle School, 2750 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-890-3885

Dale Thurber, SunRidge Charter School, 7285 Hayden Ave., Sebastopol, 707-824-2844, sunridgeschool.org

Heather Swicegood, St. John the Baptist Catholic School, 217 Fitch St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2758, sjshbg.org

Maeve O’Sullivan, St. John the Baptist Catholic School, 217 Fitch St., Healdsburg, 707-433-2758, sjshbg.org

Veterinarian

√ Dr. Grant Patrick, 4900 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-539-2322, montecitovets.com

Dr. Giulianna Chierici, 1010 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-823-3250, ahosvet.com

Dr. Alan Power, 2210 County Center Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-546-4646, wiseandwonderful.vet

Window Treatments

√ Hartley Window Coverings, 4056 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-525-8256, hartleywindowcoverings.com

Budget Blinds of East Santa Rosa, 707-247-5996, budgetblinds.com

Discount Best Blinds and Shutters, 2790 Santa Rosa Ave., Suite 100-B, Santa Rosa, 707-523-0300, discountbestblindsandshutters.com

Women’s Clothing Boutique

Ooh La Luxe, 517 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-521-9090, oohlaluxe.com

Erin Mavis Clothing, 113 E. First St., Cloverdale, 707-894-6220, erinmavis.com

Trace & Jess, 9061 Windsor Road, Windsor, 707-836-4051, traceandjess.com

Best Yoga Studio: Windsor Fitness Club owners Tony Villegas, clockwise, Allison Villegas, Freddie Peña and Janel Peña pause at the studio on Old Redwood Highway.

JOHN BURGESS

JOHN BURGESS

The Best of So Sonoma

Sonoma County is Wine Country, true, but it’s much more than that to the people who live here. It’s a paradise for outdoor recreation, with beloved parks, beaches, hiking and biking trails, golf courses and campgrounds. It’s artistic, with local art festivals year-round, a robust theater scene and live music. Our agricultural roots are still a vital presence today, with farmers markets and vineyards blanketing hills across the county. Here are the places and businesses readers say best represent our area. Winners are checked (√); others are runners-up.

Best Nonprofit: Dogwood Animal Rescue founder Shirley Zindler, left, with board members Charlotte Pearce and Janet Palma play with dogs in Sebastopol.

The Best of So Sonoma

Antique Store

√ Whistle Stop Antiques, 130 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-542-9474, whistlestop-antiques.com

Antique Society, 2661 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-829-1733, antiquesociety.com

Janakos and Co., 1180 River Road, Fulton, 650-270-5616, janakosandcompany.com

Art Gallery

√ Sebastopol Center For the Arts, 282 S. High St., Sebastopol, 707-829-4797, sebarts.org

Artisans’ Co-op, 17175 Bodega Highway, Bodega, 707-876-9830, artisansco-op.com

Fulton Crossing, 1200 River Road, Fulton, 707-328-1934, fultoncrossing.com

Corrick’s Stationery, Gallery & Gifts, 637 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-2424, corricks.com

Bar for Live Music

√ HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-829-7300, hopmonk.com

Coyote Sonoma, 44 Mill St., 707- 433-4444, Healdsburg, coyotesonoma.com

Elephant in the Room, 177A Healdsburg Ave., 707-431-8474, Healdsburg, elephantintheroompub.com

Beach

√ Doran Regional Park, 201 Doran Beach Road, Bodega Bay, 707-8753540, parks.sonomacounty. ca.gov/Visit/Doran-RegionalPark

Goat Rock Beach, Highway 1 and Goat Rock Road, Jenner, 707-875-3483, sonomacounty.com/ outdoor-activities/goat-rock-beach

Salmon Creek Beach, 3095 Highway 1, Bodega Bay, 707-875-3483, californiabeaches.com/beach/northsalmon-creek-beach

Cannabis Dispensary / Delivery

√ Solful, 785 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-596-9040, solful.com

Mercy Wellness, 7950 Redwood Drive, No. 8, Cotati, 707-795-1600, mercywellness.com

SPARC, 1061 N. Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple locations in Sonoma County), 707-843-3227, sparc.co

Bike Path

√ Spring Lake Regional Park, 5585 Newanga Ave., 707-539-8092, parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov/visit/ find-a-park/spring-lakeregional-park

Joe Rodota Trail, 4211 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa, 707-433-1625, parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov/Visit/JoeRodota-Trail

West County Regional Trail, 9251 Ross Station Road, Sebastopol, 707-433-1625, parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov/Visit/WestCounty-Regional-Trail

Bike Store

√ Bike Peddler, 605 College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-571-2428, bikepeddlersantarosa.com

Breakaway Bikes, 4235 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-586-3400, breakawaybikes.co

Trek Bicycle Santa Rosa, 512 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-546-8735, trekbikes.com

Windsor Bike & Sport, 9078 Windsor Road, Windsor, 707-836-9111, socobikeshop.com

Bocce Ball

√ Francis Ford Coppola Winery, 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707-857-1471, thefamilycoppola.com

Juilliard Park, 227 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-543-3770, srcity.org

Matrix Winery, 3291 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-1982, matrixwinery.com

Bookstore

√ Copperfield’s Books, 775 Village Court, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-578-8938, copperfieldsbooks.com

Paperbacks Unlimited, 4625 Highway 12, Santa Rosa, 707-5398102, paperbacksunlimited.net

Treehorn Books, 625 Fourth St, Santa Rosa, 707-525-1782, treehorn. com

Day Spa

√ Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary, 209 Bohemian Highway, Freestone, 707-823-8231, osmosis.com

ME Spa, 728 Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-566-9314, me-spas.com

The Best Day Spa, 3082 Marlow Road, Santa Rosa, 707-545-1058, thebestdayspa.com

Dog Park

√ Ragle Ranch Regional Park, 500 Ragle Road, Sebastopol, 707-823-7262, parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov

Doyle Community Dog Park, 700 Doyle Park Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-543-3281, srcity.org

Rincon Valley Community Dog Park, 5109 Badger Road, Santa Rosa, 707-543-3753, rinconvalleydogpark.wordpress.com

Best Cannabis Dispensary / Delivery: Tins of cannabis-infused gummy products at Solful in Santa Rosa.

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

Best Florist

√ Dragonfly Floral, 425 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-433-3739, dragonflyhealdsburg.com

Founded in 1990 by Bonnie Z, Dragonfly Floral is located on more than 6 acres in a former Healdsburg vineyard on Westside Road.

“We’ve been doing wedding and event flowers for over 25 years,” says Bonnie, who operates the business with her daughter, Carlisle Degischer. “We’re a full-service florist, and we have a wonderful team of designers and delivery people.”

The farm’s longtime gardener cultivates an array of perennials, roses, shrubs and foliage in the sprawling garden for use in Dragonfly’s arrangements. “But we don’t grow everything here,” Bonnie says. “We work with other local farms. We try to keep it as organic and local as possible.”

Dragonfly Floral has developed a signature style — very natural and uncontrived — that’s instantly recognizable. “People tell us all the time that they walk into an event or a restaurant or a home” and can tell the arrangements are by the florist, Bonnie says.

About half of Dragonfly’s business is for weddings, with many taking place at local wineries or other Sonoma County venues. “We love it when brides are open to fun and interesting things,” Bonnie says. “The trends are influenced by Pinterest more than anything. Probably half of the weddings

we do are very neutral, green and white. The other half are more flamboyant.”

Dragonfly sells arrangements to corporate clients, too, and to individual customers for pick-up or regular deliveries. “We have subscriptions so people can sign up for weekly or monthly deliveries,” she says. “We also have a wreath subscription.” For those who want to learn to work with flowers, Dragonfly holds hands-on classes at its studio. Participants can learn how to create bridal-party bouquets, succulent gardens, floral crowns, kitchen wreaths, centerpieces and more.

Dragonfly’s extensive gardens are open to the public, making them a perfect destination for a picnic lunch or a fragrant stroll. “We welcome people,” Bonnie says. “It’s really pleasant.”

While operating Dragonfly Floral is her dream job, Bonnie says she couldn’t do it without her “absolutely perfect” team.

“What makes Dragonfly so special is the people that work here. We have seven regular and freelance employees. And Pablo does all the picking and planting and maintenance.”

The group is such a family unit that Bonnie even feeds them. “Wednesday through Saturday, I’m the lunch lady,” she says with a laugh.

Pedy’s Petals, 101 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-595-4458, pedyspetals.com Stems Floral Design, 120 D. St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-7522, stems-floral.com

Best Florist: The Dragonfly Floral crew walk the grounds in Healdsburg. Below, a bouquet made by Dragonfly Floral has white rose, grasshopper rose and anemone.

CHAD SURMICK

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

The Best of So Sonoma

Farmers Market

√ Santa Rosa

Original Certified Farmers Market, 50 Mark West Springs Road, Santa Rosa, 707-522-6829, thesantarosafarmersmarket. com

Sebastopol Farmers’ Market, 6908 Weeks Way, Sebastopol, 707-5229305, sebastopolfarmmarket.org

Windsor Certified Farmers Market, 701 McClelland Drive, Windsor, 707-838-5947, windsorfarmersmarket.com

Fresh Produce

√ Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-2843530, oliversmarket.com

Andy’s Produce Market, 1691 Gravenstein Highway N., Sebastopol, 707-823-8661, andysproduce.com

Imwalle’s Gardens, 685 W. Third Street, Santa Rosa, 707-546-0279, sonomacounty.com/ farms-farmers-markets

Hike

√ Spring Lake, 393 Violetti Road, Santa Rosa, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov

Taylor Mountain Regional Park, 3820 Petaluma Hill Road, Santa Rosa, 707-539-8092, parks. sonomacounty.ca.gov

Trione / Annadel State Park, 6201 Channel Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-539-3911, parks.ca.gov

Best Golf Course

√ Bennett Valley Golf Course, 3330 Yulupa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-528-3673, bennettvalleygolf.com

Afavorite destination for Sonoma County golfers since 1969, the city-owned Bennett Valley Golf Course and restaurant is now managed by Touchstone Golf.

“Everyone operates together, and we’re all one team,” says General Manager Greg Anderson. “Our customer service is top-notch.”

Bennett Valley prides itself on offering an affordable experience for golfers, Anderson says. “We’ve always wanted to be the best bargain.”

The affordability appeals to golfers from Marin and Solano counties, too. “They have to pass a lot of golf courses to get here,” Anderson says.

Santa Rosa Golf & Country Club, 333 Country Club Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-546-3485, invitedclubs.com/clubs/santa-rosagolf-country-club

Windsor Golf Club, 1340 19th Hole Drive, Windsor, 707-838-7888, windsorgolf.com

Hotel

√ Flamingo Resort, 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-8530, flamingoresort. com

Hotel Petaluma, 205 Kentucky St., Petaluma, 707-559-3393, hotelpetaluma.com

La Rose, 308 Wilson St., Santa Rosa, 707-314-3722, thehotellarose.com

Best Golf Course: A golfer prepares to hit a ball during a round of golf at the Bennett Valley Golf Course in Santa Rosa.

CHAD SURMICK

For 50 years, 6th Street Playhouse has been offering Sonoma County residents access to entertainment and theatrical instruction at its downtown Santa Rosa facility.

“We delight in bringing 10 shows each season — five musicals and five straight plays,” says Aja Gianola-Norris, who served as interim director of the playhouse this summer.

Upcoming productions include “Fiddler on the Roof,” “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Elf: The Musical.” Productions planned for 2024 are “Fences,” “The Book of Will,” “She Loves Me” and “Million Dollar Quartet.” Participants are local cast and crew, from performers to set designers and directors, both 6th Street Playhouse employees and volunteers.

While the Playhouse draws adults captivated by live theater, it’s also a popular destination for local teens and children. “We have a year-round program for youth, kids and teens,” Gianola-Norris says. “We also have a thriving summer program.”

During this summer’s youth program, students in second to fifth grades put on a production of Disney’s “Finding Nemo Jr.” Younger children participated in Lil’ Guppies while teens worked on Mean Girls Jr. Fall activities include Elf Jr. for teenagers and Willy Wonka for the children.

A summertime adventure can even turn into a career, Gianola-Norris adds.

“We see a variety of kids who do it, fall in love and find their calling. They go on to work on Broadway as crew, musicians or performing on stage. One of our students is in the national tour of ‘The Prom.’”

The focus of 6th Street Playhouse remains community engagement, Gianola-Norris adds. “We delight in making the Playhouse the community’s theater, making it comfortable for a diversity of skill. They’re so surprised and happy, they come back.”

And while the pandemic proved a real challenge, especially for older attendees, the situation is improving. “There’s a very large percentage of our patrons who are retired or close to retirement age,” she says. “It’s a pretty typical theater base. But finally things are starting to feel more normal.”

The Playhouse has plans to pull in a younger demographic, she adds. “We have our marketing department working on our social media practices” and a production of “Kinky Boots” is in the works.

“We have a commitment to being connected to the community, to improve on and continue to make casting an excellent experience,” GianolaNorris says. “We want to make the whole experience more meaningful and professional.”

Best Live Theater Company: The 6th Street Playhouse production of “A Raisin in the Sun” featured Amara Lawson-Chavanu, from left, Ash’Lee Smallwood, KT Masala and Terrance Smith. The theater company puts on 10 shows each season.

ERIC CHAZANKIN

Best Place to Find the Perfect Gift

Corrick’s, one of Santa Rosa’s oldest businesses still operating today, opened in downtown in the late 1800s. It was founded by the greatgrandparents of current owner Keven Brown, who operates the store along with his wife, Jeri Yamashiro Brown.

In the old days, Brown says, the store carried general goods. It moved to four locations within the same city block before the family purchased the current building.

“We’ve always had a very fine gift deparment,” Brown says. Corrick’s received an unexpected boost when Lynette Boisvert, owner of The Classic Duck gift shop in Montgomery Village, decided to close up and retire last year. “We’ve taken on a dozen or so of her gift lines,” Brown says. “It’s thanks to her that we’re doing well. She is a very classy lady.”

Corrick’s has changed a lot over the years, Brown says. “Traditionally, we were known for bridal gifts,” but today the selection is much more wide-ranging. Shoppers can find items as diverse as Venetian glass, garden accessories, women’s clothing and Mexican pottery.

“We have an incredible kids’ department, and we’ve done a few ‘stores’ within the store,” Brown says. These include a Swarovski crystal boutique, a section of Brighton jewelry and accessories, Sonoma Lavender products,

Waterford Crystal, Nambe items from New Mexico, Simon Pearce glass, Murano glass, Wolfard oil lamps, Oberon leather goods and Crane stationery. There’s also an extensive silver department and an area filled with fine china.

Many years ago, Brown’s grandfather sold artwork and offered framing. “We’ve returned to that in earnest the last dozen years,” Brown says.

Working in partnership with both Sonoma County Art Trails and Art at the Source events, Corrick’s now sells a range of locally produced artwork and hosts monthly gallery openings. My Daughter the Framer is a mini framing business within the store.

“Our gallery has become one of the largest sections of the store,” Brown says. “That’s why Corrick’s has been so successful over the years. A person may come in to buy a card and end up going out with a small piece of art or an artist’s cards.”

He also credits the loyal shoppers who have patronized the business for so many years.

“Being in downtown Santa Rosa, we get the tourists,” he says. “But we also have the generational shoppers, girls shopping with a mother and grandmother. It’s fun that we’ve had generations working and shopping here. It’s old-time Santa Rosa.”

Best Place to Find the Perfect Gift: Corrick’s Stationery, Gallery & Gifts hosts the annual Art Trails Preview Exhibit in Santa Rosa.

JOHN BURGESS

The Best of So Sonoma

Best Kid’s Birthday Party

√ Snoopy’s Home Ice, 1667 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-546-7147, snoopyshomeice.com

Sonoma County children have been celebrating their birthdays at Snoopy’s Home Ice since the Santa Rosa ice-skating rink opened in 1969. “It’s definitely a traditional thing,” says General Manager Tamara Stanley. “We have a really fun themed party room.”

Children can skate and then enjoy pizza and birthday cake. But the highlight of every party is when the children gather on the ice to do the Hokey Pokey, Stanley says. “Because that’s what it’s all about!”

Parties book up quickly, so she encourages parents to plan ahead. For an extra fee, Snoopy himself will even make an appearance.

Create It!, 6906 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 707-829-3855, getcreateit.com

Poppy Bank-Epicenter, 3215 Coffey Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-806-2256, visitepicenter.com

Movie Theater

√ Airport Stadium 12, 409 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707-525-8909, santarosacinemas.com/airport

Rialto Cinemas, 6868 McKinley St., Sebastopol, 707-525-4840, rialtocinemas.com

Summerfield Cinemas, 551 Summerfield Road, Santa Rosa, 707-525-8909, santarosacinemas.com

Museum

√ Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-579-4452, schulzmuseum.org

Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, 1835 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-546-4069, cmosc.org

Museum of Sonoma County, 425 Seventh St., Santa Rosa, 707-579-1500, museumsc.org

Best Nonprofit

√ Dogwood Animal Rescue Project, 1415 Fulton Road, Suite 205, Box 432, Santa Rosa, dogwoodanimalrescue.org

Founded in 2015 by a group of local animal lovers, Dogwood Animal Rescue now has 30 active foster homes and more than 200 volunteers.

Dogwood offers pet adoptions of both dogs and cats as well as affordable spay and neuter services, says Shirley Zindler, one of the founders. Many of the dogs come from the Central Valley, and the group even has received dogs from puppy mills in Ohio and Missouri.

Zindler recalls a Doberman puppy she took in recently. Named Ruby, the dog had great difficulty walking, “but we wanted to give her a chance.” Today, Zindler says, Ruby “is one of the most joyful dogs. She can run around like a race car!”

Forgotten Felines of Sonoma County, 1814 Empire Industrial Court, Suite G, Santa Rosa, 707-576-7999, forgottenfelines.com

The Living Room, 1207 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-579-0138, thelivingroomsc.org

Organic Grocer

√ Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-284-3530, oliversmarket.com

Dahlia & Sage Community Market, 115 E. Second St, Cloverdale, 707-669-2320, dahliasagemarket.com

Sebastopol Community Market, 6762 Sebastopol Ave., No. 100, Sebastopol, 707-407-4020, cmnaturalfoods.com

Place to Camp

√ Doran Regional Park, 201 Doran Beach Road, Bodega Bay, 707-565-2267, parks.sonomacounty.ca.gov

Casini Ranch Family Campground, 22855 Moscow Road, Duncans Mills, 800-451-8400, casiniranch.com

KOA Petaluma, 20 Rainsville Road, Petaluma, 707-763-1492, koa.com

JOHN BURGESS

SNOOPY’S HOME ICE

Best Nonprofit: Dogwood Animal Rescue Project founder Shirley Zindler, center, pauses with board members Janet Palma, left, and Charlotte Pearce in Sebastopol.

Best Kid’s Birthday Party: Snoopy celebrates at a birthday party at Snoopy’s Home Ice in Santa Rosa.

Best Place to Take Kids

√ Children’s Museum of Sonoma County, 1835 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-546-4069, cmosc.org

When her children were little, Collette Michaud loved to take them to the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito. When the trek from Petaluma got to be too much, she got thinking.

“The idea was to create something closer to home,” says Michaud, who now serves as CEO and founder of the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County in Santa Rosa.

The museum began modestly, with exhibits she hauled around in her minivan to various schools and outdoor events.

In 2010, she signed a lease to rent property from Jean Schulz adjacent to the Charles M. Schulz Museum and got a grant to build an outdoor education area. A few years later, Michaud was able to open indoor space as well. Today, the Children’s Museum of Sonoma County occupies 5,000 square feet of exhibit space and features more than 60 exhibits.

The museum is targeted to children of all ages. “We say 10 and under, but we have a sweet spot of 2 ½ to 7,” Michaud says.

“Everything is hands-on, with an emphasis on playful learning experiences,” she says. “We are encouraging curiosity and creativity. We’re a big sand box for the brain.

Place to Work

√ Kaiser Permanente, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-393-4000, healthy.kaiserpermanente.org

Poppy Bank-Epicenter, 3215 Coffey Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-806-2256, visitepicenter.com

SPARC, 1061 N. Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple locations in Sonoma County), 707-843-3227, sparc.co

The Living Room, 1207 Cleveland Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-579-0138, thelivingroomsc.org

Politician

√ State Sen. Mike McGuire – 2nd District, 369B Third St., Suite 652, San Rafael, 707-838-3279, senatormikemcguire.com

Poppy

We want to encourage kids to be playful and imaginative and just be kids.”

Kids respond to the museum just as she expected. “They know right away this place is built just for them and they are the driver,” Michaud says.

One of the goals of the museum is cooperative play, she adds, so the museum offers “experiences that promote social interaction between the kids.” Science and art projects, for instance, encourage cooperation.

While the isolation brought on by the pandemic dealt the museum a blow, the happy crowds have returned.

“We hear all the time from parents who appreciate the opportunity to (have their kids) be around other kids. It’s also given parents a great place to relax. They can come and know their kids are completely safe.”

Popular exhibits include the Space Odyssey, the Science and Imagination Railroad and the Mechanical Waterways exhibit in the garden, according to Michaud. “But we replace and refresh exhibits, and we are planning an expansion.”

With over 150,000 visits a year, she says, “We’re too small for the number of people we’re serving. I’m excited about expanding the museum.”

Supervisor Lynda Hopkins – 5th District, 575 Administration Drive, Suite 100A, Santa Rosa, 707-565-2241, lyndaforsupervisor.com

U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson – 5th District, 300 County Center Drive, Suite 100A, Santa Rosa, 707-542-7182, mikethompson.house.gov

Summer Camp

√ Humane Society of Sonoma County, 5345 Highway 12, Santa Rosa, 707-542-0882, humanesocietysoco.org

Create It!, 6906 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 707-829-3855, getcreateit.com

Mt. Gilead Bible Camp & Conference Center, 13485 Green Valley Road, Sebastopol, 707-823-4508, mtgilead.org

Best Place to take Kids: The Sonoma County Children’s Museum has tons of spots to explore. A planetary command module in the Space Odysssey exhibit allows kids to take control and have celestial adventures.

CHAD SURMICK

Healdsburg Prune Packers, 515 Piper St., Healdsburg, prunepackers.org

Bank-Epicenter, 3215 Coffey Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-806-2256, visitepicenter.com

Best Summer Camp: Ciella Kyle plays tug with Voodoo at Humane Society of Sonoma County Animal Adventure Camp in Santa Rosa.

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

The Best of So Sonoma

Thrifting / Consignment

√ Pick of the Litter

Thrift and Gift Shop, 1701 Piner Road, No. A, Santa Rosa, 707-570-2590, forgottenfelines.com

Assistance League Thrift Shop, 5 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-9484, assistanceleague.org

Welfare League Thrift Shop, 126 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-542-7480, welfareleague.org

Thrill Activity / Excursion

√ Safari West, 3115 Porter Creek Road, Santa Rosa, 707-579-2551, safariwest.com

Session Climbing, 965 S. A. St., Santa Rosa, 707-852-1040, sessionclimbing.com

Sonoma Zipline Adventures, 6250 Bohemian Highway, Occidental, 888-494-7868, sonomacanopytours.com

Best Wedding Venue

√ Paradise Ridge Winery, 4545 Thomas Lake Harris Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-528-9463, prwinery.com

One of the big draws of Paradise Ridge, according to proprietor Rene Byck, are the expansive views. “We’ve got amazing views of the Santa Rosa plain and the Russian River Valley,” he says. Byck, who co-owns the Santa Rosa winery with his father and siblings, also cites the winery building, which was rebuilt and reopened in 2019 after being destroyed by the 2017 Tubbs Fire.

“We knew what we’d like to change,” he says. “We have the Poetry Terrace for ceremonies, a big deck around the main room for the reception and a loggia downstairs for dancing.” There are vineyards for photos and even onsite lodging for bridal parties. Weddings can be held year-round, as there’s plenty of indoor space, he adds.

Flying Cloud Farm, 1200 Jacobsen Lane, Petaluma, 707-765-4433, flyingcloudfarm.com

Geyserville Inn, 21714 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville, 707-857-4343, geyservilleinn.com

Winery to Take Visitors

√ Francis Ford Coppola Winery, 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707-857-1405, thefamilycoppola.com

Korbel Winery, 13250 River Road, Guerneville, 707-824-7000, korbel.com

Russian River Vineyards, 5700 Highway 116 N., Forestville, 707887-3344, russianrivervineyards.com

Wine Country Inn

√ Farmhouse Inn, 7871 River Road, Forestville, 707-887-3300, farmhouseinn. com

Vintners Resort, 4350 Barnes Road, Santa Rosa, 707-575-7350, vintnersresort.com

The Madrona, 1001 Westside Road, Healdsburg, 707-395-6700, themadronahotel.com

Winery

√ Francis Ford Coppola Winery, 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707-857-1405, thefamilycoppola.com

Balletto Vineyards, 5700 Occidental Road, Santa Rosa, 707-568-2455, ballettovineyards.com

Sonoma-Cutrer Vineyards, 4401 Slusser Road, Windsor, 707-237-3489, sonomacutrer.com

Best Wedding Venue: A couple gets married at Paradise Ridge Winery in Santa Rosa.

Winery to Take Visitors: Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Geyserville.

JUNSHIEN WEDDINGS

BETH SCHLANKER

Hall of Fame

Food&Wine

12 YEARS

Burger

Superburger, 1501 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-546-4016, originalsuperburger.com

12 YEARS

Happy Hour

Stark’s Steak & Seafood, 521 Adams St., Santa Rosa, 707-546-5100, starkrestaurants.com

12 YEARS

Kid-Friendly Restaurant

Mary’s Pizza Shack, Multiple North Bay locations, 707-573-1100, maryspizzashack.com

10 YEARS

Artisan Cheese

Cowgirl Creamery, Products available at local grocery stores, 866-433-7834, cowgirlcreamery.com

9 YEARS Food Truck

El Roy’s Express Mex, Inc., 760 Sebastopol Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-843-2166, elroysxpressmex.com

9 YEARS Ice Cream

Screamin’ Mimi’s, 6902 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, 707-8235902, screaminmimisicecream.com

8 YEARS Dive Bar

John & Zeke’s Bar & Grill, 420 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-3735

8 YEARS Place to Buy Wine

Bottle Barn, 3331-A Industrial Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-528-1161, bottlebarn.com

8 YEARS

Seafood Restaurant

Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar, 403 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg, 707-433-9191, starkrestaurants.com/starkrestaurant/willis-seafood-raw-bar

7 YEARS

Butcher

Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-284-3530, oliversmarket.com

6 YEARS

Distillery

Spirit Works Distillery, 6790 McKinley St., Suite 100, Sebastopol, 707-634-4793, spiritworksdistillery.com

5 YEARS Latin (not Mexican)

El Coqui Puerto Rican Cuisine, 400 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-542-8868, elcoqui2eat.com

T he Press Democrat congratulates 48 businesses that have been recognized as The Best of Sonoma County for f ive consecutive years or more.

Best Latin (not Mexican): An employee takes plates to customers at El Coqui Puerto Rican Cuisine in Santa Rosa.

CHAD SURMICK

The Best of Hall of Fame

5 YEARS

Coffee

Avid Coffee, 2365 Midway Drive, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-595-5984, avidcoffee.com

5 YEARS

Late Night Eats

NY Pie, 65 Brookwood Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-526-9743, new-york-pie.com

5 YEARS

Sushi

Hana Japanese Restaurant, 101 Golf Course Drive, Rohnert Park, 707-586-0270, hanajapanese.com

Real Life

12 YEARS

Bank

Exchange Bank, 545 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-524-3301, exchangebank.com

12 YEARS

Credit Union

Redwood Credit Union, 2763 Fourth St., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-545-4000, redwoodcu.org

12 YEARS

Hardware Store

Friedman’s Home Improvement, 4055 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-584-7811, friedmanshome.com

12 YEARS

Health Club

Airport Health Club, 432 Aviation Blvd., Santa Rosa, 707-528-2582, airportclub.com

12 YEARS

Plant Nursery

King’s Nursery, 1212 13th St., Santa Rosa, 707-542-4782, kingsflowernursery.com

12 YEARS

Shopping Experience

Montgomery Village Shopping Center, 911 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-545-3844, montgomeryvillageca. com

10 YEARS

Senior Care Facility

Spring Lake Village, 5555 Montgomery Drive, Santa Rosa, 707-538-8400, covia.org/spring-lakevillage

9 YEARS

Chiropractor

Mordecai-Dumbadse

Chiropractic, 817 Second St., Santa Rosa, 707-575-8929, mdmchiro.com

8 YEARS

Cosmetic Surgeon

Dr. Walter Tom, 70 Stony Point Road, Suite G, Santa Rosa (multiple North Bay locations), 707-542-8346, drtomcosmetic.com

8 YEARS

Shoe Store

Sole Desire Shoes, 710 Farmers Lane, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 855-854-4861, soledesire.com

7 YEARS

Funeral Home

Daniel’s Chapel of the Roses, 1225 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-525-3730, danielschapeloftheroses.com

7 YEARS

Grocery Store

Oliver’s Market, 461 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-284-3530, oliversmarket.com

7 YEARS

Hospital

Kaiser Permanente, 401 Bicentennial Way, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-393-4000, healthy. kaiserpermanente.org

6 YEARS

Auto Body Shop

G&C Auto Body, 251 Bellevue Ave., Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-525-3520, gandcautobody.com

6 YEARS

Flooring

North Coast Tile & Stone, 3854 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-586-2064, nctile.com

Best Cosmetic Surgeon: Dr. Walter Tom and his staff pause for a photo at their Santa Rosa office.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Coffee: Rob Daly, owner of Avid Coffee, uses his instant bag coffee at the Montgomery Village store in Santa Rosa.

JOHN BURGESS

The Best of Hall of Fame

6 YEARS

Men’s Clothing Store

Patrick James, 2340 Sonoma Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-523-2346, patrickjames.com

6 YEARS

Nail Salon

Zen Nails & Day Spa, 760 Village Court, Santa Rosa, 707-545-5341, zennailssr.com

6 YEARS

Painting Company

Mike Chavez Painting, 516 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707595-2128, mikechavezpainting.com

6 YEARS

Pet Store

Western Farm Center, 21 W. Seventh St., Santa Rosa, 707545-0721, westernfarmcenter.com

5 YEARS

Counters and Stone

North Coast Tile & Stone, 3854 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-586-2064, nctile.com

5 YEARS

Eye Doctor

Dr. Kimberly Lyons, 9240 Old Redwood Highway, Suite 108, Windsor, 707-838-9393, lyonsoptometry.com

5 YEARS

Furniture Store

Cokas Diko Home Furnishings, 1125 W. Steele Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-568-4044, cokasdiko.com

5 YEARS

Veterinarian

Dr. Grant Patrick, 4900 Sonoma Highway, Santa Rosa, 707-539-2322, montecitovets.com

12 YEARS

Bookstore

Copperfield’s, 775 Village Court, Santa Rosa (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-578-8938, copperfieldsbooks.com

12 YEARS Beach

Doran Regional Park, 201 Doran Beach Road, Bodega Bay, 707-565-2041, parks.sonomacounty. ca.gov/Visit/Doran-Regional-Park

Best Beach: Visitors enjoy the sun at Doran Regional Park in Bodega Bay.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Day Spa: The entrance to the Osmosis Day Spa Sanctuary in Freestone.

ERIK CASTRO

Best Veterinarian: Dr. Grant Patrick pauses with a squirrel on his shoulder in Santa Rosa.

THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

recognized as

Best of Sonoma County Hair Salon, and we want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to our loyal customers who have supported us throughout the years. Your trust and satisfaction are what drive us to continuously improve and provide the best salon experience possible.

What sets us apart from the rest? It all starts with our owners, two friends who shared a vision of creating a salon that goes beyond just haircuts and colors. We believe that a great salon experience should be about more than just the end result – it should be about feeling comfortable, pampered, and truly cared for Our team of highly skilled stylists are passionate about their craft and dedicated to staying up-to-date with the latest trends and techniques. With their expertise and attention to detail, you can trust that you’re in capable hands.

The Best of Hall of Fame

12 YEARS

Winery to Take Visitors

Francis Ford Coppola Winery, 300 Via Archimedes, Geyserville, 707-857-1471, thefamilycoppola.com

9 YEARS Day Spa

Osmosis Day Spa

Sanctuary, 209 Bohemian Highway, Freestone, 707-823-8231, osmosis.com

8 YEARS Bar for Live Music

HopMonk Tavern, 230 Petaluma Ave., Sebastopol (multiple Sonoma County locations), 707-829-7300, hopmonk.com

7 YEARS Bike Store

Bike Peddler, 605 College Ave., Santa Rosa, 707-571-2428, bikepeddlersantarosa.com

7 YEARS Live Theater Company

6th Street Playhouse, 52 W. Sixth St., Santa Rosa, 707-523-4185, 6thstreetplayhouse.com

6 YEARS

Thrifting/ Consignment

Pick of the Litter

Thrift and Gift Shop, 1701 Piner Road, No. A, Santa Rosa, 707-570-2590, forgottenfelines.com

6 YEARS Hotel

Flamingo Resort, 2777 Fourth St., Santa Rosa, 707-545-8530, flamingoresort.com

5 YEARS

Cannabis Dispensary / Delivery

Solful, 785 Gravenstein Highway S., Sebastopol, 707-596-9040, solful.com

5 YEARS Museum

Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center, 2301 Hardies Lane, Santa Rosa, 707-579-4452, schulzmuseum.org

Best Hotel: Poolside furniture at the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa.

CHRISTOPHER CHUNG

Best Museum: Charles M. Schulz Museum and Research Center curator Benjamin Clark in Santa Rosa.

JOHN BURGESS

Best Bar for Live Music: Carol and Mike Cormier enjoy live music the outdoor patio with their dog, Hops, at HopMonk Tavern in Sebastopol.

JOHN BURGESS