In Sonoma County, Calif., Healdsburg’s vibrant collection of restaurants, cafés and tasting rooms makes for a memorable, food-focused escape. Start your visit with a guided tour from the local experts at Wine Country Walking Tours, a husband-and-wife venture run by Kirsten and Harold Jones. Their Healdsburg Wine and Gourmet Food Lovers Tour is a four-hour guided experience that departs from the shady gazebo in the historic town square and includes tasting stops at five to six of the area’s best gourmet food spots and wine tasting rooms. Highlights you might encounter on this tour include:
- SHED. A curated market and eatery that earned recognition for its thoughtful restaurant design, SHED is also a community gathering place for workshops and seminars. Local products take center stage, and guests are encouraged to linger at the coffee bar, fermentation bar and the light-filled café, which serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch. Popular dishes often include the asparagus and bottarga pizza with leeks, crème fraîche and Parmigiano, and the SHED charcuterie board featuring an assortment of salumi and house-made pâtés.
- Russian River Tea Company. For 25 years this fragrant, calming tea shop has been a local favorite. Tea curator Holly Hunt has assembled a wide selection of high-quality teas, including blends made with locally grown mints and lavenders such as Pacific Coast Mint, My Mother’s Garden and Lavender Lady Grey.
- Roadhouse Winery. Known for small-batch, handcrafted Pinot Noirs, Roadhouse also produces limited quantities of Chardonnay, Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon. The tasting room on Center Street is a popular stop on the walking tour.
- Costeaux French Bakery. A Healdsburg institution since 1923, Costeaux is renowned for exquisitely crafted cakes, artisan sourdoughs and a wide array of baked goods. The on-site bistro serves breakfast and lunch daily, and the bakery’s accolades include national and regional bakery awards earned over decades of consistent quality.
- Mateo’s Cocina Latina. Led by Yucatán-born chef Mateo Granados, this brightly decorated restaurant highlights sustainably produced, locally sourced ingredients. The menu ranges from artisan tacos to seasonal plates and an extensive selection of fine mezcales and tequilas, enjoyed indoors or on the outdoor patio.
Wine Country Walking Tours offers a range of private and themed options in addition to the Wine and Gourmet Food Lovers Tour. Other experiences include New Flavors of Healdsburg, The First Course Evening Tour, Tastemakers Tour, Soar, Sip and Stroll Healdsburg, and Sonoma County Living. Corporate and group-focused offerings are available as well, such as the Executive Team Walking Tour and the Sales Incentive Reward Tour.