Our favorite places in the Russian River - Sonoma County is Open!
Our family calls the River our Happy Place.
My kiddos comment when the roll down the windows when we arrive that it “smells SOOOO good here.”
Here is a list of our favorite places in the general area (Forestville, Guerneville, Jenner, Sebastopol) for your trip up here! Definitely call before showing up as a lot of these places have interesting hours during shelter in place.
*we’re mostly gluten-free so these are places that generally accommodate that!
Twist Eatery (Downtown Forestville)
https://www.twisteatery.com/
They have the best menu full of amazing salads, soups, and my absolute favorite, their meatloaf. Amazing local wines, fantastic staff, and the sweetest patio.
Russian River Vineyards (Forestville)
https://www.russianrivervineyards.com/
These folks have amazing wine but also offer food while you taste. Perfect wine country charcuterie boards and gorgeous seating within flowering gardens. We are wine club members here because both my husband and I agree on the wines - which is rare!
Canetti Roadhouse (Forestville)
http://www.cannetirestaurant.com/
Canetti was the first place we went when restaurants opened up (for our 11th anniversary). My husband’s birthday gift this year was two orders of the salumi platter from Canetti (the tomato salad it comes with is INSANE). This is a rustic Italian restaurant with insane appetizers, an affordably delicious wine list, and a stunningly romantic back patio for outdoor dining. We had the whole fish last time we were here and not only was it gorgeous, I’ll never forget how delicious it was.
Forestville Pizza (Forestville)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/forestville-pizza-forestville?osq=lunch
Forestville Pizza is just your old average pizza joint with an arcade - which is WHY my kids love it so much. Standard pizza, pizzeria vibe, and an arcade in the back. I love it for the great salad bar (lots of toppings, my favorite) and the option to have a conversation with my husband while the kids throw away quarters on Pacman. Tucked into a shopping center, it is hard to miss when driving by.
Speers Market (Forestville)
Speers gets insanely busy around lunchtime at the Deli Counter, and there’s a reason for that! They have great deli sandwiches. Solid, standard, and fresh! They also carry a number of local wine and just started carrying one Southern Hemisphere Sauvignon Blanc - a summer favorite. I get zero cell reception when I am there, so be sure to get your friend’s orders before you come in!
Rio Nido Roadhouse (Rio Nido)
https://www.rionidoroadhouse.com/
Old fashioned river fun can be found here. Pool. Great Bar. Awesome food. While they have bar food - it is bar food amped up with flavor. We love the chicken wings, taco salad with pulled pork, the nachos are amazing, and they have great daily specials. The kiddos can run around on the lawn and go SWIMMING! The kids love their cheese pizza and crispy fries!
The FarmHand (Guerneville)
https://www.thefarmhand.net/blank
This is our new favorite lunch place! In fact, we’re ordering a bunch of their salads for Father’s Day social distancing lunch. They have a variety of cold salads which are amazing (I had a watermelon salad last year that blew me away) but they also have GLUTEN FREE PANINIS which, lemme tell you, are hard to find. I always get the Ham and Swiss and my husband always gets the Reuben. I want so badly to try another but it is just too tempting to get the ones we know we love. They also have an indoor game area (for rainy days) and a coffee bar!
River Inn Grill (Guerneville)
https://www.yelp.com/biz/river-inn-grill-guerneville?osq=lunch
My kids kind of hate restaurants. They would rather run around outside than have to sit quietly and chat. They LOVE this place. In fact, my oldest asked specifically to go here when quarantine ends. They love the pancakes (ask for whipped cream :) and OJ and tiny jam packets. We go nuts for their huevos rancheros. They are AMAZING (I get my eggs over medium).
Green Chili Ice Cream (Guerneville)
http://www.chilepiesbakingco.com/order-for-pick-up
This place has a soft spot in my heart because it is the only place my son tries something new. While they have a few traditional flavors, they shine in interesting flavors! Plus, there is a homegoods shop inside where mama loves to browse :)
River’s End
https://ilovesunsets.com/
This is where we go for date night. Get a sitter and drive out. Get a reservation for a window table. Go a little early for a strong cocktail on the deck. The most amazing romantic views in the area. The food is fantastic as well, but you could eat anything with these views and be happy (check the weather for fog before you go :)