What’s New in Sonoma County This Summer
Our friends at Sonoma County have reminded us that the beauty and bounty of the season is especially glorious in this part of California right now. Find out what’s new.
From farmstands brimming with fresh, peak-season produce to lively Sonoma County Wine Country patios, with relaxed tastings and golden-hour views; from the towering giant redwoods to the rugged Sonoma County coastline; energetic hikes or lazy afternoons on the Russian River … there’s something for everyone.
Sonoma County is an exceptional summer destination, offering a perfect balance of cool coastal breezes, lively outdoor food-and-wine events, and sun-drenched inland valleys.
Here’s what’s new in hotels, food, and wine for this summer in Sonoma County:
New in Hotels
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa
Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn & Spa has partnered with premium air carrier JSX to introduce “Sky to Suite,” a new luxury travel experience connecting Southern California travelers with Sonoma Valley. The three-night package includes round-trip JSX airfare for two from Santa Monica Airport, Hollywood Burbank Airport, or John Wayne Airport to Napa County Airport, private ground transfers to the resort, accommodations in a Mission Spa Suite, a bottle of Sonoma sparkling wine, dinner for two at Santé, and two 60-minute spa treatments. The experience offers a streamlined air-to-resort escape centered on Sonoma Valley wellness, wine-country dining, and the Fairmont’s signature geothermal spa.
The Little Bohemian is poised to bring a distinctive new lodging experience to West Sonoma County. Set in the heart of Occidental, the hotel will feature 13 stylish but unpretentious guest rooms, along with four hillside ÖÖD houses designed for immersive, nature-forward stays. With a pool, jacuzzi, saunas, and thoughtfully designed amenity areas, the property is being envisioned as a relaxed yet refined retreat where guests enjoy both village charm and a sense of secluded escape. The concept blends the warmth of an old-world European inn with the ease, landscape, and creative spirit of an only-in-California hideaway. Its Occidental setting places guests near redwood forests, coastal routes, small-town dining, and the slower rhythm of West Sonoma County, while the design offers a fresh take on boutique hospitality. A standout feature will be the property’s ÖÖD houses, Nordic-designed, high-end prefabricated mirrored cabins built with steel frames and four-season insulation. Their fully mirrored exteriors are designed for privacy while reflecting the surrounding hillside, allowing each cabin to blend into the natural environment. Inside, guests will find a sleek, modern retreat with panoramic views and a strong connection to place.
New in Restaurants
Hazel, a beloved West Sonoma County restaurant known for its seasonal comfort food and neighborhood appeal, reopens in a new location in Occidental. Husband-and-wife owners Jim and Michele Wimborough are bringing the restaurant closer to the heart of town and near the Occidental Farmers Market. The reopening marks a welcome return for fans of the restaurant’s signature dishes, including fried Brussels sprouts, vegan Caesar salad, pot roast, housemade pies, and rotating seasonal specials.
A new fast-casual dining concept, SMASH, has debuted on Sonoma Plaza, as acclaimed chef Ari Weiswasser, the talent behind Stella and Glen Ellen Star. Located in the historic Taub Outpost building on First Street West, the restaurant will focus on smashburgers, fried chicken sandwiches, fries, milkshakes, and craft cocktails, offering both dine-in and takeout options that complement the Plaza’s outdoor setting. The project reflects a more playful, approachable extension of Weiswasser’s ingredient-driven style, while also supplying food to the upstairs Beacon bar, further expanding the culinary experience within the space.
Maréla European Coastal Bistro
Maréla European Coastal Bistro brings coastal European dining to downtown Healdsburg at the new Liora Estate. Inspired by the flavors of Spain, Italy, and the South of France, the restaurant showcases seafood-forward dishes, seasonal produce, house-made pastas, wood-fired specialties, and Sonoma County wines. Led by Chef Juan Cabrera, Maréla offers a refined yet relaxed experience with indoor dining, patio seating, a Library Lounge, happy hour, and a menu designed for shared, wine-friendly dining.
Little Deer brings a fresh neighborhood café experience to Santa Rosa’s SOFA arts district, building on the former Café Frida space with a new name, expanded hours, and the same creative community spirit. Designed as a welcoming place to linger, the café serves premium coffee, tea, pastries, avocado toast, smoked salmon toast, tuna melts, pizza bites, and other casual fare. Inspired by art, nature, and place, Little Deer also hosts live music, workshops, trivia nights, food pop-ups, and community gatherings, making it both a daytime café and an easygoing social hub in downtown Santa Rosa.
J&A Lounge brings a fresh, social dining experience to downtown Santa Rosa with a relaxed, polished atmosphere, creative cocktails, Sonoma County wines, regional beers, and an approachable menu built for sharing. Located on Fourth Street, the newly opened restaurant and full bar serves brunch, lunch, and dinner. It is a lively new stop for guests looking to experience Santa Rosa’s evolving downtown dining scene.
Rainy Day Chocolate has opened a new kitchen and shop in Forestville, inviting visitors to experience Sonoma County through small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate. Founded by Jennifer Daly and Chris Sund, the artisan chocolate maker sources cacao from small producers in Tanzania and Guatemala, then roasts, winnows and transforms the beans into bars and confections onsite. Guests book tastings and hands-on decorating classes, with guided samples ranging from cacao nibs to dark and milk chocolates, plus a creative finale using edible luster dust to paint their own chocolates.
Taste Petaluma brings several locally rooted food, wine, and spirits experiences together under one roof in downtown Petaluma. The new collective unites Barber Cellars, Petaluma Cheese Shop, Barber Lee Spirits, Nightcap Dessert Bar, and hand-crafted confections from Petaluma-based Mad Chocolates. Set inside a historic Washington Street warehouse, the space invites guests to taste estate-grown Sonoma County wines, explore artisan cheeses, sip grain-to-glass spirits and craft cocktails, and enjoy desserts from local bakers and pastry chefs. The opening also marks a new chapter for Barber Cellars, whose Hotel Petaluma tasting room closes after 11 years as the first wine tasting room in downtown Petaluma.
Wylde Provisions Playground & Café
Tucked away in Sebastopol, Wylde Provisions Playground & Café is Sonoma County’s hidden gem for families, adventurers, creatives, and busy locals craving clean, flavor-packed food without slowing down. Founded by a firefighter-paramedic and an award-winning chef, Wylde serves globally inspired, protein-forward meals made with organic chicken, grass-fed beef, and local ingredients, all in compostable packaging. The new outdoor café pairs nourishing bowls, sandwiches, burritos, espresso, local wine, cider, and kombucha with a Waldorf-inspired natural playground featuring redwood climbing structures, cargo nets, logs, and a sandbox.
Owl & The Vine, a new wine bar and taproom, is expected to open in late summer in west Santa Rosa. Husband-and-wife team Lawrence and Stephanie Bondulich, longtime New York hospitality operators, are bringing new life to the former Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro space, a historic roadhouse property with deep local roots. The concept follows the couple’s experience with neighborhood wine bar Bin 71 in New York City and aims to create a welcoming Sonoma County gathering place centered on wine, beer, food and community in the heart of the Russian River Valley.
Wonderland Pizzeria has opened in Monte Rio, bringing a new community-focused gathering place to the Russian River. Founded by partners Kellee Kessler and Brian Perloff, the restaurant pairs pizza with live music, local beer and wine, rotating community art exhibits, and a curated display of archival materials created in collaboration with the Russian River Historical Society. Designed as more than a place to eat, Wonderland celebrates Monte Rio’s creative spirit, local culture, and deep sense of place while giving residents and visitors a welcoming spot to gather, connect, and experience the character of the Russian River community.
Alesta Modern Mediterranean, a new brick-and-mortar restaurant from a popular Santa Rosa food truck, has opened in the former Piala space on the edge of downtown Sebastopol. Led by co-owner Ugur Akkaya and chef Kadir Senel, the intimate neighborhood restaurant brings together Turkish, Greek, Lebanese, Eastern European, and Mediterranean flavors with French technique. The menu leans refined and shareable. The restaurant also serves Turkish and California wines and local craft beers.
New in Wineries
Adonna Vineyards & Wines, a new Santa Rosa-based wine brand from Japanese American vintner Donna Kato, has launched with small-lot Russian River Valley wines rooted in heritage, sustainability, and a strong sense of place. The label draws from Kato’s background as a biochemist and her family’s farming legacy, with wines shaped by cool-climate Sonoma County vineyards and an intentional, allocation-only model. Its Canfield Vineyard sits on the southern edge of the Russian River Valley, where coastal fog, Goldridge soils, and sustainable farming guide estate Pinot Noir production. The brand’s philosophy reflects Ichigo Ichie, a Japanese concept honoring the beauty of a single shared moment, giving Adonna a distinct story built around presence, resilience, and connection.
La Maison at Stone Edge Farm & Vineyards
Sonoma’s acclaimed Enclos and Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery have unveiled La Maison, the winery’s first public tasting room and hospitality destination. Located in a reimagined estate on Sonoma’s east side, La Maison offers wine tastings, seasonal food-and-wine experiences created by Enclos chef Brian Limoges, and gardens that will help supply produce to the restaurant. The opening marks a major expansion for the family-owned winery, whose limited-production Bordeaux-style wines were previously available primarily to members. The new venue also creates a more immersive visitor experience by bringing together the winery, culinary program, and farm under one roof, further elevating Sonoma’s luxury wine and food offerings.
Sonoma County Winery Happy Hours
Sonoma County wineries are putting a relaxed spin on the traditional tasting room experience with happy hours, walk-in tastings, food trucks, wines by the glass, complimentary bites, and more social gathering formats. At Dutton-Goldfield Winery in Sebastopol, Third Thursdays Happy Hour offers discounted wines by the glass and bottle service with small bites. Benovia Winery in Santa Rosa welcomes walk-ins on the fourth Thursday of each month for small-production Pinot Noir and Chardonnay by the glass with complimentary snacks. Roche Winery & Vineyards in Sonoma hosts Food Truck Saturdays, while Russian River Vineyards in Forestville offers Thursday happy hour through October with special pricing on wines by the glass, local craft beer, and housemade appetizers. Together, these experiences reflect a broader shift toward approachable, flexible wine experiences designed for summer sipping, spontaneous visits, and easygoing Sonoma County Wine Country gatherings.
Here are the top fully refundable, LGBTQ-welcoming hotels in Sonoma County.
