Back for its 16th incarnation, Sonoma County Restaurant Week is taking place from Feb. 24 to March 5 at all sorts of eateries across Sonoma County.
Sonoma County’s conference & communications coordinator, Aleena Decker, is customarily excited about the annual event, as well as keeping several pots simmering (so to speak), since new restaurants are joining the celebration every week.
“At the moment, we have 75 restaurants participating,” said Decker via email, noting more are being added to the website each week. Simply going to the Sonoma County Restaurant Week website and, under the search section, clicking “prices” and then “new restaurants” is the way to stay updated, according to Decker.
Here’s how it works: Sonoma County restaurants create menus based on a pricing tier, charging anywhere from $10-$25 for lunch, $25-$55 for dinner and $6 for “sweet perks” and desserts. Patrons visit the Sonoma County Restaurant Week website, search through the multitude of delicacies and see what that restaurant has planned for those partaking in the event.
There’s also a handy dandy app available on the website for easier access to what’s in a desired area.
Heading to Healdsburg or Sonoma for a day of wine tasting or maybe to Petaluma for a Mystic show? One may simply open the app and see what’s nearby. Then, they may check in via the app for an added bonus. “Anyone who checks into the app while dining at a participating restaurant during Restaurant Week will be entered in a drawing to receive a gift card to a participating Sonoma County restaurant,” said Decker. She noted prizes are random and do not correspond to the restaurant one is dining at when they check in via the app.
Decker also stated that there are some new wrinkles and specials here in 2025. “We added some new menu options, including two-course breakfasts and family-style menus. The family-style menus are designed to feed four people and are available for lunch and dinner,” according to Decker. A quick peek at the family-style options shows a lunch for four coming in at $50, while a family-style dinner for four rings up to $70, not too shabby given today’s dining out costs.
As we like to do when we cover this event each year (and, full disclosure: The Bohemian is an event sponsor), we have added a wide variety of selections. Please note that no tickets or passes are required. Diners and food lovers can dine out at as many participating restaurants as they would like throughout Sonoma County Restaurant Week. Each restaurant will have at least one prix fixe menu to choose from.
Arandas
Located in Hotel Les Mars at 29 North St., Healdsburg. arandashealdsburg.com.
Felipe Hurtado, executive chef at Arandas, has put together some spicy and savory specials at the Jalisco, Mexico-inspired eatery, including a $35 lunch with a first course of an appetizer (choose one): guacamole or chorizo deviled egg or Caesar salad, a second-course entrée (choose one): tacos, three each (carnitas, California or pollo) or mushroom quesadilla or a Sonoran Hot Dog and a closer of either churros or flan for dessert.
Arandas’ dinner menu has an opening appetizer of guacamole or papas or a Caesar salad, a second-course entrée (choose one): tacos, four each (calabaza, pollo or carne) or Enchiladas de Pollo or Salmon con Rajas, while dessert options are Churros con Helado or sorbete.
Wooden Petal Pretzel Shop
4984 Sonoma Hwy., Santa Rosa. woodenpetal.com.
Santa Rosa’s Wooden Petal Pretzel Shop is a new one on our foodie radar and seems really fun. Their Sonoma County Restaurant Week offering is a $15 lunch special, which includes a pretzel bun sandwich of one’s choice, as well as a side of chips or House Super Slaw and a cookie.
Barrel Bar & Bistro at Oxford Suites
67 Golf Course Dr. W, Santa Rosa.
oxfordcollection.com/hotels/suites-sonoma-county.
Are those pretzels making you thirsty? Barrel Bar & Bistro in the Oxford Suites hotel is hooking one up with a soft drink or a glass of wine or beer if they partake in their restaurant week menu as well as some yummy specials. Their first course is a choice of the daily soup or a salad, which one can follow with their choice of entrée, including steak, salmon or eggplant parmesan, served with mashed potatoes and fresh veggies. For dessert, one can choose from cheesecake, chocolate cake or whatever special the chef has created that day. All for $40 per person.
Stockhome
220 Western Ave., Petaluma. stockhomerestaurant.com.
The fine folks at Petaluma’s unique and delicious Swedish and Middle Eastern eatery Stockhome say, “Välkommen!” (that’s Swedish for “welcome,” of course). They also have some fun and adventurous lunch and dinner options for one’s tummy to explore.
For lunch, there are several choices, including one option with a first course including a small meze plate featuring hummus, baba ganoush, tabbouleh and grilled pita bread, and a second course of fried falafel, Basmati rice, tomato sauce, tahini and salad, or a first course of shrimp skagen (kind of a shrimp salad) served on toasted brioche and a second course of Swedish meatballs, mashed potato, gravy, lingonberry and pickled cucumber. These two choices are offered at $25.
Hank’s
151 Petaluma Blvd. S #123, Petaluma. hankspetaluma.com.
Located in Petaluma’s lovely Theater Square, Hank’s is coming in hot with an awesome selection of “Cal-Italian” dishes guaranteed to fill one’s belly and not empty their pocketbook. For $25, one can grab their three-course lunch featuring a Sicilian citrus salad followed by the choice of Atlantic salmon, mashed potatoes, seasonal vegetables and a nice sorbet or spumoni for dessert.
The dinner selections are impressive as well. There are two choices of three-course meals for $40, with the first choice being a starter of iron brick cheese and baguette, Ciotola Di Gnocchi (house gnocchi with red sauce, burrata and fresh basil served in a sourdough bread bowl) with gelato for dessert. Or, one may enjoy a wood-fired artichoke with a wood-fired mortadella pizza and affogato for dessert. Their location features a full bar and an Italian wine list and has a great patio overlooking Theater Square. It’s also within walking distance of the SMART train.
The above is just a quick sampling of the restaurants participating in this year’s festivities. More get added throughout the week. Keep in mind also that Sonoma County Restaurant Week is designed to support local eateries who could really use it any time, but especially lately. The Bohemian wishes all good luck and good eats.
Sumptious!