Sonoma County, located in the North Bay region of the Bay Area, offers many romantic settings, perfect for date night. From noted local events and historic features to craft breweries and regional wineries. Being especially well-known for its wine, its no surprise that many restaurants in the area are famed for their top-tier wine offerings.
Whether you’re on a first date or grabbing a stolen night away with your partner of several years, check out these restaurants for world-class bites and sips in Sonoma and Petaluma.
Table Culture Provisions
One of Petaluma’s newest restaurants is the spectacular Table Culture Provisions, a New American hotspot in the heart of downtown. The cozy and casual setting allows for flowing conversation over delicious entrees like the shareable Cowboy Steak, the Hunter’s Gift venison burger, and the Early Bird buttermilk fried chicken. Table Culture Provisions is also known for its fantastic raw bar, which features raw oysters as well as baked oysters served with barbecue sauce, mornay sauce, and nettle oil. You can also meet friends here for brunch, enjoying breakfast sandwiches, French toast, and cereal bowls.
Address: 312 Petaluma Boulevard South, Petaluma, CA 94952
The Girl & The Fig
The Girl & the Fig is an inventive French country fare restaurant set in a rustic bistro with a beautiful outdoor patio. Fine wines are also offered here, of course. The bar is antique and specializes in French aperitifs, unique and traditional cocktails, and has an award-winning Rhone-Alone wine list. The menu is also seasonal, which gives it a fresh taste no matter what time of year you decide to venture out to give this restaurant a try. There is also an outdoor garden near its outdoor public seating, which gives it a sense of serenity.
The rustic backdrop of this restaurant is a huge reason why this would be a great place for date night. Also, French food is a staple of romantic cuisine. What is more romantic than a French meal and some good wine?
The hours of operation for this restaurant are 11:30 AM To 9 PM Monday to Friday, and 10 AM to 9 PM Saturday and Sunday.
Address: 110 W Spain St., Sonoma, CA 95476
The Shuckery
Seafood lovers will have a blast at the Shuckery, a popular Petaluma oyster bar. Trendy and fun, the Shuckery also offers a storied history. The restaurant is located in the glamorous Hotel Petaluma, where it was once a tiki bar. Today, you can dine safely at the Shuckery, enjoying socially distanced seating and outdoor tables with heat lamps for those chilly nights. Order some shareable plates to enjoy with friends, like trout rillette, housemade street tacos, and calamari. If you’re feeling hungry, order a whole fish for two, topped with marinated lemon grass, soy, wild red rice, peas, roasted vegetables, and with a green salad on the side.
Address: 100 Washington Street, Petaluma, CA, 94952
Pearl
If you’re craving Middle Eastern food, there’s no better place than Pearl. Enjoy the sunshine from the restaurant’s comfortable outdoor patio. Pearl aims to create the atmosphere of sharing a meal at the family table, encouraging patrons to relax with a glass of wine and some delicious Eastern Mediterranean-inspired fare. Popular dishes include winter squash and chickpea soup, pan-fried chicken falafel, and Persian meatball tagine.
Address: 500 1st Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
Sonoma Grille and Bar
Sonoma Grille and Bar specializes in steaks and seafood, which is served in a contemporary and upscale-casual setting. There is a full bar and beer garden.
The three words to best describe this restaurant are casual, elegant, and delicious, making it perfect for date night. Whether you want to go out for a quick lunch date outdoors in the sunlight or dress up for a steak dinner, Sonoma Grille will suit whatever mood you’re in.
The hours of operation for this restaurant are 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, 4 PM to 9 PM Wednesday to Sunday. The restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Address: 165 W Napa St., Sonoma, CA 95476
Depot Hotel Restaurant
One word to describe Depot Hotel Restaurant is beautiful. It was originally a local hotel for 19th-century passengers arrivING on the train from San Francisco. Today, it is a restaurant with a lovely garden that serves rustic Italian cuisine. While it is called a hotel, there are no rooms, and there haven’t been any since 1922.
Everything about this restaurant screams romance. From the outdoor seating area with the water and fountain to the Italian food and great wine, everything about the atmosphere here is perfect for date night. This historical restaurant has an elegant feel to it — it’s almost a movie-perfect place to have a date with your significant other.
The hours of operation for this restaurant are 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, 5 to 8:30 PM Wednesday to Sunday. The restaurant is closed Monday and Tuesday.
Address: 241 1st St. W, Sonoma, CA 9547
Central Market
Dine on some fantastic farm-to-table Californian fare at Central Market Petaluma, a casual bistro with fabulous ambiance. Enjoy small plates of homemade organic bread or wagyu beef skewers. You can also enjoy handmade pasta like Mafaldine bolognese and baked rigatoni, or Central Market duck cassoulet.
Address: 42 Petaluma Blvd. N., Petaluma, CA 94952
Valley Bar + Bottle Shop
Valley Bar + Bottle Shop, often simply known as Valley, is a seasonal Mediterranean-inspired fare set in a polished restaurant setting with a terrace and a wine bar. The owners of this restaurant see themselves as Sonoma locals, so they look for ways to support and promote the community.
Valley is somewhat of a gem in Sonoma. It’s a self-described neighborhood restaurant, wine bar, and bottle shop serving California home cooking — simple food that is driven by seasonal produce and the personal histories of its chefs.
The wine, however, is where Valley truly shines. They serve delicious wines with a focus on organic, biodynamic, regenerative, and traditional agricultural practices. The exceptional wine list here makes this restaurant a great place for date night.
The hours of operation for this restaurant are Monday, Thursday, and Friday from 5 to 9 PM, and 11 AM - 2:30 PM, 5 to 9 PM Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Address: 487 1st St. W, Sonoma, CA 95476
El Dorado Kitchen
El Dorado Kitchen is a sophisticated restaurant serving food locally sourced California-Mediterranean fare in a beautiful and picturesque hotel dining room.
The restaurant serves award-winning cuisine crafted with local and seasonal ingredients from Sonoma. The restaurant is open daily for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and on Sundays for brunch. If you have a busy schedule but want to make some time to have a romantic dinner with your significant other, this restaurant gives you options for any time of day.
There is a main dining room, a front corner cafe, a tree-lined outdoor patio, a cozy bar, and a private dining room. Everything about this restaurant is upscale and has a romantic atmosphere. If you’re looking to go somewhere a little more elegant with your partner, this is definitely the place to check out.
The hours of operation for this restaurant are 8 to 11 AM, 11:30 AM to 8:45 PM Monday to Friday, and 9:30 to 11 AM, 11:30 AM to 8:45 PM Saturday and Sunday.
Address: 405 1st St. W, Sonoma, CA 95476
Oso Sonoma
Not all date night restaurants have to be upscale and elegant. Some restaurants can have a rustic, laid-back feel and still make a great place to take your date. Oso Sonoma certainly fits that vibe. It is described as an urban tavern with a chill ambiance with an eclectic, locally sourced menu and a raw bar.
Oso Sonoma is known for its quiet and rustic-yet-modern vibe, and it serves some of the finest wine that Sonoma has to offer. Whether you’re just popping in for drinks and snacks or are looking to order some small plates from their dynamic menu, OSO is a place to be savored.
If you and your partner are looking for something a little more on the casual side, Oso Sonoma is definitely the place to be.
The hours of operation for this restaurant are 11:30 AM to 8 PM Monday, Thursday to Sunday. The restaurant is closed Tuesday and Wednesday.
Address: 9 E Napa St., Sonoma, CA 95476
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