Liza’s Guidebook: Santa Rosa and Beyond

Liza
Liza’s Guidebook: Santa Rosa and Beyond

Local Favorite Restaurants

These are our favorite places to eat within a short walk of our guest suite.
Friendly neighborhood restaurant. Asian fusion menu specializes in Vietnamese, but also does Chinese and Thai dishes well, too. Try orange chicken or spicy lemongrass beef pho!
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Goji Kitchen
1965 Mendocino Ave
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Friendly neighborhood restaurant. Asian fusion menu specializes in Vietnamese, but also does Chinese and Thai dishes well, too. Try orange chicken or spicy lemongrass beef pho!
Local bay area sandwich chain. Each location is independently operated. Sandwiches come toasted on dutch crunch or sourdough (my fave). Love their fried chicken sandwich or cheesesteak.
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Ike's Love and Sandwiches
1780 Mendocino Ave
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Local bay area sandwich chain. Each location is independently operated. Sandwiches come toasted on dutch crunch or sourdough (my fave). Love their fried chicken sandwich or cheesesteak.
Homestyle Italian deli. Try their meatball sandwich, salads or family style raviolis and garlic bread.
Canevari’s Delicatessen & Catering
695 Lewis Rd
Homestyle Italian deli. Try their meatball sandwich, salads or family style raviolis and garlic bread.
Relaxed homestyle Mexican. I usually order the chicken sopas yum. Love their beans and rice.
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Taqueria Santa Rosa #5
791 Montecito Center
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Relaxed homestyle Mexican. I usually order the chicken sopas yum. Love their beans and rice.
Classic American breakfast & lunch cafe, locally owned, a bit of a greasy spoon. A little more affordable than other sit down breakfast options.
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Lita's Cafe
1973 Mendocino Ave
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Classic American breakfast & lunch cafe, locally owned, a bit of a greasy spoon. A little more affordable than other sit down breakfast options.
Nice place to have a drink and wood fired pizza (not a big fan of the rest of their menu). Outdoor beer garden with relaxed seating, including fire pits.
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Steele & Hops Public House
1901 Mendocino Ave
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Nice place to have a drink and wood fired pizza (not a big fan of the rest of their menu). Outdoor beer garden with relaxed seating, including fire pits.
Fresh design your own poke bowls (Hawaiian specialty: rice, seafood, veggies, sauces) and huge drink menu (bubble tea etc.)
T4 Tea For U
2280 Mendocino Ave
Fresh design your own poke bowls (Hawaiian specialty: rice, seafood, veggies, sauces) and huge drink menu (bubble tea etc.)
Delicious udon soup and Japanese style stir fried noodle dishes.
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IPPINN UDON
1880 Mendocino Ave
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Delicious udon soup and Japanese style stir fried noodle dishes.
Family owned local favorite yogurt and ice cream shop. I love their tart yogurt flavors, and they order their scoop ice cream from a local creamery in Petaluma.
Yogurt Farms
1224 Mendocino Ave
Family owned local favorite yogurt and ice cream shop. I love their tart yogurt flavors, and they order their scoop ice cream from a local creamery in Petaluma.
Mexican style shaved ice cream, slushees and other treats. Family owned.
Arctic Neveria
1620 Mendocino Ave
Mexican style shaved ice cream, slushees and other treats. Family owned.
Local and visitor favorite. Has a dynamic menu of small plates paired with wine. Part of the Stark Restaurant group that has many well loved restaurants in Santa Rosa.
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Willi's Wine Bar
1415 Town and Country Dr
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Local and visitor favorite. Has a dynamic menu of small plates paired with wine. Part of the Stark Restaurant group that has many well loved restaurants in Santa Rosa.

Community Features

Places you might need or want to visit. See what makes Rosa a sweet place for residents.
5 minute walk from the guest suite. Great summer repertory theater series brings music theater majors from around the country. Check out the bakery and fine dining put on by their culinary arts program if your schedule happens to line up (limited hours): https://culinary.santarosa.edu/cafe-and-bakery
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Santa Rosa Junior College
1501 Mendocino Ave
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5 minute walk from the guest suite. Great summer repertory theater series brings music theater majors from around the country. Check out the bakery and fine dining put on by their culinary arts program if your schedule happens to line up (limited hours): https://culinary.santarosa.edu/cafe-and-bakery
Main city park of Santa Rosa. Great children's playground with carousel, train, ponies and snack bar. Tennis courts. Trails. Trails connects to 2 other parks: Spring Lake Regional Park, and Annadel State Park.
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하워스파크
630 Summerfield Rd
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Main city park of Santa Rosa. Great children's playground with carousel, train, ponies and snack bar. Tennis courts. Trails. Trails connects to 2 other parks: Spring Lake Regional Park, and Annadel State Park.
Community swimming pool with large slide and water features for little ones. Open swim in the summer months.
Ridgway Swim Center
455 Ridgway Ave
Community swimming pool with large slide and water features for little ones. Open swim in the summer months.
Large community swim center with lap swim schedule year round, large playground and tennis courts
Finley Aquatic Center
2060 W College Ave
Large community swim center with lap swim schedule year round, large playground and tennis courts
Small park close to our guest suite. Large soccer fields and baseball diamond. Nice fenced in playground. Bathrooms and bbq area.
Franklin Park
2095 Franklin Ave
Small park close to our guest suite. Large soccer fields and baseball diamond. Nice fenced in playground. Bathrooms and bbq area.

Neighborhoods and Nearby Towns

Explore some of the neighborhoods, towns and villages that make Santa Rosa and Sonoma County unique
Progressive small town, mixture of hipster, hippie, yuppie, and down-home country. Florence Street is fun to walk down and see the 'junk' sculptures created by Patrick Amiot. The Barlow Center is the hipster shopping center with lots of wine tasting, local food scene restaurants and bars, and boutique shopping. Favorite eateries/coffee: Ramen Gaijin, Fern Bar, Criminal Bakery, Taylor Maid Coffee, Sunday morning farmer's market in town square.
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Sebastopol
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Progressive small town, mixture of hipster, hippie, yuppie, and down-home country. Florence Street is fun to walk down and see the 'junk' sculptures created by Patrick Amiot. The Barlow Center is the hipster shopping center with lots of wine tasting, local food scene restaurants and bars, and boutique shopping. Favorite eateries/coffee: Ramen Gaijin, Fern Bar, Criminal Bakery, Taylor Maid Coffee, Sunday morning farmer's market in town square.
Tiny hamlet nestled in the redwoods. Fun stop on your way to or from the coast. Eat at Howard’s Station for breakfast and Hazel’s for lunch or dinner. Drive on Coleman Valley Road for beautiful views and a sweet short hike to an overlook.
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Occidental
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Tiny hamlet nestled in the redwoods. Fun stop on your way to or from the coast. Eat at Howard’s Station for breakfast and Hazel’s for lunch or dinner. Drive on Coleman Valley Road for beautiful views and a sweet short hike to an overlook.

Coffee and Bakeries

Local Sonoma County only mini chain. Solid food menu and bakery items when you need your avocado toast and pumpkin teacake fix. Churro donuts! Minimalist styling. Pretty latte art. 1/2 off bakery goods in later afternoon.
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Acre Coffee
2365 Midway Dr
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Local Sonoma County only mini chain. Solid food menu and bakery items when you need your avocado toast and pumpkin teacake fix. Churro donuts! Minimalist styling. Pretty latte art. 1/2 off bakery goods in later afternoon.
Yum just yum. Desserts and breakfast/lunch cafe menu. Santa Rosa location is in the West End neighborhood near Railroad Square. New Sebastopol location too.
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Criminal Baking Co.
808 Donahue St
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Yum just yum. Desserts and breakfast/lunch cafe menu. Santa Rosa location is in the West End neighborhood near Railroad Square. New Sebastopol location too.
Who can pass up a gourmet donut shop?? Not me...donuts are my happy weakness, and these are fresh and fluffy with interesting flavor combos.
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City Garden Doughnuts & Coffee
1200 4th St
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Who can pass up a gourmet donut shop?? Not me...donuts are my happy weakness, and these are fresh and fluffy with interesting flavor combos.
Wood fired bread and scones made in house. Sweet garden and tiny town (Freestone) on your way out to the coast. If you really want a splurge, add a stop at Osmosis Day Spa across the street!
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Wild Flour Bread
140 Bohemian Hwy
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Wood fired bread and scones made in house. Sweet garden and tiny town (Freestone) on your way out to the coast. If you really want a splurge, add a stop at Osmosis Day Spa across the street!
Known for their Gravenstein Apple Pies (when in season) this place does fruit pies REALLY well.
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Mom's Apple Pie
4550 Gravenstein Hwy N
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Known for their Gravenstein Apple Pies (when in season) this place does fruit pies REALLY well.
Awesome ice cream shop in Sebastopol.
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Screamin' Mimi's
6902 Sebastopol Ave
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Awesome ice cream shop in Sebastopol.

Hikes!

Best Places for a Hike in Sonoma County
Lots of hiking options short or long. Oak grasslands with some redwood grove surprises mixed in. Pretty heavily used by mountain bikers and locals
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트리오네-애나델 주립 공원
6201 Channel Dr
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Lots of hiking options short or long. Oak grasslands with some redwood grove surprises mixed in. Pretty heavily used by mountain bikers and locals
Stroll through a beautiful redwood grove, or hike up the ridge for views and few other people
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Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve Visitor Center
17000 Armstrong Woods Rd
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Stroll through a beautiful redwood grove, or hike up the ridge for views and few other people
Park at Shell Beach and cross highway 1 to hike up a hill and back towards Pomo Canyon filled with redwoods. About 6 miles roundtrip. Hawk watching and varied landscapes, beautiful views out over the Pacific Ocean.
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Shell Beach
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Park at Shell Beach and cross highway 1 to hike up a hill and back towards Pomo Canyon filled with redwoods. About 6 miles roundtrip. Hawk watching and varied landscapes, beautiful views out over the Pacific Ocean.
Old growth redwood grove with few visitors. About 1 mile flat loop. Nice spot for quiet reflection.
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LandPaths Grove of Old Trees
17599 Fitzpatrick Ln
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Old growth redwood grove with few visitors. About 1 mile flat loop. Nice spot for quiet reflection.
Good variety of hikes, beautiful views. Located off of highway 12/Valley of the Moon area
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Sugarloaf Ridge State Park
2605 Adobe Canyon Rd
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Good variety of hikes, beautiful views. Located off of highway 12/Valley of the Moon area
I recommend parking at the upper lot off of Kawana Terrace Road. Short hike up the mountain to see 270 degree views awesome to visit close to sunset.
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Taylor Mountain Regional Park
2080 Kawana Terrace
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I recommend parking at the upper lot off of Kawana Terrace Road. Short hike up the mountain to see 270 degree views awesome to visit close to sunset.

Sightseeing

Neat spot to tour especially if you have any interest in California history. Replica of fort built by Russian traders in mid 1800s with a few original buildings. Also has exhibits and annual festival celebrating the coastal Native American tribe of this region.
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Fort Ross
19005 Coast Hwy
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Neat spot to tour especially if you have any interest in California history. Replica of fort built by Russian traders in mid 1800s with a few original buildings. Also has exhibits and annual festival celebrating the coastal Native American tribe of this region.
So many beaches, so little time. I don't think most locals have been to all the beaches along this stretch...some favorites are Doran Beach for kids (best beach for playing in the water safely), Salmon Creek Beach (sand sledding anyone?), Portuguese Beach (cool boulders, lots of space), and Goat Rock Beach (where the Russian River meets the Pacific). No parking fees.
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Sonoma Coast State Park
3095 CA-1
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So many beaches, so little time. I don't think most locals have been to all the beaches along this stretch...some favorites are Doran Beach for kids (best beach for playing in the water safely), Salmon Creek Beach (sand sledding anyone?), Portuguese Beach (cool boulders, lots of space), and Goat Rock Beach (where the Russian River meets the Pacific). No parking fees.

SR 4th Street/Downtown Foodie Scene

Lots of great restaurants on 4th street and surrounds, about 1.5 miles from the guest suite.
Delicious Mexican. Love their salads, chips, salsa, margaritas, pretty much everything. Lots of space inside, usually does not have a wait for groups or require reservations.
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La Rosa | Tequileria & Grille
500 4th St
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Delicious Mexican. Love their salads, chips, salsa, margaritas, pretty much everything. Lots of space inside, usually does not have a wait for groups or require reservations.
Puerto Rican food! Chicken, plantains, beans& rice! Friendly ambiance, comfort food.
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El Coqui
400 Mendocino Ave
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Puerto Rican food! Chicken, plantains, beans& rice! Friendly ambiance, comfort food.
Famous brewery, try some of their craft brews!
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Russian River Brewing Company - Santa Rosa Location
725 4th St
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Famous brewery, try some of their craft brews!
Creative and traditional sushi. Large space with neat layout in hideaway booths.
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Haku Sushi
518 7th St
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Creative and traditional sushi. Large space with neat layout in hideaway booths.
Now a small chain in Sonoma County, this is the original location. Huge burgers, milkshakes, fries, onion rings or tater tots, served at a horseshoe bar or some outdoor seating.
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Superburger
1501 4th St
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Now a small chain in Sonoma County, this is the original location. Huge burgers, milkshakes, fries, onion rings or tater tots, served at a horseshoe bar or some outdoor seating.
Local favorite breakfast spot. Cinnamon pull apart bread. Breakfast, brunch, lunch with a slightly Southern bent. All about the food, skip the coffee.
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Dierk's Midtown Café
1422 4th St
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Local favorite breakfast spot. Cinnamon pull apart bread. Breakfast, brunch, lunch with a slightly Southern bent. All about the food, skip the coffee.
Homemade pie and ice cream with stylish decor on 4th Street/downtown.
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Noble Folk Ice Cream And pie bar
539 4th St
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Homemade pie and ice cream with stylish decor on 4th Street/downtown.
I actually haven't been here yet but I want to go! Have it on my list to go to one of their murder mystery dinners or Harry Potter themed events.
Tudor Rose English Tea Room
733 4th St
I actually haven't been here yet but I want to go! Have it on my list to go to one of their murder mystery dinners or Harry Potter themed events.
Delicious Korean food. I love that Santa Rosa has a Korean restaurant
Han Bul Korean BBQ
522 7th St
Delicious Korean food. I love that Santa Rosa has a Korean restaurant