Best food North of San Francisco – Markets (produce, cheese, meat, fish, bakeries, coffee etc)

[rworange]

This isn’t meant to be comprehensive or list every shop in the area ... only the best.

This is not my neck of the woods. I hope others will contribute.

If there isn’t a website, I listed a Chowhound report with the address. A newspaper article is the link if there were no Chowhound reports. Searching Chowhound will result in good tips for many of these shops.

I’ll update periodically with the suggestions in this topic noting additions with an edit comment at the end of this post.

I keep this list for my own info, so I don’t have to keep googling for websites. I would ask people NOT link to this in the future when questions about the best market, bakery, etc. are asked on the board.

Things change and it might discourage some great new hint. After a few days when a topic has run its course, then it's ok to link to this post as supplemental info, if anyone wants to.

BAKERIES AND BREAD

Artisan Bakers – Sonoma
http://www.artisanbakers.com/
Basque Boulangerie – Sonoma
http://www.sonomashop.com/pages/basque.html
Bouchon Bakery- Younteville
http://www.bouchonbakery.com/
Della Fattoria - Petaluma
http://www.dellafattoria.com/della.htm
Downtown Bakery & Creamery – Healdsburg
http://www.downtownbakery.net/
Emporio Rulli – Larkspur ‘
http://www.rulli.com/
Fat Angel Bakery - Fairfax
http://fatangelbakery.com/
John & Jill's Cheesecake
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/39908#190384
Sweden House Bakery (princess cake) – Tiberon
http://www.scandinavius.com/commerce.htm
Sweet Things - Tiburon
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/18528#59189

CHEESE

Joe Matos Cheese Factory - Santa Rosa
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2003/03/06/WI215829.DTL&type=wine
The Cheesemakers Daughter
http://www.cheesemakersdaughter.com/
Tomales Bay Foods (more
)http://www.cowgirlcreamery.com/
Vella Cheese
http://www.vellacheese.com/

COFFEE AND TEA

Flying Goat Coffee – Healdsburg
http://www.flyinggoatcoffee.com/

ETHNIC SHOPS

Asian Market - Santa Rosa
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/45074#223810
Asiana Market - Cotati
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/45074
The Spanish Table - Marin
http://www.spanishtable.com/

FARMERS MARKETS & FARMS

Bill's Farm Basket
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/310786
Chaolee Strawberries - Petaluma (in season
)http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/311683
Crane Melon Barn – Santa Rosa (in season
)http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/39367
Healdsburg Farmers Market
http://www.sonomacountyfarmbureau.com/home.htm
Kozlowski Farms in Forestville
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/309854
Marin Civic Center Markets
http://www.marincountyfarmersmarkets.org/
Mike's Truck Garden - Fulton
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/36066
Sebastopol Berry Farm (in season
)http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/309849
Sonoma Tuesday night Farmers Market
http://www.sonomacountyfarmbureau.com/home.htm
Tierra Vegetables - Santa Rosa
http://www.tierravegetables.com/

MARKETS

Brown's Valley Market in Napa
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/311925
Dean & DeLuca - St. Helena
http://www.deandeluca.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ExecMacro/store/california.d2w/report
Good Earth Natural - Fairfax
http://www.goodearthnaturalfoods.net/
Jimtown Store – Healdsburg
http://jimtown.com/
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2005/02/27/TRGOTBFH9M1.DTL
Oakville Grocery, - Napa, Healdsburg
http://www.oakvillegrocery.com/
Sonoma Market – Sonoma
http://www.sonoma-glenellenmkt.com/
Sunshine Market - St. Helena
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/311906
the fig pantry - Sonoma
http://www.thefigpantry.com/
Vallergas – Napa ... yeah, I know this is marginal. Enough conmplaints and it will get dropped
http://www.vallergas.com/

MEAT AND SEAFOOD MARKETS

Osprey Seafood Market – Napa
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/36745#170206

SWEETS

Woodhouse Chocolates – Napa
http://www.woodhousechocolate.com/

WINE

Bounty Hunter Rare Wine & Provisions – Napa
http://www.bountyhunterwine.com/
The Wine Exchange – Sonoma
http://www.winex.com/

*** Note: Edited July 24 at 1 pm with suggestions posted in this topic prior to that time.

[Ruby Louise]

Under Markets, I'd add Brown's Valley Market in Napa, which has the best butcher shop in the valley, a good cheese selection and nice produce. This is a thread from June 2004 about them:
http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

[Mick Ruthven]

John & Jill's Cheesecake is almost as good as JM Rosen's and it costs a lot less. It's a wholesale operation where they sell you their seconds "over the counter". I can't tell they're seconds. I also can't remember the prices but it's cheap.

John & Jill's Cheesecake
4 Commercial Blvd
Novato, CA
415-382-1292

Sweet Things in the Cove Shopping Center in Tiburon (not far off 101) has been making great pastries for a long time, especially their chocolate things. I recently sampled their "chocolate decadence" and it was right up there with the top chocolate things I've ever had.

There have been a few recent posts, including mine, about a new bakery in Fairfax called Fat Angel. Very good!

[Earl Grey]

Nonna's is now The Fig Pantry, owned by the same people who do the great Girl & the Fig restaurant. I was just there and it's much more clear what kind of store it is. Nonna's was ok but it seems a little disjointed. Very nice and I think good things are going to happen there.

Dean & Deluca has been going downhill for years. I think people have caught on to their greedy, in$ane markups. And the selection is getting smaller. I find locals shop at Sunshine Market and the Vallergas (in Napa)instead.

[rworange]

Thanks Earl. I asked a while ago about The Fig Pantry and didn't get a response. I want to stop by.

I'm going to leave Dean and Deluca on there as long as your comment is here. Otherwise, I know it is going to continue to be mentioned.

[Earl Grey]

I think the Fig Pantry has only been open a few weeks.

re: dean and Deluca, it's an important store and you should leave it there. Even at its current state, it's worth a visit. I just wouldn't recommend buying anything there!

[Melanie Wong]

JM Rosen cheesecake is available at the Petaluma Market. The plain 2 lb. 4 oz. size is $32.

[rworange]

Is the restaurant/bakery closed?

[Melanie Wong]

The wholesale bakery where the cheesecakes are made is a separate operation from the restaurant.