Healdsburg Recs?

[scfinson]

Going to Sonoma staying in Healdsburg. Have reservations at Cyrus looking for other chow favorites in town. Also any unique wine tasting places no mega producers need apply. Thanks.

[jaimecouchon]

Scopa is getting a lot of buzz, but I always opt for Bovolo. The salumi platter is one of the best in the Bay Area. Don't miss the Dry Creek General for lunch and a beer to break up your day of tasting. I really like the family of wineries up by Dry Creek Olive Oil Co. and most on Westside Road.

[KateMW]

I need some help with a breakfast place we went in Healdsburg a couple of summers ago. It was a bakery/breakfast spot and they served a really good breakfast pizza. I believe it was owned by a woman? It was also busy and it didn't really have many tables, but you could eat there if you were lucky. So good! I'd love to try and go back when we come to Napa in September. Thanks!

[Melanie Wong]

If it's part bakery, then you were at the Downtown Bakery and Cafe on the plaza, I bet. Here's my post on the pizza,
http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/44363

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Downtown Bakery & Creamery
308 Center St, Healdsburg, CA 95448

[KateMW]

Does their breakfast pizza have an egg on it? I seem to remember this one did...
I do remember them having sourdough starter, because I really wanted to buy some, but it doesn't exactly travel to AL very well. So that's probably the place. Maybe we'll venture over the Healdsburg one morning from Napa.

[Melanie Wong]

There are breakfast pizzas with egg on them on the menu. Bovolo on the other side of the square also makes breakfast pizzas with egg, but doesn't have a bakery. If you're making a special trip, you might want to try both and then be sure to let us know how it goes!

[KateMW]

Yes! That is is. It was soo good. We almost stayed in Healdsburg just to be closer to the pizza. But, we've decided to stay at the new AVIA Napa in Napa, so I am hoping we find something suitable closer to us for most of the days. Any recs for a good breakfast in Napa or close by? We'll probably go to Bouchon Bakery one of the days, because I am a bit of a TK nerd.

[Melanie Wong]

Alexis Baking Co (aka ABC) in downtown Napa has some nice breakfast items. Beautiful Hollandaise.

I'm not a fan of Bouchon Bakery. However, the Napa Valley doesn't have much in the way of french pastries, so it has to do if you're over there.

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Alexis Baking Co
1517 3rd St, Napa, CA 94559

[abstractpoet]

Bovolo, in the main square, is great for a casual lunch and a gelato. And it's a restaurant/gelateria inside a bookstore. How cool is that?

People really like the farmers market, but I've never been.

My favorite wine tastings in Healdsburg were at Dry Creek Vineyard (some great deals here) and Preston. If you make it out to Preston, then you might as well check out Bella, too, where a lot of people like to picnic (though personally I'd rather picnic at Preston, where you can also buy olives, bread, and fresh strawberries). Bella is the one with the "cave".

To my uneducated palate, the zinfandels at Dry Creek are knock-your-socks-off good, and their dry whites (a bargain at under $15) are also fantastic.

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Bovolo
106 Matheson St, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Preston Vineyards & Winery
9206 W Dry Creek Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Bella Vineyards
9711 W Dry Creek Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Dry Creek Vineyard
3770 Lambert Bridge Rd, Healdsburg, CA

[tvham]

Bovolo is a favorite of mine, too. They make a fantastic breakfast pizza if you're there early in the day. I also recently had some great sliders at Barndiva.

Favorite wineries are: A.Rafanelli, Unti, Ridge, Quivera

[LaFlaca]

Skip BarnDiva (poor service, so-so food). You might enjoy Healdsburg Bar and Grill (same owners and chef as Cyrus), Zin, WIlly's Wine Bar, or Bistro Ralph. Get out early and enjoy some outstanding baked goods at Downtown Bakery (they also do a nice breakfast or lunch).
I agree with wolfe about Preston. We live in Alexander Valley and have been to MANY wineries, and we visit Preston nearly every Sunday. It's the only winery where we are members. Preston has become more of a farm than a winery, and Lou is doing an outstanding job of reverting to the "old ways" and traditions of farming in Dry Creek. Lou still bakes bread in his wood oven every Tuesday and Saturday.

[Melanie Wong]

"Healdsburg Bar and Grill (same owners and chef as Cyrus)"
Are you sure about that? It's my understanding that HB&G has one of the same owners as before, but has engaged the team at Cyrus to manage the operations.

[LaFlaca]

Could be. But I know Doug Keane has a heavy hand there..........

[Melanie Wong]

He oversees the menu, but isn't involved on a day to day basis. Standards are said to be higher now for the burgers and pizza. I haven't been yet, what do you recommend at HBG?

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Healdsburg Bar & Grill
245 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg, CA

[abstractpoet]

The other thing I like at Preston is how they let you pick your 4 wines for the tasting rather than having a preset flight...

We sampled the bread when we went, but didn't realize that it was baked on-site! Good to know. But the very small (and very sweet) strawberries we bought were great...and a bargain at, I believe, $2.50 a pound (pay by honor system).

[wolfe]

Lots of interesting possibilities at this site.
http://search.chow.com/search?query=h...