visiting farms in SF Bay area

[shoh5223]

Hi, my boyfriend and I are coming out to the Bay Area (from NYC) for a wedding in Sonoma and is extending our trip by a few days. We were in Napa two summers ago and greatly enjoyed Bottega, Bouchon Bakery, Schramsberg and Kelham Vineyard. We're keeping our fingers crossed for a reservation at French Laundry, but was wondering if you folks could recommend some additional places to check out? We'd love to find a working farm w. a restaurant like Blue Hill at Stone Barn to visit. We're also thinking of visiting Big Sur, so any recommendations around there would also be greatly appreciated. Thank you much!

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The French Laundry
6640 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599

Bouchon Bakery
6528 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599

Bottega
6525 Washington Street Suite A9, Yountville, CA 94599

[cvhound]

Perhaps this would be of interest to you?

http://www.longmeadowranch.com/Farmst...

[janeyoc]

How about this ranch dinner hosted by a bakery?

http://www.dellafattoria.com/ranch/ra...

Also I would check out the Cowgirl Cremery cheese tours.

[Windy]

I love Della Fattoria, but $90 seems kind of pricey for a pizza dinner. Have you been?

On the other hand, their farm lodging sounds like fun and it's a good value: http://www.dellafattoria.com/ranchAcc...

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Della Fattoria
141 Petaluma Blvd N, Petaluma, CA 94952

[wally]

Rumor was that they used to cook lamb in the wood burning oven for the dinner.

[Robert Lauriston]

$90 without wine is a bit steep but it's not just pizza: "... local cheeses, Della breads, artisanal salumi, nuts and fruit to start. For the main event we bring out big platters of seasonal salads, roasted, grilled and stuffed veggies and pizzas served with grilled meats from our outdoor flat top wood-fired BBQ.To finish we serve coffee and seasonal fruit desserts made by our pastry crew at our downtown cafe."

[Windy]

Yes, it's a bunch of salads and pizza with unnamed grilled meats. And pastry, served family style with folding chairs.

If it were a $90 prix fixe in the city for that, people would laugh at them. Of course it's half what those crazy Outstanding in the Field people charge, but then, they have white tablecloths.

[shoh5223]

thanks everyone for all the wonderful suggestions. We've decided to check out Manresa in Los Gatos, skip Big Sur and just spend a few days in Half Moon Bay before heading up to Yountville for dinner at French Laundry.

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Manresa Restaurant
320 Village Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95030

The French Laundry
6640 Washington Street, Yountville, CA 94599

[Ruth Lafler]

Sounds like a good plan.

[artychokeasana]

I recently moved to Half Moon Bay from the bay side of the Peninsula and love it here. Where are you going to stay? If you do a search on Half Moon Bay you'll find some good recommendations for food and dining-but as long as I'm typing I'll suggest dinner or lunch at Pasta Moon it's essentially produce driven California Italian food and drinks and a snack at La Costanera (actually in Montara) in the downstairs bar area or on the patio because the view is stunning.

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Pasta Moon
315 Main St., Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

La Costanera
8150 Cabrillo Highway, Montara, CA 94037

[artychokeasana]

One more thing-you might like to drive down the coast from HMB to Pie Ranch. On the 3rd Saturday of each month they have a work party day followed by a pot luck dinner and a barn dance. If you are not here on a 3rd Saturday they have a farm stand on weekends that sells produce and pie. They are a pretty cool group of people-practicing sustainable farming methods with a mission to educate urban kids about agriculture and good food.

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Pie Ranch
2080 Cabrillo Highway, Pescadero, CA

[MrsWheatie]

Zazu restaurant and farm in Santa Rosa
http://www.zazurestaurant.com/

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Zazu Restaurant
3535 Guerneville Road, Santa Rosa, CA 95401

[wolfe]

Harley Farms, pet the goats, eat the cheese, book a dinner.
http://www.harleyfarms.com/dinners.ph...

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Harley Farms
205 North St, Pescadero, CA

[Robert Lauriston]

Harley Farms on the way to Big Sur, if you take the scenic route down 1, but you have to book months in advance.

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Harley Farms
205 North St, Pescadero, CA

[wally]

Big Sur is a moot point if they are coming soon, due to the slides.

[Windy]

Only the dinners are booked months in advance. The regular farm tours usually have availability.

[Robert Lauriston]

Farm tours without a meal are abundant in Napa and Sonoma.

[Ruth Lafler]

Right. There are lots of restaurants that have affiliated farms, and there are lots of farms you can tour that don't have restaurants. But a restaurant that's actually on a working farm (i.e. more than just a vegetable garden). Can't think of one.

[CarrieWas218]

I've got one for you - although not huge, Brixin Napa has farm right on the edge of the vineyards outside their restaurant. They often give mini tours of what is growing and being pulled for various dishes. It isn't a huge farm by any means, but modest and respectable they showcase it on their website: http://www.brix.com/garden/

[wolfe]

I don't know, sounds more like a vegetable garden rather than a "Farm."
http://www.stonebarnscenter.org/

[CarrieWas218]

I agree, but it is better than nothing if that is the experience they are looking for and is the best thing we have to offer!

[myst]

Harley Farms has about 200 baby goats right now, so you might enjoy that..plus the cheese is vary good and Half Moon Bay area has a few nice places to eat. Right near the farm is Duarte's which is more like an old school diner with fresh pie and artichoke soup. I'm not a fan of crab salad, but their crab melt is popular with people too (I don't like mayo....).

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Harley Farms
205 North St, Pescadero, CA

[bbulkow]

I think the cheese is only OK. It doesn't stand up to the astonishingly great cheeses of Sonoma, and certainly not worth a 2 hour drive.

[myst]

I would not suggest making it the point of your trip, but if you are in the area anyway its not a bad detour and the little market in town give you a couple other options for snacks too. Some people go just to see the goats, but I don't really like the smell :b. They reported 206 kids this year.

[Robert Lauriston]

I can't think of any restaurants located on working farms. There are zoning restrictions that would make that difficult. The closest thing I can think of is the Apple Farm in Philo (Mendocino County, so would be discussed on the California board) has cooking classes.

http://www.chow.com/restaurants/26687/the-philo-apple-farm

Out Standing in the Field organizes dinners on farms. Reports here have been mixed, which makes sense since there are so many variables.

http://outstandinginthefield.com/even...

Vineyards Inn gets spectacular produce from its organic garden. I'm not sure if you can tour it.

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Vineyards Inn
8445 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood, CA 95452

[wally]

Manresa has a farm, Love Apple Farm, but it is not located on the farm. Not Big Sur, but i that direction.

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Manresa Restaurant
320 Village Lane, Los Gatos, CA 95030

[Robert Lauriston]

Generally, the only way to visit Love Apple Farm (Santa Cruz County, so discussed on the California board) is to sign up for a class:

http://www.growbetterveggies.com/grow...

[Ruth Lafler]

I'm not aware of any restaurant that is doing "working farm" to the extent of raising its own animals. There are quite a few restaurants that either grow their own produce or have affiliations with farms that grow produce specifically for them. Since you're going to be in the Sonoma area, you might want to check out the Vineyards Inn in Kenwood and the Farmhouse Inn in Forestville.

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Farmhouse Inn
7871 River Rd, Forestville, CA 95436

Vineyards Inn
8445 Sonoma Hwy, Kenwood, CA 95452

[DavidT]

For information on farms in Sonoma County, check out the Farm Trails website:

http://www.farmtrails.org/

Otherwise, go to the upper righthand corner of this page and do searches for Sonoma and any town in the county your are thinking of visiting (Healdsburg, Santa Rosa, etc.). You will find dozens and dozens of helpful suggestions already here for you to review.