Beautiful Mornings

IIn a rush? Grab your coffee (and an empanada) to go from Grand Central Petaluma, or linger a while as you sip your coffee overlooking the Petaluma River. Local mainstay Petaluma Coffee and Tea Co. brews up espresso drinks and loose-leaf teas. Avid Coffee roasts its beans in nearby Windsor and sources coffee from growers and importers who support sustainable farming practices. At Stellina Pronto, order the cappuccino and morning bun, and good luck getting out of there without ordering the entire pastry case. For more handheld baked goods, grab a quick bite at The Bagel Mill—the sourdough bagel sandwiches are made with wheat milled on-site.

If riverfront views and French-inspired plates are your morning jam, check out Water Street Bistro. Pro tip: Order the quiche du jour for a dash of Paris in Petaluma. Tea Room Cafe serves elevated “no-fuss” fare— think croissant egg sandwiches and potato pancakes with smoked gouda and harissa. Sax’s Joint whips up 1950s diner flair with its inventive takes on French toast (custard-filled French toast anyone?). Country skillets, scrambles, and hash, are served in a checkerboard-tiled dining room at Hallie’s Diner. And for scratch-made, organic breakfast, there’s locally beloved Eggspresso Cafe. Order The Petaluma breakfast sando loaded with soft scrambled eggs, cheese, caramelized onions, and sriracha mayo on a warm brioche bun.

For a sit-down affair, there’s nothing like weekend brunch. The Brunch Station serves homemade, organic American breakfast favorites with a log cabin, railroad station vibe. Try the smoked salmon-topped toast and a honey lavender hibiscus mimosa at Della Fattoria’s downtown cafe. Go decadent with a helping of challah French toast, complete with mascarpone sweet cream, berries, and caramelized banana, and a signature bellini at Cafe Bellini. But if mimosas are more your style, head to Cafe Mimosa to sip on the flavor of the month or partake in bottomless mimosa brunch (weekends only). And a stop at Easy Rider is a must for dishes like fried chicken and waffles with chile-maple syrup and honey butter (Saturday and Sunday only).

–Lauren Bonney

Boozy Brunch

Brunch is served every day at Cafe Bellini. Try the bellini flight or order a classic mimosa.

Chef’s Cut

ROBERTH SUNDELL STOCKHOME

Curds And Whey

FROM FROMAGE BLANC TO CAMEMBERT, EAT YOUR WAY ALONG THE CALIFORNIA CHEESE TRAIL

Schedule a ranch tour at the family-owned Achadinha Cheese Company, which includes a visit to the milking parlor and loafing barns to meet the cows, and enjoy a complimentary cheese tasting. You can also try your hand at cheesemaking during one of Achadinha’s group classes. Head to Petaluma Creamery to sample cheese from Spring Hill Jersey Cheese—a Petaluma-based business that uses milk sourced from several Northern California dairy-farming families. (Order a deli sando from the shop, too.) Share a mini brie with friends over a picnic by the pond at Marin French Cheese Co. For even more places to get your cheese fix, visit cheesetrail.org or pick up a California Cheese Trail map at the Petaluma Visitors Center.

–Olivia Olsen

The cleverly named Stockhome is modern, intimate, and brimming with flavorful bites from Sweden and its many culinary influences. Married co-owners chef Roberth and Andrea Sundell owned a restaurant in San Francisco, but wanted a community-minded passion project in Petaluma, the city they call home. Since opening in 2018, Stockhome has received the Michelin Bib Gourmand award and draws hungry diners to its downtown location.

With this sunny eatery, chef Sundell, a native Swede, shares some of the unexpected cultural inflections found in his hometown of Stockholm—an urban melting pot where you’ll find classic Scandinavian bites alongside Middle Eastern flavors. Stockhome’s eclectic menu is also bolstered by a few California-style standouts, including bright salads and a mouth-watering burger.

–Joanna Della Penna

WHERE DO YOU GO WHEN YOU WANT THE BEST …

Espresso: Grand Central Petaluma

Breakfast: Tea Room

Cafe Pastries: Stellina Pronto

Bagels: The Bagel Mill

Dinner: The Shuckery

Drinks: Mario & John’s

Chef’s Cut

BRIAN LEITNER AND ANNETTE YANG PEARL

Pearl, in Petaluma’s historic Warehouse District, is a gem of a restaurant, with an elevated but welcoming atmosphere, pristine California ingredients, and sultry flavors focused mainly on the eastern Mediterranean. The daytime cafe and weekend brunch destination feels classic yet personal, with a no-tip model and ever-changing menu.

Co-owners chef Brian Leitner and Annette Yang are longtime industry vets, with stints in San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, but decided to plant their roots in Petaluma to open Pearl. –J.D.P.

WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO OPEN A RESTAURANT HERE?

Petaluma was exactly the kind of place we wanted to be—the right size, supportive community, and growing restaurant and wine scene. Then we found a corner spot with a wood oven a little off the beaten path, in a cool, mixed-use neighborhood, and it was perfect.

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE AREA ACTIVITIES?

We love to hike in Point Reyes or Inverness. A loop around Helen Putnam Regional Park or Tolay Lake Regional Park is great.

Afternoon Delights

SStave off that afternoon slump with a meal from Wild Goat Bistro. Its unique take on pizzas, salads, and sandwiches include the “hippie Caesar,” with watermelon radish and cashew dressing, and the “adult grilled cheese,” with comte, gruyere, and shallots. Bonus: Nearly everything on the menu is gluten free—even desserts! Stick with the farm-fresh vibes at Lunchette. This grab-and-go spot serves seasonal salads, warm grain bowls, and pizza by the slice. Keeping with the to-go theme, Ray’s Delicatessen and Tavern is a local haunt that’s been stacking its meaty subs and sandwiches since 1947. Build your own sando or opt for one of Ray’s specialty creations—you can’t go wrong with the pastrami.

For a sit-down meal, dive into a plate of authentic Italian at family-owned Cucina Paradiso. Everything on the menu here is made from scratch, from focaccia to pasta. Molto bene! In the Theatre District, join the line of hungry locals at Sol Food for Puerto Rican favorites like tostones, papas fritas, and pollo al horno. To keep the Latin flavors going, Tortilla Real cooks up dishes sourced from the Flores family’s ancestral recipes, using authentic and traditional ingredients, including fresh corn masa for the handmade tortillas. And for even more Mexican fare, and some pretty incredible margaritas, stop into either of Mi Pueblo’s two Petaluma locations.

And if you’re hankering for a burger or barbecue, P-town has you covered. Acme Burger uses locally raised, hormone- and antibiotic-free beef for its burger patties, and offers turkey, fried chicken, tuna, and vegan burger options as well. When it comes to Butcher Crown Roadhouse, you better come hungry. In addition to offering classic barbecue mainstays (ribs, smoked brisket, hot links), this joint also turns out hearty platters of pulled pork totchos (tater tot nachos). Fair warning: When the barbecue is gone, that’s it for the day. –L.B.

Cheers With Beers

Petaluma is home to plenty of tasty craft breweries. See where

SUGAR, BABY

IT’S A FACT. YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE HUNGRY FOR DESSERT. HERE’S WHERE TO FIND THE BEST TREATS IN TOWN.

Petaluma Pie Company serves classic flavors like coconut cream and lemon meringue—or get a little wild with a slice of apple pecan crumble with salted caramel. Travel to South America with just one bite of Grand Central Petaluma’s sweet guava- and cream cheese-filled empanada or free-trade Ecuadorian chocolate. For those in need of ice cream (hey, we’ve all been there) there’s Angela’s Ice Cream (double down on a classic sundae or a mini “crack” pie) and Sweet Scoop Homemade Ice Cream—go for a helping of Alota Choca-lata. Located in Putnam Plaza, Once Upon A Slush doles out fabulously frozen drinks—slushies, floats, shakes, frappes—and spoon-worthy treats like affogato. Just watch the brain freeze! –L.B.

Best Bites

Friedgoodness!chicken

The beloved local pop-up Belfare just opened its first brick-and-mortar location in south Petaluma. Get the fried chicken sandwich, topped with dill pickles, sesame mayo, and Cajun cabbage.

Best Bites

For out-of-this-world sushi, try the 107 Special roll at Sake 107: shrimp tempura, crab, and garliclaced eggplant wrapped with thinly-sliced avocado.

Perfect Pairings

THESE RESTAURANTS AND BARS EMBRACE PETALUMA’S SPIRIT OF COLLABORATION, SHARING SPACES AND OFFERING EACH OTHER’S MENU ITEMS.

KITCHEN COLLABS

Bagels and wine may be an unconventional combo, but for The Bagel Mill and DRNK, it makes perfect sense. Nosh on a Reuben sandwich on marble rye at The Bagel Mill during the day, then head back after hours for DRNK’s pop-up tasting room. And if you get a little peckish during your imbibing, order takeout from Stockhome

ALL-IN-ONE SIPS

In downtown’s vibrant Theatre District, Adobe Creek Brewing lets guests bring in takeout from Puerto Rican joint Sol Food. So while you sip on your Invisible Peak imperial IPA, nosh on a San Juan Special—steak, cheese, and tomato sandwich. (You can also order delivery to the taproom from Hank’s and Urban Deli.) Elsewhere, Crooked Goat Brewing and Acme Burger share a happy union on Howard Street. Order a classic Acme burger from the taproom bar and have it delivered while you drink. –O.O.

Dinner With A View

For Peruvian plates overlooking the Petaluma River, head to Ayawaska RestoBar. Order the ceviche!