The best Healdsburg restaurants range from upscale French to classic American with a California twist. Farm-to-table dining is extremely popular here, as is the local wine scene, so most restaurants are known for their fantastic wines and unique menus.
The quaint countryside town of Healdsburg is only a two-hour drive from the hustle and bustle of San Francisco and an even more laid-back drive from the noise and jam-packed freeways of Silicon Valley.
With its picturesque parks, cafes, shops, rooftops, and restaurants, this town has something to offer to everyone.
Along Healdsburg Avenue, you’ll find several tasting rooms and pop-up restaurants, whereas Cook Street has several venues where you can eat everything, from tapas to sliders, pizza to fried chicken.
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The 10 Best Healdsburg Restaurants
Bravas Bar de Tapas
420 Center St, Healdsburg // +17074337700
Bravas Bar de Tapas is an intimate and chic spot with an addictive tapas menu and gorgeous Mediterranean food.
Whether you’re craving fresh seafood or traditional meat, the restaurant offers a range of savory bites to share, such as burrata cheese, cigalas (local anchovies), octopus ceviche, sardines in a homemade chile sauce and spicy grilled shrimp.
There are also fried pig ears and a ham-and-cheese bar here, as well as a selection of gin and tonics like the Levante, which is made with Hayman’s Old Tom gin, orange, saffron, and cardamom.
Barndiva
231 Center St, Healdsburg // +17074310100
There’s a lot to love about Healdsburg and when food is involved, Barndiva definitely tops my list. Chef Ryan Fancher cooks up incredible dishes featuring some of my favorite things like pork belly, duck confit, and burrata.
Nestled in the hills of Healdsburg, Barndiva is an absolute gem of a restaurant. Set back from a winding road, the outside of the restaurant doesn’t even look like a restaurant.
The inside of Barndiva is rustic and classy at the same time, with beautiful floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking rolling green hills.
I went for brunch and had Croque madame—and it was delicious! Since everything is locally sourced, the menu frequently changes depending on what is seasonally available.
The staff is incredibly friendly, always going above and beyond to make sure we were happy and comfortable.
Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar
403 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg // +17074339191
Chef Willi and Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar are a breath of fresh air in Healdsburg. Their menu is modern and contemporary, as is their restaurant.
Shareable seafood plates, sort of like tapas, allow you to order multiple plates to experience everything. There are also plenty of non-seafood & gluten-free options, so there is something for everyone.
I recommend you start with the ultra-fresh ceviche and curdo, then move on to a lobster roll with a load of meat and the tennis ball-sized crab cake with no filler, along with the Fondue with Chorizo and housemade Fritos.
Agave | Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar
1063 Vine St, Healdsburg // +17074332411
Octavio Diaz, a native of Mexico, cooks south-of-the-border dishes that are full of fresh ingredients and authentic flavors.
Just as in his homeland, Diaz serves his food family-style and gives every diner a chance to try various dishes.
The appetizers vary from day to day, but the lamb chops are always grilled to perfection and served with tangy tomatillo salsa.
The mole negro de Oaxaca is a spicy preparation of chicken that blends beautifully with the corn tortillas and refried beans that accompany it. Or you can try something lighter such as salmon coated with thinly sliced jalapeno peppers.
Chalkboard
29 North St, Healdsburg // +17074738030
Chalkboard is a fun, colorful restaurant serving New American cuisine. The atmosphere is vibrant and lively, and the food is always delicious. I’d definitely recommend it out of all the other Healdsburg restaurants and here’s why.
The menu changes every day and offers small plates and appetizers, sandwiches, and entrees.
The interior looks bright and sleek, with big windows and a bright kitchen, and the food is diverse and complex.
Ranging from buttermilk fried quail served alongside nasturtium greens, fennel, and cubed pepper vinaigrette, to beef tartare on crostini topped with quail egg, Calabrian chili, celery hearts, and smoked salt.
Valette
344 Center St, Healdsburg // +17074730946
Dustin Valette, who previously worked at Dry Creek Kitchen, is creating a stir with his modern Californian-inspired cooking and sexy ambiance of reclaimed wood and open kitchens.
I recommend making reservations for the seasonally changing menu, including dishes like celeriac soup with toasted pistachios, yellow beet tartare, goat cheese meringue, and crispy skin local sablefish with MIX bok choy, roasted ginger dashi, toasted soba noodles, and spicy kimchee puree.
To start, try the hand-crafted charcuterie from the custom-made curing case, and for something more adventurous, try the “Trust Me” menu, where Valette serves up a multi-course meal of his daily picks.
Campo Fina
330 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg // +17073954640
If you’re in the mood for amazing pizza, great pasta and a fabulous interior and exterior dining room setting, Campo Fina is another of my favorite Healdsburg Restaurants.
They offer everything you could want in a restaurant, including outdoor seating, daily specials such as Tagliolini Alla Bolognese and beautiful desserts such as their Buttermilk Panna Cotta. Delicious!
The interior is warm and inviting, with white walls and comfortable booths. This is a great place for couples to get a romantic meal or for families to dine quietly.
The service here is excellent and the waiters are very friendly and helpful in choosing the food you want throughout your dining experience.
Dry Creek Kitchen
317 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg // +17074310330
Located next to the sleek Hotel Healdsburg, this upscale kitchen of chef Charlie Palmer is one of the best in town. With its wine list, this restaurant beams with Sonoma pride, and every night offers a chance to try new producers and finely aged pours.
With its vaulted ceiling and white tablecloths, the vaulted room looks out over the downtown square.
Farm-sourced ingredients are used to prepare the food in a light manner that remains true to the American style.
I recommend you begin with a delicate mushroom tart topped with turnips; secondly, enjoy gnocchi with lamb ragù, puréed black garlic, and watercress.
Desserts such as poppy seed-olive oil cake with citrus gel, lemon tart with pistachio sable, and strawberry mousse with tons of toppings are a must.
Baci | Cafe & Wine Bar
336 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg // +17074338111
Featuring regional Italian and Mediterranean cuisine paired with wines from Sonoma, Napa, and Italy, Baci Café & Wine Bar is a popular spot in downtown Santa Rosa.
This restaurant, whose name means “Kisses” in Italian, offers a delicious menu that is based on sustainable and organic practices.
There is wood-fired pizza, a wide selection of pasta dishes, Chef’s Tasting Menus (five to seven courses), large combination platters, and seasonal dishes like Al Forno (pasta rolls filled with fresh Dungeness crab).
Spoonbar
219 Healdsburg Ave, Healdsburg // +17074337222
Located at the H2Hotel, Spoonbar’s modern Californian menu features ingredients sourced from Sonoma County, prepared with Italian influences.
The creative and approachable fare is served in an open-air dining space, making for a welcoming atmosphere to enjoy local fish, heirloom vegetables, and a variety of tempting bites that rotate with the seasons.
Spoonbar celebrates honest ingredients prepared in an innovative style and plated so beautifully that it’s hard to take the first bite.
My favorite menu items are Crab & Scallop Agnolotti with fried artichoke, Chanterelle mushrooms and chives or the lemon brined chicken, which melts in your mouth with tenderness. Yum!
Summary About The 10 Best Healdsburg Restaurants
Made for the wine and food lover, Healdsburg restaurants are as unique as they come.
So no matter what your travel plans are, Bay Area’s best restaurants in Healdsburg are a great place to get started.
From Bravas Bar de Tapas to Campo Fina or pasta at Baci Cafe & Wine Bar, the options are endless in this Northern California gem.
Celebrate local bounty with whatever sounds good that morning. If it’s Mexican you’re after, Agave is the choice! Enjoy your stay!
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Which of these restaurants in Healdsburg will you try first? Let us know in the comments section below!
Igor Jovanovski is an aspiring digital nomad, travel blogger and graphic designer who really loves food. He also has a creative side, and he works as a freelance graphic designer in his spare time. He has traveled across Europe quite a few times since he was young and recently started his mission to visit every country in the world! Igor’s favorite thing about traveling is the way he gets to know new people, food, places and cultures.
This exciting experience helps him create his own stories and make memories that will last forever