Downtown Healdsburg has zero shortage of amazing food, and my mouth is watering already just sitting down to write this post on the best restaurants in Healdsburg!
Just walk down Healdsburg Ave downtown and you’ll have endless choices. Whenever we visit wine country, it’s all about eating and drinking (check my Best Wineries in Healdsburg post for tips on the latter!).
Healdsburg truly is a foodie’s dream! I love the emphasis on locally sourced, fresh ingredients, and the prices are usually so reasonable (especially if you’re coming from San Francisco and used to getting a bit gouged for good eats).
Enjoy this guide to my favorite restaurants, you can also check out my other Healdsburg content that covers top sights to see, best restaurants, fun things to do, and where to stay.
Things to Do in Healdsburg: Healdsburg Travel Guide
The Best Wineries in Healdsburg
Airbnb Healdsburg: Best of the Best
Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA
Hotel Les Mars: A French-Inspired Getaway in Healdsburg
Gary Farrell + Valette Lunch Pairing in Healdsburg
Harmon Guest House, Healdsburg
Without further ado, let’s get into my list of the best restaurants in Healdsburg!
Best Restaurants in Healdsburg
Chalkboard
If you like pasta, you have to visit Chalkboard. They specialize in small plates to share that are creative and beautifully presented, and honestly, it’s hard to narrow down from the menu which ones to try.
Like I said, don’t miss their housemade pasta—their cocoa trifoglio with duck confit is my absolute favorite. Decadent and out of this world.
They also have a great happy hour from 5pm – 6:30pm.
Mateo’s
Mateo’s has been a Healdsburg favorite of mine ever since I first visited almost 10 years ago!
Chef Mateo Granados used to be a chef at Dry Creek Kitchen, but he opened this Latin-fusion restaurant honoring his heritage back in 2011.
The ingredients and flavor combinations are so unique and incredible. Chef Mateo’s dishes are beautiful and inventive, and you’re in for a total treat here.
Ask your server what they recommend—it’s easy to get stuck in a rut ordering familiar dishes like huevos rancheros (which are delicious), but you don’t want to miss out on things like the Sikil P’ak—a pumpkin seed dip with grilled housemade tostadas that I am literally still dreaming about after our last visit.
Costeaux Bakery
Costeaux is the sweetest French bakery that I love to stop by for brunch (I love their quiche) or afternoon coffee and a treat.
They also so boxed lunches, so it’s a perfect spot to pick up a delicious sandwich to enjoy at one of the many Healdsburg tasting rooms that offer outdoor seating for picnics.
Dry Creek Kitchen
Dry Creek Kitchen really helped to put Healdsburg on the foodie map when Chef Charlie Palmer opened it in 2001.
Since then, it’s become a Healdsburg staple for refined California fare. Located in Hotel Healdsburg, the dining room and patio are elegant and lovely, and the food is of course, fantastic.
The menu changes seasonally, but we enjoyed the scallops and the lamb chops. They’re also known for their extensive and thoughtfully curated wine list, featuring some of Sonoma County’s best.
The service is also impeccable—the general manager literally opened the door for me and greeted me by name!
Brass Rabbit
Chalkboard’s sister restaurant, Brass Rabbit is an incredible pasta house that’s a great spot for dinner or a killer brunch.
They also feature craft cocktails and an extensive California-focused wine list.
Valette
Brothers Dustin Valette and Aaron Garzini opened this restaurant in 2015, and it quickly became a Healdsburg favorite.
I highly recommend going with the Chef’s 5 Course Tasting Menu. Created around local products and showcasing the best of Sonoma County, each dish is fantastic (especially their famous scallop dish!).
The price is $75 per person with an optional $50 per person wine pairing, which is incredibly reasonable considering the quality of the ingredients.
Saving room to end on a sweet note (like their S’more with a side of ice cream) is a must.
Spoonbar
Spoonbar is located inside the h2hotel and is known for its approachable and delicious California cuisine.
I love their burger with their secret sauce. They also make great cocktails that spotlight locally produced spirits, fresh herbs, and fruits grown by their own neighbors.
Each season, their bar team creates new featured drinks based on a single spirit that conveys the essence of the season.
Campo Fina
Campo Fina is a relaxed spot in downtown Healdsburg that’s frequented by locals.
They make delicious wood oven pizzas and creative Italian Cicchetti (Italian small plates—I feel like I’m in Venice!).
Indoors, the vibe is welcoming and cozy with exposed brick walls, and the back patio features a bocce ball.
Barndiva
Love me some Barndiva! ChefRyan Fancher, who has worked at the French Laundry in Yountville and Per Se in NYC, creates incredible dishes featuring some of my favorites things like pork belly, duck confit, and burrata.
We’ve been for both brunch and dinner and honestly, you can’t go wrong (if you’re going for lunch, get the filet mignon burger or the Croque madame!).
If it’s nice weather, sit outside on their beautiful patio, with lights hanging from the gorgeous trees. Be sure to check out The Gallery next door—part art gallery, part wine bar.
Journeyman
Journeyman is an upscale salumeria, butcher shop, and restaurant dreamt up by former winemaker Pete Seghesio.
You can purchase things like meats, cheeses, and incredible sandwiches to go, (again, perfect for a picnic during your wine tasting adventure), or dine-in and enjoy their wood-fired pizzas with a glass of wine.
Bravas Bar de Tapas
As the name suggests, you’ll find delicious tapas here! Share some small plates, sit out on the patio, and drink some sangria.
People rave about the fried chicken with kale salad here, as well as their gin and tonic.
Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar
Willi’s is a fun spot that leans into fresh seafood—I love their ceviches and tartares.
Their raw bar changes daily, and they also serve delish seafood rolls.
If you like crab cakes that are made with all crab meat (not filler) you’ll love the ones here.
SingleThread
Looking for a super special experience and a splurge? SingleThread is it.
The expertly prepared food blends Sonoma County and Japan for a three Michelin Star experience.
Eleven courses of incredible dishes highlighting fresh, local ingredients from the SingleThread farm will blow you away.
There are so many incredible Healdsburg restaurants! If you’re heading to Sonoma County, Healdsburg, where Russian River Valley, Dry Creek Valley, and Alexander Valley all meet, has you covered with its food scene.
Heading to Healdsburg? Don’t forget to check out my other Hburg posts!
The Best Wineries in Healdsburg
Airbnb Healdsburg: Best of the Best
Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, CA
Hotel Les Mars: A French-Inspired Getaway in Healdsburg
Hotels in Healdsburg: Top 10 Hotels to Stay in Sonoma Wine Country
Healdsburg Travel Guide
Elise Armitage is an entrepreneur and founder of What The Fab, a travel + lifestyle blog based in California. At the beginning of 2019, Elise left her corporate job at Google to chase her dreams: being an entrepreneur and helping women find fabulous in the everyday. Since then, she’s launched her SEO course Six-Figure SEO, where she teaches bloggers how to create a passive revenue stream from their website using SEO. Featured in publications like Forbes, Elle, HerMoney, and Real Simple, Elise is a firm believer that you can be of both substance and style.
