Worth the drive: Two days in Healdsburg (Part two)

Healdsburg. The northern Sonoma County sister-city of Sonoma.

Whether you like it or not, we are related. Two distinctly different plazas with interesting founding stories and more shops, tasting rooms, restaurants and AirBNBs than locals can shake a stick at.

We spent two days in Healdsburg, playing tourists. This two part series showcases our picks for the best food fun, delightful drinks, and lovingly designed lodging (no vacation rentals included) for your next visit.

Check out day one here.

12:00 p.m. – Modern grange

Healdsburg SHED (707-431-7433 | 25 N. St.  | healdsburgshed.com) prides itself on exemplifying the farm-to-table ethos.

SHED offers a restaurant, bar, a fresh food market (starring locally grown heirloom veggies and flowers), a coffee shop, and an impressive selection of cooking goods, garden supplies, beekeeping tools, and gourmet food and drink goods.

After browsing the shop, settle in for lunch on the front patio, a sunny spot to people watch and chat with locals who flock for SHED’s healthy seasonal menu.

Go light and leisurely for lunch, with shareable dishes. Try the large SHED salad with HomeFarm baby lettuce, shaved root veg, herbs and vinaigrette ($12).

Pair the salad with their famed charcuterie plate – the vast selection of salumi, house-made pates, rilettes and pickles can even satisfy a vegan in your midst – the mushroom pate is a highlight of the colorful platter ($25/$35).

Couple your entrees with a shrub, a vinegar base drink infused with fruit. Made in house, shrubs are said to be good for the gut and may help with recovery after a bit too many drinks the night before. Try the kumquat shrub with ginger and rice wine vinegar – it’s tangy and sweet ($4).

3 p.m. – Just Jordan

Jordan Winery (Appointment only | 707-431-5250 | jordanwinery.com) is a landmark Sonoma County winery.

Founded in 1972,  Jordan perfected high quality Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay, and provided wine lovers one of the few chateau style, high end wine tasting experiences found outside of Napa.

Take a tour ($40 per person) of the winery just north of Healdsburg. Taste Chardonnay, paired with fresh Maine lobster, on the property’s cobblestone terrace overlooking the winery’s sustainable farm and scenic rolling hills.

Enter the winery chateau, designed by architect Bob Arrigoni and inspired by Bordeaux, to see 6,000 gallon oak wine casks. Twelve in total, they house Jordan’s famed Cabernet Sauvignon prior to bottling.

Finally, visit the family library and enter through a secret door to try a taste of current and library vintage Cabernet Sauvignon, paired with local cheeses and a delicately prepared small plate, such as filet mignon with a balsamic reduction topped with a black truffle.

6 p.m. Open mouth, insert spoon

Chef couple Casey and Patrick Van Voorhis have taken over the helm at Spoonbar (707-443-7222 | 219 Healdsburg Ave. | spoonbar.com), dedicating themselves to Spoonbar’s tradition of innovation and fun using seasonal ingredients and molecular gastronomy.

The bar is well established for cocktails, including new twists on old classics. A vast wine list is available, but the cocktails are what keep droves of locals coming back.

Try the Barkeep’s Sour: Encanto Pisco, lime, hibiscus, saffron, egg white and pink peppercorn ($10) or a Blood Orange Spritz: mandarin vodka, Roederer Brut, spiced blood orange liquer, blood orange puree, and CO2 ($12).

For dinner, start with a Roasted Beet Salad, topped with parsnips and cocoa sables, the latter which bring out the sweetness of the beets ($13) paired with the Roasted County Line Carrots, with prosciutto, walnut and brown butter egg yolk ($12).

Vegetarian options abound. The Stuffed Cabbage with glazed vegetables and Dijon mustard makes for a filling entree ($21).

For the meat eaters, try the 6 oz. Black Angus Filet Mignon with roasted garlic, seasonal Fiddlehead ferns, and currants ($35).

For dessert, go light with housemade Coconut and Lemongrass Ice Cream ($10).

Accommodations

The Grape Leaf Inn (707-433-8140 | 539 Johnson St. | grapeleafinn.com) is a newly remodeled Victorian bed & breakfast, located just off the Plaza, and owned by the Wilson family, owners of of nine wineries in the region.

The amenities are anything but traditional, with vast shared spaces reminiscent of hip European hotels and accommodating suites with outdoor showers, private sitting areas, and cozy four post beds.

Check out the speakeasy located in the main house’s basement, which served as a real speakeasy during prohibition. Cocktails are served nightly.

Breakfast is fresh and Mexican-inspired, starting with seasonal fruit and a vast selection of teas. A pool is  being built on the property, but construction/noise isn’t an issue for guests. Rooms average $250-$500.