Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Don't Be Any Sandwiches Short of a Picnic
I wouldn't rely heavily on the winery shops for food supplies. Too many of
them call a halt to their offerings after fancy jams and European sausage.
Instead, go to the cute supermarkets and cafes spread around the area,
some of which are actually well known in their own rights. Most little gro-
cery stores close by 6pm; only the giant fluorescent-lit chains, always
found in town, will be open past dinnertime.
Sonoma County
Dry Creek General Store
(3495 Dry Creek Rd., Healdsburg;
%
707/433-4171;
www.dcgstore.com; Mon-Sat 6am-6pm).
Like the Napa County version of
Oakville Grocery, this wooden roadside store has been going since this was
pioneer country, and although it still looks like it, its prices are more in line
for modern San Francisco folk. Come during nice weather to get the most out
of the beer garden, which has marvelous views of a nearby valley.
Kenwood Market
(8910 Rte. 12/Sonoma Hwy., Kenwood;
%
707/833-5053;
Mon-Sat 6:30am-8pm, Sun 7am-7pm)
sells five or six types of sandwiches
in its deli, plus has a full grocery that locals themselves use.
Oakville Grocery
(124 Matheson St., Healdsburg;
%
707/433-3200;
www.oakvillegrocery.com; daily 8am-6pm)
is the Sonoma County sister of
the original Oakville Grocery in Napa County. Here you'll find a big room
full of fancy potato chips, a busy deli counter where sandwiches and piz-
zas are prepared, and lots of olive oils and marinades. How yuppie is it?
It even bottles its own mineral water. The grocery does box lunches from
$18 that include a sandwich, pasta salad, fresh fruit, and a cookie.
Everything else in the place is about as affordable. It's located on
Healdsburg's town square, ideal for strolling.
Napa County
The original location of
Oakville Grocery
(7856 St. Helena Hwy., Oakville;
%
707/944-8802; www.oakvillegrocery.com; daily 8am-6pm),
off a busy
$-$$
When you drive east on Calistoga's Lincoln Avenue, you'll notice a bluish
cloud of smoke rising against the trees. That could be your dinner in the works if
you choose
Buster's Southern Barbecue and Bakery
5
(1207 Foothill Blvd.,
Hwy. 29 and Lincoln Ave., Calistoga;
%
707/942-5605; www.busterssouthernbbq.
com; Mon-Sat 9am-7:30pm, Sun 9am-6pm; MC, V),
a real, honest-to-goodness,
slabs-of-ribs-on-the-open-grill kind of place. All the greats are here, from pork
loin to baked beans to coleslaw by the quart. (Frankly, I'd almost rather fill up on
sides—pints are around $5.) The dining area is as rustic as Buster's old-school
cooking method: a covered patio where you'll want to sip beers for a while. A full
dinner, which includes a hefty meat portion and comes with garlic toast and two
side dishes, goes for around $10—a top value.
