Beyond the Vines: Santa Rosa’s Beers, Bites & Trails

Santa Rosa packs a lot into 43 square miles. Located between the Pacific Ocean and the Mayacama Mountains and smack dab in the middle of wine (and beer) country with a great arts scene, varied restaurant options and ample outdoor attractions to go with it, the 176,000-person city does it all.

Santa Rosa’s beloved Russian River Brewery and its highly anticipated annual release of Pliny the Younger put the city on the beer map but there are lesser known (and less crowded) places to sample great brews. Fog Belt Brewing is an insider favorite as is Cooperage Brewing. Cooperage has long brewed distinctive IPAs, sours and Belgian-style ales in a nondescript industrial park with a beer garden, and now pours them at an artsy new taproom downtown. Also don’t miss Moonlight Brewing Co., another office park standout and OG in the craft brew world.

Food options abound. Located in Santa’s Rosa lively Roseland Latino neighborhood, Mitote is a taco truck paradise. A remuda of more than half a dozen trucks each features different styles and flavors of Mexico’s complex cuisine. There’s also a bar with great local beers, cocktails and a well curated mezcal list. Live music makes it a full fiesta experience. They’ll be moving to a new location this month, so stay tuned for details on their reopening.

For something a bit fancier, Stark’s Steakhouse is a classic of the genre. The 1934 building is the oldest continually operated restaurant in Santa Rosa and looks straight out of Manhattan with its neon lights and clubby interior. The premium steaks and more than 60 whiskeys make it a destination. Further east on 4th street, Cafe Citti has been dishing out outstanding Italian food for more than 30 years. The restaurant is the place for family-style Italian food. Another can’t fail restaurant is the Spinster Sisters across town in the city’s SOFA arts district. The restaurant offers indoor and outdoor dining with an outstanding menu made from locally sourced ingredients. The beautiful bar made from 100-year-old redwood slabs grown in Marin County may offer the best seats in the house.

All the food and drink means you better get some exercise. Nearby Trione-Annadel State Park (locals just call it Annadel) is just minutes from downtown but feels a world away. Miles of epic mountain biking and hiking trails, creeks and lakes and outstanding views create an outdoor oasis. For a challenging hike that rewards you with panoramic vistas, nearby Taylor Mountain Regional Park rises above the city with 1,100 acres and seven miles of trails.