Come for the wine, keep coming back for so much more.

by Bridget Cottrell

Some meals are so good, they're worth making a mess of yourself. That was the case at Arandas, the all-day dining spot at boutique hotel 27 North (hotel27north.com), located on the charming square in Healdsburg, California. As soon as I took one bite of their Quesabirria tacos, the warm, rich, savory, and slightly spicy birria consommé dribbled down my wrist, prompting a quick clean-up before quickly diving in for more messy deliciousness.

The Restaurant at Farmhouse Inn, photo by Sean Mattimore

For this visit to the heart of Sonoma's wine country, we enjoyed one moment of culinary decadence after another (along with some outstanding wine). From the pistoriophile's perfect ham and gruyere croissant at Quail & Condor (quailandcondor.com), rivaled only by Parisian pâtisseries; to DIY after-dinner s'mores at Farmhouse Inn (farmhouseinn.com), where we didn't mind sticky fingers courtesy of their homemade marshmallows; a repeat visit to famed vegan restaurant Little Saint (neighbor's with 27 North; littlesainthealdsburg.com), whose culinary plant-based wizardry is flavorful and filling enough to make even the most ardent carnivore eschew their meaty ways for a meal; and sampling our way through a farmer's market, even dry travelers will find there's so much to love about this region.

The Restaurant at Farmhouse Inn / Photo by John Troxell

I love Sonoma County—my list of "saved" homes on Zillow (which grows after each trip there) peeks at my pining for a California contemporary lifestyle. Having visited in all four seasons and all types of weather, I firmly believe there's no "wrong" time, as each month offers unique experiences. Summer is ideal for outdoor activities; fall ushers in the busy harvest season; and temperate winter offers fewer crowds for exploring wineries before bud-break on dormant vines heralds the return of spring.

In a crowded hospitality market, Foley Entertainment Group has quietly been making significant inroads, most recently acquiring and rebranding the former Hotel Le Mars, a 20-year-old French chateau-inspired property, sited directly on Healdsburg's bustling square. It reopened this past summer as 27 North, offering outsized amenities for a 16-room boutique property. A refreshing watermelon-tequila cocktail offered at check-in was a primer for a top-notch, finger-licking dinner at Arandas, which serves a solid menu of Mexican staples done exceptionally well.

27 North is located in the heart of Healdsburg on its bustling square.

Throughout 27 North, classic French country touches are juxtaposed with contemporary artwork sourced specifically for the property. As the door to our third-floor room opened, I was surprised to discover a stately canopy bed beneath a beam-vaulted ceiling. Placed next to a gas fireplace with a faux limestone hearth, an eight-foot-tall wardrobe with pleated fabric behind the perforated grille on its doors elegantly serves as the room's closet.

King Deluxe Guestroom at Farmhouse Inn, photo by Jay Graham

Foley Family Wines owns over 25 wineries and distilleries, including both well-known and historic brands in California, Oregon, Washington, and New Zealand, which consistently garner 90+ point scores from reviewers for Wine Enthusiast and Wine Spectator. Guests of Foley-owned properties can participate in a sommelier-led tasting across their portfolio in the elegant library at 27 North, which notably includes Chalk Hill and Roth Estate in Sonoma and Foley-Johnson in nearby Napa. The experience is ideal for oenophiles on a shorter sojourn, offering a comprehensive tour of the terroir sans travel time between wineries.

While you can amply fill an afternoon or two perusing the small businesses, including clothing, home and jewelry boutiques, tasting rooms, restaurants, and art galleries that line Healdsburg Square, grab a sandwich to go from Troubadour (troubadourhbg.com), Quail & Condor's sibling, to fuel a day of exploring Sonoma County's 425 wineries spread among 19 different wine areas. This past October, Sonoma County Tourism (sonomacounty.com) launched LOU, an AI tool and personalized trip-planning assistant for visitors.

Getting recommendations the old-fashioned way—from the people who live and work in the area—is still our go-to, as is a stop at Aperture Cellars (aperture-cellars.com). Winemaker Jesse Katz was recently named Wine Enthusiast's 2025 Winemaker of the Year, and the estate has been selected for The World's 50 Best Vineyards list, ranking at number 14. Splurge on the "Devil Proof Experience", which offers a private tasting of Malbec and Malbec blends that have earned Katz significant critical acclaim, including multiple 100-point scores from top wine critics.

Although it's just a few miles from Healdsburg, Farmhouse Inn, nestled in among towering trees in the Russian River Valley, feels worlds away. A former 19th-century family homestead, the boutique property, also part of Foley Entertainment Group, maintains a homelike appeal with just 25 rooms generously spaced around the wellness barn and garden pool.

At check-in, guests are invited to pack a goodie sack from the bath bar to take to their room. I opted for a brown-sugar scrub that smelled good enough to eat and chunks of locally made soaps in rainbow hues. All guest rooms and suites, decorated in a modern farmhouse style with slipcovered upholstery and a soothing color palette, are equipped with a steam shower and soaking tub, making an indulgent spa day possible without ever leaving the confines of your suite.

Guest room at XXVII North, Photo by Anna Dammio, Hey Honey Photography

The casualness of a plethora of plantings, some with heavy blooms that graze the knees of guests traversing the pea-gravel paths between the various buildings—all designed to resemble agrarian structures with galvanized milk bucket light fixtures and corrugated metal roofing—belies their careful manicuring. Also abundant is the sound of running water, courtesy of rustic fountains and features that enhance the overall aura of tranquility.

Sonoma artist Marci Davis was tapped to create striking black-and-white horse murals in the treatment rooms within The Wellness Barn, which sits adjacent to the pool. The holistic spa, with plenty of alfresco relaxation areas, offers a range of treatments focused on mind, body, and spirit, using local, seasonal ingredients and specialized practices, such as a CBD, herbal, and Milk Moon baths and a farm-to-beauty facial that incorporates fruits, herbs, raw honey, goat's milk, and infused olive oil.

The Restaurant at Farmhouse Inn, located in the original circa 1879 farmhouse, is a celebration of California cuisine, existing in the rarefied air of fine dining establishments presenting multiple courses that feel indulgent yet still healthy, thanks to the preponderance of locally sourced ingredients, including their onsite Chalk Hill Culinary Gardens.

Our dessert course was a showstopper. The server approached our table with a lidded cut-crystal box that opened to reveal a gaggle of white truffles, carefully nestled on a bed of muslin. He proceeded to shave a generous portion of the pungent fungus atop a petite, puck-shaped date cake sitting in a pool of plate-licking caramel sauce. It was fitting finale to a quick trip punctuated by scores of elevated experiences.

Happy in Healdsburg

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