20 Hotels, Tasting Rooms, Wineries, and Food Shops to Visit in Wine Country Now
Whether you're planning a trip to Napa, Sonoma, or the Central Coast, here are the top spots in wine country to put on your itinerary.
Wine country travel always indexes big in the Sunset Annual Travel Awards, and in 2023 it was a banner year for hotels, restaurants, and tasting experiences in our favorite vinous California destinations.
Hotels and Resorts
From sprawling luxury resorts to your private manor, here’s where to book a room among the vines.
Restaurants, Shops, and Tasting Rooms
These eating establishments, bakeries, wineries, and more prove that Western wine country is even more of a delicious destination than ever before.
1 of 12Thomas J. Story
Bar Le Côte
With stylish design and a menu that marries the produce and seafood of the Central Coast, this is the coolest new restaurant to open in Los Olivos. The whole fish is a must-order, and the wine list always includes gems from wineries in the surrounding Santa Ynez Valley.
2 of 12Rob Stark
Hitching Post 2
Fans of Sideways will recognize this famed Pinot purveyor, which serves up some of the best Santa Maria–style barbecue in the region. Grab a glass of Cork Dancer, a whole grilled artichoke, and a cut of the valley’s finest beef and enjoy the view.
3 of 12Courtesy of the Auberge Resorts Collection
Inn at Mattei’s Tavern
A newcomer to Los Olivos, this upscale inn is also home to some of the Santa Ynez Valley’s most delightful dining experiences (all housed in a converted 1886 stagecoach stop): wood-fired meat and produce at the Tavern, classic cocktails at the cozy Bar, and craft coffee at Felix Feed & Coffee.
4 of 12Emma K. Morris
Quail & Condor Bakery
Run by Michelin-pedigreed chefs Melissa Yanc and Sean McGaughey, this thrilling bakery serves goods made from naturally leavened dough, croissants, and unique desserts crafted from Northern California’s finest produce, dairy, and game.
5 of 12Emma K. Morris
Troubadour Bread and Bistro
Just up the street from its sister bakery Quail & Condor is this one-stop culinary shop. You’ll find coffee and fresh baked bread in the morning, Francophile sandwiches for lunch, and a prix-fixe French bistro at night at this unassuming boulangerie. Don’t miss out on the perfectly done canelés, which will whisk you right back to France.
6 of 12Ali Beck
Bob’s Well Bread
A hub of the Santa Ynez Valley, Bob’s bakes up the valley’s best boules each morning for its two indoor-outdoor cafés serving the area—the original in Los Alamos and a second in Ballard.
7 of 12Courtesy of Marin French Cheese
Marin French Cheese Co.
The country’s oldest cheese company produces exceptional cheese but is also a community hub and destination in and of itself, with a property home to myriad farm animals, a vegetable garden, an elementary school, and a fire station.
8 of 12Courtesy of Atlas Imagery
Alma Rosa Winery
Founded in 2005 by California industry pioneer Richard Sanford, the first vintner to plant Pinot Noir in the region, Alma Rosa is now known not only for its stunning Santa Rita wines but for its unique programming. This year, the winery launched two new hiking tours and tasting experiences for visitors at its historic El Jabali estate, the first certified-organic vineyard in the country.
9 of 12Courtesy of Heitz Cellar
The Salon at Heitz Cellar
Located at the original St. Helena property that Joe and Alice Heitz purchased in 1961, the salon consists of a grand tasting room, a private tasting room, the Quartz Creek Garden, a veranda, and a chef’s larder designed by renowned architect Peter Fleming.
10 of 12Donald S. Hicks III
McEvoy Ranch
To taste olive oil at this 550-acre, family-owned farm in Petaluma is to taste California food history. A pioneer in the olive oil industry, McEvoy invites visitors to experience the full range of award-winning oils while gazing out at the rolling hills of Marin County. Guests can also tour the property, including orchards and the olive oil mill, and visit the shop for wine and pantry essentials.
11 of 12Tubay Yabut
Frank Family Vineyards
An old faithful in the Cabernet scene, the yellow Craftsman tasting room is one of Napa Valley’s most recognizable buildings. Adding to a storied reputation, this year they opened a new Howard Backen–designed space for tastings and food pairings, including a small-bites program by chef Christina Machamer.
12 of 12Trevor Gordon
Presqu’ile Winery
If nuanced, cold-climate Pinot Noir is your jam, this family-owned winery in the Santa Maria Valley is a must. For the quintessential bucolic-vineyard experience, pull off the 101 to their hilltop lounge, where you’ll nibble on mezze made from their on-site organic garden while tasting world-class wines.