Although the concept for Aloha Aina hails from beautiful Hawaii—“Aloha Aina” is roughly translated as “Love of the Land”—we love living and working in Santa Rosa, a beautiful and welcoming city located in the very heart of Sonoma County.
And maybe because Sonoma is a world-famous wine-producing region, Santa Rosa restaurants are second to none. We’ve tried plenty of them and hope you will too! Here’s ae some great ones to get you started.
Santa Rosa Restaurants That Spark Joy
Hank’s Creekside Restaurant
2800 4th St
Santa Rosa, CA 95405
(707) 575-8839
Don’t get us wrong: We love working in the Wine Country and its connection to all things French, especially its cuisine. But when you’re looking for simple, honest and above all delicious breakfast and lunch favorites, you really can’t do much better than this mainstay of Santa Rosa restaurants, serving up the classics since 1992. From fluffy cinnamon French toast to eggs Benedict to bountiful lunch salads and hearty sandwiches—we’re crazy for the corned beef and Swiss!—you really can’t go wrong here.
Sazón Peruvian Cuisine
1129 Sebastopol Rd
Santa Rosa, CA 95407
(707) 523-4346
Are you thrown by a Peruvian restaurant right in the heart of California? So were we, until we tried it! Peru’s food is a fascinating and totally unique blend of Latin American, indiginous and “traveler” cuisines. So you’ll see dishes like ceviche in a pepper-fired lime marinade next to lomo saltado—tenderloin steak stir-fried with soy sauce, onions and tomato—and even more unfamiliar ingredients like starchy yuca and beef heart skewers (trust us, they’re amazing!) The common ingredient? The food is dynamite, and the vibe is always warm, welcoming and family-oriented. Can you tell we love it?
Ramen Gaijin
6948 Sebastopol Ave
Sebastopol, CA 95472
(707) 827-3609
Japanese cuisine has always been a big deal in California, reflected in the name of this hip and crowded tavern-style eatery (it translates roughly to “White People’s Ramen”). If you needed proof that there’s more to Japanese food than sushi, you’ll have a lot to choose from here: From chewy housemade ramen noodles to inventive izakaya (“drinking foods”) like grilled soy-glazed chicken and smoked butterball potato with black garlic (yes!), you could spend a long time here and still only feel like you’re scratching the surface.
El Patio
425 Stony Point Rd
Santa Rosa, CA 95401
(707) 578-4757
Don’t be fooled by the unassuming strip-mall decor: El Patio is the real deal when it comes to Mexican food in Santa Rosa. No surprises here: Just excellent, dependably delicious and hearty portions of classics like dry and wet burritos, overstuffed tacos bursting with al pastor, shredded beef machaca, nachos and tamales and more. A bonus is the broad selection of vegetarian specials, and if you’re looking to start the day right, El Patio definitely brings its A-game when it comes to breakfast burritos.
Before hitting these foodie spots, stop by our Santa Rosa dispensary and say Aloha! Check out our online menu to order ahead.