EAT: The Girl and The Fig, Sonoma, CA

The Girl & The Fig, located just off the plaza in Sonoma, CA is a great place to dine after an afternoon of wine tasting. There are several tasting rooms located on the same block for a nice pre-dinner sampling in case your day is filled with non-wine tasting activities. The Girl & The Fig does not have a specific gluten free menu, but our server was very knowledgeable (his wife is a Celiac). 

While The Girl & The Fig Does not have a large dining area, it was packed and reservations are highly recommended.

The Girl & The Fig calls its food "country food with a French passion." I agree. With a menu that changes weekly and highlights the seasons, there is a nice variety of meats, vegetarian, and cheese options to fit any palate. The duck was highly recommended by several people in town who asked where we were dining, so I had to try it. Duck Confit was served with white bean stew, house-made sausage, and mustard jus. The bread crumbs had to be omitted in order for the dish to be gluten free. It was delicious, and the duck was tender. 

My dinner companion decided upon the Grilled Pork Chop with charred brussel sprouts, fingerling potatoes, local pears, and pancetta vinegarette. No modifications needed to make it gluten free. It had a great flavor, and I liked the addition of the pears. 

Be sure to check out The Girl and The Fig on your next trip to Wine Country. 

The Girl and The Fig

110 West Spain St. 

Sonoma, CA 95476

707.938.3634

www.thegirlandthefig.com

EAT: Burgers & Vine, Sonoma, CA

If you are looking for a tasty gluten free meal after an afternoon wine tasting in Sonoma, CA, look no further than Burgers & Vine. Located on 1 St. on the back right corner of the Plaza in the historic Creamery Building in downtown Sonoma, gluten free items are listed right on the menu. In fact, seeing the gluten free items on the menu is the reason we stopped one evening while strolling downtown. 

Burgers & Vine has a fun vibe with large TVs for game watching (the Giants were playing that night, so it was pretty loud) and live music on the weekends. It also has a spacious bar in the center of the restaurant. There is a cool modern jukebox that will play just about any song you want. 

Burgers & Vine has a dedicated fryer, so all French fries are safe. I highly recommend the sweet potato fries, as I find those to be the most difficult to get gluten free (and they were delish!). 

Opened just this past April, one of the managers, Donald, told me that they had many requests for gluten free items, they decided to accommodate. The staff can also help out with other allergies. 

Another must try is happy hour from 4-6pm on weekdays. The grilled chicken wings are gluten free and at a special price, as well as their signature cocktails. 

One must order a burger when in a burger joint, so I ordered mine as a lettuce wrap (no bun), but gluten free buns are available. I ordered the B&V Burger with B&V's own Sonoma Creamery Chipotle Cheddar and sweet potato fries. The burger was cooked perfectly and the sweet potato fries were so tasty, we came back the next day for happy hour (chicken wings and sweet potato fries) between wine tastings. 

My dinner companion, also gluten free, was adventuresome on his selection and ordered the Surf and Turf, bunless burger with shrimp and truffle aioli, and the hand cut fries. The shrimp made an interesting addition, but his burger was no less tasty.

I highly recommend this fun, casual restaurant as a nice diversion from the wine tastings. It is centrally located downtown in the Plaza and is easy to find. I was really impressed with their food allergy accommodations, as it is great to just come across a restaurant in my travels that works hard to accommodate allergies. 

Burgers & Vine

400 1st. Street E

Sonoma, CA 95476

707.938.7110

www.burgersandvine.com