BEST OF HEALDSBURG 2025
Healdsburg Tribune
445 Center St, #4C, Healdsburg, CA 95448
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Phone: 707.433.4451, HealdsburgTribune.com
INTERIM
NEWS
PHOTOGRAPHER
DIRECTOR
ARTISTS
Jennifer Meyer, Elena Razgonov, Rowdy Tompkins, Jackie Mujica
EDITORIAL PRODUCTION DESIGNER
Dina Kuhar
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
Lisa Marie Santos
lisas@weeklys.com
ACCOUNT MANAGERS
Danielle McCoy
dmccoy@weeklys.com
Lynda Rael
lynda@weeklys.com
Dianna Stone
dstone@weeklys.com
CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING/LEGAL NOTICES
Liz Alber
lalber@weeklys.com
EXECUTIVE EDITOR & CEO
Dan Pulcrano
PUBLISHER
Rosemary Olson
ABOUT
The only adjudicated newspaper in the Northern Public Notice District of Sonoma County, covering Cloverdale, Healdsburg and Windsor.
Healdsburg Tribune
Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation by the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Sonoma, Case No. 36989, on June 12, 1953.
Cloverdale Reveille
Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation by the Superior Court of the County of Sonoma, State of California, under the date of March 3, 1879, Case No. 36106.
Sebastopol Times
Continuing the publication of The Sebastopol Times and Russian River News, adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation by the Superior Court of the County of Sonoma, State of California, Case No. 35776. Windsor Times
Adjudicated a newspaper of general circulation by the Superior Court of the County of Sonoma, State of California, Nov. 22, 1988, Case No. 169441.
’BURG IS THE WORD
Welcome to our annual “Best of Healdsburg” edition of The Healdsburg Tribune—your hometown love letter to local excellence.
Let’s be honest: 2025 has been one for the books. For us hoi polloi just trying to make it in Wine Country, we’re up against a staggering amount of unanticipated change—and not just the crazy climate. AI is rewriting the contours of our lives, billionaires are building bunkers and the rest of us are trying to make it through the day without doomscrolling ourselves into oblivion. So, before the robots fully take over, let’s take a moment to celebrate something real: Healdsburg. It’s still here, and remarkably it’s still human.
residence—chronicling its characters, contradictions, and the curious blend of sophistication and small-town soul that makes it unmistakably here. This edition is our annual hat tip to that spirit: the winemakers and woodworkers, the bakers and baristas, the stylists and the dreamers who keep this town beautifully alive not just for our tourists but for our town.
reading, for caring—and for reminding us that community is still the best algorithm ever devised. Whether you’re a lifelong local or a recent arriviste who never left after “just one more glass,” this issue is for you.
The Tribune endures because of you. And so does Healdsburg.
—Daedalus Howell, Editor
ENTIRE CONTENTS ©2025
All rights reserved. Single copy is $1.00
POSTMASTER
Please send address changes 445 Center St, #4C, Healdsburg, CA 95448
For more than 150 years, The Healdsburg Tribune has been the town’s storyteller-in-
The winners you’ll meet in these pages—chosen by you, our readers—remind us why “local” still matters. Because a great brunch can be transcendence, because sometimes our sommelier knows what we need better than our therapist, because the people who make and shape this place keep it real in a world where objective truth is increasingly somehow objectionable.
So, thank you for voting, for
Photo by Jaime Casap
Apart from its bustling downtown, Healdsburg boasts world-class vineyard views like this one near Chalk Hill Road.
ARTS ENTERTAINMENT &
HOLLYWOOD & VINES
True West Film Center calls ‘Action!’
When it comes to Healdsburg’s art scene, this year the spotlight falls squarely on the opening of True West Film Center’s new cinemas—a long-dreamed-of cultural revival that gives Wine Country back its movie house, and then some.
The newly minted James Redford Campus downtown is more than a theater; it’s a cultural commons where film, food and fine wine converge. Its
inaugural slate ranges from Kathryn Bigelow’s A House of Dynamite to Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, with repertory nods to The Birds and Scream, both shot right here in Sonoma County. It’s a lineup that feels both artful and alive—a perfect blend of Hollywood and Healdsburg.
Naturally, True West’s programming goes beyond popcorn and previews. There’s “Film 101” for cinephiles in training, “Film Church” for those seeking transcendence through
documentaries and “Cinema en Español” celebrating our region’s bilingual heartbeat. There are sensory-friendly screenings, baby-friendly matinées and, of course, “Locals Tuesdays”—because community is the main feature.
Executive Director Kathryn Philip and Artistic Director John Cooper have designed something increasingly rare in tourist-friendly Healdsburg: a place for locals.
With nearby restaurants offering cinema-approved bites from Troubadour to Little Saint, and a
wine list curated by sommelier Alexandria Sarovich that spans the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys, even the concessions are localcentric. Sure, Healdsburg’s art scene has always extended well beyond galleries and gigs, but welcoming cinema back to town in a three-screen venue that honors the craft with such flair feels like more than a mere homecoming—it’s something proof positive that, no matter what, the show goes on.
— Weeklys Staff
WATCH PARTY The plastic opening night banners are still up at 371 Healdsburg Ave., at the long-awaited three-screen cinema.
Photo by Christian Kallen
Best Adventure Tour
River’s Edge Kayak and Canoe
Best Art Event
The 222 Global Art Gallery
Best Art Gallery
Healdsburg Center For the Arts
Best Art Lessons
The 222 Global Art Gallery
Best Artist
Alexander Harris
Best Day Trip
Fitch Mountain Park and Open Space Preserve
Best Horseback Riding
Instruction
Chalk Hill Ranch
Best Live Jazz Music venue
Elephant In the Room
Best Live Music Venue
Coyote Sonoma
Best Local Band
Healdsburg Community Band
Best Musician
Christian Foley-Beining
Best Outdoor Event
Tuesdays in the Plaza
Best Park or Open Space
Healdsburg Plaza
Best Photographer
Cynthia Glassell, Cynthia Glassell Photography
Best Place to Play Bocce
Matrix Winery
Best Place to Take a Class
Dragonfly Floral: Design School & Classes
Best Plaza Event
Tuesdays in the Plaza
Best Regional Casino or Card Room
Graton Resort & Casino
Best Spectator Sport
Healdsburg Prune Packers
Best Swimming Pool
Parkpoint Healdsburg
AD SPACE
Stay tuned as we will be throwing a party in March to celebrate 40 years of
Photo by Dan Pulcrano
DOWNSTREAM Kayaks from River’s Edge Canoe & Kayak dry off after a day-long run down the Russian River, that ends at Memorial Bridge.
FOOD DRINK &
BEST MEXICAN IS QUITE ‘THE MIRACLE’
From Cloverdale to the big downtown, El Milagro has followed its star
It’s no easy thing to win a Best Mexican Restaurant vote in Healdsburg, which boasts eight permanent locations at last count, plus a handful of food trucks. But El Milagro pulled it off this year, its first full year in town and just a few weeks after it moved to its newest location at 241 Healdsburg Ave.
“Then people chose us the best Mexican restaurant in Healdsburg. I mean, in the first year, that’s something super,” said Marco Zamora, one of the three chefs who have brought their menus to the local dining scene.
It’s something of a miracle, one might say—fully aware that
El Milagro means exactly that.
It’s the first restaurant for owners Julio Velazquez, Alan Valverde and Zamora, sometimes found in the “front of the house” at the new restaurant. “I do cook, too, but Julio is the main chef,” Zamora said.
While El Milagro serves nachos and guacamole (prepared daily with fresh ingredients)—the menu leans toward the sophisticated. All three men are from in or near Mexico City, where the cuisine comes from all the country’s regions, mixed with a healthy European influence.
The featured guisados are
particularly thoughtful, slowcooked stews in nine different combinations of meats, salsas, and vegetables, several available in vegan options.
“Mexico City is very cosmopolitan. It has a lot of cuisines. It’s like San Francisco; we get a diversity of people,” Zamora said. Perhaps coincidentally, the restaurant’s Dia de Muertos “ofrenda” includes a photo of Anthony Bourdain, several times a visitor to Mexico City.
The three partners opened the first El Milagro in 2019, in Cloverdale. It is housed in the historic Owl Café building at 485 S. Cloverdale Blvd., for decades a reliable traveler’s stop for breakfast or lunch. Finding the esteemed Cloverdale location was a stroke of good luck, then moving to Healdsburg in 2024 to their first spot next to the Williamson Wines tasting room at 14 Matheson St. proved to be another lucky break. But successful people often create their own luck, through preparation and hard work.
When the same landlord told them about the Healdsburg Avenue location as soon as the latest tasting room left, they moved the entire operation to the larger, more visible space within six weeks. “We moved really quick. It’s a better location,” Zamora said.
The restaurant seems to be catching on, though it’s a slow time of year and spring will likely bring more innovation to El Milagro. Including a local’s prix fixe menu, happy hours and seasonal dishes from the miraculous kitchen.
– Christian Kallen
TRES MOLES An enchilada dish at El Milagro created to show off three Mexican sauce styles: peanut-based mole with shredded pork, tomato and pepper mole with shredded chicken, and mole verde pipian (pumpkin seed) filled with beef.
Photo by
Christian Kallen
FOOD DRINK &
Best Bakery
Quail & Condor
Best Bar or Pub
Lo & Behold Bar and Kitchen
Best Breakfast
Acorn Cafe
Best Brunch
The Parish Beignets and Po-Boys Café
Best Burger
Healdsburger
Best Burrito
Taqueria El Sombrero
Best Cabernet Sauvignon
A. Rafanelli Winery
Best Chardonnay
Flowers Vineyards & Winery
Best Chef
Carlos Mojica, Guiso Latin Fusion
Best Cocktails
Lo & Behold Bar and Kitchen
Best Coffee Hangout
Black Oak Coffee Roasters
Best CommunitySupported Agriculture Deliveries
Little Saint Farm
Best Deli or Sandwich Shop
Big John’s Market
Best Distillery
Alley 6 Craft Distillery
Best Dog-Friendly Restaurant
Fogbelt Brewing Company
Best Family Restaurant
Healdsburg Bar & Grill
Best Food & Wine Event
Healdsburg Wine & Food Experience
Best Food & Wine Experience
Valette
Best Happy Hour
The Matheson
Best Healthy Eats
Little Saint
Best Ice Cream or Frozen Yogurt
Noble Folk
Best Japanese or Sushi Restaurant
Otoro Sushi
Best Lunch
Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar
Best Mexican Restaurant
El Milagro
Best Natural Wine
Idlewild
Best New Restaurant
Acorn Cafe
Best Outdoor Dining
Bravas Bar de Tapas
Best Pastry Chef
Melissa Yanc, Quail & Condor
Best Pinot Noir
Rochioli
Best Pizza
Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria
Best Place to Dine Solo
Lo & Behold Bar and Kitchen
Best Restaurant
Valette
Best Restaurant for Oysters
Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar
Best Romantic Restaurant
The Madrona
Best Rose
Dry Creek Vineyard
Best Salads
Little Saint
Best Sauvignon Blanc
Dry Creek Vineyard
Best Server
Melissa Hotchkiss, Lo & Behold Bar and Kitchen
Best Sommelier
Jon McCarthy, The Matheson
Best Sparkling Wine
Breathless Sparkling Wine
Best Steaks
Valette
Best Taqueria
Taqueria El Sombrero
Best To-Go Eats
Big John’s Market
Best Vegetarian or Vegan Menu
Little Saint
Best Wine Shipping
Crown Wine Shipping
Best Wine Tasting Room
Dry Creek Vineyard
Best Winegrower
Ken Wilson, Wilson of Dry Creek
Best Winemaker
Ashley Holland, Read Holland
Best Winery Dog
Stella, Flambeaux Wine
Best Zinfandel
A. Rafanelli Winery
Photo by Rick Tang
LICKS THE COMPETITION Noble Folk Ice Cream co-owner Christian Sullberg celebrates the store’s Best of Healdsburg award with, naturally, an ice cream cone.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
HEARTWOOD OF HEALDSBURG
Lumberyard provides both goods and service
There are several places to buy building materials in Healdsburg, itself a former “lumber town” whose history is still inscribed on the maps—the still-aborning Mill District springs to mind. At one time almost all that redwood from the north came through town. But the biggest lumberyard in the heart of Healdsburg wasn’t always called Healdsburg Lumber.
Only when the Ziedrich family took over in 1972, 100 years after it sliced its first log, was Healdsburg Lumber christened. It is now in the third generation of ownership, with Jill Ziedrich
Gaylor serving as president to carry forward the vision of Eric Ziedrich. He guided the company through decades of change, spending years dreaming of a new location and almost as long building it.
Finally, in April 2023, the new 43,000-square-foot heart of home improvement services opened less than a mile to the south, at 13534 Healdsburg Ave. The new headquarters brought together every part of the business that had previously been distributed across town— from the Hudson Street Design showroom to the Healdsburg Door & Sash on Grove—under
one roof, or two counting the enormous warehouse.
The design center model is where the industry is today, and Ziedrich endeavors to compete with the new store’s architecture and access, just off Hwy 101. The stillbigger box stores are south to Windsor and Petaluma, but Ziedrich has no illusions of beating Home Depot or Lowe’s in revenue; he’s focused on service.
“We’ve always been known as a kind of a contractor, a professional yard. Our focus wasn’t the retail business,” he said. Still, he had some strong ideas on how a retail business should operate.
“The minute you as a customer walk in the door, there’s somebody who can help you find what you need,” Ziedrich said. “We have folks that have been in the trade that can advise you how to fix something, or make recommendations. I think it’s the kind of thing you rarely get at a big-box.”
That’s why Healdsburg Lumber is still the cornerstone of the local building community—it’s a family business that keeps growing without losing sight of its roots. – Weeklys Staff
by Christian
Photo
Kallen
OVERSIGHT Eric Ziedrich watches the operation of the former door-andsash company get settled into the new Healdsburg Lumber, at 13534 Healdsburg Ave.
HOME IMPROVEMENT
by
Photo
Christian Kallen
Photo: Mary Zeeble
Proud to support the neighborhood
Being a good neighbor means being there for my community. As your local State Farm® agent, I'm ready to help whenever you need me. Give me a call.
We appreciate being recognized for the Best of Healdsburg – as the Best of Healdsburg includes all of us. I'm proud to be a member of our community!
Esquivel Insurance Agcy Inc
Andy Esquivel, Agent 637 Healdsburg Ave Healdsburg, CA 95448
Bus: 707-433-4207 andy@andyesquivel.com www.andyesquivel.com
State Farm Bloomington, IL
SERVICES
by
MEDAL-WINNING SHIPPING SERVICE
Military background helps with logistics and expansion
Twenty years ago Shawn Nichols was medevacked from the field of action in Iraq, the culmination of his 17 years in the military. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service there, which helps explain the many items from veterans in his Pack Ship and More shop, voted Best Shipping Store in the Services category.
“I think it’s important to support the community that has supported me for so long,” he said, surveying the hot sauce, honey, candles, toffee, greeting cards, t-shirts and other items for sale on the store’s shelves— among the packing and office
supplies that form the bulk of his business.
Pack Ship and More is a fullservice shipping, printing and business-services center dedicated to helping individuals and businesses. “We offer shipping through the U.S. Postal Office, as well as FedEx and DHL,” Nichols said. “We have personal mailboxes for both individuals and companies.”
The store fulfills another local need, too: recycling. “We accept recycling of packaging materials, the foam peanuts both biodegradable and nonbiodegradable,” Nichols said.
“We also accept fixed sheets of foam as well as any wine
shippers that people don’t want to just throw into trash.”
There has always been a significant local trade in shipping services, but not all such businesses succeed. The recent downturn in winery tourism hit wine shipping hard, though Nichols and his partner—and fiancée—Susan Wahl have not only managed to succeed, but to expand. The Healdsburg location is their second. The first Pack Ship and More is in Windsor, and they own Fast Signs of Windsor and, in a new acquisition, the venerable trophy shop, DNS Awards.
The biggest hurdle they face is getting customers to know
READY
is proud of his military experience, and it’s helped him build the Pack Ship and More stores focused on complete custom services.
about their Healdsburg location. Though they share the parking lot with the popular Big John’s, a three-time “Best of” winner in 2025, many supermarket customers say they have only recently noticed Pack Ship and More. “We can only really grow through word of mouth,” Nichols said. “We’ve tried other advertising avenues, we’ve tried the radio, we’ve tried direct mailers. And even then, people still don’t know that we’re here.”
Maybe with the Best of Healdsburg award they will get the notice they deserve—in the same corner lot with Big John’s, at 1363 Healdsburg Ave. – Christian Kallen
Photo
Rick Tang
TO SERVE Shawn Nichols
Lourdes
SERVICES
Best Accounting or Bookkeeping Practice
Amy Covin, CPA
Best Assisted Living Community
Ensō Village
Best Auto Body Repair
Redwood Auto Body
Best Auto Service Center
Fincher’s Auto Service
Best Caterer
DL Catering
Best Community Organization
Corazón Healdsburg
Best Cosmetic Surgeon
Dr. Stanley W. Jacobs, The Jacobs Center for Cosmetic Surgery
Best Creative Design Agency
Pembroke Studios
Best Esthetician
Shelley Wells- Mattern, The Spa Hotel Healdsburg
Best Event Planner
Kismet Event Co
Best Family Physician
Thomas A Neal, MD, Sutter Health
Best Financial Advisor
Olivia Foppiano, Edward Jones
Best Gym or Health Club
Parkpoint Healdsburg
Best Hair Salon
Brush The Salon
Best Health Care Facility
717 Center Street Care Center, Sutter Health
Best Hotel or Lodging
The Madrona
Best Law Firm
Passalacqua, Mazzoni, Gladden, Lopez & Maraviglia, LLP
Best Local Bank or Credit Union
Redwood Credit Union
Courtesy of Enso Village
SOLID SPACE Meditation garden in the middle of Enso Village provides a moment of Zen in the Assisted Living community north of downtown Healdsburg.
The Ar t of Connection
Ever y por trait tells a s tor y of love , legacy, and belonging Honored to be named Bes t Photographer for t he second year in a row.
Thank you, Healdsburg for trus ting me to capture your s tories and your spirit
Debbie’s Pet Boutique
CYNTHIA GLASSELL PHOTOGRAPHY
Best Massage Therapist
Massage Therapy by Cassandra Houghton
Best Nonprofit Organization
Corazón Healdsburg
Best Personal Trainer
Earl Strong, Parkpoint Healdsburg
Best Pet Groomer
Debbie’s Pet Boutique
Best Place to Work
Wilson Artisan Wines
Best Place to Worship
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
Best Private or Charter School
Saint John Catholic School
Best Relationship Coach
Bridges to Understanding Family Therapy
Best Self-Storage Facility
Double O Mini Storage
Best Shipping Store
Pack Ship & More
Best Spa
The Spa, Hotel Healdsburg
Best Sports Instructor
Jenn Russo, Yoga on Center
Best Stables
Chalk Hill Ranch
Best Tattoo Artist
Isabella Miranda, Tattoos by Isabella
Best Veterinary Clinic
Memorial Beach Veterinary Hospital
Best Wedding Venue
Villa Chanticleer
Courtesy of Milestone Events
SEALED WITH A KISS A wedding at the gazebo at Villa Chanticleer, the historic Healdsburg resort chosen as Best Wedding Venue in town.
Thank you Healdsburg!
We’re proud to serve our community for 71 years strong.
985 Healdsburg Ave., Healdsburg | silveiraautos.com 0% APR FOR
QUALIFIED BUYERS WHEN FINANCED W/ GM FINANCIAL.
Hi there,
I’m Christy Livingston, founder of Bridges to Understanding. For over 20 years, I’ve helped many people find calm, clarity, and connection. I created this practice to bring in a team of dedicated Marriage and Family Therapists to support you, my Healdsburg community. To be voted Best Relationship Coach in town, I am in awe of you all and your unyielding dedication to relationship success. Thank you for your vote. My big goal? To bring more joy and healing to my community; to make a difference; to find pathways that seem un-findable; and to be
there in support of permanent growth. We navigate relationships day-in, day-out: not only in marriages, but as neighbors, colleagues, parents, children, caregivers, teachers, the list goes on. Relationships are navigated endlessly, and we are here to help you find health and success within them.
With gratitude,
SHOPPING
QUALITY MEN’S WEAR WITH THAT CLASSIC VIBE
An old complaint among Healdsburg locals, dating to at least since Rosenberg’s left town in 1985, is, “There’s no place to buy underwear in town.” So naturally that’s one of the first things I asked Paul Snyder, manager of the new Patrick James store on the Plaza, which is still doing business under its former name, Outlander, until midNovember.
“We have men’s underwear, a line called SAXX that has some pretty wild patterns,” Snyder said. Indeed they do: Santathalon Vibe, Deck the Pineapple and Open Sleigh Golf Cart are among the holiday styles. Snyder, who must have noticed I was taken aback, said, “But if you want
tighty-whities, you’ll have to go somewhere else.”
Chances are, though, that customers of Outlander, or those who have been to the eight other Patrick James stores, know not to ask.
“It’s kind of a full-service men’s store at most of our other locations, like suits and tailoring,” said Snyder, a big man with a colorful shirt who formerly worked at the next-nearest Patrick James at Montgomery Village. “Our Healdsburg store is more centered around tourism, a lot more grab-and-go.”
Don’t expect gaudy t-shirts proclaiming I Got Healed in Healdsburg, though, but instead quality men’s clothing like
Alberto jeans or Swedish button-down shirts from Stenstrom. Or newer brands like jeans from 34 Heritage or Robert Graham’s flashy, fun shirts and sports coats.
The store is full of comfortable men’s clothes, well-displayed with the look of quality materials and for the most part subtle styling— the boxers being the exception. The brand began in Fresno over 60 years ago, by Patrick James MonPere, hence its brand motto “West Coast Classic.” Since his last name means “my father,” it’s appropriate that his two sons and a cousin now run the small, ninestore chain, with its other outlets in locations such as Aptos, San Luis Obispo and Carmel.
Allen Emery is a holdover
salesman from the original Outland, in this space for 25 years at 103 Plaza St. until last February. Patrick James has run the store since, and the name change becomes official this month. “It’s a nice transition because they carried a lot of the clothes that Patrick James has,” Emery said. “There’s an overlap, as we had some similar lines.” He predicts that the discerning Healdsburg shopper, whether a visitor or a resident, will find what they need.
With its recognized men’s brands, a West Coast Classic vibe and a “Best of” vote from Healdsburg shoppers, Patrick James is a welcome addition to the Plaza shopping experience.
– Christian Kallen
Photo by Rick Tang
103 PLAZA Store manager Paul Snyder welcomes visitors to Patrick James, the former Outlander store now operating under a new brand.
SHOPPING
by
Best Auto Dealership
Silveira GMC
Best Auto Parts Store
O’Reilly Auto Parts
Best Cannabis Dispensary
Jane Dispensary
Best Clothing-Women’s
Zizi
Best Flowers
Dragonfly Floral
Best Gift Boutique
Mr. Moon’s
Best Grocery Store
Big John’s Market
Best Jewelry Store
Gold Bloom
Best Locally Made Food Product
Journeyman Meat Co.
Best Men’s Clothing
Patrick James (Outlander)
Best New Business
Jane Dispensary
Best Pet Boutique
Fideaux
Best Pet or Feed Store
Wright’s Feed Store
Best Produce
Healdsburg Farmers’ Market
Best Tire Store
Ceja Quality Tire
Photo
Christian Kallen
BUDDING FRIENDSHIP Happy to open their newest dispensary, Leigh-Anne Baker and Jamie Shira welcome customers to the Healdsburg location of Jane in May. It’s been voted Best Dispensary by Tribune readers.
Jewelr y Design | Timothy Gordy, Designer Goldsmith
