The Perfect Vegan Day in Sonoma (with Omnivores): Food + Wine
Planning a visit to Sonoma Valley and searching for vegan-friendly wineries and restaurants that your omnivorous group will enjoy as well? I’ve gotcha covered! After thoroughly researching, calling, and visiting this Northern California wine region more than a few times, I am thrilled to share my recommended itinerary for the perfect vegan day in Sonoma!
Plus more vegan-friendly choices if you are lucky enough to be in Sonoma another day or two!
This itinerary is especially ideal for 6-9 people. Although the following wineries may be able to accommodate more or less, so be sure to call to inquire. And definitely reserve in advance!
Vegan Breakfast/Brunch in Sonoma
Whether you’re making it a day trip or staying in/around Sonoma, breakfast is key to a successful wine country day.
If you’re in the area bright and early, check out Sunflower Cafe for their insane avocado toast with miso roasted eggplant, chili lentil salad, and black garlic cashew sauce. Or try the roasted butternut squash wrap with chili hummus, pickled onions, vegan feta, quinoa, and red pepper cashew sauce.
For a quicker early bite, stop at Baker and Cook Bakery. Vegan items include a maple scone and chocolate pomegranate tart. Plus, don’t forget to grab a fresh baguette for a picnic later in the day.
If you’re just visiting for a day trip, remember to eat a hearty breakfast before you come!
Vegan Picnic Preparations
Before your first official wine tasting stop, be sure to stock up on picnic items. Instead of a heavy lunch, the following itinerary includes a picnic at the first tasting, a food & wine pairing at the second stop, and one more tasting to round out the day.
If you’re planning a sit down breakfast/brunch, perhaps just pack the essential picnic snack items, like vegan cheese (Miyoko’s Creamery vegan cheese is made in nearby Petaluma and is easy to find in most stores!), vegan charcuterie meats, crackers, fruit, etc.
Another delicious option is to order/pick up some tasty Mediterranean dips or lavash wraps from Spread Kitchen Sonoma.
Or else grab veggie sandwiches from Picazo, Sunflower Cafe (also mentioned above) or Sonoma Market…at least a few to share.
Staying in town for dinner? See restaurant recommendations at the bottom of this post.
Vegan-friendly Wine Tasting in Sonoma County
As you may already know, most wine is not vegan unfortunately. But GREAT news: the Sonoma wine country region has over a dozen vegan-friendly wineries! I highly recommend the three stops below for their wine, food, and ambiance. Additional vegan-friendly wineries are listed below as well for even more options or in case you have time to tack on another day (or you’re feeling wild and want to add a fourth stop in one day!).
Be sure to make reservations in advance as nearly all wineries required them these days.
Stop 1: Private Tasting & Tour at Kivelstadt’s Vineyard
While Kivelstadt’s Sonoma tasting room and adjoining restaurant are a popular stop, instead venture over to their lesser known, more intimate spot…a private bespoke tasting experience nestled within their hillside vines just a few miles up the road.
Take in the breathtaking views from the gorgeous oversized picnic table (with shade canopy) while sipping on a curated selection of 6 Kivelstadt wines…from whites to pinks to orange (yes, they have an orange colored wine that is so unique and definitely worth trying!) to reds.
Kivelstadt wines are not only vegan and organic. The winemakers also practice minimal intervention, which means they allow the vineyards to speak for themselves instead of dominating them with intrusive winemaking techniques. They steer clear from additives, use only natural fermentations, and limit new oak that can overpower the natural flavors. Some may call their wines “wild”!
Kivelstadt also prides itself on approachability, meaning that their wines are affordable for all wine lovers. Most wines are priced between $22 and $59.
Be sure to bring your own picnic (inspiration above) to complement the delicious wine (and to pace yourselves!).
Vineyard Tasting Address:
7651 Bennett Valley Road
Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Price: $75 per person
Time: allow 90 minutes to enjoy this experience
Stop 2: Mayo Family Reserve Food + Wine Pairing
For a unique, 7-course food and wine pairing experience at a remarkable value, visit Mayo Family Winery at the Reserve Room in Kenwood. Not only are all of their wines vegan, they also accommodate vegans (and those with other special dietary needs) in their food pairings!
I highly recommend making your reservation at the outdoor picnic tables (weather permitting) to enjoy the vineyards, sunshine, and fresh air.
Each delicious bite is carefully crafted to pair beautifully with their generous pours of tasty vegan wine! While the menu changes seasonally, the impressive fall 2023 vegan menu included a deviled potato, mushroom ravioli, kabocha squash bisque, baby beets with arugula pesto, ramen with Swiss chard in a succulent vegan broth, and crispy polenta over beans and greens.
Wine pairings also change seasonally and showcase a balanced assortment of whites and reds, and lighter and fuller bodied wines. Mayo Family Winery focuses on single-vineyard wines and they produce over 20 varieties each year, including sparkling wines, chardonnay, pinot noir, zinfandel, pinot meunier, granache, alicante bouschet, and more. Most bottles cost between $45 and $65.
Note: this food pairing is not quite enough to be a full lunch, especially with their generous wine pours. Plan accordingly (see breakfast/brunch and picnic preparations above;)).
Vineyard Tasting Address:
9200 Sonoma Highway
Kenwood, CA 95452
Price: $80-$95 per person (pending group size) + gratuity; note, special meals like vegan subject to additional 10% service fee
Time: pending group size, the experience can take 2+ hours
Stop 3: B Wise Winery
For an easy final stop on your Sonoma vegan winery tour, check out the B. Wise Vineyards tasting lounge, just a stones throw from Mayo Family Reserve Room! Not only is their vegan wine particularly impressive, the space is modern and welcoming, and the tastings are some of the most affordable around at $25 per person. Plus, you can request the private room in the back pending party size.
B. Wise primarily features bigger reds, like cabernet sauvignon, petite syrah, tannet, cab franc, and syrah. They also have a chardonnay as well as pinot noir. Most bottles range from $55 to $75.
B. Wise also offers other tasting experiences (at higher prices) pending party size at the Estate Cave (at the top of our list for next visit!), the Lodge, and more. And their interior design at each space is 👌🏼, with proprietor Ronda West Wise’s eclectic design touch.
Tasting Lounge Address:
9077 Sonoma Highway
Kenwood, CA 95452
Price: $25 per person
Time: Allow at least an hour for this tasting, as the tasting staff loves to share the background of the vineyards, proprietors, and wines!
Other Sonoma County Vegan-friendly Wineries
Perhaps you have time to enjoy Sonoma for more than just a day?! Other vegan-friendly wineries to consider (I confirmed with each winery below in January 2024):
Roche Winery: with two tasting choices, at their gorgeous Sonoma vineyards (with picnic options spring-fall available including vegan food options!) or at the tasting room in downtown Sonoma…and both dog friendly!
Scribe Winery: vegan food options too (call in advance); open primarily to members, with some flexibility for weekday reservations in the Hacienda only
Three Sticks Winery: note, while most of their wine is vegan, three specific wines are not: Castanada white, pinot blanc, and origin chardonnay
Schug Estate Winery: all wines vegan except their Sonoma Coast pinot noir
Note: Contrary to what you may read on other sites, Gloria Ferrier is not vegan friendly. During my research, I confirmed with the winery & winemaker that they cannot confirm that all ingredients in their wines come from animal-free sources.
Other wineries that are also not vegan-friendly and may be listed as vegan on various sites are Sojourn Cellars and Hamel Family Wines.
Vegan Dinner in Sonoma Valley
If you’re lucky enough to enjoy the evening in Sonoma at the end of your wine tasting adventure, a few restaurants stand out with their impressive vegan choices.
The Mill at Glen Ellen does an excellent job of catering to vegans! They offers some tasty options, like the spicy crispy tofu with gochugang sauce appetizer, the mushroom-stuffed Impossible burger, edamame bean hummus entree, and masala potato patties.
Spread Kitchen Sonoma (also listed above under picnic preparations) is a Lebanese restaurant that offers tons of plant-based choices…from dips like hummus and muhammara to vegan bowls or wraps with falafel or fried cauliflower to sides like quinoa tabouleh and kale salad. They even offer vegan tahini brownies for dessert!
El Dorado Kitchen offers a vegan rice bowl with maitake mushrooms, tofu, veggies, and a soy ginger vinaigrette.
Yeti Restaurant features Indian and Nepalese cuisine, with vegan dishes like vegetable momo, vegetable biryani, eggplant and potato masala, okra masala, aloo gobi, and vegetable curry.
I hope these ideas help you plan your perfect vegan day in Sonoma Valley! Please let me know what you think of these spots, or any of your favorites I missed, in comments below!
And if one day is not enough, you can get assortment of delicious organic, vegan wines shipped to your doorstep whenever you want! Dry Farm Wines based in Napa, CA, curates wines from around the world that meet their strict purity standards including sugar free, vegan, no added sulfites, and more. Read more about them here!
Finally, for more delicious vegan food in Northern California restaurants, check out:
- Must-Try San Francisco Vegan Food!
- East Bay Vegan Food Not to Miss
- Can’t Miss Walnut Creek Vegan Dishes
- Awesome Vegan Asian Food in Oakland
- Best Vegan Food in Truckee (Lake Tahoe)
Cheers!
–Jenn
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