After blissful days filled with wine tasting and Michelin starred meals, it’s all too easy to take a pass on dessert. We’re here to tell you — don’t do it! From cookies and pastries, to artisanal chocolate, let your inner sweet tooth run the show and indulge. You can thank us later.
Photo: Noble Folk Ice Cream & Pie Bar
Healdsburg
Amy’s Wicked Slush
13840 Healdsburg Avenue, Healdsburg
Some East Coasters might call it Italian Water Ice. Amy’s calls it slush. The name doesn’t matter. It’s just good. Flavors include mango, black cherry, watermelon, coconut, and cotton candy. It’s fantastic on its own, but make it even better by mixing in soft serve ice cream. Think root beer slush with vanilla soft serve, or go for a fruity mix like lemon slush and blueberry soft serve. amyswickedslush.com
Sonoma
18495 Highway 12, Sonoma
This colorful ice cream shop in Sonoma is for those willing to think out of the box and pass on scoops of vanilla and chocolate for flavors like pina colada, rum raisin, and guanabana sorbet. There are also more than a dozen types of paletas to choose from. Watermelon, tamarind, and spicey mango are just a few of our favorites. Did we mention they also make nachos?
With offerings like Lobster Pot Pie and Short Rib Cavatelli, it’s hard to save room for dessert at Wit & Wisdom. But it’s worth the effort because when you succeed a Woodfired S’mores Souffle For 2 is waiting. It’s like being a kid again, but better.
408 1st Street East, Sonoma
Small batch ice cream whipped up steps off of Sonoma Plaza. Flavors change often: check Sweet Scoops Instagram stories or give the sweet shop a call. It’s sister shop, Darling, is located just a few blocks away. Along with scoops, shakes, floats and cones, ice cream cakes are available.
Santa Rosa
404 Mendocino Avenue A, Santa Rosa
Sift got the nation’s attention when owner, Andrea Ballus, won Food Network’s Cupcake Wars. Now, Ballus and her husband operate three Sift locations (Santa Rosa, Napa, and San Francisco) filled with colorful and tasty sweet stuff including cupcakes, macarons, mini-cakes, frosting shots and more.
539 4th Street, Santa Rosa
Blood Raspberry Orange, Thai Tea, Pistachio Cherry, Salted Caramel, and Black Sesame. That’s just a handful of our favorite ice cream flavors at Noble Folk. But wait, there’s pie too! How does S’more Mississippi Mud Pie sound? Maybe a lighter Meyer Lemon Baked Custard? There’s also cupcakes, cookies and macarons, oh my! Along with the shop in Santa Rosa, there’s a location across from Healdsburg Plaza.
1021 Hahman Drive, Santa Rosa
This French patisserie and café boasts two Sonoma County locations; the original Sebastopol outpost and its newest Montgomery Village address in Santa Rosa. Croissant options range from butter, chocolate, and almond, to savoy ham and cheese, but it’s hard to say no to breakfast cake.
Petaluma
143 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma
Vanilla panna cotta, cheesecake, princess cakes, and fresh fruit tarts. You never know what kind of goodness will fill the cases at Della Fattoria in Petaluma. Preorders can be placed online, but if you go that route, be ready to add on at pick up.
220 Western Avenue, Petaluma
This Michelin Bib Gourmand hotspot in Petaluma is well-known for its Swedish offerings. But along with classics like pickled herring and meatballs, the restaurant’s counter is lined with jars of colorful candy like Dala Horse Gummy Candy and of course Swedish Fish. The selection is always changing, giving you an excuse to visit again and again.
125 Petaluma Blvd North, Petaluma
This is a go-to spot for pie lovers. Petaluma Pie Company makes sweet and savory pies using local ingredients. The pie menu changes with the season; along with classic apple and coconut cream, you might find butterscotch banana cream or a pear ginger cardamon pie.
West County and Sonoma Coast
140 Bohemian Highway, Freestone
707.874.2938
A bit off the beaten track, you’ll know it was worth the trip to Wild Flour Bread in Freestone the moment you walk in the door and see plates loaded with scones and loaves of bread — straight out of the wood-fired brick oven — stacked high. Offerings can change day to day, but expect scone varieties like Maple Banana Pecan, Meyer Lemon Blueberry, and Strawberry Rhubarb. Breads range from Olive, and Garlic Rosemary, to the Gouda Flat with gouda, onion and herbs. The Sticky Bun bread is not to be missed and perfect to share, or not. We won’t tell.
32000 Highway 1, Stewarts Point
Be thankful for the big blue fish on the side of the building that makes it hard to simply drive by. Stewarts Point Store is home to Twofish Baking. Along with scones, sticky buns, bear claws, and Danish pastries, the market offers a selection of candies you likely loved as a kid.
6902 Sebastopol Avenue, Sebastopol
All of the ice cream and sorbet is crafted in small batches at Screamin’ Mimi’s. Same goes for the hot fudge, caramel sauce, waffle cones, whipped cream.. you get the idea. The most popular flavor is called Mimi’s Mud. It’s espresso ice cream with cookies, fudge, and chocolate chips. Enough said.
Who’s writing these?
Meet our always-hungry team of foodies who compiled this list.
Please let us know if we’ve missed your favorite eat@localgetaways.com.
