Amista Sheltie Dylan, Making Friends in Healdsburg
Recently, Travel + Leisure magazine called Healdsburg “the jewel of California wine country.” I couldn’t agree more.
The article beautifully captures the things visitors love about Healdsburg—our charming boutique hotels, exceptional restaurants, outstanding wineries, and the many outdoor activities that surround our small town. It’s a wonderful guide for anyone planning a visit.
As I was reading it, I found myself thinking, “What would a local’s guide to Healdsburg look like?”
Over the years, guests often ask me: Where do you go when you’re not at the winery? Where do you eat? Where do you walk? What do you enjoy most about living in Healdsburg?
Where Do the Locals Go?
Whenever I travel, I find myself asking the same question. Of course, I enjoy visiting famous attractions, but I also love discovering the places and traditions that are part of everyday life—the places where people who live there actually spend their time.
My late husband Mike and I first discovered Healdsburg in 1982, and we returned again and again until we made it our home in 2002. We founded Amista Vineyards shortly afterward, and now, with more than two decades of calling Healdsburg home, I think I’ve earned the right to consider myself a local—although some of the families who have been here for generations might beg to differ.
The answer is not one particular place. It’s the collection of small moments and everyday traditions that make Healdsburg special.
So if you’re planning a visit, I’d love to share a few of my favorite ways to experience Healdsburg from a local’s perspective.
Start Your Saturday at the Healdsburg Farmers’ Market
Just a few weeks ago, I enjoyed what I consider the perfect Saturday in Healdsburg.
My friend Miriam was visiting, so we walked to the Healdsburg Farmers’ Market with my Sheltie, Dylan. We happened to arrive when summer produce was at its peak. There were heirloom tomatoes in shades of red, yellow and orange, fragrant basil, peaches and nectarines, sweet strawberries, and beautiful lettuces that had been picked only hours earlier.
In addition to choosing the best local produce, I love picking up fresh-caught fish from Anna’s Seafood, and that morning we couldn’t resist taking home a beautiful piece of Bodega Bay halibut for dinner.
After wandering through the market, we walked one block to the historic Healdsburg Plaza. We picked up a sandwich and a plum galette from Downtown Bakery & Creamery and found a shady bench to enjoy lunch.
The Plaza is one of my favorite places to simply sit and watch life unfold. Children splash in the fountain, families linger over picnics and ice cream, and dogs of every size seem to find new friends. Dylan certainly did, making new friends everywhere we stopped.
That evening, we prepared what I still think was the perfect farmers’ market dinner—fresh halibut with butter, lemon, and dill; farfalle tossed with pesto made from the basil we had just purchased; and a salad of tender lettuces, cucumbers, and herbs from the market.
Naturally, we opened a bottle of Amista Rosé de Tres. Made from Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, it’s one of my favorite wines to enjoy with fresh summer meals.
Some of the best dinners in Healdsburg don’t begin at a restaurant. They begin at the farmers’ market. If you enjoy cooking, a visit to the market may become one of the highlights of your trip.
Walk the Trails Like a Local
If Dylan had his way, every day would begin with a walk.
Two of our favorite places are the Healdsburg Ridge Open Space Preserve and the Foss Creek Pathway.
The Ridge Preserve winds through oak woodlands and open hillsides above town, offering peaceful trails and beautiful views across Alexander and Dry Creek Valleys. It’s one of those places where you can hear the birds singing and the breeze through the trees. It’s especially beautiful in the early morning or at sunset.
The Foss Creek Pathway is completely different—and equally wonderful. This paved urban trail meanders toward downtown alongside the tiny Foss Creek. On the opposite side is a restored marshland where we often spot great egrets, blue herons, ducks, and geese. We sometimes hear the chorus of frogs hidden among the reeds.
Dylan absolutely loves this walk. Every day he looks forward to greeting the neighborhood dogs along the trail. Once we reach downtown, he insists on stopping to see the wooden dog sculptures displayed outside several shops. He always seems convinced that one of these days they’re finally going to wag their tails at him.
One of the best things about the pathway is that it features public art created by local artists. I especially love Grazing Horse, a life-size sculpture fashioned from metal and driftwood across from Healsburg City Hall.
There is also an unexpected blue tiled sofa complete with an end table, lamp, and bright red telephone. Dylan and I often stop there for a few minutes on hot days. The ceramic tiles stay surprisingly cool, making it the perfect place to rest while we watch walkers, runners, cyclists, and fellow dog lovers pass by.
Dylan never hesitates—he jumps right up beside me as though the sofa had been built especially for him. o
Dinner and a Movie, Healdsburg Style
One of my favorite ways to spend an evening in Healdsburg is dinner followed by a movie with neighbors at the True West Film Center.
True West has become one of the best additions to downtown Healdsburg. Its three intimate theaters feel more like someone’s beautifully designed home cinema than a traditional multiplex, with wonderfully comfortable seating and a carefully curated mix of first-run and independent films.
Recently, several neighbors and I met at Willi’s Seafood & Raw Bar before walking the short half block to the theater.
We shared small plates—tuna tartare, kale Caesar salad, miso carmelized butterfish, and melted cheese with chorizo. But what I remember most isn’t just the food.
In a small town like Healdsburg, dinner isn’t rushed. It’s a chance to catch up on each other’s lives, hear about new adventures, and reconnect before settling into a movie together.
And I love that everything is within walking distance. It’s one of the many reasons living here feels so special.
Two Healdsburg Restaurants I Never Tire Of
When friends ask where they should eat in Healdsburg, two restaurants immediately come to mind: Baci Café & Wine Bar and Guiso Latin Fusion.
They are completely different cuisines, yet they share several things in common: remarkable chef-owners, devoted regulars, and, oddly enough, stories involving runaway cars.
A Spontaneous Dinner at Guiso Latin Fusion
Recently, a friend came to my house for dinner, but just as she arrived, the power went out. Since I was unable to prepare dinner, we decided to try Guiso—and luckily, we were able to get a table.
With only seven tables, Guiso is an intimate little restaurant where Chef Carlos prepares every dish in the open kitchen. The menu is designed around small plates meant to be shared, which makes it the perfect place for lingering over dinner with friends.
That evening we enjoyed dishes like a fresh corn pancake with mozzarella fresco, shaved broccoli, honey-lemon vinaigrette, and basil, topped off with prime hanger steak and chimichurri. Another delicious dish is fried Brussels sprouts with delicata squash, spices, brown butter, honey and Calabrian chili.
Guiso’s story is as memorable as its food. The restaurant once had twice as many tables, half of them in an outdoor parklet, until it was hit by a car that fled the scene. About ten diners were inside the parklet finishing their desserts, but thankfully no one was injured.
Sadly, the damage was significant enough that the structure had to be removed. Like many locals, we’re hoping it eventually returns.
Why Baci Is a Local Favorite
Baci Café & Wine Bar is my go-to place—for a casual weeknight dinner, entertaining out-of-town guests, gathering with my wine women friends for our monthly getogether, or celebrating with my Amista winery team.
The menu is extensive, with seasonal local specials created by Chef Shari. His wife, Lisbeth, is always at the front offering an enthusiastic welcome to every guest who walks through the door.
My friends George and Marge from Southern California insist on eating at Baci whenever they visit Healdsburg. One of our favorite dishes, when in season, is the Dry Creek Farms peach salad with fresh burrata, pistachios, basil-infused olive oil and balsamic reduction.
George is partial to the short rib stuffed ravioli in a veal reduction sauce, while Marge and I enjoy the ravioli with fresh spring peas and ricotta in a lemon butter sauce. We rarely order dessert, but sometimes we simply cannot resist sharing the profiteroles with ice cream and hot fudge sauce.
A few months ago, a driver crashed into Baci after a hot coffee incident, thundering through the front door, destroying tables, and stopping just before reaching the kitchen. Fortunately, it happened at 8:00 in the morning, and no one was hurt.
But our beloved Baci had to close for repairs for several months.
One of the things I love most about Healdsburg is how this community rallies around its own. One of Baci’s customers created a GoFundMe campaign to help ensure the staff was paid while the restaurant was closed. When Baci finally reopened, it was heartwarming to see all of the longtime staff members back in action.
That kind of care and connection is what makes Healdsburg feel like more than just a beautiful place to visit.
It feels like home.
Why I Love Calling Healdsburg Home
Travel + Leisure is right—Healdsburg truly is one of California’s gems.
But after more than forty years of visiting and living here, I’ve realized that what makes Healdsburg special isn’t just the award-winning wineries, remarkable restaurants, or beautiful scenery.
It’s Saturday mornings at the farmers’ market.
Walking the trails with Dylan.
Dinner with neighbors before a movie.
Friends who insist on returning to their favorite restaurant every time they visit.
And a community that rallies around local businesses when they need us most.
Those are the moments that never make the travel magazines, yet they’re the ones that make this little town feel like home.
If your visit includes a few of them, I think you’ll discover why Mike and I fell in love with Healdsburg all those years ago—and why I still feel grateful every single day to call it home.
Still Thirsty?
If you want to learn more, here is a curated list of resources.
Picnic at Amista: Insider Picks for the Best Sandwiches in Healdsburg
