Bloom Carneros — Restaurant in Sonoma

We walked in around noon on a Sunday and jumped in line. There were two groups in front of us and one of them was grumbling about having to wait even though they had a reservation. I think this pointed mostly to the host who seemed to be pretty nonchalant about doing host things. We were seated and had a nice choice of in the sun or not. We chose not, as even though it was forecasted to be a nice (read 85 degree) day, the sun would make it a bit uncomfortable. There was a nice choice of seats, under the awning, under the umbrellas, even in the dappled sun under the trees. Sweet!

Maybe, for over $100 for lunch for two we were expecting fine dining, but this isn't it. It's nice dinning. It's a nice place. But the host won't pour you a glass of your $7 bottle of bubbly water- it's up to you. How nice. Our server made up for it, though, she was attentive and friendly.

But the food. Yeah, that is worth it... The sweet potato tacos (taquitos, really) that we shared were delicious. The halibut tacos special had some great flavor and my Mrs. reports that the beet salad was tops. Could there have been more beets in the salad and a bit more halibut in the tacos? Sure, but they were gooooood. So I'll overlook that. And we didn't leave hungry.

A small selection of good beer and wine rounds out the menu with a few deserts we chose not to sample.

Overall, I'd say it's an expensive lunch of great food and pretty good service. Just don't be in a hurry. They aren't either. (We weren't either.)

Be ready for dogs and barking and kids moving about quite a lot. There is a play structure...

Bloom Carneros: Sparkling rosé, ancient vines, and a brunch worth remembering.

We came to Bloom for a birthday brunch and left completely enchanted. The sparkling rosé was a standout—elegant, crisp, and genuinely one of the best I’ve had. I’d come back for that alone.

Brunch itself was beautiful—seasonal, flavorful, and plated with care. Not overdone, just perfectly balanced. Afterward, we stayed for a tasting flight that explored the more adventurous side of their cellar, including:

Orange wines that leaned floral and bright (though I’d love to see them left on the lees a bit longer for that extra depth you get in Hungary or Georgia)

Ancient vines, with fruit from the late 1800s and early 1900s—are intensely flavorful and rare to taste. These older vines struggle more, so the yield is smaller but the wine is full of character.

The real magic, though, was in the hospitality. Our tasting guide had a degree in winemaking and shared her knowledge generously—thoughtfully tailoring the experience and elevating the entire afternoon. She made my friend’s birthday feel personal, relaxed, and incredibly special.

Top reasons to go:

🌸 Truly excellent sparkling rosé

🥂 Warm, knowledgeable service

🍽️ Refined but approachable brunch menu

🍷 Fascinating flight: orange wines + ancient vines

🧘‍♀️ A calm, elegant space to slow down and savor

If you're looking for a place that’s both elevated and welcoming, Bloom Carneros is a must. I’ll be recommending it to everyone.

The artwork on the bottles is amazing and I would love to see the artist's work hung in the...

Nice place, inviting environment, very friendly and welcoming staff.

I am celiac and had a chat with the waiter about eating gluten free. He seemed knowledgeable and the menu was well-marked, but they still served me an item with gluten anyway without realizing it, (the fries, no dedicated fryer), and didn’t seem concerned some of them came out touching the burger. When they did bring out a substitute item for the fries, a salad, it was literally just lettuce. Not a single other vegetable, which felt pretty bootleg for such a high end place. (The dressing was fire though).

Also, the meal felt extremely rushed to our group, like they were trying to speed us out of there for the next wave of customers. Dessert menu came over before our plates were cleared, even though the restaurant wasn’t even full.

Finally, a lot of the reviews note this is kid friendly, and it definitely is. However, the playground is essentially just a tall slide with a ladder to climb up, so not ideal for...