Glen Ellen Inn

Nothing like a nice big meal following an afternoon of wine tasting! Our party had grown to ten throughout the day so we were a little concerned about finding a locally owned establishment that could accommodate us without a reservation. The staff at Glen Elen Inn didn't even bat an eye when we swept in with our boisterous laughter and empty bellies!

A 10 minute drive from the Sonoma Square, Glenn Ellen Inn is a 1940's wine country cottage with intimate indoor dining and shaded garden tables outdoors. It's known as the "smallest restaurant with the biggest wine list" in Sonoma Valley! Besides having an outstanding wine list, the impressive martini menu also offers mini martini's for those who still have their training wheels on!

There were too many mouth watering creations on the menu to choose just one. I was sitting at the head of the table with Dinah and Heather so we pooled our cravings and had one heck of a feast. We started with a raw oyster sampler. The oysters were a little on the small side but had three different sauces to tempt the taste buds. The Watermelon and Arugula Salad was killer with Pancetta, hazelnuts, Chevre and a Port dressing. The bread basket was hot, fresh and included a slightly sweet scone with a hint of rosemary!

The Spinach & Feta Ravioli was a huge hit with it's chipotle paste and red bell pepper cream sauce! Another big hit was the Chicken Breast. Sounds boring right? WRONG! The chicken was brined in buttermilk and served on sauteed corn succotash with caper lemon cream sauce. Also on the table was a perfectly cooked Halibut with Asian spices and a juicy Kobe Flat Iron Steak!

Fresh, local ingredients were used in all the dishes!

We brought in a couple of bottles of wine from our purchases earlier in the day and for a small corkage fee were able to enjoy them with dinner!

If you travel to Sonoma and need a place to stay, the Glen Ellen Inn really is an "Inn"! There are so-called secret cottages just steps from the restaurant. They have fireplaces, Jacuzzi tubs and are situated along a creek. Don't miss this gem of a place for lunch or dinner during your Wine Country travels!