Wednesday Winddown: Sunflower Caffe

Let's try something new here. A monthly feature sharing some of our favorite spots.

As much as H and I enjoy cooking and experimenting in our own kitchen, once in a while, our fondness of foods leads us on culinary adventures. Whenever we're travelling, either locally or internationally, my what-to-do research isn't complete without restaurant and food research. Here's us sharing some of our findings with you.

First up, one of our favorites in Sonoma, CA: Sunflower Caffe Espresso & Wine Bar. It's our happy place.

In addition to our love of food, we've also become wine lovers. Being so close to beautiful California wine-country certainly has its advantages. What started as a New Years tradition, soon became a quarterly retreat. We have since joined a wine club at Eric Ross Winery (a charming winery that produces some really great wine), and opted to pick up our quarterly shipments - as if we needed the additional excuse for a Sonoma getaway.

On one of our first trips to Sonoma, we ended up at Sunflower Caffe for a bite to eat. It was crowded, and although it was freezing outside, we ended up sitting in the (heated) porch area. We ordered cappuccinos and bread pudding. Our order was right on the money. Their bread pudding is out of this world. Warm, gooey, perfectly baked. It's topped with warm chocolate sauce and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It. is. amazing. The cappuccinos were also delicious, complete with cute foam art.

In subsequent trips, we've tried numerous other menu items. Our standard order is now a grilled cheese (on focaccia with pepper jack cheese), bread pudding, and two cappucinos. On one recent visit, we were in the mood for brunch, rather than lunch, and opted for a pecan waffle (in addition to our standard order), and it didn't disappoint. It was the fluffiest waffle I've ever had.

Really, everything we've had on the menu is delicious. So, whatever you order, you probably can't go wrong.  Protip: get there early enough to get a slice of bread pudding before it's sold out (yes, it happens, and when it happens, you will be sad). They close a bit early, so it's an ideal spot for brunch or lunch.

Let us know if you make it there. Would love to hear your thoughts!