I’ve been craving some real BBQ lately. And while Northern California has its more then fair share of every ethnic food you can imagine, anyone who’s been to real Barbecue Country can attest we lack a significant BBQ community out here (other than of course the Hamburger Ranch & BBQ up in Cloverdale).

Kinsmoke delivers in this department. I ordered the brisket on white roll and was not disappointed. They gave me a choice of type of meat cuts (I went with the combo), and ordered the mac and cheese. Kinsmoke also offers chick, fish, and ribs, but I’ll have to come back to sample those. The meat was well seasoned, juicy and the cuts were generous and not overly fatty. The table offered 5 different sauces to compliment the meat. I’m no expert on BBQ, but I have been to Kansas City and tried out a lot of different spots, but I do know that different regions have different styles of BBQ. At Kinsmoke they take a very Californian approach and offer “non-denominational” BBQ.

The location is conveniently located right on the Healdsburg Square. The atmosphere is that which a BBQ joint should be — old wooden floors, big spacious tables (lots of room to move around here), lots of metal and wood working together, a nice bar in the back with a few good sized TVs. Prices were reasonable as well. Overall very happy with this spot and I’ll be recommending them on my tours for sure.

Why you should go: Because you like real BBQ. Also great place for Monday Night Football or to watch the game.

Website: kinsmoke.com

Menu Highlights: Brisket Sandwich, Cajun Dusted Scallops, Pollo Borracho Sandwich, Seared Ahi Salad, Granny Smith Apple & Horseradish Slaw, Pulled Pork Sandwich, St. Louis Style Pork Ribs

Location: 304 Center Street, Healdsburg Plaza, Healdsburg, CA 95448

Solid wines across the board. One of my favorite wineries because the wines, value, location, and experience.

Kokomo Winery, named after the city in Illinois where winemaker Erik Miller is from, is home to an extensive tasting menu where you can get cab with your pinots, but what really makes this winery one of my favorites is the friendly staff, the value, and I love all of their wines. That’s a powerful combo, and it’s in a little village of wineries out in the center of the Dry Creek Valley (Zin country).

Why you should go: Go for the solid wines and cool staff. Stay to hit up the other family wineries next door.

Website: kokomowinery.com

Case Production: 4,000 – 5000

Wines: Muscat Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Grenache, Zinfandel, Cabernet Sauvignon, Late Harvest

My Favorites: ALL OF THEM, but especially Peter’s Vineyard Pinot Noir

Location: 4791 Dry Creek Rd, Healdsburg, CA 95448

I might have a new favorite place to grab a beer in Healdsburg. Flo is a new beer and wine bar just south of the town next to Mill St. Antiques and The New Parish Café. Offering, a good selection of beer and wine for local prices.

Flo has two tv’s and the inside is small, but they also have a massive patio with umbrellas and plenty of parking. It’s so new that the wedding parties and honeymooners haven’t crashed the party yet. Not that I care too much about that, it’s one of the things that makes Healdsburg’s nightlife fun. But sometimes you just want to grab a beer in a quiet, not so uppity or not too loud, not too divey type of place and Flo might just be that place.

If you’ve ever seen the movie Chef, you know that Cuban food is not only delicious, but also incredibly ridiculously delicious. In an area where the deli sandwich is king, hey it’s wine country, Rumba Cafe in Windsor is a very welcome change of scenery.

I had passed by this place a bunch of times, but today I finally decided today to try it for lunch. It doesn’t look like a fancy restaurant, but like I’ve learned from traveling all over, looks are deceiving when it comes to food. And like Latin food the heart beats strong in this place. It’s family run and the siblings that helped me out were super nice. I order the Little Havana sandwich (mojo roasted pork, Swiss cheese, pickle, and garlic aioli), served with plantain chips it was perfect size… delicious! The citrus dipping sauce and marinade was something they should bottle. It should have a holiday named after it, it’s that good.

Maybe one day they’ll open a rum bar in there, but for now it’s got three taps with Lagunitas, Blue Moon, and Pacifica. I will be taking my tours there!