A Modern Diner Showcasing Regional American Food Opens in Sonoma

If you’ve never known how to describe American food...

Sonoma just got a new modern, all-day diner with Mint and Liberty, which comes from the same owners as Sonoma’s Sunflower Caffe. Chef Michal Siegel (Shorty Goldstein’s, Betelnut) is cooking up a range of American dishes, broken up on the menu by region. The northern section features mini Chicago dogs and baked potato pierogi loaded with cheddar, bacon, and scallions. The south/southwest includes New Mexican enchiladas with green hatch chile and shrimp gumbo. The east sees matzah ball soup and pastrami on rye. And the west is repped by pork belly steamed buns and green goddess cobb salad. There’s also breakfast all day; family-style, large-format meals in the evenings; and plenty of booth seating to carry home the diner vibe. The location at 19101 Sonoma Highway used to house Breakaway Cafe. Check out the full menu below.

A small taste of Brown Sugar Kitchen

Starting today, folks can head to the Oakland Whole Foods on Bay Place to feast on soul food from Brown Sugar Kitchen chef Tanya Holland. Her menu at the Floodcraft taproom includes the same spicy wings she used to serve at B-Side BBQ, along with fried chicken sandwiches, jerk pork belly sliders, and creole-spiced yam wedges.

Late-night eats

The owner of the Castro’s Oz Pizza is bringing another casual option to the neighborhood with Quickie Burgers and Shakes, which is taking over the former Chocolate Chair space at 4092 18th Street. It’ll serve burgers, fries, and milkshakes for the late-night crowd, with plans to open until 2 a.m. on weekends and midnight on weekdays. Look for it by January.

Downtown coffee news

Aussie cafe Bluestone Lane is expanding with a third San Francisco location, coming to 225 Bush Street in the Financial District. It lands in a space recently vacated by Coffee Cultures. The chain is known for pristine flat whites and simple, healthy-leaning brunch and lunch options.

Another Fieldwork

Berkeley’s supremely popular Fieldwork Brewing opens a new location today in San Ramon, at City Center Bishop Ranch alongside Delarosa, Curry Up Now, and Roam Artisan Burgers. Those neighbors are important because, unlike Fieldwork’s other locations, this taproom will be a bring-your-own-food situation. Doors open at 11 a.m.

In Berkeley, burgers are out and Thai is in

After less than a year, the Elmwood neighborhood’s Burger Joint — a casual spot owned by the same folks as the local Greek chain Troy — has closed for good. A new Thai spot called Gai Barn Thai Soul Food will take its place.