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Meat-free Michelin-starred dining is on the rise, and SingleThread’s Kyle and Katina Connaughton will lead the charge in Healdsburg with a new dining outpost called Little Saint in the former home of SHED, the beloved restaurant and marketplace that closed in 2018.
Philanthropists Jeff and Laurie Ubbens purchased the building, a landmark, award-winning structure in the heart of Healdsburg, in 2020. Now, the spacious, 10,000-square-foot building will become Little Saint, a concept with similarities to the ambitious, community-driven mission of SHED. In addition to housing the Connaughtons’ full-service restaurant, it will be a gathering place for music, art, film screenings, and more. The restaurant will serve lunch and dinner, while a quick-service and retail component will be available seven days a week, alongside a bottle shop.
The restaurant will be operated by the Connaughtons’ newly formed management company, Vertice Hospitality Group, a partnership with local real estate and hospitality developer Tony Greenberg. Its creation is a good sign for fans of Kyle and Katina’s thoughtful, sustainable dining ethos, indicating more projects on the horizon.
Little Saint Farm will also join the lineup, a neighboring 24-acre farm owned by the Ubbens with a focus on sustainable practices. Naturally, the majority of menu items will incorporate produce from the farm, just like SingleThread’s dedicated farm, SingleThread Farm.
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The high-profile collaboration wouldn’t be complete without a design component: Ken Fulk will bring his elegant expertise to the project as well, as creative director and designer. It will pull in Fulk’s non-profit Saint Joseph’s Arts Foundation as well, guiding the salon-style cultural offerings that will be hosted within.
It’s big news in wine country, where fine-dining restaurants have been dormant and ham-strung by dining restrictions during the pandemic, despite clever pivots to takeout. The addition of a casual, a la carte offering from the Connaughtons on its own is a huge opportunity for diners to experience their beautiful, pristine food without the large price tag; the addition of a community hang-out is the icing on the cake. Stay tuned for more details on the opening, which is currently slated for this summer.