Sante Restaurant, Sonoma

Santé Restaurant’s refined menu of contemporary French and American cuisine has earned the eatery honors including a Michelin star and an AAA Four Diamond Award. The sophisticated yet simple cooking showcases the quality of the ingredients, many of which are locally sourced—on the current menu, the tasting of beef entree features a filet mignon from Niman Ranch, and dessert courses boast zinfandel-poached black mission figs. Chefs also search out of state for high-end delicacies, such as butter-poached Maine lobster, which graces a grown-up mac ‘n’ cheese dish the New York Times dubbed a “must-try” in 2010. To complement the cuisine, the menu also features more than 500 wines from throughout Napa and Sonoma, earning the restaurant an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator.

The dining room cultivates an elegant atmosphere, with low-lit sconces and French doors designed to fling open only for the freshest spring breezes. The sunshine-yellow hues of walls, plates, and tablecloths also help evoke a comfortably refined ambiance.