Square up
Smash (Sonoma, CA)
GETAWAYS • Sonoma
The Skinny: The smashburger trend has made it to the town square in Sonoma, with some cheffy cred. Smash, the latest venture from Glen Ellen Star chef-owner Ari Weiswasser, is a new family-friendly (and wine-country daytrip-friendly) option in central Sonoma, with the added bonus of a high-end cocktail bar attached.
The Vibe: Previously a high-ceilinged cafe, mercantile, bar, and bottle shop on the corner of 1st and West Napa Streets, the former Taub Family Outposts space has been transformed into a relaxed burger joint, with several butcher-block-topped tables, and 18 or so seats at the bar and along the windows. Wine, beer, milkshakes, and soft drinks are available in the fast-casual dining room, but adults might prefer to grab a seat at The Beacon, the cozy and excellent upstairs cocktail bar, and order food to be delivered up there.
The Food: Smashburgers, single or double, come on soft and sweet brioche buns, with patties that are properly thin and lacy. The addition of thick bacon is almost overwhelming unless you opt for a double, and there’s also a top-notch fried chicken sandwich, and a wildly satisfying falafel smashburger option. For the potato side of things, you will and should be torn between the za’atar fries and the crispy tots (try both).
The Drink: Local beers and wine on tap, and the milkshake made with locally grown Watmaugh strawberries quite rightly has its passionate fans. The upstairs Beacon bar offers whatever’s needed in the classic cocktail realm, as well as fun house creations like the Murder on the Dance Floor, featuring cucumber vodka, falernum, chile poblano, banana, pineapple, and lime.
The Verdict: It can be tough knowing what to do in Sonoma’s town square, especially as the day is ending and the food options tend to involve more of a time commitment. Smash provides not just a new option but a highly desirable one. The word is out, so prepare for a line of people most nights, enough that the park across the street has become its second (or third, counting the Beacon) de facto dining room. –Jay Barmann
→ Smash (Sonoma, CA) • 497 1st St W • Sun & Tue-Thu 11a-8p, Fri-Sat 11a-9p.