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Less famous than nearby Napa Valley - which, during harvest time, turns into a circus of drunken tourists staggering from one tasting to the next - California's Sonoma is a  classy refuge from Napa's perpetual traffic jams and  out-of-towners.  Its town square is a delightful shaded plaza featuring carefully preserved historic buildings, and is one  of the most beautiful examples of its kind in the US.

Saddles Steakhouse

MacArthur Place, 29 East MacArthur St

This restaurant is set in a century-old barn in the white picket-fenced MacArthur Place country inn, which sits in the 27km-long Sonoma Valley,  jam-packed with hundreds of hectares of vineyards and small farms. Specialising in corn-fed prime beef, Saddles' simple steaks, chops and seafood are the main fare. Vaulted ceilings, original hardwood floors and equestrian design touches provide the backdrop to selections such as the 10oz American Kobe New York  steak (US$37.95) or rack of  lamb (US$24.95). Executive  chef Dana Jaffe will also make simpler dishes, including

the black Angus burger with blue cheese, sauteed onions and steak fries (US$9.95).

Maya

101 East Napa St

Sonoma's Mexican heritage  is celebrated at Maya, a modern south-of-the-border eatery decorated in subtle earthy tones. Apart from  its enormous lime-infused margaritas, which tingle your spine, Maya's Yucatan flavours add fire to uncomplicated dishes such as oak-grilled  pork loin served with sweet corn risotto and sauteed spinach (US$17.75). The grilled vegetable and jack cheese tamales wrapped in banana leaves and served with two salsas (US$11.50) are also tempting.

Deuce

691 Broadway

Deuce specialises in contemporary American cuisine with plenty of European influences, which can be seen in its French onion soup (US$8) and lightly battered calamari (US$13). All dishes are paired with local wine  chosen by the restaurant's knowledgeable staff.  You can sit outside in  the tree-lined garden or inside the pretty old house.  Dishes include filet mignon served with a pinot noir and foie  gras sauce (US$26), and a  comforting, no-nonsense chocolate pudding.

The Sonoma Cheese Factory

2 West Spain St

Sometimes, only a sandwich  will do - not any old sarnie, of course, but a made-to-order sandwich, American style, which requires two hands to  hold   and a week to burn off the calories. In 1931, Celso Viviani chose Sonoma as the ideal location for making cheese. Decades later, his son Pete and grandson David carry on the family tradition in a delicatessen and store (left) that stock flavoured jack cheeses, olive  oils, crackers and breads. When not  serving from the sandwich menu or  cheese array (try the Creamy Jack jalapeno pepper, 8oz, US$4.99), the staff will help select goodies for an impromptu picnic in the vineyards.



Sonoma Valley