Elk Store

This is a large, beautiful farm in the town of Boonville. They have vineyards, an incredible…read moregarden, goats and a chicken to greet you near the parking lot. They raise goat and sheep for their cheese, made daily in small batches during the milking season. Bonnie was most helpful in explaining how the farm has developed over the past 10 years. They use Babydoll sheep in their grape fields to do natural weeding and then everything is all composted together to enrich the soil. They offer tours, wine/food pairings, plus snacks, wine, and for those of us who don't drink alcohol, they offer grape juice tastings. It's a gorgeous setting and a great place to stop on the way to the coast.

This place was so magical and welcoming with yummy extras. The tasting was $25 and it included a…read morecheese pairing. We got the additional double eggs for $9 and everything was so delicious. It was dog friendly if you sit outside, and the view was fantastic. Bonnie helped us and she was so lovely to work with. She was really well-versed on the wine and the cheese and helped also when we had any questions. I would definitely recommend this to anyone passing through the area that just wants to have a chill time. Everything was delicious and it was relaxing to be there.

Deviled eggs

Barnyard tasting - so damn cute!

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Cheese and wine

Nicasio Valley Cheese Company

4.5(126 reviews)

91.7 mi

I stopped at this nice little cheese boutique on the way home from camping and boy was I surprised,…read moreit was actually award-winning cheeses and they had all types from soft spreadable to a nutty, woodsy Swiss! The woman running the store was lovely and she handed out a sample of this and that and the ambience was more like a cheese boutique. They had cold drinks, snacks, and a variety of award-winning cheeses. I highly recommend visiting here if you are in the neighborhood or if you're a cheese-A-Holic like I am and are making your rounds to cheese stores as a road trip point of interest.

Nicasio valley Cheese company store is a great place out in the middle of Nicasio Valley Road. The…read morecheeses are outstanding! When you enter, samples are offered, and the staff is friendly and informative. You can see the cheese making facilities. It's pretty unique to have this out where it is! Gotta love Marin County! We bought some cheese (of course!). I recommend you do, too!

Cheese!

Exterior

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Marin French Cheese Co.

4.1(415 reviews)

87.5 mi

I realize I've been coming here since the late 60s with my family. Back then it was Rouge et Noir…read more We used to bring our Exchange students here and have a picnic, enjoying their brie cheese and French bread. Clearly some fond memories. After a hike today at Lake Lagunitas we stopped by for cheese. They are eager to allow you to try many of their cheeses. I ended up getting the Golden Gate, which was offering a special today- buy one get one free. Being it was Memorial weekend the picnic tables around the pond were full and it was fun watching the families and kids enjoying themselves

What an awesome place! After a really disappointing stop at Point Reyes Cheese, this place…read moreredeemed the day and made us forget about the other place almost immediately. Great cheeses, samples, deals, a beautiful spot to enjoy our cheeses, breads, wines and chocolates and more. The wonderful lady behind the cheese counter was brilliant. She shared here likes and combos and just was so pleasant! We probably spent 2x more than we intended because of her! They provide a frozen ice pack to take your goodie home with you (the other place had nothing). We camped out a lot a picnic table enjoying the scenery and animals. Highly recommend for a wonderful picnic or lazy day.

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Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company

4.6(86 reviews)

85.8 mi

Point Reyes Farmstead Cheeses had been on my radar for a number of years after buying their…read moreaward-winning Quinta at the San Rafael Farmers Market. I'd seen their signage on my way to the Marshall Store a number of times and read about their farmstead tasting room. We drive across the spine of the hills in their verdant pasture to their farm operations with barns of Happy Holsteins up to their farm store and tasting gardens. We had booked a tasting ahead of time and were greeted by Mathilde upon arrival who escorted us to a beautiful garden setting with a sofa and chairs around a table overlooking Tomales Bay and right next to a newborn Holstein Calf. The cheese array is truly generous and lovingly prepared with edible flowers from their gardens. There are also chocolates, dried fruit, spreads, and jams. We purchased a few beverages, salamis, and prosciutto to round out our tasting. They took such good care of us and the setting was magical. This is a wonderful place for a picnic. I can't wait to return to Point Reyes Farmstead Cheeses!

I've heard people ask a lot of different questions about the ranches leaving Point Reyes, such as,…read more"Why are the ranchers leaving? What will happen to the buildings? What will happen to the cows? What will happen to the families who lived there?" My first question was, "How will this affect my birthday cheese?" Point Reyes Original Blue Cheese has been my favorite cheese for many years, ever since the first time I tried it, which was presumably at Gott's Roadside Deli around 2014. For a few years in a row, I drove all the way to Napa to have my "birthday burger" at Gott's. After that, I just started buying the cheese every year before my birthday, and calling it my "birthday cheese." Fast forward to 2026: all of the historic ranches moved out of the Point Reyes National Seashore, except for two. One of those two was Farmstead Cheese Co., which produces the aforementioned cheese. The farm is located just around the corner from Point Reyes Station, three miles up Highway 1 on Tomales Bay. The Marketplace and tasting room are located deep within the farm, at the end of a one-lane road, which is maybe about one-mile long. Like many of the other sketchy old farm roads in Point Reyes, you have to drive very slowly, and may need to back up if a big truck comes along. The road takes you through active farm work, past some very robust, healthy looking corralled cows, to a parking lot with enough room for a couple dozen cars. The Marketplace itself was only about one room, with two fridges full of cheese, a center table full of merchandise, and several more tables full of merchandise around the room. The inventory included jams, crackers, shirts, sweaters, cheeses (obviously), and various other gifts and picnic necessities. Aside from Bay Blue and Original Blue, I was excited to see a third flavor of blue cheese I'd not yet seen before: fennel blue. This turned out to be my favorite of all three, and I left with a small wedge of it, and a magnet. On my way in, I noticed a poster which I had seen in a history book full of national park posters in Golden Gate Park. While the artist in question (whose name I can't remember) never made a Point Reyes National Seashore poster, he made one for the Farmstead Cheese Co. I inquired if the posters were for sale, and found out that they normally are, but they are out of stock. When I said that I would come back to check for them in a few weeks, I was given a local's discount on my purchase. Sweet. In addition to the Marketplace, they also hold tasting events, which are listed on their website. Most of them are alcoholic events, which are of no interest to me, but I wish they would bring back cheese bingo before I leave for the summer. Would anyone come to a Cheese Bingo Unofficial Yelp Event?

Market

They provide all the necessities you will need

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Inside their retail space

Shamrock Artisan Goat Cheese

4.2(5 reviews)

30.1 mi

The cheese is great but the treatment of the goats is awful. So many die for the product. The…read moreplace is littered with mass graves.

Hands down the best feta ever. I look forward to farmers market days so I can get my fix!!! Love…read morethe products. never had anything bad. Only great and oh-goodness-this-is-amazing, never just ok.

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Tome du Mendocino

Yerba Santa Goat Dairy

5.0(5 reviews)

39.0 mi

Simply the best goat cheese in the world. It may be possible to get a tour of the farm if you call…read moreahead and are wanting to also buy cheese while there. They also allow people to call, for a few. A very nice family runs this business and they make the BEST cheese ever. It will change your life!

Did you know? Goat products are:…read more *Easier to digest than cow's milk *Is produced in a healthier and human environment *It's high in calcium and other minerals *Has high levels of short and medium-chain fatty acids Met these great people at the Farmer's Market in Lakeport and sampled all of the different flavors they offer. Delicious!! Love crumbled goat cheese on salads, pizza, omelets, as a base for smoked salmon dip, or just spread on some crackers....mmmmm! Looking forward to taking a tour and hopefully will be able to cuddle and pet a few goats! Only wish they would sell goat milk as my kids and I are addicted! It truly is the best!

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Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery

4.7(188 reviews)

70.5 mi

Visited to try their ice cream on the way back to San Francisco and really enjoyed how creamy and…read morelight their vanilla ice cream is! It reminds me of the ice cream you can get in Point Reyes Station, but lighter and with an even fuller whole milk flavor. Make sure you sample cheeses and buy charcuterie boards on the way out! This time, we ended up buying their kefir and some cheeses!

The cheese and soft serve ice cream here are absolutely delicious! The ice cream is especially…read morecreamy and flavorful, and it's definitely worth the visit. My only suggestion is regarding food handling. I noticed that employees hand the ice cream cone directly by touching the cone with their bare hands. Since customers eat that part of the cone, it would be much more hygienic if staff used a napkin or wore gloves when handling it. Overall, it's a wonderful place with excellent products, and I hope they consider this small improvement to make the customer experience even better.

Inside

Apple scone

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Vella Cheese Co

4.7(215 reviews)

89.2 mi

Have been to Sonoma in the past and typically go to the cheese factory but today went off the…read moresquare to find Vella cheese a delightful alternative off the main strip. We were treated to a couple of samples of any cheese we wanted to try. They were all delicious.

Not a cheese person, but absolutely loved stopping by here and picking up some quality cheeses! The…read moreworkers are very knowledgeable and friendly. They helped us pick out cheese options that were great - we liked the spicy ones a lot, and walked away with some soft and harder varieties. And such good prices too! Would recommend anyone stop by here.

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Wm Cofield Cheesemakers

4.7(46 reviews)

69.5 mi

Looks like Cofields is closed. Came here needing cheese curds and saw this sign. I hope the owners…read moreare doing okay. What a loss for all cheese and food lovers.

Absolutely worst service ever. If you like being served by someone who needs anger management, and…read morespoke to impolitely, please come and visit this place. Really killed the mood for Valentine's Day. WOW. The vibe is chill and pet friendly outside. Pet friendly inside as well if they're not making cheese. Food and drinks are good but if you have other options you like, with better service, just don't come here. Or I think they have online ordering.

My go to for all the cheese.

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Outside patio

Maritime Cafe

4.9(22 reviews)

0.0 mi

Stopped by Maritime for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. The restaurant was recommended and had great…read morereviews so we decided to check it out. The inside of the restaurant is cute and cozy with a few outside tables as well. Our server was very friendly and helpful with deciding what we should order. The food was delicious. Recommend if you're driving on the 1 near Mendocino and are looking for a tasty meal!

What a pleasant surprised that Elk has this amazing addition to the restaurant mix…read more Farm to table concept with outdoor seating. From the grill corns salad to the squids salad, the juicy fried chicken and grilled cheese ( missing the tomato soup dip) but nonetheless it was excellent. My sis went two days in a row and also love the rice bowl. Friendly and prompt service. Thank you for feeding us with exceptional everything all around!

Interior Bar

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Local-ish wine from Fox Hills (outside Ukiah)

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Diane R.

15 years ago

I stopped in to Elk Store on Memorial Day weekend. What luck--they were having their Grand Reopening with samples of cheeses and offerings from their new deli and BBQ. Wow! Chef Adam's food hit the spot. Fantastic crab cakes, clam chowder, and BBQ'd ribs. Can't wait to swing by there again to have more and anything new they've got going on the grill in the Alley! Also picked up some local smoked salts--great addition to my spice drawer. No mean people could be seen for miles... Great location across the street from Greenwood State Beach. read more

Maxwell P.

15 years ago

I am giving this store a 5 star rating because the new owners have done such a great job cleaning up this little store and making it so much more friendly again. A great stop in a great little seaside town! Some nice local wines too! read more

Miranda D.

5 years ago

Love the Elk Store. Got the best tuna melt of my life, amazing kombucha, and a wonderful lunch spot recommendation.

Miranda B.

6 years ago

Love this little shop. Has all the right goods. We stop here every time we drive through the area.

Yan Z.

4555

9 years ago

Love that little store.people are nice there. Love the Cola and sandwich in there,yummy!

Jennifer S.

11 years ago

It is a great stop with awesome sandwiches and a great selection of food and drink

Sally F.

9 years ago

Great selection and great deli!!

Elk Store - cheese - Updated October 2026

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The Floodgate Store

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This was such a fantastic place to stop for food and coffee! The food was delicious, and the people…read moreworking there were so kind! The prices were great! I had a breakfast burrito, some delicious deviled eggs and a cappuccino. They were all so, so good! The ambience is great. They have a cute little shelf with games and puzzles to play while you eat and drink coffee. We normally stop at other places on our way out from camping nearby. But the other cafes have food that is so-so and prices are bloated for what you get. I'm SO glad we gave this place a try. The food is SO good and the prices are amazing! This is our new favorite spot and we will be stopping here from now on when we camp nearby.

Yikes on bikes, our experience here wasn't what other reviews mentioned. Slooooooow service, only…read moreone girl working that didn't know what she was doing. The menu looked like junk food- fatty meats and cheap produce/ breads. Coffee with only cow milk as the option. Zero remotely healthy options. We were hungry and thought we'll just get through it. We were standing in line for soooo long-even thought there was only one person in front of us- that we decided to just leave.

Ravens' Restaurant

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I cannot understand all the negative reviews! The Raven's Restaurant is centered around foods and…read moreingredients that are natural, non-processed, nourishing, sustainable, and most importantly cruelty-free. My husband and I stayed at the Stanford Inn back in 2025 to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary, and my goodness! It's going to be really hard to beat. The Raven's Restaurant was so convenient being only a few steps away from our room. The views from the dining room are breathtaking. You either get a view of the garden and ocean, or a view of the Big River. Both are amazing! Breakfast is complimentary for those staying at the Stanford Inn, and like other reviewers have mentioned, the portion sizes are large! The food is nutrient dense, so you feel satiated after only eating half of it or so. Our breakfast would also double as our lunch, so that's two meals in one! What a win! Plus, the service was top notch every time. We felt taken care of every step of the way. I am vegan and my husband is not vegan, however, he enjoys and appreciates vegan food. There have been some vegan restaurants that we've gone to where he was not a fan, but he was so pleasantly surprised and happy with all the food at Raven's Restaurant. We especially loved the scones and looked forward to each morning trying a new flavor. They were all so delicious and moist, not crumbly and dry. None of their items were too sweet or too salty, which was amazing for people who are sensitive to those flavors. My husband and I just booked another getaway in a couple weeks and we are counting down the days to be back and enjoy Raven's Restaurant again!

Ravens' Restaurant at the Stanford Inn in Mendocino is a solid vegan restaurant with a peaceful,…read morerefined setting and a strong focus on plant-based cuisine. We tried a few dishes including the seasonal vegetable plate, a grain bowl, and their pasta, along with a couple appetizers and salads. Everything was fresh and well-prepared, but overall it felt a bit uneven in terms of flavor and execution. Service was good and the atmosphere is very calm and scenic, especially given the inn setting. A good option if you're staying at the Stanford Inn or want a fully vegan meal

GoodLife Cafe & Bakery

4.4

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We stopped in Mendocino for a visit and had to swing by GoodLife for some treats. We got there…read moreriiiiiight before they were going to close at 2 pm (with still a line outside of the cafe waiting for seats), and while the cashier said the kitchen was still open and I could order food, I had already eaten lunch, and I just wanted to pick up some pastries and a drink to go for a snack later and/or breakfast in the morning. While waiting for my order, I wandered around the restaurant to look at all the merch for sale and found bags of yummy looking granola so I had to get that as well. The interior is very rustic themed, there's also outdoor seating on the patio beside the main indoor area. I love their business philosophy of helping the community and profit sharing with their employees. Perhaps this is why the price of the food is so high. While I didn't eat lunch here, I did peruse the menu and most items run at least $20+. (I.e. A wrap costs $21) I ordered the spicy Mexican Mocha with Almond milk. OMG...that drink certainly has a kick! More kick than I expected or prefer, it has a very strong chili flavor, so it wasn't something I enjoyed. I even asked them to try and dilute the drink with more almond milk but it didn't really help. I also picked up: Fig and almond roll Tahini Chocolate Chip (vegan) Cowboy Cookie - also so good! Banana Cream Tart Peach Frangipane tart Chocolate Croissant I enjoyed everything except the fig & almond roll - it was too dry for me. But the Tahini Chocolate Chip cookie was my favorite of the bunch! The parking situation is dire... not much parking in the area. My husband had to circle the streets while I jumped out of the van to run into the shop. So if you plan on stopping here for lunch, be prepared to wait in line for a while and cross your fingers for a parking spot!!

We tried this place while visiting Mendocino. It's located right in town and is a very cute spot…read morewith both indoor and outdoor seating. Even though it was busy, we were seated right away and the service was very good. We ordered the veggie omelette and the Denver omelette. The veggie omelette was okay, but not as good as I expected, and the potatoes were a little cold. My husband had the Denver omelette and really liked it.

Pelican Bread

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I got the olive rosemary loaf. Kalamata olives gave it a delicious saltiness and the rosemary…read morewasn't too overpowering. No pictures because I am embarrassed to report I ate it all up.

Hard to believe such quality can be found in such a remote place. I bought three loaves of bread…read morebut the thing I remember most is their granola of all things.

Mendocino Cafe

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Lovely place we sat down in the garden. Was that nice? I had…read morea chicken wing special some of the best ones ever. Terrific service kept the water glasses filled up. We definitely go back if in the area.

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Cafe Beaujolais

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We had a special back room for 18 and we had a great time! Food, service, private dining area was…read moreperfect. The capture was fantastic and the black cod was memorable. We also had coconut pie which was pretty fabulous! Loved it.

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