Along Highway 1 in Sonoma County is the pleasant town of Valley Ford and there is a nice upscale…read morecountry store there worth your stop should you need supplies for your picknic-king or just a place to get some food and much more. This smart looking store has a lot of choices for wine, a nice well-stocked veggie section, all the stuff you'd find as a small corner store, a deli where fresh sandwiches and food are made, and best of all, a small ice cream counter. I suppose I admit that I'm an ice cream lover and they serve the Rainbow brand, a San Francisco product. It is a great joint, clean and everything is nicely presented. It's a great place should you need a place to take a break from your drive, stretch your legs and at the very least, a bathroom stop.

We stopped here on the way to the beach for some sandwiches and were met with the most unpleasant…read morewoman behind the counter. I asked how the ordering process for custom sandwiches worked. She looked at me rolled her eyes and looked up at where the menu was on the wall without saying a word. I lost my appetite and we ended up not eating them the only saving grace was a man who checked us out and was pleasant. Overall I could not tell you if they were good but the food environment was less than proper customer service.

Not enough kind words to say about Jan, her husband, and their incredible home!!…read more We didn't actually stay here. I found it on the map and thought "huh this might be cute to stop by and try some cider". Showed up on a Saturday and Jan and her husband immediately came out to talk to us, tell us about the cider, and show us around their place. The cider was DELICIOUS by the way. We bought some and brought it back to our friends and they all agreed it's some of the best hard cider we've had. I wish they sold it at my local bodega in here sf!! Their home and land is truly so cute and charming. Rolling hills with 300+ trees, juicy apples of all sorts. I told Jan I was going to make and apple pie and she directed me to the best trees for those. They let us wander and do whatever we wanted and it was just so awesome and picturesque and serene. Jan also mentioned baby Scottish Highlander cows in their pasture nearby that we could go pet and play with!!!! Unfortunately those cows were busy but we stopped the the pasture right out front and got soooo close to some stunning and adorable cows. Literally the perfect visit. She gave us some recs for lunch and we had an awesome afternoon in Tomales. Need to visit again... could see this being the loveliest play to stay for a weekend getaway. When we arrived, Jan was in the middle of making a homemade apple pie and other yummy things for her guests because she provided them fresh pastries and breakfast. Gosh... dreamy.

The Tomales Deli was suffering from a temporary suspension of liquor license so I had to find…read moreanother way to get my hardcider. I called Applegarden Farm but there was no answer. It was right around the corner so I decided to take a chance and stop by. I pulled up to the barn and was greeted with suspicious looks by two middle aged folks working a hand cider press. It turns out that these are the loving parents of Applegarden Farms Hardcider. They hand blend and press 20 different apple varieties for their wonderful brew. After explaining my situation they were happy to sell me a few bottles and off I went to the Marshall Store for oysters to go with my new aquisition. If you like hardcider, don't miss this stuff, it's local and luscious.

Dillon Beach General Store is an absolute coastal gem! Grabbing an ice cream cone here after…read morespending time by the water makes for the perfect day--it's genuinely a real treat every single time. Spots like this are precisely why we pay too much in taxes to live in California; the incredible vibes and beautiful local stops make every penny worth it. Friendly service, great atmosphere, and unbeatable beach town charm.

I love Dillon beach but it's changed a lot over the years. We've been coming here for a long time,…read morebut the selection at the general store went downhill after the change in ownership and the prices are insane. They justify the increase in costs because there is no other store within 20 miles. The problem is, there just isn't much to buy and that's besides the price of everything. Staff is always nice and courteous. Just wish the product was better

We stopped at this market to use the restroom and were pleasantly surprised by how clean and…read morewelcoming the market was. The staff were incredibly friendly and, even though we arrived a few minutes after the kitchen had closed, they kindly accommodated us and made us a pesto chicken sandwich. The sandwich was one of the best pesto chicken sandwiches we've ever had--so flavorful and delicious! We also had the pasta verde with pesto sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, carrots, and peas, and it was just as delicious. I definitely wouldn't have expected food this good from a market! Highly recommend this place for the food and great customer service!

What a unique find Diekmann's was. This store/market/eatery is a staple in this community and has…read morebeen here since 1940. They offer anything you can possibly need from groceries, sundries, produce, and wine to fishing supplies. To top it off you can come in and order a sandwich, a burger or a pizza. Service is friendly and helpful. We came here a couple times while visiting Bodega Bay for items we had forgot to bring. We tried the burgers and the pizza and all of it was tasty. What I loved was the parking lot that had a great view of the ocean. They offer long hours of 7:00am - 9:00pm. Whether you want a quick bite, heading out for a day at the beach (picnic), or heading out of town be sure to stop here.

Good selection of items across the spectrum, lots of 'ooh I haven't seen THOSE in a long time'…read moreitems.

Local favorite in the town of Bodega. It's clean, bright, friendly staff and they carry virtually…read moreanything you might need from vast array of grocery items, wines, ice, good selection of beer as well as soft drinks, kombucha, sweet and salty treats, fresh produce, picnic supplies, health and beauty aids, all at prices of local stores but saves you from driving back to larger towns. I love this place. They also have quick grab unusual last minute gifts or gag gifts, cards, souvenirs.

We stopped by Palace Market around 2pm and it was still relatively busy with a line of about 4…read morepeople in front of us to order at the deli in the back. There are two self service ordering screens, and the orders were ready about 15 minutes after ordering. The soft serve does get prepared quicker and they call your name only once or twice before setting it down on a cone holder on the counter so stay nearby to make sure you can hear your name get called! Same goes for the sandwiches, one of our sandwiches was done for a while but we never heard our name and had to go up and ask. The soft serve is made with jersey cow milk now - I never got the chance to try it when it was still buffalo milk but the soft serve was rich and creamy and the perfect cold treat after a hike at point reyes. We took our sandwiches to go and enjoyed them outside - I got the Foggy Garden which is a veggie sandwich with pesto and a basil and garlic soft cheese; it was tasty and large but I do wish there was a bit more roasted veggie. It was still quite filling because of how much soft fluffy focaccia there was but as a veggie sandwich it' would be nice if it was a little more substantial. Overall, a nice quick stop to grab some tasty bites on your way to or from Point Reyes! I'd definitely grab the soft serve again.

Great town. Needed some items for a small picnic. Got everything I needed. They had everything I…read moreneeded and so fresh too. All th employees were very helpful. A must stop in and shop here.

The tour was worth every penny! Audrey was so passionate and clearly has the best interest of the…read moreanimals in mind with every decision made. We learned so much and got to brush and pet the sweet baby buffalo! The tasting was fresh and delicious and we made sure to buy some while we could :)

Disclaimer: I've never been on another cheese tour, so I can't make comparisons. However, this tour…read moreis special and is quite an experience. The tour is more expensive in comparison to other cheese tours that we've seen in Petaluma, $35 plus tax, but those cheese aren't made with water buffalo milk. With this tour, you get a super informative history/back story of the founders. It is quite the story and could be made into a Hallmark movie. Their story is really inspiring and you can see how passionate they are about their company, product, and water buffaloes. The owner, Audrey, has a hand in every part of the business, and does most of the work, with help from a handful of employees. Please schedule a tour here to support this small company that has ethical and sustainable business practices. I believe every dollar from the tour really helps with their bottom line and I think they really need it as the owner does most of the work herself to cut cost. The highlight of the tour, other than the cheese tasting was getting to pet and brush the water buffaloes until they'd fall over from euphoria.

Best place to stop in on your way to the beaches. That have…read moreeverything you may need for a wonderful day trip. The family is always so helpful I make sure this is my one stop before our trips begin. The sandwich lady is always on point . Thank you for your service always .we always leave with a smile. Leo and Cindy

Better selection of groceries than expected. Still keep in mind that there's a pretty limited…read moreselection though so if you're looking for gluten free items, you may be disappointed. People here are friendly and there is plenty of parking. If you're looking for a quick breakfast or lunch option, they also have a deli here that does sandwiches and breakfast burritos.

I just bought their famous yogurt - sheep milk yogurt, plain, 6 oz cup. As for me, it is more sore…read moretaste than it had to be. I added sugar, otherwise it would "kill" my stomach.

I can not speak more highly of them given my recent experience! I have taken my mother for the same…read moreMother's Day lunch for the past 6 years at a location that uses their cheese. With covid-19... I was truly disappointed I couldn't celebrate my mother and wanted to "recreate" the experience. I could not find one of their cheese and so contacted them about buying directly. They had set up a "direct to consumer" route-- were extremely helpful in determining when to order, communicated when it was shipped- and it arrived today perfectly packaged to remain cool! In these new times--- I was not only thoroughly impressed with their adaptation but being able to get what I needed with friendly help was MORE than appreciated. My Mother's Day surprise basket is only going to be possible because of their help!!! I'll just have to order a big wheel for myself next time!!