New vegan raw restaurant

All Aboard for Vegan Raw Restaurant

Raw foods and vegan food pioneer Lydia Kindheart is opening a second Sonoma County restaurant, Lydia’s Express, on July 13 at Gravenstein Station (6461 Sebastopol Ave.) in Sebastopol. Housed in the 1930’s Pullman car formerly the Starlight Wine Bar, the restaurant will offer indoor and outdoor seating, to-go items like her raw green soup, coconut curry and kale salad and other vegan, organic, raw and gluten-free foods. Lydia’s Petaluma restaurant, the sprawling Sunflower Cafe (1435 N. McDowell, Petaluma), opened in 2013 with a community space for wellness speakers, exercise, music and curious crafting events like the Rogue Kitting and Crochet Group.

A week of markets, except Monday

After a recent trip to New York, I’m even more appreciative of the bounty of our county. Nowhere better is that represented than in the growing number of farm markets throughout the region. BiteClub’s found several new(ish) markets you’ll want to explore as well as a list of established markets throughout the week. In the summer months, you can grab some fresh produce, prepared meals, bread, food trucks, cheese, honey and at least a hundred other reasons to love our county every single day. Except Monday. Because we all need a day off.

Worth a look: One of the newest markets is the fledgling Tuesday Evening Community Market at the Santa Rosa Veteran’s Building. Founded by the owners of the Red Rose Cafe, proceeds benefit the non-profit Entrepreneurs of Tomorrow. Among the participants, Fish On Chips, Willie Bird’s Dad and Sun’s Barbeque, California Funnel Cake, Red Rose Cafe. Keep in mind that some of these markets are seasonal and only run through the summer and fall, so check ahead.

BiteClub is also a huge fan of the West End Market, now in its second year but a bit of a neighborhood secret. The Sunday morning market has been an incubator for young farmers and aspiring chefs, giving it a special energy.

Also in its second year is the Thursday Night Street Fair at Sebastopol’s Barlow. The event combines food vendors (BBQ to Indian), crafts and music in the still-growing Barlow center, host to Zazu Kitchen, Village Bakery, Woodfour Brewing and many other tasty restaurants.

Here’s a variety of other markets, from Tuesday through Sunday, to try:

Tuesday: Tuesday Evening Community Market (5-8:30 p.m., Santa Rosa Veteran’s Memorial parking lot); Valley of the Moon Farm Market (Sonoma Plaza, 5:30 p.m. to dusk); Forestville Farm Market (4-7 p.m., Russian River Vineyards)

Wednesday: Wednesday Night Market 5 to 8:30 p.m., downtown Santa Rosa); Santa Rosa Community Farmers Market, (8:30a.m. to 1p.m., Veteran’s Building), Santa Rosa Original Certified Market (8:30a.m. to noon, Wells Fargo Center); Healdsburg Farm Market, (3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m., North and Vine St.), Petaluma Farmer’s Market (2 to 5:30 p.m., Theater District)

Thursday: The Barlow Street Fair (4 to 8p.m.,6770 McKinley St., Sebastopol); Windsor Market (10:30a.m. to 1p.m., Windsor Town Green).

Friday: Rohnert Park, City Center Plaza (5-8p.m.); Occidental (4p.m. to dusk); Cloverdale (5:30p.m. to dusk, North Cloverdale Blvd.)

Saturday: Healdsburg Farmers Market, (9 a.m. to noon, North and Vine St.); Santa Rosa Community Farmers’ Market, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., Veteran’s Building); Santa Rosa Original Certified Market (8:30 a.m. to noon, Wells Fargo Center); Petaluma Farmer’s Market (2:30 to 5:30 p.m., Theater District).

Sunday: Windsor Market (10:30a.m. to 1p.m., Windsor Town Green); West End Market (9:30 a.m. to 2p.m., Donahue St., Santa Rosa), Sebastopol Farm Market (10a.m. to 1:30p.m.), Oakmont (Oakmont Dr., 9 a.m. to noon).

Pop-Up Doesn’t Pop

SF Chef Dave Cruz’s anticipated pop-up restaurant in the former Cindy Pawlcyn’s Wood Grill isn’t happening after all. Apparently negotiations on the temporary space fell through. Bummer.

Still hungry? Check out Heather’s always-updated food and wine blog at BiteClubEats.com.