The Fremont Diner in Sonoma, CA revisited

Some of you may remember how I raved about the Fremont Diner in the Northern Californian town of Sonoma last year.  Well, I was lucky enough to go back there last month and, let me tell ya, it is still one of the best places I have ever eaten.  This time the gorgeous sunny weather allowed us to enjoy our meal outside overlooking the Sonoma vineyards. Yes, not only does the diner have amazing food, it has a breathtaking view too. 

As a person who lives by the good old "if it ain't broken, don't fix it" saying I had the same dish as last year - the whole hog sandwich. It was even better than I remembered it.  Last year it came with chips. This time it came with baked beans in a smoky sauce. Phenomenal. 

The whole hog, onion rings and ice tea (cool glass, ey?)

Mr. Sprinkle had the shrimp po'boy; he wanted to order the oyster po'boy, but the kitchen had unfortunately run out of oysters.  He was very happy with the shrimp version though. 

The shrimp po'boy with super crisp homemade crisps

Coupled with a large vanilla milkshake and a homemade ice tea, these two dishes would have been more than enough for the two of us, but, as there is an ocean and a lot of land between London and the diner, we thought it best to sample a bit more of the menu so we ordered a plate of onion rings and some delicious fried padron peppers. 

Hot padron peppers

The place is obviously very popular so we had to wait a bit for a seat, but it was completely worth it. The staff there were busy running around, but friendly at all times. 

This Sonoma gem now has a website where you can read the mouthwatering menu in full. I cannot recommend this diner enough - if you ever find yourself in Northern California then go eat here and tell me all about it. 

View from the dinner 

Fremont Diner in Sonoma, CA

This will be my last post about places to eat in northern California this time around.   I have saved the best for last: the Fremont Diner in beautiful Sonoma. A place that ticks all the boxes - excellent food, excellent atmosphere and excellent service.  I realise most people visit Sonoma to indulge in wine, but if you're in the area, you really ought to have at least one meal here in between tastings. 

You couldn't dream up a better place; I have accepted that I will probably never eat a whole hog sandwich as tasty as the one I had at the diner until I return.

     

Run by caterer Chad Harris this place serves classic American dishes including hamburgers, chilli con carne, mac & cheese, ribs, and fried chicken.  Each dish is cooked to perfection and served with nice sides. My whole hog sandwich came with pickled fennel and perfect fries.  The chilli was served with freshly baked corn bread.  Each portion was just the right size.

      

Situated against a backdrop of vineyards, the diner is beautifully located but looks pretty rundown from the outside. Step inside and it is a whole other story.  The counter is reminiscent of an old grocery store while the seating area is bright and full of quirky retro signs and objects. 

 

  

            

The Fremont Diner is located on 2698 Fremont Drive, Sonoma, CA, 95476. Tel. 707-938-7370.