{"id":125164,"date":"2025-05-12T11:29:58","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T18:29:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/?p=125164"},"modified":"2025-05-12T11:29:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-12T18:29:58","slug":"grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food\/","title":{"rendered":"Grata Is Sonoma County&#8217;s Best-Kept Secret for Italian Comfort Food"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Neighborhood restaurants rarely get the praise they deserve. Tried-and-true workhorses like Windsor&#8217;s Grata Italian Eatery aren&#8217;t chasing trends with tweezer-plated food, tiny portions and &#8220;pick me&#8221; chefs. Instead, they&#8217;re convivial gathering places for friends and neighbors where the food is reliably good, you can order your &#8220;regular&#8221; and there&#8217;s always someone glad to see you.<\/p>\n<p>Chef Eric Foster and his wife, Christina Keeney, opened Grata \u2014 their dream restaurant \u2014 just off the Windsor Town Green <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-italian-restaurant-windsor\/\">in the fall of 2020<\/a>. All around them, restaurants were closing their doors as Foster and Keeney rolled the dice and dove in head first.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;I knew (COVID-19) was a tough situation for everyone, but I thought maybe it&#8217;s a window for me to open my restaurant,&#8221; said Foster. The former Chinois Bistro, which closed in 2019, was a perfect fit.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125173\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125173\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-125173 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_003-1024x677.jpg\" alt=\"Grata Italian comfort food\" width=\"1024\" height=\"677\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_003-1024x677.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_003-300x198.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_003-768x508.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_003-1536x1015.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_003-2048x1354.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_003-1200x793.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125173\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shawnee\u2019s Shrimp Diavolo with Calabrian chiles, roasted tomatoes, saut\u00e9ed greens, basil and fresh fettuccini from Grata Italian Eatery chef\/owner Eric Foster Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125178\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125178\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-125178 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_002-1024x929.jpg\" alt=\"Grata Italian comfort food\" width=\"1024\" height=\"929\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_002-1024x929.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_002-300x272.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_002-768x697.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_002-1536x1393.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_002-2048x1858.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_002-1200x1088.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125178\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Ricotta Zeppoli, warm cinnamon donut holes with Nutella chocolate sauce, from Grata Italian Eatery chef\/owner Eric Foster Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Grata quickly found an audience with crowd-pleasing chicken Parmesan ($24), spicy shrimp diavolo with Calabrian chiles ($28) and warm doughnut holes with Nutella ($11). During the pandemic, Grata&#8217;s socially distanced outdoor patio was a popular gathering place, and steady takeout business helped keep the doors open.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;In 2020, people were freaking out and we were all turned upside down. So we decided to do old-school comfort food \u2014 the classics with big portions and big family platters,&#8221; said Foster, a former Stark Reality Restaurants chef.<\/p>\n<p>In the four years since opening, he&#8217;s refined his well-executed nonna-style recipes, adding a few cheffy tweaks, but mostly leaving the fan-favorites alone. Standards like gnudi (ricotta dumplings) get seasonal updates with of-the-moment ingredients, as do salads and weekly specials. Asparagus and fresh peas dotted several dishes on a spring visit, while fall brings squashes and Brussels sprouts.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125175\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125175\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-125175\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_005-1024x1375.jpg\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1375\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_005-1024x1375.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_005-223x300.jpg 223w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_005-768x1032.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_005-1144x1536.jpg 1144w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_005-1525x2048.jpg 1525w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_005-1200x1612.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_005.jpg 1906w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/ alt=\"Grata Italian Eatery chef\/owner Eric Foster tops his Spring Harvest Gnudi with grated cheese Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125175\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grata Italian Eatery chef\/owner Eric Foster tops his Spring Harvest Gnudi with grated cheese Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&#8220;A chef told me that your best food is going to be for your family and loved ones, so cook for everyone in the restaurant like it&#8217;s your mother,&#8221; said Foster. And eating at Grata certainly feels like home.<\/p>\n<h4>Fun Fact<\/h4>\n<p>Foster\u2019s impossibly creamy polenta is so good that it\u2019s permanently filed in my brain as \u201coh my god good.\u201d Sadly, it\u2019s not a regular menu item any longer, but does show up on specials. If you see it, order it.<\/p>\n<h4>The Food<\/h4>\n<p>Favorites include the Grata Burrata ($15) with lemon honey and sweety drop peppers; grilled octopus puttanesca ($18) that&#8217;s impossibly tender; and creamy cacio e pepe ($21) with salty Pecorino cheese and pepper. Short rib lasagna ($29) was an emotional experience, with soft layers of braised beef, bechamel and a puddle of pink vodka sauce. Save room for cocoa-dusted, raspberry-filled doughnut puffs on a bed of whipped cream ($12) or the Nutella zeppoli ($12).<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125177\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125177\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-large wp-image-125177\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_004-1024x683.jpg\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_004-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_004-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_004-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_004-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_004-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_004-1200x800.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/ alt=\"Grata Burrata with preserved lemon honey, pesto, pickled peppers, crostini and prosciutto from Grata Italian Eatery chef\/owner Eric Foster Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125177\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grata Burrata with preserved lemon honey, pesto, pickled sweetdrop peppers with crostini and prosciutto from Grata Italian Eatery. Photographed Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125166\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125166\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-125166 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_001-1024x1241.jpg\" alt=\"Grata Italian comfort food\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1241\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_001-1024x1241.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_001-248x300.jpg 248w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_001-768x931.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_001-1267x1536.jpg 1267w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_001-1690x2048.jpg 1690w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_001-1200x1455.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125166\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Garlic and thyme marinated American Wagyu with sweet Balsamic steak sauce and crispy Yukon potatoes, from Grata Italian Eatery. Photographed Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>The Tab<\/h4>\n<p>You can go big with a $44 hangar steak or make a dinner of two appetizers for under $30. Cacio e pepe ($21) can be glammed up with prosciutto ($5), truffle oil ($3), sausage ($3) or greens ($3) if you&#8217;re feeling fancy. Our $170 bill (before tip) included six dishes, dessert and two Aperol spritzes.<\/p>\n<h4>The Deals<\/h4>\n<p>Meatball Madness (offered Monday through Wednesday) includes a glass of house wine, two housemade meatballs, a choice of pasta and housemade sauce (pesto, marinara or creamy vodka) for $19. Focaccia pizza ($6) is a happy hour secret menu item (4-6 p.m. Monday through Friday).<\/p>\n<h4>The Vibe<\/h4>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125168\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125168\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-125168 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_015-1024x1393.jpg\" width=\"1024\" height=\"1393\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_015-1024x1393.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_015-221x300.jpg 221w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_015-768x1045.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_015-1129x1536.jpg 1129w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_015-1506x2048.jpg 1506w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_015-1200x1632.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_015.jpg 1882w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/ alt=\"Grata Italian Eatery Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125168\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Grata Italian Eatery Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. Comfy banquettes throughout the L-shaped dining room help dampen some of the noise. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_125169\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-125169\" style=\"width: 1024px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-125169 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_012-1024x654.jpg\" width=\"1024\" height=\"654\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_012-1024x654.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_012-300x192.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_012-768x491.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_012-1536x982.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_012-2048x1309.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_012-1200x767.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/ alt=\"The outdoor patio seating at Grata\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-125169\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The patio seating at Grata Italian Eatery Thursday, May 8, 2025, in Windsor. (John Burgess \/ The Press Democrat)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Neighborhoody without forced conviviality \u2014 Foster and his staff are truly delighted to see you. A date-night cocktail dress is as appropriate as jeans and a T-shirt, and the patrons are mostly local. Comfy banquettes throughout the L-shaped dining room help dampen some of the noise, but things can get loud near large groups. Insiders know to head to quieter tables at the back of the restaurant. The outdoor patio is particularly enjoyable in the summer and early fall.<\/p>\n<h4>The Service<\/h4>\n<p>Good restaurants attract good staff and it&#8217;s clear the young, well-trained servers at Grata enjoy their jobs. Being greeted at the door by a host shows polish, while engaged waitstaff keep the meal humming along. A dedicated bartender means you won&#8217;t be waiting all night for that Aperol spritz. Four stars.<\/p>\n<h4>The Spot<\/h4>\n<p>Open from 4-9 p.m. daily. Reservations suggested but not required. <em>186 Windsor River Road, Windsor, 707-620-0508, <a href=\"https:\/\/grataitalianeatery.toast.site\/\">grataitalianeatery.toast.site<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>You can reach Dining Editor Heather Irwin at <a href=\"mailto:heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com\">heather.irwin@pressdemocrat.com<\/a>. Follow Heather on Instagram <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/biteclubeats\">@biteclubeats<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You won\u2019t find it in the guidebooks, but locals know this Italian restaurant is the real deal.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":145,"featured_media":125172,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2288,113,24298,5,25145,749],"tags":[720,2393,5424],"layout":[5591],"class_list":["post-125164","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-biteclub","category-eat-and-drink","category-sonoma-restaurants","category-things-to-do","category-trending","category-whats-new-sonoma-county","tag-italian-food","tag-italian-restaurant","tag-windsor-restaurant"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.3.1 (Yoast SEO v25.3.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Grata Is The Best-Kept Secret for Italian Comfort Food - Sonoma Magazine<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You won\u2019t find it in the guidebooks, but locals know this Italian restaurant is the real deal.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"website\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Grata Is Sonoma County&#039;s Best-Kept Secret for Italian Comfort Food\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You won\u2019t find it in the guidebooks, but locals know this Italian restaurant is the real deal.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sonoma Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/SONOMAmagazine\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-05-12T18:29:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_007.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"2560\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1595\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Maci Martell\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@sonomamag\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@sonomamag\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Heather Irwin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Maci Martell\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/#\/schema\/person\/30ffddb200cd166316763da9a3277de7\"},\"headline\":\"Grata Is Sonoma County&#8217;s Best-Kept Secret for Italian Comfort Food\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-05-12T18:29:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food\/\"},\"wordCount\":944,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/jb0509_grata_007.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"italian food\",\"Italian restaurant\",\"windsor restaurant\"],\"articleSection\":[\"BiteClub\",\"Food + Drink\",\"Sonoma Restaurants\",\"Things To Do in Sonoma\",\"Trending\",\"What's New in Wine Country\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.sonomamag.com\/grata-is-sonoma-countys-best-kept-secret-for-italian-comfort-food\/\",\"name\":\"Grata Is The Best-Kept Secret for Italian Comfort Food - 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