Charming Mendocino village and the nearby community of Little River are at the center of the culinary action in this part of Mendocino County. As in most of California, dog-friendly dining is confined to decks and patios. But there is one notable exception. At Ravens’, the organic vegan restaurant at Stanford Inn by the Sea, DogTrekkers are served at tables in the lobby, just outside the dining room. It’s a clever way of honoring state health laws while sheltering guests and their pooches from the weather.
If sunshine and a “where’s the beef?” appetite beckon, the place to be is Mendocino Café, where the menu leans to sustainably caught seafood and organically raised chicken and beef. If your timing is right, the kitchen staff might even bring Fido a bone.
Curious about those Mendocino County wines? Start on Highway 101 in Hopland with its many tasting rooms and then head out Highway 128 through the Yorkville, Boonville, Philo and Navarro wine-growing regions, better known as the Anderson Valley. Many, if not most, of the Mendocino County wineries welcome DogTrekkers in their tasting rooms or on their picnic grounds.
