While it is no secret that Sonoma County is popular for its wine, it is now more so than ever, becoming a hot spot for food lovers as well. One restaurant that has jumped on this bandwagon is Stockhome, a family-friendly eatery that is located in downtown Petaluma, Calif. Ran by husband and wife Chef Roberth and Andrea Sundell, Stockhome brings something new and Swedish to the Bay Area.

The bright and open feel of the restaurant is met with high rise ceilings and spacious family-style seating. However, don’t take your seat just yet, because the ordering process requires you to order up front and take a number before scouring the restaurant through chattering guests to find a place to sit. 

Sundell’s family-friendly counter service restaurant aims to combine the authentic street styled Swedish food with modern day twists. According to an SFGate article Chef Sundell stated, “Me and my friends have been laughing about it. When you go back (to Sweden), everyone thinks herring is the first thing you’re going to eat. No, we’re going to have Swedish kebab.”

The vast array of menu items ensures that anyone who comes with can find something to their liking. They have kebab plates ($12-$14) and pita wraps ($8-$10) with the choice of lamb, beef, chicken, or veggie. There’s an authentic Tunnbröd Rulle: Grilled Frankfurter ($9); which is pork and beef, crispy onions, house mustard, ketchup, iceberg lettuce, tomato, mashed potatoes all wrapped inside a lavash freshly made flatbread. They stay true to their Swedish roots, however they do offer a range of common eats for others who don’t want to stray too far from the norm.

They have everything from their Chopped Greek Salad, with tomato, cucumber, bell peppers, red onion, kalamata olives, feta cheese, seasonal lettuce, simple oregano vinaigrette ($10) to a huge customer favorite, the Classic Herring ($12.) This is all accompanied by potatoes, pickled onions & carrots, the affordable and extensive menu speaks for itself. 

From small to large plates, and even a choice of 13 different sides to choose from, Stockhome prides themselves on their healthy options and ever-changing menu with the seasons to keep people coming back for more. 

Not only do they serve incredible dishes but the dessert is unforgettable with a candy station ready to go. Rows of various traditional Swedish candy lines the counter space making it very hard to say no when debating if you still have room for more.

Cynthia Cushing, a fourth year at Sonoma State, said, “besides the incredible atmosphere and beautiful interior the food is like nothing I’ve ever tried before.”

“As a Santa Rosa local, I love coming to Petaluma now because of the extensive selection in dining options and this restaurant just stepped up the food game,” said Cushing. “My favorite has to be the Chicken Kebab plate or Gioa Burrata ($12) side dish, as the flavors are out of this world.”

There are both the options to dine in or take out, but if that is too much, head over to their website, stockhomerestaurant.com, to order online. Open for lunch and dinner Wednesday through Sunday, Stockhome Petaluma should be next on your list of restaurants to try.