The Saturday Farmer’s Market at the Ferry Building is a required part of the itinerary for any of my friends visiting San Francisco. I generally drag them there the morning after a night at the Page and insist on wheatgrass shots for a wholesome start to the morning.
I first visited the Farmer’s Market over winter break my senior year of college. I had not seen a fresh vegetable besides a potato or cabbage in months, and I remember the shock that citrus actually grew in, like, real trees on actual farms outside of Florida. That it wasn’t something that just magically appeared, waxy n’ imperishable, at every IGA or Safeway across the country. I guess that’s kind of a big if somewhat embarrassing realization for a New York City kid.
Anyway, my first encounter with Real Mexican Food was at a little unmarked stand out near that vacant restaurant on the pier. It’s called Primavera and it’s less of a secret now. You’ll always find chilaquiles on the menu with perfect scrambled eggs, usually a few different tamales, maybe a fish taco special if you’re lucky. The setting certainly beats the best taco spots in the Mission (views of the Bay Bridge but fierce competition among seagulls and tourists for seating) but I’ll refrain from a tacos-to-tacos comparison, which misses the point I think.
After a few years of eating there at least once a month, I realized the mothership was actually in Sonoma. That fine institution, actually in Boyes Hot Springs just outside of Sonoma proper, is called El Molino Central. The menu is a bit deeper, but has all the classics from the Ferry Building, plus tortillas from the source (el molino means the mill, and I believe this kitchen, or one nearby, is the production hub for all of their products), some prepared salsas, and cold beer.
My personal favorite there is the lamb barbacoa tacos, paired with a Bohemia. The crowd is a mix of locals and daytrippers from San Francisco, returning from hikes or tasting at nearby vineyards like Scribe.
A general observation: Sonoma still lags slightly bit behind Napa in terms of Bachelorette Parties and Fun Girls Weekends, but it still has a Friday Night Lights wholesomeness. I’ve had more luck finding great tacos in Sonoma than in Napa, but I’ve also looked harder there.
Closer to town though is perhaps my favorite taco spot in all of the land, Tortilleria Jalisco. Like El Molino, they make their own tortillas, and I actually prefer these for their size. I’ve seen a Range Rover pull up a few times for an order of dozens of warm tortilllas. I generally save car talk for a different podcast I do, but there is a perfectly good white BMW that has been sale in their parking lot for quite a while.
You can eat inside at one of the formica tables, or wait until their mobile taco cart pulls up out front in the evening. My personal favorites are the al pastor tacos as well as the barbacoa, which is nicely griddled and stains the plate with red achiote.
There are a few other places on my hit list in Sonoma and Napa. Supposedly La Bamba in the Larbre Automotive Lot (across the street from El Molino), El Coyote, Los Magos, and El Gitano are all worth a trip in Sonoma. Then there’s that taco truck in Yountville I’ve eyed for a few years now. It’s walking distance from the French Laundry and I hear it’s a favorite of the kitchen [update: it’s not].
I’ll keep this post updated periodically.
El Molino Central – 11 Central Ave, Sonoma, CA 95476
Tortilleria Jalisco – 897 W Napa St, Sonoma, CA 95476 (closed Sundays!)
