Willi’s Wine Bar recently celebrated its 20th anniversary on the cusp of the fifth anniversary of the fire that destroyed its original location, which was lost in the October 2017 Tubbs fire. The beloved roadhouse was the first of Mark and Terri Stark’s seven, highly-awarded restaurants in Sonoma County. The James Beard Award-nominated husband-wife restaurateurs recognized the milestone by inviting guests to share their favorite memories and photos of Willi’s Wine Bar over the years via the restaurant’s social media platform in August. A drawing was held to select 20 submitters (and their guests) to join a friends and family anniversary party held at the restaurant.
The Starks heard from dozens of guests about everything from Willi’s being a favorite after-work hangout to first dates, birthdays, proposals, prom dinners and everything in between. One trio of friends recreated a photo that appeared of them in the local paper when the restaurant opened 20 years ago.
Originally launched in August 2002, Willi’s was the first of seven restaurants owned and operated by Chef Mark and Terri Stark, proprietors of Stark Reality Restaurant group. It was among the first Sonoma County restaurants to introduce the “small plates” concept, typically paired with a wide variety of select local wines. After the 1886 landmark roadhouse location was lost in the firestorm, the Starks re-opened Willi’s in May 2019 in its new location in Town & Country Center in the McDonald Mansion neighborhood in Santa Rosa.
The dining scene in Sonoma County—and certainly in Santa Rosa—was markedly different when the Starks opened their flagship restaurant in 2002. There were several white-tablecloth-fine-dining spots, a couple Italian dinner houses and numerous casual bar and grill-type establishments, but nothing that offered a relaxed vibe with upscale food, wine and ambience.
Right out of the gate, the restaurant was recognized for its wine list from the Wine Spectator, the first of many local and national accolades, including Michelin Bib Gourmand awards and spots on the San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants.
“The idea of focusing on small plats stemmed from Terri’s and my preference to sit at the bar and only order appetizers,” said Mark in a statement. Pairing international small plates with an extensive array of wines—by the taste, glass and bottle—has proven to be an enduring favorite for patrons of Willi’s Wine Bar.
“We’re so grateful for our long-term guests and our staff,” said Terri. “They were the ones who absolutely would not let Willi’s Wine Bar die. We couldn’t see trying to recreate the original Willi’s, so we found a way to bring many of the things that people loved about Willi’s back and event take advantage of some opportunities that a new location provided. We wouldn’t be here without our supporters, and it was important to us to make them part of our celebration.”