Wit & Wisdom, a Michael Mina destination in Sonoma

“Wit and wisdom are born to a man,” wrote 17^th-century English legal historian John Selden, an observation about those charismatic qualities that can’t be taught—you’ve either got ‘em or you don’t. The same could be said of restaurants—some make a great customer experience seem easy; others never quite figure it out. Perhaps Marin-based restaurateur/chef Michael Mina had this in mind when he dubbed his first wine country restaurant Wit & Wisdom.

Because you can count Wit & Wisdom among those which make it all seem easy.

Opened in 2020 in the former Carneros Bistro space within the Lodge at Sonoma at 1325 Broadway, Wit & Wisdom carries both a casual vibe and an air of sophistication—a place for a business meal or a birthday dinner for grandma. (Both seemed to be taking place the evening of our visit.)

Designed by local firm Wilson Ishihara, inside is a bright space of sand- and stone-toned walls and flooring; tables are wood with seating a mix of armless comfy chairs and sofa-style benches along the walls. The lighting is bright but soft, with various recessed lights glowing from shelves and around the bar. Urban casual might describe what they’re going for. We sat at a corner table with a view of the outside patio seating, where long wooden tables are surrounded by a small waterfall wall, electric fire pits and manicured greenery. (It’s only a stone’s throw from busy Highway 12, though you wouldn’t know it.)

We started with a server-recommended small plate of Liberty Farm duck wings ($19) and an order of the Parker House rolls ($14). The wings are a generous serving of the Sonoma County-raised duck, basted in a Grand Marnier and pepper reduction and livened with a hint of orange zest. While the salty rolls are a perfect accompaniment for sopping up the remaining duck gastrique, they also come with their own tantalizing spread—a black pepper honey dip ideal for the soft doughy bun. There’s a reason W&W considers its Parker rolls a signature dish.

The wine menu is extensive, especially if you’re looking for local labels. Alexander Valley, Moon Mountain, Dry Creek, Carneros, Russian River, Sonoma Coast—even Fountaingrove—are represented on the list, as is practically every other North Bay ava. The eye on local touches extends to design elements reflecting an aura of long-ago Glen Ellen-based adventure writer Jack London—Wit & Wisdom even shares its name with the title of a collection of the writer’s quotations published in 2001.

The entree menu delivers on the restaurant’s steak-and-seafood promise—and, yes, Mina’s special lobster pot pie ($129, and meant to be shared) is there. We went with the roasted salmon ($39), which comes accompanied by an unforgettable jalapeno creamed corn, and New York strip ($70), 14 ounces of perfectly cooked-to-order beef topped by a touch of horseradish and sided by a black garlic vinaigrette. We left nary a crumb, but still saved room for the “candy bar” off the dessert menu (all items $15)—a caramel, fudge, peanut butter concoction accurately described by our server as like a Snicker’s crossed with a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, only way better. And that it was.

The Lodge at Sonoma is Mina’s second go-round with the Wit & Wisdom brand. The concept first rolled out in 2012 in Baltimore, where the original Wit & Wisdom served “modern American” fare, also focused on grilled meats and seafood, before closing in 2018. On its website, the Sonoma restaurant describes its menu as “American comfort food”—but there’s no confusing this with a Mel’s Diner, it’s upper-echelon Sonoma. Next year it will surpass the lifespan of the original Wit & Wisdom and, by the bustling vibe of restaurant on the night of our visit, looks like it’s going to be around for a long time.

 

Did You Know?

Parker House rolls were first baked in the 1870s at the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston. Legend goes that an ornery baker at the hotel argued with a guest and, in a fit of frustration, stuffed a batch of unfinished doughballs in the oven. When the rolls finished baking, they had a unique folded shape, and a soft, buttery interiors topped by a golden-brown crust—and the famous Parker House roll was born.

Wit & Wisdom

1325 Broadway

Sonoma

707-931-3405

Witandwisdomsonoma.com

Email: info@witandwisdomsonoma.com

 

Happy Hour in the Lounge

Wednesday to Sunday, 4 to 5 p.m.

Dinner

Wednesday to Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m.