Foodie. Epicurean. Gourmand. Gastronome. No matter what you call it, food connoisseurs the world over will find themselves in their happy place during a visit to Yolo County.
With its acres upon acres of farmland, Yolo County is the agricultural heart of Northern California. Growers here produce every type of fruit, nut, and vegetable imaginable, not to mention wine grapes, honey, and olive oil.
A visit to Yolo County means you’re in the epicenter of a rich food heritage that goes back generations. And many producers are proud to show off their bounties, hosting farm dinners, opening up their lands for farm tours, and selling straight to consumers at farmers’ markets and curated shops. If you’re a food lover, following are some ways to indulge your culinary passion in Yolo County.
Farm Dinners
Farm dinners allow guests to indulge in seasonal ingredients right from the source. Many of these dinners feature long, communal tables with dishes served family-style. Some have special themes or may include tours or wine pairings. But all of them are great opportunities to enjoy farm-to-table cuisine.
Full Belly Farm in Guinda hosts monthly dinners March through November highlighting the latest crops. The five- or six-course meals are served family style, and may include seasonal dishes such as summer melon salad, gazpacho, rack of lamb with cranberry beans, or peach turnovers. The dinners include a farmer-led tour and appetizers.
Park Winters also hosts farm dinners, showcasing ingredients grown right on the property. Options include Evenings in the Park, which offers indoor or outdoor dining; and Holiday Farm Dinners, which features family-style dishes throughout the month of December.
In Winters, L’Apéro Les Trois hosts multi-course dinners focusing on specific themes. For example, December’s theme is “Celebrate the Walnut” with the nut making an appearance in each dish. Other themes have included “Celebrate the Quince” and “Celebrate the Fig.”
Another spot for farm dinners is Berryessa Gap Vineyards, which puts on a Global Dinner Series. The communal dinners, which include wine pairing, focus on cuisine from throughout the world, from Spain to Peru, Ethiopia to Japan.
Yolo County takes its agricultural heritage seriously, and to that end, there are several large-scale, community-wide farm dinners. Woodland’s Dinner on Main is held every fall, in which community members come together at a long harvest table down the center of Main Street to dine on a four-course meal prepared by local chefs. Another annual farm dinner is The Village Feast in Davis, a French-style community dinner featuring local produce, meats, and wine.
Food Tours
If you really want to get behind the scenes to learn more about where your food comes from, there are several farm tours available in Yolo County. Park Winters offers tours of its historic farm, which includes a discussion of composting, sustainability, and farming practices. Another option is Yolo 365 Tours in Winters, where you’ll enjoy local wine, beer or spirits paired with food. You can also curate a private tour designed just for you. SacTown Bites also offers food tours of Yolo County. The Capay Valley Farm Tour takes guests to three farms that produce wine, olive oil and lavender (including lavender-infused snacks and beverages). A Taste of the Delta tour also has stops in Yolo County, including wineries in the Clarksburg area and local barbecue.
Gourmet Food
If you’d like to take a bit of Yolo County home with you, there are plenty of spots that sell locally-produced gourmet food products. Séka Hills Olive Mill & Tasting Room offers samples of the estate-produced olive oils. They also offer honey, nuts, wine and other gourmet products, and they have a deli serving sandwiches and salads.
Think lavender is just for soap and candles? Think again! Capay Valley Lavender has five acres of the purple blossoms, which they infuse into baked goods, tea, sugar, and lemonade. Their farm tours include a behind-the-scenes peek at the production facilities as well as a fresh-baked lavender scone.
In Woodland, you can sample more than 30 types of honey at The Hive. They also have mead tastings and tours. Plus, their kitchen offers dishes featuring local, seasonal ingredients, much of it incorporating honey and bee pollen.
If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for gourmet food products produced in Yolo County, check out the Park Winters Marketplace. They sell local jam, honey, balsamic vinegar and olive oils, including those from Capay Valley Ranches, with flavors such as Meyer lemon and fig. Best of all, you can place an order online and pick it up during your visit!
Farmers Markets
One of the largest year-round farmers markets in Yolo County (and all of California, actually!) is the Davis Farmers Market. Held Saturday mornings and Wednesday evenings, the market features growers and producers selling produce, meats, seafood, wine, eggs, honey, baked goods, and gourmet food products.
Some Yolo County vendors to check out include Upper Crust Baking Company, which has been turning out small-batch breads, pastries, and bagels for more than 25 years; and PURE Honey, which offers raw, all-natural honey with infusions including pumpkin spice, caramel, and habanero.
Looking for the perfect gift? At the Davis Farmers Market, you can get a curated gift basket filled with local products like jams, honey, wine, nuts, dried fruit, sweets, crafts, market gear and cookbooks.
Staying overnight? The Davis Marriott Residence Inn has a Davis Farmers Market lodging package, which includes a bottle of wine, $25 in farmers’ market bucks, and a 2 p.m. late checkout. Book today!
Make it a Weekend
The opportunities to indulge your food cravings is endless in Yolo County. From farm dinners to tours to farmers’ markets and shops, there are plenty of ways to take advantage of the area’s agricultural heritage. If you’re looking to make a weekend of it, there are plenty of lodging options in Yolo County. There are also lodging specials to be had as well.
