D I N E W I S E WITH JASON WALSH
Wit & Wisdom “Wit and wisdom are born to a man,” wrote 17th-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
The bright main room of Wit & Wisdom was designed by Wilson Ishihara . [Photo by Hannah Corcoran]
The locally raised duck is livened by a Grand Marnier reduction and orange zest. [Photo by Catherine Dzilenski]
74 NorthBaybiz
September 2025
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