| THE RESTAURANT Located on a quiet street one block off the historic Sonoma Plaza, The Depot Hotel Restaurant is a beautifully restored plumstone building, one of the landmarks of the "Valley of the Moon" in California's famous Sonoma Valley wine country.Once the local hotel for 19th century passengers arriving on the train from San Francisco, the original owners opened the restaurant to serve the local townspeople and their visitors as well. Today, the historic building houses the Restaurant with casual and charming "country-inn" style. At the rear wall of the Restaurant is the glass-enclosed "Garden Room" which opens onto a beautiful private garden with shady decks and brick terraces surrounding a central reflection pool with sparkling Roman fountain. Always a favorite spot with locals, the Restaurant takes pride in extending Sonoma hospitality to visitors and sharing with them the cuisine and wines of Sonoma Valley. THE CHEFS Chef Ghilarducci oversees the restaurant, develops new dishes for the menu, supervises the wine list and cellar, and has begun to develop his own vineyards. His wife Gia develops new desserts for the dessert menu, and manages the banquets, weddings, and cooking classes. When their schedule permits, the Ghilarduccis travel extensively in Europe to gather recipes and to enjoy the food of the great restaurants of France and Italy. Chef Ghilarducci also enjoys trips to Northern Italy to visit his family near Lucca. Through these trips, he has come to acquire a deep appreciation for the home cooks of each small town, and has developed a great respect for the variety and naturally healthy style of cooking that distinguishes the rustic, "country-style" of cooking in Italy. THE FOOD AND THE WINE Chef Ghilarducci has created a menu that showcases the meats, poultry, seafood, bread, cheeses, fruits, and vegetables that are locally produced in Sonoma County. It focuses on the honest, straightforward, generous food of the Tuscan countryside. The menu prices are extremely reasonable, ranging between $7.75 and $20.50. Food portions are also consistently generous, reflecting the spirit of his family in Italy. Wine by the glass from a large variety of Sonoma Valley wineries is served at the cozy wine bar and at the fireside tables in parlor. Wine service is also available on the decks and brick terrace overlooking the pool and garden. The wine cellar has also been personally selected by Chef Ghilarducci and represents one of the most extensive collections of wines from the Sonoma Valley and Carneros region. | 
