A Taste of Summer: Where to Eat, Sip & Savor the Yolo Countryside
Long days, warm evenings and an abundance of seasonal ingredients make summer a delicious time to explore the Yolo Countryside. Here, summer dining means more than simply sitting down for a meal. It can mean tasting honey beside a pollinator garden, lingering over brunch among the blooms, enjoying barbecue in a century-old gathering place or sharing dinner at a long table beneath the stars.
Come hungry and take the scenic route as you eat, sip and savor your way through some of the Yolo Countryside’s most memorable summer stops.
Taste the Season at The HIVE
Honey takes center stage at The HIVE Tasting Room & Kitchen in Woodland, home to California’s largest honey and mead tasting room.
Begin your visit at the Honey Tasting Bar, where you can sample more than 30 varietal honeys sourced from distinct floral landscapes. Just as wine reflects the land where its grapes are grown, each honey carries its own color, aroma and flavor based on the blossoms visited by the bees.
Then, settle in for a seasonal farm-to-fork meal surrounded by The HIVE’s pollinator gardens. Executive Chef Diego Wilk’s tapas-style menu highlights local farms, seasonal produce and thoughtfully selected varietal honeys. Summer offerings may include dishes such as a California-grown watermelon salad, whipped goat cheese with roasted nectarines and honey, seasonal flatbreads, or a bacon and nectarine grilled cheese.
Pair your meal with a rotating mead flight, honey-inspired beverage or locally crafted beer. Before leaving, browse the retail shop for honey, mead and gifts to bring a little taste of the countryside home with you.
Brunch Among the Blooms at Park Winters
Summer mornings are meant to be enjoyed slowly, and Brunch Among the Blooms at Park Winters offers a beautiful place to do just that.
Available Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., this leisurely brunch experience brings guests together for seasonal food and warm farm hospitality in a peaceful countryside setting. It is an ideal choice for celebrating a birthday or special occasion—or simply treating yourself to a relaxing weekend escape.
Before or after brunch, take time to stroll through the picturesque grounds, Pick Your Own Bouquet, create a Seasonal Wreath or Arrange a Dried Bouquet. Stop by the Cottage Store for thoughtfully selected gifts and locally inspired goods. Due to Park Winters’ private events and seasonal schedule, reservations are strongly recommended.
Welcome Back The Rustic Bar-B-Q
A beloved piece of Capay Valley history is serving the community once again. The Rustic Bar-B-Q in Guinda reopened under new family ownership during the 111th Almond Festival in February 2026.
It has been 100 years since the original Rustic Bar-B-Q first opened in 1926. The new owners hope to continue its long tradition as a local gathering place for good food, cold drinks and familiar faces.
The Rustic offers a deli menu on Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., followed by its full menu and weekly specials Thursday through Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Guests can also watch for live music and other special events throughout the season.
Whether you are a longtime local returning to a familiar favorite or a visitor experiencing The Rustic for the first time, it is a worthwhile stop along Highway 16—and a chance to support the next chapter of a century-old Capay Valley tradition.
Make a Roadside Stop at Roadtrip Bar and Grill
No Yolo Countryside food tour would be complete without a classic roadside stop. Located along Highway 16 in Capay, Roadtrip Bar and Grill is an old-school local haunt serving American comfort food, generous portions and drinks from its full bar.
The atmosphere is casual, welcoming and built for settling in. During the warmer months, live music on the patio adds to the easygoing summer experience. It is equally well suited for a relaxed breakfast, a hearty lunch, dinner with friends or a spontaneous stop while exploring the Capay Valley.
True to its name, Roadtrip Bar and Grill makes an excellent meeting point or refueling stop during a scenic countryside drive.
Follow the River to Husick’s by Forester
In Clarksburg, Husick’s by Forester brings new energy to a historic building that first served the community as a general store more than a century ago.
Chef Matt Brown’s restaurant offers casual, thoughtful food in a setting that feels connected to the agricultural character of the Delta. The menu includes shareable plates and satisfying favorites such as olives and focaccia, charcuterie, the Forester Cobb, Italian beef, rigatoni and The Forester steak sandwich.
Husick’s is a natural addition to a day spent visiting Clarksburg wineries, cycling along the river or exploring the Delta. Enjoy lunch after a bike ride, gather for dinner or spend a warm summer evening on the patio with local craft beer, regional wine and live music.
An Authentic Farm to Table Dinner at Polestar Farm
For a true countryside dining experience, reserve a seat at one of Polestar Farm’s seasonal farm dinners.
Located on 12 acres in the Capay Valley, Polestar Farm grows Royal Blenheim apricots along with a variety of other fruits. Its seasonal dinners celebrate what is growing at Polestar and neighboring farms, with rotating chefs bringing their own styles and inspiration to each menu.
Guests gather outdoors at a 40-foot farm table for a family-style meal beneath the open sky. The experience is designed around more than food—it is about connecting with the land, meeting new people and sharing a memorable evening with friends old and new.
Menus and themes change throughout the season, and dinners may incorporate live music, local ingredients and dishes prepared over an open flame. Because these special events have limited seating, advance tickets are strongly recommended.
Plan Your Summer Food Adventure
From honey tastings and flower-filled brunches to roadside favorites, historic gathering places and dinners served directly on the farm, the Yolo Countryside offers countless ways to taste the season.
Choose one destination for a leisurely meal or turn the day into a culinary road trip. Either way, leave extra time for the scenic drive, the people you will meet and the unexpected stops that make exploring the countryside so rewarding.
Before visiting, check each business’s website or social media pages for current hours, reservations, menus and event information. Then gather your favorite people, hit the road and experience a taste of summer in the Yolo Countryside.
