Single Thread — Healdsburg, USA

It’s been one of the Wine Country’s most eagerly awaited openings for nearly five years, but for husband and wife team Kyle and Katina Connaughton, Single Thread – a fine dining restaurant, farm and inn – has been a labour of love for more than two decades. The journey has lead them and their young family through Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido and later on, to England, where Kyle headed up research and development at chef Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck, and Katina honed her skills as a culinary gardener on the Victorian estate where they lived.
Now back across the pond, the couple have combined their global know-how, love of Japanese culture and modernist sensibilities to open a ryokan-inspired restaurant and hotel that adds an extra level of intimacy to the concept of farm-to-table dining.
Located in Healdsburg, Sonoma, a short stride from the city’s famous 19th century plaza, the restaurant is the result of a carefully executed masterplan that starts with the couple’s nearby farm, a five-acre plot of land between the Russian River and the storied San Lorenzo Ranch. Here, Katina and her team cultivate fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, flowers, honey, eggs and olive oil, which – along with local meats – makes its way to the Single Thread kitchen, where Kyle transforms the produce into an 11-course kaiseki-inspired tasting menu.
Best described as modern with a Japanese twist, Kyle’s cooking pedigree is apparent, with inventive dishes such as aromatic guinea hen flavoured with sansho and served with matsutake and red kuri squash or black cod cooked ‘fukkura-san’ with leeks, brassicas and chamomile dashi.
This can all be enjoyed in a cosy dining room designed by New York-based firm AvroKO, who has created an intimate space that feels like an extension of the couple’s home. This is further enhanced by swathes of walnut wood, bespoke furnishings and ceramic tableware produced by 8th generation master potters, the Nagatani family of Iga in Japan.
For the full ryokan experience, try and nab one of the five guest rooms, where omotenashi – traditional Japanese hospitality – ensures outstanding service that, should you wish, can end with a Japanese breakfast served traditionally in-room the next morning.
INFORMATION
Website
ADDRESS
131 North St
Healdsburg
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
-
The Newt x Niwaki: A gardening uniform inspired by a bucolic British country estate
The Newt in Somerset, a British country estate and hotel, has united with gardening brand Niwaki on tools and clothing inspired by its historic grounds. Here, Niwaki founder Jake Hobson tells Wallpaper* the story behind the thoughtful collaboration
-
A new concrete family house in Slovakia slots seamlessly into its naturally landscaped site
In Slovakia, Banánka family house by Paulíny Hovorka Architects is a generous contemporary sanctuary in the heart of a mature forest
-
‘Wundercar’ celebrates the ineffable aura of the Porsche 959, the first true hypercar
Curated by London creatives INK, ‘Wundercar’ is a London exhibition dedicated to the image and influence of Porsche’s seminal 959, a true icon of 1980s engineering
-
Ghanaian cuisine has a story to tell at Washington, DC restaurant Elmina
The new restaurant is chef Eric Adjepong’s colourful ode to the recipes he grew up loving
-
Fancy a matcha-beer cocktail? Visit this dashing new LA restaurant
Café 2001 channels the spirit of an American diner with the flow of a European bistro and the artistry of Japanese cuisine
-
Visit this Michelin-star New York restaurant that doubles as an art gallery
Artist Mr.StarCity is exhibiting his emotionally charged yet optimistic ‘Bloomers’ portrait series at Frevo, a Greenwich Village hidden haunt
-
With glowing honeycomb-shaped booths, this futuristic Japanese restaurant is ramen heaven
After a successful U.S. expansion, Kyuramen touches down in Los Angeles.
-
Tour the best contemporary tea houses around the world
Celebrate the world’s most unique tea houses, from Melbourne to Stockholm, with a new book by Wallpaper’s Léa Teuscher
-
Seven things not to miss on your sunny escape to Palm Springs
It’s a prime time for Angelenos, and others, to head out to Palm Springs; here’s where to have fun on your getaway
-
At Linden Los Angeles, classic New York comfort food gets its due
The restaurant, inspired by a stretch of boulevard bridging Brooklyn and Queens, honors legacy, community and pleasure
-
This atmospheric New York restaurant was designed to be a ‘beautiful ruin’
At Leon’s, classic Italian fare comes with a North African accent and with a side of family history