Sneek Peek: Epicurean Connection Moves Downtown

Housed in a 500-square-foot box just a short walk from Sonoma’s , the has always managed to bridge the Sonoma gap, drawing wine-loving tourists to the inconspicuous “wrong-side-of-town” location in search of goat milk fudge or a raspberry rose preserves.

But after a slew of press, the Boyes Hot Springs favorite is moving past it's growing pains and reinventing itself into a café cum beer, wine and cheese bar located in a 2,000-square foot space just off the Plaza in downtown Sonoma.

“I’ve just totally outgrown my shop,” owner Sheana Davis said. “I need more square footage and I just decided that I need to be downtown.”

Though the store’s changing location, Davis says she plans to carry on the store’s integrity: continuing weekly non-profit fundraising nights and focusing on local and artisanal products.

Putting her frequent flier miles where her mouth is, Davis recently embarked on a whirlwind cross-country tour, visiting her favorite specialty goods purveyors,  “so when I’m behind the cheese counter I can tell you the story behind the product, but also the producers,” Davis said.

Davis readily rattles off a list of products and purveyors that reads like a foodie's wet dream: she'll have local cheeses (Ig Vella Cheese Company; Laura Chenel; her own Delice de la Vallee) along side regional favorites (Redwood Hill Farm; Point Reyes Farmstead) a wide selection of ales (Russian River Brewing Company,  Brooklyn Brewing Company) and a hodge podge of artisnal goods (Teddy Tucker Chocolate Sauce; Kozlowski Farm Jams).

Other highlights include a butter bar - featuring cow, goat, salted and unsalted - and daily cafe soups, salad and sandwich specials.

Davis, who has been the face of the gourmet ghetto growning in the formerly delapitated Springs area, says she'll remain involved even though her business is moving to better maintained pastures.

"I still live in the Springs, but I’ve stepped away from activities since after 12 years, ," she says. "It’s always my neighborhood and where I live, even though it’s time for me to step away."

More exciting: Davis is hoping the new location will help foster the food making community. She plans to continue highlighting producers through regular seminars, cheese making classes and lectures in the shop.

Sam Mogannam, founder of , who's perfected the model in his popular communtiy food kitchen 18 Reasons, has even signed on as a mentor.

"It’ll be a lot about the relationships of the preservation of food," Davis said.

The "new" Epicurean Connection is scheduled to open Oct. 15 at 122 West Napa St. It will be open seven days a week, 10am-8pm.