An underrated California wine destination is getting a major nod from a celebrity chef.
Charlie Palmer will open Maison Lodi, a French bakery, cafe and market in the small, rural city of Lodi (San Joaquin County) at the end of January — and he’s not the only notable name affiliated with the project. Palmer has partnered with the owners of Healdsburg’s popular Quail & Condor , Melissa Yanc and Sean McGaughey, to oversee Maison Lodi’s bakery program.
While Lodi is slowly gaining traction as a laid-back and affordable wine destination , the city’s restaurant scene is still largely undiscovered. But Palmer, who has received multiple James Beard awards and whose restaurants have earned 20 Michelin stars over the past 37 years, believes there’s potential to build on the city’s mainstays: Ruby’s Bakery & Cafe, Italian bistro Pietro’s Trattoria and pizza spot Guantonio’s, a watering hole for the local wine industry.
“Several years ago I would have had no idea where Lodi was,” Palmer said. “It’s kind of what Healdsburg was like 20-25 years ago. It’s not something that’s going to happen overnight, but in a couple of years, people will be talking about traveling to Lodi because it’s got great food.”