Since leaving the fine dining world behind, an alum of San Francisco’s Michelin-starred Californios and Lazy Bear has quietly made a name for himself with a surprising specialty in an unlikely location: deli sandwiches in a gym.
Raul Lopez’s sandwich counter, the Local, has thrived since opening three years ago in Wine Country — despite being difficult to find. Sandwich seekers must drive through a maze of Petaluma office parks and past Lagunitas Brewing to the Active Wellness Center. There’s no signage indicating that the Local is inside, tucked between the check-in desk and the pool deck.
“You gotta know,” said Chris Osborne, co-owner of the Local. “It’s as far north and as far east as Petaluma gets. You have to cross many barriers to find us.”…