Sonoma Burrito Company unveils restaurant plans

Sonoma Burrito Company will offer Mexican cuisine cooked/prepared on-site for both dine in and take-out customers|

Plans for the long-awaited Sonoma Burrito Company at 921 Broadway in Sonoma will be considered this week by the city Design Review and Historical Preservation Commission.

The site of the new Mexican eatery is at the former location of Cocoa Planet, which closed in 2018 after two years of chocolate and lunch service.

Property owners Ken and Stacy Mattson have submitted plans to the commission that align with the permit used by previous owner Anne McKibben back in 2015 when she converted an old print shop at 921 Broadway into a restaurant and chocolate production facility. McKibben sold the building to the Mattsons in 2018.

According to the plans submitted to the City of Sonoma, Sonoma Burrito Company will offer a variety of Mexican cuisine cooked/prepared on-site for both dine in and take-out customers. It seeks to operate from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The restaurant wants to offer table service for 44 customers, with 28 indoor seats and 16 outdoors.

Mattson’s paperwork submitted to the Design Review and Historical Preservation Commission includes exterior paint choices and outdoor lighting.

In the plans, the general form and footprint of the building would be maintained and changes pertain mainly to the façade of the building. The proposed exterior alterations include covering the stone veneer on the east and north elevations with wood siding painted black; relocating the main entry; and adding minor modifications to the rear yard seating area, including landscaping, new bocce court and games area, and built-in seating.

Ken Mattson’s real estate company LeFever Mattson also owns the Sonoma’s Best deli on East Napa Street, the Lanning property on Sonoma Highway, as well as the Boyes Food Center building and the Moon Mountain property along Highway 12. LeFever Mattson also purchased Cornerstone Sonoma shopping and event center, Ramekins culinary center and the General’s Daughter event space from Kenwood Investments last month.

According to sity planning staffer Kristina Tierney, this is the primary step for the Mattsons in proceeding with Sonoma Burrito. The existing restaurant use permit for the building carries over and no appearance before the city Planning Commission is required.

The design-review commission will consider the Sonoma Burrito Company application at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, March 19, at City Council Chambers. Also on the agenda is consideration of new paint colors and a new wall sign for the planned Ovello Charcuterie, located at 248 W. Napa St., next to Curves. The applicant is Andrea Marino.

Email Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.

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