Sonoma’s Burgers and Vine Whiskey Bar to become steakhouse

Seeing an opportunity to start a good steakhouse upon the sale of Saddles Steakhouse and MacArthur Place, B&V Whiskey Bar and Grille owners Codi Binkley and Carlo Cavallo decided to convert their sports bar and grill into a full-fledged Italian steakhouse.

Binkley and Cavallo are already removing the tables to install cozy and intimate booths for their planned Bistecca e Vino. At the same time they are changing the menu to feature steak, seafood and housemade pasta, and bringing in new restaurant and bar management teams.

For what appears to be a prime corner location across Spain Street from Mission San Francisco de Solano, the building has been through many changes, starting with Rocco Benedetto's Sonoma Creamery, followed by Lonny Dunlap's deli and creamery. The creamery/deli underwent various other incarnations until eventually closing. The building sat vacant for about 10 years and was purchased by Dick and Mary Ann Sebastiani Cuneo, who brought in chef Carlo Cavallo to create a new restaurant, which he did after closing his Sonoma Meritage Oyster Bar & Grille.

More news on Bistecca y Vino to come.