A long-quiet roadhouse on West Santa Rosa’s Guerneville Road is getting a New York makeover. Restaurant couple Lawrence and Stephanie Bondulich, known in Manhattan for their neighborhood wine bar Bin 71, are planning to reopen the former Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro site as a wine bar and taproom called Owl & The Vine, with a debut targeted for this summer. The project marks the Bondulichs’ first foray into Sonoma County.
Owl & The Vine's website lists the address as 3535 Guerneville Road and says the couple is aiming for a late summer 2026 opening. Filings with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control show a pending license application under the Owl & The Vine name at that location, indicating the formal process to open is underway. As first reported by The Press Democrat, the Bondulichs are taking over the former Walter Hansel space.
A storied roadhouse on Guerneville Road
The freestanding building at 3535 Guerneville Road has cycled through a series of restaurants and roadside concepts over the years, most recently housing Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro. A commercial listing notes that the property already comes with kitchen and bar improvements, an outdoor patio, ample parking and space for roughly 45 guests, features that check a lot of boxes for would-be operators. The full breakdown, along with photos of the interior and exterior, appears on Crexi.
From Bin 71 to wine country
Lawrence Bondulich opened Bin 71 in Manhattan in 2005 and built a reputation for pouring old world and natural wines alongside seasonal small plates. That origin story, laid out on Bin 71's website, has turned the spot into a neighborhood standby. According to local reporting, the Bondulichs plan to bring a similar community focused, wine driven approach to their Santa Rosa project.
WhatNow notes that Owl & The Vine is expected to blend wine by the glass with beer on tap and a small plates menu, a setup that mirrors how many locals already like to eat and drink in Sonoma County, only with a Manhattan pedigree behind the bar.
What it could mean for Santa Rosa
The timing is not accidental. Santa Rosa has been seeing fresh interest in dedicated wine bars and taprooms, with recent openings and announcements signaling that operators are testing how much demand there is in downtown and along key corridors like Guerneville Road. The SF Chronicle has charted the wave of new wine bar projects in the city, while reporting from KSRO has tracked the flip side, including the closure of well known local spots that helped create room for newcomers.
City leaders, meanwhile, are weighing tools such as limited open container zones that could boost foot traffic and help businesses in targeted areas, according to local coverage. Owl & The Vine will arrive in the middle of that conversation, potentially giving the west side of town a new draw as officials try to shape a more walkable, linger friendly scene.
The Bondulichs have not released a formal menu yet. On their site they write that they are excited to bring community together in this special place, language that appears on Owl & The Vine's website. Reporting from The Press Democrat notes that more specifics, including a firm opening date and menu details, are expected in the coming weeks.
