A new wine bar and taproom is expected to open in late summer 2026 in the former Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro space on Guerneville Road in west Santa Rosa.
The business, called Owl & The Vine, is the latest venture from Lawrence and Stephanie Bondulich, a husband-and-wife team from New York who say they hope to revive the historic roadside property.
Walter Hansel Wine & Bistro closed in August 2025 after 12 years at the location. Its owner, Stephen Hansel, cited rising food costs and declining foot traffic as reasons for the closure.
The Bondulichs currently operate Bin 71, an Italian enoteca-inspired restaurant and wine bar on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Now in its 21st year, the restaurant offers more than 100 wines by the bottle and about 30 by the glass.
They also own The Owl’s Tail, a specialty cocktail bar serving small plates, also on the Upper West Side.
A storied location
The building that will house Owl & The Vine dates to 1944 and has played a varied role in Santa Rosa’s dining and nightlife scene.
Originally a chicken coop, the structure was later converted into a restaurant and bar. Among its earliest occupants was Big Oak Chicken Shack, known for fried chicken and hot biscuits in the late 1940s.
Over the decades, the property has also been home to the Spaghetti Factory, the Country Western Bull Rider Saloon, Willowside Café and Zazu Kitchen + Farm.
What’s next
Details about Owl & The Vine’s menu have not yet been released.
The opening will mark the Bondulichs’ first venture in Sonoma County and the latest chapter for one of west Santa Rosa’s most recognizable restaurant properties.
Sarah Doyle is the wine and beverage reporter at The Press Democrat. Send her story tips at sarah.doyle@pressdemocrat.com.
Dining and Cooking