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Art & Culture

California Wine Country Has a New Hot Spot

Inside SingleThread, the much-anticipated new eatery and inn from Kyle and Katina Connaughton

By Jacqueline Terrebonne
Elegant modern restaurant interior with wooden tables, gray upholstered chairs, and a central floral arrangement.
In Sonoma County, SingleThread puts a traditional Japanese spin on California chic. Photo: Garrett Rowland, Courtesy of AvroKO

Modern restaurant interior with wooden furnishings, elegant lighting, and a central floral arrangement on a striped carpet.
Katina, a longtime garden guru, creates fresh floral arrangements daily for SingleThread’s three dining areas. Garrett Rowland, Courtesy of AvroKO

Even for the foodie mecca of Healdsburg, California, the debut of SingleThread—the restaurant and five-room inn created by chef Kyle Connaughton and his wife, Katina—was a buzzy event. To create a worthy setting, the couple tapped hospitality-design juggernaut AvroKO to conjure a truly unique space that invites the diner to experience the artistic process behind each meal. Touches include dining room screens referencing the DNA sequences of basil and shallots, elements that reflect the chef’s years working under Michel Bras in Japan, and a lengthy list of one-of-a-kind pieces, from wall tiles to knives. But the true magic lies in the careful cultivation and preparation of each ingredient from the eleven-course tasting menu, some sourced from the Connaughtons’ nearby farm. singlethreadfarms.com 

Beautifully illuminated corner building with elegant architecture, trees, and street lamps at dusk.
Set in downtown Healdsburg, the gleaming structure replaced the city’s post office, which burned down in 2010. The five guest rooms are housed on the second story, while a rooftop garden provides the kitchen with herbs and supplements the Connaughtons’ nearby five-acre farm. Garrett Rowland, Courtesy of AvroKO

Modern restaurant interior with elegant lighting, wooden tables, and upholstered seating creating a sophisticated dining atmosphere.
A Zen-inspired dining area is populated by South American walnut tables with brushed metal accents. Garrett Rowland, Courtesy of AvroKO

Elegant restaurant interior with wooden decor, modern lighting, and neatly arranged tables with flowers and tableware.
The Nagatani family, eighth-generation Japanese potters, handcrafted all of the restaurant’s ceramic vessels and much of the dishware. Garrett Rowland, Courtesy of AvroKO

Modern bedroom with wooden floor, large bed, decorative pendant light, and a tall mirror.
With only five guest rooms, the inn retains the intimacy of a traditional Japanese ryokan while offering modern comforts. Garrett Rowland, Courtesy of AvroKO