Sign of the Bear Kitchenware in Sonoma, CA, is in the historic Sonoma Plaza shopping district…read more Sign of the Bear kitchenware. Say that 10 times fast. Just as fun to say, it's fun to browse even if you're not a home chef. They have brand name, quality cookware, bakeware, and kitchen items. Gifts and gadgets. Basic items (inexpensive) to "what do I do with this" specialized items (pricier). All at reasonable, competitive pricing for the brands. Locally owned since 1972. Awesome! The place is not particularly large, but they have a knack for utilizing space without feeling cluttered. I stopped in recently because I happen to be in the area and heard they carry Smithy, American made cast iron cookware. In particular I was looking for the carbon steel line of Smithy which is supposedly lighter in weight than their cast iron line. The young sales associate helped me locate the Smithy display. He was aware of the brand and knew where it was exactly in the shop. Lovely, gorgeous pieces. Pricing was on par.After doing my weightlifting kitchen curl test with a 10 inch skillet, I concluded that it is less weighty but I'm too weak to handle even that carbon steel weight. However I am uncommonly lacking the normal upper body strength. So you most likely will not have the same issue as I.

A Kitchenware store that has LOTS of goodies in downtown Sonoma!!…read more Great store to browse and pick up some goodies for yourself or for souvenir when you're in the area. A great surprise was finding that they sell Le Creuset stockpots ... and on sale!! Score! The store is well stocked and well organized, very clean; and their staff are friendly and knowledgeable. Great store!!

Have purchased small items here several times. Like a knife sharpener, some compressed argon gas…read morein a can to preserve open wine bottles, a stainless steel mixing bowl. Store carries the good commercial grade brands. Prices seem a bit high to me. Now that Rosenberg's has gone out of business this store is the only commercial restaurant supply house remaining in Santa Rosa.

Service is a nightmare. Guy behind counter very rude and…read moreshort spoken. Drove a long way to make it in this store. Made it in 15min before closing. Was close to finishing my shopping, and about to grab my "expensive item". 5pm hit, Employee went out of his way to find us and rudely states, it's 5pm we are now closed, demanded us to close out. Asked for a couple more minutes to finish our shopping, he gave us a dirty look, a quick no, and walked behind the counter. So many other ways to approach the situation versus a blunt, rude it "5 we are now closed". He could simply asked if we needed anything else, assisted us with the last item. Instead, I wasn't able to grab my last item and was rushed out the door. So sad the service is so terrible, being they have good products. I definitely was prepared and wanting to spend more. Could of capitalized on a much larger sale with a proper questions, and a good disposition when speaking to customers Sadly they lost another customer today.

My friends gifted me a sushi cooking class with Sur la Table on a Saturday night. It was a really…read morefun time. They call it Date Night but they should say Have fun with your friends either way two amazing teachers John and Jonas. We made chicken Yakatori skewers, a spicy salmon roll, and vegetable tempura. The class was lively, engaging, and because we like to cook, we threw curve ball questions to the teachers - they loved it and had a good laugh. The next table over were also having fun, and everyone bonded and the whole experience was amazing. Two thumbs up - beginner to intermediate - everyone will have a great time. Great night out! Give it a try! We enjoyed the class and the food! Highly recommended

Yeah it's pricey but when you are looking for kitchen tools why skimp? Be on the lookout for…read moredifferent sales. No matter the line length- it moves quickly

This is by far the best sign company ever. They are a father/son duo and they work to make the most…read morebeautiful signs you will ever see. Highly recommend. You won't be disappointed. Their signs are extremely well made and designed.

Great team! They are super professional, knowledgeable and friendly! They've done some of the…read morecoolest-looking signs in the region! Thank you SpeedySigns!!

If you like high-end kitchenware, you have got to check the store out…read more It was quite the learning experience for me, I had no idea Zwillings owned so many high-end companies Zwilling Henckels Miyabi BSF Demeyere Staub Fontignac Ballarini I came away very impressed.That is a hard hitting lineup. The sales were very exciting. First there was a storewide 20% off sale. And then some of the individual pieces had some pretty impressive reductions. However, remember this is an outlet store. I found some of the most heavily discounted equipment had cosmetic flaws. On the other hand, I went to the Le Creuset store two decades ago and got myself a Dutch oven which had a cosmetic flaw, and that thing has been working great the whole time. But before you go to town, check to see if the warranty is in effect. It's kind of pity that my kitchen is so well stocked with equipment. Between the discounts and the excellent selection, I would been in deep trouble with this store several decades ago. While it's easy to focus on the knives and the cookware there is a lot more to the store. They carry an incredible number of small kitchen accessories that can solve common problems. The expert and friendly sales person showed me a really nice magnetic bar, which can be used to mount knives in otherwise wasted spaces in the kitchen. Unfortunately, for the sales person, I already had one of these. But I can definitely testify that this is an incredibly useful device. Some people complain that magnetic bars ruin your knives. But you have to know the trick to using them. Basically you have to kind of peel the knife off the magnetic bar and this prevents scratching and other minor damage. Also, if your knives are looking scratched, there is a whetstone with an incredibly fine grit that will put a mirror polish on your knives. Scratches are not the disaster you think they are. So stop feeling bad about all your kitchen problems and go to this store which has more solutions than you realize. Remember to bring your knives if you need them sharpened.

After having an amazing shopping experience with Samy on Thursday, I called the store at 6pm and…read morehad a question regarding the Miyabi slicer knife. At first I thought it was Samy that answered the phone because the person sounded pleasant and patient; found out it was different employee named Annemarie. She must've answered about 10 questions I had, and each time she had a detailed answer and made suggestions and recommendations regarding the Miyabi line, which had great pricing against online retailers and even Costco, which had a roadshow featuring Zwilling products in Elk Grove! Annemarie was pleasant, patient and personable. She made the phone call a damn good pleasant experience. Whoever trained these two exceptional employees outta be commended by their DM! I will be making the 55 min drive for both the great product and exceptional service real soon!

I've purchased something every time I've come here. Frequently I get a souvenir gadget or mug, but…read moresometimes I come for the paper goods. They have the prettiest paper placemats - not cheap but great for a party. You'll find unusual things here. I don't think I've ever visited Healdsburg without buying something here! I've always had great service here, so I can't agree with the reviews that criticize that. The staff have always been kind and helpful.

Great store but be aware of their "only store credit" return policy. I bought a small item for $25…read more Changed my mind shortly after. Went to return it 90 minutes after buying it and you can only get store credit.

I needed my KitchenAid mixer serviced and I learned from KitchenAid that Hardisty's is an…read moreauthorized service center. I've never visited Hardisty's because they're about an hour from my home. What a treat this place is for home chefs. They have all your kitchen ware needs covered. The folks that work at this shop are great. So friendly and helpful. Sam the KitchenAid tech has kept me updated regularly on my mixer service for which I'm truly grateful. Looking forward to getting my mixer back.

Have shopped there a lot over the years. It continues to be our go to first kitchen supply…read more Everyone that works there is knowledgeable, friendly Easy open parking lot in a shopping center