A charming natural wine bar and restaurant on Sonoma's town square is in expansion mode and will be taking over the space occupied by Delicious Dish about two and a half miles away.

Valley Bar + Bottle Shop (487 First St. West) has been steadily gaining a local following in downtown Sonoma since opening during the pandemic, in July 2020. Opened by four former Scribe Wine staffers, Valley offers an eclectic list of natural wines to pair with some excellent and also eclectic food, offered primarily in their small front bar area and on a large covered patio in back. The outdoor space, with a few heat lamps for cold weather, was a COVID-friendly go-to for many in the area, and they will continue to offer breakfast, lunch, brunch, and dinner there — but there is more in store.

As Sonoma Magazine reports, Delicious Dish, the four-year-old fried-chicken sandwich spot and catering outfit at 18709 Arnold Drive, is calling it quits. Owners Lauren and Charles Cotner say "It’s just a bad time for our little restaurant," and they had too slow of a year to keep going.

Taking over the space in the new year will be Valley partners Emma Lipp, Lauren Feldman, Tanner Walle and Stephanie Reagor, who say they want to open a lunchtime spot at the space — though maybe if it gains a following there will be more to come?

Lipp tells Sonoma Mag, "We all live right in that neighborhood, so we are excited to be in our hood."

The Delicious Dish space boasts a large, covered back patio that will make for nice between-wine-tastings dining in the spring, summer, and fall.

The name of the new spot is TBA.

Since opening two years ago, Valley has been named one of the best bars in the country by Esquire in 2021, the Chronicle's Soleil Ho raved about a dish of fresh ricotta with figs and roasted grapes, and the Michelin Guide this year named Valley a Bib Gourmand pick — with an inspector writing, "From soft-boiled eggs finished with a savory XO sauce to duck breast tortillas served with house-made hoisin that is best in class, everything is better shared."

If you haven't already, go there at dinner for the crispy rice — reminiscent of tahdig — with scallion-ginger sauce, the XO egg, and any of their rotating, seasonal salads and entrees.