Zin named a top U.S. wine bar

By PRESS DEMOCRAT STAFF

Zin Restaurant & Wine Bar has been named one of America’s best wine bars in the March issue of Travel & Leisure magazine.

Chef/owner Jeff Mall runs the restaurant with his childhood friend and partner, Scott Silva.

“We’re the kind of wine bar where when you come in for lunch, the people at the bar will all be winemakers,” Mall said.

The son of a Central Valley farmer, Mall grows many of his vegetables at Eastside Farm and also produces his own preserves, honey and eggs.

Zin’s wine list includes 100 bottles from the Russian River and Dry Creek valleys and is constantly changing.

“Like our food, we’re keeping it as local as it can be,” he said. “If you were travelling, you’d find things that you wouldn’t get anywhere else.”

Through May, Zin will continue to serve its “Taste the Place” prix fixe dinners on Wednesday nights, showcasing Mall’s favorite flavors from around the globe.

The three-course dinners cost $29, or $39 with two wine pairings. Zin is open for lunch Monday through Friday and dinner every night. 473-0946. 3344 Center St.