Wine Country Times

Linn and Ricky Bruno opened Ricky’s Eastbound restaurant in 2019 in the Skyhawk neighborhood of East Santa Rosa to fulfill their vision of a “fun restaurant” in the neighborhood where they lived and raised their sons.

Then came the COVID-19 pandemic, which presented challenges but also opportunities, Linn Bruno said.

“Ricky's has evolved in ways that we could have never imagined,” she told Wine Country Times. “In fact, it is still evolving thanks to the pandemic. You can have a vision in the beginning, but the path to that vision can be unknown, and that's where we have traveled this past year.”

Had it not been for the pandemic, the couple probably would never had served customers on the patio, Linn Bruno said.

“Although it is a beautiful spot, its location did not work well with our kitchen,” she said. “With COVID restrictions, we found a way to make it possible.”

The restaurant serves a number of signature dishes with Ricky Bruno as head chef. Piccatas are particularly popular.

“We do both salmon and chicken piccata, both big favorites,” Linn Bruno said. “We have a beautiful wood-burning oven so the pizzas are popular. Rick has always been known to do great braised meats. Braised short ribs are also popular.”

The restaurant also offers craft cocktails including its own Mai Tai, called Holi-tai.

“A few other faves are Mama B's Manhattan, made with black walnut bitters and the Beekeeper,” Linn said.

The Brunos are collaborating with a longtime friend and restaurant professional Christine Rizzo Murphy.

“We met in Santa Rosa when we were 21,” Linn Bruno said. “We all lived in Maui together, eventually moving to different states. Now we have all returned to Sonoma County, raised our families and opening a restaurant together.”

They have hired the children of their friends to work at Ricky’s Eastbound, giving them their first jobs.

“We taught them about great food and working hard,” Linn said.

The restaurant has recently started offering for Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The couple formerly owned Bruno’s on Fourth in downtown Santa Rosa. That eatery is closed but many of the classic Bruno dishes are on Ricky’s Eastbound menu.