Slow Luxury in Sonoma - Jiun Ho's Design of Enclos

In the heart of downtown Sonoma, just steps from the historic plaza, Enclos stands as a masterclass in how design, cuisine, and sustainability can converge to create an experience that transcends dining. Conceived by internationally acclaimed designer Jiun Ho for client Leslie McQuown of Stone Edge Farm Estate Vineyards & Winery, the intimate 30-seat restaurant reimagines a restored 1870 Victorian home as a sanctuary of what Ho calls “slow luxury” a design philosophy rooted in craftsmanship, mindfulness, and enduring beauty.

From the moment guests pass under century-old olive trees and step inside, they are enveloped in a world that honors both history and place. The building’s original stained-glass windows remain, yet the interiors have been completely reborn. Charred Shou Sugi Ban wood, a traditional Japanese technique, adds depth and warmth to the main dining room, while locally sourced western cedar introduces the scent and texture of Sonoma’s forests. The result, says Ho, is a harmony of “Japanese aesthetics, Nordic simplicity, and Northern California’s natural elegance,” bound together by a shared reverence for nature.

Wood became the unifying element of Ho’s vision—reclaimed wine barrel floors, live-edge dining tables with visible dovetail joinery, and handcrafted patchwork details all speak to a tactile authenticity. Custom ceramic tableware, made by hand, and artworks by local Sonoma and Bay Area artists continue the dialogue between community, craft, and cuisine. Every design decision was guided by a desire to create “a quiet journey of discovery,” where beauty reveals itself through layers of texture and touch.

That same sensory philosophy is shared by Chef Brian Limoges, whose multi-course tasting menu pays homage to both his New England roots and Sonoma’s terroir. His dishes, playful yet precise are designed to engage all five senses. Venison and Its Antlers, for instance, balances miniature tarts atop deer antlers, while a reinterpretation of Clam Chowder transforms the familiar into a delicate chawanmushi. “Chef Brian’s food awakens memory through scent before flavor even reaches the palate,” says Ho, noting the natural alignment between the restaurant’s design rhythm and the flow of the menu.

Outside, a covered patio surrounded by lush greenery offers a garden dining experience reserved for Stone Edge Farm’s Collectors Cellar members. Inside, an open wood-burning hearth anchors the restaurant’s heart—symbolizing warmth, community, and connection to the land.

Powered by Stone Edge Farm’s carbon-negative MicroGrid and sustained by its 16-acre organic regenerative gardens, Enclos embodies environmental consciousness from soil to structure. Locally sourced materials, low-VOC finishes, and zero-waste culinary practices ensure that luxury here means responsibility as much as refinement.

Now decorated with two Michelin stars and a Green Star, Enclos represents a new era of mindful fine dining. In Jiun Ho’s words, “True luxury today is not about opulence, but about thoughtful personalization and detail.” At Enclos, that thoughtfulness lives in every surface, every plate, every flicker of firelight, a multi-sensory celebration of Sonoma’s landscape, craft, and soul.

https://enclos-sonoma.com/