Established in 1877, the William Tell House is the oldest saloon in Marin County. Despite a devastating fire in 1920, the Tell House has remained a cherished community gathering place for generations and home to countless dinners, weddings, and celebrations. Located in Tomales, California on scenic Highway 1, the Tell House is just north of Pt. Reyes and minutes from the Tomales Bay Oyster Trail.
The Team
Ted Wilson
Food entrepreneur and well-known brand developer, Ted Wilson successfully founded Fine & Rare, an exceptional collaboration of seafood and wine. Outside of its brick-and-mortar location, you will also find Fine & Rare popping up at markets all across the Bay Area. One of Ted ‘s recent endeavors was The Hall in San Francisco, which incorporated six different local food vendors under one roof. Most recently Ted has launched a successful catering company Metal + Match, where he has brought his philosophy of high quality ingredients with warm, comforting hospitality. When Ted is not hard at work, he is busy raising awareness around sustainable seafood through his On The Hook concept, which focuses on, mission-based pop-up dinners and networking events of like-minded food industry to further the conversation around conservation.
Ted has spent his entire professional career in the culinary and wine businesses focused on ensuring high quality, particularly in areas of sourced and sustainable ingredients. With a tremendous skill in determining daily operations flow, Ted identifies potential issues before they become problems and generally ensures that projects move forward effectively and efficiently. After spending time in several major foodie capitals including New York and San Francisco, Ted has developed a dedication in all things culinary.
Lauren Garcia
Executive Chef
A California native with a deep-set appreciation for the lush landscape of Northern California, Lauren Garcia brings a thoughtful, ingredient-driven approach to cooking. Raised by a family that valued home cooking, Lauren developed a passion for food at an early age. After working in a few restaurants at a young age, she fully committed to the hospitality industry by completing her education in the culinary arts.
After completing her formal training, she arrived in San Francisco to work at Slanted Door, in 2014. After two years she was promoted to executive chef pastry chef and remained at the restaurant until 2019. Looking to transition to a more casual dining atmosphere she made the move to West Marin, where she was fully immersed in West Marin’s wealth of dairy and oyster farms and fishing communities, creating seafood-driven cuisine with local ingredients.
Today at the William Tell House, Lauren draws on her experience at Slanted Door and culinary school to create California Coastal cuisine with ingredients from local purveyors – including Drakes Bay Oyster Company, McFarland Springs, and Stemple Creek Ranch – that captures the essence of West Marin. Her approachable, delicious offerings highlight fresh seafood, game, and produce sourced with an emphasis on seasonality and sustainability.
Ethan Terry
CONSULTING BEVERAGE DIRECTOR
A Midwesterner who moved to the Bay Area to pursue a degree in film, Ethan Terry found himself gravitating towards the beverage industry as San Francisco began to embrace craft cocktail culture in the early 2000’s. Beginning as a barback at what is now The Keystone, Ethan quickly climbed the ranks and within a year was promoted to bar manager. Eager to immerse himself within the City’s craft cocktail scene, Ethan partnered with a few friends to establish Cocktail Lab, a technique-driven libation pop-up, in 2008. Here, Ethan and his colleagues took over bars, showcasing experimental craft cocktails that differed vastly from the existing beverage menu.
In 2010, Ethan began bartending at 15 Romolo before graduating to the position of assistant general manager. He continued to hone his understanding of mixology with positions at notable San Francisco establishments that included Alembic, Comstock Saloon, Tradition, and the Slanted Door. He had the opportunity to explore the intersection of food and beverage more intimately when designing the ambitious, seasonal-themed cocktail program at fine dining restaurant AQ.
In 2015, his attention shifted towards brand ambassadorship, as he partnered with renowned mixologists Scott Baird and Josh Harris of The Bon Vivants to oversee their portfolio. Here, he worked with brands such as Tequila Ocho, Ancho Reyes, and Cynar.
At the William Tell House, Ethan oversees a menu of classic, refreshing cocktails designed to pair with summertime patio-side drinking in mind. In keeping with the Tell House’s food offerings, the cocktails demonstrate an emphasis on seasonal, native ingredients whenever possible, and beers and wines are sourced hyper-locally from Marin, Sonoma, and Napa Counties. In addition to his current role at the Tell House, Ethan is the Northern California Brand Manager for Tequila Avión.
History
The William Tell was named by Swiss brothers Arnold and Henry Dado in 1897, and takes its name from the Swiss folk hero and marksman attributed to the foundation of the Swiss Confederacy. While the details of the bar’s origins remain somewhat hazy, the building was founded in the late 1800s as a hotel and saloon and was operated by the Dado brothers for a few years.
From 1869 to 1900, Clover Stornetta Dairy co-founder Arnold W. Dado leased the Tell House. In 1903, together with his wife, Maria, Antonio Matteri purchased and operated the location’s hotel, dining room, and saloon. In 1920, the building burned to the ground along with several other surrounding structures in The Great Tomales Fire. One year later, the Matteris rebuilt the Tell House, designing the structure that remains intact today. After Antonio’s death in 1931, Maria continued to run the business herself. The Tell House remained in the family for three generations, and was owned and operated by the couple’s daughter, Edith Bonini, and later her son, Bill Bonini Sr.
Tomales in 1920
The William Tell House is rebuilt in 1920
Eighty-six years after his grandparents purchased the Tell House, Bill sold the building in 1989. The building passed hands once more in 1996 and in 2011, Marcos Pareas purchased the Tell House. Under his ownership, the restaurant and saloon were extensively renovated in an effort to restore their historic charm.
In 2018, San Francisco chef and restaurateur Ted Wilson purchased the Tell House, bringing a fresh take to a storied California establishment. Today, Wilson and his team have updated the California destination to better reflect its 150-year history and the agricultural bounty of its West Marin location.