Headed to Napa? Whether you’re planning a trip with a bachelorette party or a significant other, or just because you live in the Bay Area and it’s your duty as a citizen to come here every damn weekend, you’re going to need to plan your meals. There are a LOT of restaurants and a lot of small towns that make up “Napa Valley” as a whole, and it can be hard to make decisions – especially when you only have two or three meals on the docket. That’s why we put together this complete list of the restaurants that we think matter the most – and we know this area well.
What you won’t see in this guide are some of the well-known places that will cost you half a paycheck, like French Laundry or Restaurant at Meadowood. Anyone can tell you those restaurants are great. But not everyone can help you decide what to eat in Yountville, or tell you why you should make the trip to Healdsburg for a day. Use this guide as your master list of restaurant knowledge throughout the whole area – Sonoma County included. And make good decisions. Wasting your money on a bad meal in Napa is about as big a cardinal sin as driving after wine tasting. Don’t do either.
This guide to eating in Napa Valley comes to you in partnership with our friends at theSkimm. Sign up for theSkimm, a daily email newsletter that gives you all the news you need to start your day.
Napa
Oentori
Oentori is a Southern Italian restaurant that serves simple, excellent food like thin crust pizzas, pastas, and even salads that are mostly sourced from their own garden. We love it for lunch or brunch, but it’s a smart move no matter what meal you’re planning.
1425 1st St.
Celadon
A downtown Napa staple, and one that’s maintained its status as such by consistently serving excellent food year after year since 1996. We love to hit it for a meal at the bar after a long day of “tasting” wine. The menu changes frequently, and always includes some Asian or Middle Eastern influence to keep things interesting. Get the Moroccan lamb chop if you can.
500 Main Street.
Atlas Social
We love Atlas Social for the great food, awesome service, and energetic vibe. But we keep coming back for the shareable plates, especially the crab toast and pork belly tacos.
Kohl’s Plaza, 1124 1st St.
Oxbow Public Market
Oxbow Public Market in Napa is one of our favorite places to spend a few hours on an afternoon that isn’t occupied by wine tasting. This indoor extravaganza of consumables is home to many things we love to consume, most important of which are oysters from Hog Island Oyster Co. Pull up a seat and get to slurping, and while you’re there, also check out the Oxbow Cheese & Wine Merchant, and the tacos from C Casa.
610 & 644 1st St.
Yountville
Ad Hoc
Probably our overall favorite restaurant in the entire Napa Valley. Why? Because it’s Thomas Keller food without Thomas Keller restaurant pretense. Sure, you could eat down the street at French Laundry, and you probably should once in your life. But Ad Hoc is a place you could eat three days a week. The set menu changes daily, includes a salad, some sort of meat entree, a cheese course, and dessert for $52 per person. We’ve never been disappointed. Not even once.
6476 Washington St.
Addendum
For a while, people used to book at Ad Hoc and pray the fried chicken gods looked upon them and put Keller’s famous version on the menu on the day they visited. Now, you can get that legendary fried chicken without depending on luck or divine intervention. Just show up to this shack behind Ad Hoc between Thursday and Sunday and eat it at a picnic table in peace.
6476 Washington St.
Mustard’s Grill
Mustard’s is a bit up the road from the town of Yountville, but it’s an absolute must visit. The move is to come here for lunch and eat the legendary Mongolian pork chop, preferably with a bottle of California Pinot at your side. We like to make this our first stop when we get into town, just to set the tone for the rest of the trip.
7399 St Helena Hwy.
Redd Wood
Redd is a classic Yountville restaurant featuring Asian-influenced dishes, good cocktails, and high end service. We like it, but we always feel like we can get that experience in other cities. However, we love the pizza place by the same owners, Redd Wood. Redd Wood is a cool, casual space that smells like a wood burning oven and serves excellent pies and handmade pasta. The wine list also features bottles from some legendary wineries you probably won’t get to visit, like Araujo. Rest assured your money here will be well spent.
6755 Washington St.
Bouchon
Here’s how you do Bouchon. Arrive for lunch and order a dozen oysters, a bottle of Viognier, and the croque madame. Repeat annually or daily, depending on how your triglyceride counts are looking.
6534 Washington St.
Bistro Jeanty
This cute little French bistro is a great spot for a causal dinner, especially if you’re looking for something French but not fussy. Order the tomato soup, which comes with a puff pastry top, along with a bottle of Robert Sinskey Pinot Noir.
6510 Washington St.
Oakville
Oakville Grocery
At some point you will probably find yourself on St. Helena Highway headed to a winery, and you will pass Oakville Grocery. STOP. The sandwiches here are amazing, and you can buy wine and snacks and deli containers of high-end sides and for your winery picnic and/or drunken limo ride.
7856 St Helena Hwy.
St Helena
Gott’s Roadside
This roadside burger spot is a must visit, thanks to their famous burgers and ahi tuna tacos. We even hit this spot for an egg sandwich at breakfast from time to time (all the time).
933 Main St.
Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch
There a few restaurants we would like to move all of our possessions into and establish as a permanent residence. Farmstead is one of those places. Settle down at the chill outdoor bar or in the comfortable, rustic indoor space for crazy good local meats and vegetables. We don’t go to Napa without a meal here.
738 Main St.
PRESS
PRESS is one of the best restaurants in all of Napa, and it’s a serious place, as evidenced by the use of all those capital letters. The meats and produce in this steak-focused restaurant are all sourced locally and are as good as you can find anywhere, and the wine cellar is about as deep as they get in this town. But it’s much more than just meat and cabernet. PRESS is more like a farm to table restaurant that happens to have a cowboy ribeye on the menu than it is a traditional steakhouse. And that’s why we love it.
587 St Helena Hwy.
Goose & Gander
Goose & Gander is one of the livelier spots to grab dinner in St. Helena. The cocktails and outdoor patio may be the main attraction, but the food is better than it needs to be considering the aesthetically pleasing surroundings.
1245 Spring St.
Calistoga
Solbar @ Solage
Eating at a spa? Not usually our definition of an ideal meal. Solbar is a different story. Yes, it’s pricey, but everything coming out of the kitchen from breakfast to bar food is absolutely incredible, and this is easily the best place to eat in Calistoga. Don’t miss the spice cake for dessert.
587 St Helena Hwy.
Evangeline
A new restaurant from the chef of Solbar, Evangeline is a casual, French-Creole restaurant with an excellent patio. In an area that needs more good restaurants, this is a step in the right direction. Put it on your list.
587 St Helena Hwy.
Calistoga Kitchen
In California, do as the locals do. Eat outside. The patio is just what you need after a long day of smelling the chocolate, elf musk, and tarragon aromas of a smoky cabernet. For Sunday brunch, we advocate the duck egg bacon sandwich. God’s day.
587 St Helena Hwy.
Sonoma County & Healdsburg
Healdsburg SHED
The SHED is a James Beard Award winning indoor market that houses a coffee shop, a restaurant, and all of those kitchen tools and knick knacks that make you mad that you don’t have a kitchen that’s nice enough to house those kinds of tools and knick knacks. We love the restaurant here A LOT, especially thanks to the excellent salads that they put together from the things in their garden. Drink a bottle of Matthiasson Napa Valley White and fully understand why people love Healdsburg so much.
587 St Helena Hwy.
Campo Fina
Campo Fina is more than just an Italian restaurant. It’s an Italian restaurant with excellent wood fired pizzas and a bocce court in the back yard. Hit it for a day of wine drinking, eating, and sport, and yes we just called bocce ball a sport.
587 St Helena Hwy.
Barn Diva
Barn Diva is a popular spot for weddings, thanks to the fact that it’s an old barn with five star outfittings. But it’s also a great spot for an excellent meal. The main dining area is a fairly formal farm-to-table experience, and you’ll need to book far in advance if that’s what you’re looking for. We’re more partial to dropping in and grabbing a few seats at the bar, a few glasses of California chardonnay, and an order of goat cheese croquettes. Do that.
587 St Helena Hwy.
Farmhouse Inn
If you’re looking to have an upscale, romantic meal in Sonoma County, this is where you should do it. Set in a small Bed & Breakfast in Forestville, the restaurant at the Farmhouse Inn is a very special, very expensive affair. But if you’re looking for a true “Napa” fine dining experience and want something a bit less stuffy and more intimate than French Laundry or Meadowood, this is a great place to do it.
7871 River Rd., Forestville
Diavola Pizzeria & Salumeria
Geyserville is a town just north of St. Helena, and it’s effing adorable, so it’s worth a visit if you’re looking to explore Sonoma County a bit. While you’re there, hit this rustic Italian restaurant for a meat and cheese plate and a glass or two of brunello. And yes, it’s OK to drink wine that doesn’t come from California. Just this once.
21021 Geyserville Ave., Geyserville