Napa Travel Guide: EAT

A couple weeks ago I shared the start of a three part Napa Travel Guide called DRINK. Today, we are all about the food. Napa’s farm to table cuisine will 200% change your life. If you have ever been to Europe then you know that you can taste the freshness of the food across the pond. Most people over there purchase their meat and produce from corner markets, and they eat with the seasons. Even in the winter, fruit and vegetable stands are set up under cover, ready to help you create your next delectable stew or pasta dish. It is the way we are supposed to consume. Foods plucked from the Earth at exactly the right time, ready for consumption, unprocessed and delicious. Everything we are in Napa tasted fresher than fresh and was bursting with earthly flavor. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

So, now for a question. What happens when you start to drink? You get hungry….duh! So today’s post will be all about eating your way through Napa and Sonoma. You will experience some of the freshest farm-to-table cuisine your palate has every encountered. As stated in DRINK, Cory and I stayed at THE LODGE in Sonoma. I loved the quieter, laid back, vibe and it was super convenient to eat healthy, delicious meals every single day.

  

AUBERGE DU SOLIEL

180 Rutherford Hill Road

Rutherford, California 94573

800-348-5406

You cannot beat the view at Auberge Du Soliel. Request a table out on the  patio and enjoy the best view of the valley. Their extensive and award winning wine list was fantastic! Since we still had four more winery stops that day we actually opted for their house cabernet, which had a good price point, and satiated our different palettes. Take a break from the vino to enjoy a cocktail before sunset, but please do not miss this gem! Cory and I couldn’t wait to order and started with the burrata, gnocchi and foes gras. Our main entrees were a market salad and braised short rib. We left full, happy and ready to take on the day.

FARM Restaurant at The Carneros Inn

4048 SONOMA HIGHWAY

NAPA, CA 94559

707.299.4880

FARM was one of the first restaurants that popped up on my google search of Napa. It’s modern rustic vibes makes it the perfect place to enjoy a sunset dinner. We sat outside, and although it was bit chilly, we enjoyed the warmth of the fireplaces and enjoyed people watching overlooking the grassy courtyard. At FARM the menu is constantly changing. You WILL NOT find any overly large or salted anything here. Their motto is simple, elegant food based on the natural abundance of wine country.

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Mustards Grill

7399 St. Helena Highway

Yountville, CA 94558

Phone: 707-944-242

Mustards Grill was named on just about everyone’s list of recommendations. Mustards was named for the wild mustard flowers that grow in the valley every year and nourish the soil. The laid back atmosphere was juxtaposed by sophisticated fair, but without an ounce of arrogance. We got there early for our afternoon reservation, but it was slammed! We spent our wait walking around their on-site garden, as you can see above. You can’t miss the Mongolian pork chop or the onion rings. They are light and fluffy, but honestly,we made a mistake here and ate them all! Sometimes the two of us have very little self control, but the apple ketchup took these onions to another level, and we were in ‘can’t stop, won’t stop’ mode.

The French Laundry

The French Laundry

6640 Washington Street

Yountville, California, 94599

707.944.2380

The French Laundry is on our bucket list as their truffle mac and cheese is listed at $125.00! We are thinking maybe a ten year anniversary dinner or graduation celebration for Cory to indulge in a French Laundry culinary extravaganza. I would love to offer a first hand review, but I think online reviews, photos and wiki speak for themselves. I love reading all about how their approach to cultivating their relationships with farmers and coffee growers alike. Their approach to cuisine has rewarded them fruitfully! Until I get the chance to dine there, I will continue to dream, and stalk @_tfl_ on Instagram, and drool over their award winning plates.

Carneros Bistro and Wine Bar– At The Lodge

The Lodge at Sonoma Renaissance Resort & Spa

1325 Broadway at Leveroni & Napa Roads

Sonoma, California 95476 USA

1-707-935-6600

The Carneros Bistro was our morning pit stop before heading out for the day. It was good for breakfast, but it was GREAT for dinner. I love small plate restaurants because it means that you can eat more! We ordered the deviled eggs, fig and blue cheese flatbread with ham and macerated cherries, pork belly and ceviche. We weren’t starving, but we also knew that we were leaving early in the morning and most likely would not eat again for at least twelve hours. Well…let me tell you…it was more than worth it! Each dish was better than the last. We also shared a bottle of Cherry Pie, the same wine we shared on our last wedding anniversary. It was the perfect way to end our food and wine filled trip!

The Girl and The Fig

110 west spain street

Sonoma, California 95476

707.938.3634

The Girl and The Fig is like a 40 year old woman. They know who they are and they are unapologetic. They say that their cuisine is country fair with french passion which sounds to me like butter. They are located right in Sonoma square, and say they are the lucky ones to live in such fertile land with great producers and I could not agree more.

Harvest Moon Café

487 First Street West

Sonoma, California 94576.

707-933-8160

Strolling through Sonoma Square is something I could honestly do everyday! The Harvest Moon Cafe was developed on the principle of sustainable food. Nick and Jen Demarest have used their extensive culinary backgrounds to offer locals a menu that changes daily to represent Sonoma’s local harvest. Check out their glowing Yelp reviews for more glowing reviews and food recommendations today.

Yeti Restaurant

14301 Arnold Drive

Glen Ellen, California 95442

 (707) 996-9930

We took to Yelp to help us find something off the beaten path and not traditional Napa style cuisine. We took a half hour ride to Glen Ellen, and walked back to this quaint little gem. The food is both Indian, Nepalese, and bursting with flavor!  We sat out on the patio and listened to a band and enjoyed the cool atmosphere. We also took a break from the wine, and took down a couple of brewskis that perfectly complemented our naan, tiki masala and grilled meat platter! We loved spices and this gem received rave reviews!

Grace’s Table

1400 Second St Napa, CA 94559

(707) 226-6200

Grace’s table is  restaurant that focuses on France, Italy and the America’s…the best of every world if you ask me! Chef Mauro Pando has brought together the quintessential global kitchen to bring you comfort food from around the world. GT is open for breakfast, brunch, lunch and supper everyday. Talk about a labor of love! Looking at the menu has my mouth watering. Think cornbread with lavender butter followed by hanger steak frites. Grace’s Table has been featured on Forbes.com and USA Today 10 Best.

Oxbow Public Market

610 & 644 First Street

Napa, California 94559

Oxbow Public Market is essentially a scaled down Chelsea Market that has become a gathering place for great food and wine. OPM is a quintessential Napa market where their artisans and vendors believe is sustainable agriculture, and believe in serving the community. They stay open late, seven days a week and would be the perfect pit-stop for lunch or dinner to satiate your palate! There is truly something for everyone.

Old American Gotts Roadside

933 Main St.

St. Helena, CA 94574

707-963-3486

The All-American roadside diner is anything but basic! Of course, they offer juicy cheeseburgers, shakes and fries, but they also over an ahi burger and tacos! This is locally sources, high-quality roadside food. With four locations total and two in wine country, Gotts is family friendly, affordable and darn delicious!

Like wineries, there are so many incredible restaurants in the valley. I truly hope to get to the rest on this list and beyond over my lifetime! The Napa Valley climate lends itself to being a a farm to table environment wherever you go!  If I stayed one more day I would have literally been stuffed to the gills, but I enjoyed every beautiful sip and bite the valley had to offer. If I missed any of your staple restaurants, please add them below! I hope you enjoyed EAT, and if you missed DRINK. Check it out here.