Long before Napa became America’s wine capital, it was a farm town with a deep sense of seasonality and pride.
Today, world-class cuisine, local farm bounty, and classic Wine Country hospitality still define every bite in this beautiful valley city.
Oenotri
Oenotri feels like the heart of Napa’s food scene—an Italian kitchen that beckons chefs and locals for wood-fired pizzas, handmade pastas, and farm-fresh antipasti.
Every plate is local: spring peas on a warm focaccia, sausage made with heritage pork, thin-crust pizzas dotted with briny anchovies, and always-changing specials built around what’s fresh at the market.
The bar pours rare Italian amari, the wine list is deep, and the breezy, brick-walled dining room is full nearly every night of the week.
Celadon
A hidden warehouse gem tucked by the Napa River, Celadon fuses global flavors with California style: Korean short ribs over sweet corn risotto,
Moroccan-inspired lamb, flash-fried calamari tossed in sesame-lime vinaigrette.
The covered patio glows under lanterns and heat lamps, and service moves with a quiet confidence that draws in both tourists and locals. Seasonal cocktails and a cozy fireplace brunch round out the appeal.
La Taberna
Napa’s answer to the classic Spanish tapas bar sits on First Street. Inside, there’s an air of creative buzz—tender octopus, jamón Iberico, sherry-cured mushrooms, and tremulous tortilla Española delivered as small plates, Spanish-style.
Add Basque cider, gin-tonics, and draft wines, and you have a little slice of Madrid in the middle of Wine Country.
Bistro Don Giovanni
An icon for more than two decades, Don Giovanni’s brings sunny Italian vibes, a patio dotted with olive trees, and a menu shaped by the valley’s best tomatoes, basil, and seafood.
Order the grilled lamb with salsa verde, risotto di giorno, slow-cooked duck ragu, or restaurateur Giovanni’s signature lemon filetti.
The warm, bustling atmosphere makes it a favorite for families, weddings, and winemaker gatherings.
ALBA Restaurant at the River Terrace Inn
Overlooking the Napa River, ALBA offers modern plates sourced from nearby growers and fishermen: roasted Petrale sole, grass-fed steak, garden-chive gnocchi, and seasonal fruit cobblers.
Early evenings on the riverside patio are especially enchanting, and weekend live jazz gives brunch that classic Napa glow.
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