While Napa Valley is one of the world’s most celebrated wine regions, the city of Napa and the towns lining the valley floor and mountainsides are also home to some of the United States’ most exciting dining destinations. These 14 restaurants take wine country dining to the next level, with top-notch wine lists filled with bottles from groundbreaking wineries—from Napa, the rest of California and beyond—and exciting cuisines that pair well with days spent in world-class vineyards and tasting rooms.
This is only a partial guide to Northern California dining. Explore Wine Spectator’s other Restaurant Award winners in Sonoma wine country, which are among more than 3,800 other award winners around the world. And make sure to take a look at the more than 90 Grand Award recipients worldwide that hold our highest honor.
Do you have a favorite place you’d like to see on this list? Send your recommendations to restaurantawards@mshanken.com. We want to hear from you!
La Toque
The Westin Verasa Napa, 1314 McKinstry St., Napa, Calif.
Telephone (707) 257-5157
Website latoque.com
Grand Award
A Grand Award winner since 2014, La Toque is a core part of the Napa wine scene, located smack-dab in downtown, right off the winding Napa River. Owner and chef Ken Frank showcases contemporary French cuisine in two six-course tasting menus (one vegetarian) and a suite of à la carte offerings, including French onion soup with a kombu and porcini broth, tempura-battered squash blossoms stuffed with ricotta cheese and herbs, and a chorizo-crusted Gulf grouper with summer vegetables. The 2,500-selection wine list, maintained by wine director Christina Stanley, includes more than 400 Napa Cabernets, with verticals from the likes of Araujo and Philip Togni. Other specialties on the list include Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Rhône Valley in France, along with bottles from Spain and Italy.
Press Restaurant
587 St. Helena Highway, St. Helena, Calif.
Telephone (707) 967-0550
Website pressnapavalley.com
Grand Award
At Grand Award winner Press Restaurant, guests can expect a singular wine experience in the heart of charming St. Helena. The wine program features almost exclusively Napa Valley wines, with extraordinary vertical depth from wineries just down the road. Wine director Tyler Potts took the reins of the cellar last year and maintains the list of more than 2,700 selections. While Wagyu steak is on offer to pair with Cabernet, chef Phil Tessier’s tasting menus are filled with twists and delights sourced from across Northern California and San Francisco, like white sturgeon caviar served with bluefin tuna and Brentwood corn. This summer, the Press team opened Under-Study, a café and bakery down the road near the newly finished Museum of Art and Culture to offer a more relaxed, colorful space in which to also enjoy premium wines.
The French Laundry
6640 Washington St., Yountville
Telephone(707) 944-2380
Website thomaskeller.com/tfl
Grand Award
It’s nearly impossible to talk about wine country restaurants without discussing the French Laundry, a shrine for Californian fine dining and the flagship restaurant of acclaimed chef Thomas Keller, now in its 31st year of operation. Keller’s precise cuisine, philosophy of ultra-fresh ingredients and dishes that are often health-conscious yet feel indulgent, are on display in the French-infused tasting menu of 12 courses, executed by chef de cuisine Ara Jo. There’s also a vegetarian version—both are highly seasonal and change daily. Recent creations include dashi-braised abalone, black truffle parmesan tagliolini, and applewood-smoked quail served with poblano pepper béchamel and a hominy beignet. Michel Couvreux, beverage director for the entire Thomas Keller Restaurant Group, and a team of on-site sommeliers, manage the 3,000-selection list, which has earned a Grand Award every year since 2007. The list is packed with renowned producers from California and around the globe, such as Sonoma’s Aubert and Napa’s Staglin, and includes verticals from the likes of Burgundy’s Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey, Barolo’s Giacomo Conterno and Rioja’s CVNE. Keller also owns one of the other Napa Restaurant Award winners featured in this guide, Bouchon Bistro, along with Grand Award winner Per Se in New York City and the Surf Club Restaurant by Thomas Keller in Surfside, Fla.
Auberge du Soleil
180 Rutherford Hill Road, Rutherford
Telephone(707) 963-1211
Website aubergeresorts.com/aubergedusoleil
Best of Award of Excellence
Perched among the trees on a hillside just above Rutherford is the Auberge du Soleil Restaurant, the flagship dining venue of the luxurious Auberge du Soleil Resort, now part of a global hospitality empire. For more than four decades, the restaurant has offered diners world-class food and wine, accompanied by stunning vistas of Napa Valley from the expansive outdoor dining area. The wine list, curated by wine director Katharina Marrapode, features California and France prominently, with several hundred offerings from the surrounding Napa area. Expect to see local powerhouses like Dominus Estate, Paul Hobbs and Schrader. Among the international offerings, Champagne is a particular star: Diners are greeted with a Champagne cart upon arriving at their table. And an impressive wall of Champagne bottles faces the dining room, filled with cuvées from the likes of Billecart-Salmon, Taittinger, Perrier-Jouët and others. Chef Robert Curry’s prix-fixe and tasting menus (with optional wine pairings) blend Mediterranean, Californian and even Asian influences: Dishes include sautéed octopus served with beans, chorizo and chili sauce; sunchoke risotto with shrimp, parmesan and hazelnut emulsion; and sesame-crusted yellowfin tuna with daikon, bok choy and tamari lime sauce.
Auro
400 Silverado Trail N., Calistoga
Telephone(707) 709-2160
Website auronapavalley.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Located at the Four Seasons Resort & Residences Napa Valley, Auro looks out through floor-to-ceiling windows at the panorama of vineyards and mountains that surround Napa Valley’s northernmost town, Calistoga. The sleek, well-lit dining room adjoins an open kitchen and wine cellar to give guests an even more vivid experience. Chef Rogelio Garcia’s cooking incorporates local ingredients, elements of Mexican cuisine and global influences in a 7-course tasting menu: Bluefin tuna comes with a cantaloupe aguachile; a dry-aged Australian Wagyu steak is served with a mole negra, and courses range from trumpet mushroom tetelas (a stuffed, corn masa–based dish from Oaxaca that predates the Spanish conquest of Mexico) to a pistachio-crusted squab sourced from the San Joaquin Valley. Wine director Derek Stevenson manages the 475-label list, which spans classic Napa producers like Bond, Harlan Estate and Screaming Eagle while paying plenty of attention to international options, with a notable Burgundy section that features Bouchard Père & Fils and several bottlings from the legendary Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
Bouchon Bistro
6534 Washington St., Yountville, Calif.
Telephone (707) 944-8037
Website thomaskeller.com/bouchonyountville
Best of Award of Excellence
Bouchon Bistro, Thomas Keller’s California-inflected take on classic, more casual French dining has held a Best of Award of Excellence since 2018. Another staple of Yountville’s dining scene, it offers more relaxed service and comforting fare than the French Laundry. Chef Ryan King’s menu is filled with cozy bistro staples such as "croque madame, duck confit steak frites, roasted chicken and escargots with parsley butter, while the wine list offers 400-plus selections, with strengths in California, Burgundy and greater France. Keller has expanded Bouchon Bistro to Las Vegas and Coral Gables, Fla., both of which also hold the Best of Award of Excellence.
Brix Napa Valley
7377 St. Helena Highway, Napa, Calif.
Telephone (707) 944-2749
Website brix.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Surrounded by lush gardens and meticulously kept vineyards, Brix is a Napa institution and a top destination for visitors to wine country, as its location on Highway 29 between Yountville and Oakville makes it a convenient stop when tasting at nearby wineries such as Far Niente and Cardinale. The Kelleher family opened Brix in 1996 after purchasing the restaurant property in conjunction with a 10-acre Cabernet Sauvignon vineyard, from which they now make their own wine under the Kelleher Family Vineyard label. Brix boasts a 3,000-bottle cellar, exclusively filled with wines from across California, with verticals from powerhouses such as Harlan Estate and Abreu, as well as ample selections from the Kelleher Family portfolio. Brix’s culinary team, led by chef Cary Delbridge, sources ingredients from the family’s two acres of vegetable gardens and orchards for their dishes, which include items such as kohlrabi fritters, cherry-glazed pork chops and grilled swordfish with fennel and olives. Serving lunch and dinner, Brix also provides gluten-free and vegetarian menus, making it easier for everyone to enjoy this Napa spot.
Charlie’s
1327 Railroad Ave., St. Helena, Calif.
Telephone (707) 804-3099
Website charliesnv.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Right on Roailroad Ave. in charming St. Helena, Best of Award of Excellence winner Charlie’s is the brainchild of New Zealand–born, Iowa-raised owner and chef Elliot Bell, whose global culinary training includes stints at Grand Award winner The French Laundry and Gramercy Tavern in New York. The casual, sun-washed dining room is open for weekend brunch and lunch, along with dinner and late-night snacks, serving bites such as fairytale eggplant mozzarella sticks, barbecue Tomales Bay oysters slathered in house-made Nashville hot sauce, or Pacific yellowtail crudo topped with avocado and pistachio. For larger dishes, look to the “Beer Can” roast chicken glazed with a local beer, grilled sole with a sunny nasturtium gremolata, or the signature Charlie’s fried chicken (in three- and six-piece servings). Wine director Greg Neal’s 485-selection list honors local Cabernet legends such as Dominus, Heitz and Mayacamas, while also highlighting non-traditional varieties grown in the Golden State, such as Albariño, Barbera and Nebbiolo.
Cole’s Chop House
1122 Main St., Napa
Telephone(707) 224-6328
Website coleschophouse.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Located in the historic Williams-Kyser building in downtown Napa, Cole’s Chop House has been a staple in the city’s food scene since its founding in 2000. As one might expect in Napa, Cole’s takes full advantage of the natural pairing between its steak-driven menu and the appellation’s bold Cabernet Sauvignons. Wine director Michael Gonzales manages the 700-selection list, which features roughly 20 by-the-glass selections of Cabernet alone from producers like Orin Swift, Joseph Phelps, as well as ample selections of California Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Yet there is strong international representation, including a Burgundy collection with reds and whites from the likes of Domaine de Bellene, Michel Gros and Domaine Leflaive. Chef Rodney Morris’ menu centers on chops and steaks, the pinnacle being a 32-ounce, 21-day dry-aged porterhouse for two, but smaller cuts like a 15-ounce Niman Ranch long bone pork chop down to a 7-ounce petite filet mignon are also available, with add-ons like lump crab. There’s even a vegan, plant-based rib eye with verjus. Starters and sides include creamed spinach, grilled asparagus with hollandaise, Caesar salad, oysters Rockefeller and a prawn cocktail.
Compline Restaurant
1300 First St. No. 312, Napa
Telephone(707) 492-8150
Website complinerestaurant.com
Best of Award of Excellence
Established by sommeliers Matt Stamp and Ryan Stetins in 2017, Compline Restaurant offers an elevated menu of local, Mediterranean and Asian influenced dishes along with a 700-selection wine list. The restaurant is adjoined by the Compline Wine Shop, which features even more bottles that guests can bring to the dining room for a $15 corkage fee. While wine director Jeff Otterson’s program contains plenty of regional options, like Littorai and Dunn, it has an impressive global reach as well, covering Spain, Germany, France and beyond. A few highlights from chef Edwin Robles’ menu are yellowfin tuna crudo served with Asian pear, ponzu and shiso; pork loin with dried plum and sauerkraut, and lamb meatballs with harissa chili paste.
The Charter Oak
1050 Charter Oak Ave., St. Helena
Telephone(707) 302-6996
Website thecharteroak.com
Best of Award of Excellence
There’s a celebratory, communal energy to The Charter Oak in both the food it serves and the indoor and outdoor dining spaces. Inside you’ll find oversized oak tables covered with shareable plates of grilled meats and vegetables coming straight from an impressive open hearth, while the outdoor dining area offers visitors a shady and charming brick patio for al fresco experiences. Acclaimed California chef and co-owner Christopher Kostow’s menu serves multiple functions; casual, bar-food-style options like chicken wings and chips with dip are offered for lowkey occasions, and hearty roasted proteins like pork jowl skewers and bavette steak are available for larger parties. Salads and sides also make use of fresh produce from the restaurant’s own 3.5-acre farm. To accompany the food, the 1,010-selection wine list from Napa Valley Native Jaime Gutierrez spans local legends Heitz, Opus One and Continuum. Old World counterparts include Burgundies from the likes of Etienne Delarche and Marquis d’Angerville, as well as Bordeaux bottlings from Château Cheval Blanc and Château Pavie.
Violetto
1915 Main St. Helena
Website violettonapavalley.com/
Best of Award of Excellence
With a sleek dining room washed in lavender, artful plating and an impressive Italianate cellar, new Best of Award of Excellence winner Violetto is a welcome addition to the St. Helena dining scene. The restaurant is located right off Main Street, inside a Georgian mansion at the luxurious Alila Napa Valley resort. Executive chef Mark Shoemaker brings experience in top kitchens in the Midwest and East Coast, as well as time spent working on farms. And now that he’s in Napa, local farms provide inspiration for his tasting menus ($105 for four courses, $175 for eight). Dishes can include the likes of vellutata di castagne (a chestnut soup with sunchokes and maple), a wild boar ragu accented by a cocoa nib–and-hazelnut crumble, or a smoked short rib with Balkan red pepper ajvar sauce. Supplements can include focaccia with cracked olives, or caviar served with a potato rose and horseradish crema. The wine list, overseen by general manager Zachary Dortenzio, is dominated by wines from Italy and California, with big names like Spring Mountain Vineyard in Napa, Tenuta San Guido in Tuscany and Bruno Giacosa in Piedmont. Spirits lovers should check out Violetto’s impressive collection of vintage amari, with bottles dating back to the 1970s.
Cook St. Helena
1310 Main St., St. Helena, Calif.
Telephone (707) 963-7088
Website cooksthelena.com
Award of Excellence
A beloved spot for locals and visitors to wine country, Award of Excellence winner Cook St. Helena serves as common ground for all wine lovers. Owned by chef Jude Wilmoth and his wife Meagan Rounds, Cook St. Helena offers a succinct list of 105 mostly California wines, including sought-after bottles from the likes of Napa’s Macauley and Sonoma’s Aston. The list also includes plenty of Italian offerings, from Tuscany to Sicily. This combination matches Wilmoth’s own cooking style, with Cali-Italian pastas, sandwiches and more, including slow-roasted pork swimming in a spicy basil browned butter, classic eggplant parmesan and the house burger with aioli, tomato and aged cheddar, served on a ciabatta.
Olive & Hay
The Meritage Resort and Spa, 875 Bordeaux Way, Napa, Calif.
Telephone (707) 251-3090
Website meritageresort.com/olive-hay-restaurant-napa-valley-ca
Award of Excellence
As many travelers can tell you, sometimes you just need a restaurant right below your hotel room. At the Meritage Resort and Spa, wine lovers can find both relaxation and refined dining at Award of Excellence winner Olive & Hay. The wine list, captained by wine director Andrezj Lewczyk, is compact at 100 selections, but provides a clear picture of the current California wine scene, as well as a few standout bottles from Italy. The Italian-leaning menu is filled with pastas, pizzas and other items such as white wine–steamed clams kicked up with nduja sausage, chicken and mushroom Marsala and a braised lamb shank over orzo.
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