Eat Your Way Through Downtown Napa
After a day of tastings, head downtown for top California cuisine
Set amid vineyard-covered rolling hills, Napa attracts wine loving visitors from around the world. But if you think wine is all the famed area has to offer, a gourmet surprise is waiting for you. All of those award-winning bottles have attracted a long list of talented chefs. There’s no shortage of spots to indulge in wine country, but eating well in downtown Napa comes with an added bonus. Park the car and forget about it, because dining around town here is as easy as talking a walk. Here’s our favorite downtown Napa restaurants.
Oxbow Public Market
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, or anytime in between, something delicious is on the many menus conveniently placed under one roof at Oxbow Public Market. Among the choices: perfect pizza at Ca’Momi Enoteca, huevos rancheros at C Casa, or cream of mushroom soup at Kitchen Door. If eating dessert first sounds sweet, grab a scoop of Three Twins Ice Cream or swing by locally made Anette’s Chocolates. Take a wine break and try a craft spirit tasting at Napa Valley Distillery.
For farm-fresh produce, the Napa Farmer’s Market is held in Oxbow’s south parking lot, every Tuesday and Saturday, 8am to 12:30 pm, May-October. Along with local produce and gourmet food, there are weekly chef demonstrations, workshops and kids’ activities.
Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ
If you’re a fan of BBQ, the lick your fingers, and make tracks for Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ. Beer can chicken, smoked brisket, pulled pork, coleslaw and even jalapeno cornbread make it impossible to leave here hungry. The kitchen is tiny, but the wine list is mighty. The 18-page list includes 40 wines available by the glass. You can see the smoker in action outside.
Carpe Diem Wine Bar
The MO at Carpe Diem is to order numerous dishes and share so you can taste a little bit of everything. Start with truffle fries topped with white truffle oil, black truffle salt, and shaved Parmesan or the house-made burrata (referred to as Mozzarella Heaven on the menu) with heirloom tomato and caramelized onion jam. The ostrich burger served with triple cream brie cheese, and fresh cherry and caramelized onion compote gets rave reviews, and the taco options change on a daily basis. Save room for dessert. The Sweet Finish menu includes a house-made “Twix Bar” served with salted caramel ice cream. Enough said.
JAX White Mule Diner
If you’ve got a sweet tooth, start your day off right with beignets served piping hot and topped with a generous dusting of powdered sugar. Offering entrees like chicken and waffles and friend chicken smothered in country gravy, one visit and you’ll understand why JAX White Mule Dinerserves breakfast until 3pm daily. The lunch and dinner menu include choices like chili, sliders, meatloaf and wings.
Napa Valley Wine Train
Ride the rails that run alongside some of the most famous vineyards in wine country. Hop aboard the Napa Valley Wine Train at the McKinstry Street Station, not far from Oxbow Public Market. In about ten minutes, you’ll be out of town and rolling through beautiful vineyards. Comprised mostly of restored Pullman cars built in the early 1900s, take time to enjoy the historic train, as well as the scenery. Depending on the time of day you travel, you’ll enjoy lunch or dinner on board. After hours winery tours are also available.
Grace’s Table
There’s something about this cozy bistro that pulls you in. On sunny days (and in Napa there are many) its garage door style wall rolls up and away, letting fresh air and natural light stream in. Breakfast options at Grace’s Table include house-made cinnamon rolls, old fashioned donuts and toasted bagels with house-cured salmon gravlax. If you can wait until lunch, fresh salads with seared bigeye tuna and roasted beets are served alongside fish tacos, southwest tamales and Kabocha Squash gnocchi. Come back at dinner and you’ll find additions like cassoulet and pork osso bucco with risotto. The restaurant’s popular iron skillet cornbread with lavender honey butter is served all day long.