Best Downtown Napa Restaurants
Where to eat in Downtown Napa? Local Wally knows the BEST restaurants in Napa, from cheap eats to 5 star dining, eat where the locals do!
Best Places to Eat in Downtown Napa
Downtown Napa Dining Guide
With the largest concentration of restaurants in the valley, downtown Napa is a culinary dream come true. The dining scene has become elevated, refined, but still keeping that casual Napa vibe. With few exceptions you can dress casually and feel right at home.
These are the restaurants that have stood the test of time, that deliver the quality and hospitality that have kept them on Napa’s best dining lists. They are also the places that are loved by locals. the places locals frequent when friends come to town and want to explore the best that Napa dining has to offer.
So if trying to pick the best places to eat has you stressed out, relax and just go with any one of the restaurants below for guaranteed Good Eats, Napa style!
Best DOWNTOWN NAPA RESTAURANTS
🤑 Cheap Eats around $20pp 💵 Moderate around $35pp 💰 Expensive over $40pp
Angèle Restaurant and Bar
💵 French countryside dining along the Napa River
Housed in what was once a ship chandlery and boathouse back in the 1890’s, Angèle’s charming rustic ambiance will remind you of the cutest bistro in Paris with seating both inside and out. A mash up of French country cuisine and Northern California ingredients, the menu is sure to delight fans of both.
DON’T MISS: A flower pot filled with crispy frites, aka French Fries, will make those around you envious.
Bistro Don Giovanni
💵 A Napa favorite Italian restaurant for over 30 years
A few minutes drive out of downtown Napa and nestled next to the vineyards is Bistro Don Giovanni, Napa’s Italian restaurant that’s loved by visitors and locals alike. The food is both rustic and modern, a Napa fresh take on traditional Italian food. Outside patio has views of the vineyards and mountains, inside is lively with an open kitchen.
DON’T MISS: Carpaccio makes a great starter and the Mandilli, silk handkerchief pasta with a pesto sauce, is out of this world.
https://www.cuisineandtravel.com/bounty-hunter-wine-bar/
The Bounty Hunter Wine Bar & Smokin’ BBQ
🤑 Beer Can Chicken and seriously good BBQ!
There are 400 bottles of wine and40 wines by the glass but the big attraction at The Bounty Hunter is the famous beer can chicken, a full bird sitting on top of a can of Tecate beer. Ultra casual, animal heads decorate the walls in a cowboy theme, though I bet a cowboy never drank wine or had BBQ this good.
DON’T MISS: Happy Hour M-F, 2:30 to 5:00, features a BBQ Sampler plate for just $18.
Celadon Restaurant Napa
💵 American comfort food with an Asian and Mediterranean twist
I’ll be honest - I’m always a bit suspect when restaurants “borrow” from multiple cuisines as the results are often watered down and underwhelming. Not so at Celadon where Asian Sticky Ribs sit next to Moroccan braised lamb shanks and wild mushroom risotto and everything is consistently well executed.
DON’T MISS: Outdoor patio with a roaring fireplace is perfectly romantic.
Cole’s Chop House
💰 High end steakhouse
If you’ve been tasting Napa’s finest cabs all day most likely you heard “would go well with a fine steak” again and again so no one would fault you if your appetite veered towards Napa’s finest steak house. It’s not inexpensive but compared to Ruth’s Chris’ it’s not bad, $61 for a rib eye, $12 for sharable fries and $16 for a large salad.
DON’T MISS: $30 corkage if you’re tempted to open that bottle you bought to save and plenty of wines by the glass.
Hog Island Oysters
🤑 Ultra fresh seafood that doesn’t break the bank
Inside the Oxbow Public Market, Hog Island Oysters offers much more than their famous oysters. You’ll find pasta with clams, fish sandwiches, fish tacos, and much more, all ultra fresh with seafood caught at the nearby coast. And of course, the best oysters, farmed right in Bodega Bay.
DON’T MISS: Happy Hour, Mon-Thurs from 4-6 is happy hour, oysters drop to $2.50 each and a glass of sparkling is just $10.
Official Site | Menu (changes depending on what’s fresh)
Morimoto Napa
💰 Celebrity Chef Morimoto dreams of sushi
You might remember him as Iron Chef Morimoto but don’t think this is going to be some celebrity chef sell out - I’m talking to you, Guy. Morimoto Napa is high end sushi that lives up to its Iron Chef hype. Lively, trendy, sophisticated with a bit of Vegas vibe, it can get pricey (chef’s tasting menu is $180 pp) but well worth it for sushi and fine dining fans.
DON’T MISS: Happy Hour is M-Thurs, 5:00 to 6:00, and features discounted appetizers including Sticky Ribs ($8 each), Rock Shrimp Tempura ( $19), and a Three Piece Nigiri plate ($15).
Scala Osteria
💰 Italian influenced seafood
Southern Italy inspired seafood, meats and pizza, all served family style in a warm and inviting atmosphere. Inspired by the family ties to coastal Naples, Scala strives to present simple and memorable food in a refined and unpretentious setting. Locals and visitors agree, Scala Osteria is the place to go for inspired modern Italian dining.
DON’T MISS: Late night bar menu available nightly from 10:00pm to 11:00pm.
TORC Napa
💰 Lively and vibrant with food to match the vibe
Music on, bar lively bar scene, TORC is vibrant, a Napa destination, not just a place to eat. Gone are the white tablecloths and pretentiousness of fine dining, replaced with food that looks like edible art, so beautiful I defy you to not take a photo. Ingredients farmed, fished or gathered by friends and the like minded, it’s elegant dining but with an attitude. The Taste of TORC is a 3 course chef menu for just $88.
DON’T MISS: Happy Hour in the bar, Tues-Fri, 5:00 - 6:00, get the deviled eggs, the best you might ever have. Just 10 seats for Happy Hour so come early.
Zuzu
🤑 Tapas, tapas, and more tapas!
This small neighborhood restaurant offering small plates inspired by Spain is nearly always packed, the seats at the bar prime real estate. It’s interior is cozy, rustic and always lively and the food features the best of Northern Cal ingredients. How fun it is to sample a bit of everything but don’t forget their specialty paella or splurge on their charcoal grilled ribeye steak for two. Small “hot” plates start around $12.
DON’T MISS: Extensive Gin + Tonic menu. Now taking limited reservations.
Should I Dine on the Napa Wine Train?
The idea behind the Napa Valley Wine Train was to create a luxury experience similar to that of the Orient Express. You hop on in Yountville and ride the rails to St. Helena, feasting on lunch or dinner along the way. Sounds great but like the Orient Express, the Napa Wine Train is expensive. How much? Expect to pay around $250 for their basic lunch or dinner, $400+ for the fancier Vista Dome car - How much is The French Laundry again?
As for the food, it’s good but not life changing good, and dining on a moving train is a bit like eating on an airplane - bumpy and bouncy at times. But it’s not really about the food, it’s about the entire experience and if the Napa Wine Train is on your bucket list then I’m not going to stop you. There’s a discount on the Priority Wine Pass - and if you need a pass use my link here.
