Napa Must Eats

Our first trip to Napa was a little intimidating. We had read some of the best wineries and restaurants, but wouldn’t be able to visit them all. Luckily,  I was very fortunate to have a friend give me the “must eats” before I went.

Gotts Roadside Diner

Gotts Roadside Diner in St. Helena was one recommendation and we absolutely loved it. They serve roadside favorites which are made-to-order using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The menu consists of juicy cheeseburgers, great hot-dogs, incredible onion rings, and hand-spun shakes. They have a nice wine and beer menu as. One thing to note is that outdoor seating is your only option. We loved sitting outside under the warm California sun, but keep this in mind if it is raining. One tip when going to Grotts is to get there early! Because of how delicious it is, there is always a line!

Bottega

Bottega in Yontsville is where we celebrated my 21st birthday! It is owned by Chef Chiarello who is an acclaimed chef, Emmy-winning host of Food Network’s Easy Entertaining, and proprietor of Chiarello Family Vineyards. He has lived in Napa Valley for quite some time. Bottega is part of the historic Vintage Estates, located in one of the oldest wineries in the Napa Valley, and is open for lunch and dinner. All of the dishes we ordered were incredible. I have listed them below. We ended up sharing a little of each and it was fabulous. Service was wonderful, they even brought me free dessert for my birthday. I recommend reservations if you plan on eating after 6 PM.

• Rigatoni al Coniglio Balsamic rabbit sugo with wild mushrooms
• Ricotta Gnocchi della Nonna Ricotta “pillows” with old hen salsa di pomodoro and pecorino romano
• Pollo alla Diavola sul Mattone Calabrian marinated chicken, roasted Shishito pepper and Cipollini onion
• Lasagnetta di Zucchini al Forno Wood oven baked zucchini and potato lasagna with potato and shaved mushroom-celery salad in broken tomato vinaigrette

We all agreed between the 4 of us, the Ricotta was the best!

One thing we love about Napa Valley is that it is made up of several little towns;  Calistoga is one of those little gems. Antique shops and eateries at every turn.

The Calistoga Roastery – Your coffee fix

The Calistoga Roastery was a nice surprise. We didn’t know anything about this little cafe and walked in to the most wonderful aroma. There is plenty of seating and a wonderful menu. They serve breakfast and lunch and any coffee or coffee type drink you can think of. It is an adorable place and very friendly service. We grabbed a coffee and strolled the main street of town, popping into all the vintage, antique shops.

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