Napa, CA

Most restaurant owners toiled for others, honing their skills and working on the plan to open their own restaurant. This was true for Angele partners Bettina and Claude Rouas. Bettina started her career as a manager at The French Laundry restaurant and refined her skills as general manager of  Bistro Jeanty and Bistro Don Giovanni.…

The Auberge setting may be the best in the Valley, high atop a hill overlooking neighboring vineyards. It is the perfect place to watch the setting sun each day. I'm not sure which meal I enjoy more here. The food, wine and panoramic vistas lend themselves to long leisurely meals. The dining room has a kind of…

Bistro Don Giovanni typifies what a Napa Valley restaurant should be; a warm and comfortable place to enjoy good food and wine. Owner Giovanni Scala is the consummate host and his personal touch has made this landmark a favorite of local winemakers, winery owners and anyone who enjoys food and wine. When it is cool outside,…

"In every day French life, it is the Bistro that is woven into the daily pattern of meals and celebrations. The Bistro is that little neighborhood restaurant where they know who you are, greet you warmly, and serve you satisfying foods that change with the seasons and define regional homey French cuisine." Philippe Jeanty Jeanty…

Bouchon is an opportunity to experience Thomas Keller's cooking without the price tag of a visit to The French Laundry. This charming bistro on Washington Street in Yountville offers the same attention to detail as its upscale counterpart in a more casual, laid back atmosphere. The brick and burgundy colored wood building is surrounded by…

Cole's is a wonderful steakhouse and is a favorite of locals particularly those who live in the town of Napa. The 100 seat restaurant (plus 12 at the bar and 50 outside) sits in the center of town and occupies a unique stone building circa 1886. Inside, the two tier restaurant has the original open truss…

Chef/Owner Ken Frank came to love French cooking while living in France as a teenager. He first achieved national acclaim in 1977 when he was Chef of La Guillotine Restaurant at age 21. He was the original Chef at Michael’s in Santa Monica, considered the Los Angeles birthplace of “California Cuisine,” which he left in…

There are a lot of pioneers in the Napa Valley, on both the food and wine sides and Cindy Pawlcyn, owner of Mustard's Grill and Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen, is one of them. Born in Minneapolis, she received a degree in hotel and restaurant management from the University of Wisconsin and received further training at Le Cordon Bleu…

They had me at bacon.. Sat at the bar before dinner and lo and behold one of the apps was a bacon bar; Double-Cut Nueske's, Wisconsin  Snake River Kurobuta, Idaho; Durham Ranch Wild Boar, Wyoming, Benton's,Tennessee, Candied Hobbs, California. You can buy them individually or do a tasting for $22. I just knew this was…

In almost every town, there's a place that people, locals and visitors alike, seem to gravitate. It becomes a favorite for any number of reasons, but mostly because it feels good to be there. Rutherford Grill is just such a place. Owned by the Hillstone Restaurant Group who have restaurants all over the country, we became fans…