I love food. I also love traveling. So you can be sure that whenever we are on vacation, I am dedicating a lot of time to finding the best restaurants out there. Below are some of my favorites in the Napa Valley area. The titles will link you to their webpages. These are the ones that I deemed worthy enough to share the love.
Bouchon Bakery
A great way to start your day in the Napa area is hitting Bouchon Bakery for breakfast. They have all kinds of pastries and snacks to get you going in the morning. but don’t think you can get out of there without trying at least one of their macaroons, even if you save them for later.
We had the hazelnut chocolate and salted caramel. Sooooooooo amaziiiiiiiiiing. They inspired me to take on the difficult task of mastering macaroons myself. We even picked up some of their homemade dog treats to bring back for our puppy. There is almost always a line, but it is worth it!
Bottega
Oh, my….this restaurant was amazing. Bottega is owned by celebrity chef Michael Chiarello and is my favorite restaurant in the Napa Valley area. The portions are small, but everything tastes so good that I did not care.
We need to talk about the Spaghetti Gragnano alla Sophia Loren…talk about life changing. They cook the pasta in a tomato leaf-infused tomato water, which you may think would not be a big deal but OH. MY. GOSH. It was amazing. You could taste how fresh the tomatoes were. And you know that smell of fresh tomato vines? That was what the pasta smelled like. I seriously cannot get over it. One day I will try to create this on my own, but I have a feeling it will not live up to the real thing.
The hubby had…something. It is the dish in the foreground of the picture there. I honestly cannot remember what it was and I do not see it on the menu, so it must have been a special or replaced. And if you are up for an appetizer, their famous “Polenta Under Glass” was fantastic as well. They serve a creamy polenta in a jar with a side of carmelized onions and balsamic sauce with parmigiano crisps. I like to try things that are different and unique when I eat out, and Bottega definitely fits that description.
They also have a great bar menu for the patio and bar areas with some unique dishes that you cannot get in the dining room. This is a great alternative that is more affordable than the sit down dinner, or a great way to unwind.
That is all for now, but I will be adding more as I find them. Check out the other restaurants and wineries that I recommend in my travel pages.
I do not receive any kind of kick back for featuring these restaurants. They are simply places I have been and would recommend to anyone in the area.
