Napa’s gifts to the world are many, not the least of which is changing wine forever by being the first to put New World wine on the map in the Judgement of Paris in 1976. Writing about idyllic Napa nearly two decades — and exploring it even longer — I’ve visited a few hundred restaurants, wineries and beyond across the Valley. My recent guides include a visit eating from south to north (Napa to Calistoga), Yountville and downtown Napa guides. And here is the latest with two hotels and six restaurants, from fine dining to casual eats.
Stay & Dine
Mediterranean Retreat & Underrated Restaurant: North Block, Yountville
EAT: Forbes said it in January: The Restaurant At North Block Shines Under Chef Juan Cabrera. And I’ve been trying to get back to visit The Restaurant at North Block since Cabrera came on board. I’ve been writing about North Block way back when it was a pizza restaurant to its growth under chef Nick Tamburo. Returning this summer, it’s clear Cabrera’s live-fire, open-hearth cooking — with the blessedly standard glories of our local farms, fish and foraging — is elevating the hotel restaurant.
Read the rest on Substack: Napa’s Gifts to the World: Overnight in the Valley