Reasonable Eats in the Napa/Calistoga Area

August 10, 2012 12:08 PM

We're driving back from Harbin Hot Springs to the Bay Area on Monday (through Napa, Calistoga, Healdsburg, etc.) and we're looking for a place to have a reasonably priced dinner (though I know some places will be closed on a Monday). This means nicer than deli sandwiches but no Cyrus, no French Laundry, etc. Any recommendations?
posted by foxy_hedgehog to travel & transportation around Napa, CA (12 answers total)

The Girl and the Fig in Sonoma. You can eat at bar too if you'd prefer. Delicious.

Other mid-range restaurants: Bistro Ralph (Healdsburg), Zin Restaurant and Wine Bar (Healdsburg), and Cafe la Haye (a bit more pricey, Sonoma),
posted by picklebird at 12:46 PM on August 10, 2012

Oxbow Market downtown Napa is a lively and social spot with lots of food options. Farmstead in St Helena is reasonably priced and delicious.
posted by Hermanos at 12:47 PM on August 10, 2012

It's not the French Laundry, but I really love Thomas Keller's prix fixe family-style restaurant Ad Hoc. It's definitely more expensive than a deli sandwich (about $50 per person, not including wine) but it's worth it if you're into food at all.

If you're looking for cheaper and quicker, you could do worse than Goth's Roadside (formerly Taylor's Automatic Refresher).

Seconding Oxbow Market too
posted by purpleclover at 12:51 PM on August 10, 2012

GOTT'S not Goth's. Sigh.
posted by purpleclover at 12:51 PM on August 10, 2012

If you are in St. Helena try Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen
posted by Swisstine at 12:55 PM on August 10, 2012

Totally off-the-wall suggestion, and maybe a little downscale from the other suggestions: If you're comin' down the 101 from Healdsburg, stop in Petaluma for Avatar's Punjabi Burritos. Yeah, it's now a chain (Sausalito and Larkspur, at least), but every place is different, and their "purveyors of ethnic confusions" tagline is right on.

(Disclosure: I'm a Petaluma resident, eat there regularly, and like to do everything I can to pump up tourism in our cute little burgh.)
posted by straw at 1:09 PM on August 10, 2012

They aren't open on Monday, but there's Addendum now, which is basically Ad Hoc but in the style of Gott's. Thomas Keller fried chicken anytime. Just an idea for someone else or for next time. I'd also add Bistro Jeanty alongside The Girl and the Fig above.
posted by kcm at 1:29 PM on August 10, 2012

Check out Jo Le in Calistoga. Everyone I know who's eaten there as raved about it.
posted by small_ruminant at 1:31 PM on August 10, 2012 [1 favorite]

Rutherford Grill (in Rutherford, naturally) is pretty yummy.
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord at 2:28 PM on August 10, 2012

Ad Hoc is great. Looks like this Monday will be BBQ night, and not friend chicken night, sadly. Their fried chicken is out of this world.
posted by mollymayhem at 3:05 PM on August 10, 2012

All Seasons in Calistoga has a terrible website, but delicious food and a really extensive and well-curated wine list.
posted by dizziest at 8:39 AM on August 11, 2012

We ate at "Celadon" in Napa and it was fabulous. Highly recommended! They are open 7 days a week and they have a web site.
posted by Lone_Wolf at 12:11 PM on August 11, 2012