Introduced as a part of a massive revamp of Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs in Calistoga, House of Better aims to give wine country a dose of health-minded dining that goes beyond the usual salads and smoothies. Chef Trevor Logan of San Francisco’s now-closed Green Chile Kitchen offers a menu that bridges the gap between spa food and comfort food with dishes like grilled fish tacos, a roasted green chile and maitake flatbread, and rustic green chile stew. It’s a fast-casual dining experience with cocktails, wine, beer, and “herbal elixirs.” Just don’t forget to nab a slice of Logan’s popular fruit pies. 

Model Bakery has the best English muffins in the world — and some of the world’s best breakfast sandwiches made with said muffins. They’re so delicious that Oprah has admitted to having them flown to her house. The pastry case is stacked with buttery croissants, moist banana bread, cookies, savory bread puddings, and more. Model Bakery has grown from its original digs to two additional locations in Napa (by Oxbow) and Yountville, but several specialty items like avocado toast on sourdough bread with a hard-boiled egg and crispy bacon are only available at the flagship bakery in St. Helena. Breakfast goodies sell out fast, but you can place an order online ahead of time and get some extra muffins to take home. 

Salami still hangs from the rafters at this circa 1970 Italian grocery store, where for decades, locals and tourists alike have lined up at the counter for a meaty sandwich dressed with “Giugni Juice,” the deli’s special vinaigrette, which you can also purchase by the bottle. A Giugni’s sandwich and chips is the perfect sustenance for a hike up Mount Saint Helena. For now, Giugni’s is still doing pick-up online, so order online before you go. 

This casual restaurant from Meadowood chef Christopher Kostow has quickly become a staple in St. Helena, popular for its simple, seasonal, and family-style menu of Napa Valley’s bounty, much of it cooked in the huge hearth that’s the centerpiece of the main dining area. The cheeseburger is a top contender for the best burger in Napa Valley, the crudité is both good for you and delicious, and, as for the housemade bread with cultured butter, you’ll be sorry if you don’t go for the whole loaf. The cocktails are simple yet memorable, and they even have large-format cocktails, served in a delightful Art Deco punch bowl. 

Press has been a Napa Valley fine dining staple for more than 15 years, best known for its meticulously sourced cuts of aged beef that pair well with big Napa cabs and black truffle hash browns. Miraculously, chef Philip Tessier (a Le Bernardin, Per Se, and French Laundry alum) has raised the bar even higher. Whatever you do, don’t sleep on the ricotta gnudi or sweet and sour pig ears for apps. Press also has one of the best and most comprehensive Napa Valley-exclusive wine lists around with more than 1,800 selections.

This venerable sandwich shop and deli sits conveniently along Highway 29 and has soothed the soul of many a hungry traveler. The restored historic grocery — which has been in operation since 1881 and claims to be the oldest in the state — makes great sandwiches (the muffuletta is locally famous) and wood-fired pizzas. While you’re there, shop for high-end coffee, desserts, wine, olive oil, and other pantry provisions.

Going on almost 40 years, this Napa Valley landmark from chef Cindy Pawlcyn is a go-to lunch spot for local winemakers and is beloved for its comfort food classics that pair great with Napa’s best wines. You can’t go wrong with Mustards Mighty Meatloaf, the Crazy Good Chicken Wings, Famous Mongolian Pork Chop, or Chalkboard Pasta, which changes each day but never disappoints.

Ad Hoc’s four-course, family-style dinner menu changes daily, though snagging a table on fried chicken night is the ultimate goal. Add the Maine lobster mac ’n’ cheese; it’s worth the extra cost. Pro tip: Splurge for the large bucket; legend has it this chicken tastes even better the next day.

Napa’s destination restaurants aren’t just of the fine dining variety, just ask Rancho Gordo founder Steve Sando, who’s intimately familiar with wine country’s best taco trucks. You’ll find El Muchacho Alegre tucked alongside the Universal Auto repair shop and the move is to order the torta ahogada, a Jaliscian specialty. The meat-filled sandwich is almost like a fiery French dip, served with a gazpacho-like salsa and drenched in a savory tomato and chile sauce.

The Ferry Building’s high-ceilinged little sister has a serious concentration of Bay Area restaurants (plus shops) under one roof. Slurp oysters at Hog Island Oysters, order the famous duck tacos at C Casa, or share some sushi rolls at Eiko’s. Don’t miss Oxbow’s newest tenants, Loveski, a Jewish-style deli from chef Christopher Kostow that’s dishing out sourdough bagels, sandwiches, latkes, and more, and Milestone Provisions, a butcher shop also offering roasted meats on sandwiches, salads, and platters.

San Francisco diners may know chef Lalita Souksamlane from her more than 20-year-old Geary Street staple, but these days she’s got a lot going on in Napa. Not only did she bring an upscale Thai dining option to Napa’s downtown, she also debuted Bann Napa, a boutique Thai inn. Osha Napa offers a full range of menu options from Thai street food starters like chicken satay and corn fritters to familiar soups and noodle dishes like tom yum and pad see ew. Reserve a table either in the elegant dining room, which is well-sized for larger parties too. 

Breakfast here, offered Tuesday to Saturday, is all about biscuits with jam, pimento cheese, or bacon and molasses, or the weekly special Baller Biscuit. Lunch brings light takeaway options like beet poke or the heavy artillery like banh mi sandwiches stuffed with mortadella and miso turnips. As the name implies, there are also goods by the pound, like sliced meats and cheeses, bacon, pickled onions, coffee beans, and jars of hot sauce.

Serving escargots, sweetbreads, steak tartare, and ratatouille, this classic French gem at the end of downtown Napa’s Main Street has unparalleled river views and one of the best patios in town. Open for lunch and dinner, sip a cocktail like the Angèle Spritz (bubbles, vermouth, strawberries, mint, and vanilla) on a warm Napa day and watch stand-up paddle boarders and kayakers float by.