29 Aug Five Places To Eat and One Place to Drink in Napa

If you are heading to Napa, you might think of making Yountville or St. Helena your base. Not only are there wineries nearby but, at the end of the day, there are lots of restaurants to chose from that are an easy walk from a hotel. But, now you should consider making Downtown Napa you home base. What was once seen as a town to pass through, Downtown Napa has experienced a revival. There are blocks and blocks of restaurants, tasting rooms and shops, as well as a beautiful riverfront to stroll along.

In Downtown Napa you can explore a world of cuisines. Here are five restaurants to eat at, and one place to drink.

Miminashi
821 Coombs St
Napa, CA 94559

An Izakaya serving authentic Japanese cuisine, Minimnashi is Napa’s newest restaurant. From noodles to yakatori, there are a lot of small plates to share. In addition,there are vegetarian options for the non-meat eaters. For the more adventurous eater, there is heart, base of heart, base of beef tongue and tip of beef tongue yakitori. For dessert, enjoy the soft serve ice cream in Japanese flavors such as buckwheat, lemon verbena, milk and peach leaf with whiskey butterscotch or miso caramel on top.

Oenotri
1425 First Street
Napa, CA 94559

Oenotri offers southern-Italian cuisine using the freshest local product available. With more than twenty different house-made salumi, handmade pasta and daily made bread, Oenotri’s rustic menu is an authentic tribute to its Italian traditions. The pizzas are baked in a wood-burning oven than was imported from Italy.

Zuzu
829 Main St
Napa, CA 94559

A Spanish-inspired restaurant, Zuzu is a Barcelona-style tapas bar. It is a small restaurant with a rustic feel. Zuzu has been open for more than a decade and is a favorite among locals. It fills up so call ahead and make a reservation.

La Taberna
815 Main St
Napa, CA 94559

Located next to Zuzu and its sister restaurant, La Taberna is a modern Spanish tavern inspired by the pintxo bars of northern Spain. It is a cozy yet modern restaurant offering smaller, lighter bites to enjoy with a glass, or bottle, of wine.

Tarla Mediterranean Bar & Grill
1480 1st St
Napa, CA 94559

Tarla, a “field” in Turkish, offers a menu of Turkish and Greek origin. Executive Chef Kadriye Baspehlivan is from Istanbul, Turkey and recently graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. From small plates to fresh grilled meats, Tarla has something for everyone.

All five of these restaurants also offer specially selected wines from around the world to pair with the cuisines. But, if you are just in the mood for wine or beer, here is where to go:

Cadet Wine and Beer Bar
930 Franklin Street
Napa, CA 94559

Cadet, tucked away in an alley, is a popular night spot for wine and beer. They also offer small plates of salumi, cheese, olives or nuts if you want to eat a little snack with your drink. Honoring local boutique wineries, Cadet also had an outstanding list of Champagne and sparkling wine, as well as wines from around the world. And, if you buy a bottle of wine, you get to pick the record to be played on the old school record player.