An alfresco meal at the same restaurant will taste different when eating outdoors versus indoors. Similarly, the same Napa County delicacy tastes different when you eat it in a Napa eatery versus at a local restaurant in a different country.

Pack your bags—or don’t—and take these Napa-based restaurant recommendations from someone who runs a leading food travel blogging website.

La Cheve

La Cheve is a Mexican restaurant with breakfast and brunch options for locals and tourists. Bordering downtown Napa, the bistro skirts the line between trendy and old-school Mexican with its ambiance and menu featuring:

• Craft beers
• Fresh-baked items
• Mexican fusion options

Stop by for a bite of eggs Benedict with a Mexican twist and stick around for a hearty breakfast of avocado toast with Oaxaca cheese, jams, and more.

Angele

Angele is a charming little French restaurant by the Napa River that has gained a reputation as a date night eatery. Its romantic atmosphere is second to an impressive cocktail menu and seafood so fresh you’ll feel like it was caught from the Napa River.

Let’s not forget the French fusion dishes that the restaurant has to offer. If there was ever a place to have French food outside France, Angele is it. While they’re known for their onion soup and New York steak Frites, I highly recommend the butterscotch pudding and boozy ice cream for dessert.

Grace’s Table

Grace’s Table provides classic diner feels with Michelin-rated food, available for eating in or curbside pickup. Right around the corner from Monday Bakery and Café, yet another highly recommended patisserie and coffeeshop, this “diner” makes you feel instantly at home with its excellent customer service.

The restaurant, which serves brunch and supper, has an extensive menu containing starters, mains, and sides with elevated versions of the usual local diner fare, like buttermilk pancakes, toasted baguettes, and smoked bacon. You don’t want to miss the lavender cornbread, a fragrant and beautiful balance of florals and baked goods.

Zuzu

Zuzu is a Spanish restaurant located near Angele. It specializes in Spanish-style tapas like boquerones, lobster tail paella, and traditional sangria. The restaurant also has a special talent for spicing up otherwise plain dishes like sliced eggs and white anchovies.

While the place is usually packed to the gills (pun intended), it only allows reservations on half of its tables. You can line up without a dinner reservation and wait for your turn to occupy the other half on any regular night.

Partake in Irina Bukatik’s Retellings of Famous Foodie Destinations

Hey, there! I’m Irina Bukatik, a self-professed bon vivant, coffeeholic, and blogger. I run a local food blog hoping to take people where they most want to go by serving up two-minute retellings of the food they serve.

Get in touch to share your favorite Napa Valley culinary destinations.