The dog-friendly attitudes that prevail at Napa Valley wineries extend to many of the region’s famous restaurants, as well, meaning that as long as the weather is fair, you can dine at an outdoor table with Patch at your side.
Let’s start with the dog-friendly, Michelin-recognized places first. Earning “Bib Gourmand” (“eateries that offer excellent food at reasonable prices”) designations in 2015 are newcomers Grace’s Table (global cuisine) in downtown Napa and The Farmer and The Fox, a British-style gastropub in St. Helena. Retaining their ratings are Bistro Jeanty (French) and Redd Wood (Italian-inspired) in Yountville; and Oenotri (southern Italian) and C Casa (at the Oxbow Public Market; order at the outdoor window if you have a dog in tow) in downtown Napa. One-star restaurants that also boast dog-friendly patios include Bouchon (French) in Yountville and Solbar (farm-to-fork) in Calistoga.
In the highly competitive Napa environment, Michelin-starred establishments hardly have a lock on good food. High on DogTrekker’s list of favorites are Angele (country French) and Napa General Store (American) in the Historic Napa Mill complex; and acclaimed Morimoto’s (Japanese) just around the corner on the River Walk. On the more casual side of dog-friendly is Gott’s Roadside (burgers and more), with dog-friendly locations in St. Helena and at the Oxbow Public Market in Napa.
In Yountville, Redd (seasonal cuisine), Hurley’s (Mediterranean) and Lucy at Bardessono (garden-inspired) are among dog-friendly favorites. In St. Helena, try Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen (seasonal cuisine) or Tra Vigne (Italian). Traveling on a skimpy budget? Chow down on yummy Mexican food from Tacos Garcia, a food truck parked next to Pancha’s, a blue-collar dive bar at 6764 Washington St. in otherwise oh-so-toney downtown Yountville.
Photo Credit: HannahWebb (CC)
