Napa Valley: Best Restaurants For Your Wine Country Day Trip

Planning a trip to wine country takes some doing. There are decisions to make about what day to go, which valley to visit, which wineries to see and where to make your appointments, not to mention the wrangling required to figure out who’s going to drive and whose car gets donated for the occasion. On top of all this, one can easily overlook perhaps the day’s second most important decision: where to eat.

Luckily, there are experts to whom you can turn for help with this question. One of them for example is Ms Leslie Sbrocco, of KQED’s “Check Please, Bay Area” In addition to her roles as author and lecturer, Ms Sbrocco spends time every week reviewing local restaurants with average joe patrons. She has plenty of recommendations for where to eat when capping a perfect day in wine country. And her recommendations span the budget spectrum, from those on a shoestring to those eager to splurge.

For example, let’s say you’re wet behind the ears just out of college type, armed with a list of wineries that don’t charge tasting fees and a fuel efficient vehicle filled with a pool of gas money donors. How might you accommodate your restricted food budget without sacrificing taste and still complementing the overall experience? Leslie suggests stopping by the original Taylor’s Refresher in St. Helena for a specialty burger (blue cheese burger, anyone?) and some sweet potato fries, or, put together your own gourmet picnic dinner with fixings from the Oakville Grocery (an assortment of breads, meats, cheeses and enough free samples to satiate those with little to no budget) and head to a local park for some outdoor dining. You can also grab food and dine at the picnic facilities at V Sattui Winery.