I spent a fabulous three day weekend in Napa recently, and I cannot recommend the experience enough for a few perfect summer days away. I spent Friday and Sunday downtown Napa, exploring near my hotel and trying wines, restaurants and vintage shops all over First Street and beyond. On Saturday, I took a quick day trip to St. Helena for National Caviar Day and did some wine tasting, and by the end of the day I was looking at real estate on my phone.
Where to Stay:
1230 1st St, Napa, CA 94559
Walkable, elegant, comfortable: Archer Hotel Downtown has it all. The perfect home base and part of Napa’s First Street, a collective of retail, restaurants and tasting rooms in downtown Napa, Archer is walking distance to everything you could ever dream of. Oxbow Market, Contimo Provisions, Complement Restaurant & Win Bar, and Napa Creek are all just a few minutes away.
Upon arrival, guests are greeted with FIJI water bottles and a glass of wine, and I very much enjoyed the rosé and the hydration to get my weekend started. The hotel has a gorgeous rooftop bar with sweeping vineyard views and fire pits, and is home to a Charlie Palmer Steakhouse. For breakfast, the Steakhouse offers a fantastic Bananas Foster French Toast, so don’t miss out. The rooftop bar offers a great wine list, creative cocktails, and small plates to enjoy as you take in the view.
While staying at the hotel, you can make use of the guest only rooftop pool and fitness area, complete with weightlifting equipment and Peloton bicycles. It makes it very easy to get in a little workout before wine tasting or a delicious meal.
The bedding is plush and luxurious, the bathroom features a walk in shower and aromatherapy bath products, and the room comes with complimentary Nespresso and wi-fi. There are plenty of room styles to choose from: balcony options, suites with fireplaces, and accessible rooms.
In short, the Archer hotel is a luxuriously lovely place to stay for the sophisticated explorer while discovering Napa.
Where to Eat:
950 Randolph St, Napa, CA 94559
Kevin Folan and Ryan Harris co-own Contimo Provisions, a casual eatery with a curated selection of specialty foods. With an intimate Italian Deli vibe, Cosimo offers breakfast and lunch, including a Friday special “Baller Biscuit”, which I had to try. Kevin is a fabulous butcher, and Chef Ryan (who hails from Tennessee) uses his grandmother’s biscuit recipe.
My “Baller Biscuit” of the day was Kevin’s own house sausage, with egg and cheese on a cheesy biscuit that was just like the Red Lobster Cheesy Biscuit but so much better. I also had the ham and jam biscuit, which was delicious, and the Big Debra, a homemade take on the classic Little Debbie oatmeal pie. The Big Debra is so good that I came back here for more on my way out of town.
1300 1st St #312, Napa, CA 94559
For wine enthusiasts, I have to recommend Compline Restaurant and Wine Shop. Stop by the restaurant for a delicious and filling meal before you head a few doors down for a flight or two of fantastic wines while listening to records in the gorgeous tasting room.
At the restaurant, I started with the Daily Bread and Butter, with a fresh loaf from Della Fattoria out of Petaluma. I followed the bread with their absolutely amazing Fried Chicken sandwich that came with a side of crudite vegetables. My drink of choice? “The Spritz”. Instead of aperol or campari, this spritz is made with Greenbar Poppy Amaro, Orange and Pere Mata Cava. Refreshing, citrusy and heaven with the fried chicken.
At the wine bar, I decided to try their “Wine Without Borders” Summer of Riesling edition ($39), and you do get a discount if you show a receipt from the restaurant. For the flight, I tried three new to me Rieslings in the very relaxing atmosphere.The first one was the youngest and crispest, Seehof – Trocken 2023. Trocken means “dry” in German, and it had a hint of sweetness but great acidity. The second was also crisp and dry but a bit more developed and full bodied, the Prinz – Jungfer GG 2020. Finally, the Hexamer – Spätlese 2010 was juicy and sweet.
1500 1st St Suite 140, Napa, CA 94559
I tried their incredible bites at BottleRock Napa so I was excited to experience the restaurant in full. The restaurant’s ambiance is so beautiful, and having some refreshing tequila to recover from all your Napa wine is a big bonus.
They have the good ice, so I was in paradise with my Coca Cola and steak for lunch choice. The house made taro chips with queso are an unusual but delicious take on the classic queso appetizer, and the Tequila Steak with Tequila Chimichurri is a flavorful, tender and tangy flank steak with a kick. Naturally, I finished my meal with an order of the amazing churros.
1327 Railroad Ave, St Helena, CA 94574
For an upscale but comfortable meal in a Napa neighborhood restaurant, I can’t recommend Charlie’s enough. Born in New Zealand and raised in Iowa, Chef Elliot Bell is known in the neighborhood for his work in the community as a volunteer firefighter, and from his previous position as Executive Sous Chef at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry.
For dinner, I started off with a CA Passionfruit Rum Highball, a delicious and refreshing cocktail with 8 year rum, passionfruit, ginger beer and lime. Hot tip: They have a few super-secret menu items, including my Holy Grail of foods: Chicken Nuggets. Nuggets that come with Royal Ossetra Caviar and fancy ranch.
All my friends know that for the most part I eat like a five year old, so the mixture of elegant preparation with classic comfort food at Charlies is perfection for my palette. I tried their fried chicken with house hot sauce and sweet corn rigatoni, made with bacon cured heritage pork jowl, sweet corn and wild morels. I also ordered a side of their house “Hawaiian” Rolls, which are brushed with charred pineapple fat and house cultured butter. The rolls and the butter together were life-changingly good, and should be a mandatory side with every meal.
1400 2nd St, Napa, CA 94559
A wonderful spot to grab breakfast, Grace’s Table is paradise for my sweet tooth. They have amazing skillet corn bread with lavender butter and freshly homemade cinnamon rolls. They also have savory options and are open for lunch and dinner as well.
Where to Play:
1673 St Helena Hwy, St Helena, CA 94574
The tasting room recently and beautifully remodeled in the style of a green alpine lodge, this family owned kid & dog friendly winery has a special story and exquisite wines. The Pestoni family has been growing grapes in Napa Valley since the 1880’s, secretly throughout the prohibition, and then commercially until they finally opened as a winery in 1994. Retired Hollywood screenwriter Greg Pestoni came back to the family business in the late 2010’s, and has worked towards creating what it is today.
The outdoor tasting pavilion is utterly gorgeous, while still being relaxed and unpretentious. I tried a few of their wines and absolutely fell in love with their 2024 Sangiovese Rosé. Unlike many Sangiovese Rosés, the grapes in this wine were specifically grown to be a Rosé and not a red. With the welcoming atmosphere, impeccable Rosé, and beautiful picnic-friendly grounds, Pestoni is the perfect space to spend an afternoon.
1005 Coombs St, Napa, CA 94559
In the heart of the First Street Corridor, Brown Downtown is the tasting room for the Brown Estate Winery. The first black owned and operated estate winery in Napa, the label was launched in 1996 and makes a number of excellent and award winning wines.
Full disclosure: They are particularly known for their reds, and I do not typically enjoy red wine. However, Anahi, my wine educator at the bar, managed to find me the first red wine I’ve ever actually liked: a 2022 Chiles Valley Zinfandel. Anahi called it “The red wine for people who don’t like red wine” and I have to say I agree. It had a crispness and almost spiciness that balanced out the tannins and jam in a way that was very pleasing.
Other than the reds, I also really enjoyed their 2023 Chardonnay, which is aged half on oak, half in steel and very refreshing, and their 2022 Betelgeuse Rosé. I loved that Anahi was able to find me a red that I could enjoy, and the ambiance of the tasting room has a welcoming elegant farmhouse vibe.
595 St Helena Hwy, St Helena, CA 94574
The Saturday I visited St. Helena happened to be National Caviar Day, which I celebrated for the first time by attending the first ever class at Under-Study in Napa. A “culinary playground” in the same complex as their sister restaurant, PRESS, the space is now completely remodeled, open for the first time as a classroom under the leadership of Samantha Rudd, Chef Partner Philip Tessier, and Managing Partner Justin Williams.
The space is beautiful – a workshop, a classroom and kitchen all in one. The Caviar 101 tasting event kicked off what will be an evolving calendar of creative chef-led events, demos and classes. Schramsberg Vineyards and Tsar Nicoulai Caviar paired up to teach guests about the perfection that is sparkling wine and caviar bites.
After the incredible tasting, I made my way to the Under-Study patio, where earlier I had spied Top Chef Season 22 Contestant Chef Vincenzo outside personally making my favorite bite of BottleRock Napa 2025: the Nitro French Fry Soft Serve with Potato Crumble and Tsar Nicolai Caviar. I couldn’t just walk past – at Bottlerock, I thought that it was a once in a lifetime dessert, I magically got a second opportunity! It was just as fabulous as I remembered. Thank you, National Caviar Day, my new favorite holiday.
I can highly recommend the classes at Under-Study, the bites were mouth-watering and the presenters were incredibly educational and friendly.
1408 2nd St, Napa, CA 94559
If you’re looking to try a wide variety of California (or world!) wines without leaving your spot, this is the place. Here, you can learn about local and international wine from passionate storytellers, and in my case a viticulture student named Antoniues Gregory. Hailing from Detroit, Michigan, he moved to Napa to study grapes and wine, and he was a lovely guide through the wines.
Antoniues poured me two Sonoma County Chardonnays, two Napa Sauvignon Blancs, and two French Rosés. These were all delicious and all in my wheelhouse. From Purlieu, Antoniues poured me the 2020 Platt Chardonnay ($95), and I loved the almost lemony notes. From Gemstone Vineyard, I tried the 2022 Facets ($49), which is a fairly oaky but still fruity Chardonnay. The Sauvignon Blancs were a 2023 from Les Vins Julien ($25), which is an intentionally low calorie, very clean wine, and a 2022 from Julien Fayard ($65), which was a little fruitier with tasty melon notes. The two Rosés were both lovely and dry Provence Rosé Blends in adorable bottles: Just Pink and Danica Elegance Rosé.
Where to Shop:
610 1st St, Napa, CA 94559
Oxbow Market could fit any category: it has shopping, restaurants, wine tasting and more. Now that I’ve discovered it, I stop by every time I come to Napa, even if it’s just to grab an iced coffee at Ritual and enjoy the view.
Last time I was here (for BottleRock in May), I spotted Bravos’s Top Chef brothers Bryan and Michael Voltaggio buying smoothies and sandwiches after their BottleRock demonstrations. I spoke to Michael for a few minutes and he said they love the market, and try to come every day during BottleRock and added that they try to buy as much here as possible for their Williams Sonoma stage cooking demos as possible.
Located right on the river complete with a scenic riverside dock, the market holds local wine & cheese, great coffee, fresh oysters from Hog Island, Japanese inspired hot dogs at Sumo, and so much more. As long as you come hungry (and/or thirsty!), you could really spend all day enjoying the local specialties.
If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can even book a class at the Fatted Calf – learn to butcher a whole hog or make your own sausage. They offer something different each Sunday, but it’s always about the meat. If you don’t have time for a class, at least stop by for an incredible sandwich or some house salumi.
Speaking of sandwiches, Loveski deli at Oxbow is rumored to have the best pastrami on the west coast. The husband and wife team make their own sourdough bagels, pickles and even cure their own meats.
There are truly too many great spots at Oxbow to name, and you can easily spend a few hours here.
1300 1st St Suite 398, Napa, CA 94559
A much beloved North Coast local chain, Copperfields is a literary portal to another realm. They have one of the largest selections of indie books, games, local periodicals and gifts I’ve ever seen. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly, the prices are shockingly affordable, and the store itself is laid out in an open and accessible manner. It’s walkable from Archer Hotel, but there is also convenient free parking nearby if you drive.
This is a truly wonderful place to find a new and interesting read, find something about local history, or shop for quirky gifts for a child.
Betty’s Girl Boutique & Antiques on Second
1330 2nd St, Napa, CA 94559
Antiques on Second is a 6000 square foot curated space of more than 25 dealers with everything from boho home accents to European collectible furniture. It is the oldest antique store in the area, having been open for more than 20 years, and is locally owned and operated. It’s a fun place to browse and wander the aisles, and I love looking at the jewelry, glassware and fun mid-century chairs.
Betty’s Girl is one of the vendors in Antiques on Second, and I am obsessed. Owned by Kim Northrop, the store offers one of a kind vintage pieces and custom couture dresses for proms, weddings and special days. The store is just so colorful, whimsical and fun: if you love vintage fashion, it’s a must see.
1320 2nd St, Napa, CA 94559
Another antique and vintage collective, Nostalgia on Napa focuses on Vintage Vinyl, Art Nouveau antiques and costumes, as well as some western wear and hand crafts. It’s small and quant but not cramped. Heavily curated and meticulously arranged, each dealer has a unique specialty geared towards a particular nostalgic vibe. There’s a beautiful selection of vintage kimonos, beautiful dresses from the 1920’s and an astonishing collection of rare vintage vinyl and CDs.
Downtown Napa is a foodie wonderland, and the restaurants and wineries of St. Helena are paradise. If you like to stay in beautiful hotels, eat first rate food, drink sumptuous wines, and wander the aisles of antique shops, a three day stay in Napa will do you wonders.