The Best Restaurants In Yountville

We were devastated when Ciccio closed in 2022 then rejoiced when they reopened and revamped the menu under a new direction. Now, Ciccio is arguably the best place in Yountville’s 1.5-mile stretch for fresh pasta, wood-fired pizzas, and pillowy soft ricotta made daily—and date night in a delightfully homey dining room that used to be an Italian grocery store. The meatball stuffed chard should be mandatory, and you’ll want to add focaccia to sop up every last bite of thick, chili-infused red sauce. And the vanilla bean gelato drizzled with wild pine nut oil will make you question everything you know about the humble pine nut. Pair it all with a house cocktail like an Italian G&T or glass of Sangiovese.

Bistro Jeanty is a dining institution and a must-visit for anyone who dreams in steak frites and coq au vin. With bright yellow walls and country-inspired finds—like a bicycle with a basket filled with baguettes—it would be easy to find a trendier option, but then you’ll be sad to have missed out on the simple yet indulgent menu of buttery comfort dishes: escargot, steak tartare, and the best chocolate croissant bread pudding in Napa. Even better is that this spot transforms based on the occasion. It’s perfectly suited for a low-lit romantic dinner, or for talking shop with colleagues you’re passing through town with. There’s also an extensive wine list, but lean on their talented bartenders—the cocktail menu includes dessert-flavored options like brandy alexanders and salted-caramel espresso martinis.

Locals might purposely be gatekeeping Lucy, and once you visit, you’ll see why—this American restaurant delivers dishes on par with Napa’s top-rated restaurants, and most nights you can avoid the crowds and slip in without a reservation. Located inside the lavish Bardessono Hotel, expect ultra-luxe touches alongside a down-to-earth dining room, and, like most restaurants in the area, ingredients that are mainly sourced a few steps away. This is upscale California cuisine with flavor enhancements that won’t feel obnoxious, like a fried avocado with jalapeño ranch and tuna tataki with edamame purée and garlic togarashi. This place is perfect for grabbing a banana punch cocktail by the fire or having a multi-course weeknight dinner of never-disappointing pan-seared duck or fish, and is also a great option for brunch.

R+D is a crowd-pleaser with a wide-spanning menu that includes everything from sushi and salads to comfort food classics, like a wild mushroom meatloaf and the popular Honor Burger topped with a mound of slaw. If you’re familiar with other R+D outposts, there are no surprises here, other than the number of conversations that revolve around how many wine tastings people have powered through and how wild it is to have found a restaurant in Yountville that offers free corkage. End your meal with the truly excellent carrot cake and chocolate peanut butter pie, and if you’re done with all the power-eating Yountville demands, R+D is a nice choice for takeout pizzas and a night off. 

From the moment Bouchon Bakery opened 20 years ago, there have been round-the-clock lines out the door, with tourists and locals waiting for a whiff and bite of the namesake “bouchons” (a cork-shaped, dark chocolate chewy-crisp brownie), bread, pastries, and thick hot chocolate. And we’re here to tell you, Bouchon Bakery is absolutely worth the wait. If you're going to brave the line, order as much as humanly possible—we like the ham and cheese baguette, cheese roll, passion fruit and caramel macarons, lemon tart, and the OhOh, a decadent take on a ho-ho. Even if you order ahead you’ll be standing around for a bit, but the payoff is some of the best baked goods in all of Napa Valley.

Bouchon is a very worthy, more casual spot from the same chef as The French Laundry, featuring the best steak frites in the valley. It’s every bit the buzzing, loud, tightly-seated French bistro you’d expect, which is another one of the reasons we love it here. It’s also where we come for “late night” (that’s after 9pm in Wine Country) snacks, oysters, and classic cocktails. The expertly crisp truffle fries, onion soup, and escargots sitting on top of Bouchon Bakery’s puffed pastry are all absolute perfection, as you’d expect.

The Kitchen at Priest Ranch does a fantastic job filling the gap between ultra-pricy sit-down restaurants and cheaper fast food options. Their small, but mighty set-up can have orders out in minutes, which you can take to-go or eat upstairs near the firepit—for such a compact space, they have ample indoor and outdoor seating. We recommend opting for their juicy chicken sandwich or loaded latkes with smoked salmon and eggs, but there’s plenty to choose from and breakfast is served all day. If you happen to see a slice of chocolate cake in the cold case, grab it and don’t let go, it rivals some of the baked goods up the street. The Priest Ranch tasting room is right next door, so there’s the option to buy half-bottles for a picnic lunch in the park that’s steps away.

Once hailed as a must-stop along Highway 29, eating at Mustards Grill these days has become somewhat of a gamble. It’s never a bad place to spend an afternoon, thanks to the cozy, elevated coastal diner space with wrap-around windows and black-and-white checkered flooring. But in an area overrun with talented chefs and fresh produce, there are plenty of other great options nearby like R+D Kitchen. The menu is eclectic and the better dishes are Asian-inspired, like crispy calamari (presented more like a salad with curried slaw and fresno chilies) or ahi tuna crackers with wasabi cream. But if you’re looking for heat, you won’t find it. The lamb burger is a notch above good, but then the soggy, flavorless BBQ pork sandwich and soupy mac and cheese skew borderline unappealing. Most prices feel too high to justify the quality, but the service is excellent.

Picture that Sunday night dinner when the family decides to go all out and put together a menu of all their favorite dishes. Well, that’s what’s happening every day at Ad Hoc, but Thomas Keller runs the kitchen. No offense to your brother, mother, or grandfather, but that’s likely to be a reasonable upgrade. The place oozes hospitable happiness and that special juju that makes a restaurant legendary, and always gets us excited to eat here. Every day, there’s only one thing on offer: a set menu of family-style share plates that could be centered around crispy duck confit, baby back ribs, gnudi or (if you’re lucky) fried chicken. There’s always a vegetarian option, you can add on some additional bonus elements (which we suggest you do), and dessert is mandatory. Go hard. Go home. Take a nap.

Brix is another place that’s really all about the setting, with a garden that’s perfect for lunch or a sunset drink overlooking vineyards, and lots of corners for postcard-worthy pictures. The menu is solid, with options like caramelized sea scallops in a black truffle vinaigrette, steak frites, and kohlrabi fritters, but like we said, you’re here more for the surroundings than anything else. Come when it’s light out and for live music in the garden (typically Wednesdays to Fridays at 5pm).

The buttermilk fried chicken dinner at Ad Hoc became such a runaway hit that they eventually opened a takeout operation and garden behind the original restaurant to give the people what they want. And really, the fact that you can just roll up and grab a bucket of truly incredible fried chicken in between Yountville wine tastings is a privilege. They also serve sandwiches of the fried chicken and pulled pork variety, plus a chocolate chip cookie you shouldn’t miss. Addendum is only open from 11am-2pm on Fridays and Saturdays from May to November, so plan accordingly.

Only in Yountville can you stop to gas up and find a boutique wine and gift shop, coffee bar, and magazine stand to pass the time while you pump. In addition to an excellent selection of wines by the bottle (start with the staff picks), the reason we return here regularly is the soft serve affogato, and the juicy hot dog served on a doughy poppy seed bun. There are only two small tables inside, so this is definitely a grab-and-go kind of place.

The RH in RH Yountville stands for Restoration Hardware, which will be familiar if you’re into high-end home goods, and they have restaurants across the country, including SF. This location serves hit-or-miss American classics, but there’s no denying that the space has an incredible allure. If you do wind up here for date night, or birthday dinners, your options mostly consist of delicious-looking but underwhelming options like lobster rolls, burgers, and a passible selection of steaks with a meaty price tags. We prefer to head here for morning coffee and light bites or an afternoon glass of wine and a photo-worthy charcuterie board when the natural light streams through the glass ceiling and reflects off the crystal chandeliers.

Oakville Grocery, right off Highway 29, is the slightly less glamorous version of Dean & DeLuca, with a fanbase that consists mostly of tourists and their drivers. It’s a rustic-looking mom-and-pop-style stop filled with gourmet snacks, sauces, and souvenirs. If you’re not careful you might end up spending as much as you would at a sit-down restaurant up the road, since the majority of prices are slightly inflated and quietly hidden at the bottom of each item. But if you need to grab breakfast quickly on your way to an early tasting, or feed a group of 15+ for lunch on a tight schedule, this is the place. Space is limited and consists strictly of outdoor seating, but you can sometimes snag a spot by avoiding the lines and ordering ahead online.