My buddy is heading to Napa and Sonoma for a few days each. Any recommendations ? They are more about simple food done exceptionally well. Of course I said Bistro Jeanty. What else ?
Oenotri in downtown Napa.
Where in Sonoma and Napa? In Yountville, since Bistro Jeanty (which I agree with) We really like Redd. Redd Wood was good for lunch a while back. Bouchon, for us, is a bit hit and miss. Outside of Calistoga we like Solbar.
JD
Ad Hoc (and their fried chicken joint right behind them that is only open a few days a week)
Rutherford Grill
Mustard’s Grill
Press: for simple, straight forward wood grilled meats with perhaps one of the best CA-focused (and maybe exclusively CA) wine lists out there, this place is hard to beat IMO
The Ad Hoc fried chicken joint was awesome, but if you’re not a fan of bees, I’d avoid.
Bistro Don Giovanni would be my #1 recommendation in Napa based on your criteria.
When you say Sonoma, do you mean in and around the town of Sonoma? Or Sonoma County, which is huge and encompasses the Russian River Valley/Healdsburg and a number of other small towns that have good restaurants.
In Sonoma town, which I haven’t visited much recently, my longtime favorites are The Girl and the Fig and Cafe La Haye, but they are pretty much everyone’s favorites. Others might have more interesting recommendations based on more recent experiences.
la luna taqueria in rutherford
Just piling on your Jeanty answer. Go there twice.
We forget we’ve been foodies a long time. Had guests recently, took them around. Found out what not adventurous palates can be. “This Pizza is too smokey.” “This has onions in it.” “I don’t like a lot of spice.”
At Jeanty, they were blissfully happy. Simple food done well as you said. And I could eat there every day for the rest of my life and it’d be fine.
That’s funny Brian because that’s what I already said, so good there.
As far a where they are staying, they’ll be moving around from winery to winery so not so focused on that.
Great suggestions so far. Anymore ?
Sonoma Square:
The Girl & the Fig
La Sallette
Harvest Moon Cafe’
Glen Ellen
Aventine
Glen Ellen Star
Santa Rosa
Pizzeria Rosso
Ike’s Sandwich Shop
Willi’s Wine Bar
Ciccio in Yountville. No reservations taken, so waits can be a challenge. Food is great and well priced. What is fresh and available. Just featured as part of the WS Napa article in latest issue.
Auberge
Ca’ Momi
Oenotri
Press
Solbar
Torc
And plenty of easy choices at the Oxbow (including Ca’ Momi).
Also, in Santa Rosa Pizza Rosso (mentioned above) is excellent. In Healdsburg, Scopa (absolute favorite), Barn Diva, and Spoon Bar. I have had very good experiences at Dry Creek Kitchen but have heard very mixed reviews (here I think) lately. In Sonoma, though its been a while, Girl and the Fig. Had some pretty good apps/snacks at Eldorado Kitchen but never a full meal.
JD
Jeanty’s tomato bisque with the puff pastry top is probably my most favorite thing in the whole of Napa, valley unless Chef Frank brought back the duck burger with foie on top at Bank Bar. Oh yeah the Blueberry shake at Taylors/Gotts.
I’ll third Rosso as well. The Meatballs Goomba style(on top of polenta with pesto and tomato sauce with pork). Killer.
Cafe Citti in Kenwood is a winemakers favorite. Underwood in Graton.
Yeah. This place is good. But get there when it opens I think.
After watching a zillion of those things travel past my table over the years, I finally ordered the tomato soup recently. Soooooo delicious.
Are they from Southern California? If so, they should probably use this opportunity to discover the best Mexican food in the state:
Oaxaca regional: El Molino Central
Yucatan regional: Rancho Viejo
Taco Truck: La Bamba – parking lot across from the Sonoma Mission Inn, after 7pm.
Ha Mike ! Good one. No they’re from key west but he’s a chef originally from Chicago. Trust me when I tell you he’s had great Mexican food.
My wife and I just spent the weekend in Napa and picked up our daughter who was in the art camp at Oxbow school. We ate at Zuzu one night and loved it. Second night Bistro Jeanty, which was just as good as ever. It really doesn’t change, except that they have acquired a Durand that was used to open our 1981 La Conseillante! Wine and food were great. We had a half bottle of JL Vergnon Conversation Champagne which I thought was very good and not badly priced at $56. They comp a corkage with that purchase. We had plenty of wine to share with our waiters who were very happy 
Yesterday was my daughter’s 16th birthday. She loves sushi so we went to Morimoto. I don’t know if it’s worth the price overall but the sushi was excellent and a few other dishes were great (wagyu beef carpaccio!).
We also had a lunch at Angele which we like quite a bit, right next to Napa River Inn where we stayed. They serve a nice flower pot full of Frites.
^ This. Make reservations early.