What’s New at Napa’s Silverado Resort

Maybe it was all the rose I was drinking, but as I stood in the Chef’s Garden of Silverado Resort in Napa Valley, California, on a sunny day in June, I couldn’t help but laugh as Patrick Prager, the resort’s executive chef, shared that he had mostly decided which tomatoes to grow based on the amusement factor of their names. I could hardly blame him once I learned that heirloom tomato varieties are called everything from “blue beauty” and “Arkansas traveler” to “atomic fusion,” “boxcar Willie” and even more outrageous identifiers.  

For the moment, Prager is mostly experimenting to see what will grow well in the property’s new 6,000-square-foot organic garden. Other produce planted for the summer season included hot and sweet peppers, a variety of citrus fruits, herbs, squash, edible flowers and strawberries.

Encouraged by Prager, I plucked a vibrant red strawberry (possibly the sweetest one I’ve ever had) and a handful of other items for a taste as he led our small group around the garden, wine glasses in hand. 

Foodie Fun

There’s good news for food-enthralled visitors like me: This experience can be replicated with the new Garden Hour – Sip and Savor With Chef tour, now offered every Friday. For $45 per person, guests can take a chef-led tour of the garden, paired with a small bite and a glass of local Napa wine or a cocktail inspired by the setting.  

Adding the property’s garden has also inspired Silverado’s new, twice-monthly Chef’s Garden Brunch, kicking off on Aug. 4 and running through Oct. 20, 2024. Held every other Sunday, the brunch is served family-style amid the blooms and bounty of the garden, featuring fresh, seasonal dishes both sweet and savory (it runs $100 per person). The Aug. 4 menu, for example, includes a summer vegetable quiche, three varieties of salad (tri-tip, caprese and Caesar), preserved lemon tart, stone fruit crostata and more. 

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The new food experiences complement Silverado’s existing lineup of dining options, including its main restaurant, The Grill, which serves Napa-inspired fare for breakfast, lunch, dinner and weekend brunch; and Forno Pizza at The Market, a casual outdoor setup for classic and unique pies (everything from a margherita and burrata option to one topped with prosciutto, strawberry, arugula, balsamic and brie). Forno is adjacent to the Market & Bakery, with grab-and-go coffee, pastries, salads, sandwiches, burritos and more. And Silverado’s pastry chef is doing some solid work there that’s worth checking out; I had a scone studded with smoked cheddar and crispy prosciutto, warmed to order, that made me wish I had time to taste more from the menu.

I’d also recommend that visitors stop for small bites at the Mansion Bar & Terrace, which overlooks the property’s golf course for a particularly scenic cocktail hour. Here, guests can pair a glass of wine or a signature cocktail with house-made tater tots (topped with trout roe and fennel pollen), truffle popcorn, chicken wings with house-made hot sauce and more.

Recent Renovations and Upcoming Plans

The Mansion Bar is also worth a callout for its stunning new design, as one of several recently renovated spaces around the resort. The modern new vibe features just enough pattern to be eye-catching — but not distracting — and the space feels cozy and welcoming without sacrificing its chic factor.

Improvements were also made to The Grill, which got a refresh and upgraded kitchen equipment in April 2024. Investments in the property’s golf courses, meanwhile, include path replacement (completed in May) and the 2023 addition of a new fleet of energy-efficient golf carts, along with an upgraded driving range. The spa also saw refurbished public areas and treatment rooms in March 2023, and the 30,000-square-foot event center got a renovation this past January.

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Up next, Silverado is planning a guestroom renovation (spacious accommodations already feature separate bedrooms and living areas, as well as kitchens) that will take place in phases from December through April to modernize interior furnishings, design and decor. There are also plans for a refresh of The Grove, a stunning and popular outdoor space for on-property weddings. 

Spa and Sports 

While not new, Silverado’s spa and a lineup of active on-site pursuits remain top draws of the resort.

During my massage at Napa Spa at Silverado, my super-knowledgeable masseur identified my problem areas, explained his proposed approach to tackling them and then proceeded to effectively loosen my tight muscles with a targeted strategy that provided more relief than most other massages I’ve had (however enjoyable they still were). Spa guests can book any number of other treatments — from facials and peels to body scrubs and wraps — and make use of a sauna, a steam room, a whirlpool, a spa pool and Boost Cafe for smoothies and healthy bites.

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The property’s sprawling, 1,200-acre footprint also includes its two popular golf courses, the challenging North Course and the more casual South Course, set against the beautiful backdrop of Napa Valley scenery. 

Then, there are the racquet sports: specifically, nine courts for tennis and three for pickleball. Clients like me — I hadn’t picked up a racquet of any kind in over a decade prior to my June visit — may benefit from a lesson in either sport, especially if they haven’t yet jumped on the pickleball trend. My instructors in each were top-notch, helping me refine my rusty tennis skills and building my pickleball game from the ground up.

Both were great fun in the end, not to mention a killer workout — I was sore, but satisfied, by the end of the day, certain I had earned a glass (or two) of delicious Napa Valley wine out on the Mansion Bar’s patio.