Planning a Napa Valley Trip? Consider These Recommendations From Local Hospitality Pros.

Northern California’s Napa Valley is a sublime corner of the Golden State, especially if clients are into wine. 

Rolling hills, leafy vineyards and stunning tasting rooms welcome travelers to the region year-round. There are hundreds of wineries and more than 150 restaurants (some of which are Michelin-recognized), and that means that the hardest part of vacationing here is selecting where to eat and imbibe. Most likely, clients will explore in and around a few Napa Valley townships during a visit, including St. Helena, Calistoga, Yountville and the town of Napa itself.

To inspire travel advisors and their clients, we spoke to a few valley residents with deep ties to the area's hospitality scene. Here’s where they go themselves when they want to taste and experience the best of what the area has to offer.

Recs From Alex Espinoza of Bottega Napa Valley

Chef Alex Espinoza immigrated to California from Guatemala as a teenager; he quickly found work in restaurants and eventually landed in Napa Valley. Chef Michael Reardon was among his early mentors in the kitchen at the now-closed Tra Vigne, a beloved and influential Italian restaurant that lives on in St. Helena’s Pizzeria Tra Vigne today.

“That changed everything,” Espinoza said. “I spent the next decade at Tra Vigne. The kitchen was fast-paced and exacting, the standards high. I gradually moved through the ranks while absorbing the mechanics of a serious restaurant operation.”

Espinoza recalls Tra Vigne as “a gathering place for Napa’s vintners, growers and visiting chefs.” From there, he went to other respected kitchens, including Peju Winery, where farm-driven cooking shined and he served guests such as Jacques Pepin and Masaharu Morimoto. Today, he is executive chef of Yountville’s award-winning Bottega Napa Valley, where he says diners will find “soulful, boundary-pushing Italian cuisine inspired by California’s seasonal bounty.” 

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When he’s not at work, Ellman Estate Winery is among Espinoza’s favorite local stops; the winery boasts beautiful vineyard views, a rhino statue (a nod to the owners’ South African roots) and “a new state-of-the-art kitchen that would make any chef envious.” For dinner, he and his family like sushi restaurant Morimoto Napa; for breakfast, they head to Nosh Napa for buttermilk pancakes.

Beyond dining out, biking the kid-friendly (and car-free) Napa Valley Vine Trail is a regular activity on their calendar (visitors can rent bikes via Napa Valley Bike Tours), and for relaxation and some bocce ball, Espinoza recommends The Spa at Solage, where day passes are available for anyone not staying at the hotel.

Recs From Chris Kajani of Bouchaine Vineyards

Napa native Chris Kajani grew up riding horses through the region’s famous vineyards. She studied biological sciences at UC Davis, worked in biotech and traveled through Europe’s wine regions before returning home to pursue a career in wine. Today, she is president and winemaker of Bouchaine Vineyards; she joined the team in 2015.

Set on 85 acres just 10 minutes from downtown Napa, Bouchaine Vineyards makes around 20 different wines, including cool-climate chardonnays, pinot noirs and syrahs. Vineyard tours and interactive onsite activities, such as falconry in the garden, help guests explore the property. Later this year, Bouchaine will debut a wine cave for tastings and private events. 

For a good sip away from her worksite, Kajani likes Domaine Carneros for sparking wines; Hyde Vineyards for wines from “some of the most coveted fruit across Napa Valley;” Davis Estates for fabulous food and wine pairings; and Saintsbury Winery, where she was the winemaker for years. For a delicious bite, try sandwiches from Loveski Deli in Oxbow Public Market, breakfast biscuits from Contimo Provisions (best enjoyed while strolling along the Napa River, she says) or a plate of fritto misto from Bistro Don Giovanni. And dining at Bear, a restaurant at Auberge property Stanly Ranch, is a must, according to Kajani.

Another tip?

“Many wineries, including Bouchaine, are dog friendly, so bring your pup,” she says. “And if you want to work up a good sweat, there is no shortage of pickleball courts in Napa, so pack your paddle.”

Recs From Jeff Cole of Sullivan Rutherford Estate 

Jeff Cole spent his youth in Yountville without any connection to wine. “I didn’t grow up romanticizing it,” he says. However, while studying at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Cole “got pulled into” the wine and viticulture program and never looked back. Post-graduation, he returned to Napa, spent seven years at Schramsberg Vineyards and Davies Vineyards and then took over winemaking at Sullivan Rutherford Estate in 2013, where he is currently head winemaker.

“I’ve been here over a decade now, and what’s been most rewarding isn’t just making wine, it’s building something, watching the estate evolve, pushing it forward and redefining what it can be,” Cole said. “We’re fully estate-driven, which means we’re not chasing fruit, we’re living with it. We farm it, we understand it and we make decisions from the ground up, which allows us to be intentional about everything.”

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Cole says that the estate has built its “identity around doing things differently, especially with merlot.” Other wineries doing exceptional things include La Jota Vineyard, Impensata Wine and Blankiet Estate, he says. To “learn something while you drink,” Cole points travelers to Compline in downtown Napa.

For food, Cole's top spots include Winston’s Napa for breakfast, Taqueria Michoacan’s taco truck or Tannya’s Taqueria for lunch and The Charter Oak Restaurant or Cole’s Chop House for dinner. Cafe and bakery Under-Study is newer to the Napa scene and gets Cole’s nod for coffee and a pastry; cooking classes are being rolled out at the venue, too. For an extraordinary overnight experience, check out Sttupa Estate, a five-room inn with sweeping valley views.

Recs From Todd Graff of Frank Family Vineyards

Raised in nearby Petaluma, Todd Graff has dedicated decades of his life to wine, even spending time in the vineyards of Germany’s Mosel Valley, Australia’s Hunter Valley and Bordeaux, France. He joined Frank Family Vineyards in 2003, where he is now senior winemaker and general manager. 

“What makes Frank Family special is the combination of exceptional estate vineyards — many of which I helped acquire — and the experiences at our tasting room in Calistoga that we’ve created around our wines,” Graff said. “The winery has built a reputation for some of the friendliest hospitality in Napa Valley; our culture of hospitality stems from our founder, Rich Frank, [who was] president of Walt Disney Studios. No one is a customer; everyone is a guest.” 

While he is regularly sampling Frank Family varietals, Graff has a few local places that draw him in for repeat visits. There’s Schramsberg Vineyards, which offers tours of the estate’s hand-dug, candlelit caves, and the historic (and impressive) manor house at Stags’ Leap Winery. To burn off some energy, he seconds going for a spin on the Napa Valley Vine Trail, and adds that hiking in Bothe State Park is lovely, too.

Ultimately, balancing the day is key.

“Don’t try to do too much in one day,” Graff said. “Eat good meals, relax and explore nature as much as the wineries. Watch the sunset from the terrace at Auberge with a glass of sparkling wine in hand. This balance is what makes Napa special.”