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As you drive north on route 29 through California's Napa Valley you won’t have difficulty finding a great restaurant. In Yountville, at the southern end of the valley, you’ll spy French Laundry, with its exquisite nine-course tasting menu and legion of namedroppers from Santa Monica to San Francisco to New York’s Upper East Side. Continuing north into Oakville and Rutherford you’ll pass Mustards and Brix, strategically placed near the road, showcasing a steady crowd of day-buzzed wine tasters enjoying a bite as they make their way back down the valley. As you continue north you will find myriad other restaurants that warrant a visit. But if I had one night to dine in Napa Valley, all things considered, I'd go to Martini House.
Quietly removed from the traffic on route 29, Martini House exudes a kind of rustic, yet ornately lavish elegance that makes it a unique dining experience. It’s not unusual to see local winemakers—jean-clad, hands still dirty from a days work—rubbing elbows with Bay Area millionaires and chic out-of-towners, as they collectively admire the setting. The two-story building is a masterpiece on many levels, both literally and figuratively. It radiates a year-round ambiance that, with the help of its Mediterranean-style, partially shaded terrace, works as well for lunch on a hot Napa day as it does for dinner on a brisk autumn night. During the warmer months, the outside terrace can seat a large amount of people. With an awning that lets in just enough sun and a fountain than eases the senses, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better setting. But as perfect as the warm summer setting can be, there is nothing like the atelier, den-like confines of the downstairs bar area on a late November night when the fireplace serves a higher purpose than it’s lodge-like décor. As for the food, Chef Todd Humphries is nationally recognized for his delicious use of wild and foraged food. Farm raised meats, organic produce and rare local ingredients provide the backbone to a fresh, yet unique northern California dining experience. If you’re short on time or sticking to a tight budget, you can’t go wrong with a bowl of the mushroom soup, a local favorite. —Whit Cook Martini House 1245 Spring Street St. Helena, C.A. 94574 707/963-4781