Laid out in 1848 along a riverfront at the southern gateway to the wine country, Napa should have long ago blossomed into a premier tourist destination. As recently as five years, ago, however, there were so few enticements in town that most of the six million people who visit the Napa Valley every year more or less shunned the county seat in favor of more charming “upvalley” destinations
But after Copia opened in November 2001, the tide began to shift. Napa is in the midst of a long-overdue renaissance. New hotels, inns, restaurants and wine-tasting rooms have opened downtown, providing services for visitors lured by such attractions as Copia and the Napa Valley Opera House. An 1880 landmark that had to be saved from the wrecking ball a century later, the opera house is only one of hundreds of the restored historic buildings that now make downtown Napa an architectural showcase.
The rehab craze extends to residential buildings as well as commercial ones. Throughout downtown Napa you can see myriad architectural styles including Victorian Gothic, Spanish Colonial, Classical Revival, Art Deco and Craftsman.
Several tasting rooms have opened in historic downtown buildings. In the 1888 Seminole Building, the Bounty Hunter (975 First St. 800-943-9463) sells cult wines by the bottle and dozens more by the glass. Lunch choices are on the light side but typical dinner entrees include baby back ribs and grilled, free-range steaks with Point Reyes blue cheese and bacon wrapped shrimp.
The Vintner’s Collective occupies a renovated landmark that is the town’s oldest stone building. Its colorful past includes duty as a brewery in 1875 and then a salon and then a brothel in the 1890s and, during Prohibition, the Sam Key Laundry. Today, visitors can sample from 18 small-production wineries.
Downtown Napa offers a variety of restaurant options. Two years ago, the popular, eclectic Celadon relocated to the Napa Mill complex. (500 Main St.; 707-254-9690). Recommended dishes include the calamari and mussels for starters and the Moroccan lamb shank for an entrée. In the same complex, the Napa General Store is a specialty market, café and wine bar, with seating both indoors and outdoors overlooking the river.
Pearl’s, operated by the couple who used to run the old Diner in Yountville, serves American comfort entrees and Mexican- and Asian-inspired dishes at moderate prices. (1339 Pearl St.; 707-224-9161).
The décor and cuisine are more upscale at the elegant Pilar, where a small menu may include wild mushroom lasagna with Bellwether Farms ricotta and crescenza, grilled hanger steak, or a golden bouillabaisse. (807 Main St.; 707-252-4474)
Zuzu, a pioneer in the downtown revitalization, is known for imaginative tapas and an international wine list in a cozy, lively setting. (829 Main St.; 224-8555)
Having enjoyed dinner in Napa, you will resume your trip back to San Francisco »
"Hidden Wine Country" by Marty Olmstead and Ray Riegert (Ulysses Press,
Berkeley, 3d edition, 2003). Olmstead is also the author of other travel books as well as the "California Directory of Fine Wineries", all of which are available on Amazon.com.
| The article on this page is adapted from guidebooks written by Karen Misuraca, the author of Our San Francisco, Fun With the Family in Northern California, and other travel books. Available for purchase on Amazon. |  |