Bargain dining in Napa

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San Francisco Bay Area

Options for less expensive eats in the Napa Valley from small mom and pops to happy hour and prix fix meals at some of the best restaurants in the valley For more ideas, here's a SF Chronicle article <A href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/07/29/TR4ER8FTK3.DTL" hasbox="2">Napa for Nada</A>

1. Brix
7377 St. Helena Highway, Napa, CA 94558

Enjoy dishes by top notch chef Anne Gingrass-Palick in a restaurant with a beautiful vineyard view. At Happy Hour Mon-Fri the bar menu is half price and hearty. There is also a three course Sunday Supper for $29
2. Oxbow Public Market
610 First Street, Napa, CA 94559

Think of this as an upscale food court. There are a half dozen small restaurants where you order at the counter and find a table or sit on the lovely patio overlooking the Napa River. Tuesday night is locals night with many places offering additional discounts There are dollar oysters during happy hour at Hog Island Oyster Some of the best roast chicken and wonderful porchetta sandwiches are at Rotisario Another great porchetta sandwich is at Fatted Calf Pico Pico offers Argentinian sandwiches Model Bakery offers sandwiches and salads. Get there in the morning and they are half price on yesterdays's lunch items with a great deal on bags of baked goods
3. La Mixteca
2580 Jefferson St, Napa, CA 94558

This restaurant has regional Mexican specialties on the week-ends. Ignore the standard Mexican food and look for the specials such as chile ajo de puerco, suardo, tostada de tinga
4. Buster's BBQ
1207 Foothill Blvd, Calistoga, CA 94515

Let delicous aroma from the clouds of smoke drifting across the road from meat on the grill be your guide. The sweet potato pie from a family recipe is a don't miss.
5. Cuvee Restaurant
1650 Soscol Ave, Napa, CA 94559

Every day from 4-7 half price wine, coctails and bar menu items such as fried calamari and riblettes
6. Ristorante Allegria
1026 First Street, Napa, CA 94559

From the <A href="http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2008/12/05/wine/corshen/doc49388569d22e0826828900.txt" hasbox="2">NapaValley Register</A> "between the hours of 4-6 p.m., Monday through Thursday or for the weekend Happy Hour Friday, Saturday and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. There are wonderful items to choose from their menu. Maybe you feel like a big juicy Kobe burger ($8), or a crab cake with side salad ($5) or their signature warm cabbage salad with roast chicken ($3)"
7. Soscol Cafe
632 Soscol Ave, Napa, CA 94559

A no-frills, bare-bones, tiny diner where Javier Ceja, former sous chef at Meadowood, serves omelettes and other hearty workingman's breakfast: good quality, big portions, and huevos rancheros with black beans come highly recommended.
8. Red Rock Cafe
1010 Lincoln Ave, Napa, CA 94558

The tour books all list Taylor's Refresher as a good bargain bite. I found the burger over-priced and mediocre. A better burger according to Chowhound reports might be found at this restaurant also known as Red Rock Back Door BBQ.