NYC foodie visiting the Bay Area

I grew up in Napa and lived in the bay area for 22 years. My long-time favorite in the valley is the Rutherford Grille. It's on Hwy 29 between Yountville and St. Helena. Their specialty is rotisserie chicken and have fabulous ribs as well. The sides are just as good. The wild rice salad and cole slaw are to die for and the roasted artichoke appetizer is great. This has been my favorite for years. They don't take reservations, so there's usually a short wait, but it's pretty casual and they have a great bar and nice outdoor patio. This restaurant is a lot less pretentious than many of the restaurants in Napa, it is a local favorite that has withstood the test of time, with so many trendy restaurants opening and going out of business soon after.

The oyster bar at Bouchon is one of the best in the bay area. Also, Bouchon has a cafe next door to the restaurant that makes fantastic coffee and macaroons.

For lunch, my hands-down favorite is Cooks in Saint Helena. Last time I was there I had a risotto dish with scallops that I regularly fantasize about....

I ate at Redd once and was very impressed. I got the taster menu and many of the dishes were sashimi based and delicious.

Have fun! OOohhh.... can't wait to visit again.

jenniferking99 in San Francisco Bay Area