As the “Wine Tasting Room Capital of the World,” the City of Napa has a lot to live up to. Fortunately, our 50-plus wine tasting rooms excel in sharing the fruit of their labor with visitors and locals alike, creating the perfect sips for every taste.
While of course Napa is well-known for wine, it’s also home to a slew of hidden gem sipping experiences ranging from cocktails infused with garden-grown ingredients to pour-over coffees rivaling Seattle’s best. Lucky for you, we’ve got the inside track on where to go for under-the-radar sipping experiences, and we’re serving up a new “Insider Sip” every month on our Instagram– be sure to follow along and save these to help plan your next Napa trip!
THE BEST PLACES TO ENJOY WINE IN NAPA
Few things are better together than great wine and music. At Benevolent Neglect, you can sit back, relax and enjoy delicious California wine while grooving to the vinyl albums available, or BYOV (Bring Your Own Vinyl) and share your favorites with the room.
Outer Space Wines is a hidden gem just off First Street, offering a laid-back mix of wine bar, bottle shop, and community hangout. Their curated selection features small-production California wines alongside unique international finds, making each visit a little different. You can drop in daily for a rotating tasting flight ($30–$40, or free with a Wine Club sign-up) or swing by Thursday and Friday evenings for lively tastings paired with snacks and conversation. Guests also love the flexibility—any bottle from the shop can be opened on-site with a small corkage fee, and Saturdays waive it altogether. With approachable events, thoughtful pours, and an easygoing vibe, Outer Space is the kind of under-the-radar spot that keeps Napa tasting fresh.
Compline Restaurant and Wine Shop is an award-winning gem in downtown Napa, recognized by USA Today as one of the top wine destinations in the country. It’s a beautifully curated tasting room where you can sip your way through a thoughtful selection of wines and pair them with inventive seasonal dishes. Whether you’re stopping by for a casual glass or lingering over dinner, it’s a place that combines great taste with a touch of Napa’s culinary flair.
NAPA’S CRAFT COCKTAIL SCENE
Combine the best of Napa Valley with a bit of Hawaiian culture and you’ve got Wilfred’s Lounge. Using fruit juice that is pressed fresh daily and syrups made from scratch, the cocktails at Wilfred’s are among the best in Napa. There’s a wide selection to choose from, but should you wish to try the Manta Ray – gin, pineapple, Jamaican rum and a whole lot more – or the Batten Down the Hatches – exotic rum blend, pineapple and more – be warned: They’re so strong, Wilfred’s insists on a limit of two per person.
Enjoy a cocktail with a view of Napa River at Napa Yard. The spacious and beautiful property, across from the Oxbow Public Market, offers several places to sit and enjoy a craft cocktail. Napa Yard features garden-to-plate menu items and garden-to-glass drinks sure to please, so if you’re in the mood for a laid-back atmosphere, this is the place.
You’ve got to check out the elegant tasting lounge at John Anthony Vineyards, right in downtown Napa. Open daily (long into the evening on weekends), it’s a great spot for a relaxing pour or to delve deeper into their elegant wine selection
FROZEN FAVORITES
Need a refreshing sip on a hot day? Gamling & McDuckstill whips up its fan-favorite frosé, a frozen rosé blend that’s both playful and perfectly refreshing. Stop by their tasting room in Napa for a cool treat and maybe a friendly greeting from their resident kitty.
Another excellent spot to cool off is The Q Restaurant & Bar. In addition to having some of the best Memphis-style barbecue around, they also own a frozen mai tai machine. While enjoying the cold goodness of this drink – or one of their wonderful cocktails or wines – pair it with selections from The Q’s menu for an enjoyable, refreshing lunch or dinner.
ALTERNATIVE BEVERAGES
You’ll find some of the freshest, all-organic fruits and vegetables at Hudson Greens & Goods, a family grocery store in Oxbow Public Market. But the grocer is also known for its Juicy Juice organic juice bar, the only one of its kind in Napa Valley. And if you drop by in the morning, you can start your day off with a delicious green juice or a nutritious breakfast smoothie.
CRAFT BREWERIES IN NAPA
Napa may be known for its wine tasting venues, but the area’s craft breweries offer an excellent alternative. Fieldwork Brewing Company, located within the Oxbow Public Market, is a perfect example. Featuring a rotating tap list of fresh releases, Fieldwork offers seasonal selections such as Blackberry Parfait, described by the brewery as “relaxing on the Gulf Coast in the salty, summer air, and smashing a bowl of blackberry cobbler covered in vanilla bean ice cream.
A GOOD CUP OF COFFEE IN NAPA
Barnhouse Napa Brews offers locally roasted coffees and a lot more. An English coffee pub, Barnhouse benefits small farms and farmers from every coffee region in California. They are also one of the only local coffee shops that offer coffee flights, which consist of four seasonal espresso drinks. Barnhouse is also known for their tea, cider, beer, seltzer and wine and a great menu of pub grub. Check out their ongoing list of live music and events every week!
Ritual Coffee Roasters in the Oxbow Public Market sources its coffees from small farmers who they are familiar with, and they’re proud to do so. They also excel in pour-overs, a special manual drip brewing method that allows for a high level of control over the results. If you’re short on time, order ahead and get your morning started right.
SIP YOUR WAY THROUGH NAPA & PLAN YOUR STAY
The City of Napa draws visitors from all over the world to experience its bounty of wine tasting rooms. But there’s so much more to do and tours that will provide a close-up look of this beautiful part of California. When you’re planning your vacation, make sure to see all that Napa has to offer. Book a few extra days at one of the nearly three-dozen hotels and inns to see as much as you can of this amazing area.
