Why Take a Food & Wine Tour?
One of the hardest parts of planning a trip to Napa Valley is narrowing down all the wonderful options to fit into the amount of time you have to spend in the area. Which wineries are the best? What restaurants do the locals love? Where is the best place to stay? (If you’ve been a guest at the Wine Way Inn or Craftsman Inn, you already know the answer to that!) One great way to solve this problem is to sign up to take a tour. Local experts will guide you through the best-of-the-best, offering context and history to each stop. The St. Helena Food and Wine Tour is a favorite of ours and will make you an area expert in no time!
St. Helena Food & Wine Tour Has It All
The St. Helena Food and Wine Tour is listed as one of U.S. News and World Report’s Best Foodie Tours in the United States, and it’s easy to see why. It combines the best of walking tours with food and wine tours for one complete package. It lasts approximately 3.5 hours and will take you on an easy walk down Main Street St. Helena.
The Itinerary
The tour starts at Clif Family Winery for a brunch experience and wine tasting. Does “Clif Bar” sound familiar? That’s right, the same family that brought you the organic energy bar is also the one who runs this family winery. On this stop of the tour, you’ll get a history of the family and the winery as well as organic jams, nuts, and honey to pair with your wine. Talk about farm-fresh!
The next stop on this journey is the highly-rated Goose and Gander restaurant. This romantic restaurant is famous for their mushroom soup. So sip on a crisp wine or an award-winning cocktail and savor the crave-worthy soup. If the weather is good you can enjoy their koi pond outside on the patio.
Next stop: Model Bakery for their famous English muffins and other pastries, breads, and cookies. If you’re lucky, and the bakery isn’t too busy, you may even be able to tour the back kitchen and see their 1800’s bread ovens still in use!
Olivier’s is the stop for sampling locally sourced olive oils, vinegars, and other unique sauces. Try the chocolate spreads for some sweetness or the mustard spreads for tanginess. It’s a quaint little shop that you won’t’ want to leave!
From Olivier’s, you’ll go to Archetype, a farm-to-table restaurant with offerings of the best of Napa Valley wines. This restaurant serves creative dishes that are grown and harvested in a responsible manner. It’s the perfect stop before dessert!
It’s not over till you try some gourmet desserts at Woodhouse Chocolates! This little candy shop offers delectable handmade bites to suit any palate. Their tried-and-true flavors, as well as their seasonal collections, will have your mouth watering for more.
Plan Your Trip
St. Helena is just down the road from the Wine Way Inn and Craftsman Inn. It’s also home to a branch campus of the Culinary Institute of America, so you know you’re going to get good eats! Rest your weary feet after your walking tour with a stay at our inns. Better yet—let us arrange a private massage for a truly luxurious day! Book now!
