Bottega Napa Valley serves Italian food built on seasonal ingredients and house-made pastas in the heart of Yountville. Founder Michael Chiarello established the restaurant's identity, and after his passing, Alex Espinoza — who joined the kitchen in 2021 after working at Tra Vigne, Meadowood, and Peju Winery, and training at the Culinary Institute of America — became its first Executive Chef beyond the founder, adding his own dishes while keeping the restaurant's traditions intact.
General Manager Edgar Antonio, who joined in 2024 after service roles at Aubergine, The Restaurant at Meadowood, The Charter Oak, and Ciccio, oversees the floor, while Wine Director Stephen Arnold — with a background spanning Ristorante Massimo, Del Frisco's, and Wally's Wine & Spirits — runs a wine program that locals and visitors regularly point to as one of the restaurant's strongest assets.
The dining room and patio draw consistent praise for atmosphere, though guests note that service can be less consistent outdoors than inside, and that food execution doesn't always match the setting's ambition.
Napa Valley Life named Bottega among its best restaurants of 2025.
General Manager Edgar Antonio, who joined in 2024 after service roles at Aubergine, The Restaurant at Meadowood, The Charter Oak, and Ciccio, oversees the floor, while Wine Director Stephen Arnold — with a background spanning Ristorante Massimo, Del Frisco's, and Wally's Wine & Spirits — runs a wine program that locals and visitors regularly point to as one of the restaurant's strongest assets.
The dining room and patio draw consistent praise for atmosphere, though guests note that service can be less consistent outdoors than inside, and that food execution doesn't always match the setting's ambition.
Napa Valley Life named Bottega among its best restaurants of 2025.