Crazy for Cocktails To-Go

BY FRAN MILLER

Gran Electrica's Margarita Electricas

The past several months have necessitated innovation within the hospitality industry. No more so than for restaurants and bars, the clientele of which seeks not only a cold beverage and a tasty meal, but also a sense of community. Many of Napa Valley’s eateries answered the communal call for camaraderie by converting their signature cocktails to ‘to-go’ status, allowing customers to carry-out and recreate the restaurant/bar experience at home.

Some eateries scrambled to design their to-go programs while others slid easily into the batching groove. But one thing was and is clear: these restaurants created much more than tasty concoctions. Their creativity helped to buoy spirits and to generate and sustain solidarity within the Valley by offering not only creative thirst quenchers, but a means of connection. Here are a few proclaimed most popular by thirsty locals and visitors.

At Gran Electrica, the Margarita Electrica is a perpetual hit. “It is our classic margarita, and we’ve been told that it packs a mean punch!” said proprietor Tamer Hamawi. “It was super popular from the get-go, and we have sold thousands at this point. The recipe is easy and classic, featuring fine tequila, dry Triple Sec, and fresh-squeezed lime juice, all sweetened with a bit of organic agave nectar. “We bottle in-house and found the 12oz bottle to be the perfect size to make two generous margaritas,” added Hamawi. “We seal it with a tamper-evident hot pink lid (to match our interior color palette) and label it with a day of the dead sugar skull sticker. We also provide instructions on how best to serve.” // granelectra.com

The ‘Heritage Cocktail Program’ that Heritage Eats launched earlier this spring turned out to be a pleasant surprise for the

Eiko's Cosmo to Go

family-owned, fast-fine restaurant. “We have never really dabbled too much in cocktails,” said founder and owner Ali Koenig. “However, Charles, our talented general manager, has an extensive background in all things food and beverage, and he was able to use his creativity to come up with some super delicious options for us. We have been pleased by the reception and are excited to evolve the program as time goes on. Like Gran Electrica, margaritas are the hit at Heritage Eats. Their simple recipe of agave wine, Triple Sec, lime juice, and agave syrup yields a tart yet balanced drink served best over ice and alongside an order of Heritage Eats tacos. All of Heritage Eats cocktails (mai tai, red sangria, white sangria, and margarita) are sold by the quart. // heritageeats.com

“Our most popular cocktail at Eiko’s is our Eiko’s Cosmo,” said Eiko’s general manager Allison Halum. The drink is made with signature dragon fruit vodka, lime juice, cranberry

Tre Posti Margaritas To Go

juice, and elderflower liqueur, and for the to-go version, the drink’s fabulous violetflavored, purple sparkled rim shimmer is served on the side for self-application at home. “At Napa Noodles, our go-to is either the Frosé (made with Butternut Rosé, Hanger One Rosé Vodka, and Kelvin Organic Frosé Mix) or our signature Spicy Mango Margarita (made with Tanteo Habanero Tequila, Triple Sec, mango puree, house-made Sweet & Sour, and a splash of orange juice).” // eikosnapa.com // napanoodles.com

While all of Tarla Grill’s cocktails are available for take-out, customers particularly favor two of the Mediterranean hot-spots concoctions: the bespoke Spanish Sangria (made with Rioja, St. Supéry Brandy, fresh fruits, and Mediterranean spices), and the classic Bloody Mary. Their cocktail menu pairs well with their popular menu which features tapas, delicious Mediterranean entrées, and daily chef specials. // tarlagrill.com

AVOW's Lavender Lemonade

Yet again, margaritas rule at Tre Posti, where varied flavor options include watermelon, prickly pear, cucumber, strawberry, and pineapple, to name a few. “Our margaritas are the perfect pairing with our

Curbside Lunch, Weekend Chef’s Market, or dinner menu offerings,” said Kimmie Husted of Tre Posti Events & Catering. “We’ve been so fortunate to have many of our local customers visit us weekly to enjoy our latest creations, especially on Taco Tuesday!” Tre Posti packages its margaritas in either reusable beverage bottles or in a deconstructed format allowing guests to mix their own at home. // treposti.com

The best-seller at AVOW is their Lavender Roof Top Lemonade, made with lavender-infused syrup, freshly squeezed lemon and lime juices, Triple Sec, and vodka. “Our to-go cocktail program has been great!” said AVOW’s executive chef Mike Williams. “It has given our staff both a creative outlet as well as a challenge to create a cocktail that can be easily enjoyed at home while still keeping that same handcrafted feel one would get while dining at AVOW.” // avownapa.com

The Girlfriend, featuring Barr Hill Honey Gin, house-made lavender syrup, fresh organic lemon juice, and Cocchi Barolo Chinato Sweet Vermouth, has been Ca’ Momi Osteria’s favored go-to and to-go cocktail since it made its debut back in 2015. “Whether enjoyed with dinner, while dancing, or social distancing at home, it has become everyone’s favorite garden-to-glass cocktail with a refreshing profile of lavender and citrus,” said Fabiola Watson, Ca’ Momi Osteria’s creative manager. “Each of our heartcrafted cocktails contains all-natural ingredients, and all of them are available for take-out or delivery. Each cocktail is packaged in a glass jar so one can simply add ice, shake and enjoy. // camomi.com

 BY ELIZABETH SMITH

Early immigrants to the Napa Valley include Italians and Swiss-Italians, who arrived in Napa County as early as the 1860s and whose immigration here continued for many decades. This history, combined with the Napa Valley wine industry, the availability of fresh, local, organic ingredients, and chefs with decades of experience, it is apt that many of Napa Valley’s most popular restaurants focus on pizza and other Italianinspired dishes.

Foodshed Pizza Line up Photo courtesy of FoodShed

Whether it be a Roman-style crust, a traditional family dough recipe, house-cured meats, or unique toppings such as salad or fried eggs, there is an abundance of pizza options with compelling allure. Below is a list of some local favorites.

Cynthia and Michael Gyetvan, borrowing money from family, opened the original Azzurro Pizzeria e Enoteca at Second and Franklin Streets in 2001 which eventually relocated to its larger, current location on Main Street in 2008. Michael, a graduate of The Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park, brings with him over 30 years of experience as a chef, while Cynthia manages the business. What makes Azzurro different from other pizza restaurants is the dough, which has evolved over the years into what it is today. It is made daily with organic 00 flour, yeast, olive oil, salt, and Napa water. Customers rave about the pizza menu, which has not changed since the restaurant’s inception in 2001. Specialties include Manciata – pizza crust with a salad on top – a seasonal Pie of the Day, Create your Own Pasta (for adults and children), and other customer favorites like the Margherita and Formaggio pizzas, roasted beets, baked rigatoni, and Caesar salad. Azzurro also offers both glutenfree dough and pasta. // 1260 Main St., Napa // www.azzurropizzeria.com

Downtown Napa’s Ca’ Momi Osteria coins itself as “built on Napa Valley soil, but rooted in soulful Italian tradition.”

Photo courtesy of Azzurro Pizzeria E Enoteca

Founders Valentina Guolo-Migotto, Dario De Conti, and Stefano Migotto developed the winery of the same name in 2006, the Enoteca in 2010, then the restaurant in 2015. Ca’ Momi prides itself on “heartcrafted” cuisine made with local organic ingredients with authentic Italian flavors, preparation, and presentation. The restaurant makes pizza according to Vera Pizza Napoletana guidelines, which means it is cooked for 90 seconds in a 900-degree wood-burning stove. Ca’ Momi is one of the few restaurants in the United States to carry the Verace Pizza Napoletana, Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, and Ospitalitầ Italiana certifications. House specialties include the Pizza Porchetta e Rucola, the Organic Pizza Margherita DOP, and You had me at Pizza! Dinner, which includes burrata and verdure, two pizza choices, a salad, and dessert with portions for two to eight people. Glutenfree crust and flatbread are available, as are vegan options. // 1141 First St, Napa // www.camomiosteria.com

In 2020, Fazerrati’s Pizza, which locals affectionally call Fazi’s, celebrates its 30th anniversary. Napa native and owner, Troy Cary, began at the restaurant in 1990 as a delivery driver and worked his way to serve as general manager 1995. In 2010, he and his wife, Denise, purchased the restaurant from founder John Johnston. The Carys, along with daughter Chelsie Blakley, ensure that this fun, old-school Napa pizza parlor in the River Park Shopping Center, where locals frequently get together to watch sports, stays true to its classic roots. Their pizza dough is made using spring wheat flour from the Midwest, which is cool fermented 24 to 48 hours, hand-rolled, and baked in a revolving-deck pizza oven. The restaurant uses fresh, local ingredients, such as Salinas Valley tomatoes and mozzarella. “We teach our pizza makers to create each pizza with pride as though it were for their best friend,” said Cary. Fazerrati’s offers 16 different pizzas, including the customer favorite, Real Italian – the restaurant’s version of Margherita – as well as Fazerrati’s Supreme, The Ragin’ Cajun, the Create Your Own. // 1517 W. Imola Ave., Napa // www.fazerratispizza.com

The history of what is now known as Filippi’s Pizza Grotto is more 70 years old. The story began when Italianborn Vincent DePhilippis and his Frenchborn wife, Madeleine Manfredi, arrived in the United States in 1922. They later met in New York, married in 1925, moved to San Diego in 1947, and in 1950, opened their first Italian restaurant. Today there are 15 family-owned and operated Filippi’s Pizza Grotto restaurants. Thomas Finch, who brings his longtime chef and culinary experience from the Four Seasons Clift Hotel and Marriott International, opened Napa’s restaurant in March 2005. It is known for its pizza pie – a crust filled with a variety of ingredients and spices, then covered with mozzarella and baked in a brick oven – as well as its garlic knots, lasagna, and meatballs. A local customer favorite is The Italian Feast for Two, which includes a pizza, two house salads, two plates of pasta, and house-made focaccia. Gluten-free options are available. // 635 First St., Napa // www.realcheesepizza.com

Foodshed Take Away is the latest project of Napa natives, high school classmates, and longtime culinary stars, Giovanni Guerrera and Sean Pramuk. Guerrera was living and

working in Rome, Italy, when he conceived the idea of a sustainable, community restaurant and teaching kitchen that focuses on what the Napa Valley has to offer in terms of agricultural, natural, and human resources. What makes the restaurant’s pizza unique is its doughmaking, inspired by Roman street food pizza, a 48-hour fermentation process that creates a crunchy and chewy sourdough crust. The house specialties are the restaurant’s burrata cheese pizza with tomato, olive oil, and oregano and its pepperoni pizza with tomato, fresh mozzarella, roasted fennel, and red onion. Foodshed also offers a variety of dishes like soups, salads, sandwiches, pasta, and packaged meals to go along with a wine-bar and bottle shop with over 100 wines. Gluten-free and vegan menu items are available. // 3385 Old California Way, Napa // www.foodshedpizza.org

Pizzeria Tra Vigne and Restaurant, under the helm of managing partner, Cynthia

Bistro Don Giovanni www.bistrodongiovanni.com Ciccio www.ciccionapavalley.com Live Fire Pizza www.livefireoxbow.com Mary’s Pizza Shack www.maryspizzashack.com Oenotri www.oenotri.com Papa Joe’s Pizza www.papajoespizzaca.com That Pizza Place www.sthelenapizza.com The Forge Pizza www.theforgepizza.com

Fazerrati's Pizza // Photo by Valentín Atayde

Ariosta, and chef Anthony “Nash” Cognetti, is a St. Helena Main Street “community staple,” having served locals and tourists for over 25 years. It is the restaurant’s sourdough pizza crust, an ode to San Francisco, which distinguishes it from other pizza restaurants. The crust is made more like bread than pizza dough, going through a multiday fermentation process that gives it a characteristic sourdough tartness while remaining both crispy and chewy. Piadine, another customer favorite, is made from pizza crust topped with sauces and salads. The menu includes salads, pasta, sandwiches, and its irresistible Original Mozzarella “al Minuto” – hot and briny, hand-pulled mozzarella served with grilled garlic bruschetta, olive oil, and rosemary – a favorite menu item obtained from the former Tra Vigne Restaurant that closed in 2015. Vegan and gluten-free options are available. Tra Vigne’s patio is popular for outdoor dining and their daily 7-0-7 happy hours with daily drink specials and $1 oysters on the half shell. // 1016 Main St., St. Helena // www.pizzeriatravigne.com