Napoli Pizzeria

from Readers' Choice 2023

Winery

Napoli Pizzeria opened in 1968 in Vallejo and expanded in 2002 to Vacaville, in the process making a name for itself as the best pizza joint in Solano County.

That designation – Best Pizza – was affirmed in the Daily Republic’s 2023 Readers’ Choice survey.

Owners Michael and Tiffany Guerrera describe Napoli Pizzeria as a family owned Italian restaurant that specializes in making great pizza for great people.

Antonio Guerrera moved to America in the early 1960s and purchased the original Napoli on Tennessee Street in Vallejo. With the help of his wife, Jean, and their sons, Napoli grew to become a local favorite in the North East Bay, specializing in made-fromscratch ravioli, minestrone, lasagna, sauces and dressings.

“We house-spice our own chicken and sausage and our salads are fresh and crisp using the finest local ingredients,” the owners say.

Michael and Tiffany Guerrera brought Napoli to Vacaville in 2002 and have won Best Pizza in Vacaville on many occasions. Opening just months after 9/11, they worked long hours while raising a family and were able to not only survive but thrive during traumatic times that include the housing crisis, recession and amid Covid-19 shutdowns and directives.

“This win, from the Daily Republic, is especially meaningful. To be voted by so many people outside of our immediate ZIP code and delivery zone is an incredible honor that we do not take for granted,” Michael and Tiffany Guerrera say. “Our staff is responsible for much of our success. Most of our team has been with us since before the pandemic and their hard work and tireless effort in the face of global distress and insecure workforce makes them our greatest asset. We could not do what we know and love without our team and guests, whom we consider part of our family, and are grateful to serve.”

Napoli Pizzeria focuses on freshly prepared and slow cooked Italian-American comfort food served in a clean, comfortable, family friendly environment.

“Full service is our specialty and we love to take care of our guests’ needs,” the owners say. “Our attention is in the details.”

Michael and Tiffany Guerrera say the quality of their ingredients factors into why they were voted the best in their category.

“Our dough is scratch-made and hand tossed daily. Our meats are locally sourced (Milan Salami, Oakland), and several are spiced in-house. We only use the finest dairy – mozzarella and parmesan (grated fresh daily), ricotta, feta, etc.,” they say. “We offer gluten-free and vegan options. Our vast array of veggies are cut fresh daily. There is a lot of time and effort put into each pie. We think the difference comes across in the taste. People are savvy about food nowadays and they appreciate quality; I think they know when food is well made. We keep our menu focused on pizza, pasta, salads and soup for these reasons. Everything is homemade. We focus on what we do well, and do it well.”

The Guerreras give credit to their team for helping Napoli separate itself from its competitors. That, and its whole-family approach to service.

“When you dine with us, we want you to feel like you’re home, that you’re being taken care of. We are not a fast-casual organization and we don’t really want to be,” they say. “We try to be benevolent in all that we do and support our local seniors, schools, clubs and youth sports throughout the year.”

Napoli during the pandemic donated 20 quarts of soup each week to local seniors who were housebound due to the pandemic.

“We bought and donated freshly squeezed juice from True Roots (and our delicious pizza, of course) to our local firefighters as they fought to save our town,” they say. “Kids are people too at Napoli, and we like to set them up with color sheets, stickers, an after meal ‘treat’ and even dough to play with while the family dines in. Little things like

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday and Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday

PHONE: 707-446-9420

WEBSITE: napolipizzavacaville.com this make all the difference when you’re trying to dine out as a family with young children.

Napoli employs all of its own drivers rather than making use of a third-party system in which the money goes to that entity instead of staying in the community. “Our drivers care about our product and our customers. That means everything to us,” the Guerreras say.

RUNNERS-UP: Evelyn’s Big Italian Pizzeria and Ristorante; Vicini’s New York City Pizzeria

Slanted Tree

& Taproom

Owners Julio, Cesar and Rodrigo Montanez opened Slanted Tree Kitchen & Taproom in 2016 and have taken great strides to build a base of customer loyalty that translated into three wins in the Daily Republic’s 2023 Readers’ Choice balloting.

Among them: Best Fries in Solano County.

Slanted Tree Kitchen & Taproom is a full service restaurant, bar and tap room that serves lunch and dinner every day plus brunch on the weekends. Slanted Tree features 11 giant screen televisions located throughout the restaurant and bar for televised sports.

The focus of the Montanezes is to serve elevated pub food in a comfortable, entertaining and fun place for guests.

Slanted Tree won Best Fries and Best Lunch and was a runner-up for Best Brunch and Best Burger based on the work of the kitchen team, who have a gift and passion for the work they do.

They want to deliver great food day in and day out,” the Montanezes say. “It’s rewarding to them to know and see customers leave happy, impressed and wanting to come back again.”

Management encourages them to continue to grow and deliver a quality product at all times regardless of costs or circumstances, the Montanezes say.

The kitchen team is what makes Slanted Tree stand out. The kitchen team is not restricted like franchises or some corporate businesses, the Montanezes say. They’re encouraged to be creative and provide guests with food, quality and presentation that you wouldn’t normally find at a typical tap room or pub.

“We want our customers to see and taste our food and say, ‘Wow, that’s delicious,’ ‘That looks delicious,’ ‘I wouldn’t expect a tap room or pub to be providing such high-quality and delicious food,’ “ the Montanezes say.

The ambiance is warm and comfortable.

“Time and attention has gone into everything we’ve done from what type of music plays at certain times and days to the wood and rustic decor that is found throughout the entire restaurant,” the Montanezes say.

RUNNERS-UP: Five Guys; McDonald’s

Slanted Tree Kitchen & Taproom

Among them: Best Bar/Cocktail Lounge in Solano County.

How does Slanted Tree stand out from among its competitors?

“We have a team and leaders who are striving to provide the best possible product for our customers. Our buyers first study and research craft beers and whiskeys to know what to look for,” the Montanezes say. “Then negotiate and plead plenty with vendors for us to have one of the most impressive, most sought-after draft beers and whiskeys list our customers can find that includes (just to name a few) craft beers from Russian River Brewing, Fieldwork, Bell’s Brewing and whiskeys like Boss Hog, Blanton’s, Weller’s.”

How does Slanted Tree stand out from among its competitors?

“Our ambiance is very warm and comfortable, the Montanezes say. That though is consistent with customer reviews.

“Searching for a local spot in the area and came across The Slanted Tree,” one customer wrote. Friendly staff, great service, atmosphere, food, and overall experience. Great place to hang out, bring the family or go out on a date. This place will not disappoint.”

“This is one of my go-to places for the food and casual vibe,” another customer wrote.

“I’ve been here a few times and had a great experience each time,” another customer wrote. “Good drinks, good food and super friendly staff. I highly recommend this place.”

RUNNERS-UP: Green River Brewery and Tap Room; Two60 Kitchen + Bar

Slanted Tree Kitchen & Taproom

Among them: Best Tap Room in Solano County.

The Montanezes say being nominated for Best Tap Room is a result of the entire team’s efforts: servers providing exceptional customer service, the kitchen team providing quality product, management and everyone else keeping the business supplied, on track and looking good every day.

“Plus having the best local community behind us and cheering us on,” the Montanezes say. “Blessed.”

How does Slanted Tree stand out from among its competitors?

“Most importantly, we have the best customers who truly have supported us since the first day we opened, through the Covid shutdown and are still here with us today.”

Customer reviews note the bartenders know their mixology “and it shows in the drinks.” Customers also praise the food that is served and the friendly staff to compliment the tap room experience.

RUNNERS-UP: Brass Tap; Heritage Brewing Company

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT: La Cabaña Home Style Mex

L a Cabaña Home Style Mex opened in 1990 and has become a staple not only of downtown Suisun City, but of the surrounding areas as well.

Owner Ramses Solis strives to create a fun atmosphere, complete with a sports bar and big-screen TVs – all with an eye toward bringing friends, family and community together “to partake in a joyful environment while enjoying our home-style cooking.”

The commitment to quality shows year after year, with La Cabaña Home Style Mex selected as Best Mexican Restaurant in the Daily Republic‘s 2023 Readers’s Choice survey.

Solis credits a “great consistency in our service and food,” and more, to its success among area residents. But in the end, it is the “home-style cooking” that Solis says “feeds your soul” that keeps people coming back.

RUNNERS-UP: Murrilo’s Mexican Food; Rancho Fino Cocina Mexicana

Kinder’s BBQ Fairfield

J im and Rebecca Burridge have operated Kinder’s BBQ Fairfield since 2006 and not only have expanded to include a line of products available grocery stores, but have consistently earned high marks among customers.

That trend continues with the selection of Kinder’s and the Best BBQ in Solano County in the Daily Republic’s 2023 Readers’ Choice survey.

Kinder’s is a deli, BBQ restaurant and meat market that offers catering. The Burridges keep their focus on customer service and customer satisfaction while providing a quality product.

“We start with high quality raw meats. We try very hard to produce the best food products possible. Part of that effort is focused on consistency. We want return customers and know they expect the same quality food in each visit,” the Burridges say.

The quality of the raw products used at Kinder’s as well as the fact they prepare all of their BBQ meats from scratch daily contribute to the consistent accolades from customers, they say.

“We are honored and humbled to be chosen for this award again this year,” the Burridges say. “Thank you Solano County for supporting us year after year.”

RUNNERS-UP: Buckhorn Steakhouse; Buckhorn Grill eyff Electric got its start in 1980 and provides quality electrical services for all types of projects, from residential upgrades to commercial builds. And it does so not only here in Solano County but in Napa, Yolo, Sonoma and Marin counties as well.

But it’s Reyff’s work in Solano County that earned its selection by Daily Republic readers as the Best Electrician (Residential) in the 2023 Readers’

Owner Ray Reyff says he and his team remain focused on providing residential, commercial and industrial electrical services. He credits the company’s community ties and experienced staff with setting Reyff apart from other electricians in the region.

“Reyff Electric has been family owned and operated for over 40 years and we pride ourselves on providing exceptional service,” Reyff says. “All of our journeymen are certified electricians with years of experience. This allows us to provide quality on every job.”

The company is a full-service operation.

“We provide electrical services for residential projects such as lighting, hot tubs, electrical panels, ceiling fans, electrical vehicle chargers, backup generators and any other need,” Reyff says. “We also provide commercial services and builds from the ground up. We have built retail stores, restaurants and apartment buildings along with myriad other projects that can be found on ReyffElectric.com

Skylight Electrical Service; Vine Electric Inc.