Ninebark

A three-story, century-old building on downtown Napa's Main Street provided the framework for Ninebark, a California market-driven restaurant that spread its personality across three distinct levels: a ground-floor neighborhood bar, a second-floor dining room where the kitchen's intentions came through most clearly, and a rooftop lounge with indoor-outdoor seating that leaned casual. The building had previously housed The Thomas and Fagiani's Bar, and the renovation was led by AvroKO, the New York-based design and hospitality firm that also owned the project. The culinary approach centered on Northern California's seasonal supply, interpreted through techniques including smoking with local hardwoods and shrubs, charcoal grilling, and marinating proteins in herbal, fruit, and floral broths. Dishes such as a salad of torn baby greens with trout roe, Marcona almonds, white baby turnip curry, flower petals, and spiced bread crumbs illustrated the kitchen's tendency toward layered, produce-forward compositions that read as inventive without abandoning accessibility. Bar provisions, including smoked fish preparations and carrot pimiento with cheddar and bacon, extended the same sensibility into snacking territory. The name behind the stoves carried weight in serious dining circles. Chef Matthew Lightner had previously held two Michelin stars at Atera in New York, a credential that positioned Ninebark within a tier of California openings attracting attention beyond the immediate wine country audience. The San Francisco Chronicle included the restaurant in its Top 100 Restaurants feature, confirming a regional critical reception that matched the pedigree Lightner brought from the East Coast.

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