Grana

Absolutely LOVE this place! My fiancé and I come here a lot and we have never had anything but the best service and food ever! We ate here the night before Valentine’s Day and the service was excellent, the food came out fast but at a good pace!
We were originally supposed to eat at Forcella but the service was so bad we walked out immediately. Grana gave us a beautiful table on the bistro-​lit patio with no hesitation!
The Llano Seco Pork Ragu is to die for! And the meat comes from a local farm near where my fiancé hunts waterfowl! So nice to know they’re supporting local establishments!
Such an amazing place!

Food: Sustainable? Locally sourced? Fresh? Triple yes! As a fan of thin crust pizza, I ordered their Margherita pizza. They fire it in a wood oven, so the pizza comes out with a soft center and crispy crust. It’s topped with fresh mozzarella, olive oil, basil, and sea salt. Just the way I like it! For happy hour, e$, C, R, and I also ordered the patatas bravas, Di Stefano Burrata, and crostini, which were all excellent vegetarian choices all around. For lunch, an acquaintance and I tried their flatbreads which were equally delicious. I ordered the stuffed portobello sandwich, lightly complemented with 3 cheese (pecorino fromage blanc, romesco) and arugula.
Ambience: Spacious and contemporary. The restaurant has large glass windows on two walls, so you get a nice view of greenery outside. Next time, I’ll come back here to dine on their patio.
Service: Attentive and reliable. My water was always full, and they took away our dishes consistently.
Pro tips:
1. Come for their happy hour T-​F 3−6pm. They’ve got $ 3 Sierra Nevada beers and wine specials.
2. Ask for wine tastings before buying a glass.
3. You get 10% off your food purchase if you ride your bike there on Sundays.

I had vegetarian lasagna, it was wonderful!!! I am picky and I was so impressed. Though it got noisy !

I’ve come several times, most recently was NYE with a large party. Our server josh was great, service is usually awesome. The food however is inconsistent, I ordered a pizza and it came SUPER burnt, they redid it for me but I had to have it in a To-​go box since our party was done eating & they didn’t comp it. Ive also been disappointed in the quinoa salad (bland) and the beet salad (sparse toppings). The pizzas are generally good when they don’t burn them. Good wine selection with good affordable pricing.

Great food — the owner buys locally. We’ve run into him at the farmers market, carrying a big basket of produce for that week’s menu. The wine selection and beers are always current and amazing – with knowledgeable wait staff. Service is always impeccable. It’s a ‘go to’ restaurant for just us and also with company.

There wood oven pizzas are to die for. Service when you sit down is great but this is not a place for to-​go orders as they ALWAYS screw them up or they are never ready in the time they say. 5 – 10 minute difference ok but 20 – 30 is crazy, why call in? On the other hand, some places you just know how to Work with and if its consistently good when you sit down then know that and don’t place pick up orders

Nothing special. The service was average, the food was bland. The pour on the wine was short. I would not come back.

I have been to Grana a handful of times for lunch (haven’t been for dinner), and I have always had a great experience. I love having a glass of wine on the patio on a nice day.
The food is always good. It’s sourced locally, is fresh, and is simple and rustic. Think charcuterie, cheese, marinated olives, and almonds with wood-​fired flatbread on a wooden plank. Hits the spot every time! The beet salad and meatballs are also delicious. I have enjoyed everything I’ve tried here. Great spot for a satisfying lunch.

Grana is one of the most top notch restaurants in Chico. The food is fresh and delicious, the service is outstanding, and the atmosphere is classy without being pretentious.
I started eating at Grana about three years ago. I was originally invited for lunch by a colleague, but have gone back many times since. My fiancé and I had an engagement party in The Loft which was a remarkable experience; a full menu and our own dedicated staff for the evening.
The chef/​owner can often be found wandering around, chatting with guests, which I find to be a great addition. The management and staff appear to work really well as a cohesive unit. I’ve always had attentive and friendly servers at Grana. The chef will answer any questions and make exceptions for dietary needs.
The menu changes with the seasons. There always seems to be a new item each time I go, but one thing we always seem to order is the tomato flatbread or a pizza. The dough at Grana is perfection – baked in a wood-​fired oven, and topped with seasonal ingredients. Also, try any of their salads. My favorite is the wedge!
In my opinion, Grana is the best restaurant in Chico. They have high quality food AND service, plus 2 people can eat really well for less than $ 40.
Go eat at Grana!!!

Grana has great food, great atmosphere, nice wine and beer selection, and very friendly staff. I, my wife, and our toddler have eaten there a few times and have enjoyed it every time. Most recently, they had a jazz band playing on the patio for Thursday night (sounds like something they do during Thursday Night Market during the summer time).

I love Grana’s food. It is fresh, local and tasty. Their wait staff was super efficient and friendly.
Why only 1 Star? Grana has a policy of no more than two credit cards per table. When we were with a party of 6, that made it very difficult. After much discussion, we relented to a $ 2 service charge per person for the privilege of using our cards. This is not a nice way to do business
While I appreciate the exception we got, the fact that it even has to be an exception (adults pay with credit cards…) means I will not be eating there again. Too bad, their food truly is wonderful.

Had dinner with friends at Grana last Saturday. Sat outside in pleasant weather, and enjoyed the food and wine immensely. I had avoided Grana in the past because I’m not happy with their pizza style, featuring a softer center instead of a crisp crust. But the flavors of the green pizza and the mushroom pizza, with tangy fromage blanc, capers and arugula on the latter, and feta and caramelized onions on the former, somewhat like a pissaladiere, are bright but deep and satisfying. Leading up to those, we had roasted cauliflower, and crostini, both vibrant with balsamic vinegar, and we finished with an apple croustade and a strawberry shortcake, the croustade our table’s favorite. Service was also very good, friendly and efficient.

Great service. Food was pretty good

Holy mackerel everything about this place is great. Can’t believe I hadn’t been here until last week!
Their pizzas are all phenomenal, and the appetizers are definitely worth indulging in as well. Whatever prosciutto/​cheese plate we got was amazing.
I got the beet salad which was delicious, but definitely enjoyed snacking on what everyone else ordered as well.
Sitting out on the patio made everything that much better to enjoy a beautiful Chico sunny day!

The service, food and atmosphere were excellent. The staff worked as a team which made us feel very welcomed. Highly recommend the marinated olives as an appetizer and also the pizza. They had live music and the band was top notch. Outdoor seating gives you a good feel for Chico.

Grana is my favorite restaurant in Chico, and, the closest one that has the feel, service and consistently good food as my favorite neighborhood staples from when I lived in SF. I mean that as a sincere complement.
Grana is unpretentious, simple, understated greatness. Great service. Great wine. Just great food. Locally sourced food.
I LOVE the crispy skin salmon. I also love that they are not afraid of anchovies! Yes, anchovies on everything. We usually get an appetizer, an entrée, a pizza and a few drinks. And sometimes dessert. Because, I just have to pack it all in.
Thank you, Grana. Don’t change. (Unless you’re changing your seasonal menu).

My husband and I went here for a date night. We asked if we could sit outside and even though it was cold and no one else was sitting outside… the staff was kind enough to light the lamps and let us.
Our server, was great! He was knowledgeable and we could tell has been in this business for awhile.
We ordered a few things. The meatballs were good! The cheese plate ok. it was very simple and basic. What disappointed us was the pizza we ordered. I can’t remember the name but it had sausage on it. The first piece we picked up had a lot of oil left on the pizza pan. The crust was flimsy and topping were sliding off. We both understand that the sausage can be oily, however, we have had pizza at other restaurants were it was outstanding and it also had sausage on it.
They did give us a free chocolate dessert to make up for the pizza, which was yummy!
This place has a good thing going for it self. The location and overall atmosphere is great. The staff was great. It was nice that tried to make up for the pizza.
Only complaint is the pizza. it needs some help.

Best meal I’ve had in the North State! The food wasn’t perfect, but it’s more the fact that Grana is making food the right way (unlike a certain restaurant with a View in Redding.) Let me detail it for you.
First, let me say I’m a former restaurant worker (11 years), and I’m a true foodie. I eat it all– or at least try. And I know how the cook.
Ok, enough about me…
I personally don’t judge a place on décor, but for those that do– it’s modern, clean, and chic. The design could be in San Francisco, NYC, or Chicago.
The menu is perfect for my liking. It’s not small or big– it’s controlled. You won’t find– at least last night– fettuccine alfredo, veal parm, or lasagna. What we found was a menu more Southern Italy.
What we ate:
20-​mile plate (?) — roasted almonds, garlic, and olives with flat bread. It was exactly what you think it is. Good local ingredients, that taste as you should expect them to taste. Fresh.
Roasted Cauliflower– This is where I fell in love with Grana. Why? Because it was simple but done right. Fresh roasted cauliflower, capers, olive oil, salt, and fresh lemon juice. Done. No bacon/​pancetta needed to punch it up. No heavy cream or over thought vinaigrette.
Sundried Tomato Polenta– The polenta was light– not too tight. The sundried tomato added a bit of tart sweetness, and the kicker were the braised leeks.
Pork Cheek ragu– The cheek itself was perfect melt in your mouth cheek. The sauce was a simple ragu tomato sauce. My only complaint of the evening was lack of seasoning on this dish. For my taste, it could’ve used some salt and pepper.
Boce Neopolitian– I won’t pretend to know desserts very well. I was never a pastry guy. Just know what we had was dark chocolate with a lite whipped cream and nuts. Delicious way to end the meal.
The service was great. I feel like a jerk for not remembering our server’s name. She’s tall-​ish, friendly, and knowledgable. And our food came out at a good pace which is nice. It wasn’t slow or rushed.
Overall, I give Grana five stars because they hit all the right notes. 1) Comfortable 2) Affordable– 3 of us ate including alcohol, dessert, and tip for $ 90. 3) Good Service. 4) WELL PREPARED FOOD. 5) TASTY FOOD.
As a Redding resident, I will make more trips to Chico just for Grana. To the Chef/​Owner: thank you.

The fam bam had our last dinner in Chico here before we moved our daughter home. I can’t believe she’s graduated already. Where does the time go?
Cute little place with a modern casual feel. They have a nice outdoor patio but let’s be real … It’s HOT in Chico so we opted to sit inside and enjoy the cool air-​conditioning. Since this I’d a college town and school let out a few months prior to our visit, there customers were few and the seating was plentiful.
Our server was very friendly and took our drink order right away. My husband and daughter ordered Arnold Palmers and I stuck with the always boring water. I’d of course avidly stocked their Unilocal page to see what the recommendations were and hands down, the meatball appetizer was my choice. We also ordered 3 pizzas to share between the three of us. I can’t for the life of me remember the names of the two pizzas. Darn it!
Meatballs: YUM! Soft, moist, flavorful little morsels of goodness bathed in a simple yet bright sauce.
Pizza: the pizzas are super thin crust and I found them both lacking flavor. One was your basic margarita and the other had a white sauce with Meyer lemon peel
and arugula. I loved the uniqueness of adding the lemon. My husband on the other hand thought it was to «unique» for his taste.
Overall it was a nice evening. Meatballs were great, service was great, air-​conditioning was fantastic and that cute patio would probably be super enjoyable in cooler (not July) evening.

Really, this place was incredibly unexpected for Chico. In my opinion that is. My sisters, my mom and our babies walked around the downtown area looking for food. I knew I wanted to come here but I let them make up their minds before we finally committed.
I saw the specials board on the wall that said «Pork Cheeks» as soon as we walked in and knew I wanted that ASAP.
We sat outside so our kids could be loud and messy if they wanted to. The menu consists of small plates. Being that my family is considerably White Trash they were unsure of the menu. I ordered for the table mostly.
I asked for a plate of Arugula with Olive Oil and Parmesan. The waiter must have been confused and her brought out 4 plates for everyone when I just ordered for myself. He also didn’t tell us of the specials, that I already saw.
To start we had the Meat Balls, and Pork Cheeks. The Meat Balls were to split with the little ones, who also got a Carnivore Pizza. The Meat Balls were too spicy and they couldn’t eat them. Also, just FYI, if you order pizza for the kids, its takes forever and expect them to eat last. So order snacks for them or bring your own to hold them over.
The Spiced Shrimp was split with all of us and very good. My mom ordered the Portabello Mushroom for herself and they forgot it. My sister ordered the Sweet Potato Salad and she loved it. She said it was the nicest thing shes ever eaten.
My Pork Cheeks were decadent and succulent. The shining dish of the day.
The only real complaint was our service. The waiter seemed irritated and oblivious to us. He definitely thought he was cooler than us. Which doesn’t make one feel so inclined to spend more $ here. Just saying…
Id come back. Everything was fresh and delicate. I would definitely recommend asking questions about the food and double checking your order. A nice surprise for Chico.