Tra Vigne Restaurant

I’m posting this review from August of 2015, as I understand the restaurant has since closed. Anyway, here it is…
The poor table service killed this experience for me. We were recommended the restaurant by our hotel, and it seemed to get great reviews on open table and Unilocal,so maybe our bad service experience was a fluke, not sure.
We’ll start with the good… The food was excellent from the apps, to the entrees, it was impeccable. But… as stated before, this was all tainted by the waiter forgetting he was supposed to be working. He came to our table a total of 4 times throughout over 2 hours of dining. 1) to give menus 2) to take our order (it was so long we ordered drinks, salad/​apps, and entrees all at once 3) to deliver food & wine (that’s right, the apps, wine and entrees came at one time) 4) to give us our check (he did ask about desert, but we’ve been out of wine and water for so long we just wanted to leave). So to sum up, the food was great (must have the risotto balls), the service was some of the worst I’ve seen. The waiter was nice, when he was there, but surely not focussed on keeping his tables happy.

My husband and I were planning to have dinner at Tra Vigne for our wedding anniversary on may 23^rd 2016. I don’t where to go now in napa.

Once our server found us everything was amazing. The tableside preparation of the mozerella was amazing
Both entrees were fantastic but really it peaked at the mozzarella.
The location was great and the outside seating area was awesome, although I would not call the fountain «kid friendly», so keeping my 18 month old dry did become a chore. But otherwise I would sit outside again.

I’m sorry to see you go. We had some great memories here. Ill miss the fresh mozzarella cheese most of all.

Hurry and stop over before Tra Vigne closes (after ~27 years)! Get the delicious mozzarella al minuto — delicious, freshly made mozzarella on toasted sourdough. I have come to this restaurant just for the mozzarella. I have also ordered 2 orders for three people… The mozzarella is one of the specialties here, so your trip is not complete unless you give it a try. If you are still hungry after eating multiple servings of fresh, decatent, chewy mozzarella you can also get the sage infused rabbit pappardelle. This dish is also to die for! I order it every time I come here. Free corkage for the first bottle too.

The mozzarella al minuto was absolutely amazing. The best appetizer I’ve ever had, and most definitely the freshest mozzarella I’ve had. It was worth the trip to Napa by itself.
We also had the rigatoni alla calbonara which was great. The rabbit ragu was a bit too bitter for my preference.
For desert, i recommend getting the strawberry shortcake :)

Word on the street is that this restaurant is closing soon because their lease is up and not getting renewed. If you’ve been wanting to try it, do it while you can!
The food is good here, but service was quite slow when we went. The burger came with truffle fries, yum! The rabbit ragu had very good egg noodles. The organic chicken salad was very good as well, especially for someone who loves arugula (I LOVE ARUGULA).
This place is easy to find — it’s on the main road in St. Helena and it’s right next to Farmstead and Merryvale.

Came here to eat dinner on a Monday night. We showed up earlier, 5:30pm.
Beautiful place. Very clean looking staff. Menu with lots of choices!
Of course, we had to get their homemade mozzarella and crostini appetizer. Please get it too! It’s simply phenomenal. Took a little while to get it, but it is made to order!
Spectacular service! Our waiter Hugo even brought me a black cloth napkin to match MY black outfit. How thoughtful?!
We had a glass of wine each. My partner ordered lamp pasta, I ordered rabbit pasta. Then we switched and we both liked both dishes!
Our dinner for two with wine and appetizer and two entrees was only $ 85. And the place and the service you can not beat. Loved it!

*Although the price is definitely up there, Tra Vigne doesn’t give off the high-​end vibe. In fact the simple décor and big round tables really made Tra Vigne seemed more like a family restaurant.
–Mozzarella cheese «Al Minuto» — $ 14: MUST ORDER.
It is made in house and hand made at the moment you order, and the waiter will prepare the dish at your table. The fresh mozzarella is made with napa valley olive oil and served with grilled bruschetta and a side of fresh tomatoes topped with balsamic vinegar. The server hand pulled the mozzarella and placed it on the grilled bruschetta, then drizzles some olive oil. Every single bite I took was unbelievable. It was absolutely melt in your mouth delicious. The cheese was creamy and chewy, and it was perfectly seasoned with salt and pepper.
–Seasonal fritto misto (rock shrimp, calamari, castelvetrano olives, lemons, sweet peruvian peppers, aioli) — $ 12:
Although the fritto misto was good, I didn’t think it was any special and I wouldn’t order this again. Seafood were lightly battered and well seasoned. I also didn’t like how they crammed all of the seafood onto the dish and I had some pieces fell into the aioli, –1 for presentation.
–Beef short ribs (smoked and braised, soft polenta, natural jus, horseradish gremolata) — $ 32:
The short ribs were so tender and fall off the bone with a slight charred on the outside, and complemented perfectly with the buttery and smooth polenta. However it was quite a heavy dish and I’m not so sure if I’m willing to pay $ 32 for this again :
–House smoked Scottish salmon (crispy potato latke, poached egg, sausalito watercress, crème fraiche) — $ 13:
I didn’t try this dish as I dislike smoked salmon, however I tried the crispy potato latke and it was so good! After a quick search online, I realized how easy it is to make latke and I’m so tempted to make it at home now. The potato latke was perfectly fried with a crispy skin and very aromatic from the onions, it was definitely the star of this dish
–Sage infused pappardelle (braised rabbit ragu, wild mushrooms, grana padano) — $ 18:
The dish itself was really hearty, served in a thick brown savory sauce with a fresh and al dente pasta! Unfortunately this was my least favorite dish, as I found the rabbit tasted a bit too gamey and the sage really overpowered the dish. For some odd reasons I tasted something smokey or burnt, and I can’t quite figure out where it came from … but everyone else seemed to enjoy the dish.
–Grilled Brandt Family «Berretta» Flat iron steak and egg (san marzano tomato arrabbiata sauce, crispy polenta, arugula and parmesan salad) — $ 19:
This was my second favourite dish with the perfect medium rare steak and the oh-​so-​cheesy crispy polenta. It was my first time having polenta serves in a different way and I have to say, I’m a fan! The steak itself didn’t have much flavor, however the crispy polenta was salty so it added a boost of flavor to the dish

Tra Vigne’s mozzarella «al minuto» came highly recommend so we had to give it a try. The mozzarella was stretched onto grilled french bread in front of us and olive oil drizzled on top. With ripe heirloom tomatoes that we added on top, it was a wonderful take on bruschetta. We also ordered the calamari and these two together were the perfect appetizers.
We sat outside in a beautiful courtyard with trees, ivy covered walls, and marble table tops. For entrees, we tried the Maine lobster ravioli (with black truffle sauce and grape tomatoes) and the roasted organic chicken salad (with arugula, dates, toasted almonds, and apples). While the ravioli was rich with flavor and a dish I’d order again, the garlic-​parmesan dressing on the chicken salad left it tasting a little dry.
Overall, I enjoyed the atmosphere, food, and fantastic white wine we ordered. Would definitely come here again!

I’m angry with myself. For 5 years I lived in the Napa valley and never made it to Tra Vigne. 10 years later I find out THAT’S what I was missing out on?!
Wonderful, memorable meal. The setting is lovely, and the aroma when you enter hints at the deliciousness to come. I almost resisted the mozzarella al minuto but decided it seemed like a must for us first-​timers. And now, 2 weeks later we are still talking about it. Do try.
Though not on the menu, I requested a vegetarian version of their risotto. I generally refrain from ordering risotto at most restaurants because it’s not easy to get the perfect cook on the rice and all too often the result is overly creamy and way to rich for my taste. So I leave it to the Italian owned and operated Valentino’s in Santa Monica to satisfy these cravings. But I have to say, Tra Vigne, tasty risotto — good stuff, I would absolutely come back for more if I could.
BF went for the Wednesday special: Pinot & Cioppino, a 3-​course special for $ 20. We shared his salad, and can I say, for a simple green salad it was right on. Perfectly cold, the greens we so fresh and crisp, lightly dressed and not overly acidic. This simple preparation truly respected the quality of the ingredients, but the icing on the cake was the piave, which happens to be one of my favorite cheeses you seldom find served in restaurants. BF enjoyed his cioppino, and enjoyed the Italian red wines we shared, especially considering they were by-​the-​glass. We finished the meal with the chocolate cake which was sinful but too good to resist. Service was casual and attentive, which I appreciated.
We had reservations to a number of highly rated restaurants in the Napa Valley and San Francisco during this getaway — Tra Vigne was definitely our favorite. I wish I could say we would be back next week, but sadly, it will probably be next year.

Mozzarella «Al Minuto» — 5 stars
everyone else is good, high quality italian food. you can order any entrée and be assured that it’s going to be delicious. i personally loved the risotto

Great place! amazing service! and very nice atmosphere!
My second time here and I love it!!!

Wow. This place screams elegance, class and AMAZING food. A lot of the wineries in Napa valley offer you the opportunity to have a picnic on their properties along with wine tasting but I would advise against that because there are a number of great places to eat.
I would suggest making a reservation because this restaurant definitely gets packed. I wouldn’t risk showing up without one. it’s 100% worth it!
For starters, you have to order the mozzarella al minuto which is prepped table side. The crunch of the toasted bruschetta, paired with the soft and warm cheese with olive oil on top was delicious!
I got the sage infused pappardelle (braised rabbit ragu). I was feeling exotic after a few glasses of wine and this did not disappoint at all. The pasta was cooked to perfection and the rabbit ragu was lean and tender. Exceptional.
Looking for a nice place to eat before/​during/​after wine tasting? Come here!

Planned my Father’s 69^th birthday dinner here & it was a success! From beginning to end, we all thoroughly enjoyed our family dinner at Tra Vigne!
When our wine tour & tasting ending earlier than we had anticipated, I was able to call & move up our reservation an hour earlier. Our waiter, Hugo was awesome (all of his recommendations were amazing) & all the other staff who served us our dishes were friendly & kept our drinks full.
Our meal was fantastic! Not only did everyone enjoy their meal, but before we finished we agreed to come again (even possibly making this apart of our annual birthday/​wine tasting day)! Here’s everything we ordered:
Appetizer:
–Mozzarella Cheese «Al Minuto» YOU MUST! Hand made the moment you order. It was really amazing! Your waiter prepares it at your table! First, he showed usthe fresh mozzarella made with napa valley olive oil before slicing and placing it on the grilled bruschetta.
Main course:
–Roasted Butternut Squash Ravioli house made pasta of the toasted sage butter with amaretti cookie crumbs & shaved Parmesan was really good!
–Sage Infused Papardelle (rabbit) I will admit this was my first time eating Rabbit, but I’ve been determined to try new things this year and this was very tasty!
–Smoked and Braised Beef Short Ribs WOWOWOWOW! The meat was so tender and delicious! I was so envious of this order & should have listened to the waiter when he recommended it. This was everyone’s favorite of the evening & the two that ordered this cleaned their entire plate! HA!
–Tagliatelle Nero «Trio Di Tonno» Poached tuna & tuna tartare. The combination of the two tuna styles incorporated together mixed with the pasta was lovely. I considered it more of a lunch meal, but if you prefer a light dinner this may be perfect for you.
–Rigatoni Alla Carbonara (Now I have to put a disclaimer I prefer bacon stand alone and do not enjoy it in baked potatoes, Cobb salads & in this meal included) so this was okay for me, but my cousin who ordered it thought it was good.
Great dinner all around! Definitely will return for «Al Minuto», Beef Short Ribs and to try the other pasta dishes because fresh pasta is sooooo good. Only thing I want to do differently is sit outside in the nice patio area!

I am a huge fan of the mozzarella appetizer! Great cocktails and the rabbit with papperdelle is amazing!
Can’t go wrong at this place.

Butterscotch Pannacotta ($ 9) with sea salt caramel and crème fraîche.
No, wait.
Mozzarella «Al Minuto» ($ 14), handmade at the moment ordered, served over toasted bruschetta, and topped with olive oil.
No, wait.
Classic Caesar ($ 10) with boquerones, in a tangy, perfect dressing.
No, wait.
House-​made, Sage-​Infused Pappardelle ($ 18) with braised rabbit ragu and wild mushrooms.
This is my brain, trying to decide the most luscious menu item I sampled last night. Clearly, an impossible task.
It’d been many, many years since I last dined at Tra Vigne, one of Napa Valley’s original beautiful restaurants. With Michael Chiarello (founding executive chef and partner) long gone (as of 2000) and so many other lovely spots having since entered the scene I’d not even thought about returning. And then, when someone said Tra Vigne had been recommended to them and reservations had been made I was momentarily disappointed. I wrongly assumed that having heard little of the place for so long meant that it’d been coasting along on past glories all of these years. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This was actually the finest meal I ever had at Tra Vigne, a restaurant that I now know has stood the test of time and remains a beautiful place to spend an evening.
From start to finish, service was professional yet warm and as unhurried as we were. Despite having arrived to a packed house, there were no moves to hurry us along even when, hours later, we were the last table remaining.
Tra Vigne has a huge wine list (and a Sommelier) if that’s your thing. With most Cabernet running above $ 60/​bottle on the menu, we reasoned that a place this into wine wouldn’t think to offer a bad house pour. We were rewarded with a steal of a decent deal on their house pour, a Markham Cabernet ($ 9/​glass).
Even better is knowing that Tra Vigne waives corkage fees on your first BYO bottle. Thereafter, one corkage fee is subsequently waived for each bottle purchased or, if you still prefer to BYO, corkage runs a reasonable $ 20/​bottle.
Tra Vigne, it turns out, is much like a fine wine itself: it seems only to have improved with age. I honestly cannot get those rich, savory (and sweet) flavors out of my mind. Sometimes a place that’s not on everyone’s hot list deserves a revisit. Tra Vigne deserves that and more; what a fantastic meal.

We shared several appetizers & an entrée. The fresh mozzarella (mozzarella al minuto) lived up to the hype and was very delicious (big portion too). I wasn’t a fan of the butternut squash soup (thought it was way too sweet). The rosemary pizzetta was ok, but a bit bland except for garlic. Our entrée was a black truffle risotto with lobster (a special for $ 35). The risotto was pretty good but I didn’t really taste any truffle and the lobster was very overcooked and tough. It was a huge disappointment. Overall, it wasn’t a horrible meal but it definitely wasn’t worth the price paid and with so many amazing restaurants in Napa Valley I wouldn’t be inclined to return.
Their terrace is dog-​friendly, but know that you have to carry your dog in your arms through the restaurant to get to it. It wasn’t a problem for us but could be awkward if you showed up with a St. Bernard or some other really big dog.

This review is for a catered event which was held at Black Stallion Winery… I have not been inside the restaurant itself (i did drive by)…but i had a multiple course meal prepared by Tra Vigne.
Every aspect of the meal was fabulous! It was served family style, which worked fabulous for our table since we had only 4 couples (some tables had 6 couples and there wasn’t enough of each dish to go around).
we started. The highlight of the meal was the beef! omg! we had salad, chicken, beef, potatoes, asparagus, bread,…seriously so much i can’t even remember!
The food was fabulously amazing… wish i had more room… i didn’t even try the dessert.
i am dying to dine in the restaurant…
now i need to find those pics and fine tune this review.
ok found my pics… and the menu!!!
1^st course: living butter lettuce with champagne vinaigrette, sliced apples, walnuts & midnight moon (don’t know what that is)
salad was delicious! i took seconds (probably shouldn’t have… gave me less room for later)
2^nd course: house made focaccia with tomato, pecorino & rosemary
another OMG moment… seriously…i was full by now and the good stuff was yet to come
3^rd course:
–served first was the tray of crispy olive oil potatoes with garlic and rosemary
–served 2^nd was the tray of grilled summer veggies: asparagus, onions, artichoke hearts, carrotts
–served 3^rd grilled sonoma chicken breast with a wild mushroom marsala sauce
–served 4^th (saved the best for last and when we were the most full… i could barely eat!) roasted & sliced new york steak with salsa verde.
BEST VEGGIES EVER!!! I TOOK SECONDS
best potatoes ever… seconds again
chicken was amazing… i am not a chicken person
steak was tender and oh so flavorful… i want more right now.
4^th course: fruit crostatas, chocolate truffle cake & ricotta cheesecake. I took a teeny bite of each with my coffee… all delish (but if i had room… i would have preferred to finish my meat!)
all this accompanied by a bottle of Black Stallion Sauvignon Blanc… and lovely music

Lately I’ve been surprised to find so many anti Zero Zero folks. I’ll admit it now, I really love the pizzas and pastas at zero zero and incidentally also like Picco (Sausalito), so it’s no surprise I also really enjoyed dinner at La Travigne.
La Travigne is located right off the main drag. It’s a cute stone building decorated with grape vines out front, bistro lights in their al fresco patio, and other cute signs and arches which gave them so much personality. The service from host to waiter were super friendly and attentive, yet personable and casual — the perfect balance. I really hate when people are too uptight.
* MOZZARELLA AL MINUTO ($ 14) — 6 STARS:
I generally try to avoid the use of «THE BEST» in any of my reviews because it’s such a strong statement, but this is THE BEST mozzarella I’ve ever had. I usually order burratta because mozzarella can be dry but this was dense like mozzarella but chewy and fresh and served over a fruity olive oil and buttered fresh focaccia. You must order with a side of tomatoes (tis the season!), and they were perfection.
* ORGANIC LETTUCES SALAD ($ 9) — 4 STARS:
Super fresh lettuce topped with garden ripened strawbeeries and chopped peanuts. Really tasty, a tiny bit overdressed, but good and a nice way to start the meal especially if you want something fresh.
* SAGE INFUSED PAPPARDELLE ($ 18) — 4 STARS:
This was surprisingly hearty, served in a thick brown savory sauce and the pasta tasted fresh. I have had more delicate and thin pappardelle pasta before and would have liked it a little more al dente but it was good. It is one of two things that have been on the menu for years.
* SMOKED BRAISED BEEF SHORT RIBS ($ 32) — 4 STARS:
This is the other item on the menu that has remained for years. Generous portions of fall off the bone but slightly charred on the outside. Complemented perfectly with buttery polenta.
* BUTTERSCOTCH PANNA COTTA ($ 9) — 10 STARS:
Panna cotta is often good, sometimes bad, and rarely exceptional. This was an exception panna cotta, really creamy and topped with an amazing caramel sauce.
* SANTA MARIA STRAWBERRY RHUBARB SHORTCAKE ($ 9) — 4 STARS:
Served like a shortbread sandwich, filled with a light cream, ice cream and strawberries. I loved the size and texture of the shortbread