Napa Cafe

Had the good luck to be staying in a crummy hotel just across the parking lot from this gem.
First of all, the service was remarkable. We almost felt like celebrities, we were so well taken care of.
Memphis can be sultry but we wanted to be outside after a day of hotel meetings with more to follow.
We were accommodated in the surprisingly well appointed little piazza in front of the restaurant. It’s in a strip mall, as so many fabulous restaurants here are, but this is made pretty and serene with trees and planters and a trellis.
The wine and beer list was well selected and they had a custom made sour beer that was perfect for a warm June night.
Everything was fresh and delicious, but the hospitable service was what warmed our hearts. Everyone made us feel welcome and special.
It made for a special evening even on a work trip Monday.

Have had many great meals there. This week Tuesday night was different. We asked for the back room and had 16 people. Food was only marginal. Lights all the way up. Had to ask the wait staff to put 2 tables together so we could all sit together. Waiter came by once for drink order and never asked again. They had menu without prices on table with salad, entrée and dessert and asked each one of us to order all three. We thought it was a charge per person but the charged ala carter on the bill with their 20%. Won’t be going back anytime soon.

Great experience! The food was excellent and the staff took great care of us.
Had a business dinner there and it was my first time eating at Napa Café but it won’t be the last.

I made reservations on a Tues for a Friday Holiday lunch for 9 @ 11:30. Left names, contact information. As our group arrived, another host heard the same story… We were told by three different persons over 10, nearly 15, minutes, that the manager would be out to talk to us. He never came. He was then alleged to be on a conference call. When does a good restaurant schedule a call at noon, two Fridays before Christmas. The bar was staged, and empty. Another «private» area is staged; remaining tables are occupied. Overheard another patron told by a host, they couldn’t sit at the bar and their wait for a table for 3, would be 1.5 hours. I want to understand why they have 3 hosts, and no wait staff, and no manager to resolve issues. We walked. The food is alleged to be good tho $$$. Bad service leaves a bitter taste. We won’t go back.

Stopped in for a quick drink last night on my way to another event. Love seeing the renovations complete. My only frustration was the bartender disappeared for quite a while even though we told him we were on our way somewhere else. Luckily we had cash to leave to pay our bill.
Previous visits for both lunch and dinner were stellar. I love to try different things, but I have a hard time straying from the short rib sliders. They are just divine. It’s a great place for a professional lunch or for ladies who lunch. A great option for a nice evening out, too.

I highly suggest you put Napa Café on your to do list for a great meal and service! I booked reservations for my anniversary and from the time we arrived to the time we left I felt Napa Café did everything to make our evening special! The food, décor, music, service and presentation were all perfect. We will be back!

I really enjoyed my experience here and the food was refreshing and very healthy. I definitely recommend this restaurant for anyone wanting a nice lunch or a wonderful Sunday brunch. Oh and by the way their seasonal vegetables are so yummy and tasty

The Napa Café looked like a very nice and classy place to eat. Unfortunately the hostess was not nice and classy. The restaurant did appear to be full at the time of our visit, and we were told that there was a 30 minute wait. The 30 minute wait wasn’t the issue, it was when I asked to eat on the patio which was empty, that the hostess told me that it was not a seating problem, but a kitchen problem. This could have been true, but usually a hostess would offer at least the opportunity to have a glass of wine on the patio while you wait, especially since I brought up the patio. I just did not feel welcome and I will not be back.

Had dinner at Napa this evening with several friends. The restaurant was stuffy and hot when we entered and still hot at the end of the meal. It seemed cooler outside than inside when we were leaving. To begin the experience they were out of pinot grigio-​not a particular kind– All pinot grigio. We were told it was a very popular wine and they were out. This was 6:30p on a Tuesday night. Next I order a napa salad for $ 8 and asked to have salmon added to it. Salmon was on the menu so that did not seem like a big deal. The waiter said they were also out of salmon-​any salmon. Okay I said put chicken on the salad and they had that. That was all I ordered. When I received the bill for the salad was $ 26. That was an $ 18 chicken breast! When I asked about it the waiter said I received the napa salad for free and they charged me for the chicken entrée but without everything other than the chicken. This was never mentioned when I was ordering and it seemed like no big deal at the time. I talked to the manager and they decided to take off $ 6. So my $ 8 salad with butter lettuce, 5 canned mandarin orange slices, slices of chicken breast and that’s it, was now $ 20. That was just shameful pricing for what was delivered. They blamed it on our waitress, which was a classy move. Also one of my friends received her meal free because her tuna was cooked through until tough and inedible. I was so hot, we were all so hot, we just paid our bills and left. This was a terrible dining experience. The prices are inexplicable for the food they offer. It was all around a very unpleasant dining experience except for the company of my friends. The company would have been good at McDonalds with cheap prices or Interim with good food.

To be fair, I was not terribly hungry when we dined here, but our server was super helpful in getting us taken care of! We were laughing because the kid who was handling host duties was so nervous (and very young), but everything else was perfect. They have a great wine list, although wine by the glass is a little thin (i.e. not a lot of choices).
We had the Napa Salad, grilled romaine salad, the pumpkin gnocchi and the short rib sliders. The gnocchi was not a fave at the table, especially for those of used to homemade gnocchi. The salads were perfect, though – the perfect blend of flavors. I can’t say enough about the sliders — OMG, so tasty! Just two, which is the perfect amount, super tender short rib, a touch of horseradish sauce, on a house made roll with just a bit of poppy seeds. I want more now.
The atmosphere is ideal for just about any group, and they offer private dining rooms for groups, and do catering! Nice little corner table, tucked in and quiet. All around a great experience!

Went here today for Mother’s Day and truly enjoyed it. I got the shrimp and grits with the fruit as a side.
I get my haircut right next to this place and honestly didn’t really know it existed. I knew there was something there, obviously, but I didn’t realize it was as nice as it is. The menu was a typical holiday menu where there are only a few options. I think we pretty much covered each option at our table and everyone seemed quite satisfied. There was blackened salmon with purple rice, french toast, a crab/​lobster omelet, crab cakes, and a few other items. I truly enjoyed my shrimp and grits. The last three times I have ordered this dish, all of which were in different states, it was a lack luster experience. They put five huge shrimp in with a very tasty mix of grits. I ate every bite and would do so again if you put it in front of me this moment.
I would suggest this spot as a good lunch date type joint. I am not sure how they do dinner, but lunch was excellent. The service was ok, but servicing an 8 person table that includes a toddler probably isn’t the easiest thing to do. Good job crew.

Awesome little place, ask to be seated in the wine cellar.
The wine cellar is an enclosed seating area and has a pretty neat ambiance.
I HIGHLY recommend Kevin as a waiter. An extremely nice guy, very attentive and caters to your every need. We will surely be returning to enjoy another evening here for dinner in Memphis.

I often stay at the Doubletree on Sanderlin when in Memphis due to the vast options for dining. While I tend to like upscale restaurants, while in Memphis I normally gravitate to good Olé BBQ for lunch. Today I didn’t feel like wondering too far from the hotel so I set out to find a near by place with some good food, and boy did I!
Napa Café was just what the doctor ordered. As the relaxing piano music played in the background, I browsed the menu and decided on the crab cakes, not wanting anything too heavy. Oh what a treat. They were some of the best I have ever had. As my German waitress kept coming by to check on me I had to quickly wipe the drool from my chin. They were divine!
Having just eaten some of the best food I have had in some time, I had to check out their dessert menu. After much debate, I settled on the Praline Pecan Ice Cream with Coconut, walnut crust and caramel sauce over the Buttermilk pie which my waitress suggested.
WOW!!! This was a nice portion of ice cream pie. The praline ice cream had a subtle taste and the coconut and caramel blended heavenly with it. It was topped with homemade whipped cream and a strawberry, that somehow made this seem like a light and airy dessert, even though it was far from it. I could not contain myself and did the Goldy Hawn «When Harry Met Sally» fake orgasm impersonation right there, but I wasn’t faking. OK, maybe that’s a stretch, but it was out of this world good and besides, men do not get the same kind of response as women get when they do that in public. At any rate, it was so good that I plan to return for dinner tonight! Do yourself a favor and try this place out!

This was a pleasing meal in a pleasant atmosphere. The staff were very attentive and knowledgeable about the menu and wines. The food was good and the wine list excellent. Would reccommend for an evening out with your significant other. Will return on my next trip to Memphis.

I’ve been dining at Napa Café about once a month with a group of friends for lunch and I’ve been so impressed with the food and service. The renovation looks beautiful too. I’ve had the meatloaf twice and it’s SO good and mashed potatoes so creamy and savory. Crab cakes are delicious and the corn/​pepper/​bacon side dish is delicious and unique. Soups are awesome too! I’m in love with the Buttermilk Pie, so rich and creamy, and the chocolate pâté is outstanding too. I like the Grilled Chicken & Avocado salad when I’m not in the mood for a heavier lunch. I need to try dinner at some point too.
In March 2014, I attended a group luncheon with about 30 people in the back room. We had a guest speaker and round tables setup with a catered menu. It was a perfect meeting spot! After that, several us continued to meet for lunch and we’ve become regular customers.

Upscale restaurant with good food is the short review of this restaurant. For more detail of food to be had, please see below.
We had scallop, gnochi, and lamb special. Scallop was very good. It melts in your mouth, and very buttery. There is part caramelized which gives it very nice texture combination. Gnochi was good but nothing to write home about. The lamb and basmati rice was good.
Special note, the setting is upscale, but bathroom were not up to par.
PS: buttermilk pie, it is soooooo good.

The crab cakes were fantastic!!! Perfectly cooked and delightfully tasty! My wife enjoyed the shrimp and grits and her Caesar salad.
They were out of Black Bean soup so I was bummed. Sautéed corn with peppers and Benton’s bacon, YES I will have some!
The atmosphere is a little 60yrs + to me but that doesn’t bother me as long as the food is good. I did feel comfortable and enjoyed my visit.
Next time I am going to try the Duck. I just scored a Living Social deal for them and am anxious to use it.

Excellent little wine bistro, with great service and unique food menu, albeit a little more limited than I’d like.
The spinach, walnut, pear salad is fantastic and the firecracker chicken appetizer is awesome! As much as I loved Napa Café, it’s not the kinda of place I’d frequent simply because I’d be hard pressed to find enough on the menu to keep me coming back. Perfect for an occasional special occasion, though!

I think that if I was 45 or older, I would give it an extra star — this just isn’t my type of place. That is certainly not to say that it isn’t good — it’s just stuffy (white table cloths, all business people, very conservative dress).
The staff was friendly and attentive, particularly our waitress, but the clientele was all over 45. My girlfriend and I stood out like sore thumbs.
The food was interesting but extremely heavy for a lunch menu. I definitely wouldn’t go here for a light lunch or a «quick bite.»
I would recommend this place for my mother but definitely not for any of my friends.

We made our reservation for 6:00 so we would be done before our movie at the Paradiso, and had our pick or al fresco tables. Our bottle of house pinot grigio complemented our BBQ New Orleans shrimp and lobster bisque (thin, not too fatty), along with the fruity and light Napa salad. Great date night or girls night out. Manager Rusty Prudhon updates the menu and wine selection frequently, so specials are always fresh and in season.
Becca was a top notch server, we will request her in the future!