Newcomer to St. Helena by former French Laundry chef, Elliott Bell, is a can’t miss when you’re in Napa. This bright, convivial restaurant is the ideal spot for a happy hour, dinner, or (thanks to its “late-for-Napa” closing time of 11 pm) an after-dinner drink and snack. It’s social, it’s fun, and the food is darn good too.

The seafood platter served with two martinis with an array of dishes such as fried saltines, potato skins, flatbread with eggplant and crispy artichokes and Jimmy Nardello peppers at Charlie’s. Anyone who visited Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen — chef Cindy Pawlcyn’s homey establishment that occupied the whitewashed 1800s building for 15 years — will be amazed by its sleek transformation into Charlie’s. Former French Laundry chef Elliot Bell, who doubles as a volunteer firefighter, was a Cindy’s regular and wanted to revive the space, which sat empty for five years, with another cozy, neighborhood eatery.

But next month, the space will finally reopen as Charlie’s, the highly anticipated restaurant from Elliot Bell, a former French Laundry executive sous- chef and volunteer firefighter. The refreshed space will offer an American menu that blurs the boundaries of classic, comfort and fancy fare. Think shrimp cocktail with fried saltines, Wagyu steak with a potato latke, and a nostalgic twist on caviar service.

Situated in the heart of downtown St. Helena, Charlie’s has quickly become the local hangout everyone’s buzzing about. With its laid-back vibe and friendly atmosphere, it’s the kind of spot where you feel right at home as soon as you walk in. And the food is downright delicious, featuring locally sourced ingredients.

Enjoy dinner at Charlie’s, one of St. Helena's hottest new restaurants, and relax with vineyard views and sparkling wines at Mumm Napa. The day wraps up perfectly with an epic brunch before heading home, making this itinerary a must for any Napa Valley visitor.

When the Charlie’s construction crew was digging up the foundation during renovations on the St. Helena restaurant, they found an old, rusted horseshoe. They found another, buried in the earth, when tending to a 100-year-old fig tree in the entry courtyard.

On this weekend itinerary, we hit the best of what’s new in St. Helena (plus a few great oldies), from the one-of-a-kind, immersive wine tasting experience at Ink Grade to the excellent dinner destination Charlie’s.

That started changing last fall with the openings of long-awaited Charlie’s restaurant in the former Miramonte/Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen building and of the millennial-oriented Oren Swift tasting room in October.

The only exception is the kielbasa which can not be made gluten free. You can have the flatbread, sandwiches, anything fried, the fried chicken. You name it they just need to know you have celiac disease.

At Charlie’s Napa Valley, indulge in their wood-fired whole roasted Dungeness crab, dripping in garlic butter and paired with housemade sourdough. A feast guaranteed to leave a lasting impression.