Residents and visitors alike are looking forward to the coming of The Kitchen at Priest Ranch in downtown Yountville, opening early this month. Centered on fast casual food, with counter service only, the spot will serve breakfast items earlier in the day, followed by lunch and dinner items. Patio seating will be offered in the back, and on the only rooftop lounge in Yountville – sure to become the highlight of the long-awaited spot.
Executive Chef Dan Solomon
Executive Chef Dan Solomon caught us up on his plans for the new facility which is gradually taking shape next door to the Priest Ranch tasting room at 6488 Washington Street in Yountville. The once empty space is slowly being transformed into a cozy haven for grabbing a quick casual meal, a to-go breakfast, lunch or picnic, and a fun place to enjoy dinner and a bottle of wine, overlooking this gorgeous little slice of Napa County heaven.
“Yountville really needs something like what we’re offering,” says Chef Dan, who has been doing popular popup dinners on Thursday evenings while construction continues. “People are constantly dropping in to ask when we are going to open.” They’re looking forward to the house burgers, topped with special house sauce, housemade pickles and locally sourced “American cheese,” something Solomon calls good old fashioned comfort food. He plans to source the burger buns from Bouchon, and is looking to source other baked goods from local purveyors. “Eventually, I’d really love to hire a baker and do everything in-house!” says Solomon, but that’s a project for the next phase.
The fries, with their tender baked potato interior and crispy exterior, are sure to be a hit, the staff assures me. They’ve been checking out all the offerings as Solomon has been developing the menu, which includes three breakfast items, among them the Two by Four featuring eggs, bacon, hashbrowns and toast; the Gas Station sandwich and the Loaded Latke. Lunch will feature a fried chicken sandwich, the house burger, ham panini and three salads, including a Caesar. “I’m planning on doing salads seasonally, and hopefully we get open in time to do a panzanella with tomatoes!” He’s got a great tomato soup recipe, so expect to see a grilled cheese sandwich joining the menu at some point. “I love food that is homey and nostalgic,” says Solomon. “We’re leaning into cuisine that’s easy to eat and made from the best possible ingredients.”
For those looking for a more hearty meal, there will be steak frites, vegetarian pasta and a fish dish, along with the chef’s special. He plans to keep the total menu to about 14 items, with weekly additions driven by what’s fresh and in season. “We’ll have a limited number of those items, probably 15 servings daily,” says Solomon. The space is tiny, so ordering must be done with efficiency in mind. But that won’t stop him from sourcing from the best purveyors: he already gets his amazing pork belly used in the famous Priest Ranch Bacon and Wine experience —which by the way, is so totally worth it — from Baker’s Bacon.
Priest Ranch Marketing Director, Melissa Jackson, tells us they will have half bottles available to enjoy at the Kitchen, as well as to go. “We are first and foremost a winery,” says Solomon, who hails from Oswego, Illinois. “Our food will certainly be designed to pair well with our most food friendly wines, like the Cabernet Sauvignon and The Peacemaker.”
In the grab-n-go area, there will be salads, sandwiches, cookies and premade charcuterie boards. Solomon is looking for bakery partners to augment the sweet tooth items.
“I am very focused on what is happening in front of us, but I am always keeping an eye on the future,” says Solomon, who attended culinary school in Chicago and worked at several restaurants there before coming to Napa. “Step 1 is just getting open!”
The Kitchen at Priest Ranch
6488 Washington Blvd, Yountville
adjacent to the Priest Ranch Tasting Room
(707) 947-4017 • thekitchenatpr.com
