"Open a mere eight months, ALBA remains one of Napa’s best-kept secrets. At the River Terrace Inn along the Napa River, dine by cozy fire pits on what’s arguably the best outdoor patio in all of Napa, featuring live music from top local bands on the weekends. For $36, ALBA’s three-course dinner will start with a choice of porcini mushroom bisque or a beet salad. Decide between a grilled pork chop with kabocha squash or a grilled veggie caponata (a Sicilian eggplant dish) for the main, and round it all out with something delightfully unexpected: homemade Key Lime Pie with a graham cracker and macadamia nut crust. For an extra $14, you’ll get two wine pairings, but their original craft cocktails are tough to pass by, like the Valley Heat (tequila, jalapeno, cucumber and pineapple)." - Jess Lander
