Gott's Napa
American restaurant · Napa ·
Inventive burgers & beer with a chill, self-serve vibe
Inventive burgers & beer with a chill, self-serve vibe
"Brothers Joel and Duncan Gott took over a stand called Taylor Refresher, which had operated since the 1950s, and renamed it Taylor’s Automatic Refresher in 1999. After a trademark dispute and protests from the previous owner’s family, the brothers eventually settled on their current name in 2010; the operation originated in St. Helena in Napa Valley and has since expanded to eight locations, including San Francisco, Walnut Creek, Marin, and Palo Alto, catering to about 50,000 diners a week. In 2006 the restaurant received a James Beard America’s Classics award and has been featured in multiple publications for its burgers, including the California burger, featuring Northern California specialty products such as Niman Ranch beef, Cowgirl Creamery Wagon Wheel cheese, Zoe’s bacon, fried egg, and balsamic onions. Eater San Francisco considers it one of the top burgers in the city, adored for its "hefty third-pound patties and secret sauce." The burger menu now includes a range of options, including kimchi, Impossible meat, green chile, and griddle mushrooms, served alongside salads, chicken schnitzel sandwiches, hot dogs, and shakes. The company confirms it will open its first Southern California outlet inside the Original Farmer’s Market in fall 2025, saying the owners chose the bustling historic food destination because of its iconic status that emulates other locations in San Francisco’s Ferry Building and Napa’s Oxbow Public Market. Earlier reports that it was opening in Santa Monica were debunked: the company told Eater that it was on the hunt for locations in Southern California but hadn’t settled on a space." - Matthew Kang
"Ideal for an old-fashioned burger, Gott’s Roadside is presented as a straightforward, classic counter-service option in contrast to Napa’s fine-dining reputation." - Ashok Selvam
"A requirement every time we're in Napa, Gott's Roadside is basically a fancy diner with unbelievable food. In other words, it's perfect for kids and a Napa-quality meal without the white tablecloths. There are also several other locations in Northern California including St. Helena and San Francisco. "
"A popular roadside/fast‑casual chain that has incorporated Impossible’s plant‑based meat into its menu offerings, reflecting the broader adoption of the product by both restaurants and chains." - Greg Morabito
"It’s a sunny, warm February day in California, and downtown Napa is bustling—people queue at Gott’s Roadside for burgers and wait for English muffins at The Model Bakery." - Erin Brooks