CIA at Copia (The Culinary Institute of America at Copia)

A Memorable Culinary Experience at CIA Napa – Thanks to Claudia! I recently had the pleasure of dining at the Culinary Institute of America in Napa, and it was an unforgettable experience from start to finish. The atmosphere is elegant yet welcoming, the food is masterfully prepared, and the location in the heart of wine country couldn't be more perfect. What truly elevated our visit, however, was the exceptional service provided by our server, Claudia. From the moment we were seated, Claudia made us feel genuinely welcomed. She was attentive without being intrusive, knowledgeable about every dish and wine pairing, and had a warm, professional demeanor that made our experience feel personal and special. Claudia anticipated our needs before we even had to ask, offered thoughtful suggestions from the menu, and made sure every course was timed perfectly. Her passion for hospitality and deep understanding of the culinary arts clearly reflect the high standards of the CIA. If you're visiting Napa, a stop at the Culinary Institute is a must – and if you’re lucky enough to be served by Claudia, you’re in for a true five-star experience.

It was a yummy delight. My husband and I did the 4 course meal and discovered new dishes we love with the children.

My husband and i enjoyed the 4 course dinner. My fave was the lions mane mushroom steak and his was the rock fish with manila clams. We both enjoyed the focaccia bread and the tempura vegetable misto (especially the squash, fennel, lemon and marigold) and the strawberry tiramisu. Will return l.

What a happy surprise touring this place. The setting is inviting with high ceilings and lots of light. They have a wall that is hall of fame of wine with plaques for famous people in the winemaking world, and a culinary museum which was unexpectedly interesting and fun, and nice gift shop with unusual and high quality offerings for anyone who cooks or as a gift for friends or family who like to cook. They also have a very cool wine tasting set up which is automated (you pay with a credit card choose a nice glass and then select the type of wine you’d like to try and the amount you’d like and a dispenser pours it for you). Nice seating area nearby. Didn’t have dinner there so can’t speak to that (but it’s got to be good). Anyway, fun stop before or after Oxbow next door.

My family & I came here our first night of our vacation, this past Saturday, May 3rd. My mom had eaten here a few years ago and raved about it so we were excited to try it. We were seated at 6pm, had our apps and drinks by 6:30pm and then…nothing. At 7:30pm, we asked the server how much longer it would be for our entrees (2 pasta dishes and a fish dish), and she assured us it wouldn’t be much longer. At 7:45pm, she came back and said our dishes were being plated and offered us half glasses of prosecco. At 8pm, just as we were about to ask for the check and tell them to just forget about the entrees, the food came out. The entrees were good, but the 90 minute wait ruined the experience. Not only that, but the situation could have been easily been remedied if the manager had come by, apologized, and offered us an app or even bread on the house. Instead, we got mediocre prosecco when we weren’t even finished with our existing drinks. The worst part is, the manager stopped at every table in our section except for ours. She was having a great time dropping off plates and checking in on tables that actually had food while purposefully avoiding ours. It was almost entertaining to watch her avoid eye contact with us and take alternate routes in the dining room to keep from talking to us. We received much better service and meals from all of the other restaurants and bakeries we visited in the area so we will be skipping Copia during future visits.

Food was so delicious. I especially enjoyed their burger. Buns were fresh and soft. Meat was perfectly cooked. Vegetables on it were refreshing as well. I was sitted inside since outdoor tables were all full. I highly recommend requesting outdoor sitting when making a reservation.

Spent some time here learning the intricacies of farm to table, wine country cuisine. The location is perfect in the heart of Napa. Had a dinner here, with wine pairing so many courses I lost count. I did not leave hungry,that is for sure. Kind of pricey, but you get what you pay for. Plenty to explore after class!

CIA at Coupa is an absolutely beautiful facility! First class in architectural layout, unique artwork, the museum, the student kitchen and even fresh grown herbs. Myself and my family had dinner at Coupa and this is where my disappointment lies. The food was not at all bad; however, all things considered, the food should have been much, much better. Two of three steaks were room temperature on arrival. The bruschetta was served not with basil pesto but with spinach pesto. (Admittedly, the menu may may have stated Spinach Pesto, but not what we expected.)Both were disappointing considering the ambiance and reputation I would expect from CIA. I will try again as the menu did look quite good. I hope I can provide a better rating next time.

Quality/Quantity - My wife and I were in Carmel, CA and learned of this event. So here we are. The best thing was that we were expecting guests, and this provided us an excuse to take them to Napa. We attended an amazing free musical festival today. See pictures. Unfortunately for us, we read that the program was only 1 hour and 15 minutes, so we made lunch reservations at Bounty Hunter for 1 hour and 45 minutes later. The program ran way late, so we had to leave before the last musical/before the last group played. I used to also eat at your Grove Restaurant, but you now charge $90, so not that good value any more. Atmosphere - Decent size location. Beautiful facility. It still looks new. Plenty of seating, I actually expected more people. Larger parking lot, but really not large enough for all the businesses. I am told there is overflow parking nearby, but we got here early. Service - 5 stars; the team and volunteers were all friendly. Price - Free. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1946 and with 4 locations. Look forward to attending more events in the future.

CIA copia was so rad!! The cooking experience was amazing. I can't believe how fun, challenging and rewarding this was. If you're looking for a crowd pleaser, you MUST book this. We had some really epic dishes to craft with hands on chefs who really go that extra mile to teach you while keeping cleanliness and safety a priority. I had the fry station where vegetable and seafood were the star of the show. My team mates had never cleaned squid for calamari or deveined shrimp so I had to muster up some confidence to take it for the team. While it doesn't sound fun, it was pretty fun. The location is also perfectly nestled with ease of access from city streets. Our group was apprehensive towards cooking but it all came together. The end and grand finale was superb. The chef joined us around the table to eat. I thought that was soo cool and intimate. I would definitely return. When I say cool, I mean it's really, really COOL!!!

Beautiful campus, museum, test/teaching kitchen, and grounds for the CIA to host here in Napa. Came here for an educational course, and the staff and facilities were absolutely amazing. The building itself is so warm and inviting, so if you're in the area and they're hosting an event, a talk, or some other demo/culinary feature, make an extra effort to attend! There are so many cool nooks and crannies in this building - plenty of places to explore, and if you're lucky enough to attend an event here, the food selection must always be amazing. Thoroughly enjoyed our time here for our course, and would highly recommend stopping by and checking it out if you're in the area.

This was a nice brunch at the Culinary Institute of America. There was nice outside seating and a shop next to the restaurant. It was very low-key and casual while being relaxing. The service was good, and the food was delicious. It was a little cool in the morning, but they have heaters, and it was fine. I can see this place being packed during the summer months, but we went during shoulder season, so it was not very crowded.

We had a very nice brunch experience at CIA at Copia. The chefs in the kitchen are CIA grads or current students. The outdoor seating is relaxing g and comfortable with views of the on site garden. I enjoyed the pancakes made with rye sourdough and semolina and topped with a yummy mascarpone crema. Another noteworthy item on the menu was the ricotta scrambled eggs. These were cooked to perfection soft and creamy and served with a side of brown sugar bacon.

Friday night dinner, no reservations, no problem. This is of course dinner before 7pm. The restaurant was not as busy and I am glad we had a chance to try it again after a few years. Our server is knowledgeable and attentive. The food is delicious. The scallop appetizer is heavenly. I thought it was a little pricey but with the caviar on top, it's worth it. Don't skip the salads as they were fresh and light. To finish off dinner, we could not refuse the tiramisu and I'm glad ordered it. All in all, I would definitely go back. Good food, good service, nice ambience, what else can you ask for?

Who knew the public could visit the Culinary Institute's location here in downtown Napa right next to Oxbow Public Market? How awesome! It felt a little *trespassy* walking right in, and I'm not sure it's totally clear that this building is open to the public, but my parents had visited and had multiple people in the building tell them to explore and enjoy! They have a beautiful garden on the grounds that you see as you walk in. You'll also find a window for lunch service to-go (sandwiches, soups, etc) as you walk in on the left side. Inside, there is a higher end brunch and dinner restaurant that had a really cool looking menu. We thought it would be CIA students or graduates who work here - but we found out that's not the case. Feels like a HUGE opportunity missed to sell a CIA experience! For that reason, we decided not to make reservations or dine here. They also have a little bar area where you can hang out and order a cocktail or glass of wine. On the first floor, you can see some different historical information about Napa and folks part of CIA. But go to the second floor for much more. On the second floor, there were multiple glass cases filled with vignettes of different culinary-themed collections. There is an entire ROOM full of Mr. Chuck Williams' (of Williams-Sonoma!) collection of baking molds - it was truly shocking - in addition to a history of lots of cooking gadgets and items. To my shock, the CIA kitchens door was open and students/teachers that were there told us we were welcome to explore. It was so cool to see! It would be awesome to see a small map of the space and what you can find, or someone at the front that greets non CIA-students and guests so they feel comfortable exploring. What an awesome collection of culinary history!

Went for the holiday pies course just before Thanksgiving. Fun 5 hour event where we made 4 pies per person. They provided lunch and wine during the downtimes and while we allowed the pies to cool. Fun activity for a rainy day in Napa.

We explored the CIA at Copia after exploring Oxbow Market and lunch at Gott's Roadside. I love the CIA at Greystone, and we hadn't visited this spot. What a treasure. The restaurant wasn't open, good thing since we had just eaten at Gott's. But we explored the store and made our way upstairs to the Chuck Williams of Williams Sonoma fame Culinary Museum. Wow! This museum is great for any foodie. There is so much history in the museum. From butter churns, to old style pressure cookies there is every type of antique to modern kitchen utensil or appliance. We had so much fun exploring all the displays and even remembered having some of the pieces in our childhood homes. Once you have explored the inside, take a stroll through the beautiful culinary garden. This was a hidden gem that we didn't expect but loved every minute. It is absolutely well worth a visit.

While in Napa last week, I had the opportunity to have brunch /lunch at the CIA at Copia. Good experience and I recommend this place. Lots to see & the food was delicious. We checked out the Marketplace, the Culinary Garden, and the Wine Bar before eating. I plan to try a cooking class next time. We dined at The Grove (inside restaurant) and the service and atmosphere were great. Our brunch included Spring Pea Salad, Eggs Benedict, French Onion Frittata, Brioche French Toast and Seared Tuna Niçoise. Both the taste and presentation of the varies dishes were memorable. If you have not tried this place, do so (if possible).

Support The Culinary Institute and its students. We ate brunch at The Grove which is close to The OxBow Market. The dining venues help support students studying at the Culinary school and all kitchen staff are from the school. Amazing grounds and patio. We enjoyed a beet and grapefruit salad( fresh) , an Eggs Benedict ( nice muffin) , Fried Quail and Waffles ( Quail was extremely miniature...and looked like garnish...so be aware) and a BLT sandwich ( ok) for lunch/brunch on a Saturday morn. I thought the experience would be more daring. The entire facility is interesting to tour on your own. Lovely pay by credit card wine tasting upscale Vending machine Wine Fridge full of Global Wines Curated by the CIA . Lovely stylish little seating areas in the foyer and main hall. Reserve a private room for your own company tasting. Will be back to partake in events here.

Wow the food here was amazing! Came here for dinner last night, everything was delicious, cooked to perfection, with great prices & generous portions. We loved the beef ribeye steak & glazed lamb ribs. Both were tender, juicy, super flavorful with lots of meat. The culinary garden salad was light and refreshing, just wish they had more dressing. The lychee raspberry sorbet was really good too. We celebrated our anniversary, the staff was so nice, they brought us complimentary champagne with free refills. The building is beautiful and clean, I like how they combine art with food. They have their own garden outside where you can walk around after dinner. There is indoor and outdoor dining with plenty of parking. What a great deal with such quality food, will definitely come back next time we visit Napa!

The culinary equivalent of a beauty school haircut... Our group of 10 arrived on time in 2 separate Ubers. One group was less than 5 min ahead and seated when the 2nd group arrived. Less than 1 minute after joining the group, the server brings bread, cheese and salad which is all of the "appetizers" on the pre-fixe menu. When I kindly explain that we haven't even ordered drinks, the server said, "I was told to bring these out". OK, so ALL the first 3 courses are served in the first 5 minutes. It got MUCH worse. After a long wait for drinks (which was actually OK), we get 3 entrees "family style". The rib eye was sliced wrong, against the grain and fatty. Pretty awful. Fish was a rockfish (cheap skinny 'garbage' fish) in a clam butter sauce that just was terrible. And the Lions Mane mushroom steak was decently OK, but the only thing that was. Only side dish (no vegetables) was a "bean puree" that was OK, but tasted like a can of bean dip. Gourmet? No. Awful? Yes. Bad service? 100%. Overpriced? $90pp + $45 for truffles we didn't order + drinks + 23% forced gratuity? Ridiculous. Not 1 of our adult group of 10 enjoyed it. We spoke with the manager and she defensively said, "we don't ever hear complaints on our ribeye". Zero apology for a terrible experience and a big drain on the wallet.

I had the pleasure and honor of visiting the Culinary Institute of America Greystone in St Helena CA, what a magnificent building and campus with a history and tradition of training and graduating incredible Chefs. So to say I was excited to dine at the CIA Copia in Napa California would be a grave understatement. CIA Copia is also a very impressive campus in its own right and what a wonderful collection of displayed wines. The restaurant, The Grove, was beautiful. The night I dined there was no one there, I had the entire place to myself. It was a Thursday, cool, raining. The menus was a Prix Fixe which I often enjoy. This is where my excitement and the hype ended. To say I was disappointed is being kind. The Service was quite good though there was literally no other customer there. The presentation of the food was done quite well and if I was only eating with my eyes it would have been fantastic. Flavor? Missed the mark. Every course was so close it was as if the chef et al were trying too hard but not tasting their product. My steak, a rare ribeye, was cooked perfectly however it was under seasoned and served with excessive connective tissue (not fat) that could have been easily and appropriately trimmed before leaving the kitchen. The Caesar like salad: the dressing wasn't blended. Some bites were pure anchovy while others were salt and lemon. A simple whisk? The Burrata with a minty oil: the oil was green but I couldn't appreciate the mint and the Burrata could have used some corse salt and cracked pepper. The cheese course was served atop a focaccia. The bread was soggy and other than the honey comb which was quite flavorful, the remainder of the dish was not palatable. Dessert was a mascarpone cheesecake, well half a wheel of cheese cake, that wasn't terrible. Why so critical? The Grove bears the name CIA, Culinary Institute of America. Even more so, my check and eventually credit card statement read CIA Hyde Park NY. There's no way CIA Hyde Park would approve endorse or let that meal leave a kitchen with their name on it.

CIA doesn't disappoint. Been here in the past for some of their art exhibits. I love how they combine art, food and wine in such a fantastic way. Went to their 3D dinner which was a dinner intricately woven into a movie at your table. With generous pours of Prosecco as your welcome dish to start the evening. The food was amazing. From the starter tasting, to the halibut, Steak and crème brûlée. Generous portions ...def left us all full and happy after. There is an optional wine tasting and certainly the option to buy a drink with dinner. Overall another great experience at CIA. Love the creativity. Be lookin out for what ever else you guys create. I'm sure it'll be amazing.

I have been wanting to try this spot since moving to Napa. Their gardens out front are incredible and their reputation for cooking classes must be a reflection of how amazing their food is! We went for restaurant week so our experience may be slightly different from the norm but still worth raving about! Aesthetic - 10/10 Classy, quaint, and clean. Staff is so nice and enthusiastic about their restaurant. Our order: - Appetizer salad - 10/10 - So fresh and delicious! I could've eaten one twice this size! - Roasted carrots - 9/10 - Perfectly cooked with a yummy balance of flavors. - BBQ ribs, cornbread, and macaroni & cheese - 7/10 This is where the meal fell short for me which was sad. The ribs were suuuuper dry. I basically chugged my wine to get through each bite. I had high hopes for them because the restaurant smelled SO GOOD. The macaroni and cornbread were super delicious and made up for the ribs! But it was a bummer to have the main show stopper fall so short. - Dessert - 10/10 - WOW this was so good! I cannot remember the name of it but it had such a creative balance of flavors! Even though the ribs were disappointing, I would definitely give this place another try!

There's a store and some dining and casual eating options on the first floor but the jewel is being able to see into the Culinary Institute of America classroom and seeing the cooking collection of the man that started Williams Sonoma.

Absolutely amazing outside dining space. We had reservations for 3 outside and promptly arrived and seated we ordered from the wine menu and started with two appetizers, roasted potatoes with a mustard type sauce, they were crispy red and tasted great with the sauce. Then we tried the focaccia bread with rosemary, to dip in olive oil and that was really good. The two pizzas we ordered were, Margarita pizza without anchovies and the Vegetarian Pizza with zucchini both were absolutely amazing. Definitely recommend going, whether for the pizza night or other!

I came here on a weekday for the Lunch Box menu. The current sandwich options didn't sound too appealing to my taste buds, so I ended up just picking up a Grain Bowl. I liked my it and felt it was filling enough for one meal. Depending on menu options I would consider coming back to try other items. The tables outside were empty when I went, and no one was in line to place or pick up an order so pickup was a breeze. As for parking, you can park in the Oxbow parking lot, which even on weekdays gets pretty full so you might have to park in the overflow lot across the street.

The Grove at Copia is an excellent place to get good food. Their marketing says: "The Grove at Copia is the signature restaurant from The Culinary Institute of America right in the heart of downtown Napa." The restaurant is really called "The Grove at Copia" :-) The Culinary Institute trains chefs for their new jobs. Most training is done at the Greystone property in St. Helena. That said, the food here is excellent. We started with deviled eggs carbonara containing crispy Parmesan. This appetizer was excellent and we couldn't think of one we liked better. The avocado bruschetta was nicely prepared on whole grain bread with cucumbers, radishes, toasted pepitas and mint. Flavors gave us a nice second course. The black truffle polenta with poached eggs was a great breakfast We asked for poached eggs soft and the kitchen fulfilled our request. After this we got the Grove lime pie with lime caviar. Yes there is a lime fruit that is filled with "seeds" that pop just like fish caviar. Wow. The whole meal was fantastic. The restaurant is casual but elegant. The grove mural set the atmosphere. We strongly suggest you visit the restaurant.

This place is the Napa Valley destination if you want to experience the world of food, wine, art, and community. The CIA at Copia is The Culinary Institute of America's food and beverage center in the heart of Napa. We went and strolled around their beautiful culinary garden where they grow beautiful flowers, fruit trees and vegetables. If you are planning events like a sales team meeting, retreats or team-building the CIA at Copia can help custom-tailor your business event.

Decided to try this spot since it's been bookmarked on a couple of our Yelp Elite apps. Wanted to treat one of our friends to a nice dinner for her birthday and decided on trying our their restaurant week menu options. On top of the 3 course menu, we opted to also try their bread and burrata cheese which hit the spot for our super hungry tummies. The restaurant week menu was a 3 course option that includes a salad, main course, and dessert. Sadly, our service was extremely slow. We came to an empty dining room around 5:30 and did not get our salads until 6:40 while we watched other tables already receiving their main dishes after knowing we've arrived before they did. I would've given 4 stars, but the service was so slow that everyone in our party was getting anxious and eventually losing patience knowing we had plans at 8pm. Luckily after someone in our party mentioned we were limited on our time there, they sped up the pace and got us out by 8:15. Overall I feel like service could've been better as far as the timing as everyone else's food was coming out before ours. I felt the food was also not consistent as half of us ordered rib-eye steaks cooked medium and everyone's was either extra salty or bland. I was hoping this place was going to be a great experience, but unfortunately the food was taking way too long. Overall the food was good, servers were kind, but this place needs to work on efficiency. For dessert, Cheesecake crusts we're also not as fresh in my opinion.

I attended the one day 'Street Food' class and had a great time. There were 16 students, and 16 recipes were prepared, we were broken into 4 groups. I made udon broth with noodles. Chef Annie showed me how to make gluten free noodles for family members that cannot eat gluten. Chef Annie even added her dashi recipe to the broth which was not in the class recipe. This was actually the star of all the dishes, not because if me but because of Chef Annie's special dashi recipe. Chef Annie shared so many cooking tips, I picked up some additional knife skills. We cooked in the yellow kitchen and were on our feet for about 3 hours. All the equipment was professional. Chef Annie was so organized assisting each group along with her 3 assistant cooks. They were so pleasant and patient. When it was all said and done, we had a feast with red and white wine. I wanna do this again.

We went to celebrate our moms 72nd birthday and it was our first time. The property is beautiful. We started with the mezze plate and charcuterie board which were both delicious. The charcuterie board only had one type of cheese (truffle Brie which is delicious), however we were intrigued there was only one cheese. The beet yogurt was VERY GOOD. I went for the tequila flight which had a snack pairing and I wouldn't order it again. It was hard to drink in those glasses and there was no information given about the tequila brand or where it came from. My brother got the hibiscus lime mock tail and said it was very good, not too sweet. I ordered the grilled octopus and I would not order again and did not finish it. The octopus was very bland and the broth didn't marinate it because it was too thin. The spicy sausage and onions went well together but the beans were very mushy and the dish overall wasn't great. My fiancé got the lamb ribs and he loved them. For dessert the peach tart was amazing!! Loved being able to see all the garden plants and vegetables. That was pretty.

What a cool place! We had a great time! Before the show started we walked around the area and the exhibits are so cool. The shopping areas are amazing. The food was very well choreographed! The food was very good. The show was interesting - I think children would love it! VERY CREATIVE!!

The food and service were ok! We were not given choice of having single servings vs family style!! So not enough of main course especially when we were served 2 large bone-in rib eye for 12 people!! Was not worth $260/couple! Not recommended!!

Yum! Hubby and I dined here. Had the gnocchi and rockfish. Enjoyed the whole grain bread loaf and vegetable fritto misto appetizer. Everything was delicious and our server was very helpful and attentive.

We went in hoping for an excellent experience. I have been to several CIA's across the Country. However... this one did not deliver. We could not find a wine suitable for our table. We found the nutty Cesar salad interesting, not delicious. I was really hoping for the carrot dish to delivery a taste my palate could enjoy. We were confused as the dish had few carrots, and Frekkah which is a grain with Garbanzo beans, no flavor. We did have the steak with golden potato wedges that was prepared perfectly, kudos on that one. We really struggled to have a complete dining experience. A brand new menu and absolutely zero knowledge of anything that was being served to us. We are not sure what the dynamic was that night. We ordered a tequila that never arrived to the table, and no one even said a word about it... I'm really on the fence with this place... super strange combinations of flavors that basically fought their way down my throat. We all had a good laugh in the parking lot.

Everything was delicious. The pork belly with the spicy dip was a great way to start the meal after drinking all day. All the pieces were crispy but soft and melty inside. I had the duck breast and loved the texture and flavors along with the accompanying vegetables. The portions were perfect and I enjoyed every bite.

Came for a private event and there was a nice space that we held cocktail hour and a private area for dinner. Bartenders were very nice and friendly to chat with. The food was outstanding. The salad with Parmesan crisps was delicious. Both the root-crusted filet mignon and scallops were super tender and outstanding. The preserved meyer lemon tarts was also great. Highly recommend!

I went to CIA at Copia for a 3D dining experience that is held every Friday and Saturday of the week which cost $155 a person. I had a 4 course menu which includes: Appetizer: Waffles & Caviar- this is my favorite out of the 3 snack size appetizer. The waffles tasted more like hash browns and the caviar was just amazing. Spicy Tuna - Rice-Tots- I also enjoyed this one as well. It tasted like marinated tuna in a poke bowl which I am a big fan of Burrata Bruschetta: my least favorite out of the appetizers- the bruschetta tasted a bit bitter and that is probably due to the flower First Course: Miso Glazed Sablefish: This is probably my favorite dish of the night. The fish was done extremely well. The fish tasted buttery with a nice smooth texture and it was perfectly glazed with the Miso. The shiitake mushrooms and bok choy and the black garlic were perfect compliments to the dish. Thumbs up all around on the pairing. Main Course: Wagyu Short Rib: The short rib was pretty good but I felt like it lacked some flavoring to bring out the beef taste. I think it would have tasted a lot better if they paired it with a sauce of some type. I got a pretty lean part of the short rib but my girlfriend and neighbors across got a much more fatty piece but we all agreed mutually that the flavoring can be done better. Dessert: Chocolate Opera Cake: The cake tasted pretty good but more on the richer side and the proportion of the dessert was very huge that it was even greater than my main course so I was completely full after the dessert. 3D Dining Experience: The 3D experience was amazing. They created a nice story to fit the dishes in with the story. We were all seated in a large rectangular table and they have projectors up on the ceiling to project the 3D animation and films. They also have nice music playing in the background. Overall the ambiance was really nice inside with positive vibes. I highly recommend coming here if you have not tried a 3D dining experience before!

Great spot for a group- so you can try everything!! Been here twice now, and the food is always delicious. They rotate their menu very frequently- so I never know what to expect. My husband absolutely loved their tri-tip: beautiful cooked, tender. He was raving about it for days. Service is very attentive, but not pretentious. You feel at home, but know that you will be taken care of- when you dine here.

Couldn't recommend this restaurant and experience enough! The common breakfast and Bavette steak on focaccia were out of this world. The service was super nice and the restaurant was incredible aesthetic. After your meal, head upstairs to the museum and check out all the incredible displays the CIA has to offer.

This is a difficult review, indeed. Food, check the box - service, check the box - ambience, check-in box. You can only speak of this restaurant in superlative. One thing that I can add is an overwhelming sense that everyone working there was very gracious, and went an extra step to ensure that our evening was a true dining experience. Upon return, this will be first on our list. Thank you for a wonderful evening!

What a hidden gem. CIA is located adjacent to the Oxbow Market area and if you are a foodie or like to spend any time in the kitchen or garden, this is well worth your time. And it's free - unless you decide to eat in the restaurant, which we did not on this visit. So what you are reading here is more about the venue and there's a lot to see in that regard. We first walked the outdoor garden area that is brimming with fabulous looking produce that is used by the CIA students and restaurant facilities. We were lucky enough to encounter the chief gardener who was picking some kind of small cherry tomatoes and we talked to him a bit about the facility. Then he offered us a couple of the tomatoes--they were tomato bombs and had the most flavor I think I've ever had in a tomato. We went inside to the shop and the attendant was warm, welcoming, and informative. She suggested we head upstairs to look into the kitchen areas where the CIA students were in the middle of classes, and then also spend time in the Williams Museum. Both were interesting, but the museum deserves special attention. It was put together from the collection of Chuck Williams, he of Williams Sonoma fame. It contained about every kitchen gadget, pot, pan, utensil, mold, knife, etc known to mankind. Very interesting and a great way to spend some time. The gift shop is also pretty fabulous with lots of great cookbooks, gadgets, sauces, etc. The CIA building and grounds are equally wonderful. For example, there's a wall containing a collection of the history of about every winery that has produced in the Napa Valley. If you are a wino, you will see many names that you know and love. So....if you have some extra time while in Napa and you are tired of drinking wine, this is a great diversion.

Avocado toast, fluffy pancakes, scrambled egg. Fresh. Mildly satisfying. (1st batch of pancakes were over cooked) Mild flavor. Great mimosa and Bellinis.

This is one of the very best meals I've had in a long time. The service was fabulous nd the ambiance and food was even better. I would rate it a 7 if I could! Tasty vegetarian options and the halibut was fire! I will visit every time I'm in Nappa...

We ate here our last night in Napa. It's not cheap but it was very delicious. CJ our server did a great job. The lady who seated us was lovely. We had reservations and I would recommend that for you. We ate outside in the lovely patio garden area. So the scenery was wonderful and made for a romantic dinner shared with my husband. We ordered the harvest pizza al a carte, marinated olives for appetizer with a salad they pulled straight from their garden. Our wine was a Santa Barbara CA Syrah selection and it was also very good. We would definitely go again. We walked from downtown Napa which weather permitting is a lovely walk!

I had the pleasure of attending a week-long cohort formation for my Master's degree on CIA's Copia Campus. Needless to say, I was not disappointed in my experience. The food each day was exceptional, the building itself clean, organized and well-kept. Additionally, you must check out the self-serve wine bar. There are plenty of areas to sit, whether you want to relax, get some work done, or have a drink with friends. Such an amazing organization that I am grateful to be part of. Check out the CIA garden out front, as well!

Well, after having wonderful meals at the culinary institute in St Helena, we decided to try this one. Honestly ever dish we ordered were awful. Steak was hard a rubber, fried mushrooms dish was not edible -hard as a rock and the broccoli Fritto misto was a way too doughy almost like a biscuit. We sent it back and was offered a free glass of wine but still had a bill of over $200 for food that wasn't fit to eat. I've had better food at Dennys. At least the wine was good. With so much good food in Napa I have no idea how this place stays open.

I signed a friend & I up for what was advertised as a hands-on cooking class. Once we arrived and checked in, we were taken into an small auditorium setting that had a small kitchen where one might see a podium. Once we were in we were instructed to take a seat. While we sat in our seats the chef did all the prepping & cooking. The only thing we got to do was practice how to make decorative wings, piping, etc., that were never used. And we did it while sitting in our seats. The chef did everything. It was basically watch the chef, eat some of the food and sip a little wine. Had I known this was how the hands-on cooking class was taught I wouldn't have wasted my money. To me hands-on means you're doing the majority of the work if not all of it (some places will prep some of the stuff prior to the class because it has to sit in the refrigerator a few hours to overnight but they still have you make whatever it is so you at least know what to do) and you're doing all the cooking. In all honesty this was none of that. Things might have changed since I had signed up for this class, which I hope it has but I have no idea as I don't want to waste my money again trying another class. If it hasn't changed, don't waste your hard earned cash as it's not worth the price of admission.

Very disappointing. We had reservations for our first visit . Slow service. Food mediocre. My husbands chicken cacciatore was tough and chewy. He took two bites and sat until Our waiter finally came back to inquire ( for first time) how meals were. My gnocchi was bleh-- nothing special. We won't return. We expected much better.

Not a student hear. But it's pretty much open for the public. There is a cafe, gift shop, and some insta worthy stops. Definitely loved our time here.

We arrived earlier than our reservation but Peter at the front was nice enough to sit us when a table Opened up he also gave us a choice to sit at a regular table or the exhibition table and we chose the exhibition table. Lina was our server she was super nice super great, food was good , it was pretty cool to watch them cook and be able to talk to the chef while we ate , Michael was the one cooking in front of us and was able to answer all our questions about the food , over all excellent service would definitely come back here !!

Service: 4 Ambiance: 4 Food: 3 - Average Our group of 5 was expecting a little more than just ordinary food from the Pro's at the CIA at Copia. Unfortunately, our expectations, maybe unrealistic, were not realized. We ordered Wild Yeast Leavened Bread, Glazed Lamb Ribs, California Halibut, Pan Seared Duck Breast, Grilled Octopus, and Trofie Pasta. They were all edible. Lamb meat and taste were overpowered by the glaze sauce. Halibut and octopus were decent. However, the beans from these dishes were a bit salty. The duck was tasty but the meat was on the very rare side. The Trofie Pasta had good basil aroma and taste but nothing to write home about. The most enjoyable experience is the facility which is beautiful and quite pleasant to walk around.

Fabulous brunch! Great ambience! Thoroughly enjoyed! Jay was an absolute joy and my foodie heart was very satisfied!

Such a lovely evening dinner cooked and served by CIA COPIA students. We went to the 3-course Italian Feast dinner that included a Caesar salad which had a great flavor but was just a tad bit salty and a little bit overdressed, an antipasto plate That was huge and extremely filling( eggplant, goat cheese, bruschetta, olives, etc) And THREE plates full of Pasta! A Cacio E Pepe, a Carbonara and a hand made lobster ravioli. Plus a shortbread cake with sweet cream for dessert. The best part about all this? FREE corkage! It was my understanding that we could bring as many bottles as we really wanted and opened them at the table for free. We popped open an Italian Vermentino and a Sonoma Pinot Noir! My only issue was that the pasta did not taste super handmade but for only $42 it was a delightful meal!

Excellent food , excellent service. We had the hook in line caught halibut, the Cauliflower tempura and a holiday cocktail. The staff was friendly and the ambience was great. Overall a great dining experience. We will definitely be back in the near future. Highly recommend.

Really spacious venue with its own wine machine! Many private events and nice garden area