Bay Area chefs dish on the best things to eat at BottleRock
BottleRock Napa Valley brings together some of the most lauded chefs from the Bay Area and beyond. At this week's festival, which runs Friday-Sunday, May 23-25, TV food competition master Bobby Flay and 'Top Chef' host Kristen Kish are among those who will appear on the Culinary Stage.
To help you make the most of the festival's robust food offerings, the Chronicle asked five Bay Area chefs — all seasoned BottleRockers — for their top dish recommendations and hacks for maximizing meals over the three days.
Festival food strategy
Mark Dommen, a Napa local, longtime BottleRock attendee and chef at San Francisco's One Market, always fuels up before entering the festival. 'We are not breakfast people in general,' said Dommen, 'but it's good to eat something that builds a base for a day of drinking.' He even hosts a 'Build a Base Brunch' at his home with breakfast pizzas each year, which he said 'has become quite legendary.'
Once inside the gates, Dommen never eats the same thing twice and focuses on new restaurants as 'there's always something different to discover.' Newcomers to this year's BottleRock culinary garden include beloved Bay Area Italian spot A16, which opens its Napa location next week, and Sumo Dog, a Coachella staple that recently brought its creative hog dog combos to Napa's Oxbow Public Market.
Chef Phil Tessier, of the Michelin-starred Press Restaurant and its new sister cafe Under-study, suggested hitting up 'high-demand booths' early, or during off-peak times, especially if there's a specific item you have your eye on. Edwin Robles, the executive chef of Napa's Compline, which will have 'The Bear'-themed booths in GA and VIP, opts for 'small snacks between shows' instead of a few big meals and suggests sharing with friends so you can try more.
Press Restaurant's offerings were a common favorite among the chefs, especially the fancy, caviar-topped lobster corn dog, which Dommen called 'incredible' and would pair with a glass of rosé. The corn dog will be back this year, but sold by Under-study instead of Press. For the first time, it'll be available in GA and VIP.
The Wagyu hot dog from St. Helena's Charlie's, which has a caviar add-on, got several nods, as did the nachos from Napa tequila hot spot Chispa. Charlie's chef-owner Elliot Bell said Compline's Original Beef sandwich and duck fat fries are 'a yearly highlight.'
Tessier, who described the burnt ends from Napa Kansas City barbecue spot Stateline Road Smokehouse as 'unreal,' also spoke highly of the locally famous doughnuts from Napa's Boon Fly Café. 'My wife waited 30 minutes for (them) last year and, honestly, it was totally worth it,' he said.
Dommen said Bay Area Vietnamese legend Slanted Door, which opened a Napa location in 2023 and made its BottleRock debut last year, is at the top of his list. Robles plans to seek out the queso dip from Chispa, while Bell said he's excited for the festival return of Loveski Deli from famed Napa Valley chef Christopher Kostow.
'Their loaded fries are family-friendly and were a huge hit with my kids a couple of years ago,' said Bell, who is set to preview a new ice cream concept in the Williams-Sonoma Culinary Garden (backstage of the Culinary Stage). 'It's a little nostalgia, a little whimsy and a lot of fun.'
Where to eat before the festival
Tessier, Robles and chef Darryl Bell of Stateline Road Smokehouse all suggested Winston's Cafe for breakfast. Stateline's Bell, who will make his BottleRock culinary stage debut this year on Sunday evening (and teased a surprise), likes Small World Restaurant for lunch; Robles recommended Kitchen Door and Contimo. All are in downtown Napa and within walking distance of the festival.
'It's all about the hot dog vendors while you're walking back to the ride-share area,' said Dommen. 'Bacon-wrapped hot dogs with caramelized onions.'
Robles, however, recommends Zuzu or his home base Compline, whose late-night menu, featuring one of the Bay Area's best burgers, goes until 11 p.m. Tessier also mentioned Zuzu, which will serve pintxos until 11 p.m. 'Great energy, great food,' he said. 'It's the perfect spot to wind down.'
Stateline's Bell chose an 'oldie but a goodie': In-N-Out. His go-to order: a double-double animal-style, fries and a vanilla shake. The Napa location is a mile-and-a-half from the festival grounds, on the way out of town for those getting on the highway. Prepare to wait.
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