Nightlife

When you're in the mood for a night on the town, Wine Country has plenty of options. This isn't New York or L.A.; so don't expect superstar rock acts or nightclubs throbbing until dawn. Here, the after-hours scene is all about a superior cocktail or pint of beer, a flavorful late-night bite, a turn or two on the dance floor, and convivial conversation. Good company, great food and drink: What else can you expect from Wine Country?

>>2007 Winners in the Nightlife Category

Best Place To Take a Date

It’s a special night: You’re proposing marriage, reveling in the flush of new love, or marking a wedding anniversary. Whatever the occasion, the Wine Country’s top restaurants for romance provide that perfect mix of fine food, intimate setting and attentive, unobtrusive service. At Auberge du Soleil, vineyard views from the terrace are bathed in honeyed evening light, while inside flickering candles and the fireplace give off a warm glow. The legendary cuisine is just as breathtaking, as is the 1,500-bottle wine list, where you’re sure to find the perfect bottle for the occasion.

Or for a night of sophisticated glamour, head to n.v. Restaurant and Lounge in downtown Napa, where you can soak in the scene at the bar and then move to the dining room and sink back into the banquette for a tête à tête. And for a setting worthy of “La Bohème,” choose the tiny dining room at Café La Haye, where artworks from the gallery next door adorn the walls and the food is equally artistic. With its clutch of tables à deux, it’s the perfect place to celebrate food, wine and the art of romance.

Best Night Spot

With its antique wood bar, soft leather banquettes and ottomans, and robust bar menu featuring can't-eat-just-one frites, sandwiches and cheese sampler plates, the girl & the fig in Sonoma remains lively after other eateries on the Plaza close. The main dining room stays open until 10, and the bar remains crowded later still, as actors from local productions nosh and gossip, rubbing elbows with off-duty waitstaff from other restaurants and visitors savoring a final glass of wine before heading to bed at the hotel next door. The wood trim, antique lamplight and mustard-colored walls create warmth and invite a cozy congeniality – and the crowd complies.

Best Bar

Sometimes, even in Wine Country, you don’t need a meal – you just need a good drink, a lively people-watching scene, or a place to rendezvous with friends. The top local bars deliver, with an ambience for every taste, from highbrow to down-home.

At n.v. Restaurant and Lounge in downtown Napa, the styling is swank and the crowd exudes urbane sophistication. With low ottomans, soft lighting, and a range of top-shelf drinks, it’s the place to see and be seen. Further upvalley, the Cellar at the Martini House has a more rustic elegance – exposed wood beams, warm-toned upholstery, and a cozy little bar that’s perfect for a casual get-together. The wine bar features a 600-bottle list that’s sure to keep everyone sipping happily, and the bar menu features toothsome fare ranging from tapas-style snacks to a hearty burger.

For a raucous local scene, head over to Sonoma and grab a table outside the Swiss Hotel. Bar snacks such as molten brie and individual-sized pizzas are served late along with copious local gossip, wine and beer. Wedding guests, locals with dogs on leashes, and winery hospitality staffers alike gather here year-round; in winter, the crowds don’t dissipate – everyone just bundles up and keeps partying. Now that’s a festive spirit worthy of a toast.