What you’re about to read is the salacious three-part story of Ninebark, a trilevel cocktail bar, restaurant and excellent-rooftop-haver that’s now open in downtown Napa. (Here’s a visual supplement before we begin.)
Prologue An unsolved murder was rumored to have taken place here in the ’70s. It remained empty until the Thomas and Fagiani’s Bar opened in 2012. Now it’s this. Prologues, right?
I. Ground Floor You arrive straight from the vineyards. “No more wine,” you say. Thankfully, it’s all about inventively tricked-out classic cocktails on this level, so the barkeep makes you their sidecar. Spoiler: it has fig.
II. Second Floor You slide into a long banquette, above which is a glass-enclosed wine cellar. Smoky smells emanate from the two-Michelin-starred chef’s open kitchen. “I’ll have the foie gras skewer and charcoal-roasted duck,” you say. The server drops his pen and shakes your hand.
III. Rooftop Now you find yourself in a garden-like rooftop lounge. The libations are a little more innovative up here. Unfazed, you order the popcorn-and-peanut-infused-rye drink dubbed the Old Ball Game. Then you leave.
