My husband found the restaurant while we were in St. Helena and even though they were fully booked we stopped by anyway and they graciously found us a table

We had the four course dinner with the wine pairing and everything was delicious. Cole, our server, was friendly and attentive and made great recommendations. We also loved seeing how spotless and professional the kitchen was, and learning the team are Culinary Institute students made us appreciate the experience even more.

Fantastic food, wine, and hospitality. We’d definitely come back!

We have been visiting Napa wine country for 15 years and finally had dinner at The Gatehouse Restaurant at the CIA. I truly can’t say enough wonderful things about our meal and our experience. We selected a four course dinner with wine pairings and everything was excellent – especially the octopus dish. What impressed us most were our conversations with the culinary students who were working “front of the house”. They seemed to be truly invested in our dining experience and we thoroughly enjoyed hearing about their culinary interests and future plans. Our evening was made perfect when we had a chance to see the kitchen and meet Chef Paul Canales. He spent time talking with us – and his love of sharing his knowledge with the students was evident. The evening was a real treat for us.

They say the CIA is the Harvard of culinary schools. I’d respectfully disagree and say that not only is it the Harvard, but it’s also the Hogwarts of culinary schools.

First reaction from the first bite was: Oh. My. God. You can’t beat dishes that hit every taste bud and give you savory, umami, sweet, bitter, smoky, and nutty. This meal was the best meal of our Napa trip by a long shot (the other reviews before mine about this being a James Beard level experience are no joke). We had the Mexican-themed meal and my girlfriend and I are not fans of Mexican food in general. Despite this, we loved every single dish and polished each plate. Suddenly, Mexican food was our favorite. Every component was intentional and worked to give the dish balance. Many ingredients are grown right on the campus that you can see walking around and are used in the dishes. At one point we were given sauces to complement our 2nd and 3rd courses. We whined and complained when the waiter took the sauces away before our dessert course because we wanted to finish them. Literally wanted to eat them on their own. The flavors just danced and stimulated our palates like few meals have, and we’ve been around NYC and Philly restaurants for quite some time.

Service and ambiance are amazing and flawless like the other reviews so won’t belabor the point. Timing, pacing, attention to detail and needs of diners, all on point and are Michelin level. The students involved are those passionate enough to stay in their schooling this far in so the effort and care is there.

If I REALLY had to critique something, and this is pulling hairs, it would be the squash blossom dish. The textures weren’t our favorite on the tlacoyo for us (again, not too familiar with Mexican food so this may be our lack of understanding/appreciation) and the flavor/seasoning was a little flat compared to the other dishes. Still giving 5 stars because the experience was that good.

If you are a foodie and/or appreciate fresh, quality ingredients and the culinary process, this is for you. My girlfriend and I were genuinely sad when our dinner was over. We were also watching Next Gen Chef on Netflix so this experience was just the perfect/fitting end to our Napa vacation. I could keep going but no one wants to hear my rambling anymore. Just come.