D I N E W I S E
WITH JASON WALSH
Violetto “W eaving past and present” is how Violetto positions itself—an appropriate description for the St. Helena restaurant, to be sure. Located inside a grand 1907 mansion on Main Street that’s part of the equally grand Alila Napa Valley resort, Violetto reaches for vintage and modern in almost equal measures—and acutely balances both. From the Georgian-style architecture of the main house to the sleek interiors envisioned by international design firm Yabu Pushelberg, Violetto—“violet” in Italian— is multifaceted in character, as much as cuisine. We dined on a recent Sunday evening; the end of the weekend is still a busy time at the restaurant, with most tables occupied throughout our visit. Violetto offers a choice of two tasting menus—four courses ($105) or eight courses ($175)—featuring dishes that highlight local- sourced ingredients; a la carte selections of sharable plates are also an option in the restaurant’s Salvia Terrace & Bar. Our eight-course experience kicked off with a trio of chef’s snacks—the albacore tuna tartlet and mushroom brodo were particularly memorable, the latter’s stock made of leftover veggies from the restaurant garden. Other highlights from the first portion of the meal included a ramekin of egg diavolo—a mix of tomato jam, spicy Italian peppers and salmon roe—and the rabbit violetti, with its braised meat and ricotta teased with a French demi-glace Sauce Robert. Violetto opened in spring 2024, in the space that had been Acacia House, with a focus toward the Italian-French influence on viniculture cuisine. Its homage to local viniculture is also apparent on the wine menu, with an extensive selection focused on California AVAs—and Napa Valley cabs abound, natch. Yabu Pushelberg’s modern interiors favor cool greys and soft touches of violet, with recessed lighting and simple wall décor consisting of shelved plates, bottles, frames and other knick-knacks (and one eye-catching figure of a fox). This past May, the restaurant welcomed new executive chef Mark Shoemaker, whose resume includes Michelin- starred Acadia and Elske in Chicago and the Willows Inn in Washington state. Shoemaker has described his culinary philosophy as one of “sustainability and holistic
Violetto operates out of a Georgian mansion built in 1907.
Chef Mark Shoemaker
48 NorthBaybiz
July 2025
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