Vi o l etto 1915 Main St. St. Helena 707-963-7000
Violettonapavalley.com Dinner, Wednesday through Sunday, 5 to 9 p.m. (Reservations required)
hospitality,” a farm-to-table ethos shaped by his work at Prairie Fruits Farm and Creamery in Illinois. Violetto’s signature regional Italian cuisine will be updated with a “distinctly Californian spirit” of innovation and local organics and estate-grown ingredients will be a prime source for the menu, he says. We wouldn’t be surprised if they’re eyeing a Michelin star of their own. The entrée tastings included a hearty spring risotto with shaved truffle and sumptuous Liberty Farms duck breast with cordyceps mushrooms in a savory bordelaise. The meal rounded out with a selection of cheeses (sided by a bite of honeycomb) and a creamy semifreddo partnered with stone fruit and a dab of walnut puree. You won’t leave hungry. Violetto is a restaurant of contrasts: Housed in a striking Georgian mansion with chic modern interiors; a menu focused on regional Italian cuisine, prepared with a spirit of California innovation. Violetto, under the helm of chef Shoemaker, proves a contemporary wine country restaurant can offer the best of both worlds, old and new. t
Did You Know? The 1907 mansion that houses Violetto was originally a private residence. Over the years it has served as an inn, a 30-bed hospital, a tavern, a retirement home, apartments and offices. In 2014, it was renovated to house a fine-dining restaurant.
Jason Walsh is editor in chief of NorthBay biz magazine and northbaybiz.com. A North Bay native, he’s spent his career covering the news, lifestyles and people of Sonoma, Marin and Napa counties. When not up to his elbows in page proofs, you can find him and his family exploring all corners of the North Bay from their home base in Novato.
Violetto offers traditional Italian with a California twist. [Photo by Alexander Rubin]
July 2025
NorthBaybiz 49
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