Auro at Four Seasons Resort Napa Valley is Calistoga’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, acclaimed for its contemporary interpretation of French cuisine and its consistently high standards of culinary artistry. Led by Executive Chef Rogelio Garcia, the restaurant has earned and retained its Michelin star in both 2023 and 2024, continuing to impress critics and diners with a hyper-seasonal, locally sourced seven-course tasting menu that blends French technique with Japanese and Mexican influences.
Setting and Atmosphere
The dining room frames the valley with floor‑to‑ceiling views, soft lighting, and luxe but understated finishes that echo the textures of vineyard and mountain. It’s intimate without being hushed; the room’s relaxed cadence and meticulous service make it equally suited to milestone dinners and quiet, romantic evenings. Auro’s sense of place extends beyond the glass—produce from nearby farms and herbs from on‑site gardens move seamlessly from field to plate, and the culinary team’s presence is felt in the open kitchen’s calm choreography. For a deeper peek into the craft, the Chef’s Table offers a front‑row seat to the plating and finishing touches that define the restaurant’s aesthetic precision.
Chef Rogelio Garcia’s Vision
Born in Mexico City and raised in California’s wine country, Chef Garcia blends classical French foundations with the flavors and forms that shaped him—bright chilies, aromatic herbs, and Japanese purity applied with restraint. “Cooking is storytelling” is more than a mantra: each menu chapter reads like a season in Northern California, written with local producers, fishermen, and foragers. The result is food that feels polished and personal—sauces that hum with clarity, textures tuned for contrast without heaviness, and presentations that are graphic but never fussy. Relationships are the engine: farmers harvest to his cadence, the cellar maps arcs to his sequences, and the kitchen adapts week to week as fields and tides change.
The Tasting Menu Highlights
Auro’s seven‑course format is an edible journey through Napa terroir. Early courses set tone and tempo with chilled brightness and clean lines—think 10‑day dry‑aged shima aji ribboned with mountain rose apple, finished tableside with a mandarinquat aguachile that glows with citrus oils. A signature tetela arrives warm and fragrant, a blue‑and‑gold‑corn triangle layered over foraged black trumpet and maitake mushrooms—deeply comforting and quietly complex. As the arc builds, the kitchen pivots to calibrated richness: Kagoshima A5 Wagyu glazed and paired with walnut purée, creamed kale, garlic confit, and black trumpets, where temperature and fat are balanced by vegetal lift and nutty depth. Intermezzos of playful, seasonal amuse‑bouches punctuate the progression, keeping the palate alert and the pacing buoyant.
Desserts mirror the savory voice: a peach‑and‑basil cake might arrive featherlight and herbal; a cinnamon buñuelo with chocolate crémeux marries crisp and silk; and a house‑made gianduja tart delivers a glossy, nut‑inflected finish without cloying. Petit fours echo the garden—citrus peels, herbs, and seeds—closing the narrative with a final, textural whisper. Throughout, portions are edited, sauces lucid, and plating sculptural yet restrained, so appetite and curiosity persist to the last bite.
Wine and pairings
Sommelier Derek Stevenson’s 450‑label list, twice recognized by Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence, reads as a survey of place and precision—Napa stalwarts, boutique producers, and judicious international picks. Pairings ride along the menu’s contours: mineral whites and sparkling for raw and lightly cured fish; textured Old World selections and high‑altitude California bottlings for richer mid‑courses; and elegant reds with freshness and fine tannin for Wagyu or game‑leaning specials. The aim is lift and delineation—framing umami, fat, and acid without smudging the food’s fine lines. Non‑alcoholic pairings, when requested in advance, mirror these arcs with teas, verjus, ferments, and herb infusions.
Service and rhythm
Hospitality at Auro is attentive but calm, with explanations that illuminate technique and provenance while letting the dishes speak. Flatware changes are invisible; glasses are refreshed on cadence; and adjustments for dietary needs are integrated cleanly to preserve narrative flow. The room’s relaxed luxury—quiet music, generous spacing, soft linens—supports conversation, while the team manages pacing to the table’s natural tempo. Expect a warm welcome, a sparkling opener, and a finale that feels celebratory without pomp.
Practical Information
- Address: 400 Silverado Trail N, Calistoga, CA 94515
- Hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 5–9 pm; closed Sunday–Tuesday
- Price: $$$$ (approx. $100+ per person)
- Ambiance: Cozy, romantic, trendy
- Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible entrance, seating, parking, restroom
- Popular for: Dinner, wine pairings
- Crowd: LGBTQ+ friendly, tourists, special occasions
- Parking: Free lot and valet available
- Reservation: Required, with a cancellation fee policy
- Special offerings: Vegan and vegetarian options; cocktails, great desserts
Accolades and Recognition
Auro earned its first Michelin star in 2023 just months after opening and retained it in 2024, validating the kitchen’s precise technique and the menu’s coherent, evolving story. The restaurant has drawn national acclaim—named among Esquire’s Best New Restaurants—and Chef Garcia was a James Beard Foundation finalist for Best Chef: California in 2024. These honors underscore what diners feel at the table: a sense of place rendered with finesse and heart.
Recommendation and Takeaways
Auro is the ideal choice for anyone seeking modern Wine Country fine dining, immersive tasting menus, and world-class wines. Chef Garcia’s storytelling-through-cuisine makes this an essential stop for food enthusiasts visiting Northern California’s vineyards.
For more information, please visit Auro