Napa Farmhouse Inn

My husband and I usually like trying different B&Bs when we visit Napa, but the Napa Farmhouse Inn is the best we’ve found, so we’ll likely return multiple times. Ed and Mimi made us feel welcome while respecting our privacy. The grounds are beautiful and very well kept, and guests can wander through the gardens and see the produce to enjoy during their stay. Mimi is a fabulous chef. Thanks to both of you, and I highly recommend staying here!

The grounds are beautiful, and Ed and Mimi treated us like family. The food was amazing. We’d definitely stay there again, highly recommend!

I’m already plotting regular visits, especially when the Inn’s mulberries are ripe. They taste like intense wild blueberries crossed with very ripe dark grapes, almost raisiny, with hints of maple syrup and allspice. No tartness, but not too sweet either. They’re not quite worth selling your soul for, I thought, then reconsidered. The French Laundry agrees. My first few minutes were a little spoiled by a forgotten daily card limit that stopped Ed from charging my stay. A quick call to the bank sorted out the confusion, and Ed’s warm welcome and introduction to the Inn, my room, the grounds, and the Valley hadn’t been dampened. The rest of the visit was lovely: sunny, peaceful days, California quail walking in neat lines through the gardens, foggy rosemary scented mornings, mockingbirds at sunset, and Mimi’s vibrant, delicious breakfasts. Take Ed and Mimi’s suggestions for tastings, meals, and patios, but also consider picking up salami, cheese, bread, a bottle, and a book to spend half an afternoon on the back porch, watching lizards dance on the stepping stones.

If you’re after sleek white and gray rooms with steel everywhere, this isn’t your place. NapaFarmhouse feels homey and eclectic, and I loved that about it. The house has big sofas, little nooks and seating areas, soft linen beds with plenty of pillows, and a large porch for enjoying the views and Napa weather. It’s an oasis of calm among roses, citrus, and shades of green. Breakfast was delicious: Mimi Brown made skillet omelettes with vegetables and chicken sausage, with homemade bread and jam and fruit picked from the garden. I’d only known mulberries from a song before this. The gardens are astonishing, with countless roses, foxglove, lavender, vegetables, and varieties beyond what you’d expect from a few acres.