Napa's Latest Breakout Food Scene is Built on Fried Chicken

Fried chicken is everywhere right now. On Friday-only menus, tucked inside waffles, plated with caviar, handed to you from the side of a truck. Some versions lean classic, others riff on Korean influences. It’s clearly having a moment.

And I don’t think it’s just about being crispy and craveable.

For a place that built its reputation on white tablecloths and tasting menus, Napa leaning into comfort food feels very of-the-moment. When the world gets weird, people reach for grounding. Food becomes memory and a way to hold onto something familiar.

That pull toward comfort isn’t limited to fried chicken. You can see it across the valley, in dishes reimagined and re-rooted by chefs drawing from heritage, culture, and care.

For example, over at Carabao, Chef Jade is cooking Filipino dishes that feel like home but still push things forward in the best way. There’s Lil Sista’s Goody’s, where the entire menu is soulful and sacred and Sunday brunch feels like a sermon for your taste buds. And La Cheve, where the heritage is unmistakable in every dish—bold, comforting, and built to warm you from the inside out.

Food that’s personal, nostalgic, and full of heart is showing up more and more around here. Fried chicken just so happens to be the latest version of comfort food showing up for us all in ways that are thoughtful, unexpected, and very, very good.

So here’s a snapshot. A handful of places doing fried chicken their way. Tell me if you have a favorite in the comments.

This is the kind of meal that fills more than your stomach and the kind of fried chicken that makes you pause mid-bite. Hot, crispy, deeply seasoned, and made from family recipes passed down straight from Louisiana. It’s the real deal. And if you want it, you’d better plan ahead. It’s only served during their wildly popular R&B Soul Food Sunday Brunch Buffet, which is already booking out into September for larger groups. Walk-ins of four or fewer are welcome, but be prepared to wait. Trust me—it’ll be worth it. The food hits. The music hits. The feeling that you just stepped into something special definitely hits the second you walk in.

📍Lil Sista’s Goody’s Soul Food | 1300 Main St. #150 | THU/FRI 4PM-8PM, SAT 11AM-2PM and 4PM-8PM, SUN 11AM-6PM

The current darling for a killer fried chicken sandwich comes from a food truck. Chef Ian Rosenstrauch, formerly of The French Laundry, handcrafts a sourdough‑potato buns and brines the chicken before dredging. The result is a crispy, juicy chicken sandwich layered with ranch‑dressed slaw, pickles, and a slow‑burn hot honey sauce. A San Francisco Chronicle critic called it “one of the most flavorful chicken sandwiches in the Bay Area,” and line up Thursday–Sunday to claim their spot—including online preorder and loyalty punch cards. They also have a fried chicken and waffle sandwich that is absolutely insane.

📍Joella’s Deli | 2410 Second St. | THU-SAT 11AM-8PM, SAT 11AM-6PM

Fried Chicken Friday is a weekly ritual here. Preorder only, and often sold out. The box comes loaded with the essentials—10-piece crispy chicken, biscuit, sides, and cookies—the kind of thing you take home to split, but…don’t? Brought to you by two buttermilk fried chicken specialists who dialed their recipe over the course of years serving it up at a catering company, this fried chicken doesn’t try too hard and it’s the kind that turns a random Friday into something way better.

📍Southside | 135 Gasser Dr. Suite B | MON-SUN 8AM-2PM

This little hole in the wall is running a full-blown fried chicken operation out of a walk-up window on 1st Street. Chef Brent Pennington, a longtime private chef, runs a true scratch kitchen here—everything is made in-house, down to the sauces and spice blends. And when it comes to fried chicken, you’ve got options: Cajun, Korean, or N’Awlins, all crispy and hot, all sandwiched inside a tender Acme bun. The team sources locally and lists their purveyors with pride, but the vibe is never precious or pretentious.

📍The Dutch Door | 1245 1st Street | WED/THU 1130AM-330PM, FRI/SAT 1130AM-6PM

Technically a barbecue joint, but the fried chicken deserves its own spotlight. It’s got a peppery crust and that satisfying snap when you bite in. The vibe is casual—music up, lights low, bar busy. You come here to eat well and leave full. The chicken just happens to be what you think about the next day.

📍The Q R&B | 1313 Main St. | SUN-THU 1130AM-830PM, FRI/SAT 1130AM-930PM

Yes, the burgers are great. But the fried chicken sandwich deserves your full attention. It's Korean-style and super crisp, layered with sriracha slaw and sweet-and-spicy pickles on a soft bun that holds it all together (barely). It’s comfort food with a twist, served from a counter inside Armistice Brewing Company, where the vibe is more beer hall than white tablecloth. Chef Christopher Ruiz, who spent five years at The French Laundry, brings fine-dining precision to a menu that keeps it casual, loud, and wildly craveable.

📍Butter’s Burgers | 1040 Clinton St. | SUN-THU 11AM-9PM, FRI/SAT 11AM-1030PM

Born from a global trip that turned into a mission, Heritage Eats was inspired by the meals shared in homes around the world. That spirit shows up in every bite here, including their fried chicken. Al’s Chicken Sando is a standout: crispy buttermilk-fried tenders on a Winston’s roll, layered with Carolina BBQ and deviled egg spread, basil, tomato, and pickles. It’s part comfort, part invention, all intentional. Proof that comfort food can come from anywhere and still feel like it belongs right here in Napa.

📍Heritage Eats | 3824 Bel Aire Plaza | MON-SUN 11AM-9PM

Despite being a food truck, this one’s not hard to find out in the wild as it’s usually parked in the same spot on Soscol. What is wild is the food coming out of the window. Chef Erik Hangman, a Napa native and alum of Ad Hoc, brings serious finesse to this street-level setup. The fried chicken sandwich is a standout: juicy, crunchy, laced with chili crunch, pickled cabbage, and a creamy sauce. He didn’t over think it here—the fried chicken is bold and craveable food with fine-dining instincts under the hood.

📍Imagination on Fire | 1790 Soscol Ave. | WED 1130AM-230PM, THU-SAT 1130AM-230PM and 3PM-7PM

You already know this Yountville haunt and although it’s officially gone viral, it’s still a vibe so we had to throw it in. Here, you eat fried chicken outside, under trees, on picnic benches that feel like summer camp for grown-ups. It’s Thomas Keller’s version of casual: buttermilk-brined, deeply crispy, with sides that lean Southern. The seasonal spot is open now on Fridays and Saturdays so show up early, order fast, and eat like you mean it.

📍Addendum | 6476 Washington St., Yountville | FRI/SAT 11AM-2PM

If you don’t mind a bit of a drive up 29 and want a case study in how comfort food can go high-end without losing its soul, this is it. Chef Elliot Bell, who spent years at The French Laundry, is serving up Korean-style double fried chicken that’s crispy, spicy, and unapologetically rich. The kitchen plays with heat, honey, and acid to balance out the dish and if you're feeling bold, you can upgrade to the mind-blowing Fancy Ranch topped with caviar. There’s also a fried chicken sandwich for lunch and chicken tenders served up on their late night menu.

📍Charlie’s | 1327 Railroad Ave, St. Helena | SAT/SUN 1030AM-2PM, THU-MON 1130AM-2PM, 3PM-9PM THU-SAT till 11PM

Honestly, I’m not keeping score. Each one of these birds has its moment, and they all deserve to be part of the comfort food canon we’re building here.

Drop your go-to in the comments or call me out for leaving your fave off the list.