Auro is Calistoga's only Michelin-starred restaurant, led by Chef Rogelio Garcia and located within the Four Seasons Resort. For our visit, we reserved the Chef's Table inside the kitchen, where the team's craft unfolded right in front of us. Whether seated in the dining room or at the Chef's Table, a dinner at Auro is the kind of meal that stays with you.
FOOD
We opted for the extended 10-course menu. Highlights came one after another: live European blue lobster with jicama, mango, and mole verde; 12-day dry-aged Senaka tuna brightened with Beausoleil oyster vinaigrette and mojo amarillo; 9-day dry-aged, Normandy-butter-poached Ora King salmon with a melt-in-the-mouth finish; charred California black cod over creamy masa polenta, a hint of barbecue smokiness, and the natural sweetness of stone fruit; a nixtamalized blue-and-gold corn tetela; and 21-day dry-aged Australian Wagyu--concentrated in flavor from the aging and touched by mole negro. Desserts were playful yet refined: white guava shaved-ice raspado, then a chocolate crémeux with sweet figs. Every course felt thoughtful and seasonal, with touches that reflected both Napa Valley and Chef Rogelio's heritage.
WINE
Our visit happened to align with a special wine pairing dinner, which included pours from Realm Cellars alongside Auro's cuisine. While not an everyday feature, the pairings showed how thoughtfully the kitchen collaborates with top producers to create a seamless progression.
SERVICE
Warm, attentive, and seamless. The pacing of courses was on point, and explanations struck the right balance of detail without ever overwhelming. The team read the table well and made the evening feel celebratory from start to finish.
AMBIANCE
The Chef's Table places you in the kitchen without ever feeling chaotic. It's choreographed, elegant, and intimate. You watch plates being composed under the pass while still enjoying the ease and polish of a Four Seasons dining room.
VALUE
This is undeniably a special-occasion experience, but the value shows in the precision and exclusivity: dry-aged seafood and Wagyu, caviar, housemade masa, and seasonal fruits. Auro's standard tasting menu is already compelling; the Chef's Table adds intimacy and storytelling that makes the splurge worthwhile.
WAIT TIME & BOOKING
We were seated right on time, and the pacing throughout the night was perfect. Note that the Chef's Table is reserved directly through Four Seasons Napa Valley (not via OpenTable). For most visits, Auro's 7-course menu in the dining room is the standard option, but limited wine-dinner events are occasionally announced through the resort.
CLOSING
Auro shows what happens when French technique, Mexican heritage, and Napa's seasonal bounty come together with intention. Chef Rogelio and his team deliver a meal that is polished, soulful, and unforgettable. Five stars. read more