House of Better, Calistoga, is a cute, Instagram-worthy restaurant in Calistoga that serves Southwestern food that will make your mouth water before you even take that first bite. This quirky spot boasts a unique Palm Springs charm in the middle of California wine country, from the eye-catching vintage turquoise car parked out front to the explosion of colorful seating in the outdoor dining space.
If you’re visiting St. Helena, and need a break from those fancy St. Helena restaurants, House of Better is a must visit destination.
Need some winery outfit ideas for inspiration when you’re traveling to Napa Valley’s Calistoga? Be sure to stop by this post about easy winery outfits for every season!
House of Better’s Calistoga Location
House of Better is located in Calistoga, California in Dr. Wilkinson’s Backyard Resort & Mineral Springs. If you’re traveling from St. Helena, the restaurant is a 15 minute drive. From Younvtille, plan for a 30 minute drive.
Both St. Helena and Yountville have very few casual restaurants, so if your wallet needs a breather, House of Better is a great option.
The Vibe at House of Better: What’s it Like?
There’s something about this Calistoga restaurant that reminds me of Palm Springs. You’ve got great views of the Mayacamas Mountains to one side. The patio is draped in overhead bulb lights, pops of bright 90s’ colors are everywhere (think bright jewel colors coral, neon green, vibrant yellow, and teal), and there are even some palm trees in the distance (I know, weird for wine country, but it seems to work).
Pro Tip: This is one of the best restaurants in Calistoga for visitors who want to capture some fun, colorful shots to share with their friends and family on the ‘gram.
House of Better Menu
The menu at House of Better is full of mouthwatering Southwest-inspired fare. Before we get into the All Day Menu offerings, the first thing you need to know about House of Better is that they serve brunch every day.
Yep! You can enjoy brunch in Calistoga 7 days a week here!
- Pineapple & Lemon Mimosas with mint and cayenne rims – check!
- Blueberry & Pineapple Mimosas – they’ve got those too!
- Breakfast Protein Bowls with eggs, sautéed kale, toasted hemp heart, black beans, avocado, pickled zucchini, and rice or quinoa- you bet!
- Breakfast Egg Sandwiches, Red Chili Dusted Maple Bacon, and Avocado Toast? Yep, yep, and yep!
All Day Dining Menu
But, that’s not all. If you miss brunch, the All Day DIning Menu has an impressive lineup of delicious gems.
I couldn’t resist trying the Grilled Fish Tacos with Halibut, pickled onions, chipotle crema, habanero salsa, jicama slaw, anasazi beans. Is there anything better on a warm California day than fish tacos?
My mom was perfectly satisfied with the crunchy and Heartland Taco Salad made with little gems, black beans, avocado, jack cheese, ground beef or chicken, pico de gallo, tortilla chips, and creamy green chile buttermilk dressing.
Also on the menu are items like the Green Chile Burger, a healthy Booster Bowl with tender sautéed kale, red quinoa, anasazi beans, calabacitas, red or green chile, avocado, and pickled onion, Carne Adovada filled with slow cooked pork in red chile sauce, jicama slaw, rancho gordo midnight black beans, tortillas.
You can take a look at the full menu here, but you get the idea.
Drink Options: Wine, Elixirs, & Botanical Beverages
The first thing you need to know about your drink options when you go to House of Better is that this Calistoga restaurant does not have a full liquor license. So, while House of Better serves up the best atmosphere to sip summer margaritas, their cocktails are “wine cocktails”, and not made with traditional spirits.
That’s just an FYI.
That’s not to say that these offerings don’t taste great – they do. We tried the Agave Wine Margarita with house-made sweet + sour, and a salt rim, and it was delicious. Other wine cocktails on the menu at House of Better include: a Ginger Julep with Mint, lime, ginger beer, sparkling soda, and a wine based spirit rum, and a Citrus Spritz Cocktail with pineapple, orange, mango, sparkling water, wine based spirit rum, and lime.
You Need to Try an Elixir
I have no shame in saying that when the days heat up, I am 100% on the seasonal healthy eating and wellness train. Woot woot!
The watermelon, basil, strawberry, and mint kombucha concoction I tried was the perfect antidote to balance out the previous night’s festivities. When I go back, it’s going to be hard to resist one of the sparkling shrubs or iced medicinal teas.
Ordering is Easy and Casual
Keeping with the casual restaurant vibes (no need to worry about your wine etiquette here!), guests dining at House of Better order at the counter and then seat themselves at tables. Food is delivered to your table, and if you want to add more drinks, snacks, or a piece of their famous pie to your meal, just head back to the counter and place another order.
The service was quick and friendly. This model appears to work fairly well for diners.
House of Better Has Outdoor Dining in Calistoga
The restaurant has tons of overhead fans and heat lamps on the patio. No matter the temperature outside, you will stay cool and comfortable or warm and cozy.
There are a few different types of seat-yourself seating options at House of Better. Guests can choose from sitting at the counter, shaded seating under big, colorful umbrellas, or unshaded seating. Worried about catching your favorite sports team? Don’t be! House of Better has a television in a small dining area to watch sports.
Tips
- Spring and summer holidays at House of Better also feature some fun menu items. For Mother’s Day the restaurant recently served Classic Pancakes with Berry Coulis, Homemade Whip Cream, and pink Prickly Pear Margaritas! Memorial Day will feature Southwestern-style Hot Dogs with Chipotle Aioli, Pico de Gallo, and Fries or Green Chile Potato Salad.
- The best time to dine at House of Better is on a warm, sunny day so you can soak up the sun on the patio. Everything about this Calistoga restaurant screams “sunny, summer vibes”.
- Calistoga’s House of Better has tons of heat lamps, so when the sun goes down you can still stay warm and cozy while dining outside. You can also grab a group of friends and sit around the fire pit.
- House of Better is dog-friendly! Well behaved pups are welcome to hang out.
Where to Park
The restaurant has a decent sized parking lot behind the restaurant. You shouldn’t have any trouble finding a spot. Calistoga is generally less busy than neighboring St. Helena, so unless you’re visiting on a huge holiday weekend like 4th of July or Memorial Day, parking should be easy.