Five Affordable Lunch Spots

According to word-origin.com, the word lunch first appeared on the scene at the end of the 16th century, and was used as a term for a “slice or hunk of food”. (“He shall take bread and cut it into little lunches into a pan with cheese,” Richard Surfleet, Country Farm, 1600.)

Luncheon was probably just a lengthening of lunch, and came to be used in the early 17th century for a “snack” and eventually for a “light meal”.

The abbreviated "lunch" returned to the language at the beginning of the 19th century, as an abbreviation for luncheon.

In Napa, we “do lunch.” Ladies’ lunches, lunch with the guys, business lunches and birthday lunches. We grab lunch and sometimes we skip lunch. We run out for a quick bite and we pick up lunch and eat lunch it at our desks while surfing the web.

But with the influx of upscale restaurants in Napa, “check please” often serves up sticker shock! We asked some locals to name their picks for restaurants that offer more affordable fare while still delivering a satisfying mid-day meal.

Nicole Shiflet likes at the , where the lunch menu features unique tacos starting at just $4.00 and a great variety of salads and small plates. The menu changes with the seasons, and they call their food “C Cuisine” because they use ingredients from different cultures and combine them in interesting ways. “It’s super yummy,” said Shiflet.

Winemaker and Napa native Chad Alexander recommends (often referred to as “the best mom and pop Mexican restaurant in town") for carnitas and pastor tacos, and for Thai food. He recommends trying their drunken noodles and pad thai.

Aaron Mix, who works at says you can’t beat for a great sandwich, fresh salads, homemade soup and Italian pastries.

Joe and Kelly Childers lunch at every chance they get. They usually order the tri-tip sandwiches (“Roadhouse Buck” and “Little Filly Buck.)

“I think it’s the smoking of the tri-tip that makes it so good,” said the father-to-be. “And it’s real casual—you can just eat and go.”

For an extra $2.79, you can make any sandwich a meal, which includes your choice of fries, mashed potatoes, garden salad or roadhouse onions. You also get a beverage from their state-of-the-art soda machine. 

"My mouth is watering just thinking about it," said Childers. "Honey, let's go."