After some serious pampering up at Indian Springs in Calistoga the last few days, and a very decadent dinner at the Martini House in St. Helena, we were in need of some down-home delicious grub. Besides, we needed a good solid foundation for an afternoon of wine tasting down the Silverado Trail.
We lounged around the heated mineral pool at the Springs until we could stand it no longer, then packed up our bags and headed down to the original Taylor's Automatic Refresher in St. Helena. Taylor's also has a second location (which I've visited many times) at the SF Ferry Building.
Bought by winemakers Joel and Sarah Gott in 1999, who also own the lovely Palisades Market in Calistoga, Taylor's serves up not only some of the best burgers you are likely to find in the Bay Area, but also huge salads, ahi tuna burgers, fried calamari, mini corn dogs, fish tacos, chicken sandwiches, and thick milk shakes made with Double Rainbow ice cream.
If you've never been to this North Bay institution, it's well worth a visit. The kitchy burger stand/diner has a huge back lawn studded with picnic tables. You could do some serious lounging here, especially on a beautiful day. Well, that and the food coma you might go into after ordering way too much.
