Posted by Carolyn | Posted in bike basket, deli, food | Posted on 19-05-2011
Tags: bike picnic, Genova Delicatessen, Monticello Deli, Napa deli, Napa Valley, picnic baskets, Safeway, sandwiches in Napa, Solano Ave., Trancas Street, Vallargas Market
A lot of our bike riders are usually thrilled to know that we have a bike basket when they get their 2 wheels for the day. I believe we are the ONLY bike company in Napa that has a basket. I believe most others companies have a little zip pouch that is about the size of a cosmetic bag. Usually that will contain your bike lock so that doesn’t leave you much room for many extras.
I’ve seen a pattern with our bike riders… it’s usually a purse or a small bag. Sometimes it’s an SLR camera kit and it’s also a place to put your sweatshirt when it gets warmer in mid-day in the day and to be re-used when it starts getting cooler.
A lot of people tend to bring a picnic lunch, so in this post, I’m going to tell you of some really popular places to grab some food before you meet me to get your electric bike rental.
Carolyn’s Top 5 (Not in any particular order really, but I go to these places and they are really good!).
1) Whole Foods - 3682 BelAire Plaza, Napa, CA – I really LOVE this particular Whole Foods. It’s on the opposite side of the freeway from The Napa Valley Marriott (where we are located). It has about 20 choices of fresh soups and stews, salad bar, meal bar, pizzas and more!
2) Genova Delicatessen – 1550 Trancas St, Napa, CA – This place is REALLY popular… so popular that sometimes you’ll have to wait about 10-15 minutes JUST to get your sandwich ordered! It’s best to fax in your order if possible, but if you’re coming from out of town, it might be alittle difficult to calculate the time of arrival. They’ve been around since 1926 and they have a variety of eats (and wine selection) to choose from! Make sure you get a side of raviolis. The best raviolis I’ve ever had!
3) Vallargas Market - 3385 Solano Ave., Napa, CA – This is walking distance from The Napa Marriott, so if you forgot your picnic sandwich, this would be a good place to bike before your trek. This is a smaller, organic, healthy family-owned market that has sandwiches to-go, a sushi, soup and salad bar. If you’re a history buff (as I am), you might want to check out this page about Vallargas and their history.
4) Monticello Deli & Catering - 1810 Monticello, Napa, CA – I actually had these guys cater a large picnic party last week and ordered the “Variety”. It had different sandwiches (veggie, ham, roast beef, etc). I had the ham and it was awesome. My party raved about the sandwiches and kept asking me where they came from. My picnic package also included Italian pasta and fresh fruit. Everything looked amazing!
5) Safeway – 3375 Jefferson St. (but really, it’s on Trancas St), Napa, CA – For people who aren’t familiar with Safeway, it’s an old school grocery store that’s located on the West Coast and Central US. They use to have a Safeway in Texas when I was younger, but they closed down in Texas because they weren’t doing well there. Fast Forward to my move to California, they are here! Normally, I would NEVER suggest getting sandwiches from a grocery store as large as this one, but I eat these sandwiches like they are going out of style! $5.50 for a VERY large and meaty sandwich that they prepare in front of you. They have a sandwich bar similar to Subway, but they have BETTER toppings like artichoke hearts, slices of marinated mozzarella cheese. They also put an ABUNDANCE of guacamole on your sandwich if it calls for it. My favorite is the “California Dreaming” sandwich. If you have a Safeway card, you can add a side of soup for .99 cents, which makes it the best sandwich bargain. They also have free wi-fi while you wait for your food, so go ahead and get on your smartphone!
These places are within walking distance from Change of Greenery (or biking distance) with Monticello Deli being the furthest at around 2 miles.
Happy Picnicking and see you soon!
