Olive & Hay

The story

Crafted with passion, served with love

Where Wine Country Meets the Italian Table

Olive & Hay sits at 875 Bordeaux Way inside the Meritage Resort & Spa, poised at the gateway to one of the world's most celebrated wine valleys. The concept is straightforward and honest: a farm-to-table approach to casual Italian-American cuisine, where the story of each dish begins with the ingredient itself. Modern technique and classic tradition are woven together without pretension, making this a place equally suited to a leisurely weekend brunch or a proper dinner after a day in the vineyards.

The Kitchen Behind the Menu

The restaurant is led by Chef Patrick Callarec, a native of Périgueux, France, who entered a specialized French culinary academy at the age of 13. Over a career spanning more than 40 years across kitchens around the world, Callarec earned the prestigious title of Maîtres Cuisiniers de France in 2023 — one of the highest distinctions in the French culinary tradition. That classical foundation shapes the precision behind Olive & Hay's Italian-American cooking in ways that guests feel on the plate without needing to be told.

From the Garden and the Coop

What sets the brunch program apart is its sourcing: eggs and produce come directly from the resort's own vineyard garden and chicken coop. The menu reflects that proximity — a mushroom frittata, a salmon benedict, a chicken parm sandwich, sweet Italian pastries. These are familiar forms, made convincing by ingredients that haven't traveled far.

The Wine List

Italian food without wine is an incomplete sentence, and Olive & Hay takes the pairing seriously. The restaurant's wine list has earned the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, a recognition the program has maintained for several consecutive years. Given the address — surrounded by world-class Napa Valley vineyards — the list draws on extraordinary local depth alongside broader Italian and international selections.

Gathering at the Table

For private occasions, Olive & Hay offers a dedicated dining room and adjoining patio accommodating 10 to 28 guests, with full buyouts available for groups up to 150. Event menus draw from the restaurant's core brunch and dinner offerings, served family-style in keeping with the spirit of the place.