Diners

I just love the facade and the interior decor is sort of warehouse-like, classy with industrial tones and extra trimmings, pallets hanging from the ceiling, newspaper collages on the pillars, cool lighting and an awesome looking bar with more bottles than you can count ... 11 years later, the massive repeat custom says it all ... and I can't recommend The Malthouse highly enough!

Evi continued; "It all started back in 1912, when Wilbur Scoville charted the comparative heat of different chillis.  The greater the number of Scouville units the hotter the chilli, but don't worry, we have 8 Different Flavours of Piri Piri sauces, from Zesty Lemon and Herb to Extreme with everything in between!"  Piri Piri of course means Pepper Pepper, my favourites are the Hot & Spicy and the Jerk Chicken, OMG!

I've been eating at Ropas since my first season here, the year they opened in 1991 … It's one of my favourite places to go if I fancy truly authentic Cypriot Meze.  Costas and his wife Nikki have of course become very good friends and I have to say this guy oozes traditional Cypriot hospitality.  So too, Nikki and son Stelios out front and daughter Flora helping Nikki in the kitchen, tbh this family team is really hard to beat!

Out front a comfortable covered terrace, high tables, and stools, and over on the benches a big cuddly teddy bear with an Amarilino Yellow kit on.  Just inside, more high stools around a high table, visually supported by an old baker's bicycle, and three high chairs looking into the window bar.  Inside its modern, quirky little areas, sofas, Alice in Wonderland style highbacked chairs, and a cool selfie mirror adorned with greenery and flowers and on the back wall, 'Amarilino Makes Me Smile', it made me smile!

The first impressions were the different design, open-fronted, industrial with minimalist tones, steel pillars, raw concrete and polished wood, high ceilings, really cool lighting, comfy seating, designer signs and the menu, 'different' to say the least but let's just say it's more of a diner than a cafe and highly recommended ...

Boasting a massive sunny garden bar terrace out front, delightful in the afternoon for a pint or a G&T and some excellent excellent pub grub.  It's just as popular by night where you can enjoy a massive drinks menu and live music every night, with lots of like minded people and, they even provide warm blankies to put over your knees for the chilly nights at the start and end of the season!

I was delighted to be invited to 'Play 4 All' to catch up with owner Lucas Polycarpou and I have to say, I had no idea just how much they do here, with 6 Full Size Bowling Alleys, a Children's Play Room, called 'The Jungle' and a fully fitted club style party room called 'La Mour' for up to 150 of your friends.  There's also a restaurant with a top chef presenting a full a' la carte menu and that's just for starters, excuse the pun … oh and, a few big screen TV's so you can just pop in for a drink to watch all the live sports and the footie! … So it really is a fun place for kids, and grown ups!

By rule of thumb if its quiet in here, it'll be dead everywhere else! ... Gary's Bar & Grill is without doubt one of the best eateries in Napa, recently, yet again, awarded a Certificate of Excellence 2020 by Trip Advisor, it's becoming a habit and tbh, they deserve every accolade they get! ... Check out their Video here

Naturally I had to ask why Mambo’s, I joked, nothing to do with Nando’s?, he smiled and said "maybe" … explaining “if anything, we wanted to bring a new concept to the area, with a hint of a Mediterranean fusion with South America” … But I love the name, the décor very cool, the little touches here and there tells you know they mean business.  There’s a lovely long terrace on the sunny mornings side of the road, and indoors spacious for your parties … or those chilli winter nights …

This is without doubt, one of my fav places to sit and watch the world go by ...