Restaurant Spotlight: The French Laundry, Yountville, California

Owned by renowned chef Thomas Keller, the French Laundry is one of the world’s most exclusive and well-respected restaurants. Specializing in American and French foods, French Laundry’s food is, “to die for”, with critics and diners alike agreeing that the food, as well as the service, is virtually unrivaled. In fact, the French Laundry received the #3 spot on Restaurant Magazine’s 2005 list of the Worlds Top Restaurants, and has recieved countless other rewards from critics all around the world.

The French Laundry

Located in the fairly quaint town of Yountvile, the French Laundry is quite secluded and private. Many fine diners enjoy this change of pace, as most quality restaurants are located in large, densely populated towns. The building itself is also something to be admired. Originally built as a saloon in the early 1900’s, this all-stone building is extremely beautiful, and has not seen any major renovations, so its originality is intact.

As far as food goes, the French Laundry usually offers a prix fixe, or fixed-price, meal, as well as a tasting menu. These fixed-price meals usually include several courses and offer quite a variety of different tastes and cooking styles. There are also seasonal meals available at certain times of the year, as well as the occasional chef’s special. All of the food is absolutely delicious, and many critics enjoy the variety of foods and the fun multi-course meals offered.

For people planning parties, business conferences, wedding receptions, etc., the French Laundry does offer private dining. For a price, you can rent out the entire restaurant for your own use. There is an in-house planning team as well that will help you plan every aspect of your get-together, from the food and wine, all the way down to the placemats. If you don’t want to reserve the whole restaurant, you can rent a private room, which can comfortably seat up to 10 guests. If you’re planning an event at a different location, the French Laundry team can bring the fine dining experience to you with their catering service.