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Carabao, the new Filipino restaurant in downtown Napa, doesn’t try to replace our parents’ cooking, but reinterprets them with the precision and artistry of a world-class chef from Bulacan
LOS ANGELES, USA – Filipinos will always tell you the best food comes from home. Nanay’s adobo, Tatay’s sinigang, Lola’s kare-kare. There’s no argument there.
For generations, our kitchens have been the keepers of heritage, flavor, and love. But what happens when those flavors, those beloved family recipes are reimagined through the lens of fine dining and served in the heart of Napa Valley?
Enter Carabao, the groundbreaking new Filipino restaurant by Michelin-trained chef Jade Cunningham. It’s not just the first of its kind in Napa, it’s a milestone for the global Filipino community.
Located at 145 C Gasser Drive in downtown Napa, Carabao offers a refined yet welcoming experience that both honors and elevates the culinary traditions of the Philippines.
Chef Jade, a Bulacan native and Filipino immigrant, grew up embodying the traits of the carabao, our national animal that mirrors its strength, patience, and unshakable spirit. Those qualities carried her through her journey from a childhood in the Philippines to the rigorous training of the Michelin kitchens of The French Laundry or TFL, as she recalls it.
Now, with Carabao, she’s come full circle: returning to the flavors of our heritage, but reinterpreting them with the precision and artistry of a world-class chef.
Let’s be clear: the flavors are Filipino. Chef Jade sources ingredients from the nearby Island Pacific in Vallejo, ensuring her dishes maintain our cultural integrity. But it’s her technique and presentation, her ability to reimagine these dishes with boldness and elegance that sets Carabao apart.
This isn’t your local turo-turo joint and it’s not meant to be. It’s where you take your friends, your colleagues, your loved ones when you want to say: This is Filipino food. And it belongs on the global stage. A chance to celebrate any worthwhile occasion.
Yes, the price points are higher than the carinderia down the street, but they reflect the quality of ingredients, the labor of love, and the level of craftsmanship behind every dish.
Think arroz caldo reimagined with local organic chicken confit. Pancit elevated with hand-rolled noodles and seasonal vegetables. Every bite is a conversation between old and new, memory and innovation.
Carabao is also rooted in community. Founded in partnership with her husband Mathew Cunningham who runs front of house and the Amparo and Eric F. Gonzales Family Fund, the restaurant supports the culinary arts through mentorship, representation, and opportunity.
It’s a space that doesn’t just serve food, it tells stories. Of migration. Of resilience. Of cultural Filipino pride.
And maybe that’s what makes Carabao so special. It doesn’t try to replace our parents’ cooking. Instead, it pays homage to it, while daring to imagine what Filipino food can become.
It’s the kind of place where a Filipino-American can beam with pride while introducing their cuisine to someone for the very first time. A place that finally answers the question: Why isn’t there a Filipino restaurant in wine country?
Well, now there is. And it’s beautiful. So go. Make a reservation. Bring your friends. Taste the flavors we all know and love — but like you’ve never had them before. Carabao isn’t just a restaurant. It’s a statement. – Rappler.com
