PRESS Restaurant

“We celebrated a birthday on the patio at Press in St. Helena and it was perfect. The setting is beautiful, the service was warm and attentive, and they even surprised us with a lovely birthday treat at the end. The 4-course prix fixe was excellent. The pretzel with cultured yogurt butter was a standout, simple but delicious. Every course was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully prepared with great ingredients. We were also bringing our 1-month-old, who stayed in his stroller the whole time. The staff was very accommodating and helped us find a good spot so we could enjoy the meal without being a bother to anyone. That meant a lot. Overall, it was a relaxing and memorable evening.”

“Absolutely phenomenal dining experience from start to finish. Press continues to be one of our favorite restaurants in St Helena. The food is consistently exceptional, the staff is warm, knowledgeable, attentive, and genuinely passionate about what they do. The caviar pretzel is always a must order for us, salty, buttery perfection and somehow still worth obsessing over every single visit. The halibut was delicate and beautifully executed, the pork terrine was incredibly complex and deeply flavorful, and the tartare was bright, fresh, and perfectly balanced. The ribeye was absolute perfection, expertly cooked with rich flavor in every bite. The maitake mushroom dish was tender, savory, and comforting while still feeling refined. To finish, the vanilla champagne parfait was impossibly light and elegant without being overly sweet. Every cocktail and wine pairing felt thoughtful and spot-on. Beyond the food itself, Press has a way of making fine dining feel polished without feeling stiff or pretentious. Every detail feels intentional. Already looking forward to our next visit.”

“We celebrated Valentine’s Day and my fiancé’s birthday at Press, and it exceeded our expectations. I’ll admit I was a little nervous going in after reading some reviews about service, but our experience couldn’t have been better. The service was warm, attentive, and perfectly paced — especially impressive on such a busy holiday. The food was excellent across the board. The caviar pretzel was a standout and such a fun, elevated bite to start the meal. The truffle chicken was another highlight — perfectly cooked and packed with flavor. The wagyu beef was delicious. We also opted for the wine pairing, which was thoughtfully curated and complemented each course beautifully. Overall, it felt like a special, memorable evening and the perfect place to celebrate. We’ll absolutely be back.”

“We had a wonderful meal at PRESS and especially loved the chicken dish. We did the four-course option, and it was clear that the kitchen holds itself to a very high standard. The food was thoughtful, beautifully prepared, and genuinely fantastic. That said, for a restaurant at this price point, I was surprised by a few small details in the overall dining experience. Several plates had noticeable scuffs, and the lights on the patio tables had a thick layer of dust. These are minor things, but they stand out more when the food and service are otherwise operating at such a high level. Classic white plates might be easier to maintain without visible scuffing. Overall, the food was excellent, and I would still recommend PRESS. I just think a little more attention to the smaller presentation and ambiance details would make the full experience feel more aligned with the quality of the food and the price.”

“Came here for our anniversary and we were both so excited, especially after finding out this was a Michelin-starred restaurant. The service and drinks were excellent. Unfortunately, the food didn’t quite live up to the expectations. We did the 7-course chef’s tasting menu, and the only dish that truly stood out in both flavor and presentation was the smoked yogurt panna cotta dessert at the end. The scallop dish had radish that was woody and basically inedible. The nori madeleine was warm and moist, but the nori flavor only came through if you ate the entire madeleine in one bite. The charred asparagus dish looked beautiful and had a nice al dente texture, but the broth and vegetables lacked flavor, and it smelled more boiled than charred. The ricotta dish was pleasant but not particularly memorable. The morel dishes was also just okay, which was surprising given it’s morel season and we expected more depth and umami. My steak came out closer to black and blue side. It still edible but not very tender. Overall, everything just kept missing the mark because the flavors simply were not there. We did appreciate the beautiful presentation and care put into plating each dish, but visually stunning plates can only go so far when the taste doesn’t deliver. My husband and I are huge foodies and truly appreciate different culture and bold flavors. We’ve dined at many amazing restaurants around the world across different price ranges, with and without Michelin stars. Sadly, while this felt like a Michelin-star price, it didn’t feel like Michelin-star food in our book.”