Livermore

Posada Alta Cocina is the kind of place that makes you reconsider every assumption you've made about Livermore and strip malls in the same breath. With two sommeliers, a 300-plus bottle list, and Livermore Valley producers sharing shelf space with DRC and Giacomo Conterno, this is absolutely worth a detour — and worth every dollar.

Uncle Yu's is the rare restaurant where the wine list actually reflects where it is and what it's serving — a Livermore Valley anchor with Burgundy ambitions and the good sense to stock German Riesling for a spice-forward menu. Tuesday half-price nights alone make this worth putting in the calendar.