Napa's Heritage Eats to close, owners to open new restaurant in same space

Heritage Eats will close at the end of March, with a new concept called George & Kin's set to open in April.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Napa restaurant Heritage Eats, which serves a variety of cultural cuisines, will be closing at the end of March after operating since 2015. The owners announced that a new restaurant concept called George & Kin's will open in the same Bel Aire Plaza space in April, bridging the owner's Japanese heritage and East Coast upbringing.

Why it matters

The closure of Heritage Eats marks the end of a popular and diverse dining option in Napa, but the owners' decision to open a new restaurant in the same location shows their commitment to the community and desire to continue sharing their culinary vision.

The details

Heritage Eats underwent a major renovation last year, reopening in May as 'Heritage Kitchen and Taps' with a shift to sit-down service and an added bar. The new restaurant concept, George & Kin's, will be named after the owner's great aunt and uncle who raised his mother on their farm in Idaho.

  • Heritage Eats will close at the end of March 2026.
  • George & Kin's is set to open in the same Bel Aire Plaza space in April 2026.

The players

Ben Koenig

The owner of Heritage Eats who announced the restaurant's closure and plans to open a new concept called George & Kin's in the same space.

George and Kinuko

Koenig's great aunt and uncle who raised his mother on their farm in Idaho, and who the new restaurant George & Kin's will be named after.

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What they’re saying

“This is a hard thing to write, but the time has come to close the book on Heritage Eats.”

— Ben Koenig, Owner of Heritage Eats (pressdemocrat.com)

“It tells the story of my great aunt and uncle, George and Kinuko, who brought my mom in as a young child and raised her on their farm in Pocatello, Idaho. They were the closest thing to grandparents that my sisters and I ever had.”

— Ben Koenig, Owner of Heritage Eats (pressdemocrat.com)

What’s next

The final day of operation for Heritage Eats will be at the end of March 2026, with the new George & Kin's restaurant expected to open in the same Bel Aire Plaza space in April 2026.

The takeaway

The closure of Heritage Eats marks the end of an era for Napa's diverse dining scene, but the owners' decision to open a new restaurant concept in the same location shows their commitment to the community and desire to continue sharing their culinary vision and family heritage.