If the lines that frequently form outside Firewood Cafe are any indication, this is a place that has hit upon a winning formula, for good times or bad.

On a recent weekday we dropped by the cafe, which opened last July at Bel Aire Plaza in Napa, and found it hopping with activity: A birthday party was using three tables, a business lunch had taken the community table, and all the other tables were taken by groups of two or four, all out for lunch on a rainy day.

It was hard to come by a table to sit and talk with Garrett Meyers, who co-founded the restaurant with his brother Glenn, and Kai Vance, an operating partner in the enterprise.

The Meyers brothers opened the first Firewood in San Francisco, after operating the fine dining destination Fly Trap. Their philosophy was simple: Food doesn’t have to be expensive.

They opened the first Firewood with a California-Mediterranean menu based around an applewood-burning oven and dishes prepared from scratch. Pasta, thin-crust pizzas, rotisserie chicken and fresh fish dishes all cooked to order formed the basis of their healthy, tasty and affordable offerings.

With two hit restaurants in San Francisco, at the Metreon and on Castro Street, Garrett Meyers said they began hearing from friends in the Napa Valley that there was a need here for something between “high-end and fast food.”

They chose the Bel Aire site with its Target and two supermarkets, Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, Meyers said, “because we wanted this to be a place for locals.”

And the locals came, as soon as the door was open.

A highlight of the Firewood menu are the pizzas. The prices range from $8.50 to $9.95, depending on the toppings, which include chicken and pesta, classic Margherita, proscuitto, mushroom and Italian sausage. One pizza, with the generous Firewood salad ($7 with a choice of three toppings) makes a meal for two.

The restaurant turns out a range of dishes using fresh ingredients at prices that, with only a few exceptions, are under $10 an entree, like linguine with clam sauce ($9.50), Fettucini Primavera ($7.95), and penne in white wine cream sauce with prosciutto, shitake mushrooms and peas ($8.95).

The tortellini, made on site, come with a choice of three sauces (marinara, white wine cream or the Firewood special) and in three variations, with rock shrimp, vegetarian or simply with parmesan cheese.

The only entrees costing more than $10 are jumbo prawns or wood-fired Atlantic salmon ($13.95), Chicken Parmigiana ($13.50) and pork loin in marsala sauce ($12.95).

Extremely popular these days is their early evening special, offered Monday through Friday from 3-6 p.m. For $9.95 you can get a pizza or pasta plus salad and a drink.

Recently Firewood has been offering home delivery, for a modest $2 fee. One of the popular items for an easy dinner at home is the rotisserie chicken, either herb-roasted or with a honey-dijon glaze, and with a side of fire-roasted new potatoes, it’s $8.75 for a half-chicken or $14.50 for a whole chicken, plus delivery.

Children’s meals range from $4.75 to $5.25.

They’ve put together a wine list that favors local wineries, like James Cole, Regucsi, Signorello, Jordan, Dutton Ranch, Shooting Star and Red Bicyclette.There is no corkage fee. Draft beer is also available.

As Meyers and Vance were talking about their plans and introducing different dishes, including a capellini for which they provided a recipe, diners stopped by to chat and voice their favorites.

“My family has told me to give up cooking and just bring home take-out from Firewood,” one Napa mom said.

“We’ve gotten such great feedback,” Garrett Meyers said.

“We hope to be part of the community for a long time to come,” added Vance.

Firewood is open daily. Sunday through Thursday hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. For reservations or delivery call 224-9660.