La Cheve Bakery and Brews
Mexican restaurant · Napa ·
Bakery, brewery, & all-day brunch with Mexican classics
Bakery, brewery, & all-day brunch with Mexican classics
"Napa has a ton of Mexican restaurants and trucks, but few are keeping things as interesting as this triple threat—it’s a brewery, bakery, and brunch spot in one. You’ll find an extensive list of breakfast go-to's like chilaquiles, non-traditional standouts like flan french toast (weekends only), fresh-baked pastries that sell out early, and a multi-page menu of house-brewed beer. Brunch is served all day (until they close at 3 pm), which can make it hard to decide between the sweet cornmeal pancakes, tacos al pastor, or a burrito con salsa. We recommend making most dishes “el cheque style” to enjoy the rich mole, and trying as many housemade sauces as possible. All good things usually have a catch, and for La Cheve, that’s a first-come, first-served policy, and a very small parking lot." - christina julian, lani conway, jasmine alexandra
"The family’s first restaurant, opened in 2020, quickly became a tremendous, vibrant part of Napa’s restaurant scene and is beloved for all-day brunch offerings. Run by formerly undocumented Mexican owners and operated as a family business (with Cisneros’s dad as chef and her mom as head baker who handles operations), the original spot is brunch-forward and patio-friendly. Signature all-day items include a Mexican avocado toast topped with Guava habanero jam and a concha French toast, and the operation helped spark the family’s expansion into a drinks-focused concept. Cisneros’s personal background—born in La Piedad, Michoacan; the first in her family to graduate college; a former high school chemistry teacher whose interest in beer grew from that experience—along with the family’s work ethic are credited as central to the restaurant’s success." - Paolo Bicchieri
"Napa has a ton of Mexican restaurants and trucks, but few are keeping things as interesting as this triple threat—it’s a brewery, bakery, and brunch spot in one. You’ll find an extensive list of breakfast go-to's like chilaquiles, non-traditional standouts like flan french toast (weekends only), fresh-baked pastries that sell out early, and a multi-page menu of house-brewed beer. Brunch is served all day (until they close at 3 pm), which can make it hard to decide between the sweet cornmeal pancakes, tacos al pastor, or a burrito con salsa. We recommend making most dishes “el cheque style” to enjoy the rich mole, and trying as many housemade sauces as humanly possible. All good things usually have a catch, and for La Cheve, that’s a first-come, first-served policy, and a very small parking lot." - Jasmine Alexandra
"I try to get there early to avoid the line at this family-owned Mexican hotspot housed in one of Napa’s oldest buildings (the Adobe House); the bakery and restaurant serves chilaquiles, conchas, and a delicious flan French toast. Co-owner Cinthya Cisneros says, “Seeing my mother cook everything from scratch at home, really allowed me to appreciate the art of cooking and baking,” and you can taste that care in the tortillas and baked goods." - Marisa Churchill
"If the stormy weather’s got me down and I find myself in Napa, I wouldn’t miss the festive, lowkey La Cheve — a roadside spot that manages to deliver well-spiced chilaquiles, gluten-free pan dulce, and even house-brewed blood orange lagers alongside dozens of fancier meals and wine flights; the ambiance is party-ish but relaxed, the mulita de chorizo is a smart, meaty and cheesy order, owner Cinthya Cisnero’s mom makes the pan dulce each morning, and I’d try the flan-stuffed concha." - Paolo Bicchieri