The Model Bakery
Bakery · St. Helena ·
Brick-oven breads, sandwiches, and Oprah-approved English muffins
Brick-oven breads, sandwiches, and Oprah-approved English muffins
"Model Bakery has the best English muffins in the world — and some of the world’s best breakfast sandwiches made with said muffins. They’re so delicious that Oprah has admitted to having them flown to her house. The pastry case is stacked with buttery croissants, moist banana bread, cookies, savory bread puddings, and more. Model Bakery has grown from its original digs to two additional locations in Napa (by Oxbow) and Yountville, but several specialty items like avocado toast on sourdough bread with a hard-boiled egg and crispy bacon are only available at the flagship bakery in St. Helena. Breakfast goodies sell out fast, but you can place an order online ahead of time and get some extra muffins to take home." - Dianne de Guzman
"Legend has it that Oprah is so obsessed with The Model Bakery english muffins that she has them flown in, but don’t just take her word for it—even people who live here are willing to brave the out-the-door line. If you’re checking this spot out, you might as well make your time in line count: the breakfast sandwich, served on one of those english muffins, and the giant cinnamon bun are must-haves. No visit should end without the strawberry lemonade and a slab of whatever pie they’re serving up that day, and don’t forget to grab a loaf of fresh bread (or more of those muffins)." - christina julian
"Famed for their English Muffins and hearty breakfast wraps." - Jillian Dara
"This is the O.G. (for "original gluten" — sorry!) — the store that started it all and now has outposts at the Oxbow Public Market and Napa — and it's still going strong after nine decades: the attention to detail is stunning, the sourdough is leavened using a starter sourced from wine grapes, the pastries will weaken your knees, and the cookies instill a sense of childlike glee; that's been my experience." - Brian Freedman
"Legend has it that Oprah is so obsessed with The Model Bakery english muffins that she has them flown in, but don’t just take her word for it—even people who live here are willing to brave the out-the-door line. If you’re checking this spot out, you might as well make your time in line count: the breakfast sandwich, served on one of those english muffins, and the giant cinnamon bun are must-haves. No visit should end without the strawberry lemonade and a slab of whatever pie they’re serving up that day, and don’t forget to grab a loaf of fresh bread (or more of those muffins)." - Christina Julian