Searched for a simple terpy breakfast sando on the way back to SD - Helena Avenue Bakery is minutes from the train station. Busy through brunch, worth the wait! Everything was super fresh, the lil packets of chalula really elevated this sandwich The blueberry compote was slightly tangy, with the yogurt & the not too crunchy semi sweet granola gwwooowwww Super simple coffee options though ‍ if anyone knows of a matcha/coffee spots near here - holllerrrrrr. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Coconut yogurts bowl with blueberry compote, granola and a mint leaf - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Helena Avenue Bakery is a great Santa Barbara spot! I've been here a few times now, and it's always been a really enjoyable experience. The food is excellent, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming, and it's a fun place to bring the kids. It has a great local feel and is an easy place to stop in, grab something delicious, and enjoy some time with the family. Definitely a place I'd recommend if you haven't tried it yet. Great food, great atmosphere, and an overall fun spot! read more

stopped by this morning for breakfast and coffee after a morning walk by the beach and I really enjoyed the iced honey lavender latte! the breakfast sandwich was also good. I replaced the bacon with avocado and left feeling very full. the egg patty on the sandwich is really generously portioned. I definitely could have shared this sandwich. food and drinks come out very quick here! plenty of outdoor seating to enjoy the weather. definitely recommend for a quick and casual breakfast/brunch. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Breakfast Sandwich on Brioche Big Breakfast Taco - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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While visiting Santa Barbara, we spent one morning exploring the shopping district and the Funk Zone and decided to stop at Helena Avenue Bakery for breakfast. It was clearly a local favorite--the line stretched out the door--but it moved steadily and was well worth the wait. We enjoyed a couple of fresh, flaky croissants and found a lovely spot to sit and ease into the morning. The space has such a relaxed, inviting atmosphere, making it a great place to start the day. One thing we thought was especially unique is that the space transforms into a wine tasting venue in the evenings, giving it a completely different vibe later in the day. Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I'd absolutely return to sample more of the menu and spend more time enjoying such a beautiful space. read more

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Helena Bakery feels like a little hidden paradise. Surrounded by beautiful flowers with birds flying around, it's such a peaceful place to slow down and enjoy a coffee and pastry. I came specifically because everything is baked in house and ordered the passion fruit poppy seed muffin and the chocolate chip cookie. The cookie surprised me in the best way... it also had raisins and nuts, which added great texture and flavor. The passion fruit muffin was something different from the usual bakery selection, offering a bright, fruity twist that stood out. There's plenty of both indoor and outdoor seating, making it a perfect spot for a date, catching up with friends, or simply enjoying a quiet morning. Definitely a place I'd recommend. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

It's taken me a while to check out this delicious eatery but it's now going in the rotation for a quick delicious cafe meal. Located in the Funk Zone, Helena shares a space with SB Wine Collective. There's indoor and outdoor seating. Order at the counter, get a number, grab a seat, and your food/drink will be delivered to you. Cutlery is at a self service station along with water. The big breakfast taco is delicious! Highly recommend. I've also had take out of the Italian hoagie... let me just say it's one of the best sandwiches I've had as of lately. The bread was crisp yet soft, the meats perfect, and the Italian vinaigrette and veggies were fresh. If it was that great for takeout I cannot wait to try it dining in. Their breads and pastries are baked fresh daily! Open 7-2:30 though you'll encounter a long line on the weekends so be prepared. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Big Breakfast Taco - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

It was very busy when my friends and I went. I ordered the Hab Cobb Salad and the Turkey sourdough sandwich. Food was delicious! Also bought the chocolate chip cookie and that was good! Service was excellent! You can either eat outside or indoors. read more

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Very popular bakery and coffee shop. Make sure you arrive early. I had an iced caramel latte and a buttermilk biscuit with strawberry preserves. Both were OK but the biscuit was more dense like a scone versus being a light and flakey buttermilk biscuit. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Buttermilk Biscuit - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Solid neighborhood bakery. Food was great, but the pastries did not blow my mind. Great ambiance, loved the outdoor seating. Service was prompt. Get there early, we got there around 9:30 on a Saturday and waited about 20-30 mins to order. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - BlackBerry danish, Fried Chicken Sandwich, Big Breakfast Taco - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We stopped by Helena Avenue Bakery for breakfast during our trip to Santa Barbara, and it was one of our favorite meals of the day. The bakery has a cozy, welcoming atmosphere with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Even though there was a line when we arrived, it moved quickly, and the staff stayed friendly and organized the whole time. We ordered a yogurt bowl with fresh blueberries and homemade granola, a specialty toast topped with peanut butter, banana, crispy bacon, and a delicious sauce, plus coffee. Everything was fresh, beautifully presented, and full of flavor. You can really tell they use high-quality ingredients. The pastry selection looked incredible as well. From fresh croissants and scones to cinnamon rolls and muffins, it was honestly hard to choose just one. We'll definitely have to come back to try more. If you're visiting Santa Barbara and looking for a great breakfast or coffee spot, Helena Avenue Bakery is absolutely worth the stop. Great food, great coffee, friendly service, and a relaxed atmosphere. Highly recommended! read more

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Whew! This was a *pricey* breakfast, but it WAS good! That being said $62 good? Meh. $62: (2) Iced Vanilla lattes (1) Banana (1) Breakfast Taco (1) Breakfast sandwich (1) Croissant (1) Children's toast +egg The sandwich and taco were really good, but keep in mind it's JUST the one taco, JUST the sandwich. The homemade (I assume?) bread and jam for the kids meal was SO good! The vanilla lattes were not work $6.75 at all though... nothing special to them and easily watered down. The space itself is nice, outdoor/indoor concept. My daughter loved all the flowers and the birds that would fly inside for crumbs. I would come back but would JUST get the meals, the extras weren't worth the price IMO (even the croissant). read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - $$$ I also ordered a kids toast + egg for $8.74 after. Latte is not worth $6.75 FYI. - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Tiramasu Cronut - While this was a good cronut, it didn't taste like tiramisu at all. Blueberry scone - Good size and tons of blueberries. A little frosting on top to make it sweet. These were more moist than your average scone. Croissant - Big croissant that was flaky on the outside and soft on the inside. Would definitely get again. If you order a sandwich, make sure to select the chips and not the salad. Trust me on this. Outdoor seating is limited, but there are tables inside. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

Beautiful spot and perfect way to start the day in Santa Barbara. The weather was great and we opted to sit outside. You order at the counter and take a number. The tiramisu cruffin and the breakfast sandwich were delicious. There's one bathroom but it's clean. Service is nice. Parking available on the street and in different lots. It's about a 10 minute walk from the wharf. read more

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Our food was so delicious! The service is great. You line up, order and find a table to accommodate your group. The ambiance was pleasant. You can dine inside or outside! read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This place has such a cozy vibe :) You need to get in line order food and then grab a seat :) It is perfect for brunches or wine tasting as well! Loved their croissants and mochas :) read more

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What a nice place. Sandwiches, soups, salads and wine. A very relaxing place to eat. We shared chicken fingers, a Chinese chicken salad, a Hoagie (Spicy) a breakfast burrito and a granola yogurt and fruit bowl. Everything was amazing! read more

Love the indoor and outdoor space. Line to order, you get a number and seat yourself. The line comes and goes. Lined up for about 13 minutes, but there was no line 5 minutes later. Went primarily for brunch, the breakfast fried chicken sandwich ($16) should also include veggies and egg. Chicken was tender, but there was nothing special. The gravy jam sauce was alright, again, needs some veggies or egg. Croissant ($5.50) was great and flakey layers. I just wished it could be heated up for eating at the bakery. I enjoyed the store had little trinkets, such as Jacobsen Salts, candles, soaps, etc. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Side of croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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It was good but also expensive and I was expecting better, especially for the price. The menu was also pretty small and nothing particularly jumped out at me so I was kinda disappointed about that. I wasn't really a fan of how the egg was prepared in the sandwich. The muffin was good and had a good passionfruit flavor in the icing, but other than that it was kinda dry. The chai was pretty good though so that was a plus. It was also very very crowded we waited quite a bit (maybe 20+ min) in line to order and then more for our food to arrive. Granted this was probably because it's popular and considered good, but it didn't really meet my expectations. The venue is cute though with nice outdoor seating and a big spacious indoors. They also had some strawberry and blueberry plants which was cool! read more

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Love this bakery! Be warned, it's a popular spot and there will likely be a line. There's street parking but it's also not the easiest to find. You order at the counter and have a seat and they'll bring your food to you. The food is amazing! The fried chicken sandwich on brioche is next level. The chicken is so tender and the bread is a nice contrast. If you're not that hungry, I highly recommend the biscuit with salted butter and jam. We also had the whipped ricotta toast which was well worth my lactose intolerance cheat day. So much better than ordering a boring avocado toast. Ricotta and honey is always a perfect pair but the pear added texture. Personally wasn't a big fan of the cinnamon roll. There are tons of options of breads and it's pretty cool to see them mixing some of the batter in real time. Definitely recommend! read more

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Came here for breakfast. They have counter service here but they do bring the food to you. There was already a huge line by the time we reached here. Table was surprisingly easy to find. Food came out fairly quick. Coffee was really good. The sourdough on the breakfast sandwich was a little too crunchy but overall it was yummy. Also got the avocado toast which was also good. read more

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Helena's Bakery did not disappoint! Arrived around 9am on a Saturday and had no trouble finding street parking. The line looked long but moved quickly and was totally manageable. They have a grab-and-go selection--pastries, Cobb salad, granola, and yogurt, perfect if you're on the move. The real MVP though? The biscuits with butter and jam. You get a choice of jam, and since I'm not a lavender girl, I went with the cranberry jam. The breakfast sandwich is amazing, and you can add both bacon and avocado (which is more like a guacamole--no complaints there). I also HAD to try the Elvis: bacon, bananas, peanut butter on banana bread, drizzled with honey. Decadent, indulgent, and absolutely worth it. There's seating both indoors and outdoors, and with the heat lamps, sitting outside was actually warm and comfortable. So glad to have found a spot I'll be excited to return to the next time I'm in Santa Barbara. read more

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Such a cute bakery! They have indoor and outdoor seating, and even little dog treats for purchase. I got the classic turkey sandwich and it was so good. The bread was soft, mayo on both sides which made it super moist, and the lettuce, turkey, tomato, cheese and bacon were all so fresh! I also got an iced vanilla matcha latte! Which was also very good. Shout out to the gentleman who rang us up, I needed help on ordering my matcha and he was very patient and didn't rush me at all. Very attentative, which I appreciate. Bummed because once my food came out I was so excited to eat I forgot to take pics of my matcha and the atmosphere, but all good things to say! It also turns into a little wine bar in the evening! We didn't stay for that but wished we did. I'll definitely come back! read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Classic Turkey Sandwich on Sourdough smoked cheddar, mayo, crispy bacon, heirloom tomato, served with salt & pepper potato chips - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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Coffee was great setting was lovely. Egg sandwich was a bit greasy. Biscuit was delicious as were the lattes. read more

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Great sandwiches! Cool place with friendly staff. We had the Ham beurre baguette and chicken Caesar pita sandwich. Came with delicious homemade salt and pepper chips. Great space open kitchen and industrial vibe. Really enjoyed the food. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

The "gluten-free breakfast" designation is dishonest. They have a couple of baked goods & macaroons that are gluten-free. Breakfast altogether? Not. So PLEASE change this description so I'm the last person to waste time ..... read more

The vibe is amazing I bought the olive sourdough bread wow so delicious also got the blueberry scone also delicious. The only thing I got from the kitchen was the avocado toast. I was about the second or third person in line when the doors opened and unfortunately they forgot about me. Everybody was getting their meals, full families that were in line after me. I was just about to go up to see what happened to my avocado toast and then they brought it to me. It was beautiful to look at, but it was so cold. You can tell it has been sitting there nothing more disappointing than having cold food. Definitely try the tea. It was great. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

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We had breakfast at Helena Ave Bakery, twice, during our visit to Santa Barbara. The staff are super chatty (in a good way) and super friendly. I noticed that no matter how busy it was, they continued to wipe down the tables but stayed consistent with serving orders. We finally tried the Elvis that everyone on Yelp was raving about. I have to admit that it is totally worth breaking your diet for. We tried a slice of pumpkin bread too just out of curiosity. The banana bread and pumpkin bread were super moist and paired well with coffee. This was definitely my favorite place in the Funk Zone! read more

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WOW! The lemonade was so sweet & tart at the same time We ordered the breakfast taco - it is massive and literally the best breakfast taco I have EVER had - a sentiment shared by everyone at my table. Absolute We sat on the patio that provided adequate shade and is beautifully furnished with plants and flowers. The staff were kind and efficient. We would absolutely frequent this place if we lived nearby. 10/10! read more

Do not let the long line discourage you! We decided to walk up on a busy Saturday and almost left when we saw how long the line was. It was about 11 AM and the line was almost to the st. We decided to wait and the line actually moved pretty quickly. After we ordered, we did not wait long for our food to arrive. The egg coffee and breakfast sandwich was great! Flavorful and filling. The only thing I didn't care for was how thick the egg was. I get the egg ick and had to cut it in half so I wouldn't get grossed out by it. But it was delicious either way! read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

This is my favorite breakfast place in Santa Barbara. Amazing farm Press food amazing artisan bakery. read more

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Yummy food, cute location and garden patio. Quick turn around to get our food too. Great read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Chai Latte and Ricotta Strawberry toast - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We had tried the croissants from here at a nearby inn that used their baked goods for their continental breakfast and loved them so we went to the bakery to try some more. The service was very friendly and helpful and the overall vibe and the plants and flowers on the patio was wonderful. Order the cinnamon roll, the frosting they use made it the best cinnamon I had ever tried, and I had my fair share of them. I dunno how they made the frosting but the salt on it and the spices made it very addictive. read more

Stopped here on a sunday morning. Theres quite a bit of seating and you order at the counter and someone brings your order to your table, if you dine in. I got the hashbrown, the biscuits and gravy, a cheese danish croissant and a cookie. I also asked if they could modify a drink quite heavily and the did accommodate, so i'm very grateful for that and the main reason for the 4 star rating. The hashbrown was very crunchy and had a nice bite, but it had way too much black pepper to the point where thats all I could taste. Seemed to be a similar case with the biscuits and gravy. Maybe I came on an off day. Either way it was quite expensive for what I got and unfortunately, I don't think i'll be coming back for the breakfast. The baked goods, however...those were on point. That cheese danish croissant was superb and highly recommended. The cookie was nice, bit sweet for me because of the toffee I think it had, but overall not bad. If I come back it'll be to try other pasties and specifically for my modified drink which was Lemonade with a splash of cold brew...don't knock it until you try it. It is my favorite thing to get at coffee shops that serve lemonade. read more

Beautifully decorated outdoor with lots of lush plants and flowers. There's indoor seating as well. This place is know for making their own bread and crafting perfectly delicious sandwiches. Service was excellent. The breakfast sand which was delish, fresh made organic. Everything was delightful. read more

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I went to this bakery every morning in SB. You can't go wrong with the baked goods. Everything is spectacular. Try the warmed up coffee cake. Coffee is good as well! Their bread is also amazing read more

You need to go to Helena Avenue Bakery. Coming from someone who has been around to many cafes especially in La, this place is great and unique. The ambiance is very beautiful and friendly to be in and the food is great. We had a few different plates including the Elvis and the Cesar wrap, 10/10. The coffee was also amazing. I wanted to try the pastries but didn't think I could get to it with all the food we got. Make sure to stop by this place. read more

Helena Avenue Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Santa Barbara, California

We came here for breakfast. It was excellent. Everything was fresh, seasoned well, and we would come back.

Came to this hidden gem on a Friday afternoon to grab brunch. Everything was so good and reasonably priced. I ordered the Breakfast Sandwich on Brioche and it was piping hot and delicious. Moreover, the service was great. The staff are very friendly and helpful. I would love to come back the next time I'm in the area. read more

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Three words: GLUTEN FREE BISCUIT. I absolutely loved this place. The whole menu is full of fresh, local goodies, creatively prepared. Excellent coffee drinks too. Add in the friendly, efficient service and charmingly rustic/industrial décor, and you've got an excellent choice for breakfast or brunch. Especially great for gluten free options- the biscuit with lavender lemon jam was delicious and I also enjoyed a perfectly-textured blueberry muffin. So good! read more

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I stopped in for a morning snack & iced matcha latte. It was busy with lots of people & dogs. I ordered a chocolate croissant & chocolate chip cookie. The size of both were big and they were both fresh baked. They are dog friendly. read more

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