The Model Bakery
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If I was a pastry fiend, this review would likely be quite different, but as a salad lover, I can't recommend Model Bakery in the slightest. I was excited to see a kale salad on their menu, especially one with strong fixings such as squash and goat cheese; sadly, the ingredients were entirely AWOL. In the pre-mix photo, it appears like a relatively decent helping, but after mixing, it became a mountain of kale with the other ingredients having been a facade in the initial viewing. Classic shrinkflation by which a $20 salad (yikes!) is padded by a heap of greenery. Furthermore, the squash was undercooked and disappointing even in the few bites of it I had. I believe that the salad could be adjusted to be a satisfying meal (goat cheese is never a wrong choice), but right now it's a miss, for both the stomach and the wallet.
Another fabulous visit! Our family, visiting from the south of France, stopped into The Model Bakery in Saint Helena, and it was a savory and sweet experience. We were all captivated by the inviting ambiance and the tempting displays. My family felt the same way and stated that they felt they back in France . They (we all) fell in love with the English muffins, the sandwiches, and the drinks--each bite was a taste of perfection. We ended up sitting down for lunch, and every item we ordered exceeded our expectations. If we lived closer to the model bakery, we would be regulars every day until next time. Note: The service was incredibly welcoming and friendly.
I can't judge this place on any of its baked goods aside from the english muffin, but the english muffin is all you really need. We ordered one with sausage and egg and it was perfectly griddled with a really amazing chipotle sauce to really round out the whole sandwich. We also got a 6 pack of english muffins to go and had amazing breakfasts that entire week. I wish I bought more to stick in the freezer! The atmosphere was so cozy and quaint and the perfect way to start a slow morning before exploring the rest of St Helena. Model Bakery will forever be a go to spot for me now whenever I'm in the area.
Known for their English muffins, had to try their original breakfast sandwich. I'd say it was a very solid sandwich filled with plenty of egg, cheese and Canadian bacon. The English muffin itself was good and crispy in the outside. Not sure how often I'd want to pay upwards of $10 for this. The other baked goods to me were passable (brownie, wedding cookie, lemon loaf poppy cake). No bathrooms available and street parking.
I tried the original breakfast sandwich and I didn't like it. The English muffin on it was good though. I preferred the breakfast smashburger instead. The chorizo wrap was good but next time I want to try their model wrap and their model biscuit breakfast sandwich. Service was fast. The line went by fast.
I don't know about their other baked goods but what I can say is their English muffins are one of the best I've had. The crust wi the cornmeal was excellent and the inside was super soft and airy. I'd come back just for them.
Cute cafe and bakery in DT Sonoma. This place was buzzing in the late afternoon. We popped in for some coffee and a bite to eat. Service was pretty quick at the counter and I had to go for the slice of veggie pizza and a coffee. A bit pricier which we expected being in this area but we found a small corner table to sit and relax for the time being. They warmed up my pizza and I thought it was quite tasty. They had some good looking pastries but nothing GF for my hubby. Will definitely come back!
Every time I visit this place, I always end up bringing some bread home. It's my kids' favorite bakery -- they absolutely love it! Even though it's quite far from where I live, I never miss a chance to stop by whenever I visit my sister. The warm interior reflects the shop's long-standing tradition.
Great bakery! Stopped in to grab a quick sweet treat and ended up grabbing a breakfast sandwich as well. The ginger molasses cookie is absolutely to die for and the English muffin is definitely worth the hype in my opinion. Coming from NYC where amazing bakeries are countless I have very high standards however model bakery definitely lived up to them and I would suggest anyone in the area pop in for a sweet treat or a breakfast or lunch.
This place is an institution and we had to make a visit. We went early on a Saturday and it was already very busy. We managed to get a table on the patio which was okay - hard to move around the restaurant with how busy it was as. Wish it was a bit more laid back - peaceful but it's popular for a reason. We both had breakfast sandwiches and black coffees. The biscuit was great and the bacon portion was generous. That was good because the prices were a bit high - that's why I knocked off a star.
Came here for breakfast with some friends recently! First of all, seating is limited, and they get pretty packed, so keep that in mind. At the recommendation of one of my friends, I got the "Model Wrap." I'm not kidding when I tell you that it was the best breakfast wrap I've ever had! SO YUMMY! Scrambled egg, bacon, avocado, and a delicious chipotle sauce! This was my first time here, but I'm going to have to order this every time! Also, I had a potluck to attend that night, so I bought an apple pie to-go! It was very pretty, and more importantly, very tasty as well! It was a hit at the potluck for sure! I work nearby, so I'm going to have to start coming here more often! read more
Definitely recommend. They have the best (yet pricey) English Muffins. I would recommend picking some up to take home. Pastries and breads are baked fresh. Coffee is delicious. Only leaving four stars because of how long it took to get our order read more
Must try in St.Helena/Napa if your haven't and always a must stop for us to grab their famous english muffin ! The apple pie look so tempting so I had to grab a whole one to share ! Customer service is top notch and they carry a variety of pastries/ bread for a affordable price read more
2 years ago
It's a high quality place as far as I can tell. I was working in the area and I needed coffee and it was open at 6 AM. Other coffee places in the area open at 8? Coffee was excellent. $4.50 for a large, I got two... just for me... they messed up and gave me three... Gave me the extra one instead of pouring it out. The two people working the front area were very nice! Service was great. There is no public restroom FYI! Street parking. Place is clean and quiet, filled with retired local guys chatting and razzing with other. It is a 5 star place, I only gave it 4, but it's 4plus. Since it has no public bathroom and a breakfast sandwich is $13. I gave it four. Prices are high but this is a tourist town in California. Say no more. $23 for two coffees and a breakfast sandwich. But it's a lovely sandwich! Keep up the great work? FYI bakers get up around 2AM usually. I used to work at Lotus bakery in Santa Rosa California. Lots of respect and thanks! PJ Malone read more
Cute bakery! Great way to start a long hard day ........filled with drinking wine. The LAVENDER LATTE is the best I have had to this day. The ratio of lavender to coffee is so balanced to the point where neither flavor overshadows the other(as I think they usually do). They have so many baked goods and sandwiches to choose from! They also have a GREAT TEA selection and at least 2 to 3 types of black coffee. They stop serving foods from the kitchen at a certain point, as many bakeries do so keep that in mind when considering when to go if a sandwich is something you'd like to try. read more
In the Napa area for a couple days, we passed through St. Helena on a cold, rainy January Monday. Hungry and already having struck out on one bakery (closed for maintenance) Yelp helped us find the Model Bakery. It was still open, served sandwiches, so we were set! Even though it was past the lunch hour there was a line, and a continuous stream of people coming in while we were there - a good sign. I wanted something warm, so I ordered a cheese sandwich; my wife ordered the tuna sandwich. She noticed a sign about their muffins: Oprah had given them her "Best Muffin Award"! We chose a bag of half a dozen, also some pastries. By this time there wasn't any seating available so we took our prizes and drove somewhere close to have lunch. The sandwiches were excellent! My cheese sandwich had several different cheeses and was *very* cheesy. My wife loved her tuna sandwich as it was different from your normal tuna: the bakery had added nuts and maybe some different seasonings. The bear claw we had was good, but I wished it had had some more filling. But the best was yet to come: the muffins! These were not sweet muffins, more like a cross between unsweetened donuts and English muffins. Thick, chewy and tasty, we tried them separately with jam and peanut butter, and also made them into lunch sandwiches with meat and cheese. Really a unique, amazing taste - we could see why they won an award! Finding gems like this is one of the joys of travel... read more
Soooo good! So we came for the famous English muffins but they were already sold out. So instead we tried their bread pudding muffin. It was soooo delicious!!! Super soft, super flavorful without being too sweet. I wish we got to try the English muffin but this bread pudding muffin was also worth the trip!!! read more
10 months ago
Business owner information
Sarah M.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are truly…
We made it to The famous bakery known for their English muffins! Believe the hype. The English muffing is.so.good. This is the original location and i think it is totally worth it to make a trip to St Helena! The whole downtown area is so cute and has lots of shops! You can grab some muffins and work them off with some shopping! We see why this is Oprah's favorite. read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sarah M.
We appreciate your detailed feedback on your recent visit. It's great…
Model has several locations around Napa. This location is in the cute St. Helena downtown area. We found easy street parking. After taking a look at all our delicious options, settled on breakfast sandwiches. Such a good choice. Hubby got the chorizo and I got Model's original breakfast sandwich. The English muffin was SO delicious. Nice and crusty on the outside and inside was soft. Both sandwiches were awesome. Bought some English muffins to toast at home with their spread. OMG! A must! Went back to take four packages back to the east coast. You can refrigerate or freeze them. They do ship, but why pay shipping when I was there to take home. I had plenty of space in my carry on to bring back with me. Definitely order on-line or get while you are there. read more
The reviews do not lie! Best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. ** Perfect stop before wine tasting. Fill up on those carbs! ** Order ahead to avoid long wait. The Model Bakery is currently under construction. The entrance is in the back. They have a nice outdoor patio to enjoy breakfast and lunch. We ordered: Original Breakfast Sandwich - So good!! Must try - 5/5 Biscuit Breakfast Sandwich - no cheese **Do not make the same mistake as I did. Get cheese with the sandwich! (Don't ask me why, big regrets lol) The biscuit was so dry without the cheese :( but still good. Toasted English Muffin + strawberry jam - Yum! English Muffin - 6PK We bought a pack of 6 english muffins home and froze them :) The original breakfast sandwich is the best breakfast sandwich I've ever had. English muffin was buttery and soft, while scrambled eggs were exquisitely fluffy. Canadian bacon was sweet and tender. Although the english muffin was quite oily from all the butter, it was worth the grease and calories. ~ Currently drooling ~ read more
Business owner information
Sarah M.
Thank you for visiting Jen!
5 years ago
I definitely recommend coming here and trying their pastries! They have a lot of variety and you can order online to skip the line! Even when you order online to pickup, you can order some more items when you're picking up. The line is normally out the door, so definitely recommend ordering online. Just be warned that the line can get backed up when you're picking up since you can still order some more food. I had to wait a bit because the person in front of me ordered at least $80 worth of food on top of her online order. We just got the English muffins with jam, Saint Helena bacon burrito, and a side of has brown. I definitely came here to try the English muffins as Oprah gets them here and they were pretty good! I would say it's not an "OMG this is amazing!!" But it was just a good English muffin. Nothing out of the ordinary. Sorry to anyone who thinks differently. It was still delicious! The butter they give is cold, just a heads up when you're trying to eat it there. I enjoyed all three items that we got! The side of hash brown comes with two and it's only $0.75 which is a good deal. The burrito is definitely one to try and great for breakfast or lunch! It had the perfect amount of everything in it and there was a lot of avocados in it, which I love! I definitely want to try their other pastries and items on the menu and there's a lot to try! read more
3 years ago
Took a nice drive up valley to try the St. Helena location after the remodel. The young people working the counter seem very unhappy and need some customer service training. While waiting in line, she dropped the baguette bag on the floor, proceeded to pick it up and shove the lady's baguette into it. The lady asked her nicely for a new baguette to which she rolled her eyes and asked her coworker to take over. I, too, had an issue and had to get the manager involved to get a small refund. It was a small refund but it was the principal of the matter. To the unhappy young lady working in a predominantly tourist town, Six Flags is hiring and you might be happier there. We'll stick to our local Napa location where we go weekly to get our bread and are treated with lots of smiles and the best customer service. Oh and fix your business hours that are advertised online. I watched no less than 10 people try to get in but the door was locked promptly at 4:00 pm. read more
Business owner information
Sarah M.
I'm sorry to hear about the disappointing experience you had at our…
5 years ago
This place was pretty packed for a weekday breakfast, but we ordered breakfast online, and it was ready as soon as we got there. The Chai Latte was delicious. The food was good. The baked goods looked like they were probably better than the prepped food we had, but the English muffin was perfectly crisp and delicious for the egg sandwich! read more
3 years ago
Bakery is good but the service is lacking. Went two mornings in a row. First day we ordered breakfast sandwiches and coffee. The sandwiches were good but probably a few dollars over priced. The next day we ordered a breakfast sandwich and an English muffin. It was all good but the service was poor. When I mean poor service, there are zero smiles at Model Bakery. The folks there act like any question is a bother to them. They ran out of lids for coffee and I needed to ask 3 people and let them know that they were out before someone believed me. I was treated like the "stupid" customer that couldn't find the lids outside. Would have given 4 stars but the service brought it down to two. read more
Business owner information
Sarah M.
Thank you for your feedback. We apologize for the poor service…
Hearing from others that they may sell out of their English muffins, I called in to secure my order for 10 packs while on the road. Huge, spacious interior for a bakery! To my surprise and relief there were no customers in line. I had a lunch reservation to get to so I didn't have time to browse through their baked items, but their selection looked good. English muffins: still as delicious as I remember from a few years ago. They taste nothing like English muffins you get from McDonald's or the store bought packages. Pop them into the air fryer or toaster for a bit and you get a perfectly crispy cornmeal exterior and the fluffiest interior ever! There is a hint of salt in it so be cautious if you are adding it to something savory. I can eat it as is, with jam, or make a breakfast sammie and they all come out delicious. ($14 per 6-pack) read more
2 years ago
Literally the best breakfast Sandwich I've had. I've had dreams about this for the past several weeks. Not even Ozempic could stop me from devouring this masterpiece. read more
Business owner information
Sarah M.
It's great to hear that you love our breakfastwhich and that Ozempic…
5 years ago
Ambience: Charming, cozy, small bakery. While you can't inside the bakery, there is a lot of spacious seating outside of the bakery. You can also take it to the lake and walk along the trail. Food: The sausage breakfast sandwich was basic besides the spicy aioli sauce. The sauce definitely added a nice flavor. However, I was wanting the nice crunch from the english muffin bun, but it's definitely not your typical english muffin. It's very soft, which was kind of disappointing. read more
3 years ago
Best English muffin I've ever had! Currently they are renovating the main location so had to go in the back to access. Large selection of baked goods. We tried an avocado toast, English muffin, croissant, and cookies. All were delicious! read more
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Sarah M.
Thank you for taking the time to write about your experience. We are…
Another quick Napa get away, another bite of Oprah's fav English muffin, this time at the St Helena location. Napa is not the best place to visit if you want to stay slim. Toasted English muffin once again was perfect: made with clarify butter, hot & fluffy inside, toasted to golden crisp outside, slapped some butter on top that melted almost instantly. You can choose from a variety of jams: strawberry, apricot, rasperry. The latter was always sold out in our previous 6 trips to other locations. This time we struck gold, the rasperry jam was fresh & light in texture, came in small sauce containers instead of the usual commercial tiny packages. Chippotle pesto breakfast sandwich was very good. Using the same buttery muffin, canadian bacon was tender, egg was fluffy, but we still prefer the original sausage breakfast sandwich. We also tried the vegetarian pizza the next day, the dough was too thick & bready for my likings. Street parking was plentiful 8 am on a week day. The line can get long on weekends so come early. read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sarah M.
We are deeply sorry to hear about your negative experience with our…
5 years ago
We came up north from So cal to visit wine country. I was doing research on wineries to visit in Napa and came across this bakery that many were raving about due to the English muffins being on Oprah's favorite things. We drove from Santa Rosa where we were staying, to this location in Saint Helena. It was not crowded but I went ahead and ordered online to do a curb side pick up. Got there a little earlier than my order time so I called and they said they'd get started on it and bring it to my car. I parked in the alley on Money street. I ordered 2 breakfast sandwiches (English muffin, croissant) and 2 toasted English muffins on the side, one with raspberry preserves and the other with strawberry preserves. The sandwiches were a good size, the eggs were fluffy and the muffins tasted fresh. Not your typical Thomas English muffin but that's what made this experience worth trying. The bacon on the sandwiches was the real thick bacon not the skinny fast food kind! I also ordered a Chai latte with an add shot. The latte was pretty good, nothing special IMO. I walked inside the bakery to see it, while my husband waited in the car. While inside I ordered a bear claw and a snickerdoodle cookie. The cookie was TINY for almost 2 bucks! The bear claw was a good size and was fresh. I asked for a claw toward the bottom of the pile since a fly was flying around landing on things. The woman working there was courteous enough to listen to my request. Overall I'd say it was worth visiting while in Napa valley. Certainty a "treat" while in vacation. read more
Came here for English Muffins and pastries! The original breakfast was delicious! I wish I upgraded to bacon though. But it was yummy and hot! There is a bit of a wait though because they make it to order! I also got a morning glory muffin, the flavor that day was carrot and apple! It tasted essentially like carrot cake topped with coconut flakes! The English Muffin is $2.50 each! Toasted with Butter or Cream Cheese is $3! Toasted with jam is $3.25! I recommend the toasted with butter! Classic! 6 packs is $14! I CAN TOTALLY SEE WHY OPRAH SHIPS THESE TO HER HOME!! They were delicious! Make sure if you're bringing some home to toast them!! It makes a big difference! This location cuts the English muffin and then toast it! Other locations don't! There is a long wait after ordering especially if you're getting a hot sandwich! They were doing a 50% off cake slices, but they didn't have any available when I got there :( I was so sad! One lady at the register had no clue what I was talking about! But when I asked another she checked. Really disappointed, I would totally have eaten cake for breakfast. Has only 3 tables for outdoor seating. read more
4 years ago
When in Napa, this is *the* place for breakfast. Of course the famous English muffins are amazing - fluffy, buttery, and decadent, but don't be fooled; the other bakery items are just as delicious! I tried the almond croissant with my coffee and it was my favorite thing! Obviously, get there early before everything runs out! read more
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Sarah M.
We appreciate you joining us and sharing your experience.
One of the finest bakeries around. I don't live in the area, but I visit a friend in Deer Park and this is one of our go-to places. Of course the pastries are always good, but the sandwiches are also incredibly good. If you're a tourist or a weekender in the area, this is an awesome place to know. read more
Love love love The Model Bakery!! It is a must-visit whenever in the St. Helena area! We preorder a few packs of their famous, buttery, and delicious English Muffins online since they often sell out quickly. Their sausage breakfast sandwiches are amazing as well- they use the same English Muffins. If you order it toasted, it comes with a few slabs of butter and some fresh jam. I prefer it with just butter but it tastes so good with their jam. You'll still need to stand in line and check in with the cashier for your online order. We've ordered several bags of English Muffins and froze them at home. They freeze well. Just defrost and toast, good as new! read more
A cute little bakery that had a crowd of people waiting outside for their order. So, social distancing is enforced inside the bakery, but there's so much that you can do outside. They were out of spinach wraps, so I ended up getting a chicken sandwich. Another person in my group got a turkey sandwich. Chicken and turkey are both quite tasty. They did not call out our orders, so we were waiting for a while and watched other customers who came after us pick up their order. We know they didn't miss us, because one of the staff members would call out names for each orders. It was good for a quick little pick-me-up and for a takeout lunch. read more
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sarah M.
Thank you for sharing your experience. We hope to see you again soon!
6 years ago
The best English muffins you have ever eaten in your life!! Every bite taste like butaah!! They taste great toasted with jelly, butter or as a sandwich. Eat quickly because they spoil fast or better yet keep in the fridge. Tasty but also pricey, so enjoy. A must when in Napa. The cookies are also huge and yummy. read more
The stars are full-on for Maddie. Her kindness and friendliness to my brother (pictured) made our time there delightful. The sandwiches and pizza were a bit greasy. We should have tried the pastries to review, but alas. It has a great vibe and service is pretty quick. read more
Business owner information
Sarah M.
Thank you for joining us and sharing your experience!
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sarah M.
Thank you! We hope to see you again soon.
4 years ago
#1 problem with this place is that you want to order EVERYTHING!!! I narrowed my order to a drip coffee and the Spicy Chorizo Wrap. SO YUMMY! It melted in my mouth. My friend got a blueberry scone and loved it. read more
4 years ago
My husband, friends, and I planned a trip to Napa Valley and had read that this was a must stop for breakfast and WOW! Our experience was so good at Model Bakery we ended up coming here again the very next day. Los Guidry's Thoughts and Recommendations: - Street parking only, atleast that was the only option. We came by relatively early (9-10AM) and there was a spot nearby both times. - English muffins are amazinggg! I'm not the biggest english muffin person but I can appreciate quality food and this is it! The English muffins are BIG, fluffy, with the perfect crunch! We all ordered an english muffin sandwich of sorts and we were obsessed. I highly recommend any of the english muffin sandwiches to get the full experience. - Other baked good are always great, including the muffins and cheese danish. - Coffee is delicious! I'm usually skeptical of the coffee at non-coffee shops but this one is great. We absolutely loved Model Bakery! Despite it being crowded and busy the staff was nice and friendly. I cannot wait to go back to Napa- for the wine and for English Muffins. read more
1 year ago
Business owner information
Sarah M.
Thank you for your feedback. We're glad to hear you enjoyed the food,…
2 years ago
Business owner information
Sarah M.
Thank you for sharing your experience. We sincerely apologize for the…
More info about The Model Bakery
1357 Main St
Saint Helena, CA 94574
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(707) 963-8192
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http://www.themodelbakery.com
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Is there parking?
There's street parking only and it can be tough during busy times, especially on weekends. Early mornings, it's a breeze
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33 reviews that are not currently recommended
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The Model Bakery - bakeries - Updated September 2026
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