
The Model Bakery
A beloved bakery for over 90 years, famous for its brick-oven English muffins, artisan breads, and delightful pastries.

Highlights
Must-see attractions
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Blue hour photography, calmer galleries

The Model Bakery

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A beloved bakery for over 90 years, famous for its brick-oven English muffins, artisan breads, and delightful pastries.
"Oprah-approved English muffins that live up to the hype – a must-try in Napa Valley!"
Arrive Early for Popular Items
Popular items like the English muffins sell out quickly, so visit early to ensure availability.
Consider the Napa Location
Some suggest the Napa Model Bakery offers a better overall experience than the St. Helena branch.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Bakery
Price
Mid-range
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

World-Famous English Muffins
Oprah-approved and highly sought-after, these brick-oven English muffins are a must-try for their pillowy perfection.

Artisan Breads & Pastries
From flaky croissants to decadent cakes and pies, the bakery offers a delightful array of freshly baked goods.

Savory Breakfast Sandwiches
Indulge in hearty breakfast sandwiches featuring quality ingredients, like the popular sausage or chipotle bacon options.
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Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Arrive Early for Popular Items
Popular items like the English muffins sell out quickly, so visit early to ensure availability.
Consider the Napa Location
Some suggest the Napa Model Bakery offers a better overall experience than the St. Helena branch.
Indoor and Outdoor Seating
Enjoy your meal at either the comfortable indoor seating or the outdoor patio area.
Don't Expect Fast Service
Be prepared for potentially slow customer service, though order fulfillment is usually quick.
Tips
from all over the internet
Arrive Early for Popular Items
Popular items like the English muffins sell out quickly, so visit early to ensure availability.
Consider the Napa Location
Some suggest the Napa Model Bakery offers a better overall experience than the St. Helena branch.
Indoor and Outdoor Seating
Enjoy your meal at either the comfortable indoor seating or the outdoor patio area.
Don't Expect Fast Service
Be prepared for potentially slow customer service, though order fulfillment is usually quick.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
The Model Bakery is highly praised for its exceptional English muffins, delicious pastries, and satisfying breakfast sandwiches. While many rave about the quality of the baked goods and coffee, some diners have noted issues with customer service at the St. Helena location. Despite this, the overall consensus is that the food is worth the visit and potential wait.
"We were looking for snack/brunch place in the area last weekend and stumbled upon this gem. Everything was quick and easy. Plenty of street parking. Comfortable indoor and outdoor seating."
Liberty Avila
"Caveat to say that I didn't actually go into the bakery... My husband and I stayed at Meadowood over the weekend and they have The Model Bakery english muffin on their breakfast menu. I had heart about it on reddit so I made sure to order it our first morning and boy did it live up to the hype! In my opinion it doesn't need butter or jam or anything slathered on it. It is perfectly, insanely delicious all on its own."
Maggie J
"My out of town friend and I are spending 24 hours in Napa valley based on popular recommendations from our favorite wine tiktok creators. This place was an absolute must try from multiple sources.
And they weren’t wrong. This bakery’s English muffin is absolutely INSANE!
Their Canadian bacon sando was awesome!
The lavender latte was delightful, and our biscuit sandwich and GF apricot muffin were also pretty good!
Don’t skip out on this spot just because it’s “too popular”, you’ll regret it!"
Ellis Ott
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
The Model Bakery is most famous for its brick-oven-cooked English muffins, which have even been featured on Oprah's Favorite Things list.
Many find the English muffins so delicious on their own that they don't require butter or jam.
Some reviews indicate issues with coffee temperature, with one diner noting they cannot serve hot coffee and are inflexible about heating it.
Besides English muffins, popular items include breakfast sandwiches, pastries, cookies, cakes, pies, and breads.
Yes, there are multiple locations, including St. Helena, Oxbow Public Market in Napa, and a stand in Yountville.
Yes, The Model Bakery offers both indoor and outdoor seating options for a comfortable dining experience.
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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).
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Once an annual segment on her since-concluded daytime talk show, Oprah Winfrey has since been releasing a list of her favorite things—usually timed with the holiday season—in her monthly O Magazine. With three locations in Yountville, St. Helena, and Napa, Model Bakery earned this prestigious designation in 2016 and 2021, with Oprah saying, “I dare you to find a better English muffin than these!. ” We agree, whether you decide to order it toasted with house-made strawberry jam on the side or as a breakfast sandwich with white cheddar, scrambled eggs, and bacon.
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Thanks to multiple plugs by Oprah, each day's fresh batch of English muffins here sells out quickly, but the scones, croissants, breads, and other baked goods also inspire. Breakfast brings pastries and sandwiches with scrambled eggs, cheddar, and bacon between a buttermilk biscuit; the lunch menu expands to include soups, salads, pizzas, and more sandwiches—turkey-pesto focaccia, ciabatta chicken-Asiago panini, and vegan veggies among them.
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The Model Bakery has been serving exquisite baked goods to the Napa community for over 90 years; more recently, in 2016, media magnate Oprah Winfrey added their home-made English muffins to her Oprah’s Favorite Things List!. Having owned the business for nearly 30 years now, Karen Mitchell, along with her daughter, Sarah, specialize in artisan breads made with organic stone ground flours and the highest quality ingredients as well as a complete range of pastry products. There are two locations, the original nearly century-old store in St. Helena, and a newer one in downtown Napa’s beloved Oxbow Public Market; the latter incorporates state-of-the-art equipment and ovens to continue to create their world-class breads.
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Located in the heart of downtown St. Helena, Model Bakery has become a mainstay in Napa Valley for its artisan baked goods, including its now-famous English Muffins. While Model Bakery has several locations, its flagship St. Helena location has been a working bakery since 1908, where bread is still baked in the original brick ovens from the 1920s. Stop by to load up on breads to-go, or take advantage of the bistro menu and stay a while, where quiches, soups, and sandwiches are made daily.
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When it’s time for a snack, there’s no shortage of options around Napa Valley, but one spot that outshines the rest is The Model Bakery. This little shop with three locations (one in Napa, another in nearby St. Helena, and the “ Mini Model” stand in downtown Yountville) serves breakfast and lunch, but also has a pastry case filled with delightful treats. Its English muffins have earned a spot on Oprah’s favorite things list more than once for a reason, and sell out fast.
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Located on a 650-acre historic ranch and winery, Farmstead at Long Meadow Ranch serves American farmhouse cooking created by Executive Chef Stephen Barber. Inside the high-ceilinged and truss-beamed former nursery barn, diners feast on dishes made of grass-fed lamb and beef, plus sustainably produced, organic eggs, vegetables, fruits, vinegars, virgin olive oils, and honey. Brunches consist of smoked ham sandwiches inside cheddar biscuits, deviled eggs, and beignets.
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The Model Bakery (1357 Main St., St. Helena, CA 94574; 707-963-8192): This is the O.G. (for "original gluten" — sorry!) The store that started it all — there are now outposts at the Oxbow Public Market and Napa — is still going strong over nine decades later. The attention to detail here 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.
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Let’s talk about St Helena’s Model Bakery, the super charming, Oprah-approved bakery that is always, always packed with locals, visitors, and influencers hoping to get the perfect Instagrammable shot of their world famous English muffins. When I first heard that there was a breakfast restaurant in St. Helena that was known just for English muffins, I was a little suspicious. It’s an English muffin; aren’t they all pretty similar?
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Found in the heart of historic downtown St. Helena, Model Bakery still bakes their organic, stone ground breads in the building’s original brick ovens. They have all kinds of delicious breakfast offerings, like pastries, breads, and coffees, to delicious desserts and lunch items. If you’re planning to spend a day, or even a few hours, exploring this charming downtown area, be sure to pop in and grab yourself a little treat!
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English Muffins: A beloved specialty of The Model Bakery, these fluffy, buttery muffins are perfect for breakfast or as a snack. Morning Buns: Sweet, sticky, and utterly delicious, these pastries are a favorite among locals and visitors alike. Whether you're craving farm-to-table cuisine, hearty comfort food, authentic Italian flavors, or delicious baked goods, Napa Valley has something to satisfy every palate.
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Around for almost 90 years, the bakery serves coffee, pastries, breads, cookies, cakes, pies and more. Located inside of the Oxbow Public Market, another downtown Napa must-visit, the cafe serves Stumptown Coffee Roasters and makes breakfast and lunch items like sandwiches. Since the English muffins at Model are “world-famous” we gave “The Original” egg, cheddar, and ham breakfast sandwich a try.
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St. Helena's charming downtown area is dotted with several pet-friendly cafes and restaurants, such as the Cook St. Helena and the Model Bakery, providing visitors with a diverse culinary experience. The town's unique boutiques and specialty stores, including the dog-friendly Woodhouse Chocolate and St. Helena Olive Oil Company, offer a distinct shopping experience for visitors.
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For close to 90 years, The Model Bakery has been part of the Napa Valley culinary scene, providing discerning and hungry residents and valley visitors the best breads, pastries and coffee house at the original location on Main Street in St. Helena. Karen Mitchell, once a successful caterer in the Napa Valley, has been the proprietor of The Model Bakery for nearly 30 years.
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Model Bakery awaits in both the Oxbow Market of Downtown Napa and also in the heart of Yountville. While the flagship store spoils you with all the choices, you’ll still find the famous staples at Mini Model Bakery on Washington Street, just south of Jessup Cellars. Be sure to pick up their world-famous English muffins – they’re one of Oprah’s favorite things!
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A staple of the Napa Valley culinary scene for almost nine decades, Model Bakery is the place to find the best bread, pastries, and coffee in the area. With a dedication to authentic, artisan baking traditions, the shop proudly serves fresh baguettes, bagels, pastries, and more prepared with organic stone ground flour and the highest quality ingredients.
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Home of Oprah’s Favorite English Muffins, Model Bakery is famous for delectable cookies, pastries, cakes and pies, freshly baked breads and breakfast sandwiches. Stop in for lunches on-the-go, like fresh, seasonal salads, soups, sandwiches and pizza. Enjoy two convenient locations on Main Street, St. Helena and at the Oxbow Public Market, downtown Napa.
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The Model Bakery is best known for their English muffins, which we admit sounds random. But trust us here: They take organic stone-ground flour, roll out each muffin by hand, and cook them in clarified butter on a piping-hot griddle until they’re golden-brown. The results are pillowy—and perfect with jam or sandwiching a bacon, egg, and cheese.
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One of her favorite spots is The Model Bakery — a staple in Napa Valley for over 100 years. They’re famous for crunchy-on-the-outside and soft-and-pillowy-on-the-inside English Muffins. This is more a grab-and-go spot with counter service, but they sacrifice nothing when it comes to quality and taste — down to the last espresso.
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World-famous coffee and bakery shop in downtown St. Helena had to make the list for best brunch spots in Napa. This is for if you want to grab a quick pastry or brekkie sandwich and coffee before hitting your wine tastings for the day. It’s rumored Oprah has their famous english muffins flown out to her on the reg.
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All the locals know of The Model Bakery, a bakery that has been around since 1908. In fact, they still bake some of their product using the original brick ovens built in the 1920’s…!!. You can stop by and grab a quick lunch, soup, or sandwich, but what they are really known for are their baked goods.
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We arrived in St. Helena today around 10am and parked in front of Model Bakery at 357 Main St, St Helena, CA 94574. Parking on Main St. is free for 3 hours and this spot seemed close to the center of town. You can have an amazing day in St. Helena if you do nothing but do a loop around Main Street!
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For the perfect breakfast, head to Model Bakery on Main Street. Best known for its fluffy English muffins, Model also serves a large variety of freshly baked pastries every morning including scones, muffins, and Danishes. For something savory try one of its breakfast sandwiches or burritos.
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We then land at the original Model Bakery where Oprah Winfrey put their English Muffins on all foodie’s “must-try” list. If they are not too busy (often they are) we will get a tour of the kitchen where the building has two built in bread ovens from the 1800’s that they still use everyday!
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Breakfast: Begin your art-focused day at Model Bakery on Main Street. Literally surrounded by art galleries, there isn’t a better place in town to fuel up for a day of artistic inspiration. Famous for their airy English muffins, the breakfast sandwiches and coffee are great choices too.
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If you’re looking to visit a St. Helena mainstay that serves some of Napa Valley’s best breads, baked goods, breakfasts, and lunches, pay a visit to The Model Bakery, a nearly 90-year-old establishment that has served as a charming community gathering place since 1908.
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Model Bakery’s English muffins are legendary—griddled to golden perfection with just the right chew. Grab one with a coffee and head to a nearby bench, or pick up pastries and sandwiches for a picnic. With a location right on Main Street, it’s perfect for a quick bite.
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The breakfast sandwiches from The Model Bakery— served with their famous English muffins — are the perfect way to start any morning. For those who prefer sweet pastries and baked goods for breakfast, Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery in Yountville has that covered.
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Its central location puts such essential stops as the Model Bakery, Napa Valley Coffee Roasting Company, the Himalayan Sherpa Kitchen, Goose & Gander gastropub, and La Condessa—serving upscale Mexican fare and knockout cocktails—within walking distance.
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The Model Bakery is a cute little café that is the perfect place to grab breakfast. They are cheap and have a large variety of breakfast options. There’s no need to dine in either, they offer take out which is perfect if you are in a rush.
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Next stop: Model Bakery for their famous English muffins and other pastries, breads, and cookies. If you’re lucky, and the bakery isn’t too busy, you may even be able to tour the back kitchen and see their 1800’s bread ovens still in use!
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Model Bakery is known for their delicious baked goods, but one thing’s for sure: you have to order their Oprah Muffins. Made popular by Oprah Winfrey, these english muffins live up to the hype!. Their croissants and muffins are also A+.
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For close to 90 years, The Model Bakery has been part of the Napa Valley culinary scene, providing hungry residents and valley visitors the best bread, pastries, and coffee house at the original location on Main Street in St. Helena.
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The Model Bakery – Here’s another amazing bakery (without the crazy line). Andrew loved the Custard Danish and I could eat the Key Lime Pie ALLL day!. Not to mention, it’s the birthplace of Oprah’s favorite English muffin.
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The famous English Muffins from Model Bakery are a not-to-be missed morning treat. Did you know that Clif Family preserves were featured in Oprah’s Favorite things alongside these muffins?. We encourage you to indulge.
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Take advantage of the slower pace, pop into Model Bakery/1480/), and take home some of those famous English muffins to have for breakfast tomorrow along with your fresh farmers market goodies.
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Model Bakery: At 1357 Main St., in downtown St. Helena, this is a great bakery with wonderful cookies, pastries and breads. You can also eat breakfast and lunch.
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The Model Bakery provides discerning and hungry residents and valley visitors the best bread pastries and coffee at the original location on Main Street in St.
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Afterward, stop by Model Bakery, the nearly 112-year-old bakery that is serving up English muffins tasty enough to earn an endorsement from Oprah Winfrey.
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We’ve always eaten at their original location in St. Helena, but they are now in the Oxbow Public Market in Napa and in Yountville as well.
Social
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit