Calistoga
Bella Bakery
I was having dinner at La Fontaine de Mars in Paris near the Quai D'Orsay this past January when an American couple seated at a nearby table overheard me talking about Napa Valley and interjected that they were surprised by the amazing croissants they'd eaten at Calistoga's local bakery -- Bella Bakery -- and weren't we lucky to have such a great bakery in the little town of Calistoga. Mais oui, c'est vrai! We do have an incredible European-style bakery in Calistoga that is so consistently excellent and busy, I am afraid it sometimes gets overlooked next to its more famous counterparts in St. Helena (Model) and Yountville (Bouchon).
Rest assured, Bella Bakery and its fabulous Calistogan pastry chef and baker Sandra are setting the bar very high -- and not just croissants but also outstanding quiches and cakes all of which have been my go-to option for many family birthdays and brunches for nearly a decade. Bella Bakery epitomizes something I have always loved about Calistoga -- while its amenities are world-class, it is still totally local and unpretentious. Next time you are in Paris (the epicenter of croissants), you might just think about the luscious croissant or quiche slice you ate in Calistoga at Bella Bakery.
Bella Bakery is located at 1353 Lincoln Ave, Calistoga
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