Breakfast in Napa?

[hulagirlgardens]

After yet another disappointing breakfast at Gilwoods, I'm wondering where else can I get a decent breakfast in the town of Napa? I saw that Cafe Cicero has breakfast, has anyone tried it?

The Soscol Cafe is a little too greasy but there are times when it's just what the doctor ordered.

I like Boon Fly but during the summer there are too many tourists, so I'm in a quandry....

[Junie D]

Article in Napa Register: Paul Franson's favorite Napa breakfast spots. It pretty much lists all non-hotel options
http://napavalleyregister.com/lifesty...

[rworange]

Well, not all, but some not mentioned in this post like Emmylou’s Diner.

Here's the list for those that don't follow links ... maybe some fresh and new comments? I may possibly be moving to that area.

American Canyon

Canyon Café
Highway 29 Café

Napa

The Boon Fly Café at the Carneros Inn
Alexis Baking Co.
The Black Bear Diner
Butter Cream Bakery and Diner
Emmylou’s Diner
Gillwood’s
The Soscol Café

Yountville

Pacific Blues Café

St. Helena

Gillwood’s

Calistoga

Café Sarafornia

[josquared]

Granted I haven't been to the AmCan places in awhile (I'm typically not around here in the morning since I work in SF, and generally sleep in on the weekends) but I don't think much has changed - you'll get your basic diner-style breakfast which draws in the regulars.

But for something more out of the ordinary, you need to head elsewhere (I know when my GF comes into town, our first breakfast will be at the Fremont Diner)

Of course, if someone has other info to the contrary, I'd love to hear it myself

[Ruby Louise]

While it's not a full breakfast option, I like Sweetie Pie's offerings of sweet and savory breakfast pastries, as well as very good quiche and a croissant-based breakfast sandwich.

[Beach Chick]

Thanks for the rec's for breakfast in Napa..

[hulagirlgardens]

Thanks for all the help, I've now got a good breakfast list to work from. I had never heard of Emmy Lou's, had forgotten about Fume and am also looking forward to the new Brix.

I got a little burned out on ABC since it seems like every person in Napa wants to meet there for coffee meetings, but have never tried it on a weekend. The lemon ricotta pancakes sound dreamy....

[kresge86]

It's been awhile, but I've enjoyed some very nice breakfasts at Pacific Blues Cafe in Yountville. Boonfly Cafe is another great option. I'm also very excited to check out the new Brix brunch, as I was a huge fan of the old incarnation's Sunday brunch buffet.

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Boon Fly Cafe
4048 Sonoma Highway, Napa, CA 94559

Pacific Blues Cafe
6525 Washington St, Yountville, CA 94599

[Piperdown]

Redd also does a brunch, which I've been dying to try. Friends have raved about it. I just wish there were a few greasy spoons in Napa....I still feel that breakfast should be a cheap meal.

[Junie D]

Soscol Cafe definitely qualifies as a greasy spoon.

I'll also suggest Buttercream Bakery. Not a greasy spoon, not great food, but a fairly cheap, old-fashioned breakfast, and you get to hang out with locals. Sitting at the counter is always a pleasure.

[Michelle Grinnell]

ABC Bakery is a great choice. I would also recommend Fume Bistro for Sunday brunch: http://www.fumebistro.com/menu.htm

I love Boon Fly but agree that the number of toursits can make it hard to get in.

[VTtoMAtoCAfoodie]

I used to live in Napa. Some of my favorite breakfast places were:

First Squeeze: They had an amazing open face english muffin with eggs, peppers, onions, jack cheese and a huge amout of avocado. My husband loved their eggs w/chorizo

ABC: Great lemon ricotta pancakes. The cooked to order breakfast items are better than their baked goods.

Model Bakery: Great egg and cheese on english muffin

[napaeats]

Alexis Baking Company Cafe and Cafe on a Sunday morning where they have their best breakfast / brunch menu. The weekday menus aren't as ambitious. It can get on the crowded side, and sometimes service breaks down a bit, but the food itself is almost always awesome. Egg virtuosos, great breads, great cakes & cookies, etc. I have this embarrassing Pavlovian response to their eggs benedict. ABC is in a different league from the rest.

I have some pics up at
http://www.napaeats.com/napa-valley-r...

Caffe Cicero can be hit and miss. I find their breakfasts to be a bit overpriced. Sometimes you get something tasty and sometimes meh. The service can be uneven too. If you want a gutbuster diner breakfast, you can try Emmy Lou's on Imola.

[maria lorraine]

Which Gillwoods? The one in St. Helena is OK.

Since the sad, heartbreaking closing of Gordons, no place is as good as Alexis.

[bobpantzer]

You're right. When Iwe lived in Yountville (for over 12 years), Gordon's was like my second home. When it closed, we moved to San Francisco.

[hulagirlgardens]

It was the downtown Gilwoods in Napa. I like the SH one better, too.

So do you know the status of Gordon's? I heard Leslie Rudd bought it, will it be reopening anytime soon? Maybe bob will move back?

[bobpantzer]

Yes, Leslie Rudd did buy it and, originally, Sally Gordon was going to come back and run it. Evidently they ran into some permit problems and need to fix and repair a bunch of things. I periodically check in with some of my old breakfast buddies and it seems to be one delay after another. They (my breakfast buddies) occasionally see Leslie and ask him about it but now I think they're too embarassed to bring it up with him. I expect that one day it will re-open, though whether or not it will still be called Gordon's is anyones guess. If it does re-open I also expect prices will have gone up considerably and it will probably never be the same. Alas...........

[rworange]

Have you ever had breakfast at Butter Cream Bakery on Jefferson?

[napaeats]

We've been to Buttercream Bakery a few times. We've never been to the Soscol Cafe though. Emmy Lou's doesn't have the cool retro feel like Buttercream, but we like the breakfasts a bit more. It's definitely a more blue collar crowd, and tourists and the landed gentry wouldn't be caught dead in South Napa. But as gutbuster diner breakfasts go, you can look at the average circumference of the regulars at Emmy Lous and conclude they're doing a reasonably good job.

[rworange]

Thanks. I finally made it to Butter Cream last week, but for lunch, not breakfast. Will have to check out Emmy Lou's. I also poked my head into Soscol Cafe, but it didn't appeal to me at the monment. There are a few reports on the board that I may look into and see what might be good

Your write up is the only one I could find about it on the web
http://napaeats.com/napa-valley-resta....

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Emmy Lou's Diner
1429 W Imola Ave, Napa, CA 94559

[bobpantzer]

Try Alexis Baking Company (ABC). They don't do them every day, but if they have pancakes, they're always good. I also love the Mexican breakfast sandwich on their house made roll.

[sunnyand72]

I'm a big fan of First Squeeze.

I do like Gillwoods...though, the Napa location has disappointed me more than once...