Model Bakery opens new restaurant featuring sought-after English muffins

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- On a busy day, Model Bakery can sell almost 7,000 English muffins. That's no small feat for a family-owned bakery that started in the wine country. Their popular muffins have even caught the attention of celebrities.

"The muffins exploded when Oprah had our English muffin. She was up here in Napa for the Wine Auction and stopped in and fell in love with them. We've been featured on Oprah's Favorite Things list four times now, so that kind of put us on the map and you know now we ship all over," said Sarah MItchell Hansen, who owns Model Bakery with her mother, Karen Mitchell.

The bakery started making muffins 20 years ago.

"One of our bakers was playing around with leftover ciabatta dough, and he griddled some on the stove top and said, oh my gosh, these are really good. And we just started perfecting the recipe," said Hansen.

There's a lot that goes into making the dough just right.

"It's about shaping, so if it's not mixed well, we can't shape it well. If you can't mix it well and you can shape it, it probably won't griddle too well. So it's all linked together," said Gordan Patty, Head Production Baker.

For many years, the Model Bakery has been part of the Napa Valley culinary scene selling breads, pastries and coffee.

"My mom started it in 1984. She was in the catering business, and the bakery across the street went up for sale, and she decided to buy it, and didn't know anything about baking, but she learned very quickly." Hansen added, "My mom was thinking about selling, and I didn't want her to sell, so I decided to move back to Napa and take it over, and we just kind of grew the business."

Model Bakery has locations in Napa, Yountville, St. Helena and now Walnut Creek, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Learn more at their website.