Along one of the many picturesque streets of Yountville, in the heart of Napa Valley, California, is a small and charming bakery with a line already forming out the door. Even though we arrived around 9:30 a.m., the line was indicative of just how beloved Bouchon Bakery is and the reputation it has acquired in the area.

My friend recommended the bakery after she and her family visited several years ago, and we were so glad she did.

We didn’t wait long, luckily, and found, once inside, that the hardest part would be selecting just one pastry. Behind glass panes were stacks of pastries, breads and desserts, each just as delicious-looking as the last. The bakery not only served classics like croissants and blueberry muffins but also tasty treats like chocolate and almond croissants (because why pick one flavor when you can combine the two?), lemon currant scones, Kouign-amann (a sweet dough pastry) and strawberry pistachio Danishes, just to name a few.

Of course, I ended up not being able to select just one and opted for the chocolate almond croissant and the cinnamon roll. I figured I would save one for later if we got peckish. I did enjoy bites of both, though, and found the croissant flaky and absolutely stuffed to the brim with almond filling. The cinnamon roll was decadent and generous with icing (which is a pet peeve of mine with some cinnamon rolls …).

The bakery also offers different coffee drinks, so I grabbed a hot vanilla latte. We then carried our boxed pastries outside and sat in the summer sun to enjoy our breakfast before continuing to explore the area. And when we passed the front of the bakery when leaving, we found the line had grown even longer!

— Aoife O’Riordan, managing editor