CLICK HERE if you are having trouble viewing these photos on a mobile device
One House Bakery in Benicia doesn’t really need my help. On a recent Saturday morning, the line was constant and almost every table was full at this eatery with French Laundry cred.
Benicia residents might actually be a little bit miffed that the word will get out about their town’s new gem. No matter. One House is packed for a reason — and if you find yourself in the area, it’s worth a little extra effort to get there and sample any of the goods made by baker/co-owner Hannalee Pervan and her crew.
THE VIBE: Inside, it’s a fairly standard modern bakery: A mostly open floor, with seating at tables on the main floor and (very cool!) rows of seats in front of windows that let diners watch the bakers at work. There’s a small mezzanine upstairs with a couch for more informal “coffeehouse” relaxation, as well.
The real gem, though, is the outdoor deck, built around a large tree that offers a canopy for the whole area. Sitting out there on a cool morning, glimmers of sunshine poking through the shade, sipping a cup of coffee and nibbling a fresh baked pastry is pretty close to heaven.
THE FOOD: For now, One House is mostly a traditional bakery — making fresh breads, pastries, cupcakes and more. The menu includes up to three daily sandwiches (at least one vegetarian) and at least one soup and a salad from a rotating selection emphasizing local ingredients. Our daily sandwich ($9) was local rosemary ham with semi-soft cheese from the Central Coast’s Holey Cow dairy, which paired nicely with a fantastically rich cream of potato soup ($8) with crispy onions.
Of course, pastries are a big part of the draw of a great bakery, and Pervan, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Canada and baked bread for The French Laundry while at Bouchon in Napa, knows her business. A chocolate almond croissant ($4.75) was delightful and delicate, with layers of flaky dough revealed with every bite. The cinnamon sticky bun ($4.75) was just right — the bun itself showing just a touch of sweetness so that the sweet, sticky syrup on top didn’t make the whole thing a sugar bomb. That deft hand with sweet flavors was also on display with the apple brioche bun ($5.50), which again, allowed a little bit of sweet apple filling to go a long way.
We took home a tart ($4.75) with a coconut crust, passion-fruit filling and a raspberry whipped cream top; it was fantastic as dessert that night. A gluten-free brownie ($4.50) had big chocolate flavor, though it did turn very crumbly when we heated it up a bit.
PERFECT FOR: Well, if I lived in Benicia, this would just be my go-to morning spot. Assuming that you (like me) don’t live in town, keep One House in mind whenever you’re taking a day trip north, whether you’re stopping there for a light lunch or just stocking up on baked goods on your way through town.
DETAILS: One House Bakery is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily at 918 First St., Benicia; www.onehousebakery.com.