Nomadic Snacking, Episode 2: Maple-Sugared Donut Holes with Butter Pecan Sauce at Archetype in St. Helena

You might think Napa Valley’s most bitter feud is between the white winers and the red winers. But if you’ve ever taken your in-laws to St. Helena for breakfast at Archetype, you know that the gloves don’t come off until it’s time to choose between maple-sugared donut holes with butter pecan sauce and cinnamon walnut rolls with orange cream cheese frosting.

Trusted sources tell me that both are a lot lighter than they sound. And as a hardcore pastry maven, I was pretty sure one of these two menu items would win our Snack of the Week award. As it turns out, what took the prize was the morning cocktail known as The Scala: jalapeño-infused cimarron tequila, lemongrass syrup, domaine de canton, cayenne sugar pepper and lime. A perfect balance of spicy and sweet. I’m normally not a morning drinker, but for this, I’d make an exception.

Archetype also serves a pretty mean pancake (lemon-ricotta), omelet (spinach-mushroom) and corned beef short rib hash. They look a little something like this:

Aside from the delicious food, what makes Archetype worth the drive to the north end of Napa is the incredible atmosphere. Something about that place feels like they’ve infused a little bit of Savannah into northern California.

A truly impeccable place for a late morning meal and pre-wine tasting fuel up. It’s easy to find—on the west side of Highway 29 on the north side of St. Helena. Check out their site for directions and details.