I think the name of My Favorite Muffin & Bagel is deceiving. It’s adorable, but for the longest time I would pass the California Avenue location (there’s a second location in Sparks) and assume it was a morning bakery, which it is, but it’s also so much more.
I stepped into My Favorite Muffin & Bagel before noon midweek. It wasn’t too crowded and there were people both dining in and grabbing goods to go. When I looked at the menu I was shocked to see a full list of sandwiches and smoothies next to the muffin and bagel flavors. Turns out, My Favorite Muffin & Bagel is just as worthy of a lunch stop as it is for breakfast.
My Favorite Muffin & Bagel does sell a line-up of coffees as well as breakfast and dessert pastries. Even though I opted for a sandwich—more on that later—I didn’t want to pass up my chance to try one of the namesake muffins. In addition to regular-sized baked goods, there are mini muffins that are practically bite-sized and perfect for a post-meal treat if you don’t feel like eating just a muffin for breakfast or lunch.
The Chocolate Cheesecake one was delightfully moist and full of flavor. Assuming the food was all baked fresh that morning, I wasn’t expecting it to be this good after noon but it kept really well and wasn’t dry at all. The cheesecake center added to the decadence and part of me sorely wondered why I didn’t just eat a muffin for lunch.
That being said, my deli-style sandwich was also delicious. The sandwiches aren’t super fussy; they’re made with sliced deli meats and cheeses. Some are simpler than others. I chose the turkey and havarti. Perhaps because of its roots as a breakfast establishment, sandwiches are served on bagels unless otherwise requested.
You can opt to drop the ingredients on any bagel flavor against the wall (an everything bagel is a good choice for this particular sandwich), but upon request you can swap out the bagel for sliced bread—which is exactly what I did.
The smoked turkey and havarti cheese were accompanied by lettuce and a schmear of onion and chive cream cheese (and usually tomatoes, as well). It was an above-average sandwich and a good alternative to other counter-serve sandwich spots, especially when you’re striving to support local.
If you’re there in the morning, My Favorite Muffin & Bagel sells breakfast style sandwiches on bagels, as well, to accompany your morning coffee or smoothie.
Details
In person: 340 California Ave., Reno, Nev. 89509 or 2868 Vista Boulevard
Sparks, Nev. 89434
Online: myfavoritemuffin.com
Call: 775-333-1025 (Reno) or 775-351-2868 (Sparks)
Reno Hours: Monday – Friday 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sparks Hours: Monday – Friday 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. or Saturday and Sunday 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
