In a city where there are as many
Dunkin' Donuts locations as there are pigeons looting through their discarded
pastries in the parking lot, an actual bakery
-- where somebody actually baked said
pastries, and knows what's in them -- is a welcome thing. A homemade (or
brewed) bakery treat is often the best part of the day, whether it's the cup of
coffee you need to kick start your morning or a fresh, yummy scone to get you
over the mid-day hump...or a fluffy croissant...or a sandwich on artisan bread in
the afternoon, or...well, you get it. We like bakery food. And now you're
probably hungry, so go ahead and check out the tasty offerings from our
nominees for Best Bakery!
CANTO 6 BAKERY & CAFE |
JAMAICA PLAIN
Many a Yelp reviewer has heralded Canto 6's croissant the best
in all the land. In addition to a la carte breakfast pastries and desserts,
Canto 6 also boasts a complete lunch menu, featuring a variety of hearty
sandwiches on their own fresh-baked bread. Not only can you satisfy your
cravings at Canto 6, but you can also satisfy your conscience. They only serve
fair trade coffee and tea.
CLEAR FLOUR BREAD | BROOKLINE
As you might have guessed, Clear Flour Bread is all about
the dough. Seriously, they have over 20 different varieties from the
commonplace (French, Challah) to the exotic (Venetian Olive, Fire Roasted
Tomato) with rotating availability throughout the week. But if you're in the
mood for something sugary, you can also satisfy your sweet tooth at Clear
Flour. Cakes, cookies and scones are also staple items on the impressive menu.
If you drop by soon, ask about their 30th anniversary t-shirts!
FLOUR | BOSTON, SOUTH BOSTON, CAMBRIDGE
The rapidly expanding Flour Bakery mashes the traditional
and the new age-y together into some truly appetizing combinations. They serve
up all that you would expect - crusty baguettes, brioche, and tarts -alongside
the unexpected, and delightful. The latter includes vegan baked goods, an array
of vegetarian sandwiches, and many gluten-free options. And if you want to
learn how to make some of Flour's treats yourself, owner and chef Joanne Change
frequently holds classes at the South Boston
location.
ROSIE'S BAKERY | BOSTON, CAMBRIDGE,
CHESTNUT HILL
Judy Rosenberg, the multitalented woman behind Rosie's
Bakery, has been serving up brownies, cookies, cakes, and pies to Boston's dessert addicts
since 1974. Clearly, good taste is timeless. In recent years, she's penned a
cook book that made it into NPR's top 10 list and created a blog to spin
playful yarns about running her business, proving that at Rosie's keeping
things fresh is a priority.
SOFRA BAKERY & CAFÉ
| CAMBRIDGE
And now for something completely different.. For an
international spin on the bakery, you might want to check out Sofra. Their food
is influenced by the cuisine of Greece,
Turkey, and Lebanon and
their menu includes yummy vegetables and cheeses stuffed into pitas and
flatbreads, as well as lamb, chicken and falafel dishes. For dessert, consider
a chocolate sesame croissant or a pistachio pop tart.
WHEN PIGS FLY | BROOKLINE, JAMAICA
PLAIN, SOMERVILLE
Perhaps the best thing about this bakery's bread is that you
can get it just about anywhere around here. All of the big chain grocery stores
carry it, and so do the little guys like Foodies Urban Market in the South End.
That's a testament to how good the fresh-basked artisan loaves are, but it's
not all they do. When Pigs Fly also carries all kinds of good stuff to put on your bread, too. Stop into one of
their retail locations to pick up some chili-infused olive oil (and sample one
of their many cookies and cakes while you're at it).
Get nibbling, and then get voting! And don't forget that if you don't see your fave bakery repped here, you can write it in!
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