In France, the distinction is made between a bread bakery (boulangerie) and a pastry shop (pâtisserie), and a similar dichotomy holds true in other places. In America, however, we tend to meld the two together with Yankee practicality, and our bakeries usually sell a wide range of flour-based (and/or gluten-free) baked goods, including breads, rolls, pastries, cakes and pies, and doughnuts, among other items. And if there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that every town needs a good bakery. (There are also specialists, of course. For instance, this is the best donut shop in every state.)
If you’ve ever made a pie from scratch, rolled out your own sticky buns, or baked a fresh loaf of bread, you already know that baking can be a lot harder than it looks. Your adherence to quantities in your recipe has to be perfect, yeast needs to be given time to do its thing (if it’s involved), and it all needs to be baked at the correct temperature, for just the right amount of time. Now imagine scaling up production to serve up to hundreds of customers every day, all while making a profit, and you’ll understand just how hard it can be to run a bakery. Luckily for us, there are hardy souls everywhere around the country who have both the skill and the determination to do it.
To determine the best bakery in every state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed articles and rankings on a variety of sites including Eater, Taste of Home, Mashed, Mental Floss, Love Food, and Business Insider, as well as local and regional sources, basing our final choices on editorial discretion.
Click here to see the best bakery in every state
There are lots of different kinds of bakeries out there. In some, fresh-baked breads are front and center, while some are known for their cupcakes, pies, or croissants. Some follow recipes that have been passed down over generations, while others develop their own. Certain examples feature baked goods native to Latin America or Central Europe, while others offer specialties popular in their corners of the country – like kolaches in Texas or mochi donuts in Hawaii. (This is the most iconic dessert in every state.)
Whatever they serve, a great bakery can be more than just a place to grab a macaron or a Parker House roll or a loaf of rye: It can be the cornerstone of a community.
Alabama: The Continental Bakery
> Location: Birmingham
> Sample specialty: Wild yeast sourdough bread
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Alaska: Marlo’s Bakery
> Location: Fairbanks
> Sample specialty: Pecan sticky bun
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Arizona: Squarz Bakery & Café
> Location: Tempe & Scottsdale
> Sample specialty: Kouign amann
Arkansas: Dempsey Bakery
> Location: Little Rock
> Sample specialty: Jacob’s banana chocolate chip cookie
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California: Acme Bread Company
> Location: Berkeley & San Francisco
> Sample specialty: Buckwheat meteil bread
Colorado: Babette’s Bakery
> Location: Longmont
> Sample specialty: Oatmeal porridge loaf
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Connecticut: Nana’s Bakery & Pizza
> Location: Mystic
> Sample specialty: Cacio e pepe sourdoughnut (made to order)
Delaware: Sweet Somethings
> Location: Wilmington
> Sample specialty: Chocolate espresso cake
Florida: Yalaha Bakery
> Location: Yalaha
> Sample specialty: Pretzel roll with cheese
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Georgia: Proof Bakeshop
> Location: Atlanta
> Sample specialty: Lemon cream cake
Hawaii: Liliha Bakery
> Location: Honolulu
> Sample specialty: Pot mochi donut
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Idaho: Flight of Fancy Bakery
> Location: Donnelly
> Sample specialty: Huckleberry cream cheese danish
Illinois: Weber’s Bakery
> Location: Chicago
> Sample specialty: Buttermilk pound cake
Indiana: Amelia’s Bread
> Location: Indianapolis
> Sample specialty: Pullman sandwich loaf
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Iowa: Deluxe Cakes and Pastries
> Location: Iowa City
> Sample specialty: Parker House roll
Kansas: Augustine’s Bakery
> Location: Hays
> Sample specialty: Black Forest cheesecake
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Kentucky: Bluegrass Baking Company
> Location: Lexington
> Sample specialty: Bohemian beer bread
Louisiana: La Boulangerie
> Location: New Orleans
> Sample specialty: Cinnamon walnut churro
Maine: Standard Baking Co.
> Location: Portland
> Sample specialty: Pistachio shortbread
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Maryland: The Breadery
> Location: Catonsville
> Sample specialty: Baguette
Massachusetts: Berkshire Mountain Bakery
> Location: Housatonic & Pittsfield
> Sample specialty: Jalapeño and cheese mini ciabatta
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Michigan: Zingerman’s Bakehouse
> Location: Ann Arbor
> Sample specialty: Jewish rye bread
Minnesota: Marc Heu Pâtisserie Paris
> Location: St. Paul
> Sample specialty: Paris Brest
Mississippi: The Bottletree Bakery
> Location: Oxford
> Sample specialty: Monkey bread
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Missouri: Nathaniel Reid Bakery
> Location: Kirkwood
> Sample specialty: Four cheese and honey focaccia
Montana: Black Cat Bake Shop
> Location: Missoula
> Sample specialty: Cinnamon pecan rugelach
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Nevada: La Belle Terre Bakery & Café
> Location: Las Vegas
> Sample specialty: Opéra cake
New Hampshire: Polish Princess
> Location: Lancaster
> Sample specialty: Vollkornbrot (sourdough rye bread with sunflower seeds)
New Jersey: Balthazar Bakery
> Location: Englewood
> Sample specialty: Gruyère-chive bun
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New Mexico: Golden Crown Panaderia
> Location: Albuquerque
> Sample specialty: Original New Mexico green chile bread
New York: Sullivan Street Bakery
> Location: New York City
> Sample specialty: Pizza bianca (flatbread)
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North Carolina: Amélie’s French Bakery and Café
> Location: Charlotte
> Sample specialty: Salted caramel brownie macaron
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North Dakota: Nichole’s Fine Pastry & Café
> Location: Fargo
> Sample specialty: Pecan sticky roll
Ohio: Blackbird Baking Company
> Location: Lakewood
> Sample specialty: Cherry almond scone
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Oklahoma: Front Porch Bakery
> Location: Claremore
> Sample specialty: Lemon poppy seed muffin
Oregon: Ken’s Artisan Bakery
> Location: Portland
> Sample specialty: Hazelnut butter cookie
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Pennsylvania: La Gourmandine
> Location: Pittsburgh
> Sample specialty: Madeleines au chocolat
Rhode Island: Pastiche Fine Desserts
> Location: Providence
> Sample specialty: Chocolate éclaire
South Carolina: Sugar Bake Shop
> Location: Charleston
> Sample specialty: Red velvet cupcake
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South Dakota: CH Pâtisserie
> Location: Sioux Falls
> Sample specialty: Classic croissant
Tennessee: Muddy’s Bake Shop
> Location: Memphis
> Sample specialty: Chocolate peanut butter bar
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Texas: Kolache Haven
> Location: Denton
> Sample specialty: Jumbo cheese kolache
Utah: Eva’s Bakery
> Location: Salt Lake City
> Sample specialty: Date cake with butter cream
Vermont: King Arthur Café, Bakery & Store
> Location: Norwich
> Sample specialty: Rye sea salt brownie
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Virginia: Sub Rosa Bakery
> Location: Richmond
> Sample specialty: Fig and cheese croissant
Washington: Bakery Nouveau
> Location: Seattle
> Sample specialty: Olive fougasse
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West Virginia: Shepherdstown Sweet Shop
> Location: Shepherdstown
> Sample specialty: Pepperoni roll
Wisconsin: Peter Sciortino Bakery
> Location: Milwaukee
> Sample specialty: Cranberry scone
Wyoming: Persephone Bakery
> Location: Jackson Hole & Wilson
> Sample specialty: Chocolate bundt cake
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