The Top Things to Look for When
Choosing Your Neighborhood Bakery
Every city has unique and delicious bakeries. Those hole in the wall mom and pop bakeries that we all grow to love. For many people, the local neighborhood bakery is the place to get their favorite cookies, cakes, and other treats.
But how do you know what to look for in a bakery when first moving to a new city or looking for a fresh new taste for your upcoming party?
Through our years of experience searching for the best bakeries in town and learning the methods behind their process and product, we’ve compiled a list of things to look for when searching for that new bakery in your neighborhood!
- Quality Ingredients
Quality ingredients are the key to making a neighborhood bakery delicious and worthwhile. As bakery aficionados, we’re always on the lookout for bakeries that utilize the highest quality ingredients in their baking process.
Here are some tips for looking for quality ingredients at your local bakery.
Things to look for:
Unbleached flour: Unbleached flour is the foundation of bakery goods: including breads, cookies, and cakes. This high-protein flour helps develop your bread to keep your cookies and cakes nice and soft.
Pure butter: Butter is a very finicky ingredients, but also very important. Butter gives body and texture to your favorite bakery treats. Baked goods and butter should go hand to hand at your neighborhood bakery.
Organic brown eggs: Brown eggs are generally laid by larger chickens, which provides eggs that are more hefty and useful for baking. Large eggs help hold ingredients together. Organic eggs are beneficial because they are less likely to have harmful bacteria and typically have higher nutritional content than other eggs.
Organic heavy cream:
Organic whole milk: Milk greatly impacts the taste of a good baked good. Whole milk adds richer flavor than low-fat milks, and organic milk avoids using unnecessary drugs for milk processing.
Things to avoid:
Margarine: Margarine is unnatural, and high in transfats. Since margarine is made mostly from water, it is not good for baking.
Artificial flavors: Artificial flavors can add unnatural chemicals to your baking, which can lead to negative consequences.
Eating quality baked goods will make your sweet tooth moment count!
- A Top Chef
Every good bakery we’ve been to has a chef that has a vision that he executes to create quality bakery products!
While many bakeries have a cookie cutter formula (and in some cases use manufactured products), we’ve found that a bakery with a pastry or dessert chef leading the process gives the extra touch of love that you can taste in every bite!
A top chef will usually be trained at a top culinary school, be licensed with top industry credentials and have many years experience in baking everything from pastries to delicious cookies and dessert.
- Ambience
We are always on the hunt for the perfect ambience. Bakeries with up to date decoration and high quality equipment will give you that cozy home feel when buying your favorite baked goods. While a B rating is still good, we usually stick to A rated bakeries from the health department to ensure your neighborhood bakery meets all your health needs. - Menu
While there are many different types of bakeries that have delicious food, it is important to choose a baker that has foods that meet your individual pallet. Some bakeries sell only baked goods, while others sell coffee, sandwiches, and other things. Be sure to review the menu to find one that meets your bakery needs. But be open-minded! You might find new foods at your neighborhood bakery that you could only dream of. - Price and Convenience
Another consideration when choosing a good neighborhood bakery is price and accessibility. Your bakery can be both affordable and delicious at the same time. A higher price might mean better quality ingredients, but it might not. So consider this carefully. In addition, while not all bakeries have online ordering, this is a convenient option that allows you to order at your convenience and pick up items when they are ready. - Specialty Items
Often a great bakery has certain specialty items that make the bakery great and stand out from the competition. Look for unique and delicious specialty items that your local bakery has that set it apart.
Also, many bakeries will have gluten-free options or other healthy options for customers with various allergies. So take that into consideration when making your choice.
So there you go, bakery lovers! Here are a few of the top things to look for when choosing your
neighborhood bakery.