Lately, after binge-watching Great English Baking Show, have bemoaned loss of great, old-fashioned bakeries. Not the precious ones making tiny delights for mucho bucks. Rather, the ones who can make a wonderful baba au rhum, a tasty custard slice, a decadent devil’s food cake, and much more. Looking for recommendations in Greater Boston. Will travel for wonderous bakery carbs.
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What a great idea for a thread! Now if only I had a good answer to your question. Fingers crossed that someone will.
FWIW, Concord Teacakes in West Concord knocks out delicious cakes and cupcakes with a fine, tender crumb. Pricey though, and can’t scratch the itch for the old timey, full-line bakery of my dreams.
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Piro’s in Methuen leans a little Italian (not a bad thing). But has a pretty good reputation.
And a wide selection.
http://www.pirosbakery.com/index.php?link=pies
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Approximately 2014 or 2015, my dear and I had gone to Manhattan for a Trade Fair and we shared a a slice of “Chocolate Black Out 7 layer Crumb” … Do not recall exactly where we had it; however, it was downtown … And unforgettable.
The Madrid Capital has alot of wonderful traditional bakeries whereas in Barcelona, more contemporary and modernist.
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You might check out Lyndell’s in Ball Square, Somerville. They’ve been around forever, although under new ownership as of a few years ago. http://lyndells.com/
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Personally, if you are looking for the quality you describe I would skip Lyndell’s.
I am a fan of Caffe Sicilia 40 Main St. in downtown Gloucester. You can find them on Facebook. Delicious cookies, biscotti, baba au rum & more.
2nd recommendation is Cake Ann on Rte 128 also in Gloucester just passed the Common Crow on your left driving toward Rockport.http://www.theothercape.com/stories/2019/10/27/cake-ann
3rd thought if old fashioned donuts are also on your list - Brother’s Brew Coffee Shop at 27 Main St in Rockport. Beyond Bearskin Neck on the right before Shalin Liu Performance Center.
Last thought is Mariposa Bakery in Central Square on Mass Ave just before the fire station heading toward the MA Ave Bridge. Limited hours during pandemic, see https://www.mariposabakery.com
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I’ve been very happy with Colette, which is a French patisserie in Medford right over the Somerville border near Ball Square. I think their baked goods are very fairly priced.
I wouldn’t eat anything from Lyndell’s if you paid me. They don’t use butter, preferring the shortening route for whiter whites. Their goods just don’t taste very good to me, but they certainly are “old school” in the sense that they’ve been there for well over 100 years.
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Lyndell’s is def. old school. They still have an ancient take-a-number machine, though it doesn’t get used anyonre. Some stuff there is better than others, but I do really like the Boston creme donut.
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Trying to talk up my town (Arlington). And a big caveat - I do not have a sweet tooth so I may be vastly unqualified to chime in.
I’ve never been to this place Arlington Bakery but maybe others have? It certainly sounds like new old-school.
Another unpretentious-looking place is Gail Ann’s Coffee Shop. But again, I’ve never been and they specialize in donuts, so they might be too narrow for your needs.
Finally, whenever I need baked goods these days for special occasions, I’ve been patronizing Butternut Bakehouse. Their sweet baked goods are never too sweet. They are pricey, though, and maybe a touch too precious for your current search. Tasty savory goods.
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Love Butternut Bakehouse! One of a handful of things I am missing during my COVID exile (Sichuan Gourmet foremost among them).
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Guarino’s in Norwood has a great variety of Italian classics and much more. The owner worked at Boschetto Bakery in Roslindale.
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I no longer drive, so haven’t been to any of these in several years: 1) Quebrada Bakery in Arlington Center. They have fewer croissant varieties than 20 yrs ago, but what they have are excellent. Also good breads, tarts, and pastries.
2) Petsi Pies in Somerville. Pies available whole or by the slice. The crusts are dense but fillings are outstanding. The ham, chive, and gorgozola biscuit turns a bowl of homemade soup into a feast, and there’s a cream cheese crumbcake slice that reminds me of the German and Jewish bakeries of my New York childhood. 3) Lowell Portuguese Bakery. Crusty breads, wonderful slices and tartlets, and weekend mornings, malasadas. VERY good prices.
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Their pasteis de nata (custard tarts) are our favorites.
And the size of their homestyle bread loaf Is enormously generous. Even with two people at our house, most of the loaf goes into the freezer.
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Are the malasadas like the Hawaiian type, which are like large raised donuts with granulated sugar, or are they more traditionally Portuguese, which are more like a fried dough with granulated sugar, with thick and thin areas? Both are good, but being Portuguese from New Bedford originally, I far prefer the traditional Portuguese style. Also pasteis de nata are my favorite Portuguese pastry as well.
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They are the traditional Portuguese style. They are evanescent, best eaten as soon as you buy them. After a few hours, the sugar gets sticky and the dough is sodden.
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I tried Lyndell’s recently and totally agree with poster below. Cookies and other stuff was just ‘meh’. As they say on the Great British Baking Show, “Not worth the calories.” But you can see from the thread below that truly excellent all-purpose bakeries seem to be a thing of the past. Yes, there are Italian bakeries, but not the whole kit and caboodle as in years past. If I want something very very special and specific I can do Whole Foods. And I agree that I have enjoyed Petsi Pies. I’ll try the Medford place when the snow melts. Anyone have any ideas for places a bit west of Boston?
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Yeah, they don’t last, but get them hot or warm and they are amazing.
it just now dawned on me that Elm Street Bakery in Everett should get a mention here. It’s a really nice little spot on a sort of residential street and it’s one of the few good places I found in surveying Everett for eats.
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+1 on doughnuts from Brothers Brew Coffee Shop.
Friends have brought these doughnuts to us twice this winter. We’ve been exchanging food and then having distanced dinners via Zoom. Half a doughnut with a scoop of ice cream and you have yourself a decadent doughnut sundae. Adding a fancy Luxardo cherry on top doesn’t hurt.
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I travel for food worth eating IMO. “A Luxardo cherry on top…” sounds perfect!
Today Boston.com had a headline about donuts in West Springfield, Donut Dip.
Drove past this place last March. Sign looked like repurposed old DD sign, Turned around bought four doughnuts for home. OMG wish it was more. They are that good. Find yourself out that way or in mood for an in state pandemic drive - https://donutdip.com
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