The Best Bakeries in America
Written by Black Hot Fire Network on December 25, 2024
Across the United States, in major cities and small towns, a bakery renaissance is underway, fueled by a convergence of economics, post-Covid restaurant changes, diners’ tastes and the marketing power of social media. Which is a fancy way of saying that there are so many amazing things coming out of ovens in so many places, made with rigor by former fine-dining pastry chefs and entrepreneurial hobbyists-turned-professionals alike. This is a great time for American bakeries, and here are some of the standard bearers we have loved from our travels over the last year. BRIAN GALLAGHER
Jennifer Yee, above, didn’t invent vegan viennoiserie, but her work in the genre has raised expectations on what bakers can achieve with nondairy butter: everything! The croissants at Bakers Bench are excellent, and once you start going for those, it’s hard to stay away from the cookies, muffins and Danishes filled with fruit from the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market. For those who look forward to the fleeting pleasures of pithivier season, Ms. Yee’s annual take is always a spectacular vision and a thrill — whether you’re vegan or not. TEJAL RAO
1021 Alpine Street, Building A, Los Angeles; no phone; bakersbenchla.com
During the pandemic, the ex-Gramercy Tavern pastry chef Lauren Tran, above, perfected her roster of Vietnamese American and French pastries at Bánh by Lauren, the hugely popular pop-up she ran with her husband, Garland Wong. Now her glorious confections — including chewy, bright green pandan honeycomb cakes, crisp macarons and airy chiffon cakes in flavors like pandan-coconut, Vietnamese coffee and Thai tea — are available at a brick-and-mortar bakery in the heart of Manhattan’s Chinatown. On the savory side, don’t miss her Chinese sausage, Cheddar and chive scones, which make for a salty, brawny counterbalance to all the sweet creaminess of the desserts. MELISSA CLARK
42 Market Street; no phone; banhbylauren.com
