Best of Boston

2011 Best Bread Bakery

Clear Flour Bread

This tiny, nestled-away Brookline bakery may not have prime real estate, but it’s easy to find. Just follow the intoxicating aroma of fresh, crusty baguettes down Comm. Ave., turn left at the sweet, wafting scent of brioche, and stop when you catch a glimpse of glossy challah and crackly sourdough through the steamed-up windows. Another sign you’ve come to the right place: the line of impatient locals streaming out onto the sidewalk, all hankering for an impossibly perfect loaf piping hot from the oven.

178 Thorndike St., Brookline, 617-739-0060, clearflourbread.com