Here’s Where to Find the Best Bakeries in Boston Right Now
Whether you want everyday pastries or special-occasion cakes, these shops rise to the top.
Photo by Nicolette Overton for “Photos: A Morning at Clear Flour Bread”
Not much in this world elicits as much easy joy as a chocolate chip cookie, still warm from the oven. Coffee isn’t complete without a breakfasty treat; a savory bun from a neighborhood bakery can stand in for a quick lunch; and a chewy boule baked mere hours earlier can complete a nice dinner at home. Boston is stocked with bakeshops for every occasion, but here a few that rise to the top—standouts that happen to be catching our eye right now, as well as city’s-best stalwarts with updated info on COVID-era availability.
Photo by 7ate9 Bakery via Yelp.
7ate9 Bakery
Need to inspire some roommate bonding while stuck in isolation? Nothing brings the gang together around the kitchen table like a rich, delicious cheesecake. (Just ask The Golden Girls.) And the fabulously fluffy, cream cheese-based cakes at 7ate9 in Somerville are probably the Boston area’s best. For that, thank the golden brown crusts and range of decadent flavors, including lemon, mocha, and cookies ‘n’ cream. They’re available in two-inch “mini” sizes for portion control, if you insist—but we suggest ordering a full cake, plus a growler of iced coffee or house-made ginger limeade, and settling in for a golden night of gluttony and gossip.
199C Highland Ave., Somerville, 781-218-9361, 7ate9bakery.com.
The pie sampler from Elm Street Sweets. / Courtesy photo
Elm Street Sweets
Yes, you’ll get fantastic pies from this newly launched, online-order-based venture from the pastry team at Rosebud American Kitchen & Bar. But don’t be so distracted by the sampler—the best way to graze between slices of Key lime, chocolate mousse, and apple cranberry crumble—that you overlook the cakes (like the delightful lemon-raspberry) or chewy cookies studded with sea salt and chocolate chips. Oh, and there’s even chef-made “pupcakes” and bone-shaped cookies, flavored with bacon and peanut butter, to keep Fido from begging for your treats.
Elm Street Sweets, elmstreetsweets.com; Rosebud, 381 Summer Street, Somerville, 617-629-9500, rosebudkitchen.com; Posto Bedford, 158 Great Road, Bedford, 781-271-9100, postoboston.com.
Haley House Bakery Cafe
This year, many of us are thinking even more carefully about where we send our hard-earned dollars. Directing them to Haley House Bakery Cafe is a worthwhile decision based on the spot’s social justice-oriented mission alone: The nonprofit baker provides important job opportunities to marginalized community members. But that’s not the only reason it took one of our latest Best of Boston awards—rather, we’re also smitten with the crumb pies made with local fruit, ready-to-bake frozen cookie dough (perfect for satisfying sudden cravings), and house baked chapati bread used for swiping up hummus or wrapping around savory snacks.
12 Dade St., Boston, 617-445-0900, haleyhouse.org/hhbc.
Japonaise Bakery
Launched over 30 years ago, this Brookline bakery was one of the first to bring Japanese-style pastries to the Boston area—and it hasn’t slouched since. The place abounds with wonderful loaves of springy milk bread, as well as superlative sweet doughs filled with red bean paste or custard, sponge cakes that are layered with bananas or covered in an orange yogurt mousse, and freshly baked rolls used for tonkatsu sauce-brushed sandwiches.
1020 Beacon St., Brookline, 617-566-7730, japonaisebakery.com.
La Saison Bakery
For years, Soheil Fathi helped run his family’s successful bakery in Tehran, Iran. After moving to America, though, he had to start from scratch—and incidentally, “made from scratch” also describes the breads and sweets you’ll find at the just-opened, latest incarnation of La Saison in Cambridge. There you’ll find amazing apricot-pistachio and fig-walnut loaves of sourdough; flaky kouign-amann (which is similar to a croissant); feta-za’atar scones; fudgy “marble” brownies with swirls of cheesecake; and crispy crackers spiced with turmeric or smoked paprika.
407 Concord Ave., Cambridge, 617-547-0009, lasaison-bakery.com.
Maca
For this list, we’ve tried to focus on bakeries that cover a range of goods—hence the absence of spots like doughnut shops (though you can find a guide to those right here). Indulge us, though, as we salute the macaron specialist Maca. The walk-up window at Somerville’s Bow Market is an absolute gem when you’re looking for two-bite-sized delights in cheery pastel colors and creative, daily-changing flavors like red velvet, jasmine, cake batter, and Fruity Pebbles. Winsome winners, every one.
1 Bow Market Way, Somerville, 617-539-6227, macaboston.com.
The Best Bakeries in Boston
You know ’em, you love ’em—and they’re back in action. Here’s our recap of the best bakeries in Boston, with details on the availability of takeout, delivery, and on-site dining. Watch this space for more updates!
101 Bakery
Status: Open daily for takeout.
Chinatown has a ton of Hong Kong-style bakeries, and there aren’t many better ways to spend a Saturday morning than doing a neighborhood pastry crawl. This bright spot on Beach Street is a favorite for shelves on shelves of neatly wrapped buns in flavors like sweet taro root, pineapple, and scallion-studded pork floss. Light and fluffy cheesecakes are also a great option—and most all single-serve items run less than $3.
56 Beach St., Boston, 617-451-9988.
Photo courtesy of Bricco Panetteria
Bricco Panetteria
Status: Open daily for takeout.
Located down a North End alleyway, this basement-level bakery exudes Old World charm. Imagine you’re in Italy and pop by on the way home to add a freshly baked olive loaf or airy and chewy ciabatta rolls to your dinner table. The next-door salumeria makes it easy to put together a simple and satisfying meal.
241 Hanover St., Boston, 617-248-9859, briccosalumeria.com.
Café Madeleine
Status: Open daily for takeout.
When French chefs make this South End spot their go-to, you know it’s onto something. Opened in 2014 by Alain Ducasse mentee and James Beard Award-winning pastry chef Frederic Robert, this petite café has exceptional croissants and pain au chocolate, macarons, cannelés, tarts, and more classic creations. The open kitchen wholesales some of its specialties, too, to spots like Frenchie, and Boston’s La Colombe coffeeshops.
517 Columbus Ave., South End, 857-239-8052.
Find pretzels at Clear Flour bakery every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. / Courtesy of Clear Flour Bread
Clear Flour Bread
Status: Open daily for takeout.
For decades, this beloved bakery has delighted Brookline and beyond with its European-style breads and pastries—think: loaves of German rye, French baguettes, rosemary-flecked focaccia, Gruyère-stuffed croissants, and coveted soft pretzels. The longtime owners sold to a new couple in 2017 and thankfully, nothing has changed—not even the usual line out the door.
178 Thorndike St., Brookline, 617-739-0060, clearflourbread.com.
Photo courtesy of Elmendorf Baking Supplies
Elmendorf Baking Supplies and Café
Status: Open Wednesdays through Sundays for takeout. Open Tuesday for private shopping appointments only; reserve here.
Butterly, flaky croissants and kouign-amman are trucked in daily from Salem’s incomparable A&J King, while platters of scones, muffins, pies, and more are made on site with locally sourced, house-milled grains. Gluten lovers will also find a full range of baking necessities—from cookbooks and accessories to those fresh grains—to inspire their own kitchen creations. The culinary couple behind this unique venture is Teddy and Alyssa Applebaum, whose combined experience includes places like Formaggio Kitchen, Clear Flour Bread, and Oleana, and they also offer classes.
594 Cambridge St., Cambridge, 617-945-0045, elmendorfbaking.com.
Fiore’s Bakery
Status: Open daily for takeout and patio seating.
An ever-changing selection of muffins, sweet and savory turnovers, cookies, and more is a great addition to the Jamaica Plain neighborhood—but the fact that this spot has an equally robust selection of gluten-free and vegan-friendly treats really takes the cake. Speaking of cake, Fiore’s also bakes up special-occasion treats to order—traditional, or with dietary restrictions in mind.
55 South St., Jamaica Plain, 617-524-9200, fioresbakeryjp.com.
Flour’s Boston cream pie. / Photo by Lizzy Barrett for “How to Eat Like a New Englander“
Flour Bakery + Café
Status: All locations open daily for takeout and delivery (except Drydock Ave. location, which is closed on Saturdays and Sundays). Some locations have limited patio seating; call ahead to confirm.
Pecan-covered sticky buns and stacked towers of Boston cream pie helped make Joanne Chang a household name (and a James Beard Award winner), but in the almost 20 years since she debuted her bakery in the South End, Flour has given us so much more to love. Chiefly, seven more locations, from the deep Seaport to Harvard Square. Thanks to ultimate cookies, mile-high pies, whole-grain baked goods and savory sandwiches, this local empire has risen to the top.
131 Clarendon St., Boston, 617-437-7700; 190 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-225-2525; and other locations, flourbakery.com.
Forge Baking Company
Status: Open daily for curbside pickup and delivery.
This Somerville spot opened in 2014 so the owners of Diesel Café and Bloc 11 could take full control of the products they serve. Now, in its huge and busy kitchen, Forge bakes up boules, bagels, bars, scones, pies, and more for its sister cafés, as well as its own all-day menu. In 2016, the bakeshop added house-made ice cream and waffle cones—because everything is better à la mode.
626 Somerville Ave., Somerville, 617-764-5365, forgebakingco.com.
Photo courtesy of Fornax Bread Company
Fornax Bread Company
Status: Open Tuesdays through Saturdays for takeout; delivery available with prior-day ordering.
This family-owned bakeshop provides the breads for menus at more than a dozen Boston restaurants, as well as the deli at JP staple City Feed & Supply Co. But its own homey café in the heart of Roslindale Village is the place to find all of its fresh batards, baguettes, loaves, pastries, pies, and cakes, as well as griddled sandwiches, pizzettas, and more cozy fare that puts grains to good use.
27 Corinth St., Roslindale, 617-325-8852, fornaxbread.com.
Greenhills Irish Bakery
Status: Open daily for takeout.
Boston’s largest neighborhood, Dorchester, has a diverse and distinctive dining scene. This classic café in Adams Village is a true taste of the Emerald Isle: from the treacle, brown, and soda breads, nubby scones, and rustic pies, to the brogues oft’ heard around the counter.
780 Adams St., Dorchester, 617-825-8187, greenhillsirishbakery.com.
Hi-Rise Bread Company
Status: Concord Ave. location open daily for pickup after online ordering; grocery delivery available to select areas on Mondays through Thursdays. Massachusetts Ave. location is currently closed.
Chef-owner Rene Becker—who’s also behind nearby Italian restaurant, Luce—launched this bakery in Observatory Hill back in 1996, and has since added a second café closer to Lesley University. Organic-grain breads, fruit-filled muffins, and buttery-crusted pies anchor the menu, which also includes sandwiches and prepared foods—but we never leave without at least one chocolate shortbread sandwich cookie.
208 Concord Ave., 617-876-8766; 1663 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 617-492-3003, hi-risebread.com.
Home.stead Bakery & Café. / Photo by Janice Checchio
Home.Stead Bakery & Café
Status: Temporarily closed.
Opened in 2016 by a trio of Dorchester residents, this cozy café provides not just display cases full of walnut-studded brownies, slices of pear-soaked bread pudding, and cheesy scallion scones, but also a neighborhood gathering place in the heart of Fields Corner.
1448 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, 617-533-7585, dorchesterhomestead.com.
Photo courtesy of Koko Bakery
Koko Bakery
Status: Open Thursdays through Saturdays for takeout.
From fluffy shokupan (milk bread) to flaky ham and cheese croissants, the breads and baked goods in the case at this Newton shop showcase owner Nobuko Maruyama’s experience with Japanese and French traditions. Beyond the classics, the suburban spot is well worth a visit to see what creations she’s been cooking up, from dog-shaped rolls filled with white bean paste, to fresh fruit scones and even vegan-friendly banana breads.
232L California St., Newton, 617-483-5803, kokobread.com.
Lolly’s Bakery
Status: Both locations are open for Mondays through Saturdays for takeout.
Along with fresh Latin American sweet breads, you can order cakes and cupcakes here with pretty frosting flowers or cartoon characters. But snacks like crispy churros, cups of flan, and colorful, traditional conchas (round rolls with sweet and crunchy exteriors) prove why Lolly’s is a 20-plus-year local favorite in East Boston. It also has a location in Lynn.
158 Bennington St., East Boston, 617-567-9461; 16 Cottage St., Lynn, 781-586-9400, lollysbakery.com.
Half moon cookies at Lyndell’s Bakery. / Photo courtesy of Lyndell’s Bakery
Lyndell’s Bakery
Status: Open daily for takeout.
An absolute classic of a Boston-area bakeshop, this business dates back more than 130 years, just a few decades after the City of Somerville’s founding. Four ownership changes later, it’s still brimming with classics like apple turnovers, Boston cream pies, and cakey half-moon cookies iced with rich chocolate and vanilla buttercream frosting.
720 Broadway, Somerville, 617-625-1793, lyndells.com.
Oakleaf Cakes
Status: Open Wednesdays through Sundays for takeout.
Cakes in sculpted shapes like guitars and animals, or stacked in enchanting tiers fit for any wedding are what this Symphony-area shop is best known for. But it’s also a coffeeshop, and a daily go-to for treats like granola and breakfast bars, big cookies, and flaky, house-made “pop tarts” with seasonal fillings such as triple berry jam or chocolate peppermint.
12 Westland Ave., Boston, 617-299-1504, oakleafcakes.com.
Parziale’s Bakery
Status: Open daily for takeout.
We’ll debate the virtues of Mike’s versus Modern Pastry’s cannolis with any self-respecting Bostonian, and we’re always down for a late-night Bova’s visit. But this hidden gem on Prince Street—in business since 1907—is our preferred spot for Italian butter cookies, anisey biscotti, and crispy pizzelle. Besides, the creamy ricotta filling of its cannoli gives any nearby shop a run for its money, and—bonus!—you’re way less likely to have to queue up with North End tourists.
80 Prince St., Boston, 617-523-6368, parzialebakery.com.
Sofra Bakery & Café
Status: Open daily for takeout.
Signature spice blends, fresh fruits and nuts, and pastry prowess combine to yield unparalleled sweets like tahini-brown butter doughnuts and pistachio-studded baklava nests, as well as savory bites like cheesy borek and za’atar-spiced flatbreads. Acclaimed baker Maura Kilpatrick brings the same transportive flair to this narrow pastry counter as she does to her menus at sibling restaurants Oleana and Sarma.
One Belmont St., Cambridge, 617-661-3161, sofrabakery.com.
Tatte Bakery on Summer Street, in downtown Boston. / Photo courtesy of Tatte
Tatte Bakery & Café
Status: All locations are open daily for takeout and delivery—except for the Berklee College of Music, One Boston Place, and Main St., Cambridge locations, which are temporarily closed.
Fueled by challah, palmiers, pistachio-cherry tarts, and Jerusalem bagels, this Brookline-born baking company has grown into a Boston behemoth with more than a dozen locations and counting. It even earned the support of deep-pocketed Panera Bread founder Ron Shaich, who’s a regular at the original location. Passion remains the main ingredient for founder and baker Tzurit Or—in everything from her recipes direct from her native Israel, to the beautiful cafés she builds.
1003 Beacon St, Brookline, 617-232-2200; 1352 Boylston St., Boston, 617-366-1800; and other locations, tattebakery.com.
Miss Maple, an egg-and-cheddar English muffin sandwich with maple butter. / Photo courtesy of Vinal Bakery
Vinal Bakery
Status: Open Thursdays through Mondays for takeout; shipping is also available.
Sarah Murphy began making her own English muffins while a baker at Bagelsaurus, and now the perfect pillows anchor the menu at her own Somerville café. Besides packs that certainly rival Thomas’ and sandwiches slicked with the likes of dijonnaise, and house-made marshmallow Fluff, Murphy bakes with the New England seasons to offer options like coffee-spiked hermit cookies, blueberry muffins (American style), and oatmeal cream pies.
222 Somerville Ave., Somerville, 617-718-0148, vinalbakery.com.
