You've heard the phrase "like a kid in a candy store," but what's the grown-up equivalent? Like a dude in a short DMV line? Like a lady who doesn't get picked for jury duty?? Those are pretty bleak, so let's go with another culinary comparison: like an adult in a bakery. Because really, bake shops are just more sophisticated candy stores that allow you to enter on the pretense of buying a lovely loaf of sourdough, and come out with 16 peanut butter cupcakes instead.
In celebration of the noble service bakeries provide, we selected 21 of the bravest and boldest in these United States of America. Behold below the best Cronut and Crack Pie purveyors, macaron specialists, and customizable cake makers this country has to offer.
Sweet Mandy B's | Chicago, IL
It's probable that the Lululemon-clad, stroller-jogging residents of Chicago's Lincoln Park neighborhood share an unspoken rule that it's perfectly acceptable to ditch any granola bar for a Sweet Mandy B's ranger cookie. Get ahold of one of the large cookies filled with coconut, chocolate chips, and... oats (those are good for you, right?). The sweets shop also makes confetti cake Rice Krispies Treats, snickerdoodle cupcakes, and seasonal pies.
B. Patisserie | San Fransisco, CA
If you've never had the buttery Breton pastry kouign amann, first, shame on you, and second, head here for the finest version of it outside of France. The extremely talented pastry chef Belinda Leong started the bakery several years ago, and has since turned into a wild success thanks much in part to her sugary French cake. Still not convinced? How about this: in celebration of National Kouign Amann Day last June, Leong and her staff made 12 different kinds of the pastry including maple bacon and Speculoos versions. It was a pretty good day.
Flour Bakery + Cafe | Boston, MA
Opened 15 years ago as a solo bakery in the South End that peddled the world’s greatest pecan sticky buns (suck it, Bobby Flay), Joanne Chang’s Flour has grown into Boston’s nationally acclaimed pastry and sandwich empire. And although that empire -- now with four outposts -- may have been built on a pile of buns (and chocolate brioche and old-fashioned sour cream coffee cake and…), it specializes in far more than breakfast. Do yourself a favor and also grab a roasted lamb sandwich with tomato chutney and goat cheese, a slice of Boston Cream pie, and, of course, a raspberry “Pop Tart” to go.
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