Few things are more exciting than walking into a bakery and choosing between an assortment of homemade sweets. Whether you're in the mood for cinnamon rolls, sugar cookies or cheesecake, buying them from a bakery is always a more personal and unique experience than just going to the grocery store. Plus, they often taste better, having been baked more recently and with high-quality ingredients. Here are 15 of the best Southern bakeries to enjoy a homemade baked good!
Videos by Wide Open Country
1. Back in the Day Bakery- Savannah, GA
Back in the Day Bakery is in the Starland District of Savannah, Georgia, and is beloved for its small-town feel and delicious goods. Try the chocolate chip cookie, cold-oven pound cake, or banana pudding when a sweets craving hits, or head over for breakfast and start the day with a buttermilk biscuit and jam.
2. Handy and Hot- Charleston, SC
Vivian Howard took a risk by opening a bakery in the middle of a pandemic, but the award-winning cookbook author, chef and restaurateur pulled it off seamlessly with Handy and Hot. This Southern bakery is focused primarily on take-out, offering yummy items like peach hand pies and bacon and egg stuffed biscuits. This charming bakery is inside the Renaissance Hotel in Charleston's historic district, making it a unique experience all around.
3. Five Daughters Bakery- Nashville, TN
Five Daughters Bakery is the place to go for high-quality home-baked sweets in Nashville. Owned by a third generation baker, this bakery sells delectable doughnuts, cookies, cinnamon rolls and more to fulfill any of you pastry-related desires. Around the holiday season, get a Christmas box full of seasonal sweets like the spiked eggnog cookie and gingerbread cookie.
4. Niedlov's Bakery & Café- Chattanooga, TN
Niedlov's' mission is to bring "rustic naturally leavened loaves to our friends and family in East Tennessee," and the wholesale bakery does just that with their yummy pastries and breads. The bakery's owners Erik and Lauren Zilen make their breads and sweets from scratch using centuries-old baking techniques and natural ingredients. Try the Rosemary, Garlic and Sea Salt Bread or the Blackberry, Lavender and Lemon Scone.
5. Muddy's Bake Shop- Memphis, TN
For those heading through Memphis, Muddy's Bake Shop is the spot for homestyle Southern baking. Owner Kat Gordon prioritizes connection and community in her bakery, and her bakery has a small-town atmosphere perfect for enjoying a peppermint patty pie or strawberry cupcake. You can even take a virtual baking class through this beloved bake shop.
6. The Swiss Bakery and Pastry Shop - Springfield, VA
The Swiss Bakery and Pastry Shop specializes in European-style desserts, from strudels to croissants to layer cakes for special occasions. Enjoy a French pastry with a side of fresh ice cream, or check out the Swiss Christmas cookies to get a feel for a European holiday treat.
7. Baguette et Chocolat- Austin
The owners of this cozy Texas bakery, Anne-Lise and Chi-minh Phan-dinh, moved to Austin from Paris and are dedicated to providing French baked goods like baguettes, croissants, and macarons to the sweets-lovers of Austin. This family business offers delicious sandwiches and sweet pastries with gluten-free options, and you can even order fresh crepes to reheat and fill with your own ingredients at home. Check out their website to order today.
8. Bisous Bisous Pâtisserie- Dallas, TX
Another slice of Paris in Texas is this charming bakery in West Village of Dallas. With a wide selection of sweets, Bisous Bisous Pâtisserie has every pastry you could possibly desire, from tarts to eclairs to muffins. Home bakers can also buy frozen treats to enjoy from home, or pick up flours, yeast and sugar to make their own sweets from scratch.
9. Gambino's Bakery- New Orleans, LA
Gambino's has been the prime place for baked goods in New Orleans for over 70 years, and this expertise is obvious in the quality of their cakes and pastries. Gambino's makes New Orleans favorites like French Bread, Muffaletta and Italian olive salad, along with Southern delicacies like pecan pie. King Cakes and Kringle Cakes are a staple in many New Orleans families, and the assorted desserts tray is hard to beat for a selection of mouthwatering sweets.
10. La Boulangerie- New Orleans, LA
https://www.instagram.com/p/BWBKM_wlq1L/
As delicious as Gambino's Bakery is, its competition is fierce in La Boulangerie, a neighborhood bakery and cafe on Magazine Street in New Orleans. The cozy atmosphere welcomes customers to slow down and enjoy a homemade pastry with coffee. Try the cinnamon walnut churro, fruit turnover, or morning bun to start your day right.
11. Le Bakery- Biloxi, MS
This small-town bakery serves French, Asian and classic southern desserts, ideal for a special occasion or to treat yourself during the workweek. The artisan breads include jalapeño cheddar, cranberry almond and rosemary garlic, and as for pies, customers can choose from chocolate meringue, chocolate creme de menthe, and banana cream. Try the bubble tea for a well-rounded experience! As one review said, Le Bakery is "the best bakery in the South, you can't go wrong with any choice."
12. Ally & Eloise Bakeshop- Colombia, SC
https://www.instagram.com/p/BjiLqyqlqiC/
This South Carolina bakery provides sweets made with fresh ingredients, providing treats like cake pops, French macarons, cheesecakes and scones to those with a sweet tooth in the Colombia area. For birthdays and parties, try the almond toffee crunch cake or have one specially made for the occasion!
13. Dutch Oven Bakery- Falkville, AL
Anyone passing through Falkville Alabama would be remiss not to check out Dutch Oven Bakery, a cozy little spot that consistently provides addicting homemade sweets to Falkville. Try the Coconut Cream Pie, and check out the jams, jellies, canned fruits and creamy butter to bring some of their deliciousness to your own kitchen. Along with cakes, pies and candy, you can get delicious savory options like the Ham, Bacon and Cheddar Cheese on Sourdough.
14. Buttermilk Bakery- Winter Park, FL
This hole-in-the-wall bakeshop serves sweet and savory pastries with fresh, high-quality ingredients. A family-owned gem, Buttermilk provides sweets like their pumpkin pie, burnt honey chocolate donut, and chocolate churro cruffins. To enjoy a quaint, welcoming cafe with decadent baked goods, check out Buttermilk Bakery.
15. La Farm Bakery- Cary, NC
La Farm Bakery is owned by Missy and Lionel, two lovers of food who put all of their passion into their baking. One review calls this "one of the best bakeries in the country," and many Cary locals would agree. Try the Belgian chocolate brownie for a chocolate fix, or enjoy the French macarons made with ingredients like toasted coconut, creamy caramel, white chocolate and more.
