If you think about it, visiting a bakery includes the use of all your senses. You see the beautiful display of tasty delights, you smell the fragrant aroma of pies baking in the oven, you hear the crunchiness of tearing into a fresh-baked loaf of bread, you touch multi layers of a flakey croissant and, of course, you taste the wonderful goodness of it all.
That’s sensory overload!
I love a good bakery and Seattle does not disappoint. Here are my favorite five venues in and around the city:
85°C Bakery Café (six area locations, including 501 South Jackson Street, International District)
The typical long lines to get a glimpse at the bakery goods in this café speaks volumes, particularly when many of the customers of this huge Taiwanese chain are of Asian descent. Once you get inside, grab a tray and a few pieces of wax paper and then go to town. Help yourself to all the wonderful options – breads, cakes, puff pastry with influences from Taiwan, Japan and Europe. Even the cheese-covered baked hot dog is a delicious treat.
Dahlia Bakery (2001 4th Avenue, Belltown)
In most parts of the world, the name Dahlia delivers visions of beautiful, blooming flowers. In Seattle, the moniker offers up a bounty of baked wonders from the team of chef Tom Douglas. While people can order standard cakes and pies and many other wonderful desserts at Douglas’ restaurants, they can also purchase them for home. At the top of that list: triple coconut cream pie (the crust, filling and topping all include coconut). At about $50, the six-slice pie is expensive (though, you get cash back for returning the tin), it’s worth every creamy, mouth-watering bite. You could argue it’s Seattle’s most-noted dessert. Plus, the breakfast-sandwich and quiche menu are the best in the city. It’s too bad the bakery is in a “phone booth” where no more than three customers can browse at one time.
Macrina Bakery (five area locations, including 2408 1st Avenue, Belltown)
This is my favorite bakery in Seattle – and not just because I have shared a coffee and pastry with the owner a couple of times. This place puts love and care into everything they make – and the ingredients are first-rate, locally sourced. The Skagit sourdough bread – with crunchy spelt flakes on top – is the best I’ve ever tasted. The bakery’s sweet and savory options rotate through the months and seasons. The maple apple pie contains 3 pounds of apples. The sweetness of roasted butternut squash from Carnation, Wash., anchors the flavorful pumpkin pies and cheesecakes. My go-to is the Morning Glory Muffin, which is packed with sweetness, nuttiness and softness in the middle, crunchiness on top – and loaded with flavor. Oh, and they have a great weekend brunch menu. Simply the best!
Nielsen’s Pastries (520 2nd Avenue West, Lower Queen Anne)
I grew up attending the Lucia Fest – a traditional pre-Christmas performance with Swedish roots – in Philadelphia, where I was treated to my first Scandinavian pastries and cakes. When hankering for those Euro-baked creations, I walk over to Nielsen’s for sweet rolls, Semla (cream-filled, single-fisted cakes) and Frosnapper (almond-flavored twist pastries). The Kringle – a massive, pretzel-twist shaped Danish loaded with almond paste, custard, raisins and slivered almonds – makes for a powerful dessert for you and friends to share. One of its main competitors – Larsen’s in Loyal Heights – is also excellent. And both are great sources for holiday cookies.
Pie Bar (three locations, including 2218 Northwest Market Street, Ballard)
The name really says it all. If you are looking for pie or adult beverages, then you’ve come to the right place. If you’re seeking both – including pie-flavored cocktails – then even better! What a fun place to visit. The menu includes fresh-baked pies – cream-filled, fruit-filled or savory – but they can sell out by evening. Like Baskin-Robbins and its 31 flavors, you could try a different pie each day of the month. That includes pies for lunch or dinner, such as Philly cheesesteak, ham, cheese & broccoli, and chicken pot pie. My go-to are the strawberry-rhubarb and apple-crumble pies with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Wow!
There are dozens of other outstanding venues – specializing in everything from cakes to Danish to doughnuts. Here is a bonus five:
Bakery Nouveau (three area locations, including Capitol Hill) arguably has the best variety of baked goods in the city – breads, cakes, cookies and pastries. The award-winning bakery is known for its twice-baked almond croissant with a hint of rum.
Fuji Bakery (two locations, including Interbay) is a Japanese French bakery, offering a variety of international styles and techniques. People come back again and again for the crunchy doughnuts with creamy fillings.
Hood Famous Bakeshop (two locations, including the International District) receives a lot of press (or I happen to see every TV and print story on it), probably for its use of ube – a violet-colored, sweet/nutty yam – in its creamy cheesecakes. Very Instagramable!
Simply Desserts (Fremont) reputedly has the best cakes in town, including a Bailey’s Irish Cream cheesecake, although I have not had the pleasure to check them out.
Yummy House Bakery (International District) is my go-to for egg custards, those single-serve parcels of creamy goodness nestled in a light, flakey tart crust. Like potato chips, you can’t just eat one!
Now, I know you all have a favorite bakery in our great city. Please let me know which one is your favorite and why. I would love to hear from you.
Note: This story was written when much of our area was closed for health reasons. It is my hope that, by the time you read this you will have a chance to frequent some (or all!) of these local businesses as they try to survive this unprecedented time.
SEE OTHER STORIES ON LOCAL FOOD AND DRINK
Ten Coffee Hotspots Across Seattle
Video: indi chocolate – Using Cacao to Connect With Seattle and Pike Place Visitors
We All Scream for Ice Cream: Five Cool Spots to Enjoy the Dairy Delight in Seattle
Five Late-Night Eating Hot Spots Across Seattle
Foods That Seattle Started or Made Better
Five of My Favorite Pizza Palaces in Seattle