Where to find the best bakeries in Boston

Joanne Chang's popular Flour Bakery empire boasts multiple locations throughout the city, so you can satisfy those carb cravings just about wherever you may be. You’ll find cupcakes, tartlettes, pies, sticky buns, cookies and the decadent Tcho chocolate brownie. Sandwiches are made-to-order on fresh, delicious breads. For home bakers, keep an eye out for Flour’s calendar of classes, which cover everything from cake decorating to making the perfectly laminated croissant. They also ship many of their sweets and  baking kits nationwide, in case you’ve got a hankering from afar.

Known for their luscious babkas, this bakery is located in the heart of Downtown across from the Boston Common. The coffees, pastries and sandwiches are all worth a try! 

Cambridge has been blessed with La Saison, a bakery that was originally opened and operating in Tehran, Iran. Its founder, Soheil Fathi, took his baking business with him when he moved to the United States with his family, setting up shop near Fresh Pond in 2020. Now, we all get to enjoy this spot’s stunning selection of loaves, which includes daily specials in addition to mainstays like its fig-walnut sourdough and a brioche so beautiful that it could make just about anyone cry. Not to be upstaged: classic French pastry offerings, like its pain au chocolat and palmier, an assortment of crunchy house-made crackers and feta-za'atar scones. They’ve also recently added pizza and soft serve to their offerings. 

A little piece of Paris resides in Medford, thanks to Colette Bakery. This place channels the French affinity for bread, taking great pride in its freshly baked assortment of traditional loaves, including baguettes, pain de campagne and pain de mie. Bread aside, Colette is a prime spot to purchase refined works of patisserie and viennoiseries—from coffee eclairs and amandine tartes, to cinnamon brioche and chouquettes. Save room for the sandwiches, which feature customary French combos (like ham and butter, or tuna and eggs) piled onto house-made baguettes

This small, European-style bakery on the Allston-Brookline border specializes in authentic, fresh breads from France and Italy. Baked goods from the rest of Europe are equally impressive—the German rye, soft pretzels and challah all hold their own next to baguettes, miche and rustic olive rolls. Fruit tarts, scones and tea cakes are great options for a sweet treat. Morning buns and the baked currant donut are extremely popular and often sell out, while the chocolate chunk cookies may have the most accolades of any of their pastry offerings.

Boston brunchers and bakery connoisseurs know that the South End is the place to be all weekend. The cafe offers fresh biscuits, muffins, scones, croissants and excellent coffee. For sweet treats, you'll find a tempting selection of cupcakes, cookies, sticky buns, and fudgy brownies. Signature cupcakes like the Dexter Salted Caramel are named after staff members' dogs and a portion of their sales are donated to animal rescue causes. They’re also open for brunch on Friday, in addition to the weekend.

Bova’s opened in the North End in 1932 and has remained a family-owned business ever since. Its customary Italian offerings include a wide range of breads—including seasonal varieties that are traditionally enjoyed around holidays like Easter—pastries, cookies, tarts, cakes and pies. For something more substantial, try a calzone or slice of Sicilian pizza coming straight from the oven. Best of all, Bova’s is open 24 hours a day, so you can get that bakery fix at any time, day or night. 

If you’ve ever welcomed visitors to Boston, it’s likely you’ve waited in line at Mike’s for cannoli.  This beloved North End institution, which always has a line down the block, has more than 19 flavors including Nutella, Oreo and limoncello. But if you’re not into these crunchy, creamy sweets, you really can’t go wrong with any of the biscotti, lobster tails, cream puffs or macaroons that fill Mike's display cases. 

A Maverick Square staple, La Sultana has been part of the Eastie community through many waves of change. Still, they’ve remained a delightful slice of the community, serving up everything from Colombian pastries to classic desserts. Grab a seat at one of those classic blue stools and caffeinate the morning away.

Tatte has taken over Boston, and it’s not hard to understand why. Enjoy freshly baked, European-style pastries, cookies, pains au chocolat, kouign amanns, croissants and more. Each cafe has a warm, welcoming vibe that’s perfect for chatting with friends over coffee or enjoying a quiet morning with the paper. The Brookline location features an open kitchen where you can watch the bakers at work.

The first Boston-area venture of chef Thiago Silva, SALT opened in Newton this past summer. Named for his favorite ingredient, SALT fuses Silva’s French training and Brazilian roots. Try a new twist on a classic, like Pao de Queijo: Gluten-free cheese bread like the mini Portuguese gougeres, but in large-format sandwich bread. Oh, and if Silva looks like a familiar face, you’re not wrong: You may recognize him from Chopped or Netflix’s House of Chocolate. 

If you dream of fresh loaves of Irish soda bread, this Adams Village institution is the place to be. Pull up a chair and take a seat, and enjoy your baked goods as you listen for an Irish accent in the background. (It’s likely you’ll hear one.) A beloved piece of Dorchester, Greenhills’ offerings really run the gamut: from homemade pies to a midday sandwich or salad, they’ve got everything you could need. 

This family-owned bakery crafts high-quality breads and pastries from organic, hand-selected ingredients. Enjoy freshly baked loaves, macarons, pies, filled brioche and more. Watch all of these carb-heavy creations being made in the open kitchen at its original, Observatory Hill location. Both locations offer soups, salads and sandwiches, as well as a selection of wine, liquor and beer. 

When it comes to baked goods, Café Beatrice is a must—especially with local pastry talent Brian Mercury at its helm. This cafe, located at Cambridge Crossing, offers an array of delicious pastries, like salted hazelnut sticky buns, smoked salmon and everything danishes, kouign amann and carrot dukkah cake. If you’re there for lunch, be sure to grab a slice of sourdough pizza and finish your meal strong with a cookie. If you aren’t rushing home with your baked goods in hand, make use of this place’s beautiful patio and take your order al fresco.

The owners of Diesel Café and Bloc Cafe wanted to serve their own baked goods, so they expanded upon their Somerville operations and opened Forge Baking Company. Stop by this old brick warehouse and choose from a full range of artisanal bagels and breads, as well as sweet treats like scones, pies and ice cream. It has a full coffee bar and also sells a number of provisions and products from fellow local businesses—from fresh pastas and spice blends, to even flowers.

Cheryl Ann’s, founded by two sisters and their mother, has baked beloved Jewish pastries since 1985. Challah and other treats are sold in local grocery stores, but head straight to the source to get that real family feel (many of the staff are extended family). Try rugelach, turnovers, specialty cakes, breads, hamantaschen and more.

One of the Boston area’s best bakeries is outside the city limits. With everything baked in-house, Quebrada is one of the most beloved spots in the ‘burbs for a good reason. With locations in Watertown, Wellesley, Arlington and Belmont, the family-run institution creates everything from perfectly flaky chocolate croissants to savory ham and cheese ones. Don’t sleep on their signature cakes for special occasions if you know what’s good for you. 

A staple in the Brighton community, Daniel’s Bakery is the place to go if you’re craving a flaky lobster tail. Also special: the neighborhood joint is known for their kindness. During the lockdown phase of the pandemic, you could spot a sign that read “if you don’t have money for your bread today, you can grab one from here” on the counter. If you’re looking to find a specific cake for a special occasion, check out the amazing creations on their Instagram page. 

Oleana and Sarma’s casual sibling is a great spot to grab Mediterranean dishes and baked goods. In addition to gözleme, shawarma and börek, you’ll find a whole selection of baked Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese treats. Pita and za’atar breads are made fresh. Sweets run the gamut from Raspberry Rose Turnovers to Bittersweet Chocolate Tahini Tarts. Indulge in cakes and other treats like the tahini-brown butter donut (only available on weekends), almond rose cake and chocolate hazelnut baklava.

This Somerville spot gets rave reviews for its handmade baked goods featuring local flavors. Not to be missed are the fluffy, chewy English muffins available in multiple varieties, including the classic plain, anadama, oat sesame and French toast. Get a hot one slathered in homemade jam or take a four-pack home to enjoy later.

Located within the Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport lobby, Cocorico offers traditional French pastries taken to another level. Savory breakfast items include Faluche de Nord Sandwiches consisting of butter toasted French rolls with a fried egg and selection of customizable toppings. For a decadent treat straight out of a patisserie, options include Éclairs, Tartelettes, Cannelé of Bordeaux (caramelized rum custard cake) and Paris Brest, made with praline crème mousseline, salted caramel, and toasted hazelnuts. The coffee options are also delightful, and are a big favorite for Seaport-area employees. Grab a latte when you’re looking to escape the office.  

For 24 years, Nashoba Brook Bakery has been making "slowrise," sourdough in varieties ranging from rye and rosemary garlic to raisin and 7-grain. Each has been fermented for more than 24 hours. Their leafy West Concord location offers one of the area's loveliest settings for enjoying gourmet sandwiches and other goodies. Outdoor picnic tables behind the bakery look out onto an old wooden footbridge framing the Nashoba Brook. Customers who want to see this place's 4,000-square-foot kitchen in action, can spy through some large windows and watch as these artisan loaves get ready to enter the two massive French ovens onsite.

It’s nearly impossible to pick just one bakery in Chinatown. However, it’s not hard to understand why you’ll find a line streaming out the door of Corner Cafe Bakery on Harrison Avenue on a Friday night. Their pastries are top of the line, and serve as the perfect nightcap after a dinner out in Chinatown. Stock up for the Mid-Autumn Festival on their extensive mooncake options.

You’ll almost feel like you’re in Italy as you stroll down the winding alleyway to this below-ground bakery behind Bricco Restaurant in the North End. Pick up a crusty baguette or rustic ciabatta right as they come out of the oven. Once you've successfully secured your freshly baked loaves, stop in to the small market next door for cured meats, cheeses, olives and more.

Modern Pastry has a loyal following amongst pastry lovers, who flock to this North End destination for sweet Italian specialties. American classics like cheesecake and Boston cream cupcake are popular, too. But if you're coming here, you definitely want to stick to the North End basics, like tiramisu, cannoli and sfogliatelle. Don't forget to grab a dozen biscotti, pignoli cookies or macaroons to take home or to dip into a frothy cappuccino made at this family-owned spot's espresso bar.

With sister stores throughout coastal Greece, Athan’s is a true authority when it comes to the European- and Mediterranean-inspired specialties that it serves. Come to this elegant cafe and find drool-worthy indulgences including delicate cakes, sticky sweet baklava, handmade chocolates, pastries, cookies and gelato. As a bonus, this place is open late, which means you can grab baked goods whenever the mood strikes you.