The best bakeries in Boston

This small, European-style bakery on the Brighton-Brookline border specializes in authentic, fresh-baked breads from France and Italy. Baked goods from the rest of Europe are equally impressive: German rye, soft pretzels, and challah hold their own next to baguettes, miche, and rustic olive rolls. Rustic fruit tarts, scones, and tea cakes are great options for a sweet treat. Morning buns and the renowned baked currant donut are extremely popular and often sell out.

Flour Bakery has multiple locations to satisfy a craving for baked goods wherever you are. You’ll find cupcakes, tartlettes, pies, sticky buns, cookies, and the must-try belgian chocolate brownie. Sandwiches are made-to-order on fresh, delicious breads. For home bakers, keep an eye out for Flour’s calendar of classes, covering the how-tos of cake decorating, croissants, brioche, and more.

Bova’s opened in the North End in 1932 and has remained a family-owned business since then. Baked goods include a wide range of breads (including seasonal varieties such as Easter bread), pastries, cookies, tarts, cakes, and pies. For something more substantial, try fresh-baked calzones, subs, or Sicilian pizza. Best of all, Bova’s is open 24 hours a day.

Head to Dorchester for traditional Irish breads and scones as well as pies, cakes, and cookies, all baked fresh. The classic Irish soda bread is top-notch, but don’t miss treacle soda bread, barm brack, or brown soda bread. There’s a whole cafe menu as well, with soups, sandwiches, and more Irish favorites like black pudding and Irish sausage rolls.

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

A local success story, Tatte’s first location opened in Brookline in 2008 and has since expanded to include ten more locations in Cambridge and Boston. Enjoy fresh-baked European-style pastries, cookies, pain au chocolat, kouign amann, croissants, and more. Each cafe has a welcoming vibe that’s perfect for meeting friends for coffee or enjoying a quiet morning. The Brookline location features an open kitchen where you can watch the bakers at work.

This family-owned bakery bakes high-quality breads and pastries from organic, hand-selected ingredients. Enjoy fresh-baked loaves, macarons, doughnuts, pies, filled brioche, and more. Watch the breads and pastries being made in the open kitchen at the original, Observatory Hill location. Both locations offer salads and sandwiches, as well as a selection of wine, liquor, and beer. The Mass Ave location also has a full coffee bar.

Boston brunchers and baked goods fans know that the South End is the place to be every Sunday morning. The cafe offers fresh baked biscuits, muffins, scones, croissants, and excellent coffee. For sweet treats, a selection of cupcakes, cookies, sticky buns, and fudgy brownies. Signature cupcakes like the Dexter Salted Caramel are named after staff dogs and a portion of their sales are donated to animal rescue causes. Sweet!

Modern Pastry boasts a loyal following from pastry lovers who flock to this North End emporium for Italian specialties like tiramisu, cannoli, and sfogliatella. American classics like apple pie and brownies are popular too. Cakes, cookies, chocolates, and coffee round out the menu at this family-owned spot that’s been baking for decades.

Oleana and Sarma’s casual sibling is a great spot for Mediterranean dishes and baked goods. In addition to gözleme, shawarma, and börek, you’ll find baked Turkish, Greek, and Lebanese treats. Pita and za’atar breads are made fresh. Cookies run the gamut from chocolate chunk and tahini shortbread to dukkah macarons and maureo filled with halvah. Indulge in cakes and sweets like the tahini-brown butter donut (only available on weekends), almond-rose cake, and chocolate-hazelnut baklava.

With sister stores in coastal Greece, Athan’s has a direct connection to the European and Mediterranean-inspired specialties served within its elegant cafe setting. Find fanciful treats including small cakes, delicate baklava, handmade chocolates, pastries, cookies and gelato. Late opening hours are a bonus for night owls craving baked goods.

This beloved North End institution is best known for its cannoli. With more than 19 flavors including Nutella, Oreo, and limoncello, there’s a cannoli for everyone. If you’re not into cannoli though, you can’t go wrong with any of the biscotti, cookies, lobster tails, cream puffs, or macaroons.