#doans-bakery

#doans-bakery

The Salty Donut began as a passion project between couple Amanda Pizarro and Andy Rodriguez who decided to embark on a pop-up donut and coffee business in their native Miami while they were still in college.

"It was a tidal wave of factors that bear down on you. This is a process that has been happening for years. Nobody is spending, there are protests, strikes, war, all of it comes to bear here."

Miami's bagel culture has never seen brighter days, especially with the post-COVID influx of New Yorkers bringing higher expectations for the city's bagels.

Contrast is at the center of many popular culinary trends. There's also a strong emphasis on contrasting textures within a single baked good. For example, soft milk breads and laminated doughs that have been hard-baked create exciting combinations.

Modern Bread and Bagel is a gluten-free shop that started in New York City and has expanded to Los Angeles with three locations. It was created by Orly Gottesman, who wanted her husband, with celiac disease, to enjoy high-quality gluten-free baked goods. The pastries are exceptional, with a large selection available daily, including unique items like crumb cake and chocolate zucchini bread.

The Berliner donut, a round, jam-filled doughnut, is made from lightly sweet yeast dough and is typically finished with powdered sugar or icing. Traditional fillings include jam or citrusy marmalade, while modern versions may use cream or chocolate.

If freshly baked focaccia is one of your vices, you'll want to check out Liguria Bakery in San Francisco. This Italian-owned bakery has been open since 1911, and not much has changed about the location since. It's placed on a modest street corner, has large vintage windows, and the interior is small with just enough room for customers to line up and place their orders.

One Redditor, who claims that they used to work at Sprouts, says that Sprouts' bakery items actually arrive at the store frozen. That may lead you to believe that you're not actually getting very good quality, but the commenter said that, despite that fact, the cookies and pastries are actually quite delicious. They specifically called out the jalapeño-cheddar muffins as being especially tasty.

As a European immigrant in New York City, I remember a time, at least 20 years ago, when American bread and pastries, bagels aside, felt nearly inedible. Sourdough was not a thing. Croissants or any kind of viennoiseries were a punchline. There were regional specialties, sure, but broadly speaking, bread culture in New York was bleak.

London's bakery scene has got to be one of the best in the world right now. As well as an abundance of croissants and sourdough, there are bakeries doing everything from Italian maritozzi to Japanese milk bread and pretty much everything in between. The weekend pastry run has become a ritual (bonus points if you literally run to the bakery) and bagging goods from Toad or Chatsworth Bakehouse before they sell out is a social flex.

The pretzels are next level. Seriously though Lidl's bakery has no business being as good as it is. One customer described Lidl's brownies as life-changing, and another shopper called Lidl's pain au chocolat the best found outside of Paris.

There is something inherently comforting about a bakery. Walking past one early in the morning, breathing in that warm, sweet scent, can bring back memories of childhood or at least provide some solace on a cold day. But that scent also sets up expectations, and there's nothing worse than following your nose into a bakery just to find that the donuts are stale, the cookies are old, and the bread tastes mass-produced.

Ilcha, a Korean restaurant in the Marina that's been lauded for its fried chicken, is closing after Valentine's Day, and the SF Business Times has news of its replacement. Coming soon to 2151 Lombard will be Kava, a restaurant serving Nepalese, Himalayan, and Indian cuisines, from Nepalese owner Kamal Kandel of North Beach's Yarsa Nepalese Cuisine. The menu, which will have some similarities to Yarsa, will feature Nepalese curries, momos, chaat, tandoori, and biryani dishes.

Duck Donuts opened its Walnut Creek shop in early February at 2920 North Main St. That would be south of a Donut King and east of an Allstar Donuts, for Californians who navigate best with fried treats. It is the company's first Bay Area location, which are rare in the state; there are only three others, all located in the L.A. area.