Looking for a local Boston bakery to satisfy your sweet tooth? These are a local’s 17 picks for Boston’s best bakery in 2024. This all-encompassing list includes everything from the city’s best chocolate chip cookies to low-key ethnic bakeries.
Last Updated: January 10th, 2024
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Boston’s Best Bakery: 15+ Shops Worth Your Dough
Parziale’s Bakery
First on Boston’s best bakery list is Parziale’s in Boston’s North End neighborhood. The family-run shop has been in business since 1907 and serves fresh-baked Italian bread, pizza doughs, a wide selection of Italian cookies, and Sicilian pizza slices.
Make sure to try Parziale’s chocolate chip cannoli, which are made to order. Honestly, I think they beat many of the other pastry shops in the area.
80 Prince St, Boston, MA 02113
Bova’s Bakery
Just one door down from Parziale’s is Bova’s Bakery. The Italian bakery sells classic Italian pastries, bread, and calzones.
Bova’s is most famous for their cannolis. They have interesting flavors including Oreo, tiramisu, and peanut butter. However, if you’re only to choose one cannoli, make sure it’s the Florentine cannoli. It has a unique crunchy and sweet almond-honey shell. The price is steep at almost $8 but is worth every penny.
Bova’s is the city’s only bakery that’s open 24/7, making it the perfect option for a late-night snack. It’s an especially popular spot to hit after the bars!
Further Reading: Boston North End/Little Italy guide for more of the best Boston Italian pastry shops, restaurants, and things to do.
134 Salem St, Boston, MA 02113 / bovabakeryboston.net
Bricco Panetteria
The last North End/Italian bakery on the Boston’s best bakery list is Bricco Panetteria. It’s a small, basement store located in an alleyway off Hanover Street, so it’s pretty easy to miss. They have an array of fresh-baked artisan loaves of bread and Italian pastries to choose from.
Just across from the bakery are the Bricco Salumeria and Pasta shop. Stop in for made-to-order Italian subs using Bricco’s fresh bread. The Italian panino sub comes with prosciutto, homemade mozzarella, tomato, basil, and olive oil. It’s a fairly simple sandwich, but its quality ingredients and harmony of flavors make it a must.
241 Hanover St, Boston, MA 02113 / briccosalumeria.com
Sofra Bakery & Cafe
Sofra is one of the Greater Boston area’s best Middle Eastern bakeries. Their pastry and dine-in menu has influences from Turkey, Greece, and Lebanon. They sell goods not served widely elsewhere including Simit, Syrian shortbread, and crick cracks.
I like their shakshuka, which is a tomato-based puree with spices, poached eggs, and a side of brioche bread in a tin pan.
The Turkish breakfast is another popular dish. It includes a soft-boiled egg, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, feta, yogurt, and seasonal sweets. While it’s not your typical grand Turkish breakfast spread of 15-20 plates, it’s still delicious.
The cafe has a homey, rustic interior. It’s definitely more of a takeout spot, but there’s both indoor and outdoor seating that makes it suitable for a casual meal.
Fun Fact: Sofra is the Turkish word for a picnic, a special table preparation of food.
1 Belmont St, Cambridge, MA 02138 / sofrabakery.com
Cafe Brazil
Next on Boston’s best bakery list is Cafe Brazil. It’s a small corner bakery selling traditional Brazilian bread and desserts.
My favorite item here is the pao de queijo, which is Brazilian cheese bread. They have a crispy crust and a chewy, pillowy center. They have a light cheesy taste and make for the perfect snack. Each piece is less than a dollar, so I always order at least a dozen when I go.
125 Harvard Ave, Allston, MA 02134 / cafebrazilbakery.com
Flour Bakery & Cafe
A beloved local Boston bakery chain is Flour Bakery & Cafe, with over seven locations in the greater Boston area. Flour serves all your typical baked goods including cookies, cakes, croissants, and muffins.
Flour is most famous for its sticky buns. It’s a sweet bun that they cover in dark, sticky caramel and toasted pecans. Warmed up, it has an indulgently sweet and nutty taste.
While at Flour, don’t miss their savory sandwich selection! My top recommendation is the achiote chicken sandwich. It’s made with slices of roasted achiote chicken breast, jicama, and mashed avocado on focaccia bread. The jicama vegetable adds a refreshing crunch that complements the chicken and avocado. The sandwich is also huge at nearly a foot long.
Another popular option is the breakfast sandwich. It’s made with an egg-souffle, bacon/ham, cheddar, arugula, and tomato with dijonaise. It’s a great on-the-go breakfast option – my only gripe is that it’s pretty expensive at $9.50 for a small-ish sandwich.
Each Flour location has both takeout and counter-service for dine-in. I suggest ordering ahead on their app or visiting early in the morning on weekends. This way, you’ll beat the crowds and get the famous pastries before they sell out.
Multiple locations / flourbakery.com
Levain Bakery
One of the newest additions to the Boston’s best bakery list is Levain Bakery on Newbury Street. What started as a NYC Upper West Side cookie shop in 1995, Levain has now expanded to over 10 locations across the United States.
Levain is famous for its thick-cut chocolate chip cookies. Each cookie is nearly ⅓ of a pound! They have a crispy exterior and a gooey interior texture. Get your cookies warmed up for melty, semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Signature cookie flavors include chocolate chip walnut, double chocolate chip, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, and oatmeal raisin. Their most famous flavor is the chocolate chip walnut.
The Newbury Levain location is mostly takeout. However, there’s a row of indoor bar seating and outdoor chairs in the warmer months. It’s one of my favorite Boston desserts!
180 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116 / levainbakery.com
Hing Shing Pastry
The next spot on the Boston’s best bakery list is a traditional Chinese bakery. Ho Yuen is a takeout-only corner store in Boston’s Chinatown. The bakery sells classic Chinese baked goods including almond cookies, buns, and egg tarts.
My go-to at Ho Yuen is their BBQ pork bun. It’s a bun pastry that’s filled with sweet, roasted BBQ pork. Their egg tarts are also popular, which include a flaky pastry crust that’s filled with silky egg custard. The egg custard is mild and slightly sweet.
Other great traditional Chinese bakeries in the Chinatown neighborhood May’s Cake House and Corner Cafe.
Bao Bao Bakery
A more creative take on the Chinese bakery on this Boston’s best bakery list can be found at Bao Bao Bakery, just a few blocks away from Ho Yuen. They sell your typical Chinese bread but are best known for their colorful layered crepe cakes and cream puffs. You’ll also find Asian-inspired flavors not found elsewhere like ube & matcha!
84 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02111 / baobaobakery.com
Further Reading: 25+ Best Boston Chinatown Restaurants
Jonquils Bakery & Cafe
Next on the best Boston bakery list is one of the most unique options. Jonquils is famous for its “3D-printed cakes”, which come in cool geometric shapes and flavors. The cakes have a mousse-like texture that is filled with different creams and fillings. I really liked the Mango-passionfruit flavor.
125 Newbury St, Boston, MA 02116 / jonquilscafe.com
Lolly’s Bakery
Lolly’s in the East Boston neighborhood is one of the city’s best Latin American bakeries. Each pastry is extremely affordable, ranging from $0.60-5.00 for each.
I recommend their conchas, which are traditional Mexican sweet bread with a crunchy and sugary outer shell. They’re pretty easy to spot in the bakery with their striped, seashell appearance.
158 Bennington St, East Boston, MA 02128 / lollysbakeryeb.com
Colette Bakery
Originally located in Medford, Massachusetts, Colette Bakery recently opened a another location in Boston’s South End neighborhood. The authentic French bakery sells traditional French pastries including croissants, chocolate croissants, macarons, cakes, tarts, quiche, the list goes on. It’s a great spot to pick up a quick breakfast in Boston.
Tatte Bakery & Cafe
No Boston’s best bakery list is complete without Tatte Bakery. The popular local chain has all your typical baked goods, as well as salads, sandwiches, and other breakfast/lunch items.
Their pistachio croissant has a flaky shell and a thick, sweet pistachio-based paste sandwiched in the middle.
Tatte’s food menu is also pretty impressive. My favorite item is their croque monsieur, which is essentially a French grilled cheese with ham.
The inside of each cafe has white, minimalist decor with plenty of natural sunlight. It’s the perfect spot for both studying and catching up with friends.
Further Reading: Best Boston coffee shops in 2024
Multiple locations / tattebakery.com
Japonaise Bakery & Cafe
The next spot on this Boston’s best bakery list is one I’m particularly excited about. After a multi-year hiatus, Japonaise Bakery in Brookline is finally reopened! Besides their cute Studio Ghibli-themed bread (pictured above), Japanaise Bakery sells onigiri, Asian-flavored cakes like matcha, fruit-and-cream stuffed croissants, cream puffs, and more.
1020 Beacon St, Brookline, MA 02446
Bakey
Located in the heart of Boston (right off the Boston Common), Bakey is a newer bakery with Israeli and European influences. A must-try is their chocolate babka loaf, which is a sweet braided bread with swirls of chocolate. It tastes rich, decadent, and bittersweet.
Burekas seem to be very popular here. They’re a popular pastry in Sephardic Jewish and Israeli cuisine. They’re made of phyllo dough or puff pastry and fillings. Bakey has spinach and cheese, cheese, and potato flavor burekas.
151 Tremont St, Boston, MA 02111 / bakeybabka.com
When Pigs Fly
When Pigs Fly is Boston’s best bakery for high-quality bread. Some flavors include tomato baby spinach, onion, garlic ciabatta, and sun-dried tomato with basil. The bread is soft on the inside and I love that the crust isn’t too hard.
Every Saturday, get in line for their fresh gourmet doughnuts! They are perfectly fluffy on the inside and generously glazed on the outside. The flavors rotate, but I like the sweet hibiscus glaze.
Multiple locations / sendbread.com
Oakleaf Cafes Bake Shop
This boutique bakery specializes in gourmet cakes for any occasion. You’re able to request unique custom designs. They design each cake by hand and are very detail-oriented. Most importantly, the cakes are all delicious.
12 Westland Ave, Boston, MA 02115 / oakleafcakes.square.site
Honorable Mentions: Boston’s Best Bakery
Tous Les Jours –> This is a popular Korean cafe chain with French and Asian influences. In addition to bread, the bakery has a display case of macarons, cakes, and drinks. I highly recommend their matcha espresso, which comes in a beautiful green-brown gradient. The subtle taste of matcha compliments the espresso well.
I also really enjoy their fruit pastries. They are flaky puff pastries (similar to croissants) filled with cream and artistically finished with fruit and powdered sugar.
Clear Flour Bread –> Brookline bakery that sells Italian and French-inspired bread loaves. They’ve been operating since 1984 and pride themselves in using simple ingredients and organic flour. Try their popular morning buns, too.
Little Miss Cupcape –> Last on the Boston’s best bakery list is this Newbury dessert spot originally from Cape Cod. The pink, cute-themed store sells cupcakes, cake pops, cookies, brownies, whoopie pies, and more. Their cupcakes come in fun flavors like Red Sox Red Velvet, Chocolate Shark Attack, and Wicked Awesome Oreo. They also have vegan options!
Further Reading: 21 Best Vegan Restaurants in Boston
Conclusion: Boston’s Best Bakery
That wraps up my Boston’s best bakery list for 2024! I tried to include a wide range of bakeries, from ethnic specialty bakeries to simply the best spot for fresh bread.
Once you’ve eaten through this Boston’s best bakery guide, check out my other 2024 Boston food guides:
- Foodie Boston Bucket List (A directory of the best Boston restaurants, characterized by cuisine!)
- Best Japanese Restaurants in Boston
- 17+ Boston Fun Restaurants
- Boston’s Best Tacos
- Boston’s Best Southern Food: Top 11 Spots
Other things to do in the city:
Didn’t see your favorite Boston bakery in this guide? It’s possible I haven’t tried it yet. Send a message to my contact page and I’ll check it out!
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