LAGuide
LA Bakeries To Order From After You Screw Up Your Sourdough
photo credit: Stan Lee
There’s a high probability that, at some point during this quarantine, you’re going to think to yourself, “I should probably try baking some bread.”
And based on social media, it seems like the bread of the moment is sourdough. Sure, it sounds fun, and there are few things better than a fantastic loaf of fresh-baked bread. Here’s the thing about baking, though: It’s hard to do. And it’s even harder to do well. So here are 22 excellent bakeries to order from after your sourdough starter dies, or your sesame rye loaf doesn’t rise, or you realize Amazon’s yeast selection is backed up for three months.
The Spots
If “Gluten-free” brings to mind wafer-y, pre-packaged bread, you’ve never had the sourdough from Breadblok. This entirely gluten- and refined sugar-free bakery on Montana in Santa Monica serves donuts, pastries, and loaves of bread that will make you forget how much you love wheat. Open 7am-5pm daily for limited delivery (within a six-mile radius) and pick-up.
The Arts District’s best-kept (gluten-related) secret, Bread Lounge serves superb, affordable bread, bagels, challah, and pastries. And along with traditional loaves like olive, poppyseed, and potato and rosemary (all less than $5), they’ve also got a bunch of sweeter breads, too, like hazelnut espresso, cinnamon walnut, and, of course, banana. For menus and ordering information, check their website.
Though they don’t have a storefront, you can still get your fix of Bub and Grandma’s tremendous pastries and bread loaves during quarantine. They’re available on Mondays and Thursdays via the Platform Drive-Through, and are (usually) sold at Proof Bakery in Atwater on Tuesdays and Belle’s Bagels in Highland Park on Saturday. They’re also often doing pre-sale mystery bags at Coco’s Variety, a bike store in Frogtown - check [their website(https://cocosvariety.com/collections/bub-and-grandmas/products/bub-bag) for more details on these.
The Echo Park outpost of GCM’s Clark Street Bread is even better than the original. The pastries are the best things here - our favorite (if they haven’t sold out) is the Kouign-Amann, coated and filled with caramelized sugar and butter. The breads are also worth your time (especially the Danish rye), and right now, they’re giving out sourdough starter with any purchase - and providing step-by-step baking instructions, too - so maybe you can re-try that recipe you screwed up last week. Open 7:30am-3pm daily for local delivery and pick-up.
San Pedro’s small-but-mighty local bakery Colossus has got you covered if you’re in the South Bay, with country sourdough loaves starting at $8. We recommend their Danish Rye if it’s available - this is a dense, molasses brown-tinged loaf that we like to thinly slice and eat plain. They’ve also got a whole bunch of baked goods, like cinnamon rolls, chocolate olive oil cake, daily pastries - oh, and sourdough starter kits, too. Currently, orders must be placed at least three days in advance (and are only available via delivery), so the best bet is to check their website for the latest info.
Culver City’s Copenhagen Pastry is known for Danish baked goods like kringles, butter cakes, rye loaves, and sesame rolls. Order on a Friday (or the weekend) if you can - it’s the only time they’ve got their great morning rolls, which are $1 each and go with basically anything, from breakfast eggs to whatever you’re throwing together for dinner. App delivery available, or order online for in-store pick-up.
Echo Park’s Cuscatleca Bakery sits in a strip mall on a busy part of Sunset that we can almost guarantee you’ve driven by before. And in addition to daily house-baked loaves and rolls for tortas, this panaderia has some truly excellent pastries, eclairs, fruit cakes, and one of the Eastside’s best tres leches cakes. Open for pick-up Monday-Saturday, 9am-5pm.
Farmshop, the all-purpose market at the Brentwood Country Mart, has a whole bunch of fresh-baked breads that perfect for work-from-home lunches (like their sourdough pan loaf), fancy French dinners (their crusty and excellent baguettes), and midday chocolate needs (pain au chocolat). It’s all made in-house and they also sell frozen butter croissants by the eight-pack, which you should also get involved in. Order online, or pick-up in store.
Friends & Family, the East Hollywood bakery and lunch hangout (well, not right now) is open weekly for Sunday pick-ups. They’ve got tremendous sweet or savory pastries - our favorite is the smoked ham and gruyere - along with prepared meals, baking supplies, and sourdough boule. Pre-order on their website.
Frogs Bakery makes regular appearances at the Burbank, Studio City, South Pas, and Brentwood Farmers’ Markets - but for the first time, this excellent bakery is also offering delivery (their schedule is sort of complicated, so check it out here). In addition to a bunch of whole grain sourdough breads, they’ve also got some great pastries (especially their Salty Croissant, filled with spinach and cream cheese). Order delivery through their website, or check their Instagram for their Farmers’ Market schedule.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
If you don’t love Gjusta’s bread, then frankly, we seriously question your taste in gluten products. In addition to a full food menu, this excellent Venice bakery has a huge variety of bialys, bagels, and sourdough loaves. You’ll want to get one of everything, but focus on the pumpernickel and sourdough olive if you haven’t had them before. Get a tomato confit or tuna conserva sandwich while you’re there. App delivery, or pick-up via their website.
If you live in Long Beach, you’ve probably heard of Gusto Bread, the bakery that runs out of a cottage in Retro Row. It’s time you try it. This excellent bakery serves tremendous loaves, flatbreads, biscuits, baguettes, cornbreads, and is also selling sourdough starter. Currently doing $5 delivery in Long Beach, or contactless pick-up. Order ahead for Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday pick-up via their website.
House Of Bread is a Persian bakery on Westwood Blvd. with an incredible selection of house-baked breads. Their regular sourdough is among the best in town, and we have nightly dreams about their sesame loaf. If you’re looking for something more traditional, their sangak is also very good. They’re open daily (except Mondays) until 3pm, but usually sell out by around 11am, so call early and they’ll hold your order for you.
After closing at the beginning of quarantine, Lodge Bread is back in Culver City and Woodland Hills. And along with their baguette, seeded country loaves, and some really tremendous sprouted German rye, they’ve got their world-class pastries and baked goods, like miso chocolate cookies and brioche cinnamon rolls. You can also stock up on local produce and baking supplies here, too. Takeout only - for more information, check out their Instagram.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
This Santa Monica staple has long been a great source for fresh bread and pastries, and that hasn’t changed during quarantine. Their house-made bagels are excellent, as are their rotating selection of pastries and sourdough, and their Kouign-amann is so good it should be on the Santa Monica city flag. App delivery available, order via their website for pick-up.
photo credit: Jakob Layman
One of the most legendary bakeries in all of Los Angeles, Porto’s has you covered with everything from their famous stuffed potato balls and pan de agua to sourdough and whole cakes. They’re a massive operation now (with locations in Burbank, Glendale, West Covina, and more), but the quality at this Cuban spot hasn’t suffered a bit. Delivery available via apps, or curbside via their website.
Atwater Village’s local bakery Proof has some great bread loaves, quiches, and croissants that you need to know about if you’re on the Eastside. Our favorite here is the brioche - it’s light, fluffy, and an ideal vessel for some butter and jam. Open daily for pick-up, 8am-4pm.
Rockenwagner Bakery sells their baked goods in all kinds of markets (your local Whole Foods, for example). But head to their tiny storefront on Washington in Culver for the freshest, and thus, best, versions of these baked goods. They’ve got baguettes starting at $3, sourdough or olive bread from $7, and a whole bunch of stuff we wouldn’t even think about trying to make at home (mostly because we couldn’t), like hamburger buns, brioche rolls, and jalapeño-cheddar pretzels. Pick-up daily from 8am-3:30pm.
The Rose in Venice is carrying all the essentials during quarantine - and by that, we mean booze, coffee, and sourdough. They make their bread in-house, and it’s just as good in loaf form as it is in their avocado toast or on their sandwiches. They’ve also got their regular menu available for delivery and pick-up, so grab some pasta while you’re there. App delivery available.
Pasadena’s excellent bakery and lunch spot Seed has got you covered with a large selection of whole-grain breads. They’ve got fresh baguette, whole grain rustic country white, and a killer whole wheat bread with milled farro that’s perfect with a little bit of salted butter. They’ve also got some great pastries, salads, and sandwiches, if you want something immediate. Their pick-up window is open 8am-4pm Tuesday-Saturday, 8am-3pm Sunday.
Superba is a full-blown restaurant on Lincoln in Venice. But in addition to serving things like steak frites and fried chicken sandwiches, they’ve also got a great selection of breads and baked goods. Our favorite is the sprouted wheat loaf, but no matter what you order, be sure to get some whipped burrata on the side - it goes perfectly on basically anything. Open 8am-8pm daily for pick-up and delivery via apps.
Truth be told, it’s a gutsy move to open a restaurant during quarantine. But Tartine, the famous Bay Area spot known for their house-baked loaves, did exactly that in Santa Monica in March. And if you’ve consistently failed at getting your sourdough to rise, Tartine will make you feel better - because as soon as you taste their tremendous toasted sesame loaf, you’ll know that you never could have made anything this good, anyway. They’ve also got pastries and cookies, too, if you want something sweeter. Pick-up or delivery via apps 8am-3pm Mondays and Wednesdays (8am-4pm Thursday-Sunday).
