Loafin': Top 5 Bakery Breads

By Andrew Simmons Mon., May 23 2011 at 9:30 AM

Amy Scattergood

Challah-in-process at Stoneground.

"Don't fill up on bread," a few million parents have warned, seated around a trattoria table, a basket of steaming slices and a cup of olive oil at its center. Their children have never listened, and it's no wonder. Bread is a much better food than a band, not the perfect food, of course, but for many the most satisfying--filling, simple, fragrant when warm, a confluence of pleasing textures. At home, many of us go through a loaf a week. Unfortunately, in Los Angeles, great bread is often surprisingly hard to find. Even the "artisanal" vendors at our farmers market don't deserve to share a shelf with Acme. You know the situation is dire when you look forward to par-baked ciabatta from Trader Joe's. Below we share a handful of exceptions to the rule. And we welcome any suggestions, since you may strenuously disagree with our list. Fine. Just weigh in.

5. Breadbar
Best Bet: A standard baguette. Eat one end in the car, while driving home. Sandwiches for dinner. Tomorrow, make croutons. The following day, use as a club or feed to pigeons.
Locations: 8718 West 3rd St., Los Angeles; (310) 205-0124; 10250 Santa Monica Blvd., Los Angeles; (310) 277-3770

4. Euro Pane
Best Bet: Brioche. If Marie Antoinette had actually said, "Qu'ils mangent de la brioche," she would not have been telling her hungry subjects to eat cake. She would have been encouraging them, instead, to eat one of these rich eggy baubles. Just as insensitive, we think.
Location: 950 East Colorado Blvd., Pasadena; (626) 577-1828

3. Stoneground Bakery
Best Bet: Challah, dude. Challah makes amazing French toast and bread pudding. We also like it wrapped around a mass of rare roast beef.
Location: 5005 Kanan Rd., Agoura Hills; (818) 597-8774

Location Info

Venue

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Euro Pane

950 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, CA

Category: Restaurant

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Andrew Simmons, Bread, Euro Pane, La Brea Bakery

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digdigdug

I can't believe that Frisco Baking Co didn't make the list. They are known for their sourdough but their rolls are the best in Los Angeles. Even famous restaurants like the pantry uses their bread for their delicious french toast.

Smntstatus1

Got Kosher Provisions in Pico/Robertson has the most amazing pretzel challah in the city, and their fleur de salt challahs are incredible as well. I think the Yemeni family that owns the place has been baking for six generations.

RBJL

What about the Village Bakery and Cafe in Atwater Village! I don't know what "our farmers markets" includes to you but I and many of my friends have been buying their bread at the Silver Lake and Hollywood farmers markets for over a year. Having lived in San Francisco, and therefore well aware of Acme, I can tell you their bread is easily as good, and their sourdough and baguette the best I've ever had.

TODOS SOMOS PUTOS

La Brea Bakery has been resting on their laurels (laurel loaves) for far too long. They're product is inferior to what it was ten years ago and other bakers are doing better bread. (The LBB bread in grocery stores downright sucks.) Please Bay Area's ACME (or 20 other bakers from that area...) come to Los Angeles.

RJM

No LaBrea Bakery? Definitely a half-assed list. Do at least a little bit of research before you write an article.

Adlsimmons

Thanks for the tips regarding Huckleberry and Diamond. RJM, I actually had some half-assed baguettes from LaBrea. Don't know what was up, but didn't feel like including it. Perhaps a bad batch?