Best Grocery Store Bakery (2023) - USA TODAY 10Best Readers' Choice Awards (2024)

Enjoy a wide selection of breads, pastries, and desserts

Best Grocery Store Bakery(2023)
September 22, 2023

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Who doesn't love a fresh loaf of bread or a yummy cake? Getting baked goods from a grocery store bakery is a great way to treat yourself and save time. You can easily pick up your favorite items, from fresh bagels to scrumptious cookies, while you're shopping for other necessities.

These 10 grocery store bakeries have been voted by our readers as the best in the country for their variety of quality options that suit different tastes and dietary needs.

Photo courtesy of Whole Foods Market

No. 10:

Whole Foods Market

Blueberry pecan boule bread sliced for you in-store, real fruit pies, vegan croissants — the sky is the limit at a Whole Foods bakery, although you will put a dent in your savings. The Berry Chantilly cakes here have cult status as do the loaves of Seeduction bread, made with pumpkin, millet, sesame, and poppy seeds.

Photo courtesy of Albertsons Companies

No. 9:

Safeway

Seasonal fruit pies are a specialty at Safeway, baked in-store with freshly picked fruit. They also offer soft rolls and signature French and sourdough loaves, plus a great selection of breakfast items, cookies, cakes, and desserts.

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Photo courtesy of serts // Getty Images

No. 8:

Wegmans Food Markets

Wegmans has a large array of baked goods for those with dietary considerations, from gluten- and fat-free, to vegan and kosher. They also offer an array of desserts, artisan breads, and breakfast items, so you can pick up eclairs, coffee cake, and sourdough all in one stop.

Photo courtesy of Publix Super Markets

No. 7:

Publix

Publix bakeries are an excellent choice for their dozens of scratch-made breads baked right in the store, such as the Italian Tutto Pugliese. They also do bakery platters with a selection of petit fours, pastries, and cookies, in case you need to satisfy a crowd. Especially popular are their cakes, which can even be purchased by the slice in select flavors.

Photo courtesy of Albertsons Companies

No. 6:

Albertsons

Albertsons has something for everyone with its in-store bakeries that feature a wide range of breads, cakes, pies, bagels, donuts, muffins, and catering trays. They have freshly baked cupcakes and entire cakes or individual slices, plus kosher, vegan, and gluten-free products for those with dietary considerations.

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Photo courtesy of Central Market

No. 5:

Central Market

Cakes at Central Market can be enormous (serving 10-12) at 9 inches, and flavors range from chocolate mousse to strawberry shortcake and more. There are traditional pies, fresh tortillas, sourdough breads, and an abundance of gourmet items.

Photo courtesy of Stew Leonard's

No. 4:

Stew Leonard's

Stew Leonard's sourdough bread has been using the same starter for over three decades, and their apple cider doughnuts are legendary. The store founder's daughter, Bethy Leonard Hollis, turned time spent in France into a love of butter croissants, and the standards for fresh baked goods here are high.

See Also

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Photo courtesy of Harris Teeter

No. 3:

Harris Teeter

Cakes are all the rage at Harris Teeter. The Sinfully Chocolate triple layer cake and three-layer carrot cake are at the top of the food chain, and their extensive selection of affordable muffins and cookies are just as valid a reason to stop in.

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Photo courtesy of Stop & Shop

No. 2:

Stop & Shop

Affordable and fresh goods are the norm at Stop & Shop bakeries. You can find tasty items of all types here, from traditional bread, pies, cakes, and cookies to more unique items like cannoli chips and dip.

Photo courtesy of The Fresh Market

No. 1:

The Fresh Market

At The Fresh Market, the hand-rolled cake rolls are a must, with flavors like cranberry orange walnut and pumpkin and red velvet with cream cheese filling. You can also find Lindt chocolate cakes, Adam Matthews rum and bourbon cakes, handcrafted fudge, and plenty of other delectable dessert options.

Amber Gibson

Amber Gibson

Amber Gibson spends350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes,National Geographic Traveler, Departures,Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller,NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air,and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.

Dynie Sanderson

Dynie Sanderson

Dynie is the creator of NapaFoodGalTravels and has been a food, wine and travel journalist and digital influencer living and indulging in life in the Napa Valley and around the world for over 25 years. She was founder, publisher and editor of GuestWest Magazine, Napa Valley’s first luxury lifestyle magazine; Food and Flavor Editor for Napa Valley Life Magazine and contributor to a variety of food and wine publications. Always seeking out the next wine region or food and wine festival to experience around the US and around the world to add to “Dynie’s Delicious Destinations.” Follow NapaFoodGal on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Krisi Monsiviaz

Krisi Monsiviaz

Krisi is a food enthusiast and community cultivator. She desires to encourage, equip, and inspire others to create delicious food, gather with purpose, and host with confidence.She’s lived in multiple regions of the United States, traveled to, and lived in numerous countries throughout Europe and Asia. This experience has taught her how to build relationships and strengthen community around good food.You can find all of her recipes on her website. You can also follow on Instagram and Facebook for new recipes, kitchen hacks, and encouragement throughout your week.

Kristen Lummis

Kristen Lummis

Kristen Lummis is a freelance writer based in Western Colorado. The mom of two now-adult sons, Lummis broke into her writing career through snowsports, founding the websitebraveskimom.comin 2010 to provide family-friendly tips across a full range of winter topics. And while skiing is Lummis’ first true outdoor love, she grew up camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and traveling extensively with her family — pursuits that she continues today. She prides herself on unbiased opinions, based on activities and destinations she’s visited and experienced. Lummis is honored to be considered an “expert” for 10Best. Follow her @braveskimom on Instagram and Facebook.

Kyle McCarthy

Kyle McCarthy

Kyle McCarthy is the co-founder and editor of Family Travel Forum, the trusted resource for family vacation planners since 1996. FTF’s award-winning publications: MyFamilyTravels.com, America’s Most Popular Family Vacations andThe Family Vacationiste-newsletterprovide destination reviews, tips andseasonal roundupsfor all aspects of travel. Ms. McCarthy, author of a dozen Frommer’s guidebooks, also contributes to US News, CNN and other publications. She can be found on most social networks@familytravelforum.

Liz Smith

Liz Smith

Liz Newton Smith is a food & travel content creator located in Lafayette, Louisiana. She is a wife, mom of 2 little girls, Physician Assistant, & a Certified Health Coach.She believes that anyone can cook! She shares easy, but delicious recipes on her social media channels - The Vintage Fork. She loves to put her spin on new and old recipes as well as experimenting with her own developments. There is not a food that she won't try (at least once) and she believes there is no destination too far (or too close) for a good time!You can follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and her blog.

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