Five North Carolina Bakeries to Add to Your Travel Itinerary

From a delightful pastry paired with a cup of locally-roasted coffee to a perfect sourdough sandwich to an after-dinner cookie, chances are I’ll visit a bakery at least once over the course of every trip. Most bakeries tend to serve locals, not travelers, and they often offer a great source of local character and intel.

With that in mind, today I’m rounding up five of my favorite North Carolina bakeries for your next NC road trip, ordered from east to west and mapped out for you right here. When selecting a bakery, I tend to look for ones that do some or all of the following: use natural leaveners or only a small amount of yeast in their breads, mill their own flours or source them locally, use high-quality butter in their pastries, and take the time required to produce an exceptional product. Here are five bakeries that meet my (admittedly high) standards to produce a range of baked goods:

1. Boulted Bread

Boulted Bread | 614 W South St, Raleigh, NC 27603

I first tried Boulted Bread back in 2019. Michael and I were visiting the Triangle to decide if it was a place we would consider moving, and our Airbnb was just a few blocks away. This fact alone ended up being the saving grace of our trip, as multiple flight cancelations led us to return our rental car instead of paying the exorbitant prices to extend it. Instead of panicking about extending our trip, we looked forward to our morning coffee and pastry at Boulted. This small Raleigh bakery meets every single one of my standards listed above. And unlike a lot of bakeries that tend to specialize in either bread or pastry, Boulted is equally strong on both fronts. Their menu changes frequently, but some of my favorite non-loaf items include their tomato tartine (prepared in the Carolinian way – with Duke’s mayo), their chocolate croissant (with the most beautifully dark chocolate batons inside), their chocolate chip cookie (studded with so much chocolate it should be illegal), and their ham and cheese croissant (well, that’s Michael’s favorite, but somehow a few bites always make it my way). On the bread-front, the classic Levain wins for value and flavor, and a half-loaf of the Nordic Rye will last for a long time thanks to its dense and chewy structure. How have I managed to make my way through so much of their menu, despite living two and a half hours away? Well, we’ve made the five-hour roundtrip journey from Charlotte more than once, solely with the intentions of picking up an (obscene) amount of bread.

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2. Brandwein’s Bagels

Brandwein's Bagels | 505 W Rosemary St, Chapel Hill, NC 27516

At first a bagel bakery may seem like an odd candidate for a round up of bakeries, but good bagels are few and far between here in the Carolinas, so I feel I must include Brandwein’s in this round up. This Chapel Hill spot boils and bakes their New York-style bagels daily, and sources local ingredients whenever possible. All the classic bagel flavors are here, and they operate as a full-fledged bagel deli rather than just a bagel bakery. If you decide you’re in the mood for more of a meal, be warned that Brandwein’s stuffs their bagels generously. I highly recommend sharing one with a friend if you’re not so hungry. But no matter your preferred bagel toppings, be sure to bring home a dozen (slice and freeze right away so they are as fresh as possible!).

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3. Bobby Boy Bakeshop

Bobby Boy Bakeshop | 1100 Reynolda Rd, Winston-Salem, NC 27104

I first learned of Bobby Boy Bakeshop from Chef Digby Stridiron as I was planning our St. Croix trip last year (isn’t it funny how many circles there are in this life?), and I immediately added it to my list of places to visit in North Carolina. I instantly regretted arriving having already eaten, as their lunch menu sounded – and smelled – fantastic. But while I haven’t personally had the chance to eat their array of sandwiches and other entrees, I have managed to indulge in their sweet and savory pastries and loaves of bread and they are perfection. Once you lay eyes on the case of goodies, you’ll want to order one of everything, promise. Plan accordingly.

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4. Verdant Bread

Verdant Bread | 4410 Monroe Rd Suite C, Charlotte, NC 28205

I couldn’t possibly round up a list of favorite bakeries without mentioning one in my own city. Verdant has been our go-to source for sourdough since our very first week in Charlotte. Once upon a time their bread was only available to purchase at Charlotte markets and at designated pickup spots – but now you can walk up to the bread shop on Monroe on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays (which is so much more convenient!). But for the best selection, I suggest pre-ordering from the website. My usuals are the Country Loaf (the dough is a high hydration formula – you’ll know it when you feel it) and the Whole Wheat Pullman (the perfect sandwich bread!), but they almost always have something unique on the menu, too. Follow their Instagram for the latest loaves and stay for the antics.

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5. mother | bread + wine

mother | bread + wine | 20 Artful Wy #102, Asheville, NC 28801

The new kid on the block is mother, in the heart of Asheville’s River Arts District. Though it may be young on the scene, their fermentation methods are old – using wild yeasts in the sourdough (i.e. the “mother”) to leaven their breads. This tiny shop produces excellent products, like pretzels, bagels, and seasonal loaves. During our visit, they also carried one of my favorite simple sandwiches, if made correctly: the jambon-beurre. With only bread, ham, and butter, all of the ingredients have to be top-notch or else the sandwich isn’t worth eating. Thankfully mother takes care in making this and all of their offerings. Next time I’ll return a little later in the day, to enjoy a glass from their curated selection of superb wines. Perhaps I’ll see you there, and we can make a toast!

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What is your favorite style of bread?