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These must-visit spots specialize in everything from po'boy bread to doberge cakes.
The South takes its baking seriously. Known for towering layer cakes and fluffy biscuits, the region knows a thing or two about how to work with flour, sugar, and butter. Many iconic American desserts and breads come from the South, like Key lime pie or hummingbird cake, and others that may not have originated here, have still been perfected by Southern bakers who have spent years honing their craft. This list celebrates the iconic bakeries producing some of the best baked goods in the region. From Texas to Florida, layer cakes to kolaches, here's where to find the South's most legendary bakeries.
Related: The South's Most Legendary Restaurants
Leidenheimer Baking Company
New Orleans, Louisiana
If you get a po'boy in New Orleans, there's a good chance it's on Leidenheimer Baking Company's bread. Parkway Bakery and Tavern, a legend in its own right, is one of many in the city that uses their crisp crusted bread, with a soft, fluffy interior. The shop has been baking its signature French loaves for over a century now, and today is owned and operated by the fourth and fifth generations of the Leidenheimer family.
Dutch Maid Bakery
Tracy City, Tennesse
Founded in 1902, Dutch Maid is the oldest bakery in Tennessee. Started by two Swiss immigrants John and Louise Baggenstoss, the couple initially started the business as a way to share a taste of home with other Swiss immigrants. The bakery stayed in the family for three generations until it closed in 2003, but it was quickly revived just two years later by Cindy Day. She still uses many of the beloved recipes that made it a local landmark. The bakery is particularly beloved for its Salt-Rise Bread, which takes five days to make.
Related: 5 Southern Bakeries Still Serving Up Grandma's Recipes
Olde Colony Bakery
Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
Just outside Charleston, this bakery has been making its beloved benne wafers, a Lowcountry tradition, since the late 1940s. It was founded by Peter Kikos, a two-time Bronze Star recipient and World War II veteran, and his wife, Leila, a Charleston native. Their signature treat was developed after Kikos returned from the war and modified a benne cake recipe that had been passed down through generations. Today, the bakery sells between 800 and 1,600 pounds of their benne wafers each week.
Dean’s Cake House
Andalusia, Alabama
Dean Jacobs' bakery is an homage to the Southern grandmother. Her team of seasoned cake bakers (most are octogenarian women) produce seven-layer cakes (chocolate, lemon, and caramel) from a nondescript storefront in the small town of Andalusia, Alabama. She ships hundreds of them to grocery stores across the Southeast, but for the real experience, you must visit her iconic bakery in person.
Winkler Bakery
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
Established in 1807, this Old Salem bakery is one of the oldest continually operating bakeries in the South. It was founded by the Moravian community, and is now managed by Sister Deborah Crews. Up until a few years ago, Sister Deborah and her helpers made everything at the bakery, but in order to preserve the historic building, which dates back to 1799, the baking is now done off-site.
Henri’s Bakery & Café
Atlanta, Georgia
This storied Atlanta bakery now has seven locations, but began as a single shop at the corner of 10th and Peachtree Streets in 1929. It was established by Henri Fiscus who was born in France and came to the United States after World War I. Initially, he landed up north, but made his way south as the opening pastry chef of the Biltmore Hotel.
Just six years later he purchased his own bakery, ultimately building a legacy for quality and excellence. The business expanded under younger generations, and today, you can get Henri's pastries across seven locations in Metro Atlanta. You can't really make a wrong choice at the Henri's pastry case, but both the buttery shortbread cookies with a dot of frosting and the eclairs are popular choices.
Alessi Bakery
Tampa, Florida
A Tampa landmark, Alessi Bakery dates back over a century to 1912. It's named for its founder, Nicolo Alessi, who used to deliver his Italian and Cuban bread on horse and wagon to his customers. John, Nicolo's son and a talented cake decorator, helped create the bakery's reputation for exceptional cakes, which today you can watch be decorated through a window at its current location on Cypress Street.
LeJeune’s Bakery
Jeanerette, Louisiana
LeJeune's is the oldest bakery in the state of Louisiana, and was established in 1884. It has been run by the same family for six generations, and is known for its French bread and old-fashioned ginger cakes. They pride themselves on using the same family recipes and techniques as they always have, which in the case of the French bread, means using lard instead shortening to achieve its signature flavor and crust. The secret to their baked goods is that everything is still made by hand, using equipment that dates back to 1920s and 30s.
Collin Street Bakery
Corsicana, Texas
Although they offer a wide variety of desserts, including the pie above, Collins Street Bakery is probably best known for its fruitcake. The shop originally opened its doors over a century ago in 1896, after a young German baker, Augustus “Gus” Weidman, came to the small town of Corsicana with his family recipe for fruitcake. The formula has pretty much stayed the same all these years later, with one notable exception: the walnuts have been replaced by local pecans. Today, the downtown Corsicana shop produces around 20,000 cakes each day during its busy season, proving just how in demand that original recipe still is.
Naegelin's Bakery
New Braunfels, Texas
This Texas stalwart has been around 142 years. The bakery was founded by Edouard Naegelin, Sr., who immigrated to the United States from Alsace-Lorraine when he was just a child. He came to New Braunfels in 1868 with "a sack of flour and less than a dollar cash in his pocket," according the bakery, and nevertheless started his own buisness. In the beginning, the bakery's bread was delivered hot, straight from the oven, in a wagon. Decades later, in 1980, the Granzin family purchased the bakery, but preserved the recipes and traditions, from the strudel to the breakfast-sausage kolaches.
Caroline's Cakes
Spartanburg, South Carolina
Caroline's Cakes started as a side hustle for Caroline Ragsdale Reutter, who produced the layer cakes from her home in Annapolis, Maryland. She'd leave them on her front porch, and folks could swing by, find the one with their name on it, take it, and put a check for her in a big red tin. The hobby didn’t grow into an official business until the early 2000s, but in the more than 20 years since, Caroline's Cake, packaged in their signature red tins from their new home base in Spartanburg, South Carolina, have become something of a legend.
Campbell's Bakery
Jackson, Mississippi
Located in Jackson's historic Fondren neighborhood, Campbell's Bakery has been a local sweets staple since 1962. Senior Food Editor, Josh Miller, grew up in Jackson, and can personally attest to how important of a community fixture it is: "Campbell’s has always been a family favorite. Full circle moment: They made my parents’ wedding cake AND my mom’s 70th birthday cake! While folks go to Campbell’s for different treats, our favorite is their petit fours. Simply decorated and delicately flavored, they’re the perfect sweet treat for a special occasion."
La Segunda Central Bakery
Ybor City, Florida
La Segunda Central Bakery is a longtime Florida favorite, representing the state's rich immigrant heritage. It was started by Juan Morè, who came to Florida from Spain via Cuba, and actually opened three bakeries: "La Primera", "La Segunda", and "La Tercera" ( The First, The Second, and The Third, in Spanish). When bakeries one and three closed, Morè took over La Segunda and kept its name. The bakery then and now is known for its Cuban bread, producing 20,000 loaves daily. Four generations in and they still do everything by hand, including placing a fresh palmetto leaf across the top of their loaves to lock in moisture.
Read the original article on Southern Living
