There’s nothing quite like breaking the crust of a freshly-baked loaf of bread or sinking your teeth into a sticky-sweet piece of Baklava. Our local bakeries in the St. Petersburg and Clearwater area provide us with some of life’s sweetest little moments. Check out some of our favorites spanning from St. Petersburg (where you can find a 100% vegan bakery) to Safety Harbor.
Mazzaro’s Italian Market, voted #1 of 703 restaurants in St. Petersburg in 2018, is home to one of the best bakeries in the entire Tampa Bay area. They make freshly-baked bread and pastries on site every day, and whoever stands in front of their display case can’t help but gaze at the tasty treats like a kid in a candy shop.
You can take home loves of crusty Ciabatta, Focaccia or Rosemary bread and enjoy classic Italian desserts like homemade biscotti, cannolis, and tiramisu. An added bonus? If you’ve got any room left in your stomach, you can try a cup of their gelato, which is made fresh every day.
This bakery in Clearwater has a simple philosophy, and it shows in its flavor: bake magnificent things. They have no set menu at 20 Shekels Bread, and you’ll find that they often sell out because they believe the best goods are made only from the best ingredients in small-batch.
You can find sprouted bread, crafted by hand with the highest quality organic sprouted flour produced in America, or sprouted cookies and cakes. Whatever you get from 20 Shekels, you can be confident that it was made with intention, from the heart.
This little family-owned bagel and donut bakery on the outskirts of St. Petersburg has some of the best bagels in Tampa Bay. They make their donuts and authentic New York-style bagels fresh every morning with flavors like spicy jalapeno and pumpernickel that you can enjoy as a sandwich or with one of their delicious cream cheese smears.
In the Baum Avenue Market in the EDGE District of St. Petersburg, you can find a 100% vegan bakery. Valhalla started out in Orlando and recently opened up their second location in Sunny St. Peter. They’re in soft opening mode as they finish final tweaks in their build out, but you can still snag some delicious vegan treats like maple donuts, chocolate cake, and eggless quiche.
Astoria Pastry Shop is another family-owned bakery with over 60 years of experience making homemade pastries. They create delicious European and Greek specialties like karidopita, a traditional honey walnut cake, and Easter breads. They also offer specialty cakes for any occasion, so if you’ve got a birthday or wedding in the future, keep them in mind!
This Safety Harbor gem is an award-winning, small batch baker of the finest rustic gourmet desserts. You can find treats like salted caramel cheesecake bars and porter pecan pie brownies (made with Crooked Thumb Brewery's Namesake Porter) rotating through their display cases. On weekends, their menu expands to include turnovers, danishes, doughnuts, scones, cinnamon rolls, and so much more.
Next time you find yourself craving a flaky pastry or loaf of freshly baked bread, keep these local bakeries in the St. Petersburg and Clearwater area in mind. If you haven’t already checked them out, you don’t know what you’re missing!
Find more restaurants in St. Petersburg and Clearwater by registering on 727area, your free local guide to the this side of the bay.
Cover photo courtesy of Pxhere
