If you stop and think about it, your neighborhood bakery is a miraculous establishment. From among a fairly limited list of ingredients, a baker selects, measures, combines and bakes a few in various combinations and transforms them into a shop filled with all manner of pastries, cakes, pies and breads for your enjoyment.
And whether the business model of a particular bakery dictates that most of that process takes place at a central location, finally to be baked and offered for sale at multiple locations, or prepared from scratch — start to finish — at the shop in your neighborhood, the end result can bring a few moments of simple, pleasing pleasure to your palate.
Herewith is a guide to some of those palate pleasing emporiums, to start you on your quest for the perfect crumbly (or is that ‘crumby’?), sweet, or savory baked comestible. Many offer indoor as well as outdoor seating, the better to enjoy the passing parade as spring segues into summer.
Lambertville
Chez Alice Patisserie
The menu and decor at Chez Alice Patisserie in Lambertville largely mirror Chez Alice in Princeton. Not surprising, given that both locations are under the umbrella of Genesis Hospitality, whose portfolio of dining and drinking establishments, event spaces and accommodations includes the Peacock Inn and Nassau Diner in Princeton, Lambertville Station in Lambertville, and the Washington Crossing Inn and Yardley Inn across the Delaware.
One notable difference is that, in addition to ample indoor seating, Chez Alice Lambertville takes advantage of its location next to Genesis property Lambertville Station to offer a spot for outdoor sipping and supping. Just stroll alongside the building, cross the foot bridge behind Lambertville Station restaurant and claim a spot next to the D&R Canal, its towpath offering an opportunity for a relaxing pre or post priandial meander.
Check out the Chez Alice website for lots more information.
15 Bridge Street. Phone: 609-493-0154. Online: chezalicecafe.com. Hours: Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday through Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Lambertville Bakehouse
“Food is our way of showing & sharing love, care and support” proclaims the welcoming message of Lambertville Bakehouse owners Aastha and Justin on the sign above the counter. While Aastha handles the administrative and technical details of running the business, Justin, a graduate of the International Culinary Center in Manhattan, attends to the baking.
Dropping in mid-morning at Lambertville Bakehouse taught me a valuable lesson: many of the items on offer were sold out. “Our babka is a favorite and sells out quickly,” notes Justin, “as does our sourdough.”
After sampling Justin’s very last everything bagel (“not a real bagel”) sourdough, I understood why. He also offers a sourdough country loaf, demi-baguette, and personal loaf, as well as sea salt and olive focaccias, Japanese milk bread (special order only) and more. Pastries include four kinds of croissants, scones, sourdough biscuits and cheese & chive danish.
The crumb cake cupcake I also managed to score was a satisfying treat, as was the classic chocolate chip cookie; crisp on the outside, chewy inside, with a perfect balance of chips to dough.
There’s lots more to explore on the Lambertville Bakehouse website, including their all-day brunch specials (“from when we open, until we run out”), including a selection of breakfast sandwiches served on everything bagel sourdough and a traditional croque monsieur or croque madame, served on Japanese Milk Bread.
Takeout and limited indoor seating is available. Don’t be like me, get there early!
61 North Main Street. Email: lambertvillebakehouse@gmail.com. Online: lambertvillebakehouse.com. Hours: Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Lawrenceville
The Gingered Peach
One thing you can almost always count on when you stop by the Gingered Peach bakery is that there will be a crowd. Stop by before the doors open when the weather’s decent and there will be a line of folks waiting to get in.
Don’t let that discourage you, Owner Joanne Canady-Brown (who also runs Purple Cow ice cream parlor around the corner, Rojo’s Roastery in Princeton and a soon to open — we hope — nearby breakfast and lunch spot called Marmalade) has staffed the front of the shop engaging, friendly people who will move you through with a minimum of fuss as you make your selection from an ever changing assortment of croissants, scones, cupcakes, sweet breads, biscuits, savories, coffees and more.
A few of the tempting treats I sampled on a recent visit included a Guava and Cheese Danish (topped with a delicate edible flower), Olive Oil Cake (moist sponge cake prepared with extra virgin olive oil and a welcome hint of orange), cheddar bacon biscuit (a buttery herbed biscuit with cheddar, bacon and a pinch of cayenne).
Then came the guiltiest of my personal guilty pleasures; the Sticky Piggy (a delicious, buttery sticky bun, made with raisins and chopped pecans, with the addition of bacon bits and available only on Saturdays), and — last but not least — the Trenton Volcano (brioche stuffed with Case’s pork roll, spinach, cheddar, Swiss, and topped with everything bagel seasoning).
There’s a well-chosen selection of merch as well, including Rojo’s coffee, King Arthur flour, tools for baking at home, and a rotating limited selection of clever, sassy (and occasionally snarky) greeting cards.
The Gingered Peach offers takeout only. When weather permits, tables and chairs for outdoor dining are located on the lawn at the back of the shop.
2 Gordon Avenue. Online: thegingeredpeach.com. Hours: Tuesday through Friday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Saturday: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Pennington
Terra Momo Bread Company
The Terra Momo Restaurant Group, which includes local favorites Mediterra restaurant and taverna, Teresa’s restaurant and wine bar, Eno Terra in Kingston and Albarino tapas and wine bar in Shrewsbury has relocated its Witherspoon Street bakery to what had been the site of the venerable Pennington Hardware Store at 15 West Delaware Avenue. in Pennington, a short walk to Pennington’s downtown and across from The Pennington School.
In addition to a selection of coffees and other hot and cold beverages, an assortment of Terra Momo’s popular freshly baked breads and desserts are on offer to eat in or take away. Breads are prepared with locally milled organic flour, sourdough with their own sourdough starter, and include organic pain levain, seven-seed Seeded Rye, slow-fermented pane de campagna, honey whole wheat with flax and pumpkin seeds, and challah. A selection of croissants and brioche are offered, as well as fruit tarts, biscotti, cookies, and more.
Counter seating at the front windows offers a quiet spot to gaze out on Delaware Avenue. Limited sidewalk seating is available, weather permitting. Terra Momo Bread Company’s catering menu offers breakfast and lunch platters for your next event. Visit their web site for full details.
15 West Delaware Avenue. Phone: 609-688-0108. Online: terramomo.com. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Princeton
Belle Journée
The Belle Journée web site promises “French-inspired baked goods and brunch,” and I found no reason to disagree. The brightly lit space has table seating for about 30, plus 4 at a counter adjoining the entrance. Belle Journée is a franchise operation. An AI-assisted search was unable to unearth the total number of locations, but this humble human found that other New Jersey locations include Fort Lee, Palisades Park, and Ridgefield Park.
It’s worth noting that Belle Journée has a system for making your selections, choosing a beverage and settling up your bill that I didn’t encounter in any of the other establishments. It took this first-time visitor a moment or two to suss out exactly how to choose from the impressive and continually replenished selection of turnovers, all manner of croissants, cookies, scones and savory items temptingly displayed in cases adjoining the tables.
To spare you that awkward moment of newbie confusion, here’s the deal; 1.) Turn right after you enter and head for the far front corner of the shop, 2.) Pick up a tray, a pair of tongs from the rack, and a sheet of wax paper to line your tray, 3.) Graze to your hearts content, make your choices and head to the counter, where a friendly server / cashier will take your drinks order and payment. 4a.) Eat in!, 4b.) Take out!, 5.) Enjoy!
Among the items my tasting companion and I enjoyed were a Chocolate Twist and Maple Pecan Danish. From the savory side we debated between Tomato & Olive and Mushroom & Onion. The latter won by a whisker.
An extensive brunch menu is offered seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Check the web site for a sample (subject to change) menu.
19 Chambers Street. Online: bellejournee.com. Hours: Monday and Tue 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Sunday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The Blue Bears Special Meals
A visit to the Blue Bears Special Meals website informs you that it is not simply a cafe and bakery, but a bake shop and restaurant that provides people with intellectual and developmental disabilities a place of dignity to work.
A nonprofit, staff members assist those folks prepare and serve a very satisfying range of dishes in a space that’s open and welcoming, aimed at immersing customers in French-themed vintage decor, dinnerware and music.
In my experience, Blue Bears succeeds admirably in meeting those goals. On the day of my most recent visit; bakery offerings included plain, chocolate, almond and hazelnut chocolate croissants, as well as orange, lemon and pistachio cake by the slice.
The almond croissant was prepared with crisp, flaky dough with just the right amount of almond filling, a sweet treat but not overly so. The chocolate hazelnut croissant echoed those paper thin layers of pastry, interlaced with rich chocolate and hazelnut. A tad sweeter than the almond croissant, but who’s complaining?
In addition to its curated selection of French pastries, Blue Bears offers excellent hot and cold breakfast, lunch and brunch selections, to eat in or take away. Online ordering and catering are available as well. Check their web site for the full menu and catering details. Indoor and outdoor seating is available.
Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street. Online: bluebears.org. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Chez Alice Patisserie
Chez Alice Patisserie’s comfortable and comforting new location on Witherspoon Street is a great place to go for good selection of carefully prepared coffees (hot and iced), tea, tasty pastries, macarons, cooked breakfast dishes and more, including an ever changing selection of French-themed merchandise for those looking for a special gift.
I happened to visit on a day when Chez Alice was running a “Buy 3 Get 1 Free” special. On the savory side, the Mushroom Danish I sampled was a satisfying, buttery puff pastry. Think round croissant that’s been pressed in the middle to accommodate thin slices of sauteed mushroom. Yummy! For my other three selections, my sweet tooth won out; Almond Croissant, Cinnamon Monkey Bread and Cranberry Roll, all judged worthy of a repeat visit.
The menu includes bagels, breakfast sandwiches, a seemingly endless array of specialty cakes (tiramisu, chocolate raspberry torte, carrot.), tarts, tartlets, and a slew of “individual desserts” (opera cake, mango mousse, tres leches.), as well as delightful assortment of macarons, croissants, breads, and rolls.
Indoor seating accommodates about 46 guests, and the contented crowd on the day of my visit clearly demonstrates that Chez Alice continues to be a popular in-town gathering spot.
14-16 Witherspoon Street. Online: chezalicecafe.com. Hours: Sunday through Thu 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Delizioso Bakery and Kitchen
This unassuming exterior of this establishment at the far (from Nassau Street) end of Witherspoon belies the breath and depth of the ambitious restaurant and bakery menu within. To take a deep dive into either, let alone the detail all the baked goods on offer, would require far more space than this survey of area bakeries permits.
Fortunately, the folks at Delizioso give an exhaustive account of their offerings on their web site. I urge you, dear reader, to take a moment to peruse it before arriving for a cooked breakfast (“served all day”), lunch, or one of their coffees (classic or specialty) or teas (including chai and matcha) perhaps paired with one of the taste-tempting offerings from their bakery. Choose from among a selection that includes donuts, croissants, cinnamon buns, cookies, scones, bear claws, strudels, brownies, cobblers, mini-loafs, and cupcakes.
The three bakery selections sampled by my tasting companion and me each received an enthusiastic thumbs up. The fresh, lightly sweetened dough of the Cinnamon Chip Scone paired perfectly with the caramelized sugar cinnamon “chips.” While not fashioned into the cube-shape of a traditional pain au chocolat, the flattened rectangle of laminated dough of the Chocolate Croissant was light, flaky, filled with rich, sweet chocolate, and drizzled with chocolate on top for good measure.
The apple turnover, a guilty pleasure from my youth, was a bit of a nostalgia trip and perhaps my personal favorite. Flaky crust, apple filling laced with apple slices still firm to the bite, topped with a paper thin sugary glaze. The perfect apple turnover? You be the judge.
205 Witherspoon St. Online: deliziosobakery.com. Hours: Daily 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
LiLLiPies Bakery
If my research is correct, on July 11, LiLLiPies Bakery will be observing a decade at the Princeton Shopping Center. The LiLLiPies web site proudly proclaims that everything is baked on-site from scratch throughout the day, and that organic flour is used in all of their breads and baked goods.
Specializing in single-serving pies and artisan breads, must trys include the kouign-amann, a sweet, flaky round pastry originally from Brittany. Kouign-amann means “butter cake” in Breton, and the layers of buttery, laminated dough and caramelized sugar proclaim “butter cake!” in any language.
And the foundational single-serving Lillipie pies, like lemon meringue, raspberry cheesecake and flourless chocolate pie are not to be (and weren’t) missed, followed by a tasty chocolate chunk cookie and ginger cardamom scone.
A variety of English muffins (I enjoyed the multigrain) are on offer, as are specialty breads like sourdough, made from LiLLiPies original starter, according to our friendly server, Jeff, who also shared that on the weekend the shop offers limited quantities of Japanese milk bread, a soft, fluffy rectangular bread perfect for sandwiches or toast.
Breakfast and lunch entrees are also available, as is selection of beverages, including Small World coffee. Visit the web site for details.
There’s indoor and outdoor seating; a mix of tables, high tops and counter seating inside, four tables for four outside.
301 North Harrison Street. Online: lillipies.com. Hours: Tuesday through Sunday 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Note: Griddle closes at 1:30 p.m.
The Little Chef Pastry Shop
This narrow shop at 8 South Tulane Street proves the adage that good things come in small packages.
The French inspired pastry shop is overseen by baker and pastry chef Edwige Fils-Aime. Chef Edwidge offers a well curated selection of baked goods throughout the year, as well as seasonal specialties that include summer sorbets, Thanksgiving cheesecakes, and traditional Buche de Noel (Chocolate Raspberry, Chocolate Ganache, Pistachio Hazelnut) at Yuletide. According to the web site, everything is made in house including the croissants, made fresh every morning.
It was my neighbor’s enthusiastic recommendation of those croissants that made me particularly keen to visit The Little Chef, and I was not disappointed.
I chose two varieties from the day’s selections on The Little Chef menu. The plain croissant was everything a croissant should be; flaky, buttery, perfectly browned. Chef Edwidge’s pear croissant was a winner as well; crunchy, chewy, flaky dough fashioned into a pinwheel shape. Sweet, but not overly so. Thin slices of ripe pear and a dusting of confectioner’s sugar completed this little work of edible art. Last but not least, the apricot scone I sampled was worthy of an encore.
Special order cakes, cheesecakes, tarts and more are available throughout the year, along with seasonal items such as the aforementioned buche de noel. Cakes range in size from 3 to 14 inches, and are priced accordingly.
Images of Chef Edwige’s creations are posted on The Little Chef web site. You may gain a pound or two just by looking at them.
8 South Tulane Street. Online: thelittlechefpastryshop.com. Hours: Daily 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Holidays: 9:30 a.m. to noon. Note: Cash or checks only.
Maman
I featured Maman in a prior year’s U.S. 1 Spring Dining issue as one of the newer additions to Princeton’s dining scene, and see no reason to change my impression of this charming, light-filled destination.
I would still be hard-pressed to dispute the characterization of Maman Princeton (one of Maman’s many locations) posted on its web site: “This café feels like something straight out of a Hallmark film. grab a cup of coffee or pastry while you amble about town. Our spacious & sunlight-filled interior also makes the perfect study or lunch catch-up spot. What’s not to love?”
A broad selection of pastries and cookies are offered, as are a changing selection of soups and salads. Calorie counts for each item are thoughtfully provided, and gluten friendly, vegan and vegetarian options are available. Maman also offers a kid’s menu, with classics like grilled cheese, and an extensive selection of coffees, teas, juices, kombucha and more.
43 Hulfish Street. Phone: 609-285-2974. Online: mamannyc.com/locations/princeton. Hours: Monday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Reunion
Reunion recently opened at the Spring Street location formerly occupied by House of Ishan, in a cozy space seating just six at a counter and six more at tables for two. It had been open for business a week or so when I dropped in and spoke to friendly co-owner Tim, who shared that things are still very much a work in progress in terms of Reunion’s offerings. That said, things seem to be off to a good start.
The offerings I sampled currently echo those of House of Ishan in large measure. The savory spinach and feta pastry was fresh, flaky and cheesy, with a lattice crust and a nice balance of spinach and crumbled feta. Other fresh and satisfying choices my tasting companion and I enjoyed included an almond croissant, a chocolatey chocolate croissant, and a blueberry muffin. A nice assortment of coffees, teas and soft drinks are on offer as well.
Go ahead, check it out!
6 Spring Street. Phone: 908-829-3447. Hours: Tuesday through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sun: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Titusville
L’Annexe de Mamie Colette
It’s a short hop down I-295 to the French bakery L’Annexe de Mamie Colette on route 29 (River Rd) in Titusville. The shop is named in honor of the grandmother (Mamie is grandma in French) of chef Magali, co-owner along with Isabelle Noblanc.
The partners call the establishment a “viennoiserie,” French for a shop that offers fine baked goods such as croissants, danishes, pains au chocolat and brioches that are the bridge between bread and pastry shops (pâtisseries).
“All our baked goods are made from scratch, in our bakery,” declares Noblanc. Baguettes and miches (loaves) in traditional style, multigrain and more are available, as is a selection of coffee, tea, and soft drinks.
All of the items I’ve sampled on several visits to L’Annexe have been exceptional. First timers should definitely order a croissant (or two), then perhaps venture to the sweeter side of the offerings, such as the Pruneau Far Breton, a traditional flan-style custardy cake from Brittany.
Crepes, a regional specialty of Brittany made with buckwheat flour are offered here and are prepared to order with a variety of either sweet (jam, Nutella, sea salt caramel…) or savory (ham, eggs, cheese, smoked salmon…) fillings. L’Annexe also offers a small, expertly curated selection of French specialty food and gift items.
Limited seating is available indoors and (weather permitting) outdoors.
1462 River Road. Online: lannexedemamiecolette.com. Hours: Wednesday and Thursday 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Friday to Sunday 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Parking lot behind the building, enter between buildings 1460 and 1462.
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Gingered Peach Owner Joanne Canady-Brown.,
Blue Bears Special Meals.,
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