Looking For A Good Bakery In Devon? Here Are Some Of My Favourites.

Beachwood Bakery

If you are anything like me then bread and baked goods grace your kitchen table at least three times a day. A couple of doorstop slices of good bread, toasted or a croissant at breakfast, a salad or bowl of soup with a hunk of sourdough at lunch and supper always served with something to mop up the juices.

We are fortunate in Exeter and the surrounding area to have some cracking small bakeries creating exceptional loaves, cakes, pastries and savouries for our daily consumption. This column isn’t big enough to mention them all, but here are a few that I have visited recently.

The Sidwell Street Bakehouse

I couldn’t write this article without mentioning the good folk at The Sidwell Street Bakehouse. A community enterprise that started 4-5 years ago at St Sidwell’s Community Centre on Sidwell Street. What started as a few volunteer lead baking classes in the small kitchen developed and grew to what we know The Sidwell Street Bakehouse to be today. Alongside the bricks and mortar shop they run a bustling stall at Exeter Farmers Market.

The team moved over to the empty Halfords property after successfully crowdfunding to get the new bakery project off the ground and I am proud to say I was one of the many who donated.

For me the stall at the market was a godsend during the first Covid lockdown. I used to look forward to my weekly visit to pick up a loaf and treat. I think the sense of community and camaraderie that the little market stall created at that time made others like myself donate and get the new bakery up and running. They class themselves as a “sourdough bakery” but also make cakes and pastries using local suppliers like Shillingford Organics for veggies. The bakery may have grown and developed over the years but always the purpose of the bakery was to provide people with quality volunteer opportunities and give the good folk of Exeter nutritional sourdough.

Fika

Next up on my go-to bakery list is Fika. This one woman home micro-bakery creates classic Swedish bakes as well as sourdough bread. You can find owner Annika Sylvana Naish at Exeter’s Farmers market and Topsham Saturday Market as well at other retailers across exeter and the surrounding area. Annika has built up a cult following providing us with a little snippet of what traditional Swedish Fika is all about. It would seem that we can’t get enough as she bakes about 200-300 different Swedish buns each week, 120-150 cakes and biscuits and 30 sourdough loaves on top of that. If you can’t get to her she offers free local delivery within a certain radius.

Beachwood Bakery

A little outside Exeter and voted one of Financial Times’ 50 best food shops on the planet is Beachwood Bakery in Chagford. This bakery offers its customers delicious bread and treats to eat in or takeaway. Owner Julia Cotts says “ I bake things that I want to eat that have integrity from the very first step to the last. For me, that means sourcing ingredients that are produced with care; creating recipes that put flavour first allowing those beautiful ingredients to shine”.

They have a regular offering of sourdough bread, cinnamon buns, cakes, tarts and cookies. They make sandwiches and wraps using their homemade bread as well as offering seasonal soups and oozing cheese toasties. In the summer months they even make their own ice cream!

Maslin Bakery

Maslin Bakery make the most wonderful bread in my opinion and their doughnuts, buns and Eccles cakes will make you weep they are so good. This micro-bakery based in Honiton uses UK grown organic and heritage grains and aren’t afraid to experiment.

They don’t have a walk-in bakery but you can find their goods dotted around in some of my favourite shops and delis. Exeter folk you can find their wares in the rather wonderful Magdalen Cheese & Provisions on Magdalen Road and for those readers in East Devon head to Genesis in Honiton or Rabbit & Co in Ottery St Mary.

Like st Sidwell’s Bakehouse, Maslin Bakery have had a series of crowdfunders to help keep their dream alive which I have donated to. They still have one running now to help purchase a new oven so if you are keen to donate head over to gofundme.com.

The Almond Thief

Last on my list is The Almond Thief. I first discovered this bakery many, many years ago at Exeter Farmers Market. Dan the owner would travel up from Totnes every Thursday with his special sourdough loaves and a few sweet treats such as custard tarts and cookies. From first tasting I was hooked and have been a fan ever since. The bread has a thick crust and a light almost crumpet-y centre. It’s seriously good.

You can find The Almond Thief bread at their two bakeries/cafes as well as a few local to them outlets. The original (kind of – they recently moved around the corner!) bakery in Dartington just outside Totnes and the new sibling in Plymouth. They also have a weekly pop-up in Totnes at The Albatross, a community collaborative space. Their pastries are not to be missed and if you purchase at the pop-up you can take your goodies across the road to The Bull and enjoy with a coffee or hot chocolate.

Creamo’s in Ashburton

Creamo’s in Ashburton make the most exquisite sweet treats and pastries. I have featured them on my blog before. Read about Creamo’s here.

The pastries and bakes they make are simply wonderful using seasonal ingredients. Get a coffee whilst you are there and enjoy what possibly might be the best coffee you have ever had (I’m not lying!) alongside one or perhaps two pastries! They also make super duper ice cream which will knock your socks off!

There you have it. A few of my favourite bakeries in Devon. As I write this I have two more that I want to explore and get to know. The first Hylston Bakery in Buckfastleigh and the second Briar Bakery in Ashburton.

Disclaimer: I was not paid to write this post and all opinions are my own. I only write about businesses I truly love, respect and think deserve to be shared with my readers.

 

2 thoughts on “Looking For A Good Bakery In Devon? Here Are Some Of My Favourites.

  1. great to see appreciation of what many people still underrate-bread and (relatively) simple pastries.

    1. I certainly don’t underrate the bread making process after trying it myself a few times. The bakers and bakeries mentioned in this post work wonders – just think, most of what they make is just flour, water and yeast! Incredible!

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