Flagstaff's best spots to buy fresh bread

(*This story, written by me, first appeared in Flagstaff Live on January 29, 2009*)

Bread is a healthy diet staple (unless you’re on a no-carb kick) and a comfort food. It’s one of those things that just seems to go well with almost any meal. Good bread can make or break a sandwich or some French toast. Treating yourself to some of the great homemade loaves cooked up by Flagstaff’s best bakers will end up saving you money. You may pay a little extra per loaf compared to grocery store prices, but you’ll be making restaurant-quality sandwiches at home—not to mention how good your bruchetta and French toast cooking skills will seem to improve. What an easy way to impress.

The Village Baker
1435 S. Milton
The Village Baker used to be a tiny little bakery without a sign making some of the best breads in town.
But a few months ago they got a new location on Milton behind Strombolli’s, still without any frills, except in their foods. The Village Baker is a great place to buy fresh, unique, healthy breads. They’ve got quite an impressive assortment from several varieties of whites and sourdoughs to honey wheats and multi-grains and everything in between. Options do depend on the day and the time, so go in the morning for the biggest selection. You can call them at 773-9310 to find out what’s on the menu as well. During the summer and early fall, you can also buy Village Baker breads at the Flagstaff Farmer’s Market. It’s worth noting that when they opened the new location, the bakery also added lots of yummy breakfast items from cinnamon rolls to scones, Danishes and more. Totally worth dropping by for!

House of Bread
1237 S. Plaza Way
House of Bread serves up 25 types of homemade premium breads, made with freshly stone-ground flour. They do it right in the store everyday. (But don’t show up before work to watch because all the fun goes on in the wee hours of the morning.) Their products are all natural with no chemicals or artificial preservatives. You can taste the quality of the ingredients. I really enjoy HOB’s Grandma’s White Bread. It is exactly what you want a fresh loaf of bread to taste like and it’s great for sandwiches. That being the case, the sandwiches that House of Bread serves for lunch are probably pretty good, but I’ve yet to try them. But one day the Cranky Turkey sandwich with cranberry cream cheese sauce is going to call my name. I have tried their cinnamon rolls and blueberry scones. Both are delish. By the way, HOB also makes different breads on different days. Check out what they’ve got in the ovens today by calling 774-5254 if you’re looking for something particular.

Outside of Flagstaff
Other great bread bakeries include:
Wildflower Bread Company in Sedona, Prescott and all around Phoenix, and the Orion Bread Company in Cottonwood (you can also buy this bread in Flagstaff at New Frontiers Natural Marketplace).