La Saison Bakery takes first place on the list of best bakeries in Boston. Soheil Fathi founded La Saison (The Season) Bakery and Chocolatier in Tehran, Iran in 2007. Fathi decided to move to the United States with his family in 2017, after it had become a well-established business in the heart of the city. This was a new chapter for La Saison, born and refined from an immigrant's personal and professional journey in the United States. Despite the difficulties, La Saison is once again able to offer a taste of hope and love through its products.

Soheil Fathi worked for his family's successful bakery in Tehran, Iran, for many years. He had to start from scratch after moving to America, and "made from scratch" also describes the breads and sweets available at La Saison's newly opened Cambridge location. There are apricot-pistachio and fig-walnut sourdough loaves, flaky kouign-amann (similar to a croissant), feta-za'atar scones, fudgy "marble" brownies with cheesecake swirls, and crispy crackers spiced with turmeric or smoked paprika.

Google Rating: 4.9/5.0

Address: 407 Concord Ave., Cambridge

Contact: +1 617-547-0009
Website: lasaison-bakery.com

Elmendorf Baking Supplies and Café ranks 2nd on the list of best bakeries in Boston. Elmendorf Baking Supplies & Cafe is a bakery supply store and community space. Their store sells baking supplies, specialty and everyday ingredients, and grains milled in-house. They want to provide a home for Boston's baking community, a place where experienced bakers can advance their craft and hobbyists can hone their skills.

Daily deliveries of buttery, flaky croissants and kouign-amman arrive from Salem's legendary A&J King, while platters of scones, muffins, pies, and more are made on-site with locally sourced, house-milled grains. Gluten-free bakers will also find a wide selection of baking supplies—from cookbooks and accessories to fresh grains—to inspire their own kitchen creations. Teddy and Alyssa Applebaum, the culinary couple behind this one-of-a-kind venture, have a combined experience that includes Formaggio Kitchen, Clear Flour Bread, and Oleana, and they also offer classes.

Google Rating: 4.9/5.0

Address: 594 Cambridge St., Cambridge

Contact: 617-945-0045
Website: elmendorfbaking.com

Clear Flour Bread ranks 3rd on the list of best bakeries in Boston. Clear Flour Bread, founded in 1982, specializes in authentic French, Italian, and German breads and pastries. They scratch mix and hand shape long fermented doughs for stone hearth baking using simple ingredients such as flour, water, salt, and yeast. Their flour is all unbleached and unbromated. Their stone ground rye, whole wheat, and spelt flour is sourced from Maine Grains in Skowhegan, ME. There are no dough conditioners, preservatives, or improvers added. Their entire menu is prepared daily from scratch by a highly skilled staff dedicated to preserving the art and craft of traditional bread and pastry making while taking a modern approach.

For decades, this beloved bakery has delighted Brookline and beyond with its European-style breads and pastries, such as German rye loaves, French baguettes, rosemary-flecked focaccia, Gruyère-stuffed croissants, and coveted soft pretzels. The long-time owners sold to a new couple in 2017, but nothing has changed—not even the usual line out the door.

Google Rating: 4.9/5.0

Address: 178 Thorndike St., Brookline,

Contact: 617-739-0060
Website: clearflourbread.com

Need to encourage roommate bonding while you're stuck in isolation? Nothing brings the family together more than a rich, delectable cheesecake. (Ask The Golden Girls!) And 7ate9 in Somerville has the best fluffy, cream cheese-based cakes in the Boston area. Thank the golden brown crusts and decadent flavors like lemon, mocha, and cookies 'n' cream for that. They come in two-inch "mini" sizes for portion control, but they recommend getting a full cake, along with a growler of iced coffee or house-made ginger limeade, and settling in for a golden night of gluttony and gossip.

They can bring your food out to meet you however you choose to order. Simply call them once you are outside their shop, and they will run it out for you. They can arrange cheesecake delivery almost anywhere for advanced orders. They work with an outside delivery company to ensure that your custom order arrives at your door. Please contact them at least 24 hours in advance to arrange for delivery.

Google Rating: 4.8/5.0

Address: 199C Highland Ave., Somerville

Contact: +1 781-218-9361

Website: 7ate9bakery.com

KOKO bakery is a small, artisan bakery focused on quality rather than quantity. They offer freshly baked breads, pastries, and sandwiches. They go to great lengths to make the best breads and pastries possible. Nobuko Maruyama, the founder and owner of KOKO, adores bread, particularly French baguettes. She realized baking was her passion after five years of formal training at a popular chain bakery in Japan, but she was skeptical of the mass production process. She relocated to Boston and worked at Japonais Bakery in Brookline, several independent bakers in the Boston area, and, most recently, the Boston Harbor Hotel, The Langham Hotel, and the MIT catering department.

The breads and baked goods in the case at this Newton shop showcase owner Nobuko Maruyama's experience with Japanese and French traditions, from fluffy shokupan (milk bread) to flaky ham and cheese croissants. Aside from the classics, the suburban spot is worth a visit to see what she's been up to, from dog-shaped rolls filled with white bean paste to fresh fruit scones and even vegan-friendly banana breads.

Google Rating: 4.7/5.0

Address: 232L California St., Newton

Contact: 617-483-5803
Website: kokobread.com

Fornax Bread Company was founded in 1997. Fornax Bread Company, named after the Roman goddess of ovens and Artisan Bread Bakers, has been serving the Roslindale Village community with handcrafted breakfast pastries, delectable cookies, hearty breads, sandwiches, homemade soups, and salads for ten years. Their passion is to make fresh baked treats from scratch with wholesome ingredients, just like your grandmother would bake.

Stop by on your way to work for a morning treat like croissants, Danish, a variety of scones, biscuits, English muffins, sweet breads, or even a breakfast sandwich made on their soft eggy brioche bread. They are proud to serve Equal Exchange coffee and teas that are fairly traded and organic.

Are you hungry for lunch? Come in and sit down, or order by phone, a hot hearty sandwich served on their freshly baked artisan breads, with healthy sides such as carrots or baked beans, to name a few. They also make fresh soups, such as their popular Butternut squash or Chicken with winter vegetables; call to find out what soups are available today; they try to have at least three options available each day. Crispy Pizzettas and fresh salads round out the menu. A complete list can be found on the Menu page.

Do you need a pick-me-up in the afternoon or something to eat for dinner? To accompany any meal, they offer quarts of soup to go, as well as desserts such as pies, tarts, cupcakes, cookies, and breads. You can even get some doggie biscuits for your canine companion. Stop by at any time to enjoy what they have to offer. They bake fresh every day.

Google Rating: 4.6/5.0

Address: 27 Corinth St., Roslindale

Contact: 617-325-8852

Website: fornaxbread.com

Haley House Bakery Cafe ranks 7th on the list of best bakeries in Boston. This year, many of them are thinking twice about where they spend their hard-earned money. Directing you to Haley House Bakery Cafe is a worthwhile decision based solely on the location's social justice-focused mission: The nonprofit baker provides important job opportunities to members of the community who are marginalized. But that's not the only reason it won one of their most recent Best of Boston awards; they're also fans of the crumb pies made with local fruit, ready-to-bake frozen cookie dough (ideal for satisfying sudden cravings), and house baked chapati bread, which can be used for swiping hummus or wrapping around savory snacks.

Haley House uses purposeful food and the power of community to bridge gaps between people, empower individuals, and strengthen communities. They believe in radical solutions, which involve confronting attitudes that perpetuate suffering and developing alternative models. Haley House is committed to assisting those who have been made vulnerable by the harshest effects of inequality in their journey toward wholeness and economic independence.

Google Rating: 4.6/5.0
Address:12 Dade St., Boston
Contact: +1 617-445-0900
Website: haleyhouse.org/hhbc

Joanne Chang's pecan-covered sticky buns and stacked towers of Boston cream pie helped make her a household name (and a James Beard Award winner), but in the nearly 20 years since she opened her South End bakery, Flour has given them so much more to love. Seven additional locations, ranging from the deep Seaport to Harvard Square. This local empire has risen to the top thanks to its ultimate cookies, mile-high pies, whole-grain baked goods, and savory sandwiches.

Warm, crusty, crackling baguettes from the oven... Swirled buttery raisin-filled brioche drizzled with sweet icing... silky chocolate cream pie... Lemon curd cakes with raspberry preserves... Salads and sandwiches made to order. Imagine sipping a cafe latte in an oversized mug alongside a freshly baked muffin made with real butter and seasonal fruit. Lunch specials include bacon and caramelized onion quiche or a slice of tomato, guanciale, breadcrumb, calabrian chili pizza. Bring a beautifully decorated birthday cake made with flourless chocolate cake layers and rich chocolate mousse home with you.

They serve buttery breakfast pastries, magnificent homemade cookies, delectable pies, stunning cakes, and sandwiches, soups, salads, and grain bowls. Their professional kitchen staff prepares everything in-house. Morning commuters stopping in for breakfast, area employees and neighbors enjoying lunch, friends meeting for coffee and conversation, office workers seeking to satisfy their 4pm sugar craving, and people picking up bread, salad, or dessert for their evening meal are all part of their business. Their success is dependent on a well-trained, professional service staff in addition to their high-quality product.

Google Rating: 4.5/5.0

Address: 131 Clarendon St., Boston

Contact: 617-437-7700
Website: flourbakery.com

This Somerville location opened in 2014 to allow the owners of Diesel Café and Bloc 11 to have complete control over the products they serve. Forge now bakes boules, bagels, bars, scones, pies, and more for its sister cafés, as well as its own all-day menu, in its massive and busy kitchen. Because everything is better à la mode, the bakeshop added house-made ice cream and waffle cones in 2016.

Their primary goal is to gain creative control over their products while continuing to work to bring delicious food to the masses. They strive to provide friendly, intentional, and knowledgeable service to all of their customers on a consistent basis. They are dedicated to providing high-quality products while also fostering a dynamic, community-oriented environment for their employees and customers. Their commitment to community extends beyond their local environment and requires them to recycle, reuse, and reduce waste as much as possible.

Google Rating: 4.5/5.0

Address: 626 Somerville Ave., Somerville

Contact: 617-764-5365
Website: forgebakingco.com

Tamy is the sole owner and operator of Maca. The term "maca" is an abbreviation for macaron. Her passion for all things food inspired the creation of this Greater Boston macaronerie, but baking has always been at the forefront of her food love. She enjoys making simple, yet delicate, beautiful, and delectable treats. Their flavors are always rotating! To purchase their classic flavors by the dozen, please visit their online store. Otherwise, please visit them at their location at Bow Market (located at 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville MA). For any of their markets/pop ups please follow us on facebook and instagram.

They tried to focus on bakeries that offer a variety of goods for this list, so doughnut shops are missing (though you can find a guide to those right here). But indulge them as they salute Maca, the macaron specialist. When it comes to two-bite-sized delights in cheery pastel colors and creative, daily-changing flavors like red velvet, jasmine, cake batter, and Fruity Pebbles, Somerville's Bow Market's walk-up window is an absolute gem. Every winner is a winner.

Google Rating: 4.0/5.0

Address: 1 Bow Market Way, Somerville,

Contact: 617-539-6227
Website: macaboston.com