13 San Antonio Bakeries That You Need In Your Life

By Sara Branstetter | November 17, 2023

San Antonio is home to bakeries aplenty all across the city that specialize in a variety of sinfully delicious baked goods. But trying to determine where to find the best muffins, cookies, cakes, pan dulces, or pies, can be both time consuming and detrimental to your health. So, we have scoured the city for the bakeries that are just a cut above the rest. Whether it’s gluten or sugar that gets your motor running, these San Antonio bakeries will deliver.

San Antonio Bakeries

Bakery Lorraine

If you only have margin in your life for one bakery this should be it (and please rethink your life - there simply should be more margin in it for baked goods). Bakery Lorraine isn’t just a locally renowned bakery, it is a nationally renowned one as well with nods from CNN’s Eatocracy, Food & Wine Magazine, and a 2023 James Beard Award semifinal win. If you are looking for the bakery heavyweight in SA, look no further.

Known best for their rotating selection of colorful and delicious macarons, Bakery Lorraine packs a flavor punch in all of their pastries, which do change on a seemingly daily basis. But even if they don’t have that perfect almond croissant or vibrant fruit tart you have been craving on the day you visit, you can rest assured that what they do have will be made from the freshest ingredients by only the most skilled chefs. In short, you’ll find that what they do have that day, is exactly what you wanted after all.

And in the event you are looking for more of a meal, a menu of soups, salads, sandwiches, and breakfast sundries is also available.

Bakery Lorraine boasts 4 locations in San Antonio (including one at the Pearl), 1 in Boerne, and 1 in Austin. Be sure to check their website before visiting for info on times as each bakery adheres to a different schedule.

WEBSITE | Multiple locations

Bird Bakery

Bird Bakery is a charming little bakery in Alamo Heights (aka the bakery mecca of San Antonio). The bakery opened its doors in 2012 and has been a hit ever since with its super cute café that looks like an antique tearoom, and their amazing, scratch-made pastries and cakes.

In addition to a café menu of breakfast dishes, soups, proteins, and sandwiches, Bird has one of the most extensive listings of baked goods available in San Antonio. On any given day, you can choose from an array of pies (chocolate pecan – yes, please!), cookies, brownies, cakes, and cupcakes. You can also order for your special event – whether it’s wedding fancy or a child’s birthday, Bird has a lovely and tasty option available.

WEBSITE | 5912 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209

Laika Cheesecakes and Espresso

Laika is an absolute cheesecake rockstar. There really is no better place to enjoy a slice, or in this case jar, of cheesecake in the Alamo city than Laika Cheesecakes and Espresso.

Guests to their small shop are greeted by a refrigerated display of some of the most mouthwatering, not to mention gorgeous, cheesecakes you will ever see. Laika specializes in cheesecakes in a jar, which are darn near perfect in price ($7), quantity (you can comfortably eat the whole thing in one sitting without regret), and appearance (the transparent glass shows all of the exquisite layers of the cheesecake).

And did I mention the flavors? They rotate weekly and are wonderfully creative, without trespassing into weirdness. Strawberry pistachio, pumpkin spice latte, chocolate mousse, and Space Jam (a vanilla bean cheesecake topped with wild blueberry, honey, and lime) – omigosh so yummy! All of them. Laika posts their weekly flavors online so you can see what’s available before heading over there.

For the traditionalists/people who don’t mind a cheesecake-induced upset stomach, full blown slices of each of their weekly flavors are also available for $9.

Laika has two locations in San Antonio and a forthcoming location in New Braunfels.

WEBSITE | 4718 Broadway, Alamo Heights, TX 78209

La Panadería

There are a few panaderías, Mexican bakeries that specialize in handmade bread and pan dulces, on our list of San Antonio bakeries, and La Panadería has more than earned a top-notch mention. As the second James Beard Award semifinalist on our list, La Panadería has established itself as one of the best brunch restaurants in San Antonio with three area locations and a deserved loyal following.

La Panadería's impressive list of pan dulces – conchas, empanadas, and croissants (oh my!) – as well as their stellar café menu of salads and tortas makes them more than worth a stop.

While you’re there, plan to pick up a loaf of one of their daily scratch made breads to tide you over for the next few days. But arrive early, their breads sell out most days, and often by lunch time.

WEBSITE | Multiple locations

Broadway Daily Bread

It’s all in the name. This Alamo Heights bakery is a gluten juggernaut with all the bread you could ever want and in just about every form.

BDB is all about fresh ingredients; they never use preservatives or corn syrup in any of their loaves. Bread is baked fresh daily, and types of bread include wheat, white, and birdman loaves which are all available every day, as well as daily specials like tomato basil (available only on Tuesdays), or rosemary olive sourdough, which is available only on Fridays. Check their website for a complete list of daily bread specials.

Breakfast and dessert baked goods are also in their wheelhouse with a selection of cupcakes, cookies, muffins, bars, scones, and ginormous cinnamon rolls (which I suspect must contain some kind of addictive substance because we couldn’t stop eating them). All of these delights and more are available on a daily basis.

WEBSITE | 5011 De Zavala Rd, San Antonio, TX 78249

Délice Chocolatier and Patisserie

Délice Chocolatier and Patisserie is not one of the flashier local bakeries but has built quite the resume with multiple appearances on a few Food Network shows including the Spring Baking Championship, the Best Thing I Ever Ate, Big Time Bake, and quite a few more. And while candies and chocolates are front and center on their menu, Délice’s baked goods are no small matter either.

Custom cakes are available at Délice in delightful flavors such as dark truffle cake and almond cake. Cupcakes are made daily in each of the flavors so you can sample the wares before moving on to full-sized cake production.

Pastries are also available daily with an assortment of cookies and brownies to choose from. But my absolute favorites are Délice’s alfahores – a South American sandwich cookie that is made from a shortbread-like dough and contains dulce de leche, nuts, and powdered sugar. If you have never tried (or even heard of) alfahores, it is more than worth a drive to Délice for this confection alone.

WEBSITE | 946 N Loop 1604 W #145, San Antonio, TX 78232

The Bread Box Bakery and Café

The Bread Box is one part bakery, one part café, one part tearoom, and 100% cute. Located in the artsy area known as The Alley on Bitters Road, the Bread Box is a great place to stop in for brunch/lunch or a pastry pick-me-up after some shopping in the many boutiques, galleries, and home décor stores that fill the building.

The Bread Box has a well-rounded menu available to those who wish to dine in, as well as a more robust list for those who like to order ahead for their events. Bakery items include different types of bread loaves, pastries, muffins, cookies, cakes, and pies. A savory café menu is also on hand offering a variety of salads, sandwiches, and quiches.

WEBSITE | 555 W Bitters Rd #115, San Antonio, TX 78216

Panifico Bake Shop

Photo Credit: Yelp Rasiel G.

Panifico Bake Shop is an artisan panadería located on the city’s west side. Panifico holds to traditional recipes and practices for its pan dulces and breads, with most items being made from scratch on a daily basis in-house.

Panifico shines among Mexican bakeries in San Antonio for its freshness as well as its variety. Chamucos, bigotes, cinnamon rolls, campechanas, and so much more are available to sample and enjoy. If you’re wanting to try a little bit of everything, order Abuelita’s Favorites and you'll be treated to four classic pan dulces. Trust me, Abuelita delivers.

WEBSITE | 602 NW 24th St, San Antonio, TX 78207

La Boulangerie

Photo Credit: Facebook La Boulangerie

Located downtown just a block away from Travis Park, La Boulangerie is a rigidly French bakery (thanks to its French owners) and ground zero for San Antonio Francophiles who want to enjoy the authentic pastries of France, minus the 10 hour plane ride across the Atlantic.

Everything you will find here is full-on French – croissants, pain au chocolat, macarons, and crepes – all French, and all delicious. In addition to the pastry offerings, La Boulangerie functions more like a traditional French café with á la carte breakfast items, crepes, salads, quiches, and sandwiches, all highlighting classical French cooking styles and ingredients.

WEBSITE | 207 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78205

Extra Fine

Extra Fine, located in San Antonio’s midtown, is a neighborhood bakery, coffee shop, and café. With bright pops of blue from the outdoor shade umbrellas, and vibrant works of art on the inside, Extra Fine is a lovely experience for both the eyes and the taste buds.

When it comes to baked goods and pastries, Extra Fine has a little bit of everything. Muffins, cakes, cookies, kolaches, galettes – you will find a few options in nearly every baked goods category to try at Extra Fine. I highly recommend going savory and sweet with one of their scratch made sandwiches on fresh baked bread, followed by a brightly colored fruit galette for dessert.

WEBSITE | 138 E Mistletoe, San Antonio, TX 78212

Baklovah Bakery & Sweets

Baklovah Bakery and Sweets is unique among San Antonio bakeries for its Middle Eastern influence and flaky, delicious phyllo dough pastries. Phyllo favorites include multiple flavors of baklava (pistachio and walnut), creamy custard warbats, and knafeh. And while it’s not a phyllo dough pastry, the Turkish delight here is divine.

For those looking to enjoy a more familiar pastry, Baklovah also does a bang-up job with their cookies, cheesecakes, fresh fruit tarts, and cannoli. If you happen to have a particularly vigorous sweet tooth, try their Ferrero Rocher Mousse. It’s so sweet and chocolatey, it’s utterly sinful. But in the best way possible.

WEBSITE | 9329 Wurzbach Rd #104, San Antonio, TX 78240

Bedoy’s Bakery

On the north side of Beacon Hill (which contains a veritable treasure trove of delicious local eateries), you will find the down-to-earth Bedoy’s Bakery. This panadería has been a San Antonio staple since 1961 and now has two locations where they market their AMAZING pan dulces for SA residents to enjoy.

Truly, Bedoy’s is a pan dulce goldmine. You can find everything here from fluffy conchas, to gingery puerquitos, to flaky empanadas. But that’s just the beginning. They have cases and cases full of some of Mexico’s tastiest treats to experience and revel in.

But best of all are the prices. Pastries at Bedoy’s are priced at a remarkable $1.10/pastry. Where you might be spending upwards of $5-$7/pastry on similar pastries at most other bakeries, Bedoy’s is an absolute steal. Yet they manage to do this without skimping on quality or flavor.

WEBSITE | 803 W Hildebrand Ave #2127, San Antonio, TX 78212

Scratch Kitchen

Scratch Kitchen is housed in a charming historic home in Alta Vista where they serve brunch/lunch/baked goods, all from scratch, as their name implies.

If it’s bread you got on the brain, definitely try their fantastic muffins – raspberry, blueberry, and flourless chocolate – as they were some of the best I have ever put in my mouth. Other options include pies, brownies, and cookies.

And among the San Antonio bakeries on our list, Scratch Kitchen has one of the more robust café menus to accompany their bakery items making it a superb place to grab breakfast or lunch with a friend.

WEBSITE | 607 W Russell Pl, San Antonio, TX 78212