Bake My Day is a macaron shop in Nitro. I've enjoyed macarons from Bake My Day prior to them having a storefront, so I knew I was in for a treat.



"We don’t just have macarons! Stop by for a cup of coffee, check out our huge free selection of used books, and browse goods and wares from local WV vendors! We also host monthly beginner crochet classes, have macaron making parties, live music, a monthly plant swap, arts and crafts events, and much more! We’re a great place if you want to come hang out with friends, find a quiet place to work on your laptop or have a meeting, and we even host private parties!" reads the website.



French macarons are an art, and they are a practice in precision. So, I'm always impressed when people can get that perfectly chewy interior. Signature flavors here include chocolate, bananas foster, caramel macchiato, coconut, cookies & cream, dreamsicle, funfetti, lavender lemonade, lemon, peanut butter & jelly, pistachio, strawberry, plus plenty more seasonal flavors.



I have enjoyed peanut butter & jelly, funfetti and cookies & cream most recently. Just a slight crisp and then chewy interior. Plus feet (the little edges) are key to good ones.



This shop also carries other goodies from home bakers, like Tastes Like Heaven cotton candy. Doesn't cotton candy just always feel like a treat? I'm used to only enjoying it at special events so this makes everything feel a bit more special.



Grade: A

I found a hidden gem in Frankford, West Virginia. This small community in Greenbrier County is home to Good Roads Bakehouse.



They are a small-batch country bakery and trade post with everything from cookies and pastries to breads and brownies.



And they must be doing something right because they were named to Taste of the South Magazine's 2022 Taste 50 list.



When I made my way here and found a parking spot in the gravel lot, I went inside to find a long line had already beat me there.



But, that gave me more time to peruse the offerings. I pointed to everything that caught my eye - a quiche, a brownie, a pastry - you get the idea.



One bite, and I could see why everyone is clamoring to this place. They have classics, but they're done well. Fresh and flavorful.



They even have pizza and pepperoni rolls, the latter of which are pretty tasty, though I haven't had a chance to try the former.



They even had a unique version of a pepperoni roll - a brisket kolache - that was quite good. Same concept with meat baked into a soft roll - but a new spin (at least for this area).



Grade: A

Versailles Bakery is a famous Cuban bakery that is the counterpart to the famous Versailles Restaurant.



"Versailles eventually expanded to accommodate the now equally popular Versailles Bakery. The bakery makes all the desserts and pastries for the restaurant. Aside from famously sweet and decadent desserts, the bakery carries all the elements for a typical casual Cuban breakfast. Our loyal morning customers come in for a cortadito, a pastelito, and a croqueta, which they enjoy while sitting in the cafe reading their copy of El Nuevo Herald," reads the website.



I know pretty much no Spanish so I did a lot of pointing and trying to sound out words. But I still made sure to try a variety of items.



I tried a trea leches cake, guava and queso pastelito and jamon and queso pastelito.



Pastelitos, or Cuban pastries, are baked puff pastries with sweet or savory fillings. Similar to an empanada.



Every single item was perfection. I wished I could have tried even more. But the fried pastries are perfectly crisp without any grease. The flavors are explosive.



The tres leches cake was so moist and rich. It is one of my favorite cakes.



Really, it is a wonderful display of pastries, both sweet and savory, that are satisfying any time of day or night.



Have you been?



Grade: A

Rise & Grind Cafe is bakery cafe in Pinch, with indoor and outdoor seating and a drive through. I have been wanting to check this place out for a while, and now that they have weekend hours, the stars aligned and I was able to swing by for breakfast today. The shop is fairly small, and this place was hoppin'. I had to wait for someone to leave to find a parking spot, and the line to order was out the door. But not to worry - the line moved quickly and before I knew it, I was in front of a case full of treats. I selected a hot chocolate muffin, pumpkin cream muffin, raspberry white chocolate cookie and strawberry brownie. I also ordered a large hot chocolate - with whipped cream. All in all, the treats here were lovely. I think the brownie was my favorite, though it was a little soggy. The cookie and muffins were both nice, as was my hot chocolate - if not a touch watered down. Grade: B

Independent artisan kosher bakery Zak the Baker is located in Miami and crafts beautiful challah, baguettes, croissants and so much more.



I ordered an everything bagel with veggie cream cheese. The bagel was a bit softer than I usually go for, but it made for an easy bite. Just a bit more bready.



The veggie cream cheese was packed with veggies, so no complaints here!



Grade: B

Blackbird Bakery in Bristol, Virginia, offers made-from-scratch doughnuts, cakes, specialty coffees and more.



I went through the drive-through for a pick-me-up while passing through the area.



I ordered a chess bar, a pot de creme and strawberry cake donut. Chess is like a custard-like pie that is popular in the south. It's sweet and has that velvety texture that is addictive.



The pot de creme was lovely but better suited for someone who enjoys more bitter notes. The strawbery donut was a crowd-pleaser - cakey, fruity, saccharine.



Grade: B

Enter into the delightful scent of freshly baked treats, sandwiches brimming with local flair, and indulge in irresistible pastries... That's the intro to Happy & More Bakery & Cafe in Thomas. This bakery offers some pastries, muffins, brownies, cakes and cookies in the countertop case. They also have coffee, soda and tea for drinks. Finally, they also have some made-to-order items in their café, such as biscuits and gravy, omelettes, breakfast sandwiches and hotdogs. Their offerings are pretty simple, but they do have a second portion to the business, which is retail. There are a number of food products, local art and plenty of gifts for purchase. I took two goodies home with me: a spinach and parmesan pastry, as well as a caramel apple cookie. i'm not sure the pastries are made in house, as this particular one looks very familiar to me. But, that did not mean that it's not delicious. It's rich and savory and all the best ways. The cookie was nice and chewy, which is my preferred cookie texture. Plus I love when there's that pull of caramel inside. A nice little shop that has some tasty treats and unique finds. Grade: B