Wayfarer Bread was founded by Crystal White, who spent more than two decades working in professional kitchens and bakeries. She co-founded and managed Proof Bakery in Los Angeles and later trained at — and ran the bread department of — Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, which is a pretty significant pedigree in the bread world. She started Wayfarer with eight Lodge cast-iron cookers and pop-ups at San Diego coffee shops before opening the Bird Rock location in 2018. The bakery still emphasizes naturally fermented bread, French-inspired pastries, small batches and local/organic ingredients. And it’s tiny. That’s actually part of the point. A 2026 SFGATE profile says White has no plans to open another location, despite the bakery’s success, because she wants to preserve the small-scale operation and focus on the bread. The pastry and bread options include: Classic sourdough — naturally fermented, organic flour; Multiseed loaf — sesame, flax, sunflower and pumpkin seeds; Kouign amann; Almond croissant; Chocolate croissant; Jalapeño & cheese croissant and more. I tried a ton of goodies: peach and corn scone, plum-hazelnut croissant, mushroom and corn cream bun, tomato & white cheddar tile. This box is what dreams are made of. Delicious, unique and beautiful. Grade: A

Noble Cafe & Bakery is a cafe and bakery located at 918 Chestnut Ridge Road in Morgantown, serving coffee, pastries, baked goods and other food items. The cafe was opened by Vince Duong and Huy Lam, with the owners describing the concept as a combination of craft drinks and pastries influenced by Vietnamese flavors, Portuguese baking and their personal experiences and travels. The interior is described as cozy and modern, with a bright, warm design intended to accommodate customers studying, meeting or stopping in for a drink. The menu includes coffee, tea, coconut drinks, refreshers, pastries, muffins, cookies, croissants, savory baked goods and desserts. The cherry pastry was light and sweet. My only qualm with pastries like this is that I wish the topping went edge to edge. The sparkling strawberry refresher was a carbonated strawberry drink that added a lighter, fruit-forward option alongside the bakery items. The ham and cheese croissant paired a flaky, layered croissant with a savory ham and cheese filling, making it one of the more substantial items in the bakery selection. The Dubai chocolate slice was by far the most indulgent item. Super rich and indulgent. Have you been? Grade: B

Mountain State Cakes Bakery is a bakery in Dunmore, West Virginia, with a little bit of everything from cookies and cupcakes to pepperoni rolls and other savory items. The bakery serves Dunmore as well as the surrounding areas, including Snowshoe and Green Bank, and offers custom cakes and cupcakes for weddings and special occasions. The bakery has a small, straightforward setup with display cases filled with freshly baked goods, including cakes, cookies and breads. The sweet selection includes cakes, cupcakes, cheesecakes, cookies, pies, donuts, scones and other baked desserts, with options that vary depending on what is available. On the savory side, the bakery offers pepperoni rolls, pizza rolls, chicken pot pies and other rotating items alongside its selection of breads and rolls. I went with a serving of cherry cheesecake, which had a creamy cheesecake base topped with cherry filling for a combination of tangy cream cheese and sweet fruit. The cherry topping added a bright, fruity contrast to the richer cheesecake underneath, while the slice itself had the dense, smooth texture expected from a baked cheesecake. Have you been? Grade: B

Cou Cou Rachou is a French bakery in Charlottesville that feels like a little slice of Paris tucked into a Preston Avenue shopping center. The bakery focuses on traditional French breads, pastries, and cakes made with local, organic ingredients. The name itself reflects the bakery’s welcoming spirit. In French, “coucou” is a warm greeting often shared between friends and loved ones, which fits the cozy, neighborhood feel of this bakery. Cou Cou Rachou was founded by pastry chef Rachel De Jong, who trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and spent time working in acclaimed kitchens before opening the bakery in Charlottesville. Her background includes experience alongside chef Patrick O’Connell at The Inn at Little Washington, bringing a fine-dining level of technique to everyday pastries. The bakery case is filled with French classics like croissants, pain au chocolat, and other laminated pastries, along with creative seasonal offerings. The attention to detail is clear in the layers of flaky dough, delicate fillings, and careful presentation. The yellow plum financier is a made with a rich almond cake base, and has a buttery, almost caramelized flavor from browned butter. The slice of yellow plum adds a bright, slightly tart contrast. The texture is what makes a financier special — crisp around the edges, soft and moist in the center, with a delicate almond flavor that pairs beautifully with the fruit. The summer berry danish combines flaky, buttery laminated pastry with bright seasonal berries. The crisp layers and rich dough are balanced by the fruit’s natural sweetness and acidity, creating a pastry that feels fresh, delicate, and perfect for a summer morning. The vegetable galette at featured seasonal vegetables centered into a rustic, flaky crust. The buttery pastry provides a rich base for the savory veggies. Have you been? Grade: A

No, you're not seeing double. I went to BOTH locations of Red Truck Bakery -- in Warrenton and Marshall, Virginia. The Marshall location opened in 2015 as the bakery's second location and serves as both a neighborhood café and the hub for Red Truck Bakery's nationwide shipping operation, with the café open daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The interior features a bright bakery counter filled with cakes, pies, pastries, cookies, breads, and other baked goods, while retail shelves display cookbooks, pantry items, gifts, and specialty food products alongside the café. The menu contains breakfast biscuits, breakfast sandwiches, quiche, soups, salads, deli-style sandwiches, cookies, pies, layer cakes, Bundt cakes, muffins, scones, sticky buns, breads, brownies, coffee, espresso drinks, and tea. The jumbo coffee cake slice featured a tender, buttery crumb topped with a thick layer of cinnamon streusel that added a crisp texture and warm spice to each bite, making it a classic bakery-style breakfast pastry. The house-made granola blended toasted oats with nuts, seeds, and dried fruit, creating a crisp texture that worked well as a breakfast option or a snack to take home alongside the bakery's breads, pastries, and desserts. The house-made granola has developed a following of its own and is even praised by Andrew Zimmern, who has called it "the best granola in North America." In addition to bakery items, Red Truck Bakery serves locally roasted specialty coffee, offers catering, accepts custom cake orders, provides pre-order pickup, and ships many of its baked goods throughout the United States and Canada. Everything I had from both locations was great. I'll leave with this: "It all began with a truck – and a few irresistible cakes. A cherry-red 1954 Ford F-100, once owned by designer Tommy Hilfiger, found its way to rural Virginia and parked itself outside of a new bakery housed in an old Esso filling station in the heart of downtown Warrenton. More than just a vintage vehicle, this red truck came to embody the spirit of the bakery: tasteful, hardworking, and full of charm. It quickly became a local icon; a symbol of the love and connection shared between Red Truck Bakery and the communities it serves. Since the beginning, Red Truck Bakery has offered high quality goods rooted in a sense of place—crafted with care, inspired by local flavors, and designed to bring people together. Folks showed up for the tasty treats and stayed for the connection and community they inspired." Have you been? Grade: A

Red Truck Bakery is a bakery, café, and market located at 22 Waterloo Street in the historic downtown district of Warrenton, Virginia. Founded by Brian Noyes, Red Truck Bakery has expanded from its original Virginia location and offers breakfast, lunch, baked goods, coffee, and specialty food items while showcasing regional recipes and seasonal ingredients. The interior features a bakery counter filled with cakes, pies, pastries, cookies, and breads, along with display shelves stocked with packaged foods, cookbooks, jams, and other pantry items in a bright café setting. The space includes indoor seating for café guests, a service counter where baked goods are displayed, and retail areas where visitors can browse Virginia-made products before or after placing an order. The menu contains breakfast sandwiches, biscuits, soups, salads, sandwiches, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, breads, brownies, muffins, coffee, espresso drinks, tea and seasonal bakery specialties. Bakery offerings include layer cakes sold whole or by the slice, fruit pies, cream pies, quiches, scones, sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, and a variety of cookies and bars prepared throughout the day. I got a slice of Lexington Bourbon Cake, which is a dense and golden pound cake topped with toasted pecan halves and pieces. It's a loaf-style cake. The Troublemaker Pie combines a flaky butter crust with layers of chocolate, bourbon, pecans, and a hint of sea salt, creating a filling that is rich and smooth with crunchy pecans that provide texture and contrast to the crisp pastry shell. I couldn't not try a savory bite, as well. Delish. Located in downtown Warrenton, Red Truck Bakery combines a full-service bakery, café, and specialty market with a menu that spans breakfast, lunch, and desserts, with the cake by the slice and Troublemaker Pie highlighting two of its signature baked offerings.

Grade: A