SAN/CLD

Another nomination for West Gin in San Marcos (Fruit Tart, Brioche Bread, Chocolate Towers, Petit Fours)
1450 W Mission Rd, San Marcos, 92069

Though NOT OPEN FOR RETAIL, Mahler's German Bakery in Oceanside has the best plum coffee cake and also aligator/pecan roll. You can find these at local grocers (Major Market, Tip Top Meats, some Trader Joe's) as they are a wholesale baker.
Major Market 1855 S Centre City PkwyEscondido, CA 92025

For Excellent Artisan (crusty, european style, handmade) breads, you need to stop by Duren’s San Diego Artisan Bakers in Escondido (though not easy to just 'stop by Escondido) Fantastic breads...escpecially the cheese/assiago, herbed and dark flour breads. A small selection of pastries too. Beware to go in the morning...often sold out by 2pm.
1551 South Escondido Boulevard, Escondido, CA 92025

Bread Basket Bakery/Coffee Shop in Alpine. If you're a fan of cinnamon or fruit/sweet bread, this will be a good pick for you to try. Alpine is another place where you aren't usually driving by, but worth a trip to try it out. Some local grocers carry their products...saw some in Costco last month.
1347 Tavern Road, Suite 23 Alpine, CA 91901

What?? Nobody mentioned Julian Apple Pie Company?!? which is right next to Dudley's in Santa Isabel. If you are making a trip through this part of the county, it's well worth a visit to get an apple pie and to see the pie factory in production. In peak season (October) you can find Julian pies at Costco, Jimbo's, Henry's and other local grocers.
Highway 78 junction in Santa Isabel/Also in downtown Julian


LGB

One of the few classic coffee shops with made from scratch food is still around in So Cal, and it's Bake n Broil just north of the 405 FWY and only a few miles from LGB. If pies and cakes are your thing, you won't be sorry. Red Velvet Cake, German Chocolate, Old Fashioned Yellow Cake with Chocolate Icing...How about Peanut Butter Pie? The flavors rotate, but you can pre-order if you give notice and want to take home a whole pie/cake. Can't forget to mention the food/menu is killer too if you like diner/coffee shop home cookin'.
3697 Atlantic Ave, Long Beach, CA 90807

More To Come...out of time for now 6/6/06

John Vie

NYC 6th Ave around 12th st

I think Jon Vie closed sometime last year.

My favorite bakery so far!!! And going there with Dan made it even better! :)

I'll never forget (for a few reasons :) ) the first kringle someone sent me & it was from OH. I've tried a few others, but OH is the only place I"ll buy them from now!

Juniors, Flatbush ave, Brooklyn, NY

I'm not a cheese cake person, but a few friends have requested
Cheese cakes from Juniors and I've flown across the country with them
(with a smoking box containing dry ice and the cake)

Canter's Deli & Bakery
 

On Fairfax in LA near West Hollywood. Old fashion bakery and incredible cheesecake!

Boston's North End
 

For Italian pastry when visiting Boston, try Modern Pastry Shop on Hanover Street or Maria's Pastry Shop on Cross Street. For Italian bread, try Parziale's Bakery on Prince Street or Boschetto's Bakery on Salem Street.

In Seattle, I love Macrina .

In Portland, OR I've liked Ken's Artisan and Grand Central, and loved Papa Haydn's as a kid (who wouldn't love huge slices of cake?), but am happy to hear more recommendations as I've got a trip coming up. Marsee seems to be going a bit downhill, which is a shame because it was great to be able to pick up a treat for the plane in the airport.

Having spent my high school years in Racine and sampled (too) many offerings from the various bakeries, I also prefer O&H. Their fruit kringles seem less soggy than others and I particularly like their almond and pecan kringles. Though some groceries around the US offer "Danish Kringles," they're not the same as the real thing from Racine.

Portland 3 Lions
 

The best bakery in portland is Three Lions http://www.threelionsbakery.com/

While quite good it doesn't make my cut of being worth going out of the way for (as in a bakery run), but then few do. Portland has a lot of very good, but not great, bakeries.

Chicago Bakery
 

For some of the best bagels ever go to Brooklyn Bagels on Touhy Ave in Skokie outside of Chicago. I always stop in on my way back to O'Hare to take a bag home. Most of the time they are still warm. ^

Heidelberg Bakery in Arlington, VA is worth a visit. They have some awesome cakes.
http://www.heidelbergbakery.com/

Magnolia's, in the West Village in NYC, for the cupcakes and banana pudding. It isn't hype, and it is worth the wait in line. Buttercup up in midtown uses the same recipe for the cupcakes, but somehow their's are always too dry, so I make the hike over to Bleecker and 11th and get boxes of Magnolia's.

Sally Bell's Kitchen in Richmond.

IIRC it was originally called Sara Lee and long predates the national chain of the same name. There was some dispute twenty-some years ago, a settlement, and the bakery changed its name.

Either way, when I was a kid my grandfather would fly down LGA-RIC to bring home cupcakes. They're still good today. ^