From glowing online reviews and long lines at the door to free samples and a chat with the staff, there are several ways to identify the best bakery in town. Knowing where to find your favorite fresh-baked treats or where to turn when you need a birthday cake or a catering service should be something you take seriously and invest a bit of time into.
Reviews and Testimonials
Online reviews are often the best place to start. While food critic write-ups, customer reviews, and testimonials may not always provide you with a complete picture of your options, they should give you enough information to begin narrowing down your choices. A quick online search and a few reviews is often all it takes to point you in the right direction.
Reputation and Buzz
When it comes to discovering the best bakery, it pays to keep your ear to the ground. Friends and coworkers who have had a positive experience with a catering service or bakery are often more than eager to talk about it. The is often plenty of buzz surrounding the best bakeries. It should come as no surprise that the best baked goods and catering options are often preceded by their reputation.
Dropping by in Person
Sometimes, the best way to discover a quality selection of baked goods is to sample them for yourself. Dropping by a bakery in person can give you a better feel for what it is they have to offer. Sampling a pastry, picking up fresh Kaiser rolls or learning more about the menu options and items that a bakery has to offer can be a very enjoyable and informative experience.
Cakes and Catering
While having a quick snack or sampling a tasty treat can be easy enough to arrange, gauging the quality of cakes and other high-end baked goods or assessing the worth of catering services can be a bit more challenging. Relying on a new bakery that you know very little about to handle your catering or to provide you with a wedding cake can be a risky proposition. Establishing a relationship with your favorite bake shop and getting to know the staff will give you a better idea about how reliable they might be in a pinch.
Bakeries can vary tremendously in terms of quality, menu options, and services. Conducting a little research and making an effort to explore your options makes it much easier to find those that have the most to offer. Learning how to spot the best bakery in town could prove to be well worth the time and effort involved.