Breadboard Bakery — Restaurant in Arlington

Veteran baker, Daisy Chow and her husband, Josh Glaser, opened Breadboard Bakery just months before the coronavirus outbreak. That their bakery has survived and thrived in this challenging environment is a real testament to the quality of their baked goods and adaptability.

For my first visit to the bakery, I placed an online order and swung by to pick-up my goodies. Their pick-up system feels very safe and ensures everyone is thoroughly distanced at all times.

Everything I have eaten from Breadboard has been delicious, but I must give a special shoutout for three items in particular. First, the miche which has both amazing flavor and a gorgeous crust. You will not regret ordering this bread - it’s delicious simply with a slathering of butter and a sprinkle of salt, or toasted and used as the base for the NYT’s ‘Mushrooms on Toast’ recipe. Also, it freezes really well so I suggest ordering extra.

The second item I would flag for special attention is the kolache, a Czech treat widely popular in Chow’s native Texas. Her version of this bun is soft and pillowy, topped with jam and/or cream cheese - and, IMHO, absolutely scrumptious!

Final word to the wise: don’t miss the cinnamon roll! Breadboard’s cinnamon roll is unique in that it is made with laminated dough, like a croissant. I got mine glazed which I would definitely do if you are going to eat yours immediately. Next time, however, I think I might order some unglazed (available by special request) and freeze them so I can reheat them on demand (whipping up a little glaze myself).

Summary: delicious goodies to be had at this local bakery!...

I decided to check out Breadboard Bakery because I was already in Arlington for Butternut Bakehouse, and the two places are within five minutes of one another.

I went ten minutes after opening, and there was already a line, but it moved relatively quickly. The menu is cutely displayed on a clothesline by the door, which is also where you order. I was bummed that we weren't allowed to go in and actually see and smell the pastries, as that is part of the fun of visiting bakeries.

I got the glazed cinnamon roll, chocolate croissant, cranberry kolache, and cream cheese kolache (which is also the order in which I'd rank them from most to least favorite). The cinnamon roll had a nice flakiness, and the glaze was addictively but not overwhelmingly sweet. The chocolate croissant was interesting because there were thin chocolate bars that lined the inside instead of melted chocolate. (Granted, the chocolate did melt when I reheated it, and it tasted better that way. Maybe that is the expectation, but the croissant loses some of its flaky goodness when reheated.) The cranberry and cream cheese kolaches also tasted better reheated, but they were just okay overall. There wasn't much of a difference between the two; the cranberry one just had a plop of cranberry jam on top. Had I known, I would have tried a fourth pastry instead of a...

I'm so lucky to live in walking distance to this bakery! The breads and pastries are so delicious, and I also really appreciate their sensible and easy-to-follow pandemic safety policy. I wish everywhere had Breadboard's easy, truly contactless pickup as an option. I always feel welcomed and it's so nice to have a fast, distanced, outdoor pickup.

But let's talk about the baked goods! The seeded sourdough is basically my platonic ideal of bread, my One True Bread, the bread that I'd pick if I had to pick just one bread for the rest of my life. I like the other breads too, and I rotate through my favorites, but that seeded sourdough is just perfect.

Some of my favorites for other items are the cinnamon rolls (so nice to have an unglazed option!), monkey bread, croissants, cookies, pies and hand-pies both sweet and savory, challah, wacky cake.... And if the burnt Basque cheesecake is on the menu when you order, get it. I'm slowly trying everything as well as going back to my favorites. It's also really nice to be able to get some grocery items like nice cheese or grains from local producers through a local supply chain. My weekly trip to Breadboard is one of my now-cherished...