The Bread Shop — Restaurant in Melrose

The name doesn't get across that this is as close as you might find to a real French boulangerie between Boston and Montreal. They get a lot of their attention for their excellent cookies and pastries, but the real triumph is the French bread - fresh every day, perfect, and only perfect while it's fresh - the rich texture, the complexity and depth of flavor - the kind of baguette that reminds you why people even bother with baguettes. It's the kind of bread you bake early in the morning, and then, come 1 o'clock, you think, "Well, I've accomplished everything in this world that is worth accomplishing, time to go home." Which is why it closes at 1 o'clock I guess.

This is a place is as devoid of pretension as you'll ever find - a room on a corner with a rack of bread on it and a counter with some cookies - the skill and talent of the bakers speaks for itself. It's worth it to drive a significant distance to get this bread fresh if you love good...

We came to try the cinnamon rolls and they're GREAT. They are nicely made and perfectly sweet & cinnamonyy, without being sickely sweet. A fitting drizzle of frosting on top complements the doughy part well, they are not inundated with frosting. This roll is also a perfect mix between the cinnamon 'roll' & 'bun', not too hard, not too soft-truer to the roll on the outside, then a softer bun style insde. To me they wonderful rolls, what I'm looking for when I get them and I will go back for more.

We also got the cinnamon poptart. The poptart is a real treat too. Cinnamon & sugar filled, larger, flatter, rectangular turnover-ish style pastry. It is cooked to perfection. Not burned, doesn't have the taste of the pan or oil-but is a wonderful, thicker, doughy, yet delicate crust. Truly a delight. Better take on...

OMG! The breads are AMAZING! They make a variety types of bread, that I believe changes daily. The Bread baker, Lauren, does an amazing job with textures and moistened. You can get soft crust sandwich bread or a nice hard crust with nice moist, dense, chewy body inside. The Maine Grains is one of my favorites, made from grain grown and milled in Maine. Often rye bread can be too dry, hers is nice and moist inside with a crunchy crust. She makes a sourdough rye that is even tastier. Sourdough, French, raisin-nut, olive, whatever type, size or shape, they make it. Don't miss out on their huge cinnamon rolls. Powerhouses. Sweet and savory muffins . Do yourself a favor and try their baked goods. I am so happy there is somewhere to go around here for a good loaf...