Liv Breads Artisan Bakery and Coffee Bar — Restaurant in Millburn

I will first preface this by saying that my family and I have loved Liv Breads’ food and drinks since it first opened (lattes, croissants, quiches, etc). They’re high quality and delicious! And they’ve done a LOT to serve customers well during the pandemic. Thank you for bringing cheer and happy tummies to so many during this time. We already ordered for the Thanksgiving specials and still frequent here every week.

The 3-star rating is due to my family’s experience with picking up food from Liv Breads during the pandemic. I wouldn’t have posted if this was only a one-time occurrence... over the past couple of months, I’ve experienced or been witness to some uncomfortable situations during pickup, most of which are related to other customers there, and some which I don’t know what else to attribute to but to the fact that I’m a young, nonwhite/Asian customer usually wearing really plain clothing. It has led us to subconsciously go to Liv Breads less often. I won’t list all such instances here, but some included (1) two women were not in the marked line, so we walked past them to get into line, which was met by a mean-spirited “we are in line!” and glares towards me and my sister (2) a man walking ahead of everyone in line saying he had no patience to read the sign, even when a mom nearby explained it nicely to him (3) the cashier glaring at/doubting my mom for coming back 10 min later for a missing item they forgot to put in. Sometimes I wonder if my sister and I have to wear our Ivy League sweatshirts to avoid these situations in the future. I understand that Liv Breads isn’t at fault for most of these situations, but I feel that this is still important to share to other current/future customers, and maybe Liv Breads can help reduce such instances in the future.

I rarely leave reviews, and I don’t like making a big deal out of nothing, but our experiences are valid, and I wanted to share this ending message in this review: I hope the community that supports Liv Breads remembers to be kind and respectful to everyone around...

By far the best bakery in the tri-state area. And we've tried them all. Delicious breads, baked with the highest-quality ingredients, including varieties of sourdoughs and specialty breads. Try the crusty country sourdough, the fresh-baked begets, the fougasse (when available) or the pumpkin-seed and caraway soft bread, and you will be back for more the next day. Delectable pastries, with complex and balanced taste, following classic French and Lebanese recipes and techniques and often using seasonal ingredients. Croissants, succulent cakes, varieties of tarts, cookies... Amazing sandwiches, quiches, soups, and salads, all made in their workshop next door with the breads and rolls they baked this morning and high-quality ingredients, including local and seasonal vegetables. Many of their salads and dips follow Middle-Eastern recipes and traditions, but with a special spin (eggplant tahini, red beets hummus, muchammara, labne...). And these are not your typical sandwiches - each and every slice of avocado, roasted veggie, pickled goodness and fresh greens is there for a reason, and made by people who love food, and love what they do. Liv Breads is excellent for vegetarians and seafood lovers and there is no meat on the premises. The challah bread is so delicious. The focaccias are a must, and the weekend pizzas are the best we've had. The staff is charming, welcoming, knowledgeable, hard-working, and always happy to see you. The owners, who are always there, and working hard on the line, take great care of their employees, and you can feel that this is a great place to work. After a long travel, Liv Breads feels like...

I cannot rave enough about Liv Breads. Its every detail is unusually special: the kind baristas who remember our order every morning, the way the light pours into the shop… and of course, the outstanding food. Every pastry I’ve eaten here is by far the best version of that thing I’ve had anywhere.

The sourdough bread is phenomenal. The babka, chocolate rugelach and fruit turnovers are perfect to pair with a cup of coffee. (I’ve bought their Counter Culture beans myself but can never quite replicate these awesome lattes at home). They often put “treats” — tiny bites of their pastries — atop the coffee cup lids.

The challah (only sold on Fridays) is well worth waiting in line for. The egg sando is the ultimate breakfast: a square of baked omelette on a brioche hamburger bun, with fresh mozzarella, spinach and their special sauce. And the croissants are especially delectable — flaky with a light crisp on top, soft and delicate inside, buttery and melt-in-your-mouth throughout. And the layers! We love the butter and the chocolate varieties.

Liv Breads also offers certain seasonal items, all of which are terrific. My favorites are their hamantaschen for Purim, cross buns for Easter, gingersnap cookies during the holiday season and the fried green tomato sandwich I had last summer.

This is truly a one-of-a-kind bakery, and I feel lucky to be able to visit a place like this...