poulette BAKESHOP — Restaurant in Parker

I love Poulette! The owners are kind, talented food artisans, and they have broken the stereotype of the what it's like work in this industry. Their pastries and breads are high quality. They list their ingredients on their website. Their staff take pride in their artisanal creations.

As much as I selfishly want to keep this a secret, their Macarons are the best I've had, and the portions are generous! I love the special flavors that come up in their weekly updates. If you don't like lines, skip them by doing a pre-order. I love the option in the case I'm in a rush. If you want a baguette, go to another bakery and support their business - they make great baguettes in Parker at the other place. I think Poulette is mindful enough not to crossover what other bakeries produce, and bake at the beat of their own drum.

Here are some tips - be smart and follow them on social media. Carolyn is brilliant. She and her husband support local, independent businesses outside of their bakery and they'll post on their social media via FB and Insta. As an example, they showcased local florists, minority-owned food truck businesses, and even have pop-ups to support other local restauranters. That says a lot about a small, independent business owner. As I said before, they are kind and mindful.

Another tip, pre-order if you don't want to wait in a line on the weekend. When I pick up my pre-order, I feel like I have a VIP pass like Wayne's World. LOL!

Last tip, mingle w/the customers who are into food. OMG - I have met some of the coolest people in Parker. Who knew! Chefs Alen Ramos and Carolyn Nugent are community builders within the South Metro and within the culinary community. I've worked in the industry in the PNW. Carolyn and I have shared old war-stories of working in the kitchen as females. She and Alen consciously manage their staff with openness to receiving feedback and breaking down the kitchen hierarchy. That, I want to support in a local food business!

So, follow them on social media, pre-order if you want; and build community with Poulette. My favorites, not in any order: Hatch Chile Cheddar Scones, Spinach/Artichoke pastry when it's available (I reheat it in my air fryer when I get home, it's so good); Macarons, any type of croissants, their giant ginger cookies, their bakery box items, Early Grey cake (texture is angel food); lemon poppyseed teacake, traditional French eclairs, and their country loaf. Their bread is delicious and hearty. I usually will make toast w/sauteed Marsroom mushrooms, butter, and garlic for lunch with their country loaf. *Lion's Mane, Chesok garlic, butter toast

If I could give them 10 stars, I would. I strongly recommend their...

This is by far one of the best bakery experiences I've had! While I am not fortunate enough to have tried everything they offer, everything I have tried has been amazing. You know when you take the first bite of something, and you just melt into the flavor, you feel like you've struck gold, and you're definitely going to over indulge even if it makes your tummy hurt? That's what Poulette offers - incredibly delicious, highly binge worthy treats. That's not to say everything is going to wow every person. I have my tastes - some things I thought weren't sweet enough. Others too sweet. But isn't that the beauty? They are catering to a wide range of tastes which means you can find something you like no matter what. And if you're not sure, ASK!! The team members fulfilling orders are so friendly and so knowledgeable. They're the ones making the food after all! I will say, you have to wait in line. The shop is small in the front, and incredibly popular, so that means you'll probably be in a line out the door. Let me tell you...WORTH. THE. WAIT. I've waited 20 minutes. I've waited 45 minutes. I've never been disappointed. I usually buy a few things so that I can spread them out over a few days, making it more like a 5-15 minute wait for each pastry (girl math). If you try to get there early (15-20 min before they open), your chances of having a shorter wait AND more options to choose from go up. If waiting in line just isn't your jam, place a pick up order. I tried this out once when they made the apple fritters - TO DIE FOR - and it was super easy! I got a pick up window outside of normal hours, walked right up to the counter, and collected my order. SO EASY! If they have things in the case, you can also add on to whatever your pick up is. They mostly do variety packs this way, rather than having all options available, but what a great way to dip your toe into the wide selection they have - with a little taste of the classics! Now this review is bordering on a novel, and I've probably lost most people by now, but I just can't concisely express how awesome I think this place is and how I think everyone needs to...

Thank God for social media. When I was first planning our trip to Colorado and it was decided we were going to stay in Parker just outside of Denver. I went to social media to see what restaurants people were talking about and Poulette Bakeshop was one of them that kept popping up. I could tell that their pastries and savory offerings were exceptional, but I didn’t learn until after we had left just how special this place is. Nestled in a shopping center, this unassuming bakery is home to artisan bakers trained by the best chefs in the world. They also were a 2024 semifinalist for the James Beard award for outstanding Pastry Chef + Baker. We went to the shop hoping for one of their sandwiches, arrived at just before 11 AM, and learned that they sold out of them before 9:30 AM that morning… trying to pivot and decide what pastry to buy was an overwhelming decision. Everything looks perfectly presented and decadent. The lovely woman helping us at the counter was patient and encouraging us to take our time with the decision. She then presented us with a pastry that she said was actually the last one that they had available that day and so without much investigation, I went for it. I’m not even positive the name of this is, but it was delicious. After scouring their social media posts, I think this might be their name and description of this delicious concoction – Peach Dacquoise with layers of chewy almond meringue, vanilla bean crème pâtissière and lemon verbena macerated Palisade peaches! If you live in or are visiting the Denver metro, I would emphatically urge you to make the trip to visit this bakery. If it’s a weekend, you better get there early. Also, while they have bar top seating for a few, this is definitely not a bake shop where you sit down with your family to enjoy your baked goods and a cup of coffee at the bakery. Plan on enjoying these at a nearby park or in the parking lot. Because they surely...