A & J King Artisan Bakers — Restaurant in Salem

This small, out of the way and somewhat hard to find bakery, is a gem. Stepping foot inside the cozy, rustic interior warms you up and reminds you very quickly that Starbucks and Dunkin are horrible, cold places.

In my opinion, AJ King defines a time of day. If you go here right when they open (there will be a line on weekends) at 7AM what you will experience is morning, done right. From the smell of good roasted beans to bread baking to just baked fresh muffins and croissants sitting under glass, its everything that a beautiful morning is. And it doesnt matter what the weather is- snow, hurricane, monsoon or desert heat- I challenge you to sit in their window with a delicate yet crisp croissant and a cup of coffee and not smile.

Their baked goods are very good. Are there other bakeries that are better? Sure. But that's splitting hairs because this place is very good. But what they deliver is more important than just taste or texture. It's an experience that's beautiful in its simplicity. It's not the same after roughly 8:30AM,...

A & J Bakery was such a refreshing experience in Salem Massachusets. I am a traveling wedding and event photographer and needed a good quiet place to meet up with a friend before things got crazy and we headed up the coast. Coffee was delicious, our savory croissant was devine and best of all, the customer interaction was legitimately friendly and thoughtful. my friend brought her 2 year old who was fiesty and vocal and customers and staff treated her kindly and with laughter instead of resentment. i was so impressed. The wood tables and the natural light and aesthetic presentation of the shop was also lovely. when i return to Salem, i'd want to make A & J my stopping ground for client meet ups (and of course pretty much eat my ENTIRE way through their whole menu.) #priorities lol THANK YOU A&J! You guys were a highlight...

The upside down cake was ok. The hot veggie press sandwich was big and DE-licious!!! Their prices are very good for what you're getting. They do have a 15% administration fee they automatically charge, but you can ask for it to be taken off. They're transparent about it and have it posted at the register. They also say that this fee does not include tipping which feels... uncool. I almost didn't come because I'd read about the fee and I don't love to support restaurants that do this. Add 15% to the cost of your menu items. Then it's guaranteed that your employees are paid 'fairly' and customers can't opt out when they're also expected to tip on top of this strange, ambiguous...