Davis Square bakery?

[Dr.Jimbob]

My wife and I have recently moved to North Cambridge, about halfway between Porter and Davis Squares. I vaguely remember reading a thread maybe during the summer about an amazing smell of baked bread coming from somewhere in the Porter/Davis area. Unfortunately my searching skills are failing to find this thread now.

My new digs are a bit of a schlep to get to Clear Flour for my usual baguette fix, so: anybody remember where this bread bakery in the Porter or Davis area might be?

And for anyone who is going to helpfully suggest High Rise Bakery, I don't have a car, so I do need to get somewhere a bit more T-accessible.

/J

[mlim325]

Actually, Hi-Rise has a mini-store in Harvard Square. It's on Brattle Street, in the yellow Blacksmith House building (just before the ART). I don't know what the selection is like, but it's definitely easier to get to than the one on Huron. 617-492-3003

[Lgalen]

You can hop on the Mass Ave. bus (I think it's the 77) and head west into Arlington. Now that you're in the neighborhood, find out about the chow joy available, just down the road. For a bakery with great bread, try Quebrada, not far from the Cambridge line, next door to the Capitol Theater (another great neighborhood find) Their bread is delicious, but note that it is the soft crust variety. If you like a crunchy crust, try one of the other places. Quebrada makes a fantastic Challah, really good wheat bread, swedish Limpa, and other varieties. Great croissants, and muffins (they call them "hooters") too.
A few doors down, you can get fresh pasta from Neillio's. I haven't been for a while, but in theh past they would cut it to your preferred width.

[foxy fairy]

Dave's Fresh Pasta. I discovered this place courtesy of Chowhound and it is absolute *bliss* Not just for bread, though their bread is outrageously good, in my opinion. Just a few minutes walk from the T, the best sandwich for the money that I've found in Boston, and a true delight as a foodie to be in that place. Pick up some of the fresh ravioli or have them roll out pasta for lasagna noodles (I did so for Christmas dinner -- STELLAR reviews). I just cannot rave enough about Dave's - an endless supply of goodies there! YUM

[jajjguy]

You absolutely must visit La Contessa pastries in Davis. No, this will not help your bread situation, but the old school italian partries, including perfect fresh canolies, are a necessary life ingredient.

[DavisSquare]

Lyndell's in Ball Square is along the same lines: cookies, cakes, etc.. They have bread too, but it's nothing to go out of your way for.

[maryv]

Have you checked Pemberton Farms (the one that looks like a garden store from the outside) for Clear Flour baguettes? I'm pretty sure we get them there sometimes.

[foodie_girl]

If my memory is correct, Harvard Square has a French bakery inside of the building behind the T exit (enterance next to that sandwhich place). I can't think of the name at the moment, but a friend told me that this place sells breads and french desserts.

[BobB]

You may not have to give up your Clear Flour fix - Capone Foods in Union Square, Somerville is just down the street from you and sells their bread (and Clear Flour sells Capone's fresh pasta, it's a mutual thing).

Plus, Capone is a great place to know about anyway, they're a real chowie treasure.

Go straight down Somerville Ave into Union Sq, keep left, and make a near-U-turn left onto Bow St. just before you enter the square. Capone Foods is right there on the left.

[phoebek]

And -- Capone's is opening another shop on Mass Ave, North Cambridge - across from St. John's church. Don't know when it'll actually happen (sign says COMING SOON), but that location is even closer to Davis Square. I'm sure looking forward to it!

[DoubleMan]

Maybe Capone's and Dave's can have a price war.

[Dr.Jimbob]

Capone's has been a long time favorite of mine. As phoebek notes, they apparently are also now expanding to a second shop on Mass Ave, which is blocks away from my house and very, very exciting news (can't wait until they open!). Don't think I've ever remembered seeing Clear Flour bread there, but then I've also never looked really hard -- that would certainly solve the problem though!

/J

[gini]

Formaggio carries Clear Flour baked goods as well as B&R.

[Stiv]

Only other bakeries I can think of even vaguely in the area are Petsi's Pies on N. Beacon in Somerville (maybe a 10 min walk from Porter Sq.) and DAnish Pastry House (corner of Winthrop and Boston Ave in Medford), a 20+ min walk out of Davis Sq.

Oh, and a couple of Italian bread places down Somerville Ave. gong back towards Union Sq.

[DavisSquare]

No bakeries in Davis or Porter, unfortunately. You can get pretty good bread at Pemberton on Mass Ave. or at Dave's Fresh Pasta on Holland St. Otherwise, you'll need to walk to Fresh Pond...

[enhF94]

I do believe you're talking about the Secret Donut Factory Thread, as itaunas mentioned. Here it is:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/320112

As for bakeries, these two covered it. Meh.

[Dr.Jimbob]

That's the thread. Too bad for my memory -- last thing I need is a donut place ... oh well.

/J

[itaunas]

Are you sure that you are not thinking about the Bike Path Donut thread?

La Ronga Bakery on Somerville Ave isn't that far out of Porter, but certainly further than walking distance from you. Their bread and butter out of the retail store is pretty basic sub rolls, but they do some other european breads wholesale and some of those are available in the outlet. Its not Hi Rise (or even Central Bakery in Cambridge), but I do buy bread there pretty frequently. And yes it is easy to smell :-)

[bee]

Japonaise has a stall in the Porter Exchange building (the old Sears building with all the Japanese food places in it.)