It was once said that man cannot live on bread alone, and while we have no disrespect to the man himself, we relish the chance to try. There is nothing on earth quite like the smell and feel of a bakery. The transformation that occurs when a few simple ingredients are combined is almost magic. — by Devon Green, photos by Mark Hancock
Prairie Thunder Baking Company
1114 Classen Driveprairiethunderbaking.com 602-2922 This lovely storefront in Midtown offers, among other things, artisanal loaves of wheat berry and sourdough. The hardworking bakers get to the shop a little before 5 a.m. to turn out perfect breads, baguettes and pastries. Our favorite? This week, it’s the chocolate-filled croissants.
Waving Wheat Bakery
125 N. Porter Ave., Normanwavingwheatbakery.com 822-8978 Whether you crave a crusty focaccia infused with rosemary, a sweet challah (which makes incredible French toast, by the way) or a simple, no-bones white loaf, you won’t be disappointed. Even those with a sweet tooth might be overwhelmed by these choices. The shop also takes custom orders.
Big Sky Bakery
6606 N. Western Ave.bigskybakery.com 879-0330 Transform an ordinary PB&J into a masterpiece by grabbing a loaf of the traditional honey whole wheat. Make it with local peanut butter and jelly or jam and toast it in a skillet until golden brown. Big Sky bread is substantial — but not dense — and a far cry from that lighter-than-air store-bought brand. You most likely won’t be going back to your name-brand bread after you try Big Sky.
Quoc Bao Bakery
2501 N. Classen Blvd.760-6322 If you have not tried a banh mi sandwich, you are missing out on two of the simple pleasures in life. A perfect baguette is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and coupled with magical relish (do chua) that is both spicy and sweet. Quoc Bao is one of the many bakeries in the Asian District that does baguettes perfectly. If you’re not in the mood for banh mi, simply pick up one of the crunchy French loaves to accompany dinner.
Sweis Pita Bakery
2115 N. May Ave.943-8923 The Sweis family has been serving up some of the finest Greek food in Oklahoma City for decades, and we often take for granted that it all starts with the humble pita. This unleavened bread is the foundation of a good gyro, the heart of a bowl of hummus and perfect as a sandwich pocket. Get them as fresh as possible at the N. May location, or visit Sweis’ Greek Cafe, 201 S. Walker Ave., to try the freshest pita in town.
La Oaxaqueña Bakery
741 SW 29th St.635-0442 A world of possibility lives behind this simple storefront in southwest OKC. The question is not what you should sample but what you should sample first. Well, how much time do you have? With so many breads, rolls and sweets to choose from, you might start planning your second visit after your first few bites. We recommend you start with what looks good and move clockwise from there.
Ingrid’s Kitchen
3701 N. Youngs Blvd.
ingridskitchen.com 946-8444 Never underestimate Ingrid’s. Not only is it one of the best-known purveyors of fine baked sweet goods, the breads made in the kitchen daily are some of the finest you’ll taste. Whether it’s bread for a special occasion, soya and fegosa, for instance, or loaves for everyday use, you’ll find it here. The difference is the ingredients and 35 years of experience. That’s a lot of time to perfect a recipe.
