The Sweet Spots: Bakeries and Cafés

Cafés:

The Monkton Hotel Café – Monkton

The Monkton Hotel Cafe, built just prior to the Civil War, once served as the backdrop to the railway landscape between Baltimore and York, PA. The town of Monkton flourished as the hotel cafe sat at one of the main natural crossroads on the route. It still remains a destination and rural getaway from the noise of urban life, just as it did over 150 years ago. Part of the National Registry of Historic Landmarks, the hotel cafe is now a true grab and go stop at the corner of the NCR trail. Tucked into the quiet corners of northern Baltimore County, it’s a convenient spot for travelers, bikers, runners, wanderers, and locals to grab a quick bite, cup of coffee, or ice cream.

Specialty item(s): Assorted baked goods, smoothies

 

Side Street Café Restaurant – Cockeysville

You might miss this stop along York Road if you’re not paying attention. Located along the side street of Beaver Run Lane near Andy Nelson’s BBQ, the cafe may be hidden, but the environment bursts with warmth and character. The family owned and operated cafe is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., and serves traditional breakfast and lunch fare with a “side” of homemade cookies and pastries.

Specialty item(s): Chicken kabobs, cheesesteak subs

 

The Corner Pantry – Baltimore

The owners of The Corner Pantry, Emily and Neill, combine local, creative flair with international culinary expertise. Emily is a Baltimore native with experience developing and organizing events. Neill is from England with culinary skills that he sharpened at the most popular establishments around the globe. Together they’ve built a staff dedicated to giving customers great service and a great experience. The extensive menu shows their range. Fresh pastries, pantry breakfast meals, soup and sandwiches, chef plates, specialty coffee, and grab-n-go options are available all day. Private dining, cooking classes, and catering are also offered.

Specialty item(s): English-style breakfast and pastries

 

Hannah’s Café – Towson

Located in the heart of Towson, Hannah’s Cafe has become the go-to place to grab a quick bite or drink on the way to school or the office. The family-owned cafe has a chalkboard inside that reads “Best Breakfast in Towson.” Sit down for morning meal with an omelet, French toast, or pancakes. Grab your meal to go by ordering a bagel, breakfast sandwich, or power bowl. Put your lunch orders in early because Hannah’s is a hot spot in the middle of the day. Their extensive menu of salads, soups, sandwiches, wraps, and flatbreads have people repeating, “Let’s go to Hannah’s.”

Specialty item(s): Chicken Caesar wrap, buffalo tender salad

 

Terri’s Café – Owings Mills

For over 50 years, Terri’s Cafe in Owings Mills has made customers feel right at home. More than just a place to eat. You’ll get the sense of community as if you’re part of their neighborhood. Their breakfast is sit-down style with comfort food options like egg, pancake, and French toast platters with choice of sides. Lunch has a unique international flare to the menu. Mexican burritos and quesadillas to Caribbean-style protein bowls and Greek cuisine. However, it’s the made-to-order American specialties like their Buttermilk Chicken with honey-glazed bacon, or the Three-Cheese Steak melt that makes Terri’s the home for fresh, hearty comfort meals.

Specialty item(s): Breakfast bowls, Mexican specialties

 

Garden and Grounds Bistro – Baltimore

Garden and Grounds Bistro exudes Southern hospitality. From their service to their cuisine, there’s a graceful charm to their operation. With items like Georgia-style, southern dipped Chicken and Waffles, Low-country Shrimp and Grits, Biscuits and Gravy, and Hush Puppies, you’ll taste the essence of that southern warmth in every bite.

Specialty item(s): Southern-style breakfast

 

Martha’s Café – Arbutus

Martha’s Cafe represents more than just a neighborhood bakery in Arbutus. It signifies hope, courage, and celebration of life. Martha is a stuffed zebra that owner Will’s wife Megan received for Easter when she was 13 years old. The cuddly striped animal would stay by her side as Megan battled childhood leukemia. Martha is still intact and serves as a reminder of their family history. All the classic cafe favorites are on the menu, plus some unique items like their Corned Brisket Bowl, Sour Beef and Eggs, and the Baltimore Cheesesteak stuffed with red wine braised beef and red wine jus on a hoagie roll.

Specialty item(s): Neighborhood Breakfast Sandwich

 

Atwater’s – Towson and Catonsville

Award-winning maker of traditional foods. What began in a small bakery has exploded into three Baltimore area stores, an urban farm, a farm stand, and signature products that have become a local staple. Their organic practices produce the freshest ingredients that are included in their homemade breads, pastries, cheeses, and jams, which can be found in dozens of stores around the DMV. The storefronts specialize in hand-crafted sandwiches and salads, specialty coffee, traditional breakfast dishes from scratch, and delicious baked goods. A trusted source for catering parties, events, meetings, and more!

Specialty item(s): Locally sourced, hand-crafted and traditionally made food

 

Our Recipes Café – Arbutus

Nobody is a better cook than grandma. That’s why Our Recipes Cafe brings their granny’s homemade comfort food straight to your table. The quaint neighborhood eatery serves elevated breakfast and lunch combos like The Brunchwich, which includes two eggs over easy, a crabcake, bacon, avocado with Honey Old Bay drizzle & a side of southern hash browns. Take Granny’s recipes on the road for your next catering event.

Specialty item(s): The Brunchwich

 

Café Luli – Stevenson

A European style Cafe with an Argentinian flare, located in the heart of Stevenson Village. Known for their thoughtfully made coffee, artisanal pastries, and savory bites like empanadas and breakfast sandwiches in a warm, inviting space. Locals and visitors alike appreciate its high-quality ingredients, friendly service, and relaxed atmosphere, a charming spot to enjoy a latte and a freshly baked treat.

Specialty item(s): Argentinian Alfajores

 

Croustille Café – Pikesville

A Kosher French bakery and restaurant serving everything from pizza, fresh breads, salads, pies, and home-made ice cream. Family owned and operated by Moshe Mimoun, Benjamin Devico and Benjamin Kott, all natives of France, have two generations of experience in the bakery and supermarket business in their former country.

Specialty item(s): Almond Croissant, French baguettes

 

Bakeries:

Simon’s Bakery – Cockeysville

Simon’s Bakery off Cranbrook Road bears a history richer than the chocolate baked in their desserts. After immigrating from Germany in the late 1800s, Bernard Simon married into the Otterbein family and opened up a small bakery near the Hanover Street bridge in South Baltimore. The two supported each other flourish in the baking business, which helped Simon’s bakery settle into their current location in Cockeysville. His grandson, George, took over the bakery and over the decades they became known for simple but beloved recipes like their razor-thin sugar cookies (an ode to Otterbein) and seasonal peach cake. George passed away in 2022, but the bakery lives on in his name.

Specialty item(s): Marshmallow donuts, razor thin sugar cookies, peach cake, dense chocolate cupcakes

 

Dough Run – Monkton

Tucked in the heart of Hereford, The Dough Run is a small-town favorite known for its fresh-baked pastries, breakfast sandwiches, and coffee. The ideal stop before hitting the NCR Trail or savoring a leisurely weekend morning.

Specialty item: Gruffins (muffins with granola)

 

Bethany’s Bakery – Cockeysville

Bethany started in 2021 after attending the New England Culinary Institute in Vermont and sharpening her skills with an internship at the Bankery in Maine. She has put together a close team to bake the most innovative creations that will be the star of any celebration.

Specialty item(s): Specializes in custom cakes for weddings, birthdays, and special occasions

 

Yia Yia’s Bakery – Baltimore

One of the sweetest staples in Baltimore. “Yia Yia” derives from the Greek word “Grandmother.” The bakery embodies the warm, sweet memories of visiting their grandmother in Tyros, Greece. The family carries on her legacy of homemade desserts that are baked with the love and care she exuded in her grandkids and her baking. Yia Yia’s Bakery, located on Philadelphia Road, specializes in hand-sculpted cakes for weddings, birthdays, and special occasions. With a large selection of everyday desserts, they’re more than just cakes. Pies, cannoli’s, tarts, mousse cake cups, cupcakes, cheesecakes, and other sweet assortments are available for wholesale or pickup AND delivery.

Specialty item(s): Award-winning cakes, mousse cups

 

Mrs. Pose Bakery – Owings Mills

A Baltimore tradition for over 60 years. In 1961, Lois Posey Gibbons worked at Love’s Restaurant in downtown Baltimore where she started offering her own unique and creamy cheesecake to customers. What started as a homemade dessert for her kids quickly became such a huge hit that the restaurant started consistently serving, “Original Mrs. Posé Cheesecake.” Within a year, she was personally delivering her cheesecakes all of the Mid-Atlantic region. Business exploded in just a few years as nearly 600 restaurants and grocery stores across the DMV and beyond started carrying her product. Still a family-run business and still dishing out the original recipe Baltimore was brought up on.

Specialty item(s): Cheesecakes

 

The Breadery – Catonsville

Located on the scenic trolley line that runs from Catonsville to Old Ellicott City, The Breadery gives off a truly authentic, old-world bakery atmosphere. It’s Baltimore County’s premier artisan “breadery.” From baguettes and ciabatta to a variety of sourdoughs and sauerkraut rye, their homemade breads are perfectly paired with their extensive wine and cheese selection from around the world. Step into their olive oil and vinegar taproom where you can taste test an assortment of flavors for dipping artisan bread or drizzling on your favorite salad. Muffins, sweetbreads, and croissants are made fresh daily.

Specialty item(s): Fresh milled whole grain breads and old-world artisan breads

 

Bakery AND Café:

Stone Mill Bakery – Timonium

Artisan bakery and cafe owned and operated by several generations of the Himmelrich family. Originally started over 30 years ago as a wholesale bakery operation dedicated to bringing handmade European style breads to Baltimore, Stone Mill has evolved into both a wholesale and retail bakery as well as a vibrant café serving an extensive breakfast, lunch and dinner menu.

Specialty Item(s): Artisan pastries and bread

 

Bakery Express – Halethorpe

In business for over 50 years, Bakery Express’ biggest selling point is providing customers the option to fully customize their favorite baked goods, such as donuts, cookies, brownies, cakes, and pastries. More than just a bakery, they also serve breakfast, deli sandwiches, gourmet salads and more!

Specialty Item(s): Customizable baked goods

 

Roggenart Bakery, Bistro, and Café – Towson and Catonsville

Still fairly new to the bakery and cafe scene, Roggenart, which is German for “the art of rye,” has been serving hand crafted goodies since 2017. In under 10 years they have evolved and expanded to 12 locations across Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia. Their mission is to create an atmosphere with cozy, positive energy that feels like your home away from home. They do so with the freshest, high-quality ingredients mixed with a little art and passion for your enjoyment.

Specialty item(s): Frosted Schnecke – A sweet swirl made with our signature Croissant dough and dulce de leche. Topped with a vanilla drizzle.

 

Cunningham’s Café and Bakery – Towson

Neighborhood cafe located right in the heart of Towson just past the roundabout. Fresh, local, and handmade artisan bread, pastries, sandwiches, custom desserts, and all-day breakfast. Order their custom cakes and desserts for your next catering event.

Specialty item(s): All-day breakfast, savory sandwiches

 

Bonjour Bakery and Café – Baltimore

The bakery located off Falls Road recently rose to online fame after introducing their unique, crunchy fruit mousse cakes. What looks like realistic fruit from the produce aisle is actually packed with delicate fruit-mouse filling covered in a thin chocolate shell. Pro Tip: Only available on Saturdays and Sundays, so get there early because they sell out fast! The French-inspired bakery/cafe is open Tuesday through Sunday serving croissants, quiches, single serve desserts, and savory sandwiches.

Specialty Item(s): Crunchy fruit mousse cakes

 

Meringue Cake Studio Bakery and Café – Nottingham

Owners Theresa Lancelotta and Jose Zaragoza each bring their passion for scratch cooking and baking to the table. Theresa, a native of Baltimore, blends her catering and wedding-cake baking expertise with Jose, who honed his skills in the vibrant Chicago food scene and at The French Pastry School. Together they have created a studio that specializes in custom cakes, pies, baked goods, pastries, cheesecakes, cookies, and desserts by the slice. Their cafe is open Tuesday through Sunday, serving traditional breakfast and lunch sandwiches made on their homemade bread, along with pastries, salads, and soups.

Specialty Item(s): Decorated, special occasion cakes

 

Kelly’s Kitchen and Bakery – Middle River

A hidden gem tucked into the quiet corners of Middle River. Serving big portions of savory breakfast and lunch for small prices. Specializing in baked goods, cakes, custom cakes, and catering.

Specialty item(s): Baked goods, custom cakes