A few slices of fresh avo, cold cuts for a quick sandwich or eaten with good ol’ butter so the textures and flavours dance in your mouth – we’d wax lyrical if we could about artisanal bread. It’s not the easiest task in the world to make sourdough of your own accord. So a round of applause for those who do!
We’re sure there are plenty of us who’d like to support makers and bakers in their sourdough pursuits. So we’ve gone ahead and curated a list of the best places to find artisanal bread in Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Goa and more. We dare say that these places are the upper crust.
Where: Auroville, Pondicherry
Kicking off this list of artisanal bread in India is Bread and Chocolate, the OG of artisanal bread-making in India. The Auroville café and bakery is the brainchild of baker Daniel Trulson (whose Instagram and real-life are #goals) and Mason & Co.’s Jane Mason. Daniel and his team of bakers flour up at 4 AM every day and whip up sourdough, pastries and croissants that will leave you teary-eyed and in awe.
Image via @breadandchocolate_india
Where: Mysore
SAPA shapes distinctly-flavoured sourdough and pastries from the creme de la creme of Indian flours. The bakery is helmed by Dina Weber, a German native whose love story with sourdough starters led to the journey of a lifetime and a labour of love for her. Their seed loaves and house loaves are definite best-sellers but you won’t go wrong with a chocolate Babka or two, either.
Where: Bengaluru
Honoré is all about good bread, but it’s also more than that. Their sourdough is to die for, as many regular patrons swear wholeheartedly. It’s versatile, so you’d do as well eating it with toppings as you would plain or with a drizzle of olive oil. Other patrons bat for the melt-in-your-mouth croissants – but we’ll leave you to make your choice or buy ‘em all.
Where: Mumbai
Mumbai gets a slice of the proverbial pie, too, when it comes to artisanal bread. The bakery wing of Subko Coffee and Bakehouse is helmed by Daniel Truslon of Bread & Chocolate. Again, you’ll find glorious sourdough bread, brioche and choco-chip walnut cookies straight out of the oven. Subko places tremendous importance on their craft – making absolutely everything from scratch. We love that their quality standards are truly exacting and hope this attention to detail and craftsmanship becomes a standard in other cafes and bakehouses too. Their speciality coffee is a great addition to the mix.
Where: Delhi
This bakehouse and Salon de The brings French delicacies to India’s capital, and how! The Pain Paysan – a cousin of sourdough bread – is a textured, flavoursome interlude for your day. They’re just as well-known for having virtually any Parisian pastry you can think of, from quintessential macarons to the glorious Galette des Rois.
Where: Goa
Rare Republic is helmed by a French chef, so we daresay you’ll find some of the best artisanal bread and pastries Goa has to offer here. For a morning well-spent, you’ll want to bag a slice or two along with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. We recommend heading there as early as possible, though, because they sell out in a flash.
Where: Goa
Paris Pao’s bakery menu is a fascinating medley of French techniques and good old Indian ingredients. Goans and travellers alike swear by the artisanal bread, which they say is worth travelling miles for. They bake to order so you’re guaranteed fresh and steaming loaves straight out of the oven.
Where: Pune
A cult favourite that flung open its doors way back in 1965, Marz O Rin is number one on Punekars’ list for artisanal bread. Their bakery section sees a constant flow of patrons both regulars and newbies. It has serviced many a Christmas and birthday party with freshly baked pastries and bread that are worth writing home about.
There’s no one way to enjoy artisanal bread. But we’d still recommend trying any bakes from these spots on their own, first, to let the authentic flavours wash over you!
Keen to explore other indie eateries in your city? The Urbanaut app has you covered.
