August First Bakery ★ 4.6
Phil Merrick and Jodi Whalen's downtown bakery in a renovated garage on South Champlain. Maple biscuits have taken home Best of Vermont multiple years;
Worth the queue: Maple biscuit and the Vermonter sandwich
Bakery counters in Burlington worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.
Where to queue for bread and pastry
Mirabelles Bakery ★ 4.5
Founded by Alison Lane and Andrew Silva (NECI alumni) in 1990; moved to South Burlington in 2020 and sold to Jake and Alexandria Kent in 2024.
Worth the queue: Croissants and the chocolate cake
Klinger's Bread Company ★ 4.5
The Klingebiel family has run Klinger's since 1993, licensing recipes from Michael and Wendy London; Bosnian head bakers anchor weekly production.
Worth the queue: Sourdough boule
Scout & Co. Pine Street Bakery ★ 4.5
Scout's Pine Street kitchen at 696 Pine bakes the pastries that stock the Old North End and Winooski cafes. Sourdough sandwiches and grab-and-go.
Worth the queue: Daily-changing pastries from the Pine Street kitchen
City Market Bakery ★ 4.2
Onion River Co-op's downtown supermarket has a serious working bakery; daily breads, pastries, cakes and cookies baked in-house alongside the deli case.
Worth the queue: Sourdough loaves and brownies