crossroadsDaily 7:00 to 17:00Walk-in onlyCoffee-paired pastries
Messenger Bakery shares the Grand Boulevard flagship with Ibis on the ground floor. Pastries change daily, with morning buns and laminated croissants leading the case.
Tip: Walk between Messenger, Blip Roasters and Cafe Ca Phe; all are close on a Crossroads coffee crawl.
Worth the queue: Cardamom morning bun
river-marketDaily 10:00 to 17:30Walk-in onlyItalian breads, cannoli, biscotti
Carollo's Italian Grocery and Deli on 3rd Street in Kansas City's City Market has run since 1989, with Mike Carollo's imports plus a daily run of cannoli and Italian breads.
Tip: Pick up imported tomatoes and olive oil; the deli builds sandwiches on the same bread out front.
Worth the queue: Filled cannoli
leawoodTue to Sun 7:30 to 17:00Walk-in onlyWhole grain breads, pastries
Ibis Bakery's Leawood outpost on Roe Avenue in suburban Kansas City sells the same breads as the Crossroads flagship, with parking and a quieter pace.
Tip: The Leawood store opens earlier than the flagship; pain de campagne sells out by mid-morning.
Worth the queue: Pain de campagne
overland-parkDaily 7:00 to 17:00Walk-in onlyCakes, cinnamon rolls, lunch counter
McLain's Market in Leawood is the suburban Kansas City spin-off of the 1945 Waldo bakery, with a wider cafe menu and a full case of cakes, doughnuts and rolls.
Tip: Cinnamon rolls hot from the oven at 09:00. The cafe runs daily breakfast and lunch.
Worth the queue: Cinnamon roll
crossroadsDaily 7:00 to 17:00Walk-in onlySourdough loaves, laminated pastries
Ibis Bakery shares the Messenger Coffee flagship on Grand Boulevard in Kansas City's Crossroads. The in-house grain mill makes the city's most serious daily breads.
Tip: Bread is best by 09:00; the laminated pastries sell out by lunch. Wholesale to Black Dog and several KC cafes.
Worth the queue: Sourdough miche
downtownMon to Tue 7:00 to 15:00, Wed to Fri 7:00 to 21:00, Sat 7:30 to 21:00, Sun 7:30 to 15:00Walk-in onlyAustralian-style bakehouse, sausage rolls, pavlova
Banksia Bakehouse on Main Street in downtown Kansas City is the city's first Australian-style bakehouse and cafe. Chef-owner Rob Joseph runs a scratch programme of sausage rolls, Lamingtons, pavlova and a daily bread board.
Tip: The pork and fennel sausage roll is the Diners Drive-Ins and Dives pick. Pavlova and ANZAC cookies anchor the Australian side of the case.
Worth the queue: Pork and fennel sausage roll