Bakery counters in Louisville worth queuing for: levain breads, laminated pastry, regional bakes and the morning ritual.

Where to queue for bread and pastry

Plehn's Bakery ★ 4.6

Tue to Fri 07:00 to 17:00, Sat 06:30 to 17:00, closed Sun and MonWalk-in onlyOld-school American cakes and donuts

Plehn's Bakery on Shelbyville Road in Louisville has baked Truffle Torte, Lemon Torte and birthday cakes for the city since 1922, the Saint Matthews counter every local knows.

Tip: Walk-in only. Saturday mornings draw the longest lines for the cake counter; Truffle Torte and Italian Cream sell out first.

Worth the queue: Truffle Torte Cake

3940 Shelbyville Road, Louisville, KY 40207

Please and Thank You ★ 4.6

Mon to Sat 07:00 to 17:30, Sun 08:00 to 17:30Walk-in onlySmall-batch Southern bakery and coffee

Please and Thank You on East Market in Louisville has baked warm chocolate chip cookies and coffee cake in NuLu since 2011, the city's most-photographed cookie counter.

Tip: Walk-in only. The cookies come out warm in batches all morning.

Worth the queue: Chocolate chip cookie

800 East Market Street, Louisville, KY 40206

North Lime Coffee and Donuts ★ 4.5

Mon to Sat 06:00 to 14:00, Sun 07:00 to 14:00Walk-in onlyFried-to-order donuts and espresso

North Lime Coffee and Donuts on Herr Lane in Louisville fries fresh donuts daily out of Westport Village, a small-batch operation locals queue for on weekend mornings.

Tip: Walk-in counter. Get in before 11:00 for the full donut selection.

Worth the queue: Maple bacon donut

1301 Herr Lane, Louisville, KY 40222

Muth's Candies ★ 4.7

Tue to Sat 09:00 to 17:00, closed Sun and MonWalk-in onlyHandmade chocolates and confections

Muth's Candies on East Market in Louisville has made hand-rolled chocolates and modjeskas in NuLu since 1921, the family-owned confectioner with a hundred-year-old storefront.

Tip: Walk-in only. Modjeskas are the city's signature confection: caramel-dipped marshmallow.

Worth the queue: Modjeskas, chocolate-covered marshmallow

630 East Market Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Art Eatables ★ 4.6

Mon to Sat 10:00 to 17:30, Sun 11:00 to 17:00Walk-in onlyBourbon chocolates and truffles

Art Eatables on West Main in Louisville is run by Kelly Ramsey, the world's first bourbon-certified chocolatier, hand-making Small-Batch Bourbon Truffles on Whiskey Row with a tasting bar.

Tip: Walk-in counter on the Bourbon District side of Main. The flagship tasting bar pairs truffles with curated bourbon flights.

Worth the queue: Small-Batch Bourbon Truffle

631 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202

Nord's Bakery ★ 4.5

Daily 06:00 to 14:00Walk-in onlyOld-school donuts and pastries

Nord's Bakery on South Preston in Louisville has fried Germantown donuts and pastries since 2008, a sticky-counter favorite for the city's best maple bacon donut.

Tip: Walk-in only. Get there by 11:00 on weekends or the maple bacon sells out.

Worth the queue: Maple bacon donut

2118 South Preston Street, Louisville, KY 40217

Blue Dog Bakery and Cafe ★ 4.6

Tue to Sat 07:00 to 16:00, Sun 08:00 to 14:00, closed MonWalk-in onlyEuropean-style sourdough breads and pastry

Blue Dog Bakery on Frankfort Avenue in Louisville bakes European-style hearth breads and pastries from a Crescent Hill kitchen, a brunch-and-bread spot since the mid-2000s.

Tip: Walk-in counter or stay for brunch in the cafe. Bread sells out by 13:00.

Worth the queue: Country sourdough loaf

2868 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206

Heitzman Traditional Bakery and Deli ★ 4.3

Mon to Sat 07:00 to 18:00, Sun 09:00 to 14:00Walk-in onlyGerman-American breads, cakes, deli

Heitzman Traditional Bakery on Shelbyville Road has baked Louisville cakes since 1891, four generations of Butter Kuchen and the Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake every Derby weekend.

Tip: Walk-in counter. Order wedding and birthday cakes a week ahead through the deli.

Worth the queue: Butter Kuchen, Strawberry Whipped Cream Cake

9426 Shelbyville Road, Louisville, KY 40222
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