Since moving to Austin, Texas, I've looked for the city's best bakeries. Head to any of these Austin bakeries when you're in the mood for something sweet, like cookies, cakes, and pastries.
Table of Contents
- Best Bakeries in Austin
- 1. Quack's 43rd Street Bakery
- 2. Wolf and Wheat
- 3. OMG Squee
- 4. Swedish Hill
- 5. Tiny Pies
- 6. Easy Tiger
- 7. Hayleycakes and Cookies
- 8. Rocheli Patisserie
- 9. Julie Myrtille Bakery
- 10. Teal House Coffee & Bakery
- 11. 85C Bakery Cafe
- 12. Tous les Jours
- 13. Upper Crust Bakery
- 14. Joe's Bakery and Coffee Shop
- 15. Comadre Panaderia
- Final Thoughts
Best Bakeries in Austin
1. Quack's 43rd Street Bakery
My #1 pick for cupcakes in Austin is Quack's 43rd Street Bakery. Here, you'll find a chocolatYou'llth peanut butter frosting that towers over the competition. Over the years, I've tried other options, including cookie dough, red velvet with cream cheese frosting, chocolate whipped cream-filled, and pina colada. Muffins, scones, croissants, and cookies are also available, as well as cakes and pies by the slice or whole.
Initially opened in 1983 as Captain Quackenbush's Intergalactic Dessert Co. and Espresso Cafe in downtown Austin, the owners of Quack's Bakery relocated to the Hyde Park neighborhood in the 1990s. In 2018, Quack's expanded to a more picturesque second location named Lady Quackenbush's Cakery in the family-friendly Mueller neighborhood. This was followed by Captain Quackenbush's Coffeehouse, which began serving South Austin in 2021. The third outpost features a stage for live music, beer and wine, and scratch-made baked goods.
411 E 43rd St, Austin, TX, quacksbakery.com
Related: Austin's Best Coffee Shops
2. Wolf and Wheat
Update: This bakery closed permanently over the summer of 2024.
One of the most exciting new bakeries to open in Austin recently is Wolf and Wheat, which occupies the former Gemelli Gelateria space on East 6th Street. Here, co-owner and pastry chef Margarita Kallas-Lee showcases her baking prowess with sourdough loaves, buckwheat brownies, and small-batch ice creams.
I've been watching in wonder as Kallas-Lee and her husband, chef Phillip Frankland Lee, have transitioned from Los Angeles to Austin, opening new locations for their Sushi by Scratch omakase experience and Pasta|Bar restaurant (which earned a Michelin star in LA) along the way. But the bakery has me most excited, perhaps because it's a place I can visit regularly versus special occasions.
On my first visit, I picked up a delicious chocolate buckwheat brownie, a brown butter brioche cookie, and a pint of fresh triple creme and smoked honey ice cream. At home, I was captivated by the unique flavors of ice cream made using cheese imported from California.
Palo santo with dulce de leche and Mexican marigold is also available by the cup or pint. Makrut ice cream bonbons, a signature dessert at Sushi by Scratch restaurants, and ice cream sandwiches are also available. Genmaicha tiramisu and raspberry fig leaf cake are the priciest options at $29 apiece but would serve a dinner party well.
1009 E 6th St, Austin, TX, instagram.com/wolfandwheatatx
3. OMG Squee
Former freelance photographer Sarah Lim and her partner Michael DeAnda began OMG Squee in 2016 out of their tiny home kitchen. Their Asian-inspired pastries proved popular at local farmers markets and pop-ups, leading to the 2020 opening of their brick-and-mortar location in East Austin. Despite the tricky timing and everyday challenges of running a bakery, OMG Squee prevailed, as shown in Season 6 of Queer Eye (Netflix). Kel and I drove by OMG Squee on several weekends only to find a line of customers out the door (and down the sidewalk).
When we finally got there early enough to avoid a long wait, we made the most of it, ordering:
- Four mochi donuts (including lemon butter and Mexican vanilla)
- A Taiyaki soft serve with bao custard and black sesame swirl, and dulce de leche
- Milk tea with homemade boba (tapioca pearls)
- A French macaron
The donuts are adorable enough to make any pastry fan say "squee" and reminded me of some we got at Kulu Kulu, a Japanese cake shop in Honolulu. The soft serve ice cream in a fish-shaped Belgian-style waffle was fun; milk tea fans will appreciate the scratch-made boba. The OMG Squee kitchen is 100% gluten-free.
4607 Bolm Rd Suite A, East Austin, TX, squeeclub.com
4. Swedish Hill
Update: In early 2024, Swedish Hill Bakery downsized to a smaller space a few doors down from the original location. The new cafe is known as "Little Swedish." In addition to a paired back menu and space, they're no longer offering slices of their signature cakes.
Swedish Hill Bakery is an attractive spot in the Clarksville neighborhood west of downtown Austin. MML Hospitality acquired the space, home to Sweetish Hill Bakery & Cafe since 1975, renovated it, and opened Swedish Hill in 2019. Along with my cappuccino, I typically get a sweet treat, such as a salted chocolate chip cookie or banana cream pie. The all-day menu is available from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and includes almond croissants, bagels, and deli sandwiches. Breakfast items are available until 11 a.m. on weekdays and 1 p.m. on the weekends.
1128 W 6th St, Austin, TX, swedishhillaustin.com
Related: San Francisco Bakeries
5. Tiny Pies
My first encounter with Tiny Pies was at the Austin Food + Wine Festival. This small business is built on four generations of family recipes that Amanda and her mom Kit brought to pie fans in Austin. Amanda's 9-year-old son came up with the idea for homemade pies you can eat with your hands. The pies are made with natural ingredients and come in sweet (S'mores, blueberry lemon cream) and savory (chicken pot pie, pulled pork mac 'n cheese) varieties; they also sell full-size 9" pies.
When my mother passed away in 2021, my friend sent me a half-dozen tiny pies; they offered moments of sweet relief between the tears. Tiny Pies is available locally and nationally. The original brick-and-mortar location is on Burnet Road, and other shops are in South Lamar, Westlake, Lakeway, and Waco.
5035 Burnet Rd Ste. 100, Austin, TX, tinypies.com
6. Easy Tiger
One of the first bakeries in Austin I frequented was Easy Tiger, a beer garden and bakery initially operating downtown on 6th Street. Easy Tiger is known for its fresh-baked salted pretzels and beer cheese dip (worth the extra $3). The all-day menu includes seasonal toast on Hill Country sourdough, croissants, caramel banana bread, soups, salads, housemade sausages, sandwiches, and more. If you plan a BBQ, pick up their burger and sausage buns. You can also find their loaves in local H-E-B and Whole Foods grocery stores. While Easy Tiger's popular downtown location closed in 2020, the company has expanded to the Highland District in Central Austin and South Lamar.
Multiple locations, easytigerusa.com
Related: Best Bakeries in Copenhagen
7. Hayleycakes and Cookies
If you've got a sweet tooth like me, check out Hayleycakes and Cookies, which has been "family owned, operated, and fought in since 2013.″ This cute bakery has a display case full of cupcakes and cookies decorated with fun and sassy sayings. Check out their Instagram to get a feel for Hayley's style. When I stopped by to peruse their bakery items, I indulged in a double chocolate chip cookie and a cookies' n cream cupcake. In preparation for a move, I sold a piece of furniture online, and the woman who bought it greeted me with one of the bakery's "You Are Awesome" sugar cookies. Hayleycakes and Cookies offers special orders for cookies, whole cakes, and cookie cakes and also offers wedding cake tastings.
1700 S Lamar Blvd, South Austin, TX, hayleycakesandcookies.com
8. Rocheli Patisserie
Rocheli Patisserie is a relative newcomer to East Austin, opening in February 2021. This French bakery is a family affair; sisters Nelly and Linda Garcia own it along with their mother, Rosa Nelly Caballero. Inside the bright and airy patisserie are a half-dozen tables and a display case full of enticing eclairs, tarts, macarons, and little birthday cakes for two. If you like specialty lattes, you're in the right place, as their menu offers more than a dozen options, including lavender, red velvet, and Nutella.
Rocheli Patisserie hosts a monthly High Tea service, often coinciding with holidays like Easter and Mother's Day. The service includes pastries and beverages for a set price. You can also arrange for friends or family to gather for a private High Tea service. Beyond creating one of the best bakery shops in Austin, Nelly Garcia mentors high school students and offers internships.
1212 Chicon St #102, East Austin, TX, rocheli.com
Related: Malasadas at Leonard's Bakery
9. Julie Myrtille Bakery
French pastry chef Julie Myrtille left a career in finance in New York City to pursue her passion for baking. She completed a two-year training program in France and became the youngest female chef inducted into the prestigious Academie Culinaire de France. In Austin, she began selling homemade pastries at local farmers markets. Her success led to opening her namesake bakery in East Austin to great fanfare. I stopped by soon afterward to sample a little of everything, including a ham and cheese croissant sandwich, soft-baked chocolate chip cookie, macaron, madeleine, and canele. Francophiles can rest easy knowing there's more than one fantastic French bakery in Austin to appreciate.
1023 Springdale Rd Building 1D, Austin, TX, juliemyrtille.us
10. Teal House Coffee & Bakery
Teal House Coffee & Bakery is one of the local bakeries in South Austin that started as a food truck. This small business started when the Phillips family began baking homemade cinnamon rolls and apple pies to sell to neighbors. Their popularity led to a new food trailer and a brick-and-mortar shop. I first tried their cinnamon rolls in 2019 during a meetup of Austin food bloggers. One taste of the sweet frosting is all it takes to see why these rolls took off. Gluten-free and vegan versions of their signature cinnamon buns and sweet and savory kolaches and croissants are available at affordable prices.
2304 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX, tealhouse.co
11. 85C Bakery Cafe
During my first trip to Vietnam, I became a fan of salt coffee after being introduced to it at a cafe on a street food tour in Da Nang. When I returned to Austin, I had good news—I didn't need to look far for sea salt coffee. A Taiwanese chain, 85 C Bakery Cafe, has been selling it for years; it was even featured in Time Magazine.
Beyond 85 C Bakery Cafe's delicious coffee, every location features an in-shop bakery that pumps out more than 50 varieties of delicious pastries all day. As I saw at some bakeries in Vietnam, you can grab a tray and work your way around the offerings, taking what you like. Everything outside the refrigerated case (full of layer cakes, whole or by the slice) is individually wrapped. In addition to the salt coffee, I tried a Hokkaido cheese tart, bacon and cheese pastry, and a slice of mango cake. Everything tasted fresh, and I'm a new fan!
11301 Lakeline Blvd #140, Austin, TX, 85cbakerycafe.com
12. Tous les Jours
Hot off my discovery of 85C Bakery Cafe in North Austin, I prioritized visiting Tous les Jours, an international French-Asian bakery chain. They're known for their soft bread. I tried the green honeydew melon, shaped like a French baguette but much softer. The cream filling added some sweetness to this tasty pastry. Other exciting options include milk cream bread, red bean bread, taro buttercream bread, and purple sweet potato loaf. Various danishes, croissants, fruit pastries, and donuts also fill the display shelves, and like 85C Bakery Cafe, trays and tongs are available to help you shop.
6808 N Lamar Blvd B-115, Austin, TX, tljus.com
13. Upper Crust Bakery
Austin's Upper Crust Bakery has been a part of the community for more than 28 years. Their casual cafe offers plenty of space to enjoy hot drinks and a pastry, or in my case, the Black Gold cookie, which had a brownie-like texture. Whole cakes and pies are their specialties, though, and there are many to choose from (chocolate Italian cream, red velvet, pecan) whether you're dropping by or placing a special order.
4508 Burnet Rd, Austin, TX, uppercrustbakery.com
Related: Top Bakeries in New Orleans
14. Joe's Bakery and Coffee Shop
Established in 1962, Joe's Bakery and Coffee Shop in East Austin is renowned for its Mexican pastries, all-day breakfast, tacos, and vibrant atmosphere. This beloved family-owned bakery has proudly and passionately served the community for years, earning it the prestigious America's Classics Award from the James Beard Foundation in 2023. Step inside and turn to your left, and you'll see a display case filled to the brim with cookies, pan dulce, and assorted pastries. Get them to go or grab a seat and order off the full menu. I did the latter, using the occasion to try Joe's pan dulce and my first pork chop taco (breaded and fried pork cutlets on a flour tortilla).
2305 E 7th St, Austin, TX, joesbakery.com
15. Comadre Panaderia
Let's turn our attention from the old school to the new school. Comadre Panaderia is a modern Mexican bakery that opened behind Nixta Taqueria in the spring of 2023. Owner and pastry chef Mariela Camacho serves savory pastries like the Papa Ranchera egg and cheese empanada I had for breakfast and delicious desserts (I walked out with a piece of TX buckwheat and cajeta chocolate cake).
I was also happy to see four options for bottled cacao drinks, including:
- Oaxacan Chocolate
- Mexican Cacao and Cold Brew
- Snow Jasmine Milk Tea Chocolate
- Calabaza Spice Chocolate (seasonal)
Camacho received national recognition for her baked goods when she was named a James Beard Award semifinalist in the Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker category in 2023 and again in 2024.
1204 Cedar Ave, Austin, TX, comadrepanaderia.com
Final Thoughts
Many of the best Austin bakeries are small, individual, or family-owned businesses that rely on their communities to succeed. Let's all do our part to help by enjoying the wide variety of cookies, cakes, and pastries they offer.
