The 14 Absolute Best Bakeries In The South

The American South is dotted with cities celebrated for their food specialties, from New Orleans to Charleston, Nashville, and Miami, and their stellar reputation attracts domestic and international visitors alike. Artisan coffee shops, lively dive bars, and soul food and seafood restaurants abound there, but so do top-tier bakeries that offer bliss in every bite. There are so many scrumptious baked staples to try in the South, such as pies, cobblers, hummingbird cakes, king cakes, beignets, biscuits, scones, and sourdough loaves elevated with savory or sweet fillings.

You can always try our comprehensive list of Southern dessert recipes at home, or, if you're exploring that part of the U.S., treat yourself to the most decadent oven-fresh delights. Here's our selection of widely acclaimed bakeries in the South that are absolutely worth visiting (i.e., worth breaking your diet or even shelling out for). They've all received high ratings and fantastic testimonials from their customers, not to mention recognition from local and regional media outlets. Which of these top spots will earn a place on your bucket list?

While visiting the Big Easy, if you ever find yourself on the corner of Dauphine and Independence Streets on a Friday morning, you might witness long lines in front of Bywater Bakery. Established in 2017, this place is widely famous for its Bagel Friday, but it also offers many other irresistible treats, such as the decadent berry Chantilly cake, hailed by Axios New Orleans as the very best in NOLA. The local news outlet has also sung the praises of its generously filled passionfruit and pineapple king cake.

Happy customers have especially gushed over this bakery's apple fritter, coconut cake, and sweet potato cinnamon bun. Certain enticing cupcake flavors have been getting some extra love, too, like the banana pudding, Mexican chocolate, and lavender lemon.

Speaking of lavender, you're probably familiar with Taylor Swift's "Lavender Haze" hit, which was released in 2022. While she was celebrating her 33^rd birthday in the city, the megastar commissioned a cake from Bywater Bakery, and the staff obliged with a colorful creation inspired by that song. The top tier included banana mascarpone cream, while the bottom layer was flavored with chai and chocolate. In truth, that order alone was probably all the publicity this business would ever need.

bywaterbakery.com

504-336-3336

3624 Dauphine St, New Orleans, LA 70117

One of New Orleans' must-visit hotspots is Frenchman Street, packed with live-music venues. In its heart lies Ayu Bakehouse, whose name rhymes with "bayou" and means "joy" in Indonesian. Established in 2022, Ayu is particularly praised for its king cakes, croissants, sourdough (plain or seeded), and boudin boy, a Cajun staple (the house recommends pairing the latter with fried peanut chili oil).

This modern bakery has garnered some press coverage for its alligator-shaped bread loaf. New Orleans.com hailed it as one of the best bakeries in the city for 2024. As for Axios New Orleans, it particularly recommends trying the Frenchman sandwich, a baguette filled with mozzarella, prosciutto, watermelon radish, and green beans.

For your convenience, all of Ayu's menu items have dietary labels, with vegan, vegetarian, or gluten-friendly variations available upon request. This bakery also offers a croissant-making class, but keep in mind that spots fill up quickly.

ayubakehouse.com

504-302-7985

801 Frenchmen St, New Orleans, LA 70117

Originally established on Weaverville Road in 1994, Old Europe Pastries is a family-owned bakery and café that has since relocated to downtown Asheville, near the AC Hotel. Celebrated for its traditional European-style baking techniques, it's featured on the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce website. "I used to bake with my grandma; everyone baked at home where I lived ... I love making and eating cake, especially our strawberry mousse cake," Hungarian-born owner Melinda Vetro said to Asheville Independent Restaurants in 2025.

Several other notable goodies can be sampled at Old Europe Pastries, including a wide selection of delicious treats suitable for customers with dietary restrictions and sensitivities, from the vegan chocolate cupcake and lemon poppy-seed bread to the gluten-free tiramisu, chocolate-dipped coconut macaroon, and peanut butter mousse cake.

oldeuropepastries.com

828-255-5999

18 Broadway St, Asheville, NC 28801

North and West Asheville are home to another acclaimed bakery that offers exceptional baked goods: OWL, whose name has nothing to do with the bird but actually stands for Old World Levain. This is where you'll find quality artisan European-style leavened breads and pastries, as well as specialty coffee and seasonal breakfast and lunch snacks. Think coffee walnut strudel, maple cream cheese Danish, almond rose croissant, cardamom bun, and chocolate babka.

Pastry lead Lola Borovyk has also generated favorable press coverage for her double-baked croissant, filled with house-made muscadine grape jam and peanut frangipane — a decadent upgrade of the widely cherished PB&J sandwich. Back in 2022, she introduced the city to her version of the medovik, a Ukrainian layered honey cake. "The most important thing in a medovik is the contrast between the sweet, honey graham-like layers and the tart frosting," she said to Mountain Xpress Asheville at the time.

owlbakery.com

Multiple locations

Charleston is a treasure trove of architecture and historical landmarks, not to mention top-tier restaurants, cafes, and bakeries spanning various concepts. Located on vibrant King Street, Weltons Tiny Bakeshop, for instance, was recognized by the Gloobles Awards in 2024 for its excellent pastries and coffee. It's particularly celebrated for its cardamom sugar kouign-amann, twice-baked croissants, and cheesy grits Danish. Its salted honey pie once received a shoutout in USA Network's legal drama series "The Rainmaker."

In an Instagram post dated June 29, 2025, Weltons announced it was expanding to the neighboring brick building, so that it may become "a place for you to [comfortably] sit and eat a croissant and sip an espresso ... A place for us to cook pizza when we want ... A place for you to swing by for a glass of wine and focaccia slice in the afternoon."

Meanwhile, that beloved South Carolina spot boasts a health score of 100 out of 100 on Yelp, where users have gushed about the kind and accommodating staff and the strong coffee and have recommended arriving early to avoid waiting in line for unique treats like the apple cider donut or the moist almond and cherry bear claw.

weltonstinybakeshop.com

843-666-7277

682 King St, Charleston, SC 29403

Nashville isn't just the country music capital of the world. It's also home to first-rate eateries and coffee shops, including D'Andrews Bakery & Cafe, a popular breakfast and lunch spot that was established by pastry chef David Andrews in 2018. This gem became a James Beard Restaurant and Chef Awards semifinalist in 2024 and was honored by the Nashville Scene newspaper with the Best Beautiful Pastries award in October 2025.

The menu proposes baked goods with limited availability in the morning, such as the double-butter croissant, the cream-filled sugared brioche donut, and the gluten-free blueberry corn muffin. It also includes an oatmeal cherry cookie, a gluten-free orange and almond cake, a Jack Daniel's honey brownie, and a vegetarian egg sandwich.

Tip: Pair your baked goods with a matcha latte, deemed by patrons as one of the best in the city.

dandrewsbakery.com

615-375-4934

555 Church St, Nashville, TN 37219

Established in 2016 as a farmers market stand, Brightside Bakeshop is a family-owned artisan bakery with two locations in Nashville. It's widely celebrated for its cinnaroll, sausage and cheddar brioche, chocolate croissant, oatmeal cream pie croissant, and raspberry almond Bostock, among other scrumptious temptations.

Regulars consider Brightside one of the best bakeries in Nashville, one that keeps them on their toes in anticipation of those unique weekend specials. "During those times, special croissant flavors such as prosciutto, Gruyère, and oatmeal cream pie will sell out quickly," Bakemag reported in its 2025 interview with owner and executive pastry chef Andrea Borchers.

Because it's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and packed the rest of the week, locals recommend placing your orders in advance. Keep in mind that those highly coveted items are released on the website at 3 p.m. for your same-day and next-day pickups, but you'll have to allocate more time for larger or Holiday-themed orders. Sadly, gluten-free or vegan pastries aren't offered at this time.

brightsidebakeshop.com

Multiple locations

Our survey of top-tier bakeries in the South continues with Auspicious Sandfly, an artisan bakery and full-service coffee bar under the umbrella of the Auspicious Baking Company. This spot is particularly noted for its pop-tarts, cinnamon buns, gluten-free and vegan alternatives, and croissant loaves filled with different monthly fruity flavors. "We really love to do breads and pastries that remind you of your childhood or stuff that your grandparents would make," co-owner Katie Bryant told Savannah Magazine in November 2024.

As such, the company has been honored with numerous accolades, including Best Bread from Savannah Magazine in 2020, 2021, and 2022, and the Connect Best of Savannah's Best Bakery award from 2020 to 2023. Additionally, the Savannah Agenda dubbed this brand's croissants the best in the city in 2025. The house's cheese Danish, churro croissant, and blueberry pop-tarts have also received nods from elated customers.

auspiciousbakingco.com

912-349-3444

7360 Skidaway Rd Ste J1, Savannah, GA 31406

If you're the mood for scones of all shapes, sizes, and flavors, then the Savannah Scone Company, which ships nationwide, is probably your best bet. Nestled in the Medical Arts District, this bakery specializes in scones and scuffins, and it even offers a small gluten-free selection.

With over 150 scone flavors offered and a weekly rotating menu, local favorites may be hard to determine. Still, if you'd like to start somewhere, the following items have received a shoutout on reviewing platforms: the cinnamon roll and white chocolate with macadamia scones, and the chocolate almond, jalapeño cheddar, and lemon cream scuffins.

It's no wonder, then, that Savannah Scone Company was a Best of the Coastal Empire Community's Choice Awards winner in 2022 and was nominated for a 2026 Best of Georgia Award.

savannahsconecompany.com

912-777-7514

713 E 65th St, Savannah, GA 31405

Miami-based Frudeco is a unique Southern spot where you can customize chic, visually appealing cakes for any special occasion or celebration, from Thanksgiving to birthdays, Father's Day, graduations, engagements, private brunches, and bachelorette parties. "People eat with their eyes first, but if the flavor doesn't match the presentation, you've lost them ... We've spent years perfecting our recipes. It's a balance of texture, richness, and subtle flavor notes that linger but never overwhelm," owner Yarden Weiss told the Global Billionaire in May 2025.

Indeed, these colorful creations are enhanced with premium toppings like house-made candy, delicately flavored macarons, chocolate-covered pretzels, and edible flowers. The shape and design options cater to various tastes and types of events, spanning letters, numbers, zodiac signs, gender reveals, and the ever-elegant vintage collection.

frudeco.com

786-569-4450

8212 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33138

Puerto Rican-American reggaeton singer and songwriter Nicky Jam owns a rather pricey spot in Miami's Bayside Marketplace that specializes in exquisite Latin and Caribbean baked goods: La Industria Bakery and Café. It has earned a reputation as a premier destination for brunch, as it's celebrated for its generous portions, bilingual staff, well-balanced flavors, and overall electric vibe.

An OpenTable's 2025 Diners Choice Awards winner, La Industria is featured on the Downtown Miami website and has been praised by Bayside Marketplace for its "unique fusion of flavors and culture," "delectable pancakes," and "flavorful sandwiches." Nicky Jam's favorite pancakes come with copious amounts of dulce de leche and bananas, which you can wash down with one of the house's specialty lattes.

laindustriabakery.com

786-803-8333

401 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132

Apparently, "Virginia is for lovers" of all kinds, including pie aficionados, and it's in Richmond that you'll find some of the most delectable savory and sweet New Zealand and American-style pies, in a one-of-a-kind bakery called the Proper Pie Company. Kiwi-born co-owner and chief pie maker Neil Smith started the business back in 2012, with the help of a Kickstarter campaign.

Now, Proper Pie is featured on tourist websites like Visit Richmond and Virginia Is for Lovers. It has also been recognized by Virginia Living as the absolute best pie in Richmond's Church Hill area and by Southern Living as one of the "most legendary pie shops in the South."

Here are some tempting savory options to try: steak and cheese, pork and peach BBQ, and vegan Thai butternut squash. The "sweet by the slice" menu is no less enticing and includes buttermilk and raspberry, pumpkin and salted caramel, and vegan strawberry rhubarb.

properpieco.com

804-343-7437

2505 E Broad St #100, Richmond, VA 23223

Established in 2019, Up All Night Bakery is another prime spot in Richmond for delightful baked goods. It owes its name to an exchange between owner Jonathan Highfield and his wife. Per the website, "When Jonathan first started the business, he was working two other jobs with the new business still just a side hustle. She joked 'You are just going to be up all night baking anyway!' and that was it!"

This bakery specializes in wood-fired sourdough breads, such as the farmhouse whole-grain loaf, as well as special croissant flavors like pumpkin cheesecake, tiramisu, cookies and cream. It's also noted for its cheddar chive scone, banana pudding croissant, croissant cinnamon roll, and chocolate Boston cream croissant.

It was only a matter of time, then, before Up All Night Bakery was recognized by RIC Today as one of the best places to buy fresh bread in the city and featured by Virginia Is for Lovers, Visit Richmond, and the RVA Dine & Drink community.

upallnightbakery.com

804-918-8722

1221 Bellevue Ave, Richmond, VA 23228

We conclude this overview of the top Southern bakeries with the charming historic railroad city of Opelika. This is where you'll find Stinson Breads, a family-owned, community-oriented business that sources its ingredients locally and offers artisan sourdough and focaccia breads as well as monthly baking classes and a mobile coffee cart. Sourdough flavors are on rotation and include roasted garlic rosemary, pumpkin dark chocolate, jalapeño cheddar, and cranberry herb; so, be sure to check the website for seasonal updates.

Stinson Breads won the 2025 Emerging Retailer of the Year Gee Award from the Alabama Retail Association, and it has been recognized by Opelika Main Street, the Opelika Chamber, Auburn Obelika Tourism, Alabama.com, and the Auburn Plainsman.

stinsonbreads.com

334-744-5174

714 N Railroad Ave, Opelika, AL 36801

Our first task was to cover as many of these states as possible and focus on cities renowned for their culinary scene. We narrowed the selection down to places that use high-quality ingredients and offer decadent signature, weekly, monthly, and/or seasonal items. You can't go wrong with classic favorites, but a little creativity will get you noticed and keep those customers hooked.

All of these well-established bakeries have received excellent ratings and feedback from regulars and first-time visitors alike on platforms like TripAdvisor, Yelp, and Google Reviews, and most of them have been honored with local accolades and/or are promoted on regional/state websites. Finally, we made sure to include businesses that also cater to different dietary needs.