There’s nothing better than the smell of freshly baked bread and delicious treats, so if you’re looking for the best bakeries in Raleigh to pick up some tasty treats, you’re in the right place. As a family, we’ve been testing out sweet and savory pastries, cookies, cupcakes and breads from the local Raleigh bakeries to help our readers find delicious options.
Whether you’re looking for pastries, pies, breads, desserts, ice cream, or even a birthday cake, here are some of our favorite bakeries in the Raleigh and Wake County area.
Boulted Bread
- Address: 614 W. South St
- Website: BoultedBread.com
Boulted Bread is that chic, local neighborhood bakery in Boylan Heights you’ve been craving that features pastries and loaves of bread made with local and organic grains. This is one of the most popular bakeries with Raleigh locals serving artisan bread and pastries ranging from their popular flaky croissants to scones and morning buns.
You can expect phenomenal artisan bread and sweet and savory pastries created in a bright, rustic bakery that might be small in size but is big on quality and run by passionate locals. Popular items: The Morning Bun. Chocolate Croissants. Grits Bread. Seeded Levain bread. And the staff favorite is the Baguette. Pop in and grab something to go then head to one of our favorite neighborhoods in Raleigh, the Warehouse District.
They do decent coffee here, too. Keep in mind this place is popular and gets busy, especially on the weekends – arrive close to opening time for the freshest goods and a seat.
Yellow Dog Bread Company
- Address: 219 East Franklin Street
- Website: Yellowdogbread.com
Yellow Dog Bread Company is a coffee shop and bakery specializing in handmade artisan breads and southern influenced pastries in the North Person Street neighborhood. Here you’ll find this small and local neighborhood bakery with fresh baked bread daily, croissants, rolls, sandwiches, cookies, cakes and coffee.
Popular items: Their bread. Almond croissants. Zucchini Walnut Loaf. Cinnamon Buns. Sticky pecan buns. Crostinis. Slab cakes. Chocolate chip scone. Homemade pop tarts. Iced chai vanilla latte. And they have a cute seating area to meet with friends, where you can sit back and watch the world go by while your taste buds get their fix! This bakery is bright and welcoming offering a full coffee bar. There’s plenty of parking or bike racks available. Either hang around or get a pastry and coffee to go and wander up and down Person Street or our favorite, Historic Oakwood.
Paul & Jack Bakery
- Address: 911 N West St
- Website: facebook.com/paulandjackbakery
Paul & Jack Bakery has swiftly become a cherished name among Triangle-area food lovers, bringing a taste of Europe to North Carolina. Originally launched in Wake Forest, and now also in Glenwood South, this artisan bakery is known for its elegant, small-batch pastries and refined café atmosphere. In early 2025, they expanded into Downtown Raleigh, taking over the former Layered Croissanterie space on North West Street.
Owner Jacques Matar brings a European sensibility to the bakery’s offerings, with signature items like bomboloni—Italian doughnuts filled with house made cream or fruit confit—earning rave reviews from our teen daughter!
Cheesecake / Cannolis
Popular items: Vanilla Caramel Croissant, Cruffins, Baklava Cheesecake, Egg Danish, Nutella Brookie! Other highlights include buttery croissants, delicate tarts, and a rotating selection of seasonal pastries that showcase both technical skill and creative flair. And, they have a couple of gluten free items. The café’s sleek, modern interior and inviting outdoor seating to make it a perfect stop for a leisurely breakfast or an afternoon treat. And surprisingly, their coffee was pretty good.
The Cupcake Shoppe Bakery
- Address: 104 Glenwood Ave, Raleigh
- Website: TheCupCakeShoppeRaleigh.com
Got a sweet tooth and looking for tasty cupcakes in Raleigh? Look no further than the Cupcake Shoppe Bakery in Glenwood South. This cozy and stylish of Raleigh bakeries whips up bespoke cakes & cupcakes using fresh, high end, local ingredients.
They have daily cupcake flavors, we like the red velvet with cream cheese icing. Plus pastries and confections like cookies, croissants, cinnamon rolls, muffins, brownies and scones. Even the gluten free cupcakes are moist and delicious.
Popular for cupcakes!
And if you have an upcoming celebration or event, they even create custom cakes (2-3 days’ notice required) for a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary, and they always beautifully created with intricate designs. They also have a coffee bar and proudly serve locally roasted Joe Van Gogh coffee and espresso. Popular items: Big Red (Red Velvet) Cupcake. Vegan Cupcakes. Gluten-free Cupcakes. Wedding Cakes. The Mint Choc cupcake for the mint buttercream icing!
La Farm Bakery
- Address: Raleigh + Cary
- Website: LaFarmBakery.com
If you’re searching for a “French bakery” in Raleigh, you won’t find better than La Farm Bakery in the nearby town of Cary! This is a modern day boulangerie (French bakery) as opposed to a pastry shop and is known for having the highest quality baked goods in all of Wake County. Our love of French style bread and pastries has put a stop at La Farm Bakery on not only our list of favorite bakeries, but our list of places to eat in Raleigh, period.
At this modern day bakery, master baker Lionel Vatinet produces 15 different styles of bread (plus 20 seasonal breads throughout the year) made with the freshest ingredients and using centuries-old baking traditions from a European-style hearth oven.
Cookies + scones
They have a flagship store in the heart of Cary, an easy drive from downtown Raleigh, and also a store at Raleigh Durham International Airport, which is HUGELY popular. Expect a line but it moves quickly. They also now have another location near North Hills that serves up breakfast and lunch dishes similar to the Cary location. The original location at 4248 NW Cary Parkway also has an excellent cafe on site serving up breakfast, brunch, lunch/dinner and coffee.
Stop in to a La Farm, grab a loaf to take home or pick up a pastry as you enjoy walking around. Popular items: white chocolate mini baguette, chocolate or blueberry scone, croissants.
Lucettegrace
- Address: 235 S Salisbury St, Raleigh
- Website: LucetteGrace.com
When you’re right in downtown, check out the cute Lucettegrace cafe, a contemporary patisserie that specializes in sweet and savory breakfast pastries, and French inspired desserts and light lunches. Located in a bright and airy space on S. Salisbury Street and not far from the NC State Capitol building and Raleigh Convention Center, this eclectic, modern patisserie is led by chef/owner Daniel Benjamin
After spending more than 15 years in some of the finest kitchens in the U.S., Daniel put down roots in Raleigh downtown to create a style of pastry built on tradition, but unique to Raleigh. Popular items: Most popular for their macarons, but also cookies and inventive dessert pastries, plus traditional croissants, brownies, baguettes, and sandwich bread loaf. Also, on their casual but popular lunch menu are soups, sandwiches, salads and coffee for quick grab and go, or eat in.
Union Special
- Address: 2409 Crabtree Blvd
- Website: Uninospecialbread.com
Union Special is another popular full-service cafe and bakery located in Gateway Plaza off Capital Blvd. They produce fresh homemade bread, sweet and savory pastries, cookies, and cafe fare. Yes, it’s one of the most popular bakeries, but it’s so much more – they have an evolving cafe menu serving breakfast and lunch, creative sandwiches, vegan options, a kid’s menu, coffee, and even beer. They are known for their sourdough, which is made from locally sourced flour from Lindley Mills in Graham, using a single, whole wheat natural sponge which gives it its unique flavor and delicious crust.
Most dishes at Union Special are made from scratch. All the flours are sourced exclusively from Lindley Mills in Graham, NC. Popular items: Their top-quality daily breads. The Union Egg Sandwich, Blue Corn Cookie, Vegan Snickerdoodle Cookie (made with pumpkin and molasses topped with raw sugar).
Edible Art Bakery & Dessert
- Address: 4351-115 The Cir At North Hills
- Website: edibleartnc.com
Edible Art is a long-running bakery and cake shop that nestled in the North Hills area. They are known for their specialty cakes, some tiered wedding cakes to artisan cupcakes for special events. They also have freshly made cupcakes, cookies and sweet treats made from scratch each day. They also have gluten-free and vegan options! I absolutely love their gluten free cupcakes, which change daily! See more more gluten free places to eat in Raleigh.
They also have seasonal special brownies and cookies, so be sure to check out their ever-changing menu when in town! There’s a lovely and cozy seating area where you can enjoy your delicious cakes whilst watching the world go by outside with a cup of coffee. Popular Items: Red Velvet Cake, Cheesecake Bars, Lemon Pound Cake, Caramel Corn (made with salted caramel), gourmet stuffed cookies.
Annelore’s German Bakery
- Address: 308 W Chatham St, Cary
- Website: AnneloresBakery.com
Annelore’s is a German Bakery inspired by traditional Munich and Viennese coffee houses and konditoreien (pastry shops) and they serve up freshly baked and timeless bread and pastries based on old-world family recipes, some of which date back generations. Choose from over 6 different styles of Artisanal bread (and an additional 10 seasonal breads throughout the year using a European-style hearth oven), traditional German Pastries (they import ingredients such as chocolate and flour from Germany), cookies, and they have gluten-free macarons, a delicious almond orange cake and Meringues.
From the local honey drizzle topping on the customer-favorite Bee Sting Cake, to the Whoopie Pies, the tangy Morello cherries baked into the Donauwellen, each and every ingredient is of the highest quality.
Very clean and bright interior, pop in for a fresh pastry, a cup of coffee, and an experience that can’t be found anywhere else in the Triangle area. My Dad visited from Australia November last year, and he still can’t stop talking about the apple pie he had from Annelores. He’s visiting this Thanksgiving and has it at the top of his list of bakeries to visit in Wake County!
Southern Sugar Bakery
- Address: 4517 Lead Mine Rd Suite B, Raleigh
- Website: southernsugarbakery.com
Another popular place for if you’re in the mood for sweets is Southern Sugar Bakery – I mean, it’s in the name! They are famous for their custom, hand-decorated sugar cookies, that not only look good but taste good too! This isn’t your rock up and sit-down type bakery, it’s more for finding bespoke and custom cookies, but they are so beautiful it would be a shame to leave them off this list. If you have a baby shower coming up, or a bat mitzvah, or graduation celebration, or even to send a Mother’s Day present, this is the place to get a unique gift.
Groovy Duck Bakery
- Address: 3434 Edwards Mill Rd #110, Raleigh
- Website: www.groovyduckbakery.com
Another place to bite into some sweet desserts is Groovy Duck Bakery, which has the best chocolate cake in Raleigh! It’s so moist and sticky and fudgy, just oozing in chocolatey goodness! As well as having a collection of freshly made cupcakes, cookies and brownies each day, they also make cakes for special occasions. They are most famous for their muffins. Grab yourself a coffee and relax in the inside seating area. It’s small and cozy, with only a few tables and bar stools looking out the window.Popular items: Muffins, Cupcakes, Cookies, Chocolate Cake
Premier Cakes
- Address: 6617 Falls of Neuse Rd #105, Raleigh
- Website: www.premier-cakes.com
Looking for a new flavor to fall in love with? The flavor combinations of the cakes at Premier Cakes will be right up your street! Ever tried a sweet potato cake? How about coconut and pineapple? Whether you want something fruity or sugary, there’s a cake combination for everyone. Their cakes are a little old-fashioned with a classic three tier, simply frosting design, but that’s how we like them. They’re not too sweet or sickly, with just the right amount of frosting.
The only downside is that they are only open three days a week and only in the afternoon, so you have to time your visit right. Popular items: Lemon, Caramel, Old Fashioned Chocolate, Strawberry, Pineapple Coconut, Sweet Potato, or the Hummingbird cake.
Little Blue Bakehouse
- Address: 2116-H New Bern Ave, Raleigh
- Website: littlebluebakehouse.com
Just a short drive out of downtown is this cute little bakery next to Alamo Drafthouse, known for their fresh local coffee, sweet treats,
and baked goods. It all started with Allison Vick, who you may have heard of – she’s the mastermind behind Little Blue Macaron. Allison is a well-known pastry chef and macaron lover born and raised in Raleigh, and for three years she had been making macarons on a made to order basis but now has a bricks and mortar bakery in Raleigh! There is also a variety of gluten-free options as well. Popular items: macarons of course, ice cream, cupcakes.
Utica Bakery
- Address: 430 Upchurch St, Apex
- Website: uticabakery.com
So happy that Utica Bakery in Apex is back on our best bakeries in Raleigh list. We never wanted to take it off, but they closed down for a while. Pastry lovers can now celebrate as Utica has recently reopened. Utica is a standout as it’s an authentic artisan bakery specializing in hand crafted Italian European pastries and baked goods in sweet and savory form.
Pastries are hand crafted using old-world techniques and filled Fresh to Order with your choice of house-made custards & creams. Filling choices include cannoli cream, chocolate-hazelnut cream, and whipped pistachio mousse. They also bake bread, signature tomato pie, quiches and seasonal items
Bakery owner, Vincent DeSimone, adopted the love for Italian cuisine from his parents, both Utica natives. Popular items: Cannoli, chocolate eclairs, chocolate almond tiramisu (it’s flourless!!) and crustless quiche. The only thing that may upset you is they are only open on the weekend. Check their site for times as they may change. Their buttery, flaky pastries is worth the drive to Apex!
Final thoughts
So there you have it, those are our favorite bakeries, and as you can see, there’s a lot of tasty options! Whether you’re visiting North Carolina or you’re local to the area and looking for a special occasion cake such as cakes for weddings or baby showers, there’s a bakery for everyone on this list.
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Why do all of these bakeries CLOSE BEFORE FOLKS GET OFF WORK??
I would love to try one of them today, but they close up shop at THREE OR FOUR!
Can you tell I’m SUPER disappointed?!
Well, typically bakers start working very early in the morning. That’s all I can think of.
If you want bread that is NOT sour dough you’re out of luck at Union and Boulted. Yellow Dog rocks.
Thanks for the recommendation!