1. MADISON SOURDOUGH
Those who know food, in Madison, WI, know Madison Sourdough. Whether you know them as your croutons in a Forage Kitchen bowl, or holding together your Fox Heritage Farms bacon and Vitruvian greens on a Longtable Beer Cafe sandwhich, you’ve likely enjoyed the fresh distinct flavor cultivated in their mill and bakery. If you aren’t enjoying a variation on their bread at one of the many establishments across town, you might be having a hot cup of coffee or tea in their cafe on Willy Street. Either way, we are grateful for the amazing flavor, consistent quality, and nutrition that Madison Sourdough has gifted our community. Their pastries, cakes, and other options are expertly crafted as well.
What separates them? Madison Sourdough maintains the complex living system that is necessary to make grain healthy. Specifically, they do not sift out the most nutrient-rich part of the grain – the germ. The germ is densely packed with healthy fats and proteins, but the reason it is often sifted out in industrial flour processing, is because it is not long-term shelf stable. Madison Sourdough notes that it’s flours should be used within a month of purchase, or stored in the freezer and used within 4 months. At Maize we love food that doesn’t last forever, because it means it contains true organic matter that is built to sustain us.
2. Origin Breads
We have always appreciated ORIGIN Breads commitment to sourcing organic local grains. They support responsible farmers and farm practices in the upper midwest. They source many of their grains from another Maize app business, Meadowlark Community Mill, which is a family farm and mill located in Ridgeway, Wisconsin. Some of their other partners listed on their website are Janie’s Mill and Heirloom Organic Grains & Flours, not far away either, both located in Illinois.
They have always maintained a strong focus on the nutrition of their breads and as a bonus, they host pizza nights at their bakery in downtown Madison!
3. Bloom Bakeshop
With two locations, one on Monroe Street and one at one of our favorite combo locations, North Street, Bloom Bakeshop has made a serious reputation for itself in Madison as one of the best stops for a quick, delicious, and nutritious breakfast snack. They make a great breakfast sandwich, and they certainly are as good as any when it comes to pastries and custom orders as well.
Bloom offers catering, custom cakes, and so much more, and they seem to continuously receive nothing but positive reviews from all of their happy local customers.
4. Batch Bakehouse
There is no bakery list in Madison that should be built without including Batch. A longtime staple of the Willy St. neighborhood, this bakery pretty much does everything right. Their focus is more on the baked goods, than the breakfast foods, but their orange roll or lemon poppy seed mini-cake is perfectly crafted every single morning with amazing quality, consistency, and flavor.
Batch is the perfect Sunday morning adventure stop, maybe after a long walk along the lake, or around the capitol.
5. The Rolling Pin
You might not get much of an argument if you think the rolling pin makes the best cake in the city. Known well as a custom cake and pastry shop, you will always find seasonal and on theme items in their case. Stop by for a tea, coffee, or breakfast to kick off your workday and then order yourself a custom cake for any event that calls for it.
What you might know less about is that they also have one of the best breakfast bowls, with eggs, bacon, mushrooms, peppers, and of course, Wisconsin cheese.
