Jonathan St. Hilaire's Bakeshop has garnered tons of press by local foodies, bloggers and critics since its November opening in Midtown. First and foremost, Bakeshop is a bakery, turning out a vast assortment of 20 homemade breads in addition to a selection of breakfast pastries(croissants, muffins, danish, bear claws, scones, bagels) and dessert pastries (cakes, tarts, cupcakes, custards). They also serve a few hot breakfast items: brioche french toast, eggs al forno (baked), fried eggs and quiche and lunch consists of the three "S's" (sandwiches, soups and salads).
To get the negative out of the way, parking is challenging. The lot of 30 spaces accommodates 3 restaurants and a T-Mobile outlet. Like it or not, Atlanta is a car-crazed, driving city, so it's either wait it out for one of the coveted spots or go to an adjacent lot and cough up and extra $5, which puts a dent into the morning coffee budget quickly. Maybe it would be easier to get a job at one of the near-by office towers within an easy walk of the pain au chocolate. Another minor criticism is the staff does not seem well versed on the ingredients that make up the lunch menu, which results in polling co-workers or worse, misinformation.
The breads are crisp on the exterior and have a elastic, chewy bite on the inside- in short, a gluten lovers dream. Favorites include the Tuscan loaf, country sourdough, homemade grissini (Italian breadsticks) and a ciabatta that provides an ideal casing for sandwiches. An olive bread contains small pieces of chopped olives and a pronounced herb flavor, making me yearn for the good days when H&F bakery existed as a retail shop (breads are still available wholesale and are found on the tables at many restaurants and, once a week, are available to the public at the Peachtree Road Farmers' Market). That olive loaf still remains un-paralleled in our city. Bakeshop bakes two breads with a distinct Italian twist: one with prosciutto and the other with Asiago cheese. For those who still just can't get enough bacon, go for the bacon baguette!
Tomato bisque with a parmigiano crostino is served daily in addition to one or two others which change daily. A panzanella salad (a specialty of Tuscany made with bread and tomatoes) no longer seems to be offered. Maybe it will return in the Summer when tomatoes are in season. In the mean time, arugula, beet and goat cheese, Greek and mixed green with apples and almonds fill the bill. The tuna salad sandwich takes on an Italian slant by including thinly sliced fennel and some capers. Turkey is high quality and pairs well with creamy avocado and sourdough. A grilled cheese is served "panino-style" and the prosciutto sandwich is served on an apple baguette with tangy dijon mustard, what a combo. Pastries and desserts may be worth battling it out for one of those prized parking spots. Tarts are delicious and have interesting flavor combinations (pear and hazelnut, chocolate and cherry, berries and goat cheese). Some dessert offerings are served in jars, so in addition to checking the box for the "bacon-in-everything" food trend, Bakeshop can check the box the" jarred food" craze. Anyway, they're fun.
Prices range from $6.50 to 9.50 for sandwiches, with most falling in the $7.50 to 8.00 range, $5 for soup and salads $6 to 8. Pastries go from $1.80 for a croissant to $2.95 for a scone and breads range from $2.25 to 8.00 for some of the larger specialty breads.
Overall, the quality of food served represents a very good value. The italian combos are well conceived and well executed. Communal tables create a sophisticated farmhouse vibe and put you in the mood for the well sourced ingredients to come.
Open daily 7AM-7PM (although the website says they are closed on Monday).
903 Peachtree Street (at the corner of 8th Street)
404-892-9332
Rating System:
5 Stars- the best, only reserved for restaurants worthy of national recognition, worth a plane ticket
4 Stars- excellent, worth a drive across town, worth seeking out
3 Stars- good, food worth the price and recommended
2 Stars- mediocre or hit-or-miss, some problems in the kitchen, but it's still possible to dine here and eat well, proceed with caution
1 Star- fair, not recommended
See Andrea's Italian Food Page.
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