8 Places to Find Artisan Baked Bread in NB
Not all sandwiches or toasts are created equal, and of course the key factor to credit or blame comes down to bread. Don’t settle for stale, uninspired loaves. Learn about eight restaurants, bakeries and markets in Newport Beach that bake delectable bread in-house.
Paul Kohne founded this Newport Beach institution with late partner Scott Russel in 1979 and continues those traditions with Bruno Campos and Russel’s brother Greg. C’est Si Bon Bakery features yellow walls, a display case full of cakes and pastries, blackboard menus, and wood shelves full of bread. House-made breads include French baguettes (white or whole wheat), epi, round loaves, round loaves, Nantes (football shaped bread), olive walnut, jalapeno cheese, and onion cheese (with a cheddar blend).
The Fashion Island outpost of Alain Coumont’s Brussels-born chain features communal seating and brunch every day. The space also has counters and racks packed with pastries and breads, an inviting planter-lined patio, and breads made in-house daily. “Organic flour, salt, water and time” contribute to loaves like whole wheat, sourdough, sourdough peasant rye, challah, five-grain with raisin, walnut boule, and French baguettes. Sandwiches come on whole wheat, but you can make a sandwich at home with any bread.
Laurent Vrignaud’s French restaurant debuted in 2014 and honors the Paris neighborhood he grew up in, Montmartre, which is symbolized by the Moulin (windmill). The space features a patio with red umbrellas, jam-packed pastry case and gourmet market. Moulin bakes baguettes and other breads in-house using ovens and equipment imported from France, plus classic recipes. Their exhibition kitchen allows customers to see the process.
This bakery and café at Fashion Island features a palm- and umbrella-lined patio, views of a fountain, and tables both marble and wood, depending on whether you’re sitting indoors or outside. They bake boules, whole wheat rolls, ciabatta, and jalapeno cheese rolls. All breads factor into sandwiches and are sold to go, depending on your preference.
This bakery and café is located in Westcliff Plaza Shopping Center features wood tables and counter seats, framed photos of Viennoiserie, and a charming patio with red umbrellas. A bin behind the counter showcases several types of house-baked bread, including traditional baguettes, baguettes du chef (a rustic, thick-crusted version), multi-grain, boules, and olive bread. They make sandwiches with these breads and sell loaves.
This St. Louis based bakery café chain has a branch in The Bluffs Shopping Center. The space features a green awning, light yellow walls, booths, stand-alone tables, and counter service. Bread baked in-house includes white, whole grain, sesame, rye, ciabatta, French, tomato basil, sourdough, three-cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, Gruyere), cranberry. Breads are earmarked for sandwiches, though you can buy rolls if they’re in stock. Larger bread orders require two days notice, to ensure Panera has the necessary variety and quantity.
Every 15 minutes, the Fashion Island outpost of this popular sandwich chain produces focaccia, which burns at 500 degrees and emanates an intoxicating aroma. Focaccia houses combos like Garlic & Basil Chicken, Santa Fe Hot Ham, and BBQ Beef Brisket. Order at the counter and retreat outside to luxuriate on a plant-lined patio at marble tables and fashionable black and white chairs.
This sprawling Newport Beach outpost of the Austin-based supermarket chain bakes a number of different breads and of course use them to make sandwiches, which are best enjoyed on-site at a cushioned patio seat, though you could easily head home or to the beach. A small sampling of available breads include sourdough, whole wheat, multi-grain, brioche, challah, white chocolate cranberry, cranberry pecan, and ciabatta.
