Food & Wine Picks The 6 Best Bread Bakeries In California

CALIFORNIA — During the early days of pandemic lockdowns, some stir-crazy people turned to bread baking as a creative outlet that filled their souls as well as their bellies. It even led to a shortage of flour as home bakers emptied store shelves. While many of those same bakers have put aside their obsession, they came away with a greater appreciation for artisan bread.

A quiet revolution in bread baking began in this country about five years before the pandemic as some specialty bakers began milling their own flour. According to Food & Wine Magazine, that's almost expected now of top-tier bakers.

Food & Wine went searching for the best bread in all 50 states and published the findings. Many states have just one notable bakery listed, while California has six. Here are the California bread bakers that have been chosen for recognition.

Manresa Bread, Los Gatos — At Manresa Bread in Los Gatos, Avery Ruzicka and team stroll confidently right along the divide between earnest New World artisanship, and classic Old World technique, giving us a quietly thrilling, naturally-leavened upgrade on the French staple (baguette).

Avast Bread, San Francisco — Outerlands and Tartine alum Matthew Jones at Avast Bread casually delivers more of the country's finest baguettes to the sleepy Outer Sunset farmers' market most weeks.

As Kneaded Bakery, San Leandro — Iliana Berkowitz bakes astonishingly good challah at As Kneaded Bakery.

Colossus Bread, San Pedro and Los Angeles — Kristin Colazas Rodriguez took everything she learned baking her way through the Bay Area home to Southern California, opening Colossus Bread in the remote San Pedro section of Los Angeles, growing so quickly in popularity that she's now expanded across the port to her hometown of Long Beach.

Gusto Bread, Long Beach — Arturo Enciso has created a beautiful modern panaderia at Gusto Bread, celebrating ancient grains, Mexican tradition, and classic bread technique.

Jyan Isaac Breads, Santa Monica — Ex-Gjusta baker Jyan Isaac Horwitz is barely twenty years old, but he's already got lines out the doors at Jyan Isaac Breads in Ocean Park, because why not more great sourdough for Los Angeles, in this case just a couple of minutes from the beach?

Read about all of the chosen bakers in all 50 states on Food & Wine.