In West Asheville, The West End is a café and bakery serving coffee, breakfast, lunch, and pastries baked fresh daily. Its menu brings house-made breads and focaccia together with distinctive comfort-food dishes, including Chinese chicken congee and grits with greens, alongside plant-based options. The café is open Wednesday through Sunday.
Cafe Carolina and BakeryKnown in Raleigh for keeping café fare simple and comforting, Cafe Carolina and Bakery prepares fresh pastries and everyday meals for customers dining in, taking lunch on the go, or ordering catering. Its house specialties, including sweet potato biscuits, add a distinctly Carolina touch to the bakery-café menu.ROCHESTER, NY
Dough MamaDough Mama is a Clintonville cafe and bakery built around scratch-made pies, pastries, and comforting breakfast and lunch fare. Classically trained pastry chef Perrie Wilkof began the business in her home kitchen in 2014, baking for Columbus restaurants until it grew into the cafe and bakery that opened in 2015. Its seasonal menu emphasizes local farmers and artisans while making room for dietary diversity and an explicitly inclusive community space.COLUMBUS, OH
Rock Hill Bakehouse & CafeSince 1991, Matt Funiciello and his crew have run Rock Hill Bakehouse & Cafe in Glens Falls, hand-baking the naturally leavened hearth breads that have made the shop a fixture of the region’s food scene. The bakery uses simple, natural ingredients and stone hearth ovens, while its cafe serves an all-vegan menu in a gathering place that also houses a bookstore and vinyl shop. Rock Hill’s Jewish rye and other breads have drawn attention from food writers including Mimi Sheraton, Jeffrey Steingarten, James Beard and Julia Child.GLENS FALLS, NY
Fellow Mountain CafeNestled in Hunter Mountain, Fellow Mountain Cafe is a Catskills cafe and on-premise bakery making breakfast, lunch, pastries and handcrafted drinks with locally sourced ingredients. Chef Rachel Lauginiger shapes the menu around the region’s micro-seasons, while the small kitchen bakes everything on-site daily—one reason its pastries can sell out by midday. The cafe also hosts a summer Makers’ Market featuring local producers and makers.HUNTER, NY