During this past Fall, I discovered an amazing bakery in Lakeland. Born & Bread Bakehouse located at 1113 Florida Ave S, Lakeland, FL 33803. It’s tucked away in a little downtown storefront & only open on Wednesdays and Saturdays with very limited hours. (I recommend looking for them on Facebook and following their hours of operation and menu items for that day!) You may even have to wait in a long line that wraps around the building on Saturday morning but it’s totally worth it and here’s why….

Born & Bread Bakehouse in Lakeland was all I dreamed it would be!!! When I arrived I saw the line wrapped around the building, so that got me more than a little excited for what awaited me once inside!!!  And I was more than cool with the half hour wait to get in as I roasted in the hot Florida sun!  There was even a baker walking around with ice cold waters for all the patrons waiting in line! The bakery puts out a handwritten list (menu) of all of the savory, sweet & nourishing items they have made specifically for that day if you didn’t get a chance to read the one outside they’ll also be one up by the counter. Pro-tip: take a picture of the menu so you can read it a little easier as you move through and wait in the line.

Once inside, the line continued but moved quick. The interior had several tables and seats, a couch or two, some arm chairs and a breakfast bar overlooking the street view. The walls were adorned with vintage American flags, murals, a neon photo op and funky light fixtures such as woven baskets hung from the ceiling. The dining area was a buzz with cheerful chatter and content diners.

The line moves quickly and is a well-oiled machine. They flag down next in line with a little American flag, which is adorable since they literally flag you down! The employees are super friendly, patient and helpful which is great because it canby an overwhelming first time experience. They take your order on an iPad and they’re happy to answer any questions about ingredients, food safety and allergies. When your order is ready, they call your name very loudly and you slide down to the end of the counter where all of your items are neatly packaged in recyclable paper bag.

During my first visit, I purchased a country loaf, a lemon poppyseed scone, 2 plain croissants, a lemon blueberry croissant and a spinach and cheddar croissant. Oh and a cold brew horchada!!! The second time around I brought my little son with me. I know that bringing a seventeen-year-old to a bakery is always risky for the wallet but I do enjoy his company so it’s worth every penny! On that visit he came with me, we purchased a few Boston cream cruffins, two large warm ooey gooey chocolate chip cookies (he highly recommends this purchase!), a peanut butter pie for me (which was divine) and a Sourdough loaf for the next few days, at home!

I need to let all the peanut/ food allergy peeps know that this place knows how to safe guard their customers from food allergies….
My oldest son is allergic to peanuts but I love peanut stuff and couldn’t resist that peanut butter pie in the bakery counter tonight! I asked the sweet young man that helped me if he could bag it separate because I was bringing home treats for my family and didn’t want to cross contaminate with peanut. Not only did he accommodate my request, he showed me on the iPad where it said peanut allergy for my order! AND the person bagging my goodies even changed gloves after handling my peanut item!!!!

My favorites were the lemon blueberry croissant (which I had a few bites of when I got home – since it was for my 18 yr olds – he loved it!) and the spinach and cheddar croissant (which I devoured as I drove down Florida Ave to my next stop!)!!!

So worth the trek out there!!! And when I say track I mean it’s more than a half-hour from my house. If you know me, you know I don’t mind traveling for good food, unique experiences and great customer!

The central Florida gem is a must stop for anybody traveling down I-4 or simply visiting beautiful Downtown Lakeland!