Stepping into Honey and Rye, the latest addition to the Twin Cities bakery scene, brings an immediate sense of homey comfort. Perhaps it’s the Christmas tree sitting in the corner, or the piles of cookies in the bakery case, or the smell of coffee in the air.
The friendly vibe is perhaps best reflected in the vintage woodstove topped by a basket of freshly-baked baguettes sitting alongside a pay box in the entryway. Dash inside, pop three dollars in the box, grab your loaf, and you’re bringing fresh bread home for dinner in a matter of seconds. And the best part is, no one seems too concerned about that pay box disappearing.
Founded by lifelong friends Anne Andrus (the baker) and Emily Ackerman (the business guru), this is just the kind of vibe that Honey and Rye aims for: cozy, warm, and with a neighborhood feeling bolstered by the use of local vendors.
“We have our own little niche,” says Ackerman. “We’re really focusing on the Midwestern and handmade style, kind of the down-to-earth baked goods.”
As for the treats, the rookie shop manages to hold its own in an area with no shortage of great bakeries (Rustica is just up the road). The pain au chocolat is just as the French delicacy should be: light and flaky, buttery without venturing into greasy territory. The outside crust shatters nicely, and a bittersweet chocolate core is the perfect foil to the surrounding pastry, making for a not-too-sweet breakfast treat. Of course, if it’s sweet that you’re looking for, the thick, crisp-edged snickerdoodle rolled in a potent cinnamon-sugar mix will take you straight back to your cookies-and-milk days.
“We’re going for that nostalgia,” says Ackerman. “It’s things your mom or grandma would have made, but on a different level.”
Honey and Rye
4501 Excelsior Blvd., St. Louis Park
612-844-2555
honey-and-rye.com
