“How can a nation be great if its bread tastes like Kleenex?” Julia Child had a point. Luckily, Albuquerque isn’t the problem. This city is baking with soul! Its rising class of bakers are putting flavor, texture, and local flair front and center. From chewy, pull-apart bagels to crackling sourdough and croissants so meticulously crafted they deserve their own art exhibit, Albuquerque is making one thing clear: world-class bread and pastries are thriving in the high desert.
Top Bakeries in Albuquerque
Los Poblanos Farm Shop
4803 Rio Grande Blvd. NW
Nab a crusty French baguette at the Los Poblanos Farm Shop. Or take home a loaf of green chile sourdough, a buttery croissant, or a dark, gooey chocolate chip cookie. Everything is small-batch and made daily, just next door at the Campo restaurant bakery. While you’re at it, pick up a jar of green chile jam. It’s the perfect partner for a toasted slice of their Sonora wheat bread.
Sunday Bagels
1433 Central Avenue NW
Sunday Bagels is quietly redefining weekend breakfasts — one hand-rolled, perfectly boiled bagel at a time. Step inside. You’re greeted with the warm, yeasty smell of doughy perfection and a case full of golden, glossy beauties. The bagels strike that rare balance: soft and airy inside, with just the right amount of chew and a crisp shell. It’s a bite that’s deeply satisfying and dangerously addictive. Local love shows up for the green chile and cheese bagel — spicy, toasty, and totally New Mexico. Try it slathered in the scallion cream cheese. Hours/days at the storefront can change on the whim, so check their instagram for the latest.
Must Try: Don’t sleep on the biscochito bagel — a sweet, cinnamon and anise-coated nod to the Land of Enchantment tradition that melts in your mouth.
Wewadee’s Red Barn Bakery
2825 Chanate Avenue SW
Red Barn Bakery blends mom’s homemade goodies with old-fashioned neighborly trust. In a rural South Valley neighborhood, this self-serve bakery stand, helmed with repurposed red metal sheets salvaged from an old barn, features a rotating roster of items, like fresh tortillas, Dr. Pepper brownies, bear claws, homemade jams — and even root beer floats in the summer from the next-to freezer.
“A lot of my family told me that I have too much faith in people,” says Red Barn Bakery founder and baker Lisa Dudasik, “but I have just enough faith that people will do the right thing.” She’s only been stolen from once since opening last August — Dudasik’s faith in humanity is clearly paying off. In an age of 10-minute pour-over coffees and lines at trendy bakeries that feel more like concert queues, Red Barn Bakery is a breath of fresh, flour-dusted air — just grab, pay (cash in a lock box or digitally), and go.
Must Try: The legendary Gold Bar — a rich, peanut butter-chocolate square that’s pure Albuquerque Public School nostalgia in every bite.
Coda Bakery
201 San Pedro Drive SE
Relocated next to El Mesquite Market last November, Coda Bakery lives up to the buzz — and its 2025 James Beard nod for “Outstanding Baker.” Lines form early for Vietnamese specialties like green pandan cake, sesame balls, and pâté chaud — flaky pastries filled with slow-cooked pork. The all-day star is the bánh mì: savory pork, pickled veggies, fresh herbs, and just the right heat on crackly, house-baked bread that’s light and crisp. Pair it with a soursop or durian smoothie for a cultural culinary win.
Must Try: The Bánh Nho or cinnamon coconut raisin roll.
The Bakehouse Off The Wheaten Path
515 Wyoming Boulevard NE
Dealing with celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity? No worries — The Bakehouse Off The Wheaten Path has you (deliciously) covered. This 100% celiac-safe gem, founded by Heidi Moir, proves indulgence doesn’t have to mean discomfort. “I started experimenting with making gluten-free comfort foods for my son over 20 years ago,” says Moir. “I now specialize in staples, like cinnamon rolls, that most people with wheat allergies haven’t had in a long time.” The bakery serves up over 20 rotating treats weekly, including vegan options — key lime tarts, strawberry rose donuts and raspberry white chocolate brownies. They also specialize in gluten-free celebrations, offering Instagram-worthy custom cakes made without nut flours or soy products — perfect for allergy-friendly birthdays and beyond. The vibe is warm, the flavors playful, and the baked goods? So good, even gluten-gourmands won’t miss a crumb.
Must Try: Try a bundt cake — flavors rotate every two days, like the S’mores bundt or Almond Red Apricot bundt.
Golden Crown Panaderia
1103 Mountain Road NW
Open since 1972, Golden Crown Panaderia is an Old Town Albuquerque legend with serious street cred — including a spot on Food & Wine’s Top 100 Bakeries list and an appearance on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives show. Tucked off the plaza, this cozy panaderia feels like your abuela’s kitchen, serving up olfactory happiness the New Mexican way — where the air is rich with the aromas of green chile, anise, and fresh-baked bread. At the heart of it all is 87-year-old baker and co-owner Pratt Morales, still going strong and charming regulars daily. The place is also known for its playful twist on tradition like biscochitos in flavors like cappuccino and chocolate, bread sculptures (look for turkeys during the holidays!), and fruit-filled empanadas and flautas.
Must Try: Green chile bread — spicy, cheesy, and pure New Mexico magic. The bread is available 24/7 from New Mexico’s only bread ATM (no joke), along with the state’s official cookie and empanadas, because late-night carb cravings are sacred.
The Le Bakery
1924 Juan Tabo Boulevard NE
Ready for a flavor adventure? The Le Bakery, opened in April, isn’t afraid to push boundaries. The menu features French pastries and Vietnamese sandwiches, for a menu that’s as creative as it is crave-worthy. Think ube-coconut frangipane brioche, signature tiramisu coffee, and bánh mì with a twist.
Must Try: Almost too beautiful to eat, the spiral-shaped Strawberry Matcha Croissant is filled with earthy matcha cream and housemade strawberry jam then topped with fresh strawberries and matcha chocolate ganache.
Ihatov Bread and Coffee
3400 Central Avenue SE
Opened just days before the world shut down due to the pandemic, Ihatov is the quintessential American dream — built on determination, a successful Kickstarter campaign, a robust take-out business and, of course — ridiculously good sourdough bread and pastries. In Nob Hill, this charming café from Nobutoshi “Nobu” Mizushima and Yuko Kawashiwo has earned national buzz, including an “Outstanding Bakery” James Beard semi-finalist nod. “Our carefully crafted croissants and the buttermilk croissant featured in the New York Times are especially popular,” says Kawashiwo. With its calming coffee shop vibe and bold bakes, Ihatov — named after Japanese author Kenji Miyazawa’s imagined “dreamland” — is proof that artful passion and pastry make a beautiful pair.
Must Try: The Nigella Sativa baguette, slow-cooked in the oven with freshly ground spices, caramelized onions and topped with black onion seeds, is a flavor-packed standout. But don’t skip the newest addition: the Fruit Croissando, a made-to-order fruit and fresh cream filled croissant.
Burque Bakehouse
640 Broadway Boulevard SE
Where else can you score a grapefruit cruffin, artichoke danish, strawberry shortcake croissant toast, cocoa crispy cookie and more — all from a tiny walk-up window that draws lines before 8 a.m.? Burque Bakehouse has earned not one but two James Beard nominations for “Outstanding Bakery,” cementing its status as Albuquerque’s cult pastry destination and magnet for visiting food lovers. Co-owner and head baker Sarah Ciccotello crafts over 20 artisanal bakes weekly, some featuring seasonal produce, such as rhubarb, kumquats and asparagus. Come early and be ready to swap pastry recs with fellow devotees in line.
Must Try: The green chile croissant — a flaky masterpiece filled with roasted local chile, Tucumcari Jack cheese, house-made green chile jam, shallots, chile flakes, and dusted with tomato powder.
Story by Lanee Lee
Styling by Julia Platt Leonard
Photography by Tira Howard
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