From classic French-style pastry to artisan sourdough, the San Juan Islands have all your bakery needs covered. We’re home to a generous number of excellent local establishments, so if you’re looking for a foodie trip to the islands, you won’t be disappointed. Living in the Pacific Northwest, we are lucky to have an abundant amount of fresh local produce to pair with all the pizza, bread, and pastry you can consume — plus plenty of coffee!
Bakery San Juan
Bakery San Juan has been operating since 2008, offering their signature pizzas, bread, and a few pastries including their outrageously delicious carrot muffins! Bakery San Juan specializes in thin-crust New York-style gourmet pizza topped with local ingredients. A Friday Harbor favorite is the Salsiccia with tomato sauce, Italian sausage, mozzarella, smoked provolone, parmesan, fresh arugula, roasted red peppers, and black olives. For those looking for a lighter vegetarian offering, the Arugula e Limone is sure to please. This pie features tomato sauce, Bakery San Juan fresh mozzarella and asiago cheese, topped with fresh arugula, black pepper, pecorino romano, and a squeeze of lemon.
From the bubbles in the crust to the perfectly melted cheese, the pizzas are wood-fired perfection available by the slice, as a whole pie, or as a take and bake option. Bakery San Juan also offers an amazing selection of homemade sourdough breads and baguettes along with muffins, croissants, cookies, cakes, and sandwiches, making this a perfect spot to grab breakfast, lunch, or an afternoon pick-me-up espresso and sweet treat. Their chocolate mousse cake with poured ganache and chocolate shavings is sure to be a highlight of any celebration.
Café Demeter
Café Demeter is where you’ll find the locals out on the porch, catching up over morning coffee. Inside, you’ll feel transported into a French patisserie. Each morning, owner Pam Stewart laminates the dough for croissants, danishes, and other pastries. The quality and love in these pastries is nothing shy of perfection. They also offer a selection of quiche, soup, sandwiches, and amazing espresso drinks.
Café Demeter has been open since 2008. When walking into the bakery, you are greeted by the luscious smell of sweet cinnamon and sugar as you feast your eyes on the impressive display case of featured pastries for the day. They always have plain croissants, almond croissants, pain au chocolat, danishes, muffins galore, cookies, brownies, tarts, galettes, pies, and the most decadent chocolate torte. If you are looking for a leisurely morning hang-out spot for coffee and pastries, Café Demeter is the place for you. Gluten-free? Café Demeter has a selection of options for you to indulge in as well.
Brown Bear Baking
If you are planning a day trip to Orcas Island, you will not want to miss visiting this outstanding bakery. Brown Bear Baking has been operated since July of 2013 by owners Lee and David, two very talented pastry chefs. They are a scratch kitchen and do all of their own laminations, baking off fresh pastries throughout the day to keep their cafe case looking and tasting simply amazing.
Brown Bear Baking offers a selection of items including sandwiches on homemade ciabatta bread, PNW-style clam chowder, fresh-baked loaves, and all of the pastries you could dream of eating. A favorite among the locals on Orcas is the classic pecan sticky bun accompanied by a tall latte. Brown Bear Baking is right in the heart of Eastsound on Orcas Island. On a nice day, you are welcome to sit outside and enjoy the fresh seaside air while watching the waves brush onto the beach at the edge of town.
Holly B’s Bakery
Holly B’s Bakery is going to be one of the best stops you make on Lopez Island. They are an island institution dating back to when owner Holly first opened her doors in 1976. In 2016 the ownership switched hands to current owner and pastry chef Stephanie Smith. Stephanie worked alongside Holly for many years before taking over the reins and this allowed her to maintain Holly B’s traditions while also leaving space to add her own touches to things.
Holly B’s is a fully organic and sustainable bakery. They believe in using as many local products as possible and supporting local agriculture and small business. Their grains are grown and milled in the Skagit Valley. Holly B’s is an artisanal bakery that offers fresh sourdough bread, cookies, cinnamon rolls, croissants, and almond butter horns. If you have never had an almond butter horn, you are in for a treat! The balance between the flaky pastry and luscious almond paste that melts in your mouth as though it was all butter will leave you craving more. Don’t worry about overindulging here; it’s worth it. Like they say at Holly B’s, “A bit of love and butter is all you need.”
The Tucker House Inn & Harrison House Suites
While staying at the Tucker House Inn & Harrison Suites in Friday Harbor, you’ll be within walking distance to the Friday Harbor bakeries listed above as well as the inter-island ferry that will carry you to visit Holly B’s and Brown Bear Bakery.
The last bakery on our list is The Tucker House Inn & Harrison Suite’s own gourmet kitchen. As guests of the inn, you’ll be greeted each afternoon with a plate of freshly baked cookies and each morning with a breakfast basket delivered to your door. If you dream about homemade granola and yogurt served alongside an amazing hot entree, you’ll wake up to find that it’s come true. The menu rotates daily and the baked goods include croissants, crumpets, English muffins, bagels, scones, and muffins — to name just a few. Pastry Chef Jessica bakes the inn’s multigrain bread for toast along with all the seed bread and desserts for Coho Restaurant. If you’re celebrating something special her cakes never disappoint. They are not only amazing works of art, they are also delicious. And her gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan sweet specialties won’t leave you feeling like you’re missing a thing.
If you have any allergies or preferences make sure to let your innkeeper know and we will be sure to meet your needs. We can’t wait to welcome you!
