Magee's Bakery
This family business has been around for more than 50 years. In fact, I was surprised to learn recently my parents had their wedding cake made here more than 40 years ago. I used to live in downtown Lexington not far from Magee's Bakery on East Main Street, so I got visit fairly often. More recently I live nowhere Magee's, but whenever I'm in town I try to drop by for one of their chocolate covered long johns or one of their mallow bars.
While Magee's Bakery has sandwiches for breakfast and lunch, several ranges of coffee and can rustle up just about any kind of cake or pie, it's really their breakfast pastries where this establishment really shines. I swear, their chocolate and whipped cream are so good I'd almost think they'd injected something illegal in them; really, they're that good! In fact, my wife and I joke about eating a mallow bar from Magee's because afterwards we're so jittery from all the sugar. The chocolate on the mallow bars, and the other pastries, is without a doubt the best chocolate of any kind I've had in my life. And the buttercream used inside the cream horns and long johns is easily the best whipped cream I've ever tasted.
If you're ever in Lexington, Kentucky, and you have a sweet tooth, you have to pay a visit to Magee's Bakery. You will not go away disappointed.
Sunrise Bakery
When I lived downtown, I used to hit Sunrise Bakery on Main Street at least three or four mornings of each week. Heck, I still try to make it down there every once in a while. They open at 8 a.m. and the pastries were fresh right out of the oven. And the coffee is pretty good, too!
Sunrise is more of a niche bakery, however. You won't find everything here, though I suppose you could ask and they might fill a special order for you. What you will find, however, are some of the best fresh bagels in the world and croissants that melt in your mouth they are so flaky. You'll also find some quality breads and good Italian sandwiches for lunch. And the cheese danishes! You have to try one of Sunrise's cheese danishes, especially early in the morning when the danishes are still warm. The cream cheese tastes like a piece of heaven in your mouth. I'm not exaggerating, I swear.
Another nice thing about Sunrise Bakery is they're right down town, which means you're within walking distance of the public library, plenty of other great restaurants, lots of shopping places, office spaces, the University of Kentucky and just all kinds of fun and interesting stuff in Lexington, Kentucky.
Spalding's Bakery
I tend to think of Spalding's Bakery as sort of a blue collar bakery. The goods here aren't a bunch of fancy wedding cakes or special French pastries, but what you get are some of the best donuts I've ever tasted. Even a simple glaze donut from this bakery seems to melt in your mouth. The donuts are often crunch on the outside though soft on the inside, and the sweetness can't be believed. If you're a fan of sugar, you'll want to try a donut from Spalding's Bakery.
So, you know what to do. The next time you're in Lexington, stop by Spalding's Bakery on Winchester Road almost to downtown and pick up a dozen or more donuts. They might just be the best donuts you'll ever have. Another nice thing about Spalding's Bakery is it's a family bakery that's been in business for more than 80 years.
Caramanda's Bake Shoppe
Caramanda's is the newest bakery listed here, having only been around a few years, but that doesn't mean they can't come up with some fine eatings. And there are actually three Caramanda's bakeries, all owned by the same folks, but my favorite is the original over on Southland Drive in Lexington.
While not overly fancy, Caramanda's tends to specialize in cakes, including wedding cakes. Besides tasting fantastic, it's fun to just look at many of the cakes from this bakery because they come in all kinds of interesting shapes and colors. They can do your traditional cakes, too, but Caramanda's has turned cake baking into an art form. They can do cakes shaped like rabbits, frogs, guitars, dragons and just about anything you can dream up. A cake from Caramanda's would be perfect for any birthday party or family gathering.
Mondelli's Bake Shop
The Mondelli's Bake Shop does a little bit of everything, from donuts to wedding cakes to pies to cookies and cupcakes and more. But Mondelli's tends to be a little on the fancier side, so if you need an extra nice wedding cake, this is the place for you. I personally think this bakery shines best in their cupcakes, which are some of the fluffiest cupcakes I've ever tried. Also, they do a Chocolate Sunday Cake that's just to die for with chocolate fudge icing dripping down the sides. Yum!
If interested, you can find Mondelli's Bake Shop off Pimlico Parkway in the Park Hills Shopping Center. They do some speciality cakes, too, so don't forget to ask about those.
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