Dallas–Fort Worth, TXBakeries

Open on Lovers Lane in Inwood Village since the 1990s, Empire mills unprocessed flour and natural starters into European-style loaves. The jalapeno cheddar and classic sourdough are counter staples alongside pane piazano and a small-batch jam and preserves line. It has been a steady, unfussy anchor for scratch bread in Dallas for more than a quarter century, marking 25 years with a throwback pricing weekend.

Baker Clyde Greenhouse runs this from-scratch sweets shop out of a restored house on Beckley Avenue near Bishop Arts, and was a 2020 James Beard semifinalist for Outstanding Baker. The bakery pared a sprawling cookie roster down to a dozen core flavors and added cinnamon rolls, biscuits, blondies, macaroons, and a homemade Pop-Tart riff called the K-Tart.

This Richardson bakery was a finalist for the James Beard Foundation's first-ever Outstanding Bakery category in 2023, one of five bakeries in the country to make the list. It is known for churro cruffins, seasonal fruit tarts, and daily croissants, and has since expanded its hours and menu with breakfast and brunch service.

Founder Oren Salomon set out to bring New York-style bagels to Texas when Starship opened in Lewisville in 2021, and the shop earned a 2025 James Beard semifinalist nod in the new bakery category. It has also won honors at bagel festivals for its bagels and schmear, and now runs several DFW locations including a downtown Dallas counter.

Opened by the team behind Michelin-starred Mamani next door, The Bread Club mills Texas-grown grains in house under baking director Peter Edris, formerly of Frenchette Bakery in New York. The menu runs six signature loaves, laminated pastries, made-to-order sandwiches, and matcha drinks, and the bread supplies Mamani's kitchen.