Loaf

I can't believe I have never reviewed Loaf. This place is, in my humble opinion, the best representation of Durham foodie scene. High quality ingredients, tucked into an old building in a rapidly developing downtown Durham, and no frills - just amazing baked goods.

The owners/bakers here know what they're doing. Everything tastes so high quality - the butter, the flour, the nuts, the chocolates. Their pain au chocolat is fantastic, their pignolis and pecan shortbreads are addictive, their savory flatbreads remind me of Roman pinsas that you find all over Rome - perfect for a yummy lunch.

Anyways, I don't know what else to say about Loaf other than you should go and you should buy a bit of everything so you know what you want to buy more of the next time you go.

Wow!!! What a great bakery! I haven't actually had the bread here but the breakfast pastries are simply to die for! I am visiting for work and found this place - it's a 5 min walk from the Marriott Durham city center.

They have every pastry imaginable- great selection of both savory and sweet options. They also have drip coffee which I got both visits. I ordered the gryurer ( MY FAVORITE ) the pan au chocolate and the ham and cheese gruyer. All amazing!!! Also, the folks here are very nice

10/10 I would get so fat if I lived here / would go everyday hahahaha.

We LOVE this bakery. My 7yo son asks to come here for special treats; he once got a decadent brownie covered in walnuts, closed his eyes while he ate it, and said, "This is the best thing I've ever had." So there you go -- approval from my kiddo is high approval indeed. Friendly staff, delightful treats, good prices for what you're getting!

DELICIOUS. LOVE THIS PLACE. NEVER MISSES. MY VEGAN FRIEND'S GO-TO (SHE CONSUMES A LOT OF BREAD). FIRST CAME ACROSS IN DURHAM FARMER'S MARKET AND THEN VISITED THE BAKERY. From the moment you walk in, you're hit with the lovely aroma of freshly baked bread, pastries, and other treats.

Their selection is extensive, and have their full bake schedule on their website. I would recommend going early on weekends to have the first pick at the best selection.

What really sets Loaf apart is that they source noticeably high-quality & local ingredients. You can taste the difference in everything they bake, from the richly buttery challah or the tanginess of the sourdough bread.

The owners are super kind and welcoming. Overall, if you love anything bread + pastries, you must stop by Loaf. The owners clearly have a passion for what they do and it shows in every aspect of the bakery, from the food, the inviting atmosphere, and their friendliness.

My oh my.

This place makes a STUPID GOOD croissant.

It is a decadent, extravagantly rich croissant with each of the bells and whistles one should look for in such a thing. Not just crispy and salty and oily in all the correct regions, it is gloriously, almost freakishly moist inside thanks to the perfect amount of water that has boiled out from the butter and steam-stiffened it's doughy innards.

It is not a cheap croissant. Evidencing in every little flake so grand an investment in materials and expertise, it could not and should not be a "cheap" croissant.

Indeed, it is an expensive croissant. I thought so while purchasing. While eating the croissant I was far, far too transfixed and transported to ponder economic banalities. Soon, however, I found myself undeniably considering it's price when the notion of devouring a second croissant inevitably popped into my thinkatorium. Two of these wondrous croissants might be inadvisable to one's wallet and one's belt. These are, of course, deeply personal decisions.

Take economic refuge, should you need it, in this croissant's autonomy. Aside from the masticator's choice of coffee or tea, it requires absolutely zero addendum. No jam, no jelly, no extra butter. No marmalade, marmite or honey. No curds. No creams, single or double, and no crèmes, no matter how fraiche. All the requisite flavors are contained within.

It is -- as are all of the very finest of its kind -- a complete croissant.

I am surprised I have not helped about y'all before! I stopped by this morning for the first time in awhile. I had one of my old favorites the ham and cheese croissant but was excited to to also give the pumpkin cream cheese danish a try and it did not disappoint! It was the perfect fall morning to have that pumpkin cream cheese danish!

I loved everything so much that I came back every weekday for my five day trip. One of the best bakeries I've ever visited. They feature different pastries every day and have great coffee from Counter Culture.

The chocolate flan is everything I ever craved: rich, velvety, yet a smooth mousse shaped in a cake slice--with some extra chocolate bits for texture.

The hazelnut croissant is amazing, because not only are the flaky pastries baked to perfection but the crunchy hazelnut layer in the center is a delight.

The pan au chocolat and strawberry tart were yummy too.

My favorite might have been the strawberry creme puff: fresh whipped cream and so refreshing.

The coffee here is pretty terrible, and I really wish they would heat up their pastries, because my spinach/gruyere/caramelized onion one was a slimy congealed mess until I put it in the toaster oven at home and it transformed into crispy deliciousness. The blueberry/fig/walnut scone was too sugar-cubey and had no discernible figs.

The chocolate pistachio bread, however, is good hot, cold, in between and probably in any elemental form it chooses. I'll be back for that.

We ordered a bunch of items to go at the downtown Durham market. I would say half of what we ordered was great. We got about one of each item and sampled them all. My only complaint is the ladies that took our order seemed a little short with me asking questions. But I understand there was a long line of people waiting to place their order. But I just wanted to know what a few of the things were since you can't see the items until it's your turn because of the line. So if you have order anxiety, this place will trigger it. If they could have a menu on the side pointing towards the direction of the line I feel like that would be better. The ladies were not super friendly and acted rude when we kept adding things to the order. So the food was good but the attitude kind of sucked which makes me sad.

Remarkably rustic and delicious. This place was great. From the aromatic smell of fresh bread to their delicious pastries. Tucked hidden in small shop loaf is certainly a gem to the bull city. If one comes early enough they could stand outside with the smell of bread baking in the air. The shop is tiny so be ready to order once you arrive the the register for their menu is simple but prize winning.