The flavors and name (meaning “a small dining table”) of Ana Sortun’s Sofra have Turkish origins; fittingly, this small bakery in West Cambridge resembles a bazaar. It’s stacked full of Middle Eastern treats, from Syrian Shortbread Cookies to Almond-Rose Cakes, as well as house-made preserves and spice blends to take home (or ship). For lunch, take out or stick around on the covered patio to sample baked savories like a bagel-like Turkish Simit made with locally milled flour, Shawarma, and stellar dips (with pita chips) from the meze menu.

We didn’t know how much we needed a dedicated English muffin bakery until Vinal Bakery came into our lives. With flavors by the four-pack such as French Toast and seasonal Jalapeño-Cheddar, this friendly Somerville spot creates craveable sandwiches and pizza muffins. We usually can’t resist other treats to go with our morning cup of coffee, either. Try this hefty slice of Banana Bread; a tender, glazed Wild Blueberry Muffin (a sweet and cake-y take on the American kind); or a frosted Maple Walnut scone. 

The whimsical, Boston-area baking company Flour Bakery + Cafe is best known for its indulgent, buttery sticky buns, but it actually does a remarkable job catering to all types of eaters. That inclusiveness may have something to do with its runaway success (and founder Joanne Chang’s James Beard award for Outstanding Baker)—Flour now boasts nine bakeries in Boston and Cambridge. The pastry menu is chock-full of tempting treats, as well as ample options for people with nut allergies or gluten intolerance. There are also excellent lunchtime sandwiches, most of which can be made on gluten-free bread or in salad form.

Clear Flour Bread serves a handful of pastries every morning, but the real draw to this European-style bakery in Brookline is 26 rotating varieties of expertly crafted bread. Essentials like a French Baguette or Rosemary Focaccia can be found any day of the week, while rarer picks like Challah or Soft German Pretzels only rise on certain days (the bread calendar is updated online). For the freshest loaves, clear your morning; lines tend to form before opening time, particularly on weekends. Clear Flour also frequents a few local farmers’ markets in season.

We usually find ourselves at this Cambridge bakery around lunchtime, seeking satisfying sandwiches built on sturdy, just-baked whole wheat or sourdough. Hi-Rise Bread Company knows loaves—and that goes for sweet bakes, too. Lunch may have brought us there, but we often leave with a slice of Vanilla Bean Loaf (a truly perfect pound cake) or a Chocolate Almond Chunk Cookie.