The Upcountry is filled with amazingly talented bakers and makers. These folks have learned how to make delicious loaves of bread, desserts, and donuts to delight our taste buds, and we’re taking you on a tour of their shops!
Bread:
When Julian Loue opened Rise Bakery in the Village of West Greenville in March of 2022, he wanted to share the same experience he had eating fresh pastries when he was living in France. From the soft pillowy cardamom buns to the seasonal pastries he fills with things like grapefruit or cranberry jams, to rolls and loaves of bread, this is one not to be missed in Greenville for a taste of France!
Swamp Rabbit Cafe & Grocery, only a few miles down the road from Rise, is famous for its Stecca bread, similar to a ciabatta bread in texture. These are made in-house and are used on their breakfast sandwiches, and they can also be bought as whole loaves to take home. They have various gluten-free and vegan donuts as well.
Bake Room is the last on our list for Greenville. First started in 2016 and now located full-time in The Commons space, they’re best known for their bread and AM buns (similar to a cinnamon roll). Pre-ordering is the best way to go here, to make sure they don’t sell out of what you want before you arrive!
Desserts:
To get the early morning jump on sweets for the day, check out some of these fantastic places in the Upcountry! Tip Top Cake Shop in Easley opens at 9 am most mornings and while her retail shop options vary, she typically stocks anything from cupcakes to cookies, to muffins.
The Sweetery in Anderson opens at 8 am sharp and is famous for its cakes of all shapes and colors. They also have a cafe where you can sit down to have your cake and eat it too, or enjoy more savory options like lunch.
Martha’s Marvelous Munchies is known for tasty biscuits, cinnamon rolls, and muffins, and recently changed its hours and revamped the menu to accommodate its increasing popularity! The Pickens Foodie got the details on more of the new changes and tried out some of Martha’s items recently, check out the post linked here for more information on that.
Donuts:
As Homer Simpson once said, “Donuts, is there anything they can’t do?”. For some of the best and most creative in the bunch, drive to Big Apple Donuts & Cafe in Mauldin, where they’re topping donuts with bacon, gummy worms, fresh berries, and more! They recently moved locations and can now be found at 219 W Butler Rd, Mauldin, SC, 29662.
If you’re someone who wants to customize each and every donut (or you have an office full of folks who fight over who gets which donut) – fear not – Duck Donuts on Pelham Rd is for you! You can customize an entire half dozen or dozen donuts to order, or pick from one of their curated boxes of flavors. Everything is made to order by the team run by local owners Jennifer and Mike Dilley – no donuts waiting under heat lamps here.
For more light and airy creations with locally roasted coffee to boot, head to Central, SC for Bruno’s Donut Cafe, where their rotating donut menu will keep you on your toes.
Finally, for those looking for something gluten-free or vegan, check out Downtown Deli & Donuts in Spartanburg for various donuts, vegan cinnamon rolls, and more!
Whether you’re looking for something sweeter to start your morning, a savory pastry, or a loaf of bread to go, there’s something in the Upcountry waiting for you to enjoy!
By Sarah A. Moore, Pimento & Prose Media
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