Breadboard Bakery

Introduced to this bakery by the recent Hana Quon pop-up. There isn't an area current opened for dine in. It's a pick up window. We picked up the pre order & added: frozen cinnamon rolls, a brownie, and a cake slice. All were really good, our favorite being the frozen cinnamon rolls. There's a chance I baked them wrong, because it was the texture of a croissant. If so, it's been a happy mistake.

I was recommended this bakery by a coworker who knew the owner, Daisy. My only regret is not stopping by sooner! Breadboard always has a super interesting menu with delicious unique treats, kolaches, olive rosemary bread (I HOARD THIS IN MY FREEZER), curry pastries and beyond. Also, I have to refrain from buying wacky cake every week. It's truly an amazing chocolate cake. We love daisy!!!

I tried a variety of the pastries, and they were mostly okay, but not special. The ordering process was seamless (order online before 11, then at the counter after that), so this might be a convenient option in the neighborhood, but not worth a special trip. Ham and cheese croissant (4.75$) was not very crisp, and flavor was lacking. Just one piece of ham in the corner too. Lots of cheese though, and hard to have that much cheese and be crisp, to be fair!Chickpea curry hand pie (4.50$) had quite good filling, but the crust really suffered for not being hot.Cream cheese kolache (4$) was okay, but a little mushy.Wacky cake slice (3$) was a very standard chocolate cake, good level of moisture but way too sweet for me.Carrot cake slice (5.5$) was a little sweet for a carrot cake, but a decent rendition.Bienenstich bun (5.75$) was also kind of mushy, though it was pretty.Burnt Basque cheesecake slice (5.50$) was solid, but a pretty standard rendition.Overall, the best items I tried only reached the level of solid, with nothing stand out. Maybe there's a particular item I missed?

4.5/5Pros:-Cinnamon roll and wacky cake--delightful!-Croissants! Get one! -Easy and efficient curbside pickup system during physical distancing--RankedWacky Cake Slice ($3.00)This is not anything different than the best classic chocolate cake you've had, but it's the best chocolate cake you've had. Do you know what I mean? It's nothing groundbreaking and you've likely tasted this before somewhere in your life, but it is awesome and I would definitely get this again.Cinnamon Roll ($4.00)I wasn't expecting the croissant-like texture of this cinnamon roll, but it was excellent. There was a light amount of frosting on top and also some surprise frosting inside. Good cinnamon flavor. I loved this and would get it again. Plain Croissant ($4.00)What a lovely flaky, buttery croissant! And not oily! This was one of the better croissants I have had. This would be great to make into a breakfast sandwich. Monkey Bread ($4.50)This wasn't exactly what we were expecting, but it was still good. It was like croissant dough with chocolate chunks on top. It was crispy and flaky on the outside and soft, doughy, and buttery on the inside. Better when heated up. Strangely no cinnamon flavor. Would consider getting it again. Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookie ($1.50)Buttery shortbread cookie with a little chocolate salt. Brown Sugar Cookie ($2.00)Soft on the inside, slight crisp on the outside. Buckwheat Chocolate Chip Cookie ($2.00)Also soft on the inside with a slight crisp/chew on the outside. 100% Whole Wheat Loaf ($8.00)Great texture with a crispy/chewy crust and a soft and chewy inside, though the flavor was not totally what we were expecting.

I am so excited that Breadboard is open! I went in this morning and tried one of their kolaches. Delicious filling and the pastry had a wonderful texture. I also had a cinnamon roll which was a perfect treat with flaky pastry and cinnamon. They also have bread, cookies, wacky cake and more. Will definitely come back! Breadboard was a weekend pop up in Brookline for a few years. The owner worked at Clear Flour Bakery, and I am thrilled she has brought her baking genius to Arlington. Looking forward to grabbing bread from here.

This place is an absolute gem. A great cup of coffee, fantastic croissants and other pastries, flavorful bread, and always a treat for our dog. We particularly love the almond croissants, the cinnamon rolls, and the sourdough, but we've never had anything bad. Just a note: check the website for updated hours. Right now, they're open Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday.

I'm always searching for the perfect croissant and I have found a very good one at the breadboard bakery on Broadway in Arlington, MA. Its outer layers are crispy and the inside is soft with lots of butter flavor. I have also had their almond flour brownie which is just as it should be with lots of dark chocolate flavor and great brownie texture. I also tried the Wackie Cake slice made with oil but with a butter chocolate frosting that melts in your mouth and there is no stopping that train once you bite into it. The good news is that the owner uses no enriched flour in her products ( I asked), and nothing is overly sweet. My suggestion for the wacky cake would be to add another note of flavor and depth by perhaps creating a second with a (decaf) mocha frosting to really put it over the top. I've had the Raspberry Kolache which is sort of like a doughnut but so much better with its soft eggy-like dough centered with a cream cheese and raspberry filling that is also irresistible. These 4 items were preordered two days before as required for preorders (you can purchase without preordering on the day of as well) for just $13.30 which is reasonable for this area. All items tasted as if they were made the day I picked up and incredibly fresh. Earlier this week I've also had the chickpea curry hand pie which was tasty but a bit too crispy brown on the outside but otherwise worth trying again in the future. My suggestion in general for this takeout only bakery with chairs and tables outside (open Wed, Fri, & Sun from 8-1 pm) is to take a few more risks with flavors such as perhaps using a bit more spice to the hand pie like Penzey's Spice "Balti" seasoning or some other curry (no I have no affiliation with this spice company down the road) like Penzey's "Now" Curry to add complexity and a small kick to your flavors. A hint of salt for enhancing those flavors works too. Remember the warm spices too like nutmeg and cardamom to cream cheeses and eggs. I think it's a risk worth taking. I will be back to try their tahini cookie, blueberry muffin, baguette and other breads. Note: I have not been affiliated in any way with this bakery nor was paid for this review. But I have cooked for a living in the past. Enjoy!

I've been scoping out all the bakeries in Arlington/Lexington for necessary post-ride carb fuel-ups - I like Kickstand because they have some bike stands out front but wanted to broaden my horizons. Venture forth in the search of delicious pastries and so on. A friend put me on to Breadboard, specifically, the Friday-only egg salad sandwich, but when I showed up, I was feeling something sweet. The kolaches came highly recommended - I went with the seasonal rhubarb flavor. Perfect touch of sweetness, nice balance of the cream. The dough had a nice eggy chew to it. Reminded me of a cross between an American-style fruit Danish and an Asian-style milky bread bun. I'll have to try the other varieties next. (Also, I may be running afoul of personal photo guidelines by posting a photo of the kolache with two big bites taken out of it but I was the uncouth beast stuffing it into my gob at a traffic light.)Got my husband the cheese croissant snail; he said very delicious. The hours are tricky, double-check before you come and do come early. Street parking available - I managed to snag a spot right in front of the store.

How can such a lean, small neighborhood operation bake bread at a national level?!The specialty here is bread from local, regional grains, freshly milled, and maintaining the flavor (and for those who care - nutrients) of whole grains. Everything is executed perfectly; I don't think people understand how magical it is that the breads here use more of the grain (vs all white flour in croissants and pain de mie), yet the output is the perfect specimen of that type of bread, just with enhanced flavor. This takes the highest level of skill, R&D, and knowledge.The sourdough is proofed just right, not too sour. Just a hint of flavor, crustiest of crusts, moist chewy yet tender crumb. The croissant is crisp on the outside with just a bit more color from the grains - you can see the specks - buttery, flaky on the inside. Excellent lamination.I could eat the whole load of the pain de mie in one sitting. Chewy crust, tender moist crumb. Sweet treats are also satisfying, whether the soft comforting kolache or the decadent wacky cake (better like chocolate for that one!).

The best bread in the area by far--the challah, whole wheat, sourdough, raisin pecan, miche are all amazing. They also have really great croissant things (cinnamon rolls, plain, almond, chocolate, etc.) Also HIGHLY recommend the kolaches, they're a sweetened bread thingy with cream cheese or fruit in the middle. Daisy is the nicest.You can't eat inside and you order through what my daughter calls 'Daisy's special door,'--they're still working with stricter covid protocols than most, not a bad thing.