Where to get bread in Los Angeles?
January 3, 2007 11:51 AM   Subscribe

Where can I find decent sandwich bread in Los Angeles?

I recently moved to LA. I have pretty strict requirements for bread and haven't found a good brand or bakery yet. I want to buy pre-sliced loaves of bread without a big crunchy crust or high fructose corn syrup and with a decent amount of fiber (2 or more grams per slice, more is better!). I hate bread that gets all gummy and mushy in the center; I want robust sandwich bread that I can spread with peanut butter and not rip the bread apart in the process. I've tried various Whole Foods brands and Trader Joe's brands, but they did not pass the peanut butter test; all the breads sold in the nearest Von's and Albertson's contain high fructose corn syrup. I am OK with any flavor of bread (rye, multi-grain, poppyseed, soughdough, whatever) and am getting so desperate that I'd take unsliced crusty bread if I could find it. If you've ever had Ed's Bread, a local company in Ann Arbor, MI, that's the style of bread I want! I eat about a loaf or two each week, and am seriously considering making my family mail me Ed's Bread, but that seems kinda ridiculous, and there must be bread that fits my criteria nearer to LA (I live in Palms, if you have any location-specific suggestions).
posted by holyrood to Food & Drink (16 answers total)
 
I think Vons carries Miltons, though I can't attest to its being corn syrup free - you'd have to check the ingredients, which aren't online. I think it's pretty good sammichins. Usually the best answer will be locally baked.
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 11:58 AM on January 3, 2007


Trader Joes has several kinds of bread which fit your requirements.
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 12:15 PM on January 3, 2007


Oops. I should have read the entire post. My bad.
posted by Monkey0nCrack at 12:16 PM on January 3, 2007


I eat O Organics Whole Wheat Bread, which I believe is the Vons/Safeway brand semi-cunningly disguised. It's a dense, serious bread, and it's yummy, and I believe it meets all your requirements-- except I'm unsure about it containing corn syrup or not, and I can't seem to find an ingredients list online. It might be worth reading the ingredients label if you have a Vons (or Pavilions, I imagine) near you?
posted by thehmsbeagle at 12:20 PM on January 3, 2007


It's waaay out of your way, and expensive to boot, but there's a Great Harvest store in Thousand Oaks. I think they have the kind of bread you're looking for.
posted by Eddie Mars at 12:39 PM on January 3, 2007


A pal of mine, a discerning foodie, states that La Brea Bakery is best hope.
posted by beaucoupkevin at 12:46 PM on January 3, 2007


La Brea Bakery is good, and they deliver to some markets. I used to find great bread at Bristol Farms, but that's probably out of your way...
posted by miss lynnster at 1:18 PM on January 3, 2007


Second on La Brea Bakery.

Also note that owner/chef Nancy Silverton is famous for her sandwiches, and wrote a brilliant book about the glories of a good sandwich.

Finally, more broadly, Jonathan Gold is the all-knowing God of Food in the Greater Los Angeles Area Whose Wisdom and Appetite Know No Limits.
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at 1:54 PM on January 3, 2007


OK, third.

And, by the way, anyone know a Washington DC area equivilant?
posted by RandlePatrickMcMurphy at 1:54 PM on January 3, 2007


I think La Brea Bakery will have too crunchy a crust for your specs. It's artisan bread (and damn good), and has a very open cell structure. But maybe they have some sandwich bread I haven't tried.

Just curious - Why no corn syrup? Lots pf good bread would meet your needs if you let go of that requirement. But then...... I guess that's why you're here.
posted by Devidicus at 2:49 PM on January 3, 2007


My favorite place to get bread is at the farmer's markets. Bezian Bakery has very tasty bread that might suit your needs. They sell at some of the bigger markets or you can visit their store at 4725 Santa Monica Blvd., (323) 663-8608. You can find a list of all certified farmer's markets in Los Angeles County here.

Rockenwagner Bakery also sells at the farmer's markets and they also have a store in Mar Vista that might be closer for you: 12835 W Washington, (310) 578-8171.

Another idea is to spend an afternoon checking out the various bakeries in the Pico-Robertson and/or Fairfax district.
posted by mogget at 3:21 PM on January 3, 2007


Response by poster: Thanks for all your suggestions! I need to go to a Vons in a more health-conscious neighborhood as the nearest does not stock the brands mentioned. I am *totally* willing to drive all over this city to find bread, so the far-flung bakeries/farmer's markets seem like good options as well. I do like a crusty loaf now and again so it's good to know the best choices for those too.

mogget: I'm brand new to town, what/where is "the Fairfax district"?

Devidicus: no corn syrup because if I eat bread (or any other products) made with it, 1-2 hours later I am starving, like "I haven't had any food in days" kind of hungry. I don't know why this is, but since I've stopped eating corn syrup products, I've lost 40 lbs and cut my grocery bills in half (as I'm only eating 3 meals a day instead of 6), so I'm satisfied with eating this way, although it is frustrating to find some products like bread! I know this all sounds crazy, but I can always tell when I've had corn syrup at a restaurant/friends' house because I'll need to get another meal on the way home.
posted by holyrood at 4:02 PM on January 3, 2007


holyrood, here's more info on the Fairfax District. If you continue up to Santa Monica Blvd., you'll also find a bunch of ethnic bakeries (mostly Russian, I believe).

Go on a Sunday, browse the bakeries on Fairfax, stop by the Melrose Trading Post at Fairfax High School (Fairfax & Melrose), which is not part of your question but is a fun place to browse for junk.
posted by mogget at 4:21 PM on January 3, 2007


Response by poster: Thanks mogget!
posted by holyrood at 7:36 PM on January 3, 2007


Diamond bakery at 335 N. Fairfax has excellent seeded rye. Ralphs used to carry it, but I didn't see any there on my last trip to LA two months ago. I sorely miss the west coast TJ's cracked wheat sourdough--on my other trips, I was able to bring back a supply to NY, but I couldn't this time because I went to Amsterdam after my father's surgery.

I don't know offhand whether these contain corn syrup.
posted by brujita at 9:50 PM on January 3, 2007


Here's another vote for Milton's, which is also carried at Trader Joe's. I just checked the ingredients on the bag of Milton's Healthy Whole Grain with Whole Wheat Flour in my freezer here and it doesn't contain corn syrup. It's a nice solid bread that holds up well to peanut butter or what have you.
posted by platinum at 9:52 PM on January 3, 2007


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