Old-fashioned bakeries in North East Philly?

[rlibkind]

I'll be in Northeast Philly tomorrow morning and, to reward myself for the trek from Center City, want to find a good old-fashioned bakery, preferably one that offers a nice selection of Christmas cookies.

Here are some I found on a Google map search:

Mayfair, 6447 Frankford

Geirger's, 6652 Frankford

Eclair Bake Shop, 7721 Castor

DePalma, 3611 Decatur

Haegele's, 4164 Barnett

Any recommendations among these or any other area bakeries?

[Rich Pawlak]

Geiger's and Haegele's are two classic Old World bakeries.

I'll be in Northeast Philly tomorrow morning and, to reward myself for the trek from Center City, want to find a good old-fashioned bakery, preferably one that offers a nice selection of Christmas cookies.

Here are some I found on a Google map search:

Mayfair, 6447 Frankford

Geirger's, 6652 Frankford

Eclair Bake Shop, 7721 Castor

DePalma, 3611 Decatur

Haegele's, 4164 Barnett

Any recommendations among these or any other area bakeries?

←

[rlibkind]

Thanks, Rich. I knew I could depend upon your knowledge of the great Northeast!

Hmmmm? Would the proximity of Geiger's and Haegele's to the Grey Lodge have anything with their earning your favor?

[Rich Pawlak]

I mean, wha, er, I certainly dont think that has a THING to do with it. Now the proximity of Nonno Ugo's Italian Bakery, Primo's Hoagies, Tony's Tomato Pies and Frusco's Hoagies, all just north of the GL, now they're just damn convenient killer places.

[rlibkind]

Thanks to guidance from Rich (and I hope you know I was just :wink:'ing about the proximity) I made a highly succesful foray into the Great Northeast today in search of Christmas cookies and other goodies. Forthwith, my report (and some photos).

The first stop was the highlight: Haegele's Bakery on a corner deep in the heart of residential Mayfair. The photos:

A classic corner spot!

The view through the window

The staff was proud of the gingerbread house.

Jean Erikson and June Haegele.

If I lived in this neighborhood, my blood sugars would be even higher! I restrained myself (knowing I was going to hit a number of other bakeries), however, and departed Haegele's with merely a pound of Chrismas cookies and a small bag of springerle. The springerle (to be found in all of the German bakeries I visited) were intensely anise; hard to eat one of these without a strong cup of coffee in hand.

Next stop was Mayfair Bakery on Frankford. Okay place, but not among the winners.

Geiger's, a few blocks up Frankford and across the street, was very much into cakes with illustrations (as is Mayfair). Picked up another pound of Christmas butter cookies.

Now I cut over to Castor and the first of two stops at kosher bakeries. At Weiss I went bananas. Well, no bananas, but good looking challah (I picked up a small raisin challah for french toast later this weekend). And seven layer cake! My favorite! I bought slices of both the yellow and mocha versions. Taste tests later tonight. Strictly in the name of science.

Further up Frankford is Hesh's Eclair Bake Shoppe. More of the same as at Weiss, but they also had onion board. A big piece of this poppy-encrusted, oniony flatbread became my lunch. And a very good lunch indeed. At both Hesh's and Weiss I also restrained myself by not picking up any sweet munn (poppyseed) pastry rolls.

Onward toward Fox Chase. First stop there was Shenk's Family Bakery on Verree Road just south of Rhawn. Limited myself to half a pound of cookies. The hammentaschen looked good here, too.

Past Oxford Avenue I hit Danish Bakers, which is a bit of a misnomer. It's not owned by Danes and I didn't spy any of the real Danish baked goods you'd find in Aarhus or, for that matter, Racine, Wisconsin (the clerk didn't know what kringle was!), but they had a nice selection of various cakes and pastries nonetheless. I left with a cylinder of cinnamon bread (sliced).

My final stop had nothing to do with sweet baked goods, but it was a pantheon to pork: Rieker's, the German butcher-deli. Here I let loose a bit, purchasing a bunch of different sausages to cook in their wine kraut tonight, a smoked pork butt for Saturday or Sunday, and a buckling, a style of smoked herring.

All in all, a most rewarding visit to the Great Northeast, with lots more to cover in the future. It's a polyglot area with cuisines to match. Lots more to explore, including the Russian, Brazilian and Asian neighborhoods, among others.

Edited December 16, 2006 by rlibkind (log)

[aaronwcpa]

I was almost born in a bakery and love each and everyone. I made a list of the ones mentioned and will visit each one in the next few months.

Wherever I travel I always make it a point to visit local bakeries.

Thanks.

[Rich Pawlak]

Well, Bob, you photo shot my favorite of the old NE Philly bakeries. I just love Haegele's, and I always manage to stop there during Lent for some fastnacht donuts, first written about by Rick Nichols a few years ago. After reading his column, I had to see the place and it was everything he described, just so REAL a place, it's a treasure.

[KatieLoeb]

Bob:

Thanks for the pix! That gingerbread house is just bee-yoo-ti-ful! What a treasure that bakery is! I'll have to stop by there some time to check it out.

We expect further photo evidence of the gems unearthed on this expedition as well as what you've made from your spoils...

[rlibkind]

In planning my next foray, I've prepared an annotated Google map, which you can find here. It includes some spots I haven't visited yet, with notes on those I have (click on the place makers to names and descriptions).

[monavano]

Does anyone remember Bauer's Bakery on Bustleton. It burned down a few years back and was never re-opened. That was the bakery of my childhood and I dearly loved their babka and butter cake.

I'm glad this thread got bumped back up, since I'll be back in the neighborhood for Christmas.