FOOD: I Have a Food Crush on Flour Bakery [Boston]

I'm well aware that the Flour Bakery bandwagon is already pretty full at this point, but I have to hop on it. Yes, the lines can be ridiculously long and yes, I understand that sharing Flour as my go-to breakfast or lunch spot for out-of-towners only contributes to the problem, but the truth is: Flour has never let me down. Soup, salad, sandwiches, coffee, or sweets, this place delivers.

Founded in the South End in 2000 by Joanne Chang, Flour now sports four locations around the city. Chang comes from a traditional Tawainese background (where, growing up, the sweetest after-dinner treat was usually a piece of fruit) and has a degree in Applied Mathematics and Economics. The analogy may be a stretch, but if any cafe has delicious eats down to an equation, this would be the place.

The bakery boasts a menu stocked with satisfying sandwiches and salads, as well as daily soups and stuffed breads. There's something for everyone and my "regular" is the roast chicken sandwich with mashed avocado and jicama. The refreshing crispness of the jicama (think the texture of water chestnuts) offsets the creamy avocado and keeps this sandwich from falling into mushy avocado-toast territory. Salad favorites include the kale and white bean with mozzarella and the chopped Greek salad, which comes with a green goddess dressing.

Then, of course, there's the infamous sweets counter. Employees keep the case so well-stocked and beautifully tidy that the mere sight of it can weaken any dietary resolve. Count yourself lucky if you walk away with just one macaroon. Miniature tarts provide the perfect end-of-meal sweetness and the brioche au chocolat almost demands a cappuccino to go with it. The king of the counter is, by far, the sticky bun. This mammoth pastry of local lore represents the heart of Flour Bakery: a treat so tasty that you might actually have to eat it first.

Flour Bakery + Cafe
12 Farnsworth Street, Boston MA 02210
1595 Washington Street, Boston MA 02118
131 Clarendon Street, Boston MA 02116
190 Masssachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA 02139

For you baking connoisseurs who want to bake tasty healthy treats at home, you may also be interested in this: 10 easy tips for healthier baking.