Gluten for Punishment

The best baguette in Seattle.

A champion baguette (there is such a thing; see "Not a Badass, a Baker") should appeal to all five senses. With supreme judgment in mind, we rounded up four baguettes from the city’s premier bakeries and put them through rigorous scientific testing at City Arts HQ. The results, not surprisingly, were not surprising.

Fourth Place
Essential Bakery “Columbia” baguette
Notes “too bready” “earthiest of the four” “good color”

Third Place
Macrina Bakery baguette
Notes “sourdoughy” “hearty, chewy” “jaw-busting” “looks like it tastes”

Second Place
Grand Central Bakery baguette
Notes “great crust” “almost burnt but perfectly not” “bleachy but my favorite”

The Best Baguette in Seattle
Bakery Nouveau baguette
Notes “extremely well balanced” “light and crisp” “substantial” “most baguette-y” “smells like Paris”

Illustration by Tom Dougherty.