Bakeries in Madison, WI: sourdough, pastries, donuts and cakes

Bread and pastry

• Madison Sourdough, 916 Williamson St.: a from-scratch bakery and cafe that mills its own flour from Wisconsin grain, with sourdough batards, miche and sandwich loaves, pastries, and breakfast and lunch. Open daily 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Origin Breads, 931 E. Main St. (door at the back corner of the building): long-fermented sourdough from organic, stone-milled regional grain, plus baguettes, croissants and a Wednesday pizza night. You'll also find its bread at the Dane County Farmers' Market and local co-ops.
• Batch Bakehouse, 1402 Williamson St.: croissants, scones and coffee cakes, French baguettes and ficelles, Italian ciabatta and focaccia, challah on Fridays, and layer cakes. Closed Mondays.
• Clasen's European Bakery, 7610 Donna Dr., Middleton: German hearth breads, croissants and morning buns, buttercream and whipped-cream tortes, and holiday stollen and German cookies. It takes online orders for pickup and Friday local delivery.
• Rolling Pin Bake Shop, 2935 S. Fish Hatchery Rd., Fitchburg: a from-scratch bakery-cafe with Russian, European and American home-style baking, from cakes and cheesecakes to pies, breads and scones.

Donuts, bagels and cheese bread

• Greenbush Bakery, 1402 Regent St. and 5225 High Crossing Blvd.: Madison's classic donut shop, known for sour cream old fashioneds, "Rabbi's Delights," fritters and long johns, plus Badger Claws on football gamedays. Open until 8 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
• Level 5 Donuts, 2086 Atwood Ave.: 100% vegan handmade donuts with a menu that changes monthly. Open Wednesday to Sunday.
• Stella's Bakery, now at 1219 Regent St.: home of the Hot & Spicy Cheese Bread, a Madison farmers' market favorite, also sold on breakfast sandwiches and shipped nationwide.
• Bagels Forever, 2947 University Ave.: bagels and bagel chips, open from 6:30 a.m. daily.

Cakes, pies and gluten-free

• Hubbard Avenue Diner, Middleton: a diner "famous for pie," with about 15 pies on its Thanksgiving list, several of them vegan. Thanksgiving pre-orders are due Friday, November 20.
• Craig's Cake Shop, 604 W. Verona Ave., Verona: custom cakes for weddings and birthdays, plus cupcakes, cake pops and mini cakes.
• Paleo Mama Bakery, 961 S. Park St.: a fully gluten-free bakery with more than 70 products, about half paleo and half keto, plus vegan options.
• Sweets: Gail Ambrosius Chocolatier, 2083 Atwood Ave., makes truffles, caramels and bars, not far from Level 5.

Holiday orders and kringle

• Thanksgiving: Madison Sourdough takes pre-orders for pies, rolls and breads with pickup on Wednesday, November 25 only. Hubbard Avenue Diner's pie deadline is November 20. See our Thanksgiving guide for meals to go.
• Christmas: Batch Bakehouse, Clasen's and Rolling Pin all take Christmas orders, by phone or online, and stop taking them a few days before. Call early.
• Kringle: Lane's Bakery, long known for its kringle, closed its Park Street shop on Christmas Eve 2023. It now bakes as a wholesaler in Middleton, with a small retail counter at 2120 W. Greenview Dr., Suite 7, open weekday mornings.

More breakfast ideas in our coffee shops and brunch guides.