MARVELOUS MUFFINS

“Biting into one of Juliet’s muffins will make you feel like you are
eating on a wooden bench overlooking the ocean, being all sort of quiet because the beauty is too much. Now that’s a muffin!”

Joseph White
Disney Studios

In these carb-hostile times, we lovers of glorious baked goods must stick together. Take some time and visit these muffin meccas coast to coast:

NEW YORK

Sarabeth
Chelsea Market
75 Ninth Avenue
New York, NY 10011

These baked goods make you laugh at the sheer unapologetic windfall of richness in each munch.  Try a pumpkin muffin with the family's 200 year old "secret" Marmalade recipe.

Taylor's
156 Chambers St
New York NY 10007

Taylor's innovative baking, offers fresh, home baked muffins, scones and brownies.  Make sure to wear an elastic waistband to this NYC staple!

Magnolia Bakery
(O.K, they are cupcakes but very muffin-ish and too good to miss)
401 Bleecker St
New York, NY 10014

When you first walk into The Magnolia Bakery, look to your left, there are cupcakes there for the taking. Each $1.50, and a sign says, “Limit 1 dozen” -- if it only were that easy. Unmatched soft cake and topped with a swirl of pastel colored buttery vanilla frosting that melts in your mouth like ice cream. A touch of sprinkles adds to the simplicity of it all.

Clinton St. Baking Company

4 Clinton Street, Manhattan, NY 10002 646-602-6263

It's not the sandwiches, cookies, or blue-plate specials that come to mind, but the wonderful muffins, berried and clotted with streusel toppings, constructed so as to remain moist even if forgotten in a bag on the counter and discovered days later.

SEATTLE

Irwin’s
2123 N 40th St
Seattle, WA 98103

This less known neighborhood bakery is great for muffins, tea, and coffee. Enjoy your morning muffin and coffee sitting outside with a view down to Lake Union and the Seattle skyline beyond.

Essential Baking Co.
2719 East Madison Street
Seattle, WA 98112

Using organic ingredients,they make fresh artisan breads, European pastries, and luscious desserts.Try a muffin here and you can say you ate a gold medal pastry, because the head pastry chef was among a trio of American bakers who took the gold in the World Cup of Baking.

SAN DIEGO

Influx Café
1948 Broadway
San Diego, CA 92102

Comfortable minimialism is a contrast that works at Influx  providing a smart sanctuary from the outside world where you can get heavenly pastries and breakfast sandwiches at the wee hour of 6 a.m.  Their giant pumpkin muffin is a local favorite.

BOSTON

Appleton Bakery
123 Appleton Street
Boston, Mass 02116

Voted Best Muffin in Boston magazine two years, Appleton serves beauties made from hunks of fruit and rich butter in innovative flavor combinations. The raspberry white chocolate chip is such a sensuous delight that it could double as an aphrodisiac. These muffins were definitely meant to be savored. 

Dado Tea
955 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Though they only serve three kinds- blueberry, cranberry, and corn – these are an amazing, dense and not too sweet muffin.  Try one of their over 20 unique teas with your morning muffin.

SAN FRANCISCO

Arizmendi Bakery
1331 9th Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94122

MUFFINS FROM SCRATCH – GOOD BRAN MUFFINS

Arizmendi Bakery is a worker-owned cooperative specializing in morning pastries, artisan breads and gourmet pizza.

Noe Valley Bakery
4073 24th Street at Castro
San Francisco, CA 94114

When you want "just a little something" for a personal indulgence, their delightful smaller treats are sure to satisfy. The morning pastry collection is baked fresh daily
in the best European tradition. Their seasonal cranberry and orange or pumpkin muffins are sure to be a hit.

Destination Baking Company
598 Chenery Street
San Francisco, CA 94131

Everything here is absolutely wonderful.  The amazing assortment of breakfast pastries make this a true destination earning it "Best of the Bay" status.  Nothing here is made from a mix, everything is made from scratch.

CHICAGO

Dinkel's Bakery
3329 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60657

Boasting five generations of master bakers, this 83-year-old family business focuses on German bakery items, a full-line of pastries, breads, and rolls. Many items are still made from their original 1922 recipes.  Plus, Dinkle’s was chosen as one of the top 15 bakeries to visit by Modern Baking Magazine.

Red Hen
1623 N. Milwaukee
Chicago, IL  60647

Using only the finest ingredients and producing all of their products by hand,

This rustic locale boasts an enticing display of big, beautiful muffins with broad tops, including dark banana/date, mocha/bittersweet, cinnamon/chocolate muffin, cranberry/wheat, lemon/poppy seed, and a cock-a-doodle carrot.

Letizia's Natural Bakery
2144 W Division St
Chicago, IL 60622

Offering a full espresso bar featuring Caffe’ Umbria coffee beans, and lots of homemade all-natural muffins Letizia’s is a definite must try. Their carrot muffin is the best anywhere.  Just know you will be getting no low-fat items here. They have a strict “No Margarine” policy - everything is made with lots of butter and that’s why it tastes great!

PHILADELPHIA

Termini Brothers Bakery
1523 S 8th St
Philadelphia, PA 19147

Winner of 15 "Best of Philly" awards by Philadelphia Magazine and an inductee into its "Hall of Fame," the bakery offers a closer look into one of Philadelphia's oldest traditions. Using equipment dating back to the 1920s, Termini's produces only the finest handmade Italian confections from European recipes dating back to the 1800s, and their muffins are still some of the best tasting around. 

LOS ANGELES

Doughboys
8136 W Third St
Los Angeles, CA 90048-4309

Save up your calories, then go and splurge. These muffins are big and rich.  The delicious pumpkin muffin will make you want to curl up under your comfiest blanket to take a post carb nap.

Zen Bakery
10988 Pico Boulevard
West Los Angeles, CA 90064

If you're counting calories or on a weight loss regimen, but you'd like nothing better than to start the day with a hot muffin or scone with your morning coffee, look no further. This place is your salvation. Using sugar-free and low-fat ingredients, all the baked goods here have approximately only 1.5 grams of fat and taste great too!

La Provence
8950 W Olympic Blvd
Beverly Hills, CA 90211-3561

Now celebrating their tenth anniversary, this hot spot of gorgeous and delicious French pastries also has a great selection of muffins.  Don’t miss the raspberry-jam bran muffin here!

Muffin Recipes

at:

BBOnline.com
About.com
ThatsMyHome.com
FoodNetwork.com
CBSNews.com

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