I'm going to start with what I consider an objective fact, although I realize there may be some…read moredisagreement: Wright's has, hands down, the best custard pie in Rhode Island. That is a hill I am completely willing to die on. I've had plenty of custard pies over the years, and I keep coming back to Wright's. There's just something about it. So now that I've gotten that important piece of journalism out of the way, let's talk about Wright's in general.
Wright's Dairy Farm & Bakery is one of those Rhode Island institutions that almost everyone seems to know. If you grew up here, you've probably been at least once. If you haven't, I'm not entirely sure what you've been doing. It has that rare combination of being a working dairy farm, bakery, and longtime local institution all rolled into one, and it has been part of the Rhode Island landscape for generations.
Fortunately for me, Wright's is only about fifteen minutes from my home in Lincoln. Unfortunately for me, it is also only about fifteen minutes from my home in Lincoln. That proximity has resulted in an alarming number of completely reasonable excuses to stop in. "We need something for dessert" is a particularly dangerous sentence in my household because Wright's immediately becomes the obvious answer.
The selection is fantastic. The pastries are excellent, the cakes are consistently good, and the breads are fresh. Then there are the dairy products, including fresh milk, butter, and cream. Around the holidays, they have eggnog, which has become one of those seasonal things I associate with the place. We regularly come here before holidays or special occasions, whether it's Thanksgiving, Christmas, a birthday, or some other gathering where showing up with a Wright's cake or pastry is pretty much guaranteed to make people happy.
The quality is remarkably consistent. Everything I've purchased here has been fresh, and I honestly can't remember having a bad experience. Nothing stale sitting around waiting to be rescued, nothing that makes you wonder how long it has been on the shelf. You buy something from Wright's and you know you're taking home something that's actually fresh.
The prices are also quite reasonable considering the quality. They have a rewards program where you can earn points toward discounts or free items, which is another nice incentive if you find yourself coming here as often as I do. And believe me, if you live nearby, the temptation to accumulate points is not exactly difficult to overcome.
There is one thing to keep in mind: Wright's is popular. Very popular. It can get busy, particularly around holidays and other major occasions, and some of the more popular items can sell out. That isn't really a criticism so much as a warning not to assume you can wander in at the last possible minute before Thanksgiving and find exactly what you had in mind. Plan ahead, especially for the holidays.
For me, Wright's is one of those places that feels woven into the fabric of Rhode Island. It isn't just somewhere you go to buy a cake. It's where you pick up the dessert for Christmas dinner, grab pastries for a gathering, get fresh dairy products, or make an unnecessary stop because you happened to be driving nearby and suddenly remembered that you "needed" something.
Five stars without hesitation. The custard pie alone would get me through the door, but the pastries, cakes, breads, dairy products, reasonable prices, and sheer consistency keep me coming back. It's a Rhode Island staple for a reason, and if you've lived here for any length of time and have never been to Wright's, you really are missing out. Just don't blame me when a fifteen-minute drive turns into a regular excuse to bring home a box of pastries.