Sooo many options. We got a little of everything, the caramelized croissant was out of this world. Cookies were delish and the choc croissant and morning rolls were sooo flaky! Would def suggest giving it a try if your in the area. Staff was friendly and service was great read more

Picked up a loaf of kalamata olive bread based on the great reviews, which it definitely lived up to. My very picky husband ate almost the entire loaf in one sitting. It actually has whole olives throughout the loaf, and they had it sliced for me which I really appreciated. The bakery itself was much smaller than I expected; as soon as you walk in, you get smacked in the face with a cloud of yeast and moisture soaked air. There wasn't much to choose from but I expect that's because I went later in the day. I also picked up some shortbread pecan cookies for my boss, which she said were very good but I found them a bit pricey at $1.50 each for how small they were. I'll definitely be back for more olive bread the next time I'm in town, or the next time I'm in need of saving my marriage. read more

Independent Baking - Kalamata olive bread winning over my extremely picky husband. - Bakeries Near Me - Athens, Georgia

"Actually, these cookies are for you." -- American Horror Story: Season 3, Episode 4 I feel guilty writing a review all about a chocolate chunk cookie, but damn that was a killer cookie. After walking the streets looking for ice cream and being foiled - we stopped in for something sweet and bought some cookies. Oh wow. Who knew? Melt in your mouth chocolate, crispy, yet tender cookie, and pretty big for an average cookie. I wanted to buy everything, but had no way to store it in the hotel, and then in my car while kayaking, before driving back to Atlanta - so disappointing. I wanted it ALL! If that cookie was any representation at all... Had I been headed home that day - I would have bought them out of their breads - they looked amazingly beautiful and smelled to die for. I might have to drive up there just to buy some. read more

This place is AMAZING. I come from a long line of New Jersey bread snobs, which makes me skeptical of any bread made south of Pennsylvania. But Independent makes the BEST bread in Georgia, at least that I've tried: crunchy, yeasty, and good to the last bite. I actually drive 40 minutes to get here and stockpile rolls in my freezer. The best bet is the five points Levain bread, but pretty much everything is splendid. Don't miss this place! read more

My wife and I were getting up in the morning to head out of Athens on our way home to the ATL and needed a little breakfast. Research before leaving the hotel found us Ike & Jane Bakery, Ideal Bagel and Independent Baking Co. We didn't go to the first two, so we're NOT comparing those to Independent. What I will compare Independent Baking Co. to is La Pâtisserie by Cyril Lignac on Rue Paul Bert in Paris. La Pâtisserie was rated by several professionals as one of the best places for croissants in Paris. It did not disappoint. Ho-LEE-crap! It was one of the more enjoyable experiences while we were in Paris last October for our anniversary trip. But the only thing La Pâtisserie's croissants have over Independent Baking Co.'s is Paris. From Independent, we had each a croissant and some fresh black olive bread that we took back to Atlanta for dinner. They were the best baked goods I've had outside of New York in the States. If you're in Athens for some reason, stop in and get some classically made baked goods at Independent. You won't regret it. If you live there and haven't been, go. Go right now. read more

The real deal utilizing the types of flour and techniques associated with Artisan baking. This is a far cry from the processed baked goods you find at Kroger or Publix. read more

Stopped by Saturday morning to get a morning pastry to go with my coffee. The person I spoke with was very friendly and helpful. Assisted me with picking an amazing pastry that was filled with a chocolate, it filled me up and only cost $2.75. Love supporting local businesses and Independent makes that easy to do if you're looking for pastries, bread, etc. in the 5 Points area of Athens. read more

Independent Baking - Getting my fat boy on while others are outside the door running a marathon - Bakeries Near Me - Athens, Georgia

Absolutely delicious. Everything is delicious. The breads. The cookies. The croissants. The pain au chocolat is amazing! I would definitely recommend that and a cup of coffee to make any old day go from good to great! It is small inside, but there is really charming bar-style seating near a large window for around 5 to 6 people to sit comfortably. Great location in Athens near Five Points. Just a lovely lovely place. Can't wait to go back again! read more

Independent Baking - Charming and delicious. - Bakeries Near Me - Athens, Georgia

See all

As someone who would consider herself a bit of a croissant connoisseur after eating the one every day for the 7 weeks I spent in Spain and 1 week in Paris this summer, the croissant that I tried today was the closest thing to a French croissant that I've been able to find in Athens. However, I also ordered a macchiato that unfortunately tasted quite burnt and had coffee grounds in it. I will certainly return for croissants though! read more

Very very cute bakery at 5 points close to Milledge Ave and Lumpkin Street. It is small, but just so adorable. Bread is made in house and fresh daily. When walking up to and into the store, you can have that sense of feeling like hometown bakery. Love this place. They are a bread and breakfast pastry bakery. It is small, but also offer a few seating areas inside which you can watch things happening outside on five points. I ordered a Macchiato and a Coconut Macaroon. Just delish and reasonable price too! There are a variety of breads that they sale here. If you are a bread lover, this is the place to go. read more

Independent Baking - Macchiato and coconut macaroon - Bakeries Near Me - Athens, Georgia

See all

I really can't begin to explain how much I love this place. The cute little building and the crisp and clean interior is swoon-worthy. I have loved everything I have tasted here. For special occasions, I make sure to get a loaf of bread. I absolutely love their semolina, which you rarely find in the South. It brings me back to visiting family in Staten Island and sharing a loaf of semolina, fresh mozzarella, and tomatoes. Everything else is excellent and I love that each time you go in, there is something new and different to try! read more

This place is truly an asset to Athens. It's bread as it should be. Crisp crust, a soft inside, and very flavorful. And even better than that the prices are surprisingly reasonable and actually kinda cheap for quality bread. I did get a lemon cranberry scone which wasn't quite up to the standard of the bread, but that's just a minor quibble for an otherwise outstanding bakery. read more

Athens is very, very lucky to have a bakery of this caliber in its midst. The quality of the bread coming out of these ovens far surpasses that of any bakery in this town and may very well be among the best in the state. My personal favorite is the ciabatta roll, which I crisp up in the convection oven. A slice of heaven in Athens, who would have thought. read more

Good thing they are not closer to home. I would live in there. Everything I have tasted so far is amazing, but my favorite is the raisin and pecan bread. read more

Food is average at best and the service was not good. Granted it is Saturday afternoon at 3:00 but they need better service. Sorry but I do not recommend this place. read more

Our first visit to this fine little bakery ended in dismay. The previous reviews touted the bread to be on par with the breads of Paris! We purchased 5 different loaves, which unfortunately, all had the same bitter base taste, and displayed no distinction between each loaf. The walnut raisin tasted the same as the whole wheat which was the same as the multigrain. While each loaf contained it own unique namesake the flavor never varied between loaf to loaf. We hope it was an inexperienced baker and thus a one time ordeal. Unfortunately this simple charming to be bakery is not yet worthy of the GA bakery tour mention. read more

Amazingly kind staff and beautiful atmosphere! Thankful for the gluten free options :) but we still got some amazing bread! I ordered a Cortado and was really excited to see a specialty coffee option with Counter Culture. The shot was a little chalking but the sweetness of the staff made up for it! read more

This bakery is awesome. All the baked goods are fabulous, the croissants and morning buns are my favorite. The breads are fabulous! They have a small dine-in area and the atmosphere is very authentic. The staff is knowledgeable about bread making and even gave my husband some dough starter so he could try to perfect his own pizza dough recipe. This is seriously the cutest and tastiest bakery I've ever been to! read more

Amazing coffee, baguettes, and croissants. The staff is always friendly too. My personal favorite is the olive loaf. It's amazing!

Fresh Braked goods, including biscotti. Limited to only coffee and breads but man are they good at it. Try the morning roll!!

I haven't had croissants or bread this good since spending time in France.. Athens has been in need of legit bread and now we have it!!! Oh and the coffee is amazing too! read more

Best baguette in Athens! Very crisp, delicate exterior and wonderfully chewy interior. Crunchy, but doesn't hurt your mouth (you know what I mean?). The best. read more

Excellent, authentic European style breads. Croissants are perfect. It's about time there is a place with "real" bread around here. Love the storefront and you can't go wrong with anything there. Customer service is good too. Stop by EarthFare for some good quality cheese (ricotta salata or Gorgonzola dolce) and fig jam...best snack/dessert/meal ever!! I do agree with another reviewer that they should locally source their coffee. read more

Finally, finally, found a decent bakery in Athens. The French bread was outstanding just the way you like it with a crisp crust and tasty innards. The chocolate chip cookies were outstanding also. We also bought a couple of the chocolate filled croissants. Yummy! I will definitely return time and again. read more

Thee cutest bakery + coffee shop. There isn't too much seating, but I'm all for the grab and go. It's a must try.

Great authentic bakery serving true artisan breads and pastries and great coffee. Their breads are a great reminder of the vast chasm between lifeless grocery store breads and the real thing. It is a small bakery where you see them baking fresh, artisan breads just a few feet away. Great crispy crusts and soft, perfectly cooked interior crumb. Starting my day with fresh bread and pastry from Independent was a great choice. Oh, I wish I had such a bakery near my home!!! read more

See all

A truly high quality authentic French(mostly) bakery. I wish they were selling fresh and NOT yesterday's bread on Sundays ! I wish they were open more hours and Mondays too... read more

Love this bakery. I live in Atlanta and every time I'm in Athens, I make sure to stop and get their olive loaf, levain and multigrain. Their baguettes are excellent as well. I only wish they open a branch in Decatur!! read more

The breads, pastries and coffee are AMAZING!! Clearly run by a genius who can teach others to do it right. A bit pricey but you definitely get what you pay for. The only problem is they only have one small size coffee cup when I want so much more. Too good. read more

Everything in this place is delicious. Great European-type breads. My favorite is the dark rye that is usually sold on Wednesdays. The chocolate croissants are the best in town, light and fluffy with the tasty dark chocolate . read more

I always get a little bit giddy when I see an artisan bakery and I felt that old familiar rush as I walked in to this newly-opened place in Five Points. I loved the open plan of the shop, which gives you a peek into where the bread is made and who is doing the baking. The front staff was very friendly and even though I came in the afternoon, a lot of their bread selections were still available. I chose the rye currant loaf and when I cut into it several hours later, it was abundantly clear that this was baked today and it was of high quality. I've baked a lot of bread, but my skills will most likely never come close to this artisan-level shop. This is a great addition to the Athens independent and local community and I could not be more pleased to have them around! read more

I love Independent! I usually stop by when I'm in the mood for a chocolate croissant or a baguette. I absolutely love the epi--it's probably one of the best baguettes I've ever had. I've also tried a cookie and a biscotti once, which were pretty good. I have to say that I wasn't too crazy about the iced latte I got there, but that's not a big deal since it's a bakery, not a cafe. Plus Jittery Joes and Two Story are in walking distance, so it's a win-win really. read more

I live in the neighborhood and love their baked goods. Couldn't be happier to have them in 5 points. However, I am very surprised that a place that calls itself the Independent Bakery, and prides itself on being a local entity, would choose to go with a large out of town coffee provider, Counter Culture. Why not support your fellow local businesses and serve one of our delicious local coffees? Both Jittery Joe's and 1000 Faces have local coffee roasting operations and make great coffee. I'll keep buying baked goods here, but will get my coffee somewhere that supports our local coffee companies. When this bakery first opened it served local coffee, 1000 Faces. Very disappointed by decision to take their business out of Athens. read more

I bike right by this bakery every day on my way to work and get to enjoy the beautiful smell of freshly baked bread. I decided to stop in and was not dissapointed. The bread tastes incredible and they have a great variety. The only fault I have is that it is not cheap ($5 a loaf is a bit steep for me). This is more like a restaurant than a store when it comes to prices. Maybe when I am a little richer I won't care as much. read more

I love this bakery so much! The breads are artisan quality, made with carefully selected ingredients and hand shaping and creating. All breads are crusty on outside and tender and delicious on the inside. The selection changes daily with some standards that you can depend on like baguettes, 5 Points Levain and Whole Grain. Our family favorites are the Kalamata Olive Loaf and the Walnut Raisin. The pastries are perfect in every way and I love the Morning Roll, which is a combination cinnamon roll/croissant. Pan Au Chocolat and plain croissants are flaky, buttery and delicious as well. Yes, it costs more than the grocery store, but when you consider the time it takes to source quality ingredients that retain the flavor and nutrition of the grains and the labor involved in hand crafting these amazing creations I think it is a bargain. read more

Yeah, this place is fantastic. Great location (for walk-ins), super-friendly staff, and, of course, delicious bread. The Kalamata loaf is my favorite - perfect after a run or ride. A great addition to Five Points... read more

Not much room to eat in and they bake their bread for too long in my opinion. Chocolate chip cookies are hit or miss as well.

Hands down THE best bakery in Athens/Watkinsville. The croissants are absolutely phenomenal (also be sure to try the morning roll and pain au chocolat as well..mmmmm!). PLUS their pour-over coffee and espresso options are fantastic (Counter Culture); don't waste your time walking to nearby Jittery Joe's or Two Story for mediocre coffee. The staff are capable, friendly and very competent. If only they were open on Sundays and Mondays as well... read more