This Tiny Maine Bakery Was The Only New England Pick Among The New York Times’ 22 Best
A bakery inside a converted garage, open only six hours a week, landed on a New York Times list of the 22 best bakeries in America. The owners heard the news from a customer in the middle of their Christmas Eve rush.
It’s run by exactly two people. The shop measures about 650 square feet and sits roughly ten feet from their own front door.
I like how this whole story ignores the usual rules. No big storefront, no giant staff, no plans to grow.
Just croissant dough made with local flour and butter, folded into cinnamon buns and kouign-amanns that sell out fast.
It was also the only New England bakery to make that national list. That puts a small corner of Maine in some seriously fancy company. So what exactly is coming out of that tiny garage oven?
The Christmas Eve Surprise That Put A Garage On The Map
News of a lifetime arrived in the most low-key way possible. The Place Bakery learned it made The New York Times list of the 22 best bakeries from a customer, mid-rush, on Christmas Eve.
The article ran on December 24, 2024. Owners Chelsea Kravitz and Chris Dawson were busy boxing up holiday pastries when someone shared the headline.
That alone makes a great story. But the bigger shocker is the company they joined on that list.
Out of 22 bakeries across the entire country, this was the only pick from New England.
Think about how many bakeries line the streets of Boston, Portland, and Providence. Somehow a two-person operation in a Maine garage beat them all to the spotlight.
That’s a serious flex for a shop that had been open for less than two years.
Of course, fame brings visitors. Demand shot up right after the article came out.
It leveled off after a couple of months, so you won’t need a lottery ticket to get a croissant now.
Still, a little planning helps. The bakery takes a winter break, so check its Instagram before you drive in during the coldest weeks.
Croissant Dough Shows Up In Almost Everything, And That’s A Good Thing
Flaky layers are the backbone of this whole operation. The New York Times praised the bakery’s ethereally flaky croissant dough, made with local flour and butter.
Here’s the fun part. That same dough doesn’t stop at plain croissants.
It gets rolled into cinnamon buns, shaped into kouign-amanns, and even layered into loaves.
The cinnamon bun made from croissant dough is a bestseller. Picture a classic breakfast treat that went to pastry school and came back with a few extra layers.
That’s a hard combo to walk past.
Then there’s the kouign-amann. The bakery has called it the beret-wearing cousin of the muffin, which might be the best pastry description ever written.
It has a caramelized, crusty outside and a soft, chewy center.
Almond croissants also get plenty of love here. So do ham and cheese croissants for anyone who wants something savory before noon.
My advice? Grab one sweet and one savory if you can.
The dough is the star, and tasting it two different ways tells you exactly why a national newspaper paid attention.
Fancy Grandma Food Is The Official Vibe Here
Chris Dawson has a perfect name for the menu. He calls it fancy Grandma food, and honestly, that sums up the charm.
The lineup changes every week. It follows the seasons and whatever produce is available, with local flours, dairy, and even some produce grown in the owners’ own yard.
Past specials read like a cozy storybook. There have been maple pecan brown butter twists, Earl Grey and lemon croissants, and morning buns dusted with coriander and lemon.
Savory fans get plenty to love too. Au gratin potato danishes, savory pies, and summer corn and squash danishes have all made appearances.
Grandma never had it this good.
Summer in Maine also means wild blueberries. The bakery has turned them into hand pies, which feels about as Maine as a pastry can get.
Because the menu rotates, you won’t find the exact same case twice. That’s part of the thrill, but it also means falling for something is a little risky.
If you spot a favorite, enjoy it now. It might not return until next season rolls around.
Bread, Bagels, And A Key Lime Pie Worth Saving Room For
Pastries grab the headlines, but the bread deserves its own fan club. The Place Bakery bakes seeded sourdough loaves and baguettes from scratch in small batches.
Bringing real sourdough and laminated pastry to Camden was part of the plan all along. The owners felt the town was missing that kind of old-school, scratch-made bakery.
New York-style bagels also share the case. That makes sense, since both owners came to Maine from Long Island, New York.
Some habits travel well.
A seeded loaf is the kind of thing you buy for later and then tear into in the car. No judgment here.
Fresh bread is a terrible test of willpower.
For dessert, there’s a tart key lime pie. It’s a fun curveball at a bakery so focused on local ingredients, and it’s become one of the popular picks.
Planning a picnic or a cozy dinner? A loaf plus a pie covers both ends of the meal nicely.
Just remember everything is handmade in limited amounts, so the shelves can empty quickly on busy mornings.
Six Hours A Week Means You’ll Want An Early Alarm
Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m. to noon. That’s the whole schedule, and it only lasts that long if the pastries do.
Those limited hours are a choice. Chelsea Kravitz had burned out running a busy cafe on Long Island, so she and Chris built this business around balance.
I believe that decision is part of the magic. Two people baking everything by hand can only make so much.
Keeping hours short keeps quality steady and the owners happy.
For you, it means timing matters. People often line up before the doors open, and favorites can vanish quickly.
Want to skip the guesswork? The bakery offers a pre-order menu online.
You pick your goodies ahead of time, then swing by to grab them during the weekend hours.
Pre-ordering is especially smart if you’re visiting from out of town. Nobody wants to drive along the coast only to find an empty case and a polite shrug.
One more tip: watch for the winter break. The bakery closed from Christmas Day 2024 until January 18, 2025, so cold-weather visits need a quick check first.
A Garage Became A Bakery In Just Two Weeks
Two weeks and a tight budget. That’s how long it took Chelsea and Chris to turn their garage into a working commercial kitchen.
The whole space measures about 650 square feet. It sits roughly ten feet from their house, which makes for the shortest commute in Maine.
So how does a home garage become a legal bakery? The property already had commercial zoning.
It was once part of the neighboring Cedar Crest Inn, which turned out to be a lucky break.
The Place Bakery officially opened on July 15, 2023. Less than a year and a half later, it was on a national best-of list.
Not bad for a former parking spot.
The small size shapes everything about a visit. Orders are takeout, so plan to enjoy your treats somewhere else nearby.
Honestly, the tiny footprint adds to the appeal. Big bakeries can feel like factories.
This one feels personal because it is, with the same two people mixing, shaping, and baking everything you buy. You can almost feel the homemade energy before you take a bite.
A Talking Heads Song Inspired The Name, And The Logo Is Even Better
Music fans, this one’s for you. The bakery’s name comes from the Talking Heads song This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody).
It’s a sweet fit. The song is about finding home, and the owners moved to Maine searching for exactly that kind of life.
Now for the logo, which deserves a standing ovation. It features Talking Heads singer David Byrne, except his head has been swapped for a croissant.
Yes, really. It’s quirky, clever, and a little bit silly in the best way.
You’ll probably want a photo of it before you even look at the pastry case.
Branding like this tells you a lot about a place. The baking is serious, but the attitude stays playful.
Nobody’s taking themselves too seriously, even with a New York Times nod on the résumé.
The owners also keep an active Instagram account where they share new creations. Following along is a smart move for two reasons.
You’ll see what’s coming out of the oven, and you’ll catch any schedule changes before you make the trip.
Two Long Islanders Chased A Maine Dream And Actually Caught It
Fast-moving love stories usually belong in movies. Chelsea Kravitz and Chris Dawson pulled one off in real life.
They met in 2022 while working together on Long Island, New York. Both dreamed of moving to Maine and starting a food business with a better quality of life.
Within six months, a lot happened. They started dating, moved to Camden, bought a house, and launched the business.
That’s a busier half-year than most people manage in five.
Chelsea already had serious baking chops. She previously ran a busy Long Island cafe, an experience that left her burned out and ready for something different.
That history explains a lot about The Place Bakery today. The owners have said they have no plans to expand.
They want to stay small, keep their products consistent, and protect their work-life balance.
I can’t imagine a better recipe for staying great. Plenty of businesses chase growth after big press.
These two chose to keep doing what got them noticed, one small batch at a time, for a community they clearly care about.
Camden Makes The Perfect Post-Pastry Stroll
Finding the bakery takes a little attention. You’ll want to head to 117 Elm Street, Camden, ME 04843, and keep your eyes peeled for the small building set back a bit.
Elm Street is one of the main roads into town. That makes the bakery an easy first stop before exploring the rest of this pretty coastal spot.
Since everything is takeout, your pastries need a scenic place to land. Camden makes that easy, with its well-known harbor and parks just a short drive or walk away.
Parking near the bakery can be tight. A few spots sit behind the shop, so arrive with patience and maybe a backup plan.
Pairing a pastry box with a Maine harbor view sounds like a solid weekend morning. Add a coffee and you’ve basically built the perfect breakfast without lifting a whisk.
Here’s my final pitch. A tiny garage bakery beat every other spot in New England for national praise.
It’s open only two mornings a week. If that doesn’t earn a place on your Maine bucket list, I’m not sure what will.