We asked, You answered: The 13 best bakeries in Michigan

Whether we’re going for cookies or cupcakes, bread or brownies, we can’t resist a great bakery. And with the holidays in full swing, we thought this was the perfect time to ask our readers for their favorites. 

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Thankfully, they had a few suggestions – in fact, more than nine thousand Michiganders weighed in, naming hundreds of bakeries! We’ve narrowed it down to a baker’s dozen of the most popular options for you.

Best Bakery in Michigan: Sheila’s Bakery

Photo courtesy of Sheila’s Bakery

Sheila’s is far more than a bakery; it’s a Detroit destination, and that’s why our readers named it the top spot in all of Michigan.

The obvious starting point for a newcomer to this unassuming Mexican shop is the ever-popular tres leches cake, but don’t stop there! Be sure to try the fresh pan dulces, elephant ears, or flan while you’re at it.

Best Bakery in the Upper Peninsula: Huron Mountain Bakery

What started as a quiet donut shop is now one of the best bread bakeries in Marquette County. From cracked wheat to cinnamon raisin, Huron Mountain Bakery does artisan bread right.

Of course, they don’t stop there. When it comes to custom cakes, their motto is “Dream up decadence,” and every February they’re serving up the best paczki in the UP. And the donuts are still a delight.

Honorable mention: Roy’s Pasties & Bakery (Houghton) 

Best Bakery in Northern Michigan: 9 Bean Rows

Photo courtesy of 9 Bean Rows

Tucked away on a Suttons Bay farm, 9 Bean Rows feels more like an escape from reality than a patisserie.

Stop in for a quiet lunch at their cafe (our pick is a fresh, buttery croissant with a bowl of soup) then grab a sourdough loaf as you head out. Have company coming? You definitely want to order a cookie platter or a tray of eclairs.

Honorable mention: Goodale’s Bakery (Grayling)

Best Bakery in Mid-Michigan: Sugar Shack

A Lansing favorite with an origin story dating back to the 1960s, Sugar Shack sets itself apart not just with its mouthwatering sweets, but with the fact that it delivers!

Their choice of gourmet cupcakes can be overwhelming, but you really can’t go wrong with any of them. Our inclination, though, would be to opt for something on the exotic side, like Japanese fruit cake or double butterscotch coconut.

Honorable mention: Cops & Doughnuts (Clare City)

Best Bakery in West Michigan: Nantucket Baking Company

A true full-service bakery, Nantucket Baking Company in Grand Rapids pairs its artisan breads and pastries with top-notch customer service.

And did we mention their gorgeous tortes? For your next birthday, skip the cake and opt for a chocolate peanut butter torte.

Honorable mentions: Sugar Momma’s Bakery & Cafe (Grand Rapids)

Best Bakery in Southeast Michigan: Sister Pie

Photo Courtesy of Sister Pie

We’ve written about Detroit’s Sister Pie before, so we weren’t surprised to see the praised heaped upon it by our readers. The “big-hearted bakery” opened in 2015 in a former beauty salon in Detroit’s West Village. Michigan native chef Lisa Ludwinski had big dreams of becoming a theater director, but changed her mind after experiencing the New York culinary scene. She started baking pastries out of her parent’s home in Milford, but scored her current brick and mortar space after winning some entrepreneurial cash from Comerica Hatch Detroit. 

Sister Pie features a number of creative pie innovations. One of these is the Salted Maple Pie, a year-round feature that revolutionizes the Southern chess pie with Michigan-made maple syrup from Imlay City. The Sour Cherry Bourbon Pie is inspired by an Old Fashioned cocktail and actually uses aromatic bitters with its pour of Kentucky Bourbon into a traditional cherry pie filling. The Sweet Potato Marshmallow is a Thanksgiving offering that blends pureed sweet potatoes with heavy cream and spices, then tops with marshmallow meringue.

Honorable mentions: Mexicantown (Detroit), Dom’s Bakery (Ypsilanti)

Best Bakery in the Thumb: North Branch Bakery

Our readers in the Thumb overwhelmingly agree: You absolutely donut want to miss the fresh donuts at North Branch Bakery. Even better are their sugar cookies – sure to be the best you’ve ever sunk your teeth into. 

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