Loaf

LOVE the caneles, the cheesy grits bread, and the focaccia with toppings. You seriously have to try the caneles. Caneles. Caneles.
The only thing I’ve been slightly disappointed by is their almond croissant. They call it the «twice-​baked almond croissant,» which does give you a heads up that the croissant is going to be less soft and moist because it’s been baked twice. It’s still good, with lots of almond butter, but I just prefer my croissants fluffy and soft.
Prices are not ridiculous, but they do add up…

The best bread and pastries in Durham, bar none. Let me skip right to the best: the twice-​baked Almond Croissant is a work of art, and one of the best baked goods I’ve ever had in my life! A worthy splurge on a weekend morning, and one you won’t regret. Every other pastry I’ve tried has also been delicious.
The bread is also wonderful, and I especially love their baguettes — fantastic crust (rare to find a good crunchy crust like theirs), soft inside, delicious. I’ve had many of their breads (baguette, pan de campagne, whole wheat, challah) and they have all been yummy.
For icing on the cake, they also serve Counter Culture coffee and sell local meat & dairy products from their small fridge.
A fantastic bakery, all-​around.

The croissants are the best I’ve had outside France, and the Whole Wheat loaf is the best I’ve ever had. You need to try to believe.

Wanted to grab a late breakfast somewhere new. Wasn’t sure what to expect, but came in to a homey little bakery with a bread and pastry counter at the front.
I immediately told the girl at the counter it was my first time here and I wasn’t really sure what I wanted. When asked for suggestions, she pretty much responded by telling me everything is good – probably true, but not helpful for decision making or for reading french pastry names I’ve never seen before.
I settled on the gougère (cheese and herb puff) and the pain au chocolat (croissant with chocolate on the inside). Both were fantastic – flaky and light. Undoubtedly, the most fresh tasting bread I have had in my life. They obviously do bake fresh daily. They were even priced reasonably well, (even compared to corporate, chain-​style coffee shops with pastries.)
My complaint is they were not warm. Don’t get me wrong I realize these are not made to order and have been sitting in the display case for a little while, but they were COLD, almost refrigerated-​like. If they had a means to warm them up for me, I did not see it on first glance, nor was it offered to me. I had intended to (and did) eat them immediately, and that was a major disappointment. I will try them again, but earlier, and hopefully can get something warm.

You really can’t go wrong with anything here, but my personal favorite is the ham and Gruyère croissant. Counter culture coffee is available, which was decent drip coffee. I only wish they had a sit down area.

First time checking this place out and they are awesome! I tried a few of the danishes and you can tell the expertise and love they put into baking. Will definitely be back!

Oh my heart. Loaf is a gem of a place — the kind of place that makes parking downtown worth it. I’ve never been disappointed in the many times I’ve been in, except when they were out of almond croissants. Grab one if you can before they sell out.

As far as bread and pastries go, this place is legit and very close to true French baking art: buttery flaky croissants, yummy dark chocolate croissants, tasty flat breads. This place deserves to be recognized for their work!

Disappointing.
Bought a $ 7 loaf of bread at the farmer’s market. Got home and discovered the bottom of the pain de Campagne was burned, the crust was soft, and the inside of the bread was wet and glutenous.

Loaf has fresh baguettes and you can watch them make the masterpieces in the bakery. There were also many sweet options, fresh preserves and chilled drinks. Loaf has a rustic charm that reminds me of the bakeries in Belgium or France. You can also get their products at the Durham Farmer’s Market on Saturdays or just walk up to the source on Parish Street. The breads are made fresh daily and next time I want to try the olive bread. I don’t remember any seating or café so you really just get your items and take them to go. I loved the baguette and am happy to find another fresh and authentic bakery in Durham. I was also impressed when I saw them listed in the March 2015 edition of Bön Appetit magazine on places to go when in Durham. Congratulations on that accolade!

I stopped in for the first time and tried their cinnamon rolls. Pure taste bud bliss is what I experienced. In my 43 years of life I have had a lot of cinnamon rolls. These were by far some of the best I have ever had.

Since moving nearby, Loaf has become one of my favorite go-​to places. Everything I have had, from the pastries to the bread, has been fantastic. They are a fairly small place, so the menu changes day-​to-​day. This is great as it means there will almost always be something new to try. However, if you are more of a creature of habit and want to know what is going to be there on any given day, they have a chalkboard on the wall that gives a basic rundown of what they will have each day of the week. There is also a menu on their Facebook page that shows which breads and pastries they make each day.
In terms of the food, the croissants and the pain au chocolat are always a good way to go. But keep an eye out for their more seasonal things — they are always great. For bread, I can’t argue with Bön Appetit naming their Cumin Gruyère as one of the best loaves in the country.
As to the people that complain about the hours of the place, I’m not quite sure what they are expecting. They are closed Sunday and Monday, but so are a lot of places. Bakers work very hard hours, so I have no issue with them taking a weekend off. They aren’t Panera. Otherwise, they are open at 7 or 8 AM everyday.

Items Selected:
Double Baked Almond Croissant
Gougere
Kougin Amann
Pain au Chocolate & Peanut Butter
Crispy Chocolate Chip Cookie
Molasses Ginger Snap
Crispy Oatmeal Raisin Cookie
Chocolate Chip Torsade
Cinnamon Walnut Currant Scone
Featured as part two of a three bakery morning in Durham it was just after 8:30am that we entered the cozy confines of Loaf and with the smell of yeast, cinnamon, and vanilla mixing in a wave of smoking wood it was fortunate for the third stop that the Parrish Street bakery offers no indoor seating, for if they had we very well may have just stayed… or asked to move in.
At one time a Farmer’s Market staple, but now turned brick and mortar under the direction of a former neurobiology student whose love of baking led him to trade in brain studies for starch science, it was to a short line of locals that I was met on entry and taking this time to peruse the pastries I knew almost immediately that a large order would follow — a situation only worsened when I asked the woman behind the counter what was warm and fresh with the response entailing no less than a half-​dozen items, all but one ordered along with some other interesting options to a total tally of nine.
Relocating elsewhere, if only due to the cold street outside, it was just moments after seating that the bag was unpacked and setting aside cooler items to focus on those most fresh it was unquestionably in the Almond Croissant that the tasting began, a thick shattering shell giving way to laminated layers and dense almond filling that wowed amidst all the butter, a Pain au Chocolate with an additional core of Peanut Butter showing equally well, though rich enough that sharing and coffee were a must.
Turning savory with a slightly deflated gougere, rich with cheese and sage amidst the soft core, it was back to sweets that attention turned and although the Kouign Amann proved just a touch too heavily salted atop the caramelized crown and substantially buttery core the still-​warm scone and baton shaped torade were absolutely exemplary — the former more moist than most while the later was rich with dark chocolate chips still slightly molten on the tongue.
Finishing up with three cookies, each tasted later in the day when capacity was refound, suffice it to say that those fancying crispy cookies would be well advised to investigate the goods at Loaf because although I tend to prefer my baked goods more soft-​set at the center it would be hard to say the Gingersnap, Chocolate Chip, or Oatmeal raisin were anything less than the best of their kind that I have ever found, each surprisingly less sweet than average with even the molasses imbued wafer finding its foil in the substantial use of spice, the smell of the bakery itself brought forth in each bite.

Loaf is around downtown area in Durham. I came here for a breakfast cheat day n I am really satisfied. Their stuffed bakeries are exceptional and I definitely gonna check their bread next time. However, be awarded of their price. I d like to say its more expensive compared to other bakeries.

Loaf in my opinion carries some of the best pastries in downtown Durham. Sometimes I am a little frustrated that they do not have a bigger selection in pastries and there is no posted schedule of pastries online that you can look up before coming in, but I love it at the same time… you never know what your options are before coming in, and that’s the charm of this bakery! They also carry some lovely local jams, nut butters and Maple View milk as well as some cheese and meat. I have only tried ham and cheese croissant and pain au chocolat so far, but I plan on coming by Farmer’s market early in the morning (one day… I can dream, right?) to catch some of their other selections as well. I encourage you to stop by the back of the bakery and say hello to the friendly bakers like Brian, Jacob and Andrew, they’re such a fun crowd!

Food: 4
Ambiance: 4
Food/​Price: 3.5
Pros: Fresh and Delicious Pastries, Comforting old school interior
Cons: Strange hours, limited selection
Entering Loaf feels like walking into a bakery set against the cobblestones and rolling hills of the old country. It has that nostalgic character that brings memories of Sundays spent in the kitchen getting your hands dirty with Mom. But Loaf is more than ambiance, the pastries reflect craft and expertise that is rare to find in the US, but is common in European bakeries. You could drop Loaf right in the middle of France it would fit right in.
Two minor gripes: The hours and selection are limited. Loaf is open Tuesday — Saturday (6pm on weekdays and 2pm on Saturdays), precluding it from being a spot you just pop into unless you live or work nearby. Additionally the pastry case is barely bigger than a dorm refrigerator offering about 15 – 20 selections. Something will suit your taste, but in an age of endless options 15 seems a little scant.
Bottom line: Loaf is a unique, nostalgic bakery that rises to the occasion.

Loaf has some really amazing food. Unfortunately, it is so unreliable/​unopen that it makes it almost impossible to be a customer there.
Closed on Sundays and Mondays.
Oh yea, and also closed for whole weeks, which you don’t know until you go and see a sign on their door «Closed Oct 28-​Nov2»
Love their cinnamon rolls? Well, don’t go on Wednesday to get them. You’ll be informed that they have them every other day (well, except Sundays and Mondays).
Everytime I am actually able to get my hands on their products, I’ve been happy. But, that happens only about ½ of the times I swing by their store.

Stopped in for some house made pastries and jam as a local souvenir from NC for Mom. I had a curried okra and tomato stuffed croissant and the fiancé had a chocolate one. I inhaled mine and couldn’t stop making Mmmm noises while eating it. Just enough salt and curry flavor and the okra was soft but not slimy. It sounded weird but being a lover of anything okra I was a believer. The chocolate croissant was tasty and not too sweet.
I would have loved this place even more if they offered more savory pastries like the curry okra. They did have fresh loaves of bread, local milk, chevre cheese and salami perfect for a picnic outing.

We didn’t know what to expect from here. We were lucky enough to have few frequenters to suggest us some french pastries to take home. I don’t remember what we ordered but I can recall it tasted great. I will definitely get some pastries to-​go from here when I am in the vicinity.
Parking can be a challenge but you would have to park in a parking garage nearby and it is not far away from there. I felt the staff was a bit snobbish and wasn’t helpful in suggesting pastries to first timers like us.

What an adorable bakery!
I couldn’t decide between the pan au chocolate (historically my fave breakfast pastry) and the almond croissant (a recent trend for me). So I did the only thing a girl could do — ordered both!
The pan au chocolate was heaven. Absolutely perfect. Buttery croissant and good-​quality chocolate. Ideal size. Just warm enough to be semi-​melty, but not that horrid chocolate syrup stuff that some places try to pass off. And these are a true pan au chocolate vs the Americanized (bastardized?) version of chocolate croissant.
I was a bit disappointed in the almond croissant, but I think 90% of that has to do with my early learning curve in appreciating these pastries. These are «twice baked almond croissants» here, so much heavier and greasier than their true almond croissant brethren (the latter of which are my preference). Thus, not to my liking.
But again, all was made up with my pan au chocolate, so I remain a very happy customer!
Extremely friendly staff.
Coffee — Coffee Culture — is not bad. Serve yourself in the one size fits all 10 oz cups.