Florence Bakery

All right. Let’s start with the obvious. We all like doughnuts. We all like bakeries. We all like birthday cakes. But what is the distinguishing factor between that which is mediocre and that which is truly excellent, a cut above?
While the Florence Bakery lives in the shadow of the Northern Kentucky Bakery That Shall Go Unnamed (ironically one block down the street from the Florence Bakery, lol), this locally-​owned and Mom-​and-​Pop operated stand-​alone is a real… diamond in the rough. Smallish even for bakeries, nonetheless, they do a boffo business daily from 5 am to 3 pm with some folks lining up for the sugared goods as early as 4:45 am.
I am a recent convert from The Bakery That Shall Go Unnamed and find the doughnuts and eclairs to be positively sublime, delicious to the nth degree. Their chocolate icing is unlike anything I have ever tried and I cannot recommend them highly enough.
Mrs. Florence Bakery (I have unfortunately forgotten her name) is a sheer delight in and of herself. Always ready with a warm smile and outstretched hand, she exchanges quips with every comer and makes coming to the bakery a lot more fun than it should be (for a guilty pleasure). Her customer service is nothing short of extraordinary and though I have not had a chance yet to delve much further into the baked goods and cakes beyond the doughnuts, I suspect mightily that the rest will be equally up to par.
Do me a favor and stop going to the overpriced and just-​above-​average Bakery That Shall Go Unnamed and try the Florence Bakery for your next early morning craving of tasty treats!
One note of criticism: Florence Bakery is closed on BOTH Sunday and Monday which is irony epitomized: the one across the street is also closed on BOTH Sunday and Monday. Is there some sort of International Bakery By-​Laws Rule Book that dictates this bizarre custom? And if, God forbid, you should happen to find yourself in an extremely competitive race for customers and you both are offering the EXACT SAME BILL OF FARE, doesn’t it make sense to try and be open when the other competitor is closed? Double the earnings and double the customers.
Call me crazy but I hadn’t realized that bakeries were only 5-​day/​week businesses? When did that phenomenon begin? Maybe around the same time that virtually every Dunkin’ Donuts in the country is now owned by Pakistani Indians with foreign accents who seem on the surface of it… to be the farthest removed nationality from a custom as All-​American as the mighty and ubiquitous doughnut. This is by no means a racial or ethnic slur. I simply don’t understand how or why this is possible.

The best bakery in Florence, period. While perhaps most famous for their chocolate iced croissants (which seem to sell out pretty early most mornings), it’s actually impossible to go wrong with anything in the franchise. The owner is super friendly, and her upbeat attitude usually adds to the treat of buying donuts.
Along with having the best product in town, the prices are the best as well (10 – 20 cents cheaper per donut than some of their competition).
Keep in mind though– this is a cash only franchise, so be sure to swing by your ATM before stopping in if necessary.

What kind of business these days doesn’t take credit cards?!
And what kind of donut shop is closed on Sundays?! That’s the best day for donuts!
Also, Getting in and out of this location is difficult because you have to cut across heavy US42 traffic.
As far as the baked goods, they’re pretty good. But if you’re ordering for a big group don’t just ask for an assortment because she’ll give all the reject pastries like apricot Danishes. Yuk.

I’ve been going to Florence Bakery for over 20 years. Their pastries are the best and once you taste them, you’ll know what fresh tastes like and what you’ve been getting at other bakeries is not fresh! I can give my sons donuts and they know immediately whether or not it”s from the Florence bakery. My son and his fiancé came home from school in Joplin, MO this weekend and he has to have it everytime he’s home. No other bakeries, even Emersons, comes close to comparing! It’s a family owned and run business and it’s a little spot on US 42 next to Papa John’s pizza! Totally worth every cent!

I took some of their pastries to work. The work peeps really liked. Do not judge this book by its cover. Many regulars go there — I just learned and will go again :-)