Love a local loaf

What’s the greatest thing since sliced bread? Fresh-baked, unsliced loaves from one of Washington state’s world-class bakeries. Whether your preference leans toward light brioche, chewy sourdough or crispy, bubble-filled ciabatta, you’ll find a whole lot of loaves to love.

Macrina Bakery

Now with a long list of national accolades and a routine winner of Seattle’s “Best of” press competitions, Macrina Bakery was opened in the city’s Belltown neighborhood in 1993. Founder Leslie Mackie’s breads run the gamut from a popular sour white ficelle (like a baguette, but shorter and skinnier) to rich challah that’s impossible to resist. There are special Whole Wheat Cider buns that you’ll find on our shelves, too, baked with flour grown by a PCC Farmland Trust farm and milled by Fairhaven Organic Flour Mill in Bellingham, Wash. For French toast, follow the lead of countless area restaurants and choose the tender loaves of brioche or cinnamon brioche.

Grand Central Bakery

Twenty-six years after Gwen Bassetti baked the first loaves in her Pioneer Square bakery, we’re proud to offer a wide range of Grand Central’s delicious breads on our shelves and in our PCC Deli sandwiches. Made with Camas Country Mill’s stone-ground whole wheat flour from Eugene, Ore., and unbleached white flour from the Pacific Northwest Shepherd’s Grain co-op, rustic offerings like the Como loaf, baguettes and the deliciously crispy, chewy Ciabatta have made European traditional breads a Washington state staple for picnics and sandwiches. The Bolo roll is crafted from a sizeable square of ciabatta and is a great choice for breakfast sandwiches or even a gourmet burger bun.

Essential Baking Co.

Baking up breads and pastries in Seattle since 1994, the bakery has moved a few times over the years to expand, but it remains true to tradition. Among their loaves are three styles of baguette baked with organic wheat flour: the best-selling French; the Parisian, dusted with a flavorful three-seed mix; and the Columbia, which includes some rye and whole wheat flours in the mix for a bigger Northwestern flavor. The Columbia also has a pleasant chewiness that is even better when toasted or grilled for hot sandwiches — and you can pile on the condiments without fearing the bread will dissolve before you’ve finished your meal.

Sumptuous Sandwiches

A hearty dinner, a lunch that’s designed to be eaten the day after it’s made, an utterly luxurious breakfast treat: Is there anything a sandwich can’t do? These special breads deserve equally special fillings, so these three combinations are decidedly over the top. Get recipes