Bakery
 

I am surprised there isn't a bakery in the Villages. If I had the money I would love to open an Authentic Italian bakery - I think it would do very well here!!!

Please do!

I also think it would be wonderful to have those small town stores like I had in Secaucus, NJ when I was young. I worked in the deli. My friend's dad owned the flower shop. We had a German bakery, hardware store, jewelry store, barber shop, dry cleaner, drug store, candy store, a place to get your shoes repaired or shined and a butcher. All that faded away with one stop shopping at supermarkets and Walmart where the prices are much lower.

I don't think anyone could compete with the big stores. I hope I am wrong.

If you are new here there is a wonderful baker at the Brownwood Market on Saturdays.

I was here on closing time on their first day not minding my own business and eavesdropping on a conversation she was having with a customer. If it's the same couple the wife was crying [happy tears] because they were not sure how they were going to make ends meet. Her husband baked night and day that week and she said they sold everything out. She was young and feeling so good about their future because [she said] of the generosity of their village customers. It was a feel good moment.

I would love an Italian bakery. I am used to German ones like the WONDERFUL Resch's in German Village in Columbus when I was a kid. I have learned so many wonderful things about Italian cooking since I moved here. I bet Italian baked goods are YUMMO. HOWSOMEVER...when you set up shop, the overhead makes specialty bakeries pretty expensive. Case in point is Yahala.


I guess I will have to just survive on Publix Bakery which isn't too shabby. I think I will have a piece of that Pecan Roll for lunch. WHERE is VPL to look at me askance????

I suspect he is offline, but enjoying a nice piece of Publix key lime pie.

I remember a couple of years ago that there was a TOTV thread about a bakery that was about to open in Wildwood. Some posters knew the owner and what a wonderful baker she was. The bakery opened late and only stayed in operation about 6 months before closing. Obviously, not enough business to keep it open.

Bakeries are very hard to operate since the baker has to get to the store in the middle of the night to bake the goodies for the next day. As we know, bakery goods are not kept for more than a day or two.

Lots of overhead involved, too.

Publix has very good bakery goods. Gracie's pecan roll is an excellent choice. Can I come over for some?

I wish the Villages would have a van/bus for a weekly trip to Mazzarra's in St. Pete-the Italian meats, cheeses and especially the BREAD are unbelievable-this place is a real eye opener for you Villager's who think the Italian restaurants in TV are good.

It would take a location with a lot of daily foot traffic to support a bakery of any kind.

I just went to their site. It does look great. Mazzaro's Italian Market
A day trip to St. Pete's does sound like fun. I drive a smartcar and I'm not too comfortable driving outside the bubble. It's too small.

Let me know if you find public transportation.

Honestly, you can buy Italian specialities from their fresh section that put the best Italian restaurants in The Villages to shame-take it home & nuke it or freeze it-nuke it late-unbelivabally good.

That poor bakery in Wildwood (which was very good) opened just as 466A to 301 was being shut down, thus preventing a left hand turn. The bakery was on the right hand side. Very bad timing.

As for a good Italian bakery - I drove with friends to Inverness to an Italian bakery/deli, and the cookies were very good. The cannoli are filled to order. Didn't taste the Italian bread, as it has to be ordered the day before. Doesn't look like they do too much baking during the summer (understandable) but I will definitely check them out for my Italian cookies and pastries as the weather gets cooler. I'm tired of ordering my cookies from Circo's in Brooklyn. The shipping is more than the baked goods! As for good pastries at Publix...

The supermarket bakeries are not very good and Fresh Market baked goods are a little better. But as one poster mentioned you cannot beat Mazzaro's since it takes you back to great east coast city bakeries/Italian markets.

Yep, the word is Great, stop praising mediocrity ,because its the only show it town-demand excellence--you get get what you are willing to pay for

I think AAA has bus trips to Mazzaros.

sadly there was a very good bakery near the high school in the villages that had some loyal customers
9 me included) but not enough to stay open beyond about 6 months. word had it that the 50 cents above publix pricing for a loaf of bread, turned to many villagers away.