You Need To Eat This: Bartram House Bakery
My favorite bakery has expanded into the city.
Behold Bartram House Bakery.
This place has everything and it does it all well.
I had been going to the Wexford location since I moved to Pittsburgh (there's also one in McMurray), but about two months ago they opened a new one on the South Side.
And they have pretty much everything you can think of. Even though there are several, albeit more authentic, places to get French macarons, Bartram House is where I got hooked on these cookies.
Their macarons are always as they should be: sweet with that perfectly crispy meringue-esque shell and a tender, creamy inside. I usually buy a few and nosh on them while I wait for my order.
Aside from stocking up on classic bakery goodies like pepperoni rolls, cakes, cupcakes, cookies and brownies, Bartram House makes great breakfast and lunch options.
Although they have a wide selection of breakfast options like breakfast sandwiches, filled crepes, quiche, eggs benedict (always a plus) and French toast, my favorite is the breakfast burrito.
The breakfast burrito is build-your-own and it comes perfectly pressed out of a panini grill.
I recently tried the special which was California-style with chicken, pesto, avocado, cheese and pico de gallo. Even though this sounds like a non-breakfast burrito, it did have egg in it. The chicken was juicy and tender and it had just enough pesto to add that salty, garlic-y flavor, but wasn't overwhelming. Plus, it came with potato chips. Potato chips with "breakfast" (OK, I ate it at noon, but it was the first meal of the day) is always a good thing.
However, you can customize your own using the variety of meats, cheeses and veggies they have available.
All of the sandwiches are superb as well, including the calabrese – basically a caprese salad on a hoagie roll and the California Club. Once when I went, I think the daily special was a mufaletta sandwich and the olive tapenade on it was insane – so olive-y, so salty!
The mac and cheese is also a winner. It's made my favorite way in that not only is it thick and gooey (I hate a runny mac and cheese), but it has a nice layer of crumbled parmesan and bread crumbs on top. I have been known to go and just order a side of mac and cheese and a pepperoni roll and then just slowly slip into a carb coma.
I have been to this place countless times and I have yet to eat anything that was sub-par or short of amazing. So feel safe in ordering anything if you go.
Next time I go I might try the Cuban sandwich or Greek chicken wrap and wash it down with a slice of the New York cheesecake.
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