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Monday, June 22, 2015

A Midday Break at San Antonios BIRD Bakery

I was recently invited to come for lunch at San Antonios BIRD Bakery to have lunch and sample some amazing baked goods. This popular bakery is located on Broadway in the Alamo Heights neighborhood, and its serving up some of the very best baked goods that youll find anywhere in the city. BIRD Bakery is owned by San Antonio native Elizabeth Chambers, and many of the recipes used are her grandmothers cherished family recipes...so theyre the real deal! Chambers is a television personality and journalist who now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, actor Armie Hammer. They opened BIRD Bakery in Summer 2012, and it quickly became very popular with local cupcake aficionados. In addition to serving a wide variety of mouthwatering cupcakes, they also offer cookies, pies, cakes, Southern dessert classics...and sandwiches too. I was very impressed with everything that I tasted during my visit. 

BIRD Bakerys decor is warm and inviting, and the food is delicious! They pride themselves on using only the best ingredients -- including Plugra butter, Valrhona cocoa, and Madagascar vanilla. That commitment to using only quality ingredients really shows in the taste of the baked goods. Whether you try an espresso, a sandwich, or a cupcake...you can feel confident that its made by expert bakers who use only the best ingredients! How adorable is the BIRD logo egg carton filled with mini cupcakes?!?!? 
I arrived just before noon and was warmly greeted by the friendly staff. I was seated at a large picnic-style table and started my meal with a selection of mini desserts, along with their signature Hibiscus iced tea. The hot pink tea was tart and lightly sweetened -- very refreshing on a hot Texas day! My mini dessert sampler included Banana Pudding, a Carrot Cake Cupcake, a Lemon Bar, and Key Lime Pie. All were fantastic, and the small size was perfect for sampling several items at once. The banana pudding was creamy and rich...a great version of a Southern classic. The carrot cake was moist, spicy, and full of plump raisins...and the cream cheese icing was rich and tangy. The lemon bar was just the way I like them: pucker-up tart. It paired perfectly with the tart Key lime pie. That dessert duo made for a fabulous double shot of citrus.
Just about then, my lunch arrived. I am an avocado lover, so the California Turkey immediately caught my eye. Moist turkey breast, creamy avocado, peppery arugula, juicy tomato, and Havarti cheese worked perfectly together! The sandwich came served on hearty seeded bread that was slathered with raspberry-chipotle mayo. My sandwich was served with a pickle spear and potato chips on the side. This was truly one of the best sandwiches Ive had in ages. The flavors worked so nicely together!
BIRD Bakery is known in San Antonio for its delicious signature cupcakes, so I had to make sure to give them a try before I left. They brought me a trio of cupcakes on a plate that looked like it couldve come straight out of my own grandmothers kitchen...which I mean as a sincere compliment. I sampled the BIRD Blue Vanilla -- reminiscent of birthday cake, Salted Caramel, and Luscious Lemon. Talk about cupcake nirvana...the cupcakes were moist and dense, and they had the perfect amount of perfectly sweet icing on top. Sigh.
Before I left BIRD Bakery, the staff graciously packed up a to-go box of more baked goodies for me to enjoy later in the afternoon...including some of the amazing cookies pictured below. Their cookies are large, buttery, and amazingly good. Lets just say I was very very popular with my teammates at work that afternoon. Im a major chocolate chip cookie fan, and their Double Chocolate Chip with Walnuts cookie is one of the best versions Ive had in ages. 
If you live in the San Antonio area -- or you find yourself visiting our city -- make sure to check out BIRD Bakery. Theyre open on Monday through Thursday from 7 am - 7 pm, Friday and Saturday 7 am - 8 pm, and theyre closed on Sunday. In addition to being a great grab-and-go dessert destination, they also serve a fantastic breakfast and lunch. Breakfast is served from 7-10 am, and options include: muffins, scones, quiche, and granola parfaits. Lunch includes a wide range of creative sandwiches...and there are even a few vegetarian-friendly options available. Some of the comforting options on the lunch menu include Pimento Cheese, Tuna Melt, and even Peanut Butter and Jelly. BIRD Bakery is great place to enjoy a leisurely midday break. If youre pressed for time, its also a great place to pop in and pick up a cookie or cupcake after work to enjoy during your commute home. I wont tell if you dont...

Disclosure: BIRD Bakery hosted me for lunch to facilitate this feature. All opinions express are solely my own.

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