In the mood for something sweet? This week, On the Menu keeps it fresh as we roll through some of Santa Barbara’s best bakeries.

Anna’s Bakery
7018 Camino Real Marketplace Dr., Goleta
Phone: (805) 968-5590
Hours: Summer hours: Monday-Saturday 6 a.m.-7 p.m., Sunday 6 a.m.-6 p.m.
Winter hours: 6 a.m.-6 p.m.
Price: Under $10
Web site: www.annas-bakery.net

Tucked in the Camino Real Marketplace lies Anna’s Bakery, a popular spot with locals and students alike. It’s easy to pop over between classes for the delectable baked goods and filling sandwiches, and the breakfast burritos are the perfect option after any weekend of hard partying.

Co-owner Lisa Boelter said the eatery beckons patrons of all stripes and welcomes many UCSB students.

“We have lots of regulars who come in everyday for donuts and coffee in the morning,” Boelter said. “Men love apple fritters. We do a blueberry oatmeal muffin that people love, and we have a really good super bran muffin that people come in here especially for.”

After just a quick drive, you’ll find yourself faced with a multitude of options for donuts – everything from classic buttermilk for the traditionalists to custard-filled for the more adventurous types – as well as a nice sampling of croissants and Danishes.

Boelter, a UCSB alumna, started working at the bakery in its original Fairview Shopping Center location when she was a student. The owner sold the establishment to her and her business partner in 1990, and Anna’s Bakery moved to its nearby location in 2000.

“The owners who sold it to us, they were wonderful people and wanted to sell to two young people on the way up,” she said. “That was in 1990; it’s been almost 20 years.”

As a former Gaucho, Boelter said she remembers how much care packages sent from family brightened her days at UCSB. One of Anna’s special options, she said, is delivery service, and many parents take advantage of it to send cakes and baked goods to students.

“It’s really close [to UCSB],” Boelter said. “The word has gotten out. … We have a lot of UCSB parents that will order things. I just delivered two birthday cakes out to I.V. today. When I was a UCSB student, I always loved care packages, so it’s always fun to deliver something out there.”

As for how those delicious goods get made, Boelter said the small bakery is a 24-hour operation with everything done on location.

“The bakers come in at 11 o’clock at night and we open at 6 a.m.,” she said. “We then have cake decorators come in the kitchen to decorate in the morning.”

In addition to the selection of baked items, Anna’s also has lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Patrons can sit inside or enjoy the large outdoor patio as they choose from a wide range of lunch choices.

“We do a special every day,” Boelter said, “and we have a really good vegetarian option called Anna’s Favorite – it’s a panini sandwich with artichoke hearts, pesto, feta cheese and olives.”

Students also frequently stop by for the renowned breakfast burritos, Boelter said.

“Morning and afternoon, it’s about the breakfast burrito,” she said. “We see loads of UCSB students here, especially on the weekends after going out the night before. We saw loads of people in here after Floatopia. We sold lots of burritos after that.”

Anna’s Bakery offers students the convenience of a local bakery stuffed full of various scrumptious baked goods from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sunday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

D’Angelo Bread
25 W. Gutierrez St., Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 962-5466
Hours: Monday-Sunday 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
Price: Under $10

For a little slice of Europe, stop by D’Angelo Bakery on 25 W. Gutierrez St. and taste the delicious homemade breads of this local baking haven. With a menu that covers everything from artisan breads to German-style pastries to sandwiches, D’Angelo Bread offers the perfect blend of delicacies to send you home happy.

Manager Jessica Conti said patrons keep returning for the quality German loaves the bakery has on offer. In particular, she noted, the Rudolf Steiner – a seed-filled multigrain bread named after the Austrian philosopher – and the sunflower wholegrain bread are favorites of many customers. Both breads are dark German ryes.

“We’re a German bakery, so our specialties are mostly German artisan breads and pastries,” Conti said. “The German ryes, we only bake those on weekends.”

D’Angelo Bread also serves as a cafe and has a wonderful European ambiance. One of the most popular items for the restaurant is the specialty breakfast of poached eggs and homemade toast. Other delicious offerings include a variety of Danishes and scones, as well as both hot and cold gourmet sandwiches.

“It’s a really Euro-type little cafe,” Conti said. “We do espressos and lattes and coffees, and pastries are a big thing for us. It’s definitely a little European cafe.”

To experience more of the European feel beyond just the baked delights on display, take a seat outside the shop for some people watching or sit inside to catch a glimpse at the bakers as they work their magic in the ovens.

“There’s people here 24 hours a day on a rotating shift; we make everything in house,” Conti said. “It’s a constant process. People don’t realize, when you make a croissant, it’s a three-day process.”

Conti said the cafe is popular with locals who frequently dine at the spot, and she added that European tourists often come by to stock up on the breads that remind them of home. It’s easy to see why visitors keep returning, as the restaurant’s friendly ambiance makes it all too pleasant to wile away the day outside with a cup of coffee and a delectable pastry.

“We have a really solid base of regulars that eat here almost every day,” Conti said. “We also have a lot of European tourists come in for our bread.”

With over 45 artisan breads to offer and many sumptuous desserts and gourmet sandwiches to sample, one trip to D’Angelo Bread simply won’t suffice. Come by Fridays through Sundays for their specialty breads – which range from challah to Haselnussbrot, a hazelnut bread – or stop by anytime Monday through Sunday from 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. for any other item on the menu.

Andersen’s Danish Restaurant & Bakery
1106 State St., Santa Barbara
Phone: (805) 962-5085
Hours: Monday-Sunday 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
Price: $10 to $20

After a day of strolling down State Street, the perfect way to complete your downtown experience is a trip to Andersen’s Danish Restaurant & Bakery. This charming Santa Barbara institution offers a wide selection of mouthwatering, homemade goodies that are sure to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Andersen’s, a family-run establishment, has called State Street home since 1976. Its specialty, owner Charlotte Andersen said, is the role of marzipan – a sweet paste consisting of sugar, almond paste and egg whites – in the pastry selection.

“Pretty much all of our pastries have that as our main ingredient,” she said.

Among the most popular options for those craving something sweet are fruit torts, the traditional Danish Kringle and the Butter Ring, a coffee cake with marzipan, vanilla custard and cardamom. The bakery also offers a wide assortment of cakes, which range from the signature Marzipan Layer Cake to the opulence of the Chocolate Ganache Cheesecake.

Andersen said the bakery only uses the highest-quality ingredients to create its exquisite pastries.

“We do everything on site,” Andersen said. “It’s a labor of love and everything is from scratch. We use organic creams and the hardest-to-find spices. That’s why we have the prices we have: it’s all real. It’s flour, sugar, salt, elbow grease and heart.”

The bakery is also accompanied by a full-service restaurant. Patrons can sit down for high tea or a European-inspired meal anytime of day, she said.

“We really do a good high tea for $19.95 per person,” Andersen said. “You get a big tea pot, cream pastries, scones, fresh whipped cream and the little tea sandwiches. … We also have all kinds of Scandinavian food, like goulash and salmon platters.”

There’s a large outdoor patio that is perfect for soaking up some sun, and the restaurant’s delightful interior offers patrons a quick trip to Europe without ever leaving Santa Barbara. Danish chotchkes line the restaurant and the oil paintings on display hark back to the bakery’s family nature; they were made by Charlotte Andersen’s father.

“It’s like a high tea room,” Andersen said. “There’s also a private room upstairs for parties as big as up to 50 [guests], so a lot of graduation parties are coming in June.”

The establishment is a popular option for locals and the UCSB community, she added, and customers keep returning thanks to the superior options and great value that Andersen’s Danish Restaurant & Bakery provides.

“We have a lot of regulars and a lot of UCSB students that come in on weekends with their parents,” Andersen said. “Our values are exceptional. It’s worth it for those who want to dine out on a budget.”

If you can’t stop dreaming of marzipan, make sure to come by and indulge in the sweet flavors of Andersen’s Danish Restaurant & Bakery from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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