ZU Bakery

Last updated

ZU Bakery
ZU Bakery
Restaurant information
Street address81 Clark Street
CityPortland
StateMaine
Postal/ZIP Code04102
CountryUnited States
Coordinates 43°38′54″N70°15′52″W / 43.648411°N 70.264448°W / 43.648411; -70.264448

ZU Bakery is a bakery located at 81 Clark Street in Portland, Maine, owned by Barak Olins. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

The bakery won a James Beard Award in 2024 in the category of outstanding bakery. [4]

History

ZU Bakery was founded in 2000 by Barak Olins in his brother and sister-in-law's barn in Freeport, Maine. [2] At this time ZU Bakery sold baked goods at the Brunswick Farmer's Market. [5]

It moved to Clark Street in Portland's West End in 2022. There, the bakery uses wood-fired ovens to bake French-style pastries. [6]

It won the James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Bakery in 2024, which honors a bakery for outstanding baked goods, atmosphere, and connection to community. [7] [8]

Description

ZU Bakery specializes in bread loaves which Olins mills himself. [9] In addition to traditional French-style pastries and breads, it bakes Irish scones and Italian biscotti. [1]

The bakery prepares different items throughout the day, rather than preparing the bulk of their offerings before opening. Typically, pastries like croissants are ready earliest, then breads by midday, and savory goods like pizza in the afternoon. [10]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 Walker, Genevieve (March 7, 2023). "Designed to Flow". The Maine Mag. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  2. 1 2 Pols, Mary (April 27, 2014). "Barak Olins of Zu Bakery". Press Herald. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  3. ↑ Ross, Andrew (December 14, 2022). "Dine Out Maine: The Best of 2022". Press Herald. Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved April 12, 2024.
  4. ↑ Stebbins, Sarah. "Zu Bakery Owner Barak Olins's Favorite Maine Place". Downeast. Downeast Magazine. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  5. ↑ Stebbins, Sarah. "Zu Bakery Owner Barak Olins's Favorite Maine Place". Downeast. Downeast Magazine. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Portland bakery, pastry chef win 2024 James Beard Awards". spectrumlocalnews.com. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
  7. ↑ Severson, Kim. "The Full List of the 2024 James Beard Chef and Restaurant Award Winners". The New York Times . Archived from the original on June 12, 2024. Retrieved June 12, 2024.
  8. ↑ Thomas, Lavar. "Zu Bakery Noted by James Beard Award for Outstanding Bakery 2024". Stupid Dope. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  9. ↑ Stebbins, Sarah. "Zu Bakery Owner Barak Olins's Favorite Maine Place". Downeast. Downeast Magazine. Retrieved June 24, 2025.
  10. ↑ Dao, Alana. "Zu Bakery". The Infatuation. Retrieved June 24, 2025.


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