So does anyone else out there make bread even close to Lodge quality?

Inquiring minds who cannot get to Culver City or BH before 10am want to know. It’s avocado season, so I have a lot of avocado toast to eat.

Triple bonus points for locations north of the 101.

Love Lodge, but they are not literally the only bread game in town.

Gjusta, Chaumont, Clark Street Bread, Bread Lounge, Red Bread, Republique.

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Bread at Republique is absurdly good.

If you mean to take home, the par baked frozen sweet baguettes at Surfas (any points for something south of the 22)?

Surfas is still on my list from the last time you mentioned their baguettes - I just can never get to that 405/Harbor area until way after they close.

I’ve been very happy w/ bread I’ve gotten from Milo and Olive (only once or twice, I think). I don’t think Lodge’s country loaf (or similar bread) is actually better than Milo and Olive. Lodge’s sprouted rye, though, I think might be quite unique.

Are you based on the OC? I don’t know anything about bakeries down there. :frowning:

nah I’m in Burbank/NoHo area but my parents are down in OC so I visit about once a month.

My current benchmark for bread is the baguette from Jon’s; if you’re not better than that, don’t even bother trying.

lInteresting to read some comparison to Lodge Bread since we live in San Diego - on a recent short trip we went on the way home to Gjusta the first time but were too full for any sandwiches (which was unfortunate as they looked really great) but bough some panna cotta (excellent), rice pudding (excellent), two types of croissant (good but paled after having some at Renaud’s in Santa Barbara the days before) and most importantly a loaf of bread. And the bread was OK but overall we were at bit disappointed. Do you think Lodge bread is on the same level as Gjusta ?

Hi @Ns1

I was going to mention Gjusta (they have a variety of different breads, some of them are amazing, some are just OK (flavors, texture), but since you mentioned even getting to Lodge is a toughie then I’ll withhold that rec. :wink:

Something more east… a friend of mine brought a pretty tasty bread from Europane in Pasadena to a get-together we had a few months back. It was pretty good.

I’ve heard Seed Bakery in Pasadena also makes some pretty good stuff.

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Probably the most reasonable one for me to get to so far; thanks!

I like Seed alot as well.

But then, I’m a carbo-holic and would be happy with a Wonder bread sandwich made with Pilsbury dinner rolls.

So take it for what it’s worth.

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I’ve been on this same quest in South OC for a while. Not much success with really rustic breads. I mean round breads that look like someone’s Italian grandmother baked them in a wood burning oven. I saw one in a Whole Foods case but was told it was not fresh and they didn’t know what kind it was.

Roan Mills has some pretty good bread at area farmers markets… I believe they are at SM and H’wood maybe others. And use the wheat varieties they grow/mill themselves.

+1 for Gjusta. Amazing breads…

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Try Pandor. I found their multi grain bread quite good. Not Lodge Bread good, but the loaf was gone and it is pretty sizable for $7.

Oh, I haven’t tried Jons. Will have to see if there’s one close to me. Do you just get what amounts to a regular country loaf?

http://breadlounge.com/

I like the Danish bread from the Clark Street and breads from the BierBeisl Imbiss, but I like my bread dark and dense.

I actually like the whole wheat bread at Gjusta slightly better. Although I really like Lodge, too, the crust is a little tougher.

I thought Red Bread moved out of LA?

I enjoy Gjusta’s bread in general. I have been getting the hemp nori round lately. It is not like eating nori-wrapped bread but has a nice subtle nori scent to the bread.

I think prior to Lodge, Gjusta cornered rustic-style bread in the Westside (no F-in’ bias). Magnificently crusty boules and baguettes. I haven’t tried the Pullman loaves yet.

Huckleberry is very good as well, but the breads don’t seem to have as much depth and substance as Gjusta and Lodge. I’m guessing it has to do with the types of ovens?

The newly revamped Rose Cafe has boules that look very similar to Lodge’s. The staff says they are made in-house. I haven’t tried them yet.

Lodge bread is pretty amazing. Like Gjusta’s breads, Lodge’s are great examples of rustic heartiness. The boules are smaller, and are a little more cosmetically detailed as well. The moisture content seems just a notch higher as well. To me, this gives everything I eat it with a more sumptuous mouthfeel and added flavor. They ARE a bread specialist - their level of excellence is something many are noticing and appreciating.

But when you consider that Gjusta/Gjelina is a generalist that does so so many things incredibly well, it amazes me that they are willing to dedicate so much effort to something that most other eateries either delegate out or overlook - great bread.