- Attraction: A Baker’s Wife Pastry Shop
- Location: 4200 28th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406
- Industry: Bakery
- Website: Instagram Page
What happens when a former Plaza Hotel pastry chef brings old-world techniques to a humble neighborhood corner?
You get donuts that draw weekend lines and a mysterious pastry called the American Tea Cake that people drive hours to taste.
A Baker’s Wife has been perfecting the art of traditional baking in South Minneapolis since the early 1990s, when original owner Gary Tolle first opened the doors with recipes he’d mastered while working at New York’s prestigious Plaza Hotel.
This isn’t your typical Instagram-worthy donut shop covered in rainbow sprinkles and unicorn dust. The donuts here are old-fashioned cake donuts, blue-collar to the core and ridiculously satisfying in their simplicity.
You’ll find regulars who’ve been coming since the beginning, and newcomers who stumble upon what might be Minneapolis’ best-kept secret – then become regulars themselves.
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The Famous American Tea Cake: This city-famous caramel layered puff pastry defies easy description. Imagine thick, chewy sugar-infused dough with a crusty, sticky exterior and gooey, pull-apart insides.
It tastes like a caramel-forward take on France’s sugar-lacquered Kouign-amann. Many customers warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds to achieve perfect flaky, caramelly goodness. You’ll understand why some people call it simply “ATC” – it’s become that iconic.
State Fair-Style Cake Donuts: The cinnamon sugar donuts are warm and pillowy, best enjoyed after a quick dip in the fryer. You’ll taste the difference immediately – these aren’t mass-produced rings but hand-crafted pastries with a delicate crumb and perfect balance of sweetness.
The cake donuts are wonderful – soft, warm, fresh, and yummy, available in varieties like plain, chocolate, cinnamon sugar, and blueberry.
European-Style Pastries: The sour cherry danish and chocolate croissants have earned devoted followings, with some claiming the chocolate croissants are “the best on the planet.” The ham and cheese croissants, with gruyere baked right into the pastry, make an excellent breakfast or lunch for just $3.
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Discover MoreArtisan Breads and Bars: The 9-grain bread makes an excellent PB&J, while the baguettes offer a denser texture than traditional French style but pair beautifully with cheese. Longtime customers swear by the shop’s buttery lemon bars and the indulgent Mankato butter bars that fall somewhere between chess pie and gooey butter cake.
Cozy Neighborhood Atmosphere
Small-Town Feel: This is just a bakery counter with a few tables squeezed in the store and in summer a few more tables outside. The space maintains an authentic, unpretentious charm that makes you feel like you’ve discovered a hidden gem.
Located in the sleepy Powderhorn neighborhood of Minneapolis, it’s the kind of place where you witness the baking team stacking fresh goods on countertops before the 6:30 AM opening.
Weekend Energy: You’ll find there’s usually a line on weekends, but it moves quickly and the wait proves worth it. The bakery opens at 6:30 AM daily except Monday when they’re closed. Early birds get the best selection, but the good-natured atmosphere makes any wait pleasant.
Traditional Approach: This family-owned bakery specializes in perfect cake donuts, freshly baked pastries, and serves straightforward, high-quality coffee. No other bakery in the Twin Cities honors the old world tradition of baking as well as A Baker’s Wife.
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Exceptional Value: The pastries are every bit as buttery and good as more expensive patisseries but at a much lower price. Cake donuts cost just 50 cents for plain or sugared varieties, 54 cents with icing and sprinkles. Half sheet cakes cost only $65 and feed more people than expected due to their height and richness.
Cash-Forward Operations: The current owner Eric Shogren has modernized the business by dropping the old cash-only policy and now accepts credit cards, making visits more convenient for everyone.
Limited Seating: Don’t plan on eating there because there is only a handful of seats. Most customers grab their treats to go, perhaps enjoying them at nearby Lake Hiawatha just two blocks away.
Best Times to Visit: If you go on a weekend get there early or plan to stand in a very good-natured line. Items tend to sell out, especially the most popular pastries like American Tea Cakes. You can now pre-order over the phone to ensure you get exactly what you want.
Special Occasions: The bakery creates excellent wedding cakes and custom orders at reasonable prices, maintaining the same high quality that makes their daily pastries so beloved.
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Discover MoreA Baker’s Wife
📍 4200 28th Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55406
