- Attraction: Liv Breads Artisan Bakery and Coffee Bar
- Location: 184 Essex St, Millburn, NJ 07041
- Industry: Bakery
- Website: https://www.livbreads.com/
A husband-and-wife team from the tech world traded coding for kneading when they opened Liv Breads in downtown Millburn back in 2018.
What started as a passion project rooted in travel memories and Israeli baking traditions has blossomed into a beloved community gathering spot where you can watch bakers work through the open kitchen while sipping Counter Culture Coffee.
This family-owned establishment brings authentic European boulangerie culture to suburban New Jersey, specializing in slow-fermented sourdough breads and Israeli-style laminated pastries that have developed a loyal following.
The cafe now features a made-to-order brunch menu and even fires up artisan pizzas from their four-deck bread oven throughout the day.
The Pastries You Can’t Miss
The Chocolate Babka: This showstopper consistently draws customers from across the region. Rich chocolate filling spirals through tender, flaky dough that’s been carefully laminated for maximum effect.
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Keep Exploring →At around $17, the price point reflects the labor-intensive process and premium ingredients. The loaves are substantial enough to share and complex enough to savor slowly with your morning coffee.
Croissant Perfection: You’ll encounter croissants here that are genuinely impressive—generously sized, intensely buttery, and shatteringly flaky.
The almond croissant gets double-baked with house-made almond cream and toasted almonds on top, creating textural contrast that makes each bite interesting. The chocolate version is equally indulgent, filled generously and baked dark to achieve maximum caramelization and that signature crunch.
Israeli Specialties: The rugelach, bourekas, and other Israeli-style pastries set this bakery apart from typical American bakeries. These treats showcase the owners’ heritage and feature more restrained sweetness compared to mainstream pastry shops.
The chocolate graham baklava offers an innovative twist on traditional recipes, while the cardamom bun provides a fragrant, less common flavor profile worth trying.
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Discover MoreThe Challah: Available exclusively on Fridays, this challah has become a weekly ritual for many households. The loaves emerge with a golden, glossy exterior and pillowy interior that’s perfect for everything from French toast to Shabbat dinner. You’ll want to preorder or arrive early since quantities are limited.
Other Sweet Treats: The Basque cheesecake delivers rich, creamy satisfaction, while the apple turnovers showcase buttery, flaky pastry wrapped around fruit filling. You’ll also find lemon poppy seed loaf, flourless chocolate fondant, and sable cookies that make excellent take-home gifts or afternoon pick-me-ups.
Savory Options Worth Exploring
Creative Sandwiches: The vegetarian and pescatarian sandwich selection reflects a thoughtful approach to ingredients and flavor combinations.
You’ll find options like tuna salad with Aleppo pepper on red onion-lemon focaccia, brie with fig jam and caramelized onions on walnut-raisin sourdough, and fresh mozzarella with pesto on herb de Provence focaccia.
Each sandwich is designed to showcase the exceptional breads baked daily on-site.
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Keep Exploring →Brunch Menu Standouts: The made-to-order brunch available from 8 AM to 2 PM features Mediterranean-inspired dishes like shakshuka with pasture-raised eggs, a herbed salmon burger, and an egg sando with smoked salmon and special sauce on a seeded bun.
The spreads platter lets you sample multiple house-made dips with fresh bread—ideal for sharing or for a lighter meal.
Artisan Pizza: From noon to 7 PM daily, you can order pizza fired in the same deck oven used for sourdough loaves. This unexpected offering adds another dimension to the menu and gives you an excuse to return later in the day when breakfast pastries have sold out.
Quiches and Salads: Seasonal quiches rotate based on available ingredients, while the salad selection includes options like Caesar and Mediterranean-inspired combinations. The focaccia varieties—including margarita style—serve as excellent lunch choices when you want something more substantial than a pastry.
The Sourdough Commitment
Baking Process: The sourdough loaves undergo a cold, slow rise overnight before being baked each morning, resulting in that characteristic chewy texture, thin crisp crust, and complex flavor.
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Discover MoreThe high hydration dough and natural fermentation process partially break down gluten while developing deep, satisfying flavors. You can watch the entire process unfold through the open bakery design as bakers scale ingredients, mix dough, and shape loaves.
Bread Selection: Beyond standard sourdough, you’ll discover focaccia varieties, ciabatta, baguettes, and specialty loaves that change seasonally. Everything is baked dark—bien cuit style—to maximize caramelization and create that satisfying crunch on the crust while maintaining interior softness.
Coffee & Atmosphere
The Coffee Program: Partnering with Counter Culture Coffee and In Pursuit of Tea means you’re getting quality beverages prepared with care.
The espresso drinks include classics like cappuccinos and lattes, plus specialty options like mochas, matcha drinks, and London fogs. The espresso leans toward a strong, bold Italian-style profile that pairs beautifully with buttery pastries.
Seating & Vibe: Following a recent expansion, the cafe now offers substantially more seating, both indoors and outdoors. The modern, welcoming space has become popular with remote workers thanks to reliable Wi-Fi and shared high-top tables designated for laptop use.
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Keep Exploring →The outdoor seating is dog-friendly, and the overall atmosphere shifts between bustling energy during peak hours and calm during quieter weekday mornings.
European Cafe Feel: The design captures that neighborhood boulangerie aesthetic where you can linger over coffee, watch bakers shape dough, and feel transported to a European street corner. The aromas alone—fresh bread, caramelizing sugar, brewing coffee—create an immersive sensory experience that starts before you even place your order.
Other Considerations
Pricing & Value: Expect to pay premium prices that reflect the quality ingredients and labor-intensive techniques. Individual pastries typically range from $5-9, with items like babka around $17 and sandwiches in the $12-15 range.
While you’ll spend more than at chain bakeries, the exceptional quality, generous portions, and artisanal approach make it worthwhile for special occasions or when you’re craving something truly exceptional. This is splurge-worthy dining rather than everyday budget-friendly eating.
Parking: Downtown Millburn offers ample public parking directly across from the bakery in multiple large lots, so you won’t struggle to find a spot even during busy weekend mornings. Street parking is also available along Essex Street.
Best Times to Visit: Weekday mornings provide a quieter experience if you’re hoping to work or relax with a book. Weekends draw the brunch crowd and create a livelier atmosphere with more energy.
Items sell out throughout the day, so earlier visits ensure the fullest selection. Consider ordering online the night before for guaranteed pickup of specific items you have your heart set on.
Dietary Options: While the bakery’s foundation lies in traditional flour-and-butter creations, you’ll find gluten-free cheesecake and candied orange cake available.
The menu is entirely vegetarian with pescatarian options featuring salmon and tuna, and they offer dairy-free and vegan items as well. The bakery is certified Kosher under Conservative supervision, making it suitable for observant diners.
Ordering Options: Beyond walk-in service, you can order through their website or mobile app for pickup or delivery within the local area. They also offer holiday preorders for items like challah and special occasion cakes, plus corporate catering for meetings and events.
The nationwide shipping through Goldbelly means you can send babka, cookies, or cakes to friends anywhere in the United States and Canada.
Second Location: There’s a kiosk in The Mall at Short Hills that offers a selection of breads, pastries, and sandwiches for shoppers, though the full brunch menu and pizza service remain exclusive to the Millburn location. The mall kiosk operates on slightly different hours and is located near Macy’s and the Apple Store.
Liv Breads Artisan Bakery and Coffee Bar
📍 184 Essex St, Millburn, NJ 07041
