Riverbend Bakery
Bread, the slow way
Riverbend Bakery has been making naturally leavened bread in Asheville, North Carolina since 2011. We keep a single sourdough starter that we have fed twice a day for more than a decade, and every loaf we bake begins with it. There is no commercial yeast in our bread and no shortcuts in our schedule. A loaf of our country sourdough takes the better part of two days from the first mix to the moment it leaves the oven, and that patience is exactly what gives the crumb its open structure and the crust its deep, blistered character.
We mill a portion of our flour in house from regional grains, which lets us bake with wheat that is fresher and more flavorful than anything we could buy pre-ground. Our seasonal loaves rotate with what local farms are harvesting, so you might find a toasted-corn bread in late summer or a hearty rye when the weather turns cold. Whatever the season, the goal is the same: bread that tastes like the place it was made.
Morning pastries
Alongside our breads we lace, fold, and roll a full case of viennoiserie every morning. Our croissants take three days of lamination and resting, producing hundreds of paper-thin layers that shatter when you bite them. We fill some with dark chocolate, others with almond cream, and in spring we tuck in whatever fruit is ripe at the market. The pastry case sells out most mornings, so early risers are rewarded.
Because everything is made by hand in small batches, quantities are limited and the menu shifts with the seasons and with the whims of our bakers. If there is something you love, it is worth calling ahead or arriving early, because when it is gone for the day, it is gone.
Find us
Our bakery and small cafe sit right along the river walk downtown. We open at seven in the morning from Tuesday through Sunday and bake until the shelves are bare, which is usually by early afternoon. You can enjoy a loaf and a coffee at one of our few tables, take a bag of pastries to go, or reserve a whole-grain miche for the weekend. We also supply bread to a handful of neighborhood restaurants who share our belief that good food starts with good bread.
Stop in, say hello, and watch the bakers shape the next batch through the open kitchen window. We love talking about bread almost as much as we love making it, and we are always happy to help you pick the right loaf for tonight's dinner or tomorrow's toast.