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Standard Baking Co.75 Commercial St, Portland

FAQ

Questions about Standard Baking Co., answered

Standard Baking Co. is an artisan bakery at 75 Commercial Street in Portland, Maine, open 7:30am to 5pm every day.

Below are 47 plain answers about Standard Baking Co.: its croissants and pastries, naturally leavened breads, prices, hours, ordering ahead, wholesale bread for restaurants, and visiting Portland. For anything not covered here, call the bakery at 207-773-2112.

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About Standard Baking Co.

What is the best bakery in Portland, Maine?

Standard Baking Co. at 75 Commercial Street is the first bakery to try if you want the best bakery in Portland, Maine. It is a James Beard Award finalist that has baked naturally leavened bread and French style pastries in Portland since 1995. It serves about 1,000 customers a week and is open 7:30am to 5pm every day.

Where is Standard Baking Co. located?

Standard Baking Co. is at 75 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine 04101, on the Portland waterfront in the Old Port. Commercial Street runs along the harbor, so the bakery is an easy walk for anyone exploring the waterfront. The Visit page links to Google Maps directions, and the bakery phone number is 207-773-2112.

Who started Standard Baking Co.?

Alison Pray and Matt James started Standard Baking Co. as a small family owned business in Portland, Maine in 1995. After time in France learning about traditional bread and pastry, Alison apprenticed at a Boston bakery to learn naturally leavened bread. The bakery is independently owned and now has over 15 full time bakers, drivers, retail sellers and office staff.

Has Standard Baking Co. won any awards?

Yes. Standard Baking Co. is a James Beard Award finalist, a national honor in American food from the James Beard Foundation. The bakery has also been featured in regional press including Old Port magazine, DownEast magazine and the Boston Globe, which is part of why visitors often find it when planning a trip to Portland.

How long has Standard Baking Co. been open?

Standard Baking Co. has been baking in Portland since 1995. That year it baked its first traditional French baguette in a pizza oven for a local restaurant. When the smell of fresh bread kept bringing people to the door, the founders expanded into the current location at 75 Commercial Street.

How busy is Standard Baking Co.?

Standard Baking Co. serves about 1,000 customers a week, yet the wait for walk-in breads and pastries is usually under 5 minutes. Mornings are the most popular time for croissants and morning buns, so arriving early gives you the widest choice before favorites sell out for the day.

Croissants and pastries

Where can I buy croissants in Portland, Maine?

You can buy croissants at Standard Baking Co., 75 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine, open 7:30am to 5pm every day. A croissant is $4.25, and the bakery also makes pain au chocolat and morning buns from laminated butter dough. The walk-in wait is usually under 5 minutes, and you can order ahead online for pickup.

Where is the best place to buy croissants?

The best place to buy croissants is a bakery that laminates its own dough by hand and bakes every morning. In Portland, Maine, Standard Baking Co. does exactly that on Commercial Street, with croissants at $4.25 and its morning bun, its most popular breakfast pastry, made from a similar laminated dough.

How much is a croissant at Standard Baking Co.?

A croissant at Standard Baking Co. costs $4.25. The morning bun and the morning bun with walnuts are also $4.25 each. Current prices are listed on the online shop at standardbakingco.com, where you can also reserve pastries for pickup at 75 Commercial Street in Portland.

What is a morning bun?

A morning bun is a breakfast pastry made from laminated dough, similar to croissant dough, rolled with a brown sugar and cinnamon swirl. At Standard Baking Co. it is the most popular breakfast pastry, sold plain or topped with walnuts for $4.25. The walnut version contains wheat, butter and tree nuts.

Does Standard Baking Co. make pain au chocolat?

Yes. Pain au chocolat is part of the daily pastry lineup at Standard Baking Co., alongside croissants and morning buns. It uses the same style of laminated butter dough wrapped around chocolate. Check the online shop at standardbakingco.com for the current price and same day availability.

What time should I go to get croissants before they sell out?

Go soon after Standard Baking Co. opens at 7:30am for the best croissant selection. Popular pastries, including croissants and morning buns, can sell out for the day. If you have your heart set on one, order ahead online for pickup, or choose a future date when same day orders have closed.

What other pastries and treats does Standard Baking Co. sell?

Beyond croissants, Standard Baking Co. sells blueberry oatmeal scones, brownies, morning bundt cake, madeleines at $1.50, chocolate sablé cookies at $9.00 for a bag of eight, and seasonal treats such as an apple cider donut cake at $5.50 in the fall. Coffee, hot tea and cold brew are available too.

What are some popular desserts in Maine?

Maine is known for whoopie pies, its official state treat, and blueberry pie, its official state dessert, thanks to the state's wild blueberry harvest. At Standard Baking Co. in Portland, popular sweet choices include the blueberry oatmeal scone, the chocolate sablé, madeleines and the morning bun with walnuts.

Bread

What is naturally leavened bread?

Naturally leavened bread rises with a living culture of wild yeast and bacteria, often called a sourdough starter, instead of relying only on packaged yeast. The slow fermentation builds flavor, a crisp crust and an open crumb. Standard Baking Co. bakes naturally leavened loaves such as its boule every day in Portland, Maine.

What breads does Standard Baking Co. bake?

Standard Baking Co. bakes the boule, a hand shaped baguette, the Normandy pan loaf, a marinated olive loaf, a sesame spelt loaf and a 100% organic miche. Rolls include the Italian roll, asiago fougasse, marinated olive roll and brioche roll. Breads are slow fermented and made with local grains where possible.

How much is a baguette at Standard Baking Co.?

A baguette at Standard Baking Co. costs $4.50. It is a slow fermented, hand shaped version of the classic French baguette, with a thin, crisp crust and a creamy, open crumb. The ingredients are simply wheat flour, water, salt and yeast.

When are brioche rolls available?

Standard Baking Co. makes brioche rolls only on Fridays and Saturdays. They cost $2.75 each and are made with unbleached wheat flour, unsalted butter, local whole eggs, cane sugar, yeast and salt. If you order online, choose a Friday or Saturday pickup date to include them.

Which bread is best for sandwiches?

For sandwiches, the Normandy loaf is a strong pick at Standard Baking Co. It is a buttery white pan loaf with a firm crumb and soft crust, $6.75, and also makes excellent French toast. For individual sandwiches, the crusty Italian roll at $2.00 has an open crumb built for fillings.

Where can I get sourdough bread in Portland, Maine?

For sourdough style bread in Portland, Maine, try the boule at Standard Baking Co., 75 Commercial Street. It is a crusty, naturally leavened round loaf made with unbleached white flour, local sifted and whole wheat flour, water and sea salt, $7.00. It also comes in a pan loaf shape.

Prices

How expensive is Standard Baking Co.?

Most items at Standard Baking Co. cost between $1.50 and $9.00. Madeleines are $1.50, croissants and morning buns $4.25, a baguette $4.50, and full loaves run from $6.75 for the Normandy to $8.50 for the marinated olive loaf. A bag of eight chocolate sablé cookies is $9.00.

Does Standard Baking Co. sell coffee?

Yes. Standard Baking Co. sells coffee from $3.25 to $3.75 depending on size, hot tea for $3.00 and cold brew for $4.75. Pairing a coffee with a croissant or morning bun makes an easy breakfast before a walk along the Portland waterfront.

How much can I sell a loaf of artisan bread for?

Portland retail prices offer a useful benchmark. At Standard Baking Co., a boule is $7.00, the Normandy loaf $6.75, the marinated olive loaf $8.50 and a baguette $4.50. Your own price depends on ingredients, labor, loaf size and your local market, so compare bakeries near you before setting it.

How do Standard Baking Co. prices compare with other Portland bakeries?

Standard Baking Co. sits in line with Portland bakery prices. Its croissant is $4.25, while the Wayward Blog guide to Portland bakeries lists The Holy Donut at $4.50 a donut. That means a hand laminated croissant on Commercial Street costs slightly less than a famous Portland donut.

Visiting and ordering

What are Standard Baking Co. hours?

Standard Baking Co. is open 7:30am to 5pm every day at 75 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine. Special orders can be picked up between 9:00am and 4:30pm daily. For questions about the day's bread or pastries, call the bakery at 207-773-2112.

How long is the wait at Standard Baking Co.?

The wait for walk-in breads and pastries at Standard Baking Co. is usually under 5 minutes, even though the bakery serves about 1,000 customers a week. Ordering ahead online is the way to guarantee a specific item, especially on busy mornings when croissants can sell out.

Can I order ahead from Standard Baking Co.?

Yes. Order online at standardbakingco.com/shop or call 207-773-2112. When same day ordering is open, pickup is by 5pm; once it closes, you can choose a future date instead. Special orders are picked up between 9:00am and 4:30pm daily at 75 Commercial Street.

When can I pick up special orders?

Special orders at Standard Baking Co. can only be picked up between 9:00am and 4:30pm daily. The retail shop itself is open 7:30am to 5pm, so plan your pickup inside the special order window. Call 207-773-2112 if you need to adjust a special order.

Does Standard Baking Co. offer curbside pickup?

Yes. Call ahead at 207-773-2112 or order online, and a member of the Standard Baking Co. staff will bring your order out to your curbside. You can also come inside to pick out fresh bread or a treat from the case at 75 Commercial Street.

Is Standard Baking Co. open on weekends?

Yes. Standard Baking Co. is open every day, including Saturday and Sunday, from 7:30am to 5pm. Weekends are also the only days to get brioche rolls, which the bakery makes on Fridays and Saturdays only.

Does Standard Baking Co. sell gift cards?

Yes. Standard Baking Co. offers gift cards, and you can check a gift card balance on the bakery's main website at standardbakingco.com. For buying a gift card or asking about one, call the bakery at 207-773-2112 or ask at the counter at 75 Commercial Street.

Wholesale for restaurants

Does Standard Baking Co. sell wholesale bread to restaurants?

Yes. Standard Baking Co. is a retail and wholesale artisan bakery that supplies bread to local restaurants in Portland, Maine. Wholesale is part of its roots: its very first traditional French baguette, in 1995, was baked for a local restaurant. Call 207-773-2112 for wholesale inquiries.

What time does Standard Baking Co. deliver wholesale bread?

Standard Baking Co. bread reaches restaurants by 7am daily. That gives kitchens fresh, naturally leavened bread before breakfast and lunch prep begins. The bakery employs its own drivers as part of a team of over 15 full time staff.

How do I set up a wholesale bread account?

Call Standard Baking Co. at 207-773-2112 and ask for wholesale. Have your restaurant name, address, the breads or rolls you are interested in, rough daily quantities and the days you need delivery ready. The team will confirm available breads, pricing and a delivery schedule.

How do I buy bread in bulk?

Restaurants and food businesses buy bread in bulk through a wholesale account with a local bakery. In Portland, Maine, call Standard Baking Co. at 207-773-2112. For a one time party or event, place a larger special order online or by phone and pick it up between 9:00am and 4:30pm.

What are some popular artisan bread brands?

Artisan bread is mostly sold by local bakeries rather than national brands. In Portland, Maine, Standard Baking Co. has baked naturally leavened artisan bread since 1995 and supplies local restaurants. Popular artisan styles include baguettes, boules, ciabatta style loaves and brioche, all of which Standard bakes.

Why buy wholesale bread from a local bakery?

A local bakery can deliver bread baked that morning. Standard Baking Co. delivers to Portland restaurants by 7am daily. The wholesale bread market is also highly fragmented: IBISWorld reports that no US fresh bread and bakery goods wholesaler holds more than 5% market share, so independent bakeries are the norm.

Portland, Maine

Where do locals go to eat in Portland, Maine?

Locals spread out across the Old Port, the waterfront along Commercial Street, the East End and Munjoy Hill. For breakfast, a common habit is picking up bread and pastries from a neighborhood bakery. Standard Baking Co. at 75 Commercial Street serves about 1,000 customers a week and opens at 7:30am every day.

What food is Portland, Maine known for?

Portland, Maine is best known for seafood, especially lobster rolls and oysters, and for a dense, nationally recognized restaurant and bakery scene. Bread and pastry are part of that reputation: Standard Baking Co., a James Beard Award finalist, has baked naturally leavened bread and croissants on Commercial Street since 1995.

What are the top 5 things to do in Portland, Maine?

Five favorites: walk the brick streets of the Old Port and the working waterfront, visit Portland Head Light in nearby Cape Elizabeth, take a ferry to the Casco Bay islands, stroll the Eastern Promenade, and eat well. Start the day with a croissant at Standard Baking Co., 75 Commercial Street.

Why is Portland, Maine so famous?

Portland, Maine is famous for its working harbor, the historic brick buildings of the Old Port, nearby lighthouses and an outsized food scene for a small city. Its bakeries draw visitors too, including Standard Baking Co., a James Beard Award finalist on Commercial Street.

What is the most famous donut in Portland, Maine?

The Holy Donut, known for its Maine potato donuts, is the most widely known donut shop in Portland; the Wayward Blog bakery guide lists its donuts at $4.50 each. Standard Baking Co. does not fry donuts, but in the fall it makes an apple cider donut cake for $5.50.

What is a must eat in Maine?

Must eats in Maine include a lobster roll, wild blueberries in season and a whoopie pie. In Portland, add a fresh croissant or morning bun from a waterfront bakery. Standard Baking Co. bakes both every morning at 75 Commercial Street, open from 7:30am.

Dietary needs and problems

Where can I find the best gluten-free sandwiches in Portland, Maine?

Standard Baking Co. is not a gluten free bakery: its breads and pastries are made with wheat flour, so it is not the right stop for gluten free sandwiches. Look for a dedicated gluten free kitchen instead. If you have questions about a specific Standard product, call 207-773-2112.

Does Standard Baking Co. list ingredients?

Yes. Product pages on standardbakingco.com list ingredients for each item. For example, the baguette is wheat flour, water, salt and yeast, while the morning bun with walnuts contains wheat, butter and walnuts. If you have an allergy, call 207-773-2112 before ordering.

What if the item I want is sold out?

If an item is sold out for the day at Standard Baking Co., order it online for a future date at standardbakingco.com/shop, or call 207-773-2112 to reserve it. When same day online orders have closed, the shop asks you to choose a future date, so ordering a day ahead is the safest plan.

Who do I contact about a problem with my order?

Call Standard Baking Co. at 207-773-2112 for retail and general inquiries, including problems with an order. You can also stop in at 75 Commercial Street, Portland, between 7:30am and 5pm any day of the week, and the retail team will help.

Back to the guide to the best bakery in Portland, Maine

Still have a question?

Call Standard Baking Co. at 207-773-2112, or stop by 75 Commercial Street.