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"A Parisian escape along 46th Street between Kingfield and Tangletown, this sun-drenched, truly neighborhood spot is where people gather and gab rather than click away on computers and yap on meetings, and it serves what I consider the best bread in the city. While The Bread Lab supplies many Twin Cities establishments, what you can’t get elsewhere is the shop’s ambiance. Confections capable of snagging a baking bronze medal keep it bustlin’ and bumpin’; I go for the seasonal tarts, éclairs, and macarons (especially the sugary, buttery caramel macaron), and I always pair pastries with a cafe au lait. The quiche lorraine is everything a quiche should be — simultaneously dense and fluffy, bursting (but not overpowered) with caramelized onion, and anchored in a flaky crust. The ordering setup funnels everyone into one long line — this is Minnesota, so expect performative politeness and a bit of passive-aggressive enforcement — but the nearly floor-to-ceiling window banks make it easy to wait, and the western windows bathe the tables around the fireplace in light; that’s the best place to land. There’s excellent bread to go, from sandwich-ready miche loaves to classic sourdough and baguettes, and if you’re lucky later in the day you might even snag a free baguette like I did once." - Cinnamon Janzer