Clear Flour Bread
Bakery · Brookline
178 Thorndike St, Brookline, MA 02446
Highlights
French & Italian loaves, pastries, cookies, tarts, and more
French & Italian loaves, pastries, cookies, tarts, and more
"Clear Flour Bread & Bakery was established in 1982 and is owned and operated by Nicole Walsh and Jon Goodman. The shop sits on a small residential corner in Brookline with room for no more than three customers to stand inside at one time. Known to many for having some of the best bread and pastries in Massachusetts, the line outside can often reach upwards of 30 people, even on weekdays. If you’re looking for Italian and French classics, along with an abundant selection of German specialties such as their soft pretzel, Vollkornbrot (rye bread), and chocolate pretzel croissant, this is the place. Don’t sleep on the rustic olive rolls, 100 percent whole wheat loaf, or their award-winning chocolate chip cookies. And, if you’re the type of person who would rather avoid a line at all costs, Clear Flour recently opened a next-door coffee shop that sells drinks and grab-and-go sandwiches." - Katie Draisen
"Clear Flour may be known (and named) for its bread, but the cookies deserve just as much attention. For a proper introduction, start with the vegan tahini chocolate chunk cookie, a wonderfully nutty spin on the classic chocolate chip cookie." - Celina Colby
"While traveling I started longing for a simple, freshly baked loaf from Clear Flour Bread in Brookline, a place my friend Marian raved about years ago. I tore into the French baguette moments after I snapped a picture; the yeasty aroma puffed up and lingered mid-air. The baguette was so crusty that biting into it made crackly sounds as I savored the undressed bread in my car. The interior was perfectly soft-yet-chewy and the exterior shattered and left breadcrumbs all over my shirt (what a happy mess!). Now that spring is here, this is my friendly reminder to go picnic with some good bread, wine, and cheese." - Erika Adams
"Known as a bakery superstar, Clear Flour Bread has expanded its presence locally by opening a coffee-shop offshoot adjacent to the bakeshop." - Erika Adams
"This decades-old Brookline institution came under new ownership a few years back, but Nicole Walsh and Jon Goodman haven’t changed much, aside from adding some modernizations like upgrading the point-of-sale system. The bakery tends to focus on French and Italian loaves, such as baguettes, fougasse, and ciabatta, but customers will also find some German breads, challah, whole grain loaves, and lots more, depending on the day." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal
