Barbara Jean's Pumpkin Bread
Though they claim fame for their "Eastern Shore" style crab cakes and buttery she-crab soup, Barbara Jean's has gained a notable amount fame for their heaping baskets of homemade bread. The sweet jalapeño corn bread and wheat rolls are both delicious, but Barbara Jean's warm and fluffy pumpkin bread takes the cake. So good it could easily be mistaken for a dessert, the pumpkin bread (along with the two others) is complimentary with the purchase of any menu item, and is served prior to all entrées.
15 S. Roscoe Blvd., Ponte Vedra Beach, 280-7522; 960030 Gateway Blvd., Amelia Island, 277-3700
[ www.barbarajeans.com ]

CamiCakes’ Carrot Cake Cupcakes
Generally speaking, a cupcake is a cupcake is a cupcake. Not at CamiCakes, where at least 16 varieties of the delicious treats are served. Cupcake aficionados can sample favorites like Red Velvet and Strawberries n' Cream but shouldn't overlook the usually commonplace Carrot Cake Cupcake. A combination of moist spice cake, carrots, pecans and cream cheese frosting makes for the most delicious of all of Cami's choices. At $2.80 a cupcake, it's okay to indulge. And with a new location on Southside Boulevard, there are plenty of cupcakes to go around.
1910 Wells Rd., Orange Park, 541-1099; 9734-5 Deerlake Ct., Tinseltown, 998-4611
[ www.camicakes.com ]

Einstein Bros. Bagel’s Powerbagel
Einstein Bros. offers more than 20 varieties of bagels, including gourmet flavors like Spinach Florentine and Dutch Apple, but others don't hold a candle to our favorite, carb-tastic friend, the Powerbagel. This square-shaped, hole-less version is packed with grains, dried fruits and nuts and retails for about $1.50. Try it paired with one of the Bros.’ flavorful cream cheese schmears, or leave it bare. However you slice it, smear it or eat it, Einstein's Powerbagel is simply genius.
1661 Riverside Ave., Ste. 130, Riverside, 354-0991; Hyatt Regency Jacksonville hotel, Downtown, 588-1234
[ www.einsteinbros.com ]

Let Them Eat Cake’s Chocolate Walnut Meringues
A visit to Riverside's Let Them Eat Cake is never complete without a taste of the flourless chocolate and walnut meringues. Though the boutique bakery—a provider of cake to several top local restaurants—is filled with dozens of other goodies (the croissants and cupcakes are also delicious), their version of the Swiss delicacy would leave even Marie Antoinette in a chocolate-induced coma. $1.50 each.
3604 St. Johns Ave., Avondale, 389-2122
[ www.asweetbakery.com ]

Urban Flats’ Flatbread
Baked in an in-house, stone-hearth oven, Urban Flat's most popular menu items are made up of 75 percent whole-wheat dough and topped with fresh seasonal ingredients. With fewer calories and less fat than traditional pizza, the flatbreads come in over a dozen varieties, ranging from the usual (basil pesto and Roma tomatoes) to the outlandish (sauerkraut and corned beef). Though prices usually start at $9 per flat, a good time to sample is during Wine Down Wednesdays, where diners can munch on all-you-can-eat appetizers and wine for only $12.
330 A1A N., Ponte Vedra Beach, 280-5515
[ www.urbanflats.net ]

Panera Bread’s Asiago Loaf
With more than 10 area locations, there's a Panera Bread in nearly every Jacksonville neighborhood. And we couldn't be happier. One mention of the bakery-cafe's asiago cheese loaf and the cravings begin. The bread, which is available in full loaf and demi sizes, is a mix of sourdough and lots of grated asiago cheese and is a perfect addition to sandwiches, breadbaskets or appetizers. $4.19 a loaf.
Various locations
[ www.panerabread.com ]

One Hot Cookie’s Chocolate Chip Cookies
Though they call themselves a "dessert gallery," and serve various flavors of ice cream and specialty coffee drinks, it's no secret that the real draw here is the cookies. With three types of dough and more than 25 different mix-ins, the cookies are a make-your-own, melt-in-your-mouth dream for cookie lovers everywhere. Once the dough and the toppings are mixed, the cookies are baked and served either plain or a la mode. Small $5, large $6.
217 3rd St., Neptune Beach, 270-2127; 930 Sawgrass Village, Ponte Vedra Beach, 273-2606
[ www.onehotcookiecafe.com ]

Hala’s Pita Bread
Many local Mediterranean restaurants claim to serve the best pita in the River City, but we give the nod to Hala. The bread is light, perfectly chewy, and an ideal base for any of the restaurant's other specialties, like tabouli, hummus or falafel. Pita bread, made in their own bakery, is served with all meals at Hala, or you can buy a bag for $2.75.
4323 University Blvd. S., Southside, 733-1855; 9735 Old St. Augustine Rd., No. 1, Mandarin, 288-8890; 1451 Atlantic Blvd., Neptune Beach, 249-2212
[ www.halacafe.com ]

French Pantry’s Baguettes
The French Pantry may very well be one of the area's best kept secrets—secret, that is, except to many local restaurateurs. But to those in the know, it is the go-to source for freshly baked goods and delicious bread. The bakery/restaurant supplies bread and desserts to several area restaurants, and caters to an enormous lunch crowd (with lines that extend outside the doors nearly every day). The lunch-only cafe features several different types of bruschetta salads, from leek and shrimp to portabello and tomato, and each features the delicious, freshly baked baguettes, $2.50, for which the restaurant is known.
6301 Powers Ave., Lakewood, 730-8696