From cannolis to babkas, Newton’s third annual Bakery Crawl offered a variety of baked goods at discounted prices for customers Friday and Saturday, featuring over 18 businesses.
“We’re new to this area, so it’s a really nice thing to be a part of,” said Danielle Velez, owner of The Half Cookie in Chestnut Hill. “We are excited as a small business to be a part of the community, so we really like stuff like this so we can meet new people and let people know about us.”
The Bakery Crawl is sponsored by All Over Newton, an organization that aims to connect Newton residents to small businesses through various initiatives.
For some bakeries, it’s their first time participating in the Bakery Crawl. Sweet Dream in Newton Centre, for instance, opened up just seven months ago.
“There have been many first-time customers that are just doing the crawl,” Annabella Riatti, an employee at Sweet Dream said. “They have been meaning to stop in, and this is their perfect opportunity.”
As a family-run business, Sweet Dream intertwines Ukrainian and Italian heritage into its baked goods, displaying a wide array of delectable treats from marzipan truffles to cannolis—their specialty.
While the Bakery Crawl serves as a community-building event and an opportunity for local residents to support local spots, people flock to Newton’s charming bakeries from all over. Sweet Dream regularly serves customers coming from New Hampshire, according to Anton Chernyshov, the owner’s son.
Not only could customers try delicious baked goods this weekend—they could also immerse themselves in different cultures. The Kaffestugan, located in Newton’s Scandinavian Cultural Center, sampled free Icelandic waffles.
From there, customers could explore the rest of the center, which includes an enchanted fairy walk and other Icelandic activities.
The Bakery Crawl allows customers to explore a diverse selection of treats. Little L Bakery sells a variety of Japanese pastries, such as kinako mochi croissants.
Lek Manokasemsant, owner of Little L for two years, has participated in the Bakery Crawl in years past.
“We see new customers that come from Newton or other towns,” Manokasemsant said. “I think there’s going to be more on Saturday, like last year.”
Some places even had to close early because of the rush number of customers the Bakery Crawl attracted.
On Friday afternoon, the first day of the Bakery Crawl, NY Bagel Factory displayed a sign on its front door stating that they ran out of bagels and had to close at 2:00 p.m.—an hour and a half prior to its typical closing time.
Each bakery offered a different promotion, often centered around a best-selling item, to attract customers. Bakey Babka, for example, offered a free coffee and mini treat to any customer who bought a pastry.
“So far today, there have been a lot more people than we expected, to be honest,” said Bakey employee Valentina Pasuy.
Bakey’s specialty is the chocolate Babka, according to Pasuy. A doughy, creamy, piece of braided bread, the babka is a popular baked good among the Jewish community.
This weekend’s celebration of delicious treats cemented the Bakery Crawl as a Newton tradition that builds camaraderie among residents, employees, and businesses.
“Sometimes it can be intimidating to go somewhere new alone, so the Bakery Crawl is nice for people to be able to check out places that have been on their list,” Velez said.
