Of the few things worthy of a 7 a.m. wake-up, the new bakery and coffee shop First Bake at parent restaurant Farmers Fishers Bakers is one. I discovered the shop one sleepy, misty morning walking down to the harbor for some coffee and a quiet study spot.
Open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m., the early morning breakfast venue effectively manages to tread the line between affordability and artisanship. First Bake offers a selection of organic coffee and breakfast drinks—fresh-squeezed OJ, macchiatos, and custom blend coffee—all under $3. Also available are some light breakfast fare of poached eggs and granola as well as other goods baked on-site including cinnamon rolls, donuts, and a special selection of bakers’ toast.
The breads, a delicious selection of Apple Walnut Raisin, 7 Grain, and Cranberry Orange are served up with a slathering of cinnamon sugar, dulce de leche butter and everything your guilty imagination could conjure. Add to those options a Breakfast Taco, Poached Eggs, and Three-Chili Cheese Bread—all under $5—and you have a breakfast menu worthy of a walk down to the harbor.
First Bake’s quality doesn’t stop with its cuisine, however. Seating is communal, wi-fi is free, and the bakery decor is in keeping with the restaurant’s rustic, upper-crust farmhouse appeal. Long, varnished wooden tables are surrounded by chicken-wire cabinets and rows of oversized mason jars filled with bright red chili peppers and yellow corn kernels. The tables are uncrowded and the music selection wakes you up gently with soft indie acoustics and bluesy harmonics. My one criticism is the lack of outlets to complement that café’s wi-fi, which you are free to use until your laptop dies.
There are other extenuating perks, however, including free refills of the truly delicious custom house blend. As a bonus, the staff is both welcoming and helpful. When the cashier didn’t have my exact change, she undercharged me by 10 cents, which I dropped into the tip jar. The small kindness was paid forward a minute later at the milk and sugar counter where the man ahead of me insisted on refilling the half and half for me after using it up. All in all, First Bake is a pleasant place to spend your weekday morning with good food, good people, and a good cup of coffee.
