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best place to buy bread for sandwiches?

trying to upgrade my quick sandwich meals at home (eg: blt, grilled cheese). any advice on where to buy some high-quality sandwich bread in the south end or back bay? bakeries? food shops?

many thanks.

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  1. Keep an eye out for Iggy's bread, available at most local supermarkets or When Pigs Fly is great if you can find it.

    3 Replies
    1. re: StriperGuy

      I *love* Iggy's sourdough Francese. At lots of markets and farmers markets.

      1. re: Madrid

        A third on the Francese from Iggy's....They sell it in 1.5 lb. loaves at Whole Foods, the big 3 pounders cut in half, and sliced...It is the BEST bread for grilled cheese bar none...Except maybe getting a chunk of their foccaccia, and slicing it...The foccaccia is basically the Francese dough with olive oil added, so you get great grill marks...

      2. re: StriperGuy

        I also like When Pigs Fly a lot. Their anadama bread is terrific, particularly when toasted and buttered.

        I like the Pain D'Avignon bread that Formaggio sells, but it also makes me pine for a B&R baguette.

      3. SE Formaggio has some great breads

        1 Reply
        1. re: 9lives

          if you are ever in coolidge corner, come to When Pigs Fly on Beacon Street (green line stop) - their ny rye makes great sandwiches and they have lots of other options plus they slice them and the bread also freezes well.

        2. Most Stop-N-Shop's sell When Pigs Fly and Nashoba Brook Bakery breads. I prefer Nashoba - especially the sourdough, and it makes a delicious grilled cheese. If you find yourself near West Concord, you can buy the bread at the bakery.

          Website also has a phone number to find where near you their bread can be purchased:


          Nashoba Brook Bakery Cafe
          152 Commonwealth Ave., Concord, MA 01742

          5 Replies
          1. re: steve999

            We also love Nashoba Brook sourdough, but have found that brand goes moldy faster than just about any other, including When Pigs Fly. If you're not going to eat the entire loaf in two days, it is best (unfortunately) to keep it in the fridge. I actually keep it in the freezer and just take out the pieces I need for the grilled cheese. And yes, that is the best thing to do with NB sourdough! Sharp cheddar and lots of butter.

            1. re: Isolda

              I've found the exact same thing with Nashoba Brook breads - they mold super-fast.

              Re the OP's question, I like the big sliced loaves from Pain D'Avignon. Whole Foods carries them, although availability varies from store to store. I do usually find it at the Central Square store. WF is also starting to carry more breads from Seven Stars bakery in Providence; their Durum Round is quite fantastic. I've only found that one at the Fresh Pond store but their other breads (durum sticks, olive bread, etc.) are more widely available. Also, Hi-Rise has several loaves that are great for sandwiches - corn bread, semolina, etc.

              1. re: MichaelB

                I have to say that I get loaves of Nashoba Brook most weeks and haven't had any mold problems. I get them from Whole Foods and the NB bakery in W. Concord. 7 grain, which is the one flecked with dates, is easily my favorite sandwich bread. I also really like Whole Foods Seeduction (sp?) bread for sandwiches. The loaves aren't huge so I cut them on the diagonal rather than having them sliced at the store.

                1. re: Foodie_BBQ

                  The molding issue is mainly specific to Nashoba's Sourdough. It will go bad in 3-days if not used. I've found you can put it in the fridge after day 2 and get 2-3 more days out of it. However, the best uses for it after that are french toast, panini's or grilled cheese. It loses quality after refrigeration, and isn't as good for regular cold sandwiches.

                  1. re: steve999

                    Bread is better stored in the freezer than the fridge; the former prevents staling, the latter promotes it. Just slice the loaf before you freeze it so you don't have to defrost it each time you want a sandwich.

          2. Apologies for suggesting something you clearly didn't ask for, but...

            If you follow the Mark Bittman/Jim Lahey no-knead method, baking good tasting bread for sandwiches is exceptionally easy. Easy enough that my roommate, who once stared quizzically at a head of garlic and say "I got no idea what I'm doing here" when asked to mince a couple cloves, bakes a couple loaves a week. If you go through a lot of bread, it might be worth the effort, especially if you enjoy cooking.

            http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/08/din... (lots of other sources and modifications around the internet; the NYT one works well for me as long as I bump up the salt)

            1 Reply
            1. re: emannths

              Totally agree - I use a sourdough version.

            2. clearflour in brookline. Check the schedule to see what they are making, but lots of interesting breads for lots of different types of sandwiches.

              2 Replies
              1. re: chefboyardee

                I strongly second clear flour. I can't eat it any more, but when I could, it was my first choice in breads, both for sandwich bread and for baguettes.

                When pigs fly doesn't stand up to it.

                1. re: StephanieBostic

                  I actually find When Pigs Fly breads very different than Clear Flour's, but excellent in their own rights.