Columbus Monthly’s 2023 Best New Bakeries
Get to know three new and exciting bakeries, each possessing a unique point of view.
Over the past year, we saw the opening of Columbus Monthly’s Best New Restaurants but also three exciting bakeries—each possessing a unique point of view. You won’t want to miss the sweet delights from these three newcomers.
Fathieh Abdellatif, owner of Al Aqsa Sweets in Westerville, had been baking out of her home for more than a decade before opening her Schrock Road storefront last spring. First-timers to the bakery certainly shouldn’t pass up her mix of baklava flavors, but her most popular dessert is the knafeh, a Palestinian treat made from a thin semolina pastry layered with a sweet cheese that’s drizzled with syrup and chopped pistachios. Read more about Al Aqsa in Columbus Monthly’s March 2023 issue. 1940 Schrock Road, Westerville, 614-806-0293
Inspired by the macarons being produced in Seoul, South Korea, Mjomii (pronounced “myoh-mee”) owners Calvin and Sasha Kim first operated a kiosk at Polaris Fashion Place before focusing on local farmers markets. Now, the couple have their own home to showcase their colorful, delicate and wonderfully crisp macarons, featuring flavors like salted caramel, yuzu, vanilla rose, taro cream, and milk and lavender. While you’ll go for the macarons, you’ll certainly stay for Mjomii’s tarts, meringues and coffee. 2560 Bethel Road, Northwest Columbus
After baking in kitchens from Pistacia Vera to Fox in the Snow Café, Isabella Bonello struck out on her own during the pandemic to open Three Bites, first baking out of her home before opening a storefront in March 2022. She draws on her Filipino and Italian heritages to create one of the city’s most unique lineups of baked goods. Where else in Columbus can you find the following side-by-side: Italian bombolini (brioche doughnuts filled with custard), Chinese pineapple buns, Filipino ube pandesal (filled with cheese), kouign-amann with caramelized sugar? Already Bonello’s King-Lincoln shop is perhaps one of the city’s best bakeries overall, and we’re happy to see her expanding her lunch options, such as prosciutto-and-brie or chorizo sandwiches on house-made baguette. 999 Mt. Vernon Ave., King-Lincoln Bronzeville, 614-372-5930
This story is from the 2023 Best New Restaurants package in the March 2023 issue of Columbus Monthly.