Back in the Day Bakery
Savannah, Georgia

At the intersection of West 40th and Bull Streets under one lone palm tree in the Starland District of Savannah, Georgia sits Back in the Day Bakery, so fondly known as The Best Little Bakery in the South. I had wanted to visit for weeks, ever since I’d seen Cheryl Day, co-owner, cooking with Paula Deen on Food Network. It was everything I’d hoped it would be and more.

I was in love from the moment I entered. Love at first sight. It was like sensory overload. The smell of fresh bread. The cottage, rustic, modern style. The retro appliances. The vintage dishes. The coastal color palette. The inviting seating area above immediately caught my eye–I couldn’t get over the live baby’s breath anchored in tin pails and the over-sized chairs. This was a place I could come daily, I thought.

Rosemary Ciabatta bread and Pugliese loaves (a crusty italian bread), along with Sunny Lemon Bars and Bourbon Bread Pudding fill the window as you approach the cashier to place your order.

Then I saw it. Cinnamon Sticky Buns. It just so happened that I had visited Back in the Day bakery on a special day–Saturday morning, the only time of the week Griff Day, co-owner, bakes these unbelievably freakin’ good send-you-to-church delicacies. Made with local honey from the Savannah Bee Company, the buns have a sweet-spicy filling, a caramel glaze and a tangy, oh-my-sweet-heavenly-Lord, cream cheese frosting. The taste was enough to make this Southern Baptist begin speaking in tongues.

I enjoyed my Cinnamon Sticky Bun with a cup of the Bakery’s best-selling organic breakfast tea for $1.75.

The floor and counter tops are cement…just another little detail that adds to the nostalgia.

Simple syrup, a combination of equal parts water and sugar, is available to sweeten your tea or coffee. I like using simple syrup because it allows you to be in control of your sugar intake…of pristine importance when you’re downing Cinnamon Sticky Buns. 😉 You’ll also find utensils for the taking in classic Mason Jars.

Back in the Day Bakery doesn’t just sell baked goods, lunch is also served daily from 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Above, the Rosemary Chicken sandwich is made with chicken, red onion, celery, black currants and herb spiced mayo.

Who wouldn’t want to sit underneath this?

 The Days have really succeeded in creating a true experience. The food draws you in and the atmosphere makes you want to stay.

The Bakery opened in 2002. Their best seller? An Old-Fashioned Vanilla Cupcake with Vanilla Buttercream. The cupcakes above were fresh from the oven.

Even the staff members are colorful. Decked out in aprons with handkerchiefs on their heads, they offer friendly service with a smile.

My trip wouldn’t have been complete without purchasing The Back in the Day Bakery Cookbook. Buy it from the Bakery and you’ll get an autographed copy! If the recipes contained in this book taste anything like the Saturday-morning tradition Cinnamon Sticky Buns, it’ll be the best $24.95 I’ve ever spent.