In El Cerrito, there lies a neighborhood bakery called PennDel’s Bakehouse. The bakery is the result of two friends, with expansive culinary backgrounds, coming together to develop a high-end bakeshop.
View this post on Instagram
When entering PennDel’s, you can expect to be warmly greeted by the owners. After entering, you are presented with their display case of an extensive catalog of enticing cakes, pastries, and a variety of other treats. PennDel’s is a must visit for all of your bakery and treat desires, when in the East Bay.
We had the amazing chance to chat with the owners! Here is an insightful interview with them!
See also: The Most Decadent Must-Try Cakes In San Francisco
How did you two come together to create this bakery?
We met 14 years ago outside Harding Elementary School, in El Cerrito, waiting for our 1st graders (now college students). These Harding sidewalk chats, our experience building complementary businesses, losing spouses and raising children laid the groundwork for us to conceive of and create PennDel’s Bakehouse.
We worked on perfecting recipes and our symbiotic name: Gayle is from Pennsylvania and Pamela is from Delaware. And, to us, a Bakehouse connotes great pastries, scrumptious muffins, savory scones, as well as specialty goods; with gluten-free or vegan options. PennDel’s is the union of Braxtons’ Boxes (a custom delivery bakery that Pamela and her husband, Ron, created 18 years ago) and the idea of former Solano Grill & Bar’s savvy Managing Partner/Chef (Gayle, by way of 35 years at El Torito, California Culinary Academy, Grace Baking & Mollie Stones). That’s over 50 years of experience coming together for some divine baked goods!
View this post on Instagram
How long has Penndel’s Bakery been in business for?
PennDel’s Bakehouse opened April 2021. With a great deal of hard work, dedication, and genuine interest in adding value to our community, we have enjoyed success and steady growth.
View this post on Instagram
Why did you choose El Cerrito as the location of your bakery?
El Cerrito is our home base (Pamela has lived here and Gayle still does) and we wanted to be an integral part of its community. We did our Strengths/Weakness/Opportunities/Threats (S.W.O.T.) analysis and established that El Cerrito didn’t have a bakery that does what we do: Offer cakes by the slice, whole cakes, cupcakes and cookies, plus sweet and savory scones, and breakfast muffins, plus more. Through our food, we promote the accessibility of delicious and comforting organic, locally sourced, scratch-baked goods.
View this post on Instagram
What do you see as the bakery’s focus?
We want to continue being a neighborhood destination that provides delicious, locally sourced, seasonal, signature baked goods, beautiful occasion cakes and friendly service. Our goal is to continue building our success through word of mouth by serving inspired products. We hope our customers continue to share our goods with friends, family, neighbors and office mates, sowing the seeds of on-going support. Growing this kind of reputation and connection with people is at the core of why we work so diligently to be a great, neighborhood business.
Are there any menu items that you would consider to be Penndel’s signature pastries?
People come up from San Jose and down from Sacramento for our carrot cake, tiramisu and biscuits! The apricot bars, pecan bars and bread pudding are a big draw as well. Even our vegan treats and gluten-free items continually bring new interest to PennDel’s, which is a nice plus.
View this post on Instagram
Are there any specific goals/visions you two have for the bakery?
We look for opportunities to tantalize clients, old and new, with original use of ingredients or presentations. We want to do more with businesses and organizations to provide baked goods for meetings and celebrations; build our custom cake business and generate incentives for monthly purchasing. Incorporating environmentally aware products is already part of our business and we are proud to use recyclable or compostable packaging, which El Cerrito will mandate in 2024.
Is there anything new and upcoming that we can expect?
Because we like to be seasonal, we look for new ways to introduce ingredients at their peak and ingredients that inspire us and our customers. For example, you can add our new Kalamata olive scones to a cheese board. And we work in seasonal reminders for our customers so they can look like rock stars as various holidays or events approach, suggesting they grab a box of cookies or cupcakes as a thank you to a teacher or for the host of a gathering. There’s always a reason for a sweet or savory treat. Keep checking our websites for new options and seasonal goodies.
View this post on Instagram
You can find more information about PennDel's Bakehouse on their website.
See also: Local “Halloween Ends” Actor Marteen Discusses Budding Film Career And New Music
Photography by: Courtesy of Yeh Xintong/Unsplash
