First Look: Britt’s Bakehouse in Kirkwood

Those avoiding gluten who still want to indulge in sweet treats can now head to Britt’s Bakehouse, which will celebrate its grand opening Saturday, Nov. 23, at 137 W. Jefferson Ave., in the former home of Plowsharing Crafts.

Owner Britt Royal started experimenting with gluten-free baking about 10 years ago after being diagnosed with a severe gluten intolerance.

“Our grand opening coincides with the Downtown Kirkwood Holiday Walk, which will give people a chance to sample all our baked goods. … We’ve been softly open since last Saturday to get a feel for what people are interested in and how much foot traffic we’ll get,” Royal said. “We all deserve good cake. We want food to be something you can share with others and not have to have something separate that’s gluten-free.”

The bakery offers a rotating selection of entirely gluten-free baked goods, from cookies and cakes to muffins, scones, granola bars and more, utilizing flour alternatives like rice flour, tapioca starch, oat flour, millet, almond flour, teff and sorghum.

Some of the most popular items include vanilla-almond baby Bundt cakes and cookies with tart dried cherries, toasted pecans and dark chocolate chips. On Saturdays and Sundays, there will be doughnuts and pastries not available during the week. There’s also coffee on offer from Farmer Brothers Co., along with a selection of tea, hot chocolate and bottled cold beverages like water and iced tea.

Royal sold her wares at the Kirkwood Farmers’ Market for the past year-and-a-half, experiencing enough success that opening a brick-and-mortar felt like the best next step.

“Food is so communal and emotional and such a big part of how people celebrate together, and it can feel accidentally really exclusive when you can’t eat with everyone else,” Royal said. “Our goal is to provide high-quality baked goods with top-notch flavors that everyone can enjoy together.”

The 1,200-square-foot space is bright and airy, featuring an open kitchen, counter service and eight seats amid marbled two-tops for customers who’d like to linger.

Britt’s Bakehouse is currently open from 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, though hours may change as needed. Here’s a look at St. Louis’ newest bakery.

Lauren Healey is associate editor at Sauce Magazine.