This Is Hands Down The Best Grocery Store Bakery

When you're heading out for your weekly grocery haul, you probably aren't looking to make multiple stops — to the butcher, to the fish market, to the bakery — which is why we can always appreciate a supermarket that has them all in one place. Popular destinations like Costco and Whole Foods check every box, but if baked goods are what you're most picky about, there's no better spot to shop than Publix.

In a ranking of the best grocery chain bakery departments, Publix came in at number one based on customer reviews — and we're hardly surprised. The Florida-based grocery store, which is concentrated in the Southeastern United States, is famous for its "Pub Subs." These sandwiches are made to order in the deli department on in-house baked bread. Given how much of a hit those sandwich loaves are, it makes sense that the rest of the store's bakery offerings are also impressive.

Publix bakeries have been making bread from scratch since 1957 — and nearly 70 years later, you can still browse through more than a dozen types of artisanal loaves in-store, which are baked fresh daily right on the premises. Among the fan-favorite varieties are the white mountain, Italian five-grain, and Cuban breads. Per the company, its "bakers still use the same traditional bread-making techniques [they've] been using for over 50 years to make all of [its] fresh breads and rolls." That sure beats out a packaged loaf you'll find pre-sliced in a bag.

As much buyers swoon over the fresh bread, the Publix bakery has also earned a cult following for its cake and pastry selection. If you're in the Florida area (or any Southern state where you can find a Publix), chances are, you've eaten at least one slice of cake from the chain for a birthday party or other celebration. Publix hand-decorates its sheet, layer, and cookie cakes in-store. There is a lineup of fun iced creations ready for the taking on any given day, but customers can also request custom orders online or via phone. These treats come complete with the decorations and flavors of their choosing and can be picked up as soon as the next day.

A standout among them has to be the Chantilly cake. Each slice delivers vanilla and almond flavoring with cloud-like layers of creamy Chantilly-mascarpone frosting. It's all topped with fresh berries. One Reddit user described it as "ridiculously delicious [and] not too sweet," while someone in another thread raved that it's "just the right amount of light and fluffy."

The decadent dessert offerings don't stop there. A Mashed taste-tester actually tried and ranked a slew of sweets from Publix's bakery, praising everything from the store's Key lime pie to its Yoyo chocolate chip cookie sandwiches. The baked good that came out on top was none other than Publix's sweet, cinnamon-y apple fritter, which our tester recommended popping in the microwave for a few seconds before digging in.