The Little-Known Brand Behind LongHorn Steakhouse's Beloved Bread

If you've ever stepped foot in a LongHorn Steakhouse, you know the feeling: that warm basket of honey-wheat bread arriving at your table, steaming and begging to be slathered with whipped butter. It's so good that you may even consider skipping the steak altogether. But save some room for the full meal because there are some insider tips for dining at LongHorn that will enhance your experience. Yet the bread can still sometimes feel like the star of the show. LongHorn fans have long sung the praises of this LongHorn signature, with its perfectly chewy crust and soft, slightly sweet interior.

So who's responsible for this crowd-pleaser? The answer might surprise you. The bread comes from Epi Breads, an Atlanta-based bakery that's been quietly supplying restaurants with high-quality, homestyle loaves for over 30 years. This isn't just ordinary bread — it has that molasses-kissed richness that pairs beautifully with everything from a juicy ribeye to one of LongHorn's most popular side dishes, like a thick and creamy soup or chewy, satisfying mac and cheese.

This delicious honey-wheat bread often receives high scores in the ranking of the best free chain restaurant breads. It's such a trademark of the LongHorn Steakhouse experience, that it probably comes as a surprise that it's not actually made on-site. But while you may not have previously heard of Epi Breads, its work speaks volumes — delivering that fresh-from-the-oven taste and consistent quality that keeps diners coming back.

What began as a small Atlanta, Georgia bakery in 1985, delivering ultra-fresh breads to local establishments, has evolved into a powerhouse supplier for major restaurant chains across the U.S., while still giving mom and pop-style service to small independents. Unlike assembly-line bakeries, Epi works closely with restaurants to create breads tailored to their exact specifications, offering everything from hoagies and sub rolls to table breads, handmade loaves, and specialty options.

It's all in their small-scale bakery approach, which gives individual employees more autonomy to work directly with customers to create new shapes, textures, and tastes, while still protecting the quality Epi is known for. It aims to replicate the baking processes found in local corner bakeries throughout Europe, a rarity among commercial bakers stateside.

Now operating facilities in Atlanta and Muskegon, Michigan, Epi is able to serve customers all across the country. Its seasoned research and development team can quickly recreate a client's original bread samples and take on orders (large and small) that most other bakeries, no matter their size, simply wouldn't be able to. For LongHorn, that means every loaf delivers the same beloved taste and texture — firm crust, soft interior, and that signature subtle sweetness — whether you're dining in Georgia or California. Thanks to its attention to detail and comfort with individual customization, Epi Breads has grown from coast to coast. A little American ingenuity mixed with the European artisanal approach transformed this small Atlanta bakery into one of the country's most trusted and delicious large-scale bread suppliers.