The Best Bakery In Newark Anchors The City's Premier Food Neighborhood

It was a classic Saturday night for me as a food-loving New Jersey native teenager: Having just left a diner, I stopped by the local supermarket to pick up something for dessert and breakfast the next day. This particular time, I'd returned to the store my family used to shop at when I was a child. Then, it was a dusty, dated A&P supermarket, but it had been sold and reborn as a Seabra's Market, a local chain of grocers specializing in Portuguese foods. The bakery counter was astounding, far beyond the typical supermarket offerings. Where did these magical pastries and desserts come from? The clerk told me: Teixeira's Bakery in Newark. Thus began a beautiful love story between a boy and his favorite bakery. 

For most people who aren't from northern New Jersey — and even for some who are — the idea of getting something to eat in Newark conjures the image of grabbing a massively overpriced, soggy sandwich from a refrigerator before heading to your gate at the airport. Yet just two miles from Terminal C sits the Ironbound, one of the state's best food neighborhoods. The four-square-mile area is home to 55,000 people and almost 200 restaurants, shops, and markets, including Teixeira's.

Greater Newark has given us the Italian hot dog and a rich history of diners, but more recently, the Ironbound has become the center of the region's Portuguese community. Teixeira's has two locations in the neighborhood. The bakery has been in business since 1976, but members of the Teixeira family have been bakers for more than a century.

Although Teixeira's has a lot to offer, its roots are in Portuguese baking. A must-try for first-time  visitors is the pasteis de nata, a classic custard tart created by monks in the 18th century. Teixeira's version is traditional with a flaky crust and a rich, creamy interior. The pasteis de nata are sold individually from the bakery counter, or pre-packed in a box. They're a top seller at the bakery, so there are plenty on hand.

Think of a type of pastry, or a specific filling you'd like to have, and Teixeira's probably has it. The pastry case, which spans nearly the entire bakery, is filled with dozens of different baked treats. It's a mix of traditional Portuguese sweets and ones we might be more used to seeing in the United States. Fruit-filled Portuguese-style croissants are next to massive frosted cinnamon rolls, for instance.

Teixeira's also makes custom cakes in addition to the pre-made cakes and individual cake slices available to go. Across the offerings, there's a distinctly Jersey flavor. You might not expect a Portuguese bakery to turn out velvety New York-style cheesecake, but Teixeira's rivals any examples across the Hudson. Its walnut coffee cake is also a standout, with a dense but moist texture and a taste that's not too sweet.

Teixeira's cafe on Ferry Street is where the company makes its sweets, but its breads are baked at its other location a few blocks away (don't worry, both are available at either location). You might be familiar with the so-called Portuguese rolls at your local supermarket, but those likely bear almost no resemblance to the vast array of breads at Teixeira's.

What are often sold as Portuguese rolls are closest to Teixeira's molete, a soft yet chewy sandwich roll. If you want to explore further, try the pão d'avó, which translates to "grandma's bread." The texture is the standout here: An intensely chewy, floury crust surrounds a yeasty, fluffy interior, making the rolls great for pressed sandwiches. Or, sample the broa, a dense, dark cornmeal bread perfect for eating alongside soup.

In fact, Teixeira's has a daily menu of homemade soups (though they're served with a molete) and a selection of sandwiches. The specialty of the house is the bifana, a sandwich filled with pork that's been marinated in garlic and paprika, thinly sliced, and served on a molete. The pork is tender enough to melt in your mouth, and the hearty molete roll holds up well. It might not be far away geographically, but it's a far cry from that sad airport sandwich across town.