Friday the 13th turns out to have been a mighty lucky day for local diners. That’s the date in November 2015 that Warehouse Bakery & Donuts opened its doors. The cheery, casual café has been booming ever since.
Jennifer Hassner, of Sweet Olive Bakery fame, owns the new venture with Will Carlton, of Fairhope Roasting Co. (The coffee headquarters are tucked into the same building, and their coveted cold brew on tap is featured at the bakery.)
Breakfast and brunch are often especially busy, owing to the eatery’s enticing array of house-made specialties. The unique menu includes egg and cheese kolaches, made-from-scratch “Pop-Tarts, ” much-loved breakfast bowls, build-your-own biscuits and a trio of inventive benedicts. “The donuts have also been incredibly popular, ” says Hassner. “I didn’t realize what a hit they would be.”
Other offerings later in the day are a mix of healthful and hedonistic. Create a tasty build-your-own bowl for lunch and dinner. There is always a vegan chili and soup du jour fashioned from whatever is locally fresh. Each is served up with crostini cleverly made from leftover un-iced donuts. The moist donut bread pudding is another delightful way extras are reinvented.
A long table with bar-stool seating is ideal for solo supping, while wooden tables (from Charles Phillips in Theodore) paired with vintage, aqua pleather diner chairs are suited for a crowd. And, when the weather is nice, they roll up the garage-style doors making the entire restaurant open-air. The restaurant has expanded hours and days of operation, and Hassner also hopes to add pizzas, calzones, wings, appetizers and more to the current menu. Beer and wine are available, as well as mimosas and bloody marys.
On the Menu
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District Salad
Fresh spinach, kale, cabbage, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, avocado and onions are generously sprinkled with crunchy sunflower and pumpkin seeds and served with a lovely, creamy, sprightly mustard vinaigrette.
Pimento Cheese BLT
This sandwich features a tasty compilation of the trinity of revered Southern staples: fried green tomatoes, locally sourced bacon and lush, homemade pimento cheese. Made with roasted green peppers, Gouda, Parmesan and cheddar, the spread is bound with a bit of mayo and a scattering of jalapeños. It’s all piled up on a house-baked buttery, toasty brioche.
Jungle Fish Buddha Bowl
Tender, grilled Gulf snapper tops a big bowl of savory, steamed vegetables, served with a satiny sesame lime sauce. It’s incredibly nutritious and utterly delicious.
Peanut Butter Chocolate Cake
Fluffy, thick peanut butter icing is lavishly swirled over moist, heavenly chocolate cake and topped with a plump, house-made peanut butter cookie.
Warehouse Bakery & Donuts • 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. Su – Th • 6 a.m. – 9 p.m. F – Sa.
759 Nichols Ave. Fairhope • 928-7223
text by Sallye Irvine • photo by elise Poché
