Tracking This Year's Most Anticipated Baked Goods Spots

There will be no shortage of baked goods in Houston this year. Although several bake shops have already opened in the last few weeks, including Three Brothers' Washington Avenue outpost, the fourth Houston-area Tiff's Treats, the west side's new Snowflake Cafe and Bakery and the return of Ranch Bakery on Barker Cypress. (We even a 24-hour Sprinkles Cupcakes vending machine in Highland Village.) But there are still some exciting bake shops to come from some names you might recognize. Check back for an update on Slow Dough Bread Co., a local baked goods supplier who's looking to open a permanent retail shop this year. Here now, the most exciting upcoming baked goods destinations.

1. Common Bond
Location: 1706 Westheimer
Description: This upcoming cafe has already been touted as Houston's forthcoming "world-class" bakery due in large part to chef/owner Roy Shvartzapel of elBulli, Cyrus and Bouchon fame. Joining that esteemed culinary figure are Drew Gimma, Tony Stein, Jillian Bartolome and Alec Bartee, among others who have been working on recipes for months now. When the shop was announced last summer, Shvartzapel said that the name stemmed from the idea that he and his chefs share a common bond: "We are united in our passion to bring an outstanding product on every level to patrons from all walks of life." Once Common Bond opens in the 3,600-square-foot space across from Agora it will feature more than just sweet treats; there will be a full menu of savory dishes as well as beer and wine.
Projected opening date: April

2. Fluff Bake Bar
Location: Midtown
Description: After reaching (and surpassing) her Kickstarter goal, the self-proclaimed Sugar Hooker Rebecca Masson is getting ready to open a brick-and-mortar shop. Masson attracted a large following after being a contestant on Bravo's Top Chef: Just Desserts and selling her baked goods at local shops like Inversion and Revival Market — she's the woman behind the addictive "Veruca Salt" and best fluffernutters we've tasted. Fluff Bake Bar will be a bakery-meets-tavern when it debuts, with several local beers on tap. As for the location, all she's willing to say at this time is that her bakery will be somewhere in Midtown.
Projected opening date: TBA

3. Tout Sweet
Location: 2001 Commerce
Description: The owners of SWEET in CityCentre, Thuy-my Luong and Sandy Tran, are opening this bakery and cafe in the East End, at the space that once housed underground music venue Hyperia. Tout Suite will be a full-service dining establishment with build-your-entrée lunch and dinner options. Ecky Prabanto and David Buehrer's Greenway Coffee will provide a selection of brewed coffee and Slow Dough Bread Co. will supply the bread for sandwiches. House-made desserts, of course, will be the highlight here. Tout Suite will be the first retail spot at this developing co-op that will soon welcome art studios and graphic design firms.
Projected opening date: End of March to beginning of April.

4. FM 903's bakery
Location: 903 Westheimer
Description: While this isn't technically a stand-alone bakery, upcoming restaurant FM 903 from Triniti chef/owner Ryan Hildebrand will be a "half-and-half concept," as baking maven Samantha Mendoza told Eater last month. The eatery will have an adjoining bakery that will provide fresh breads and pastries daily. Mendoza is already offering locals a preview with weekend pop-ups at Triniti. In January, Hildebrand told Eater that he hopes FM 903 will be "a gastronomic destination as well as a place to just relax with a coffee and a pastry or sit in the dog-trot with a glass of wine and enjoy the breeze."
Projected opening date: Fall

5. Pondicheri's bakery
Location: Above Pondicheri (2800 Kirby Dr. B132)
Description: West Ave.'s Pondicheri will soon double in size with a new area that will focus exclusively on baked goods. Chef/owner Anita Jaisinghani — who also owns Montrose's Indika — has signed a lease for the space directly above her contemporary Indian restaurant. The restaurant already sells innovative baked items, like masala cookies and blueberry and pistachio scones, but extra square footage will allow Jaisinghani to expand her dessert offerings and implement a to-go program.
Projected opening date: Summer

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