An iconic wood-fired brick oven bakery in the tiny village of Freestone, serving legendary hard-crust sourdough, whipping cream scones, and sticky buns directly to an open garden.
Wild Flour Bread has been the aromatic anchor of the historic village of Freestone since its founding in 1998. Founder Jed Wallach, who originally trained in stained glass restoration at the Atelier Pierre Gaudin in Paris and worked on the windows of Chartres Cathedral, discovered his passion for baking while living in France. Upon returning to California, Wallach began baking bread in Two Rock using an adobe oven built by legendary oven-builder Alan Scott. He refined his craft by studying the techniques of Tartine founder Chad Robertson, who was then baking at Scott's home in Point Reyes. Wallach ultimately commissioned Alan Scott to construct the massive, wood-fired brick oven that remains the centerpiece of Wild Flour Bread today. Fired with eucalyptus wood, this oven reaches temperatures exceeding 1,000 degrees before settling into a steady, radiant heat that produces deeply caramelized, thick-crusted sourdough loaves.
The baking program relies on organic ingredients and a spelt sourdough starter, which yields a tightly webbed crumb and a highly flavorful, thick outer crust. The daily menu features a rotating selection of distinctive loaves, including the Bohemian (loaded with apricot, orange, and pecan) and the Egyptian (sweetened with pear, fig, and candied ginger). Savory favorites include the three-cheese fougasse, a leaf-shaped loaf baked with onions and mushrooms, and the pretzel-shaped goat flat bread baked with goat cheese and onion. Alongside the loaves, the bakery is famous for its sticky buns, which are generously glazed with caramel and pecans, and its rich whipping cream scones. These scones rotate through flavors such as white chocolate ginger, double chocolate, espresso, and pluot nectarine. For gluten-free visitors, the bakers prepare two gluten-free scones, one sweet and one savory, along with a gluten-free chocolate chip cookie every morning.
Operating four days a week, from Friday through Monday, the bakery maintains a strict open-door policy where the public is kept outside of the kitchen. There is no public access to the bakery's interior, allowing the bakers to focus entirely on hand-shaping dozens of dough batches. Ordering is a streamlined, open-air ritual conducted at the front door, where a dedicated three-person team consisting of a cashier, a bread server, and a coffee maker assists guests one at a time to keep the line moving. Visitors can take their warm sourdough, fresh pastries, and espresso drinks to the adjacent organic garden, which offers seating among the plantings and views of the surrounding historic barns and open fields. The bakery does not accept phone orders or advance holds, and pets are not permitted in the garden area.
Show up early on weekends to secure the legendary sticky buns before they sell out. Because the bakery interior is entirely closed to the public, all ordering happens at the front door, but a highly efficient three-person team keeps the line moving quickly. Grab your warm sourdough and coffee, then find a seat in the organic garden, but note that pets are not allowed in the garden area.
Coffee & Craft — Roadside fuel stops curated by Basecamp West. The best coffee shops, craft breweries, diners, and eateries worth the detour on your next Western road trip.