Cakewalk Bakery

56 Main Street
Lee, MA
www.cakewalkbakery.com

There is everything to like about the Cakewalk. When I first moved in, my neighbors (a tip of the hat to Shawnie and Bryan - may they be enjoying their new home in Ithaca!) said one of the best things about downtown Lee was the Cakewalk and they are correct. The vibe is much more funky-retro, using the original elements of the store such as the 50's linoleum and exposed radiators, than the hard wood/stainless steel bistro chic of the Haven Bakery in Lenox. (But then that's sort of Lee vs Lenox in a nutshell. There's another entry in there...) Another difference between the two is that the Cakewalk sells items like blondies and brownies and the Haven sells chocolate chiffon cake with double-whipped cream cheese frosting. You get the point - both are great, just different. There is also less risk of getting run over by a Donald J Pliner mule in the Cakewalk.

The croissants are quite good, buttery and flaky. I think the Berkshire Mountain Bakery's croissants may be a hair better (BMB's pan au chocolat are definitely superior - much more French than Cakewalk's more American packed-solid-with-chocolate version) but BMB is in Housantonic which is too long a drive first thing in the morning. The other baked goods are universally delicious and I am particularly fond of the cinnamon rose and the chocolate chip scone. Of course these are enormous, sweet, American scones - you won't be using lemon curd or jam on these. I have been less impressed with their baguette.

Get there early since as they sell out of various baked goods, that's it for the day. The staff is friendly and low-key. Overall, the biggest problem with the Cakewalk is that often it's hard to find a space to sit down!