Florets

Tucked amongst the Grey Lynn shops lies Florets, a cosy neighbourhood bakery with a strong focus on creating sustainable and nutritious sourdough bread. Florets brings to Auckland something the community both wants and needs: bread that is delicious, satisfying and importantly, nutrient dense.

Over the years, modifications to the way we make bread has resulted in an output that is less nutritious, and Florets seeks to change that. Using whole-grain, organic flour (grown and stone milled in Canterbury) combined with traditional fermentation techniques, results in bread that is healthy, longer lasting and satisfyingly flavoursome.

Florets founder Maya Handley gained her comprehensive understanding of sourdough bread abroad, training and graduating from the International Culinary Centre in New York. After moving home, Handley identified a keenness amongst Aucklanders for wholesome bread, and after experimenting with a sourdough delivery service in 2020, Florets bakery and cafe opened in 2021.

At Florets, loaves of bread line the front window and there’s a few tables out front, although the best place to sit is in the homely dining room upstairs, overlooking the hum of Great North Road. The menu features a mouthwatering assortment of soups, cookies, Flight coffee and artisan sandwiches, with innovative fillings such as danbo cheese and green apple relish, as well as a wide range of sourdough loaves to take home. 

The ethos at Florets revolves around providing nutritious food for the community, while minimising waste and offering a fair and positive work environment. Where possible, local produce and growers who use environmentally sustainable practices are supported. It’s led to a standard of excellence that has become synonymous with what to expect from Florets.