Grizzly Baked Goods

Wandering up to the hole-in-the-wall bakery shop of Grizzly Baked Goods will have you feeling like you’ve woken up in another city, somewhere like San Francisco or Berlin. Not that this small city of ours doesn’t compare, but you’ll know what we mean once you visit this gem. Effortlessly cool with a friendly and inviting vibe, the shop front has been tastefully painted in two-tone colour, with hand-painted typography under the window the icing on the cake.

Poke your nose in and you’ll find a selection of their delicious pastries on show under a pristine glass cabinet. There’s their famous donuts, the incredible lemon poppy morning bun (without a lie the best pastry we’ve ever had), croissants, pain au chocolat, double chocolate rye cookies that fly out the door (make sure you get in early to get your hands on one of these), and the list goes on. Pair your pastry of choice with a tasty coffee brewed (with beans) from Christchurch-roasted Embassy Coffee, take a seat on the sunny tables out front, and you are in for a really good time.

Behind all the sweet goodness stands the bread rack filled with Grizzly’s selection of sourdoughs and bagels; bread made the way it should be. There are no additives used here, and all the bread is sourdough which helps it stay good for longer (but good luck trying not to demolish a loaf in a day or two).

The story of Grizzly Baked Goods began half by accident. Baker Sam Ellis began selling his bagels at the Christchurch Farmers' Market (where you’ll still find Grizzly on Saturdays) as a hobby, and quickly grew a following. Many years later, the brick-and-mortar bakery is in full swing, he has a quality team and the business is continuously growing. The success story is really no surprise, as it can easily be said that Grizzly Baked Goods is by far one of the best bakeries in town.