Upper Crust Bakery: A Classic Slice of Europe in Austin's "weird" Local Scene

Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe has been called "the worst dumpster in retail", according to owner Stephanie Schuster. This could be in part because the pastries, breads and other foods are too popular to ever make it to the trash, winning both critic and reader Austin Chronicle awards (more than twenty since 1991). The corner bakery at Burnet and 45th in the expanding Rosedale business district seats over 100 in comfortably worn wooden chairs grouped around tables saturated with the luminosity of decades of care and polish. If the morning rush of office commuters getting a quick cup of coffee and a muffin don't have time to enjoy the large windows and local art for sale on the wall, then the lunch crowd can take the time to enjoy the view, or even just the long cases filled with tempting pastries while they eat their salad, soups, quiche, and sandwiches.

Upper Crust hasn't always been at its current location, but it has always been close to the neighborhood. Originally started 23 years ago by Valerie Schuster, after four years sister Stephanie Schuster joined in and the two worked side by side for ten years, until Valerie Schuster left her sister with sole ownership. The shop moved to its current location about 17 years ago, but it is still close to the Rosedale neighborhood where the current owner lives. Schuster is dedicated to the Austin community as well; part of the empty dumpster complaint (told to her by a homeless man) is because 90% of the day-olds are donated to a local non-profit organization, and the remaining is given to a local hospice center. Neither Schuster was formally trained in the art of making European-style pastries, but with a staff of about 40, mostly in food prep, the entire staff is constantly involved with modifying the recipes to please their customers. And the staff is fabulous, by the way. Amazingly friendly, helpful, and quick with a smile.

The shop does not focus on catering, although can provide the service if given notice, and they do provide their goods to retail clients, mostly coffee shops and restaurants. They make all their items in-house from scratch, from the salsa and salad dressing to the specialty breads (and those best-selling, fabulous and fabulously popular award-winning cinnamon rolls). They also pride themselves in producing the freshest quality in their items, using neither preservatives nor any conditioners. The prices range from .50 for a plain sugar cookie to $60 and over for items such as brie en brioche and wedding cakes. Their products include croissant (sweet and savory), danish, muffin, scone, tea bread, cookie, and other smaller pastry, and bread, plus specialty items with limited availability. The lunch menu is primarily the trio of the American bistro, with garden and spinach salads, seasonal soups and sandwiches that don't stray far from classic combinations. A couple of pastas are offered mid-week, and along with quiche, fruit salad, spring rolls and savory croissant, offer a few alternatives to the menu choices.

The European-styled bakery may get most of its business from the breakfast and lunch crowd, but the ones who have the time to appreciate the casual atmosphere the most would be the ones coming in for a quiet place to study, read, or set up office. During my visit, I briefly chatted with a retired couple from the surrounding neighborhood coming in for a soup and a salad, overheard a journalist interviewing a soldier about the war, and watched a preteen carefully digest, layer by layer, both a cinnamon roll and the pages of a paperback. Upper Crust may be one of the old-timers in the Austin bakery scene, but to the regulars, the quality of its product is recognized as befitting its name.

Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe is located at 4508 Burnet Road. Winter hours are M-F 6:30am - 6:30pm; Sat 7am - 5pm and Sun 7am - 1pm, summer hours are shorter. Website at: http://www.theuppercrustbaker.com