Rocket Baby for Bread Lovers

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If you’re driving down North Avenue in Wauwatosa, chances are you’ve passed Rocket Baby Bakery on the north side of the street. Eye-catching with its French blue paint and red trim, if you’re walking you can’t help but peep into the windows to see that day’s fresh batches of baked goods.

I had heard people talking about this spot for a while and admittedly do not go to bakeries as often as someone who loves bread as much as I do. Luckily, I was with a friend who knows her way around the world of pastries, so we got a couple of different things to round out the order. We chose an almond croissant, a mini blueberry and chocolate babka, a mini baguette and a turkey club sandwich. The idea was to eat the sandwich for lunch and snack on the baked goods throughout the weekend, but they were all mostly gone by late afternoon.

Great bread is essential to a great sandwich. While I wouldn’t call this a turkey club because it only had two slices of bread and included avocado, it was a great sandwich. Full of the perfect amount of crunch and softness in every bite and an excellent aioli to boot. The mini baguette was incredible, and I wish I had them laying around my kitchen at all times, but probably better that I do not. The almond croissant was perfectly gooey with an almond paste cream in the center and covered in slices of almonds on the outside. Then there was the babka—what a special little treat and perfectly portioned to an individual which is not often the case. 

While there once was a room for tables and chairs, COVID days have turned the spot into a bigger baking operation with an adorable storefront window where they take your order. It adds more to the Parisian feel instead of it being a regular sit down but there are plenty of benches in a tiny park next to the building to sit and enjoy your coffee and pastries. Plus, there’s ample parking which is rare for North Avenue businesses.

Wauwatosa won over the heart of my friend who was visiting as it still has some of that ‘50s charm with modern establishments popping up more and more. If you’re lucky enough to live close by to make this part of your morning walk, you must do so.