• REMOVED: Knead Baking Company

  • (4)

    Closed

  • White Veg-options
Lacto
Ovo
American
Italian
Delivery
Take-out
Bakery
Non-veg

Serves meat, vegan options available. Artisan bakery making pastries, cakes, and seasonal flat breads(ovo, lacto). Menu includes vegetarian friendly sandwiches and baked goods, but no vegan ones. Uses packaging made of 100% recycled paper. Has a booth at the Ojai Certified Farmers' Market on Sunday. Removed for poor vegan options.


Venue map for Knead Baking Company
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4 Reviews

First Review by rgraham33

catbone

Points +574

Vegetarian
19 Feb 2016

We Were ALL So Disappointed.

I was excited to find this listing on HappyCow. Knead is hard to find as it's recessed away from the street. The street parking was difficult. I hoped that was a good sign.
I walked in and it did have a Artesian feel. I hoped it would have the perfect dessert ending to our lunch invitation I extended to our new neighbors.
While waiting in line, I decided on either the full-sized chocolate cake or maybe one of their fruit pies in the display case. I told the girl at the counter my needs. She told me I could not buy the whole cake or the whole fruit pie that I had been eyeing. I don't know if it was her tone of voice or the words she used when she said it, but her comment really irritated me.
Okay, fine. I told her I needed dessert for 4 to be served with tea after lunch that afternoon. I saw 3 flaky fruit turnovers and I was almost happy for a moment. Did they have one more in the back? No.
They did not have 4 of any single pastry. So, I decided to order 4 different selections and just serve everyone a sampling. I ordered one of the fruit turnovers, and she said the coffee cake was really good, but her favorite was the buttercake... so I took those... and that made 3. I needed 1 more. "Sorry" she said, "that's all we have..."
As I was walking out, she told me they did have a chocolate thing with a melty middle and we have to "give it a few minutes because it's still cooling" AND even if I wait 10 minutes, it will probably still melt all over the box on my drive back home... was I interested? Of course I am! I wanted to order 4 of these fresh-out-of the oven chocolate desserts, but the lazy expression on her face told me there was no way she was going put back those 3 desserts she had already placed in the box.
Okay... I really don't have the time after this lenghty, unproductive session with her because we have to pick up our guests and now we're going to be late. But, I'll wait because it's supposed to be an "Artisan Bakery" and my Plan B would have to be the Von's Grocery Store Bakery and even more time wasted.
I thought Plan B might be an insult to my lunch guests. But, I didn't realize picking up a quick dessert for 4 was going to be such a long, arduous affair.
When I'm finally walking back to my car, I wondered why I was carrying only one box instead of 2 boxes. She warned me the chocolate thing could melt all over the box on the drive back home even if I waited the extra 10 minutes. Should I be worried? No, I told myself... She is an Artesian and knows her craft... I'm sure she must have wrapped it so it wouldn't ruin the other 3 pastries already in the box, right?
I took heed in her warning and carefully nestled my precious pastry box in my jacket and swaddled it with an additional beach towel on the front passenger floor. I drove extra slowly so it wouldn't be jostled on the drive home.
We were so late in picking up our guests, they had to "nibble" on a snack which had definately ruined their appetite at the restaurant. But, I told them about my extra wait at Knead, and that it was probably a Chocolate Lava Cake that we were having for dessert after lunch.
I described the fruit turnover, the coffee cake, the butter cake and the long wait for the chocolate cake to cool before they let me take it. When I opened the Knead box, it was a horrifying sight. There was melting chocolate still oozing all over the other 3 pastries. I assumed this Artisan baker, who knew in advance that it could melt on the way back, had wrapped it in aluminum foil or put it in a special container or something sensible like that. But this lazy, uncaring girl had just shoved it in the box with the other pastries.
My guests could feel my humiliation and pain for having to serve them such a terrible mess. Their graciousness helped me tremendously and because my guests were former restaurant owners, they were very understanding about the appearance of our dessert medley.
But, we all cringed as we discovered the 3 non-chocolate desserts were all stale! It was so humiliating as my former restaurant-owner guest shook her head with an expression I hope I never see again.
I would never trust Knead for any of my pastry needs. I paid about $35 for 4 extremely disastrous desserts, 3 of which were stale "Artesian" pastries. Now, I understand why my baked goods from Knead were so stale... I seriously doubt Artesian patrons with any pride, dignity or sense shops there.

Chia

Points +3635

Vegetarian
07 Feb 2012

Ovo-lacto vegetarians okay

I had read about this place on happycow, and here's my Knead Baking Company review.

We came to Ojai in February 2012, and I was so excited to try this place (I like baked goodies). Unfortunately everything that's vegetarian suitable contains egg and dairy. The only thing I found that's vegan suitable was a bag of crackers that cost over $10.

The food menu offers some plates and sandwiches that are okay for ovo-lacto vegetarians but not for vegans.

On a positive note, the pastries and baked goods are all very fancy and artisanal.

Cons: expensive

Delmar831

Points +40

Vegan
26 Jun 2010

Not much for vegans

I'm not sure how this place is vegan-friendly. They serve sandwiches and pastries, neither of which are vegan. Their bread is vegan, but I didn't go there for bread. I gave it two cows as this site said the lowest I could give it is 2 cows. It's more like 0 cows.

Cons: no vegan pastries, no vegan sandwichwes

rgraham33

Points +512

Vegetarian
07 Feb 2010

Knead Baking Company

If you search the Internet for an Ojai company using the terms "artisan", "savory", "local", "fresh baked" and "just plain good" your search would return Knead Baking Company in Ojai, California.

Knead provides individualized artisan pastries baked to order. Their rustic, Italian-influenced baked goods feature a variety of flours, grains and local farm-fresh fruits and vegetables. My mouth is watering as I type. Their food is that fresh, that good.

If you have an anniversary, a birthday or need someone to provide creative food for a special party, they will bake, deliver and set up for individual plate or buffet orders. Your choice! They have an extensive offering including mini pastries, bars, cookies, cakes, coffee cakes, scones, cinnamon buns, pies, galettes and breads.

One of my favorite items continues to be their flat bread. The neat thing about Knead flatbreads is their seasonality. The savory rosemary flatbread has a combination of potatoes, cheese and fresh herbs. Perfect for fall weather. If you walk into their bakery today, don't be surprised to see a colorful pizza flatbread with sun dried tomatoes, roasted red peppers, goat cheese and baby green chard. A flatbread for all seasons.

Knead Baking Company products are delicious and they are good for the environment. They pride themselves on using local organic ingredients and their packaging is made of 100% recycled paper.

Pros: Fresh, Artisan

Cons: Pricy




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