Happiness is the smell of freshly baked bread and a visit to the recently opened George’s Bread & Co in Casseldale definitely left me feeling filled with joy.
This wholesale bakery prides itself on quality and is a dream come true for lovers of baked goods with a variety of savoury and sweet offerings.
There is also an assortment of coffees, teas, smoothies, fruit juices and more.
George’s Bread & Co, owned by George Moustakis, has two other stores on the East Rand, the flagship store in Boksburg and a satellite store in Benoni, both of which are firm favourites in these communities.
Wanting to see what all the fuss was about, myself and colleagues, editor Thelma Koorts and sales consultant Rina Daniel, headed to the Springs establishment last Thursday for breakfast.
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This store is owned by Christelle Bauer, the bakery’s first franchisee, and it was immediately clear why it is such a hit with customers.
Before stepping through the door, my sense of smell was overwhelmed by the tantalising aromas of pastries, pies, desserts and, of course, bread.
I have a love affair with bread. It’s definitely one of my favourites despite its ‘unhealthy’ reputation.
A well-known 90s fashion model popularised the expression, ‘Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels’, but she’s obviously never had a good ciabatta.
Seriously, is there anything more satisfying than warm, freshly baked bread with lashings of butter?
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Ready to eat my weight in carbs, we were greeted with warm smiles as we entered the bakery. Waiter Clemens van der Berg ushered us to our table where we were given time to browse through the many different sandwich and drink options.
It also gave us time to take in our surroundings. The interior is casual but refined with a beautiful white-washed brick wall as the main feature of the shop.
Low-hanging lights create a warm atmosphere and rolling pins have been incorporated into the décor. You could easily think you were in a lavish café on the other side of the world.
There are several tables, which quickly filled up with other diners. In fact, there were people in and out of the shop all the time – groups of women enjoying a morning get-together, couples stopping by for a quick bite, workers popping in for a pie and a cooldrink and moms picking up something sweet for after-school treats. It’s definitely a place where people connect.
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My eyes were drawn to the delectable goodies around the shop. There were confectionaries on the counter and the bakery display was filled with cakes, tarts, cupcakes, pies and other delights.
There is an array of breads and bread rolls baked fresh daily and the bakery also supplies platters and cakes.
Choosing something to eat was a difficult task with so many tempting options but I finally decided on the chicken mayo, which is mixed with honey and grain mustard.
Sandwiches, with the option to be toasted, are available on health, rye, panini, sourdough, white or brown bread. All are made with fresh lettuce.
I opted for panini bread and for the sandwich to be toasted, while Thelma ordered a scrambled egg and cheddar sandwich, toasted on health bread, and Rina selected the bacon and avo sandwich with fresh tomato, toasted on white bread.
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Other sandwiches include beef and onion, tuna mayo, smashed avo and feta cheese, and pulled beef.
To drink, I ordered a frosted chai latte, with Thelma deciding on a caramel peanut butter smoothie and Rina, a white hot chocolate.
There are a variety of hot and cold drinks available, from green tea, cappuccinos, espressos and macchiatos, to mint, berry or lemon ‘Crushers’, as well as choc chip, banana or brownie milkshakes.
The aromatic frosted chai latte was delicious and refreshing. I had a sip of the peanut butter smoothie, which was equally mouth-watering.
The sweet scent of the white hot chocolate wafted across the table from where Rina was sitting and she confirmed it tasted as good as it smelt.
Our toasted sandwiches arrived shortly afterwards and I ditched my knife and fork to eat the saarmie with my hands.
The chicken mayo filling was generous and well-seasoned and the bread perfectly toasted. It was moreish to say the least and there was not a crumb left on my plate.
My colleagues also found their meals to their liking and both commented on how flavourful the toasties were.
While finishing up our breakfast, Christelle joined our table for a chat and told us she has plans to include an outside seating area and to incorporate the bakery’s full sit-down menu. This will include fare such as French toast, salads, quiches and other appetising items.
Unable to eat another bite, but with Christelle insisting we take something sweet to enjoy later, we each picked out a sugary delicacy.
It was a chocolate doughnut for me, a chocolate croissant for Thelma and a red velvet cupcake for Rina. These went down a treat and I’m told the croissant and cupcake were heavenly.
I made the mistake of not eating my doughnut before I got home and it was sniffed out by my nine-year-old son, who demolished it in about three bites, leaving his face covered in chocolate icing and rainbow sprinkles.
It definitely got his stamp of approval and I was told I should have brought more home.
With excellent food, friendly service, reasonable prices and a great vibe, I’ll be returning to try out that doughnut for myself and, if you’re a smart cookie, you will too.
George’s Bread & Co Springs is situated at shop 3, Cinrosal Centre, 127 Clydesdale Road.
