You walk down NW 80th St in Ballard. You pop in the door at 8000. And suddenly, you’re in a bake shop fantasy land that makes you wonder—are you still in Seattle, or have you somehow landed in central Copenhagen?
Cases of beautifully crafted Danish pastries draw your eyes one way. Icing-flowered cakes layered with creamy fillings and colorful, fruity jams pull them the other way. Fresh bread, glistening fruit tarts, artfully decorated cookies, swirled chocolate confections, and all sorts of marzipan-forward creations make the whole experience even more magical.
Welcome to Larsen’s Bakery, opened in 1974 by Poul Larsen, who started baking in Copenhagen at the age of fourteen, and apprenticed with some of Denmark’s finest chefs before moving to Seattle. And are we ever glad he made the journey. Not only because we get to indulge in the true flavors and baking techniques of legendary Danish pastries the way they’re meant to be tasted. But also because Larsen’s contributes to the quality of life in Seattle—active in the local Scandinavian community, environmentally and socially conscious, and respectful of their employees and customers alike.
We’re thrilled to carry Larsen’s handmade pastries and cakes in our markets, and we encourage you to give them a try. Insider tip: their authentic Danish kringle is the pretzel-shaped, almond-filled, perfectly flaky stuff that pastry dreams are made of. Just saying.