SO excited to put this GEM on your radar, Nomsters! If you’ve got a sweet tooth, save this one. Little Boy Bakery is a husband-and-wife French pastry operation, and everything I tried was fantastic. FYI, my noms were generously gifted by Chef Bryan for full disclosure <3 BUT as always, this is my honest opinion.
Bryan’s the pastry chef (classically trained with 10-plus years of experience) and his wife Alicia runs the show as general manager. The pastries are creative, beautifully done, and the menu changes all the time, so no two visits look the same. My two standouts were the pain suisse and the almond croissant, both so yum I’m still thinking about them. You can catch them at the Bel Air Farmers Market on Saturdays and the Catonsville market on Sundays or order from them directly online.
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What Makes Little Boy Bakery A Must…
What sets Little Boy Bakery apart is the combo of real pastry-school technique and a menu that refuses to sit still. Bryan trained classically and spent 10-plus years in the craft, and that background comes through in everything on the table. Because the lineup rotates so often, every market run is a chance to see something new, and following them on Instagram is genuinely the only way to know what’s dropping that weekend. It’s a true small, family-run operation, which I always love to support.
The Story Behind Little Boy Bakery…
The name comes from a sweet place. When Bryan was a kid, he’d save quarters from his piggy bank so he could buy a chocolate croissant each week and split it with his brother. To this day he remembers how much joy that brought him, and his whole mission with Little Boy Bakery is to recreate that feeling for other people through his pastries. I don’t know, something about that just makes the croissants taste even better, lol. You can really feel the heart in what they’re making.
What to Order at Little Boy Bakery
The menu changes constantly, so treat this as a guide to the vibe rather than a fixed list. Here’s everything I got to try, and here’s how they ranked for me.
Pain Suisse
This was my number one. It’s a laminated, croissant-style pastry filled with raspberry pastry cream and dark chocolate, and theirs is double-baked, which sets it apart from a standard pain suisse. That raspberry and dark chocolate combo is exactly my kind of thing, and it was the clear standout of the box. If you see it, get it, no notes!
Almond Croissant
My other favorite in the box. A classic, done really, really well. If the almond croissant is your benchmark for a bakery, this one clears the bar.
Everything else I tried was delish too, and it was genuinely tough to pick favorites. Here was the full lineup!
- Pistachio pastry cream with dark chocolate espresso ganache. For the pistachio-and-chocolate people, a must.
- Salted caramel with fresh banana and crumble. A creative combo worth grabbing if you spot it.
- Fresh berries with vanilla pastry cream. A good pick that’s a classic!
- Sea salt maple syrup apple cinnamon bun roll with cheesecake pastry cream. One of those combinations that just works. Definitely a must for apple lovers!
What Exactly is Pain Suisse?
Pain suisse is a French viennoiserie made from laminated, croissant-style dough, usually filled with vanilla pastry cream and chocolate and baked into a little rectangle. The name translates to “Swiss bread,” but it’s actually French, not Swiss (fun party fact). Little Boy Bakery’s version swaps in raspberry pastry cream and double-bakes it, which is their signature twist on the classic.
The Vibe and Experience
This is a farmers-market situation, so the experience is all about the hunt. You show up, see what they’ve got that day, and grab what catches your eye. A weekend morning at a farmers market with one of their pastry boxes is a pretty solid plan. Bring cash to be safe, since market vendors often prefer it, and get there early if there’s something specific you’re after.
Good to Know
- Where to find them: Bel Air Farmers Market on Saturdays (📍 2 S Bond St, Bel Air, MD, usually 8 AM to 12 PM) and the Catonsville Sunday Market (📍 15 Mellor Ave, Catonsville, MD, usually 9 AM to about 12 PM)
- Heads up: both markets are seasonal (roughly spring through late November), so check before you go
- Menu: rotates constantly, so follow their site and Instagram for what’s dropping each weekend
- Ordering: online pre-orders are available, and pickup at their Elkridge commissary is by appointment only (no walk-in storefront)
- Prices: classic croissants start around $5 and cream-filled ones from about $9
- Payment: bring cash for the market just in case
Is Little Boy Bakery Worth Checking Out?
They get a big yes from me! The pastries are uber creative, the quality’s there, and you’re supporting a small family business chasing a really sweet dream. The farmers-market-only setup takes a tiny bit of planning, but the pain suisse alone is worth building your Saturday around. If you love a good croissant run, this one’s a must!
Have you guys tried Little Boy Bakery yet? Let me know what you grab when you go, Nomsters, and if you’re in the Elkridge area chasing pastries, you’ve got more sweet options nearby like Touche Touchet for beignets and Kupcakes & Co.