Photography by Bill Whaley
Photography by Bill Whaley
A mainstay in the community, Bay Country Bakery offers a wide selection of fresh, scratch-made menu options and warm Eastern Shore hospitality. Located in Cambridge and owned by David and Gena Levy, who bought the business in 1999 from the previous owners, the bakery celebrates a proud tradition of service and has established a loyal customer base.
“Bay Country Bakery was a long-standing business that was well-known for its donuts,” Gena says. “Many generations have grown up as customers, so it was important to respect the bakery’s tradition by continuing to make the donuts daily but also expanding the selection of products. We decided to add danishes, croissants, cookies, pies, cakes, breads, and breakfast sandwiches, and we offer weekly and seasonal items that utilize local products.”
To learn more, we spoke to Gena.
What inspired you to buy Bay Country Bakery? David and I had been working in the service industry for a few years and wanted to invest our time in our own business. A friend of my father’s had been to an auction for the bakery but did not have much experience in food service. So, David and I decided to go to a second auction, and we bought the bakery. We thought it would be a good opportunity to have our own business and live closer to our families since we were expecting our first child.
Photography by Bill Whaley
Tell us about your background in the restaurant industry. David and I went to culinary school and worked in fine dining for several years before settling on the Eastern Shore. We spent time in New Orleans and Philadelphia, which offered learning opportunities and helped inspire us.
Describe your business philosophy. We pride ourselves on using fresh ingredients and supporting local vendors whenever possible. For example, our milk and cream come from Nice Farms Creamery, a local dairy, and our coffee is sourced from Chesapeake Coffee Roasters (formerly Chesapeake Bay Roasting Company) in Crofton.
Photography by Bill Whaley
What are some of your top-selling baked goods? The donuts are absolutely favorites, while our chocolate and cheese danishes are among our top sellers. We also offer classic items like éclairs and giant cinnamon buns that often spark childhood memories for our customers, reminding them of neighborhood bakeries or treats their mothers and grandmothers used to make. Maintaining a 99 percent scratch bakery is a lot of work, but seeing those connections makes the long days worth it.
What are some of your top-selling breakfast sandwiches? Our croissants are incredibly popular, especially when we use them to make our breakfast sandwiches. We like to keep things simple and high quality and focus on egg, meat, and cheese combinations. One standout is our steak, egg, and cheese sandwich served on our signature Butter Bun. We use a house-made spice rub on flank steak, slice it thin, and serve it hot with your choice of cheese.
The Butter Bun has gained a following of its own. In addition to our own sandwiches, we produce the buns for other local Cambridge businesses, including RAR Brewing and Ocean Odyssey Crab House & Seafood Restaurant. It’s an honor to support their success and feature our products on their menus.
Photography by Bill Whaley
What are some of your favorite family recipes? David and I were both influenced by our grandmothers and spent time baking with them. Our Christmas cookies and peach pies are seasonal traditions that we continue to make in honor of them.
Tell us how you expanded the business in 2009. We made the pivotal decision to expand by moving to our own property on Route 50. (The bakery was previously located in Shoal Creek Shopping Center in Cambridge.) We wanted a space that we could truly call our own and invest in for the long term. This expansion allowed us to capture the beach-bound traffic and grow our production capacity to meet the high demand for our scratch-made goods.
Photography by Bill Whaley
Describe the atmosphere and customer experience at Bay Country Bakery. The atmosphere is defined by our hardworking staff and our connection to the community. We serve loyal local customers as well as visitors passing through, including groups from the Hyatt on the Choptank River. As a small-town business, we handle a massive amount of daily production. We strive to provide a consistent, fresh experience that makes Bay Country Bakery a special destination for anyone passing through Cambridge.
Bay Country Bakery | 2951 Coastal Highway, Cambridge | 410-228-9111 • thebaycountrybakery.com
