A tiny bakery in a midcoast town was named one of the country’s 24 best bakeries by the New York Times this week.
The Place, which opened in a small storefront in Camden in July 2023, was heralded on Dec. 24 by New York Times food writer Melissa Clark as having “ethereally flaky” croissants, cinnamon buns and French kouign-amanns. It was included alongside 23 other businesses in cities like New York, Los Angeles and Chicago as among the many bakeries across the country “flexing their prowess” at laminated pastries.
Nestled inside a tiny studio bakery on busy Route 1 just outside downtown Camden, The Place is next door to the home of owners Chelsea Kravitz and Chris Dawson, who moved from Long Island, New York to Maine for a quieter pace of life.
Kravitz and Dawson use local flour and butter to craft their pastries, which range from classics like ham and cheese croissants and cinnamon buns to seasonal treats like summer corn and squash danishes and an array of savory hand pies. The pair keep their Instagram account updated regularly with tantalizing photos of their latest creations.
The Place is on a winter break through Jan. 17, and will reopen for both online orders and walk-in service on Jan. 18. It’s located at 117 Elm St. (Route 1) in Camden, and it’s open Fridays, Saturday and Sundays from 9 a.m. until noon or all the pastries sell out.
