Feel Good Bakery — Perfect Crust, Perfect Flavor

Let's talk about bread. We're lucky to have so many options in the Bay Area. Organic, artisanal, rice flour, quinoa, gluten-free, cage-free. It's hard for a bakery to stand out in such a stellar lineup of bread purveyors, but  in Alameda manages to do just that.

The first time I tried a slice of Feel Good bread was at a friend's house in Oakland. Chewing on that perfect crust I mumbled, “Where is this from? This isn't Sem...”

“It's from Feel Good. Good, huh? They're right across the Park Street Bridge,” my friend interrupted.

The bakers take extra care, using organic, stone-ground flour and fermenting the dough for two to three days. And that's just your regular ol' loaf. The bakery is famous for its Wholey-Moley, a chewy loaf that's simple and flavorful. Just three ingredients are needed to create the magic — whole wheat flour, water and sea salt, with an occasional sprinkling of pumpkin or sunflower seeds.

Rick Kellner and Jackie Riley, the husband and wife who own Feel Good, bring a little bit of New York City (Kellner's home town) and a little bit of Paris to their shop.

On the New York side, there is thin-crust pizza loaded with the perfect amount (think lots!) of cheese and a range of toppings, from classic pepperoni to walnuts and caramelized onions.

The flaky croissant melting on your tongue and the sweet almond paste that fills this classic pastry bring Paris to mind. French macarons made of almond paste come in flavors like raspberry, mocha and pistachio.

Wash down the tasty pastries with the bakery's freshly brewed Blue Bottle Coffee. 

If you can't make it to Alameda, you can check out Feel Good on Sundays at the Temescal or Jack London Square farmer's markets in Oakland.

Feel Good Bakery is located in the Alameda Marketplace. The bakery is open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday from 8 a.m to 8 p.m.; and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.