Judging by the very loooong line when we came near Winkler’s Bakery, it is one of the most popular places in town. One stop inside and you will know why.

The bakery was built in 1800 and restored in 1968. Originally run by the single brothers, it caused controversy because it meant that the single sisters would have to shop here… un-chaperoned (gasp!). Not having such tawdry goings-on, it was turned over to the married Brother Thomas Butner to be the new baker. But it turned out, Butner preferred farming to baking. In 1808, Swiss-born Christian Winkler brought the bakery.

Winkler and his family ran the successful business for more than 30 years. Christian died in 1839, and his family continued to run the bakery until 1926. Today, it is run by the Old Salem Foundation.

Every day, hundreds of loaves of bread are handmade and cooked in the original wood-burning stove. Everything is done by hand the way it would have been done in the 1800s, so there are no industrial-sized Martha Stewart mixers here (or if they do, then they are well hidden). To the left is when you purchased the baked goods. This is where you will find quite a wait. Here you will find fresh-baked goods, as well as the pre-packed Moravian cookie gift sets. Moravian cookies are thin and delicate yet suburb cookies. They come in ginger, sugar, lemon, key lime, and walnut. You can order these delectable goodies online at www.oldsalem.org in case you’re not nearby to snag any of these treats.

You can also see the men and women hard at work baking in the back. The bakery items of the day are written up on a chalkboard and changed or crossed out as they become sold out. They have an array of wonderful breads. Since it was the end of the day, they had a buy-one, get-one-free special on the white bread round, so Karen and I just split the cost of that. They also have a sugar loaf that is rumored to be heaven here on earth. I also got a huge bag of the sugar cookies, probably about three dozen in all.

If you go around to the back on the second floor of the building, you will find the Salem Soda Shop. Here you will find sandwiches, soups, salads, and some of the best homemade ice cream around. Karen and I stopped in for a drink before heading back home. They have their own website at www.salemsodashop.com.

Both businesses are typically open from 9am to 5:30pm. Both businesses are open on Monday. Both do take credit cards or cash. I would suggest stopping at the bakery on your way out. I promise you will walk out with a bag full when you come here!