Sacramento’s hottest breadmaker, Faria Bakery, to open second area location

Sacramento favorite Faria Bakery is expanding, adding a second location atop Folsom Historic District, owner and head baker Chris Beattie confirmed Monday.

The bakery is moving into a 1,200-square foot unit at 604 Sutter St., a building that also houses Sutter Street Steakhouse, Inspired Living nutritional services and Z Global engineering firm. Construction is underway, and Beattie hopes to open sometime in June.

Despite being just four years old, Faria Bakery has staked its claim as arguably the Sacramento area’s best bread-centered bakery. Country loaves, pains de mie and naturally leavened baguettes drive people from across the region to the north Oak Park flagship that opened at 3417 Broadway in 2019.

The pastries include fresh-milled black sesame kouign-amann, buckwheat coffee cake, chocolate-walnut-beer cookies using grains from neighboring Oak Park Brewing Co. In-the-know customers come out for Wednesday supper club featuring pizzas, salads and Basque-style cheesecake.

Some of Faria’s first sales came at the Historic Folsom Farmers Market four years ago when Beattie was still cooking out of his home kitchen, Manager Laurie Niles has built on that relationship in the time since. Faria’s stand now sells more than the Oak Park brick-and-mortar restaurant on Saturdays, and lines can be so long that regulars set up tables and chairs to brief other customers on the menu and save Niles time, Beattie said.

“We’ve been operating and selling in Folsom longer than any other location — longer than Oak Park, as weird as that maybe sounds,” Beattie said. “The people in Folsom have really embraced us and been huge supporters for us, both in our Oak Park store and now our bakery and store in Folsom. We’re very grateful and excited to be there.”

Folsom customers will get access to some specialty items, too.

Faria will expand its lunch menu — the Oak Park restaurant offers only a trio of sandwiches and two toasts — and add more small plates at the new location, Beattie said. Faria 2.0 will also have a refrigerated case, allowing them to sell cakes and little desserts one might find in a pâtisserie.

Most baking will initially take place in Oak Park while Faria figures out how to work its Folsom location, Beattie said. Staple breads and pastries can be found at farmers markets around the region, which Beattie said allows Faria to test the waters for future brick-and-mortar expansion — maybe in Roseville, maybe in Elk Grove.

“It’s a really fun way to get in touch with the customers and community there, and hopefully take a plunge down line in terms of brick-and-mortar,” Beattie said.

Future and current customers can follow Faria’s progress in Folsom at @fariabakeryfolsom on Instagram.

This story was originally published March 29, 2022 at 5:25 AM.