They call it Weltons Tiny Bakeshop, located in downtown Charleston. It is named after the proprietors, Hannah and Zachary Welton. The doors open here at 8:00 am Wednesday through Sunday and close at 1:00, or until they sell out-which happens often.
I arrived right on time on a bright, sunny Saturday morning where there was a line already forming outside the quaint little bakery there on King Street. I was not surprised, hence my alarm going off earlier than usual on a Saturday - I wanted first dibs on all the pretty pastries pictured on their Instagram page. Getting close to first in line was all part of the strategy. Walking up to Weltons store front is all that you might imagine a darling little bakeshop with the word “tiny” in the title to be. It looked like a little house that, if you weren’t aware of the bakery inside, you might just walk by-except you would stop in your tracks and wonder where that wonderful smell of cakes and cookies and croissants was coming from.
There are large open windows with a perfect view of an apron flocked figure stacking fresh baked croissants from the oven onto a cooling rack. From where I was standing, looking in as I patiently waited, I could see cake and muffin tins and large mixing bowls hanging from the wall. I imagined them being in rotation throughout the wee early hours of the morning to create all the treats.
My mind wandered about what I might bite into first. As the happy people in line before me walked out with their brown boxes of curated pastries, it was then a slight panic set in for me on what I was going to order. This was not going to be easy, and I needed to make some efficient decisions. Sweet and savory are some of my favorite flavor combos, so I wanted to be certain to get at least one of each. After a few minutes, I stepped inside through the front door which felt like stepping into a quaint and charming vintage-ish pastry shop in any petite village off a cobblestoned side street in Paris-which is just what it reminded me of. There are shelves filled with locally made jams, honey, smoked bacon, boutique wines, and even, oh my goodness, little pails of Dijon mustard from France. Speckled throughout these unique sundries you will find food inspired artwork and weathered baker’s peels-that most likely, from the vibe of this store, have quite a history. They even sell their own house made sourdough croutons by the bag!
As my eyes were scanning all over the room trying to commit it to memory, I was in awe to see behind the counter the tiered trays filled with baked goodness-just as pretty as their pictures. It’s almost overwhelming. So, I ask what they would recommend for a first timer. The girls were eager to assist me in this daunting task, which I was grateful for and so were the people waiting in line behind me. (Honestly, you really couldn’t go wrong with any of the choices.) I started with the bacon, egg biscuit with cheddar cheese “sando”. I was pleasantly surprised at the taste of the herby, smokey bacon-probably the best I have ever had. The eggs were super light, airy and fluffy. The biscuit was a bit crispy on the top, slightly sweet, and buttery. The combination of all the flavors in that first bite as you taste everything, all at once is rare for such a simple sandwich. I probably could have stopped there, as it hit all my favorite tasting notes, but the pastry case is literally irresistible. And so, the story continues. One more for my savory obsession, so I tried the Savory Danish. Can you imagine what hot honey, soppressata, ricotta cheese and spring onion stuffed ever so lovingly smack dab into the middle of a Danish would even taste like? I could only imagine. And then I took a bite. And that’s all I’m going to say about that. This is something you need to experience for yourself. Words really cannot describe the incredible mouthful on that one (You’ll thank me).
I also packed up a slice of the Olive Oil almond cake, a slice of Honey Pie with whipped buttermilk and sea salt, and a Twice Baked Croissant with candied orange and vanilla bean. I do believe my tastebuds encountered lovely, little julienned slices of orange peel amid crunching through that first bite of flaky layers as I got to the dreamy, creamy citrus filling.
Perfectly packed in my little brown box, I could hardly wait to get home to taste each one. I kept my windows closed the whole way to enjoy that fresh bakery smell. Now if I had to pick a favorite of the day, and I’m still thinking about this one as I sip my coffee on a Monday - and I reiterate, only if I had to pick a favorite, it would be the Strawberry Milk Tart. Picture a little baby pie with a golden-brown crust filled with a scrumptious, creamy texture, topped with sliced strawberries, and doused in confectioners’ sugar. Again, in a single bite, you can just picture that basket straight from the farmers market, overflowing with fresh picked berries then baked into this wonderful little treat with the lightest taste of creamy milk to complement it.
This is what food is to me and should always be all about. Simply tasting the freshest ingredients in their prime in all the creative, magical ways food can be prepared. This is certainly the theme here. Local, fresh from the farm ingredients, artisanal creations of beautiful bites. Set your alarm for Weltons Tiny Bakeshop where the customer service is as sweet as the hot honey on a Danish and the word “tiny” only applies to the size of the store. Did I mention the focaccia slabs? Until next time…
Be sure to check out their Instagram @weltonstinybakeshop for daily specials and fun upcoming events. You can also learn more on their website.
Weltons Tiny Bakeshop is located at 682 King Street.
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