Paonia Bread Works

Make frequent trips through Paonia for work and have tried this spot a couple of times now. The food is unquestionably great, but everything else about the experience leaves me regretting my choice. It’s extremely difficult to get a sense of what is available outside of the cooked food that is sitting out on the counter. Questions are rebuked with short one word answers and an attitude of, “you should know better, silly tourist, than to ask questions.” Prices seem to be determined whether the person at the counter likes you or not. Service priority is totally up in the air. I’ve been in and out after ordering a bagel and cream cheese in 5 minutes, other times I watch my bagel languish in the done part of the toaster until the person behind the counter decides they are ready to make it. Not to mention watching local folks jump you in priority while your food sits unfinished right in front of you. The best I can guess is the folks who work here love their locals and everyone else is just an inconvenience and a means to an end. I’ve worked in customer service both in food and otherwise for the last fifteen years and I’m not sure anywhere has made me feel like they want my business less.

Such a great place to grab a quick bite! The staff was amazingly friendly and helpful. I'm more of a deep dish pie, or hand tossed (medium thickness crust) kind of pizza lover, yet their thin crust was delicious. The toppings were of outstanding quality, and their pesto was on point! They also had a bakery, which was what I expected, yet they have so much more. A great selection of local and organic drinks. I was pleasantly surprised by the scents as I walked in the door, and I'm so happy they're only one town away, I will be returning. Thank you, great job! ?

As someone who rarely writes reviews and actively supports local businesses, including being a local myself, it pains me to report my recent frustrating experience at Paonia Bread Works. I stopped in hoping to quickly pick up lunch for a 5-hour road trip, expecting a short wait for 2 pre-made pizza slices and a deli sandwich. Instead, what should have been a brief visit turned into a 30-minute ordeal. Despite the shop not being overly crowded—only one customer ahead of me when I placed my order and one behind—I found the service disappointingly slow and inattentive. The counter staff, though busy, did not acknowledge my presence at all, not even with a simple greeting, which could have eased my impatience significantly.What added to my frustration was the apparent disregard for the order queue. After placing and paying for my order, which is standard deli counter protocol, I watched as the staff member prioritized preparing and taking new orders from customers who arrived after me, leaving me waiting excessively. This was especially irksome as my order was quite substantial, nearing $40, contrasting with the less time-consuming and cheaper coffee orders that were being prioritized ahead of mine.The situation reached its peak of annoyance when, after driving 4 miles away, I discovered that my order had been incorrectly filled. This not only added to my dissatisfaction but also resulted in what was meant to be a quick lunch stop dragging on for nearly 45 minutes, significantly delaying my journey.

Stopped in for coffee and baked goods during a road trip through the area. Solid lattes and the cranberry cornmeal scone was sooooo good

Friendly Atmosphere Amazing Food Definitely one of Paonia’s Finest 5 Stars