Fresh-milled flour. Filtered water. Sea salt. That’s it. The makers and bakers behind Atria Bread + Coffee believe in a simple recipe and a simplistic aesthetic for the bakery/coffee shop. Doors opened on Lakewood Ranch Boulevard with the wholesome scent of fresh-baked Hokkaido Milk Bread and fresh-brewed Counter Culture coffee permeating through the dreamy, open air space. Anytime you’re eager to obtain your morning dose of fuel and nutrition, consume your vitamin Bs from the salutary grains of bread and beans of coffee, while soaking in the gleaming vitamin D that saturates Atria’s interior: a lighting design effect created from the purple-tinted film translucently enveloping the top row of windows of the storefront. At the optimal hour and angle of day, the space becomes sun-drenched in purple-pink streaks of light that cascade over the crisp white walls, matte-black plateware and iridescent utensils sporting their own metallic sheen. Social groups and solo creatives gather at the elongated communal table situated beside the floor-to-ceiling windows and appreciate the minimalist design, paired with divine details and accompanied with elevated fare that looks as good as it tastes. Each loaf of bread begins with the starter or “levain,” a mix of equal parts flour, filtered water and wild yeasts that naturally live in Florida.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN
“Nurturing the perfect levain is like raising a family,” says Owner Jim Angus. “You need to figure out what each member needs to reach their full potential, then create the perfect environment to make them feel safe. This environment where the wild yeast calls home is something we take great care to create. These microorganisms are the life force of our bread.” Angus and his team mix this bountiful batter of dough the day before baking, then let it sit in a tempered room to rest and hydrate at a sublime ratio. While commercial breads typically have a hydration of 60 percent, artisan breads garner a higher hydration, resulting in a chewier texture and more open crumb. In bakers’ parlance, the “crumb” is the unique pattern and size of holes inside each loaf of bread that determines its density, mouthfeel and flavor. Artisan breads made with high-hydration dough typically have a more desirable, open and irregular crumb. And for Atria, enduring quality remains a standard—so patience remains a virtue. This higher hydration and timing technique is what creates that coveted open crumb within its stash of early AM goodness. But before it even makes it to the shelves for hungry patrons, the natural yeasts must thrive and slowly ferment over the next 14 hours “to maximize nutrients and digestibility.”
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN
In this leavening process, the yeast and bacteria in the dough convert carbohydrates to carbon dioxide gas and alcohol, creating an airy texture and developing flavor in the bread. Once fully fermented and well rested, the loaves are shaped by hand before being proofed overnight in a wooden basket known as a “banneton.” The loaves are yet again left to ferment—this time for 12–16 hours before Atria’s bakers individually score each one with a razor known as a “lame.” Finally, the batch of hand-molded dough loaves are shimmeyed onto the stone hearth deck of the oven of roughly 200 degrees Fahrenheit.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN
What escapes from the hot bed are round, risen, sapid victuals—showing off a contrasting finish. Outside: a glistening, golden and caramelized crust. Inside: a custardy, sweet and lightly acidic crumb with an airy bounce to its delicate interior that will spring back when you press a finger to it. Its signature Rustic Bread—with its beautifully burnished, crispy crust and its tender yielding crumb—can be ordered at the counter, along with a Gibraltar Matcha or Nitro Cold Brew. From Indigo Lemonade, made of fresh lemon, butterfly pea syrup and sparkling water, to Frescaras, naturally sweet, fruitful and herbaceous soda waters, baristas happily sling zippy attractive beverages. Meanwhile, the bakers in the back restlessly sift and whip up pastry goods like laminated, flaky chocolate hazelnut scones, cinnamon date rolls with an apricot glaze, fluffy cranberry orange zest muffins and decadent cookies made of dark chocolate, fresh-milled buckwheat flour and house sourdough starter. “Our team has been amazing, they have helped us become more than just a coffee shop or bakery,” shares Angus.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY WYATT KOSTYGAN
“We have launched full catering services, onsite holiday party bookings, online ordering for curbside pick up, and continued to launch more breakfast and lunch items.” For get-togethers of business or pleasure, Atria’s popular bread catering option includes small and large breadboards of three or six loaves. From Double Dutch Cocoa Rye, Ancient Grain and Olive Oil Brioche to Seasonal Porridge Bread, Scottish Highland Load and more, each order comes accompanied with a container of house-cultured butter. For toast aficionados, take advantage of the catering option for a toast board—chock-full of spread options including the obligatory avocado with a poached egg and Aleppo chili, pesto and cream cheese, seasonal jams, almond butter with sea salt, cinnamon sugar with butter, red beet hummus and a fresh fruit toast with Plant City strawberries, Parmesan, ricotta, tarragon and vanilla gastrique. Atria has indeed raised the bar, and bread, for fellowists to reach. SRQ
ATRIA, 4120 Lakewood Ranch Blvd., Bradenton, atria.cafe, @atria.cafe
