Bea’s Bakery: An old-school Jewish bakery in Tarzana
Location: Bea’s Bakery Address: 18450 Clark St, Tarzana Hours: 7 a.m. - 8:30 p.m. except Sundays close at 7 p.m. Dishes to try: black and white cookies, anything your eye lands on Cash only, parking’s a breeze
So you find yourself in the San Fernando Valley, west of the 405 no less. Maybe you live here, or you’re high-tailing it for Santa Barbara to escape this sweltering summer. Either way, swing off the 101 for just a moment and hit a classic, old-school Jewish bakery named Bea’s Bakery.
Why this place doesn’t have a line out the door to rival Porto’s Bakery (and no disrespect to Porto’s at all) is beyond me. Maybe it’s the utter lack of glamour to the surrounding area; it’s a very typically anonymous SFV suburban stretch. When you step inside though, the treats and decor may stir a dormant nostalgia in you, even if it’s your first time. You’ll spy the fresh breads, various cookies and pastries stacked high on trays beckoning to you, and a deliciously analog sign posting the prices. Yes, you’re here.
I’m sure everyone who goes to Bea’s regularly has their baked good of choice. Perhaps they always opt for the hamantash, and you can’t go wrong with rugelach or a Danish. I suggest you try finding your baked good of choice. You really can’t go wrong. My go-to, like many before me, is a black-and-white cookie. The spongy, soft texture is perfectly chewy and just plain fun to bite into. I can imagine myself as a kid experimenting with eating the cookie—first biting into only the chocolate, then only the vanilla, and then a bite straight down the center for a double dosage. Savor your bites.
The ordering process is straightforward here. If it’s busy, be sure to take a ticket, then go claim your prizes. Be aware, if you truly have celiac disease, nothing is gluten-free. And take note that it’s cash or check only. If you’re here early enough, various fresh breads are available—ryes, challah, etc. Yelpers rave about the bread, but I haven’t had a pretext to use them while passing through just yet. You may want to get some.
Surely there’s a place for the so-called “hipster” baked goods of the world—the cronuts, the cleverly nicknamed ice cream parlors, and so on. And I’ll likely review Highland Park’s Donut Friend soon, just to prove that I’m not against creative or whackier baking concoctions. But the pleasures of a tasty, straightforward bakery run deep and hit my nostalgia funny bone. Bea’s slings some of the best baked goods I’ve had and the prices are cheap, to boot. This will make the temptation to buy just one more of their quality cookies impossible to resist. My advice: don’t bother resisting.