Wiltshire Bakery: When you can’t afford Paris

Nothing in Louisville reminds me of Paris like the inside of Wiltshire Bakery on Barret Street.

You can agonize for minutes at a time, trying to choose between the croque monsieur, the spinach and mushroom croissant, and other delicacies.

On a recent Sunday, I settled, as I usually do, on a vegetarian quiche, rich in herbs and goat cheese.

I gave up on quiche for about twenty years because seemingly no one knows how to really bake it without burning the crust or top or making an all out rubbery mess.

I don’t know how they do it, but the quiche at Wiltshire is always perfect, the exact same creamy texture throughout. And yes, I take mine cold. Why take chances with a perfect confection?

Even the crime partner, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, says he wouldn’t know how to bake a quiche like the Wiltshire.

On our brunch outing, he got the Mexican avocado toast, a stacked affair of toast, pinto beans, salsa verde, a local egg, avocado, and local salad greens.

I would be remiss not to mention Wiltshire’s house made pasta. When it is served with a plain marinara sauce, I believe it’s vegetarian. And it is heavenly. Best plate of pasta you’ll find in Louisville for around ten dollars. No shortcuts on the pasta or the tomato sauce. Not sure how many people understand how unusual that is.

Wiltshire is undergoing some exterior renovations, but it’s still doing business, never fear.

We surely did not need the calories in the lemon filled donut that we shared for dessert, but it was delicious.

One thing I cherish about Wiltshire is that you could go there every day of your life and never eat the same thing twice. The commitment to change and creativity here is absolute.

And, if you need to travel to Paris in your mind, just head on down to this little oasis on Barret Ave. The bright atmosphere, the smells, and the dedication to pastry are equal to any bakeshop in the city of light.