A warm pastry can turn an ordinary road trip into the best part of the day, especially in Virginia, where small towns and busy city corners hide some truly memorable ovens.
From Richmond wood-fired croissants to Northern Virginia baguettes, these bakeries give travelers a tasty reason to slow down, park the car, and follow the smell of butter, sugar, and fresh bread.
Each stop on this list has a real sense of place, whether it serves old-world cakes, French-style loaves, bright fruit tarts, or doughnuts that disappear fast…