For many Milwaukee families, Christmas does not truly begin until they visit National Bakery on the city’s south side.
“It’s crazy because this bakery has been here longer than me,” Alanis Ortega said.
The neighborhood staple has served the community since 1926, and stepping inside still feels like entering a piece of Milwaukee’s history. The aroma of fresh bread greets visitors immediately, and during the holidays, display cases fill with Christmas cookies that generations have enjoyed.
“They’re all smiling because, you know, there’s a lot of good stuff going on,” Jeff Callen, National Bakery co-owner, said.
“We’re known for our pecan fingers, which are super popular, but also rum balls we bring out this time of year,” Callen said. “In addition to that, all our decorated cookies, you know, we’re pulling those out in their different shapes and forms, and each year we keep adding some stuff to it.”…