NEIGHBORHOOD NUGGET
New Irish bakery is Cow Hollow’s own little pot of gold

Photo: courtesy John Campbell’s Irish Bakery
Think of rich buttery scones, plain or studded with chocolate chips, blueberries or raisins. Crusty, dense Irish brown bread, authentic Irish soda bread, and even pesto sun-dried tomato bread. Is your mouth watering yet?

These are just a few of the offerings at the new location for John Campbell’s Irish Bakery in Cow Hollow. Richmond District residents have been snapping up tasty goodies from the bakery’s original location on Geary Boulevard since 2007. Owner John Campbell – who holds the Order of the Master Baker from Belfast, along with a Guilds Bakery Certificate – specializes in traditional Irish baked goods made the old-fashioned way. Once you’ve stopped by the cozy, aromatic shop on Fillmore and Filbert, I predict you’ll be addicted to at least one sweet or savory treat.

While we often associate bakeries with breakfast, John Campbell’s Irish Bakery produces a wide variety of pastries for every meal, along with snacks. In addition to scones and breads ranging from Celtic almond bread, chocolate-cherry bread, and classics such as Irish raisin soda bread, the bakery also turns out Belfast baps – a light, fluffy bread with a crispy crust – that make wonderful sandwiches. Sample Campbell’s “Breakfast in Bed,” a delicious concoction of Irish sausage, scrambled eggs and cheese, all baked into a bap. Or try a foccacia sandwich that’s hearty enough for breakfast or lunch with bacon, eggs, and pepper-jack cheese; or a corned beef and cabbage sandwich. If you need a quick dinner, pick up savory pasties filled with meats, vegetables and rich sauce baked in a fluffy, light pastry shell. Pasties are like portable potpies, but much more tasty, and they heat up nicely at home. Try the beef or chicken and veggie pasties, or the chicken-curry shepherd’s pie, a flavorful combo of chicken, curry, cream, peppers, onions, and cilantro topped with mashed potatoes. There are also pork, turkey and sausage rolls.

Have a hankering for something sweet? At John Campbell’s, you will find old favorites including chocolate chip and shortbread tea cookies as well as apple puffs – puff pastry filled with chopped apples and spices and topped with powdered sugar – and chocolate snowballs. Sure to please the kids, these decadent cookies are rolled in chocolate and coconut. You can also pick up a tart to share with family or bring along as a special dessert for friends. Tarts range from apple, raspberry, and rhubarb to custard, mince, pecan, and double-chocolate almond. Your hosts will be delighted!

The bakery’s complete menu is available online. And so you won’t leave disappointed, it’s cash only – no credit cards are accepted.

John Campbell’s Irish Bakery: 3130 Fillmore Street; Monday–Saturday 7 a.m.–10 p.m., Sunday 7 a.m.–8 p.m.; 415-563-1519, www.johncampbells.com