Upper Crust Bakery: A Classic Slice of Europe in Austin's "weird" Local Scene

Upper Crust Bakery and Cafe has been called "the worst dumpster in retail", according to owner Stephanie Schuster. This could be in part because the pastries, breads and other foods are too popular to ever make it to the trash, winning both critic and reader Austin Chronicle awards (more than twenty since 1991). The corner bakery at Burnet and 45th in the expanding Rosedale business district seats over 100 in comfortably worn wooden chairs grouped around tables saturated with the luminosity of decades of care and polish. If the morning rush of office commuters getting a quick cup of coffee and a muffin don't have time to enjoy the large windows and local art for sale on the wall, then the lunch crowd can take the time to enjoy the view, or even just the long cases filled with tempting pastries while they eat their salad, soups, quiche, and sandwiches.

Upper Crust hasn't always been at its current location, but it has always been close to the neighborhood. Originally started 23 years ago by Valerie Schuster, after four years sister Stephanie Schuster joined in and the two worked side by side for ten years, until Valerie Schuster left her sister with sole ownership. The shop moved to its current location about 17 years ago, but it is still close to the Rosedale neighborhood where the current owner lives. Schuster is dedicated to the Austin community as well; part of the empty dumpster complaint (told to her by a homeless man) is because 90% of the day-olds are donated to a local non-profit organization, and the remaining is given to a local hospice center. Neither Schuster was formally trained in the art of making European-style pastries, but with a staff of about 40, mostly in food prep, the entire staff is constantly involved with modifying the recipes to please their customers. And the staff is fabulous, by the way. Amazingly friendly, helpful, and quick with a smile.