crust artisan bakery

Story by Sarah Robertson

Crust Artisan Bakery is a mere (pizza) stone’s throw from 30A and yet you might not know they offer many more ways to enjoy their handcrafted food than just dining in. Crust’s storefront on Hwy 98 is comfortable and inviting with aromas wafting from the kitchen making you instantly aware something special is materializing. Fusing quality house-made cuisine with many convenient ways to enjoy it is certainly their winning combination.

Crust opened for business in April of 2012 with the goal of providing freshly made artisan breads and authentic wood-fired pizzas and pasta dishes to our area. Owner Mark Fressell and his right hand man Chef Lock, take great pride in the craft of cooking and muse it is truly “the customers that keep them going.” They are two of the mainstays of a small, tightknit staff and each wear lots of hats to make sure Crust runs smoothly. The morning I visited them, Mark was making baguettes for that day’s lunch service. He graciously shared his philosophies (start with quality unbleached King Arthur flour) and techniques (higher water to flour ratio ensures a lighter crumb structure) to the art of bread making. As he shaped the dough into baguettes with experienced finesse, it was a mesmerizing show.

Crust is eager to share their exceptional fare and proudly offers customers options galore to do so. One can choose to dine family-style splitting several dishes, select a chef’s choice tasting menu with small and intricate plates, or order “Take and Bake” prepped meals to reheat and serve back at home. But that still isn’t all. Their unique mobile wood-fired pizza oven can come to you; catering parties, weddings, or other special events.

You’ll also find Crust’s freshly baked goodies at the Seaside, Rosemary Beach, Grand Boulevard, and WaterColor farmer’s markets and they frequently sell every morsel of their inventory. A widely popular creation of Mark’s is their “cruffin” – a cross between a flakey, buttery croissant with the scrumptious fruits and fillings of a muffin. As he was rapidly listing their flavors, it was evident why these sell out. Think perfectly balanced unions like blueberry lemon, strawberry dark chocolate, apple walnut, and bacon maple. Hungry yet?

However you choose to experience their savory wood-fired pizzas, swoon-worthy sandwiches on the freshest-possible bread, flavor-packed salads, or ever-creative dinner menu, just be sure to remember to eat your Crust!

Crust Artisan Bakery is located at 4821 US Hwy 98 W, Suite 101 Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459. You can call in orders or special event requests to 850.622.1022. They are open Mondays 5pm–9pm, Tuesday–Friday 11am–9pm, Saturdays 5pm–9pm and closed on Sundays.