5b’s Bakery

5b's Bakery opened in historic downtown Concrete on September 7, 2013, as a completely dedicated gluten free bakery, according to the Skagit Valley Herald. Owner Em Beals built it around her own celiac disease, mastering what she calls the science of gluten free food. The name is a family affair: the Beals name starts with a B, there are five in the family, and the bee motif stands for hard work and community. The bakery models itself on the family owned neighborhood bakeries of the 1940s, when everything was made in house.

To pull that off without wheat, the kitchen blends more than 15 flours and starches into proprietary mixes built for each product. Signature five seed bread and cinnamon rolls lead a lineup that includes bagels, English muffins, scones, cookies, bumbleberry hand pies, seasonal fruit pies and cheesecake. The eatery side serves house made hashes, blueberry, buckwheat and banana griddle cakes, grilled cheese, soups and pot pies, plus an espresso bar and an old fashioned soda fountain.

5b's sits at 45597 Main Street, a natural stop for travelers on the North Cascades Highway bound for North Cascades National Park. The bakery keeps a limited weekly schedule, so check its website or call before making the drive. Freezers and cold cases hold grab and go items for the road, and 5b's products also stock shelves at markets and food cooperatives around the region.