Petunia Bakery

A birria croissant at the front of the case

The clearest thing to know about Petunia Bakery is the birria croissant: laminated pastry carrying juicy, well seasoned birria, and the item most people arrive asking for. It sets the tone for a case that crosses sweet and savoury without treating either as a sideline.

Around it sit a morning bun, a mushroom and onion galette and a s’mores pastry, alongside the other birria bakes that built the shop’s reputation. The case is full rather than pared down to a handful of items, so the selection shifts with whatever came out of the oven that morning.

From Sloan Lake to Sunnyside

The bakery opened in Sloan Lake in 2022 and later resettled in Sunnyside when the lease on the first space expired. The owners carried the same bakery across rather than starting a new concept, which is why the birria croissant and the rest of the case survived the move intact.

What it is now is a Denver neighbourhood bakery-café built for mornings and the middle of the day. Pastries, breakfast, lunch and coffee all pull their weight, and the room is set up for a short sit rather than a long meal. Indoor seating is the bulk of it, with a couple of seats outside.

What to order first

Start with the birria croissant if it is in the case. It is the single order that captures the savoury side of the bakery, and it is the item most closely tied to the name. If the visit is leaning sweet instead, the morning bun is the other pastry that anchors the case, and it gives a familiar reference point next to the more unusual bakes.

For a second savoury option, look for the mushroom and onion galette, which shows the pastry programme is not limited to croissants. Pair the first round with coffee or one of the signature lattes, since the café half of the business runs alongside the baking rather than behind it.