Good bread worth its dough

Alia Wilhelm went looking for a great, healthy loaf and found a small community of artisan bakers producing just that

Vovo Telo

Before  walking into Vovo Telo, you will notice that bread is central to the restaurant's creed. Bakers knead and shape the dough in the middle of the cafe on a daily basis, so you may find yourself eating to the smell of fresh rye. Its thin-crust pizzas (around R70) and ciabatta loaves (R18) are a big hit. Go for breakfast on a weekend and enjoy the laidback vibe with a slice of warm sourdough.

When: There are 11 Vovo Telos in Johannesburg and Pretoria and all have different baking times, so call in advance to find out when their loaves are freshest.

Where: Try the 44 Stanley bakery on a sunny day, or the quieter Parkhurst one for a weekday breakfast. See www.vovotelo.com

La Cucina di Ciro

The owner of this Italian restaurant may not specialise in making bread, but he is excellent at it, nonetheless. Ciro Molinaro uses an equal amount of potatoes and flour in his dough so the bread is moist and chewy and stays fresh for several days. Try the restaurant if you have time, or simply pick up a few loaves (around R15 each, depending on their weight) if you don't. Olive or basil pesto is sometimes added to the mix.

When: Bread is freshest around 10am.

Where: 43 Seventh Avenue, Parktown North, Johannesburg www.lacucinadiciro.co.za

Killarney Mall Bread Stand

Berenice Tuval, or the "bread lady", specialises in rye bread. On a Saturday pick up any one of these tasty loaves (all R20): Bavarian rye, gluten-free or seeded rye - popular especially among Germans in South Africa. Tuval also makes ciabatta and sourdough rolls (R3), baguettes (R16) and an assortment of pies. She recommends the mealy curry (R22), full of meat and spices.

When: Bread is freshest around 8am. Berenice only sells on Saturdays.

Where: Killarney Mall, Johannesburg

The Lucky Bread Company

Winner of the Eat Out Award for best bread in South Africa, Lucky Bread bakers work through the night to produce a variety of breads with a sourdough base. Give their coffee a taste, too.

When: Bread is freshest at 10am daily.

Where: Brooklyn Mall, Pretoria

Fournos

The well-known bakery chain uses organic white, brown and cake flour to create its goods. Though the flour is not stoneground, bread is baked several times a day, so you'll always find a fresh loaf. Ciabatta rolls (around R15 each, depending on their weight) are the most popular.

When: Bread is freshest at 6am, 9.30am and 11.30am.

Where: Fournos has 10 locations around Johannesburg. See www.fournos.co.za

BICCCS (Bread, Ice cream, Cake, Croissant, Coffee and Sandwich)

The bakery creates ciabatta-style bread that has a thick crust, but is soft on the inside. Try the salt and rosemary ciabatta, made with local flour.

When: Bread is freshest around 7.30am.

Where: 103 Club Avenue, Waterkloof Heights, Pretoria

The Alleged Cafe

Founder Ryan Harduth, who also owns comedy club the Alleged Agency, produces perhaps the best ciabatta (R20 for a loaf) in town. Give the Bavarian rye a taste, too - Harduth learned from German bakers, so he knows how to make it taste good.

When: Bread is freshest at 8am.

Where: 133 Barry Hertzog, Johannesburg.

Doppio Zero

The sun-dried tomato ciabatta (R18.50) is sweet and flavourful. The plain ciabatta (also R18.50) has a complex taste that makes it enjoyable to eat by itself. Doppio Zero uses a 10-year-old starter, meaning its fresh dough is mixed in with a small amount of decade-old dough, adding flavour to the bread. There are no preservatives or chemicals.

When: Bread is freshest around 8.30am.

Where: The Doppio Zero in Greenside, Johannesburg is perhaps the the best Doppio Zero branch, with its bakery feel. See www.doppio.co.za

The Loaf

This one-man band, comprising Alain Algrain, sells at the Bryanston Organic Market on Thursdays and Saturdays. The former regional catering manager of South African Airways started this low-key operation in mid-2008 .

When: Bread is freshest at 9am on both Thursdays and Saturdays.

Where: Bryanston Organic Market. Tel: 011-706-3671. Next month Algrain will launch a courier service and you'll be able to have fresh bread delivered straight to your door.

GOOD BREAD:

SOUTH Africa's artisan bread scene may not be thriving, but it is growing. Ciro, of Parktown North restaurant La Cucina di Ciro, has been baking artisan bread for more than 20 years. He stresses that good bread is "fresh from the beginning", using stoneground flour devoid of preservatives, which ravage most nutrients in dough. The result, he says, is bread that is tastier and healthier. - Alia Wilhelm