40+ Years of artisanal breads
About Continental Bakery
Founded in 1985 by local musician Carole Griffin, Continental Bakery quickly became Alabama's most sought-out bakery for breads, pastries and desserts. Made from scratch daily using classic European methods (and a dollop of Southern U.S. love), our baked goods are as tasty as they are timeless. Pair them with our locally roasted, freshly brewed coffees and your day is guaranteed to get about 200% better.
Our Breads
The star of Continental Bakery is our Wild Yeast Sourdough, made with a starter born decades ago from yeast harvested off Alabama grapes. We sell this and our White Sourdough in hefty 2 kilogram boules, inspired by the French countryside technique that Poilâne famously brought to Paris.
Our bakers also craft a variety of French breads (baguettes, peasant loaves and more) each day, with many more specialty breads available on shelves or by special request.
Our Home: English Village
For more than 40 years, Continental Bakery has called century-old English Village home. This charming little corner of Mountain Brook at the edge of downtown Birmingham is the perfect place to enjoy a brief escape from the bustle of modern life.
Our bistro: CHEZ LULU
Inspired by the cuisine of Nice on the French Riviera, Chez Lulu was founded in 1995 as the restaurant extension of Continental Bakery. Today, Chez Lulu boasts some of the best Mediterranean-style pizza you'll find, along with hard-to-find Provençal classics like socca, poivron farcis and much more.
Our owner
After 40 years at the helm of Continental Bakery, founder Carole Griffin announced her retirement in 2024, entrusting the future of the bakery and Chez Lulu to local journalist, nonprofit founder and baker David Griner. Since then, David's priority has been to maintain Carole's vision while continuing her commitment to constant improvement and nurturing a safe space for all customers and employees, especially those from marginalized communities.
