located just down the block from ball square café and family owned and operated since 1887, lyndell’s bakery in somerville was one of those rare places that beckoned a visit despite no prior knowledge of its existence, the service and products both oldschool and pretty great.
not really identifying with a specific ‘style’ or nationality, and thus quite the opposite of newer artisan spots focusing on french pastries or the great italian spots in old north end, entry to lyndell’s immediately sparksnostalgiaof a small town upbringing, the modestly dressed middle-aged women with distinctive boston accents standing back and going about their duties until approached, but then happy to inform or recommend what is best.
not tossing about words like ‘organic’ or ‘artisan,’ and certainly not trying to reinvent the wheel, lyndell’s instead focuses on classic bakes, doughnuts and wedding cakes rich with thick buttercream or boiled frostings, first tastes of the chocolate whoopie pie and dipped buttercream cookie not subtle in the slightest as sugar, flour and oil all coated the palate.
offering no lack of variety spread across a large floorplan with the bakery itself visible through windows behind the racks, almond cannolis had ‘just been filled’ according to the older of two bakers and true-to-words the mascarpone was nicely cradled in a robustly crunchy shell.
not particularly impressed by the jelly donut, granulated sugar clinging on tightly to a surface glistening with oil, better bites were found in a traditional boston cream pie as well as the vanilla éclair with similar custard filling, the black & white “halfmoon” eating much like its deli cousin, but with a fluffy base that was more cake-like and fluffy.