Randomly came across this place while searching for sourdough bread via google maps. Saw the great reviews (some noting how the bread was of such high/natural quality that it even helped alleviate certain gut issues other customers had with bread) so had to try it. It's like a hidden secret spot (lived in LA 12+ years never heard of it) as the owner Jack seems to only sell at farmer's markets or to businesses. BUT you can actually go to his small factory, e.g., on Friday (call ahead, knock on the door :) ) and buy the freshly made breads even before he hits the farmers markets with them on the weekend! :) Jack is very sociable, happy to explain about the health benefits of sour dough, the different types, how they are made, chit chat with customers、and provide generous samples. He tests different styles weekly and has a wide range varying in fermentation length (from slightly fermented and sour/still fluffy, to heavily fermented and more solid/sour but probably suuuuper gut healthy!). He explains that he only adds in the necessary ingredients (aside from some vitamins the law requests) so the breads are all natural. His dedication, knowledge, and passion for the craft is exemplary, as he even explains how he needs to custom build his own machinery (they aren't made the same as they used to or inadequate for his needs; he used to be an engineer! XD lol). His factory inside is slightly cramped/small (in case anyone is claustrophobic) or else it can be deemed old world charming and an adventure to begin the weekend with great "homemade bread"! The prices are reasonable and great value. The entrance is a little door on the right to the Bezian Market and there is only street parking. Bezian Bakery will be my source for sour dough breads as long as they are operating! :) read more

Nothing literally nothing not even San Francisco Sourdough can hold a candle to how amazing this bread is! I am super sad that there's been issues with the farmers markets so check out their website to sign the petition. All that aside this is the best bread that I've ever had and if you have mild gluten or yeast sensitivities this bread might work for you. read more

Best sourdough bread in Southern California! I have yet to find anything that tastes better or even feels better digestion-wise.

best bread I've ever had. it's a meal. it is extraordinary for digestion, full of microflora. I used to mail this to my parents. neighbors love it too. I've shared it far and wide. nothing comes close to this bread; there are no substitutes. Guy is a genious. read more

Great bread!! I buy it at the Farmers' Market. Often I substitute it for a quick meal when I'm not in the mood to cook.

I am so happy to have found this bread when I was browsing the Pasadena Farmer's Market last weekend. Jack Bezian was very sweet and talked to me the process that goes into making his bread and I am so grateful for people who invest time and effort into producing good quality food for people. I bought three of the fermented bread (1.5 months) for my husband's siblings and myself - and they were so incredibly good, sour and chewy! read more

Bezian's Bakery - a person holding a piece of bread - Bakeries Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Always a significant contribution to our local farmer's marketplace. There's many choices of fantastic sourdough choices to be gotten from them! No lectins, No gluten. Yes, good for your health!!!!!!!!! I'm a big fan. Thank you. read more

If loving Bezian's micro-flora-enriched loaves is a crime, then arrest me officer, for I am guilty, guilty, guilty. OK, so the guy who sells the stuff is a little nutty, and really, really, reeeeeeeeally serious about his micro-flora (for fun family reading, you can enjoy all his posters about how any bread other than Bezian's will give you cancer and general extreme ugliness of the digestive region). But damn, the man makes a kick-ass bread. I buy a loaf (usually the kalamata olive kind, but sometimes I switch it up. I'm crazy like that.) at the Pasadena or Hollywood Farmer's Market and make garlic bread with it, and my dinner guests usually need a change of underwear when they taste it. Whether or not it's a cure for the common cancer-causing bread, only Mr. Bezian truly knows. Or not. But nonetheless, I'm definitely a convert to this yeasty goodness. Mmmmm. read more

Vegans....Best Treat: Avacado Toast Start with a slice of your favorite variety of Bezian Bread Toasted; Mine is the Olive, then spread with VEGAN BUTTER; made from Coconut oil & Cashews from Trader Joes, then add your Avocado and some sea salt. Add a cup of Tea...and you have a PERFECT BITE of BLISS. See you at the Pasadena Farmers' Market on Saturday Morning ( Pasadena High School on Sierra Madre) read more

I learned of this "bread god" from Cheeseslave's blog. I came here a few Sundays ago and it was so packed and on top of that people were having long conversations with him on the "meaning of bread," so I walked away that day breadless. I came back the following week and was finally able to ask him my seemingly stupid questions about bread. I am allergic to gluten and wheat, so I asked if there was had anything gluten/wheat free. He immediately told me that there is no such thing as gluten free. Grains, rice, bread, milk... all of these things have gluten in it. I said, "except Quinoa, right? It says gluten free on the box." Again, he said it contains gluten and unfortunately the government doesn't regulate enough on labels. His bread takes months to make due to the fermentation process from his sprouted flour that he uses as his starter, rather than baker's flour. This was the way our ancestors made bread with all the natural, good bacteria in it. He suggested I try his tomato basil bread (b/c it's very easy to digest) for $5 - I got 3 big rolls in a bag and when I got home, I kicked myself for not buying more. I added a little organic butter to it and it was pure heaven. Sometimes I put Trader Joe's crunchy peanut butter on top of it and it tastes just as delicious! Thank you Bezian's Bakery for debunking my gluten and bread myths! read more

TESTIFY!!! Bezian bread changed my life. Talk about connecting with your food.. I sometimes want to cry after eating this bread. Because I really love sourdough. I really do love it. And because it is just so. damn. good. And when I'm sitting and eating my bread in Proustian splendor, I sometimes gaze out the terrace toward the horizon in disbelief, realizing how far I have come from paying four dollars for a mealy and tasteless mass-produced brick of preservatives and refined sugars. read more

I have to agree. I started out by checking out a tiny sourdough loaf at the Hollywood Farmer's Market on Sundays. Hmmm, I thought...hey, that's pretty good. Next week, I found myself back there, getting another one. Hmmm...tasty.... And, mind you, I'm from San Francisco, so I'm snobby about my sourdough. I used to get it fresh every morning on Fisherman's Wharf when I worked down there years ago, right out of the oven, delivered by the baker, Willie, as soon as they were out...he was right next door. This, however, is a different animal. I am now going to market SPECIFICALLY to buy a loaf of 11 grain. In fact, that was 12 hours ago. I just ate half of it raw. It is delicious right out of the bag. And now I see they have a bakery on Hollywood I can go to and I won't have to wait until Sunday. Now, all I can think of is fresh, hot coffee and a loaf of eleven grain. It really is THAT good. It has taken me a while to find good bakeries in LA. In San Francisco, it's fairly easy, you can literally walk down the street and try places out. Here in LA, however, you have to know where you're going. I am so glad I found my bread place. I also have a scone place, but that is for another review. Bread fans, this is the place. Eat it and believe. read more

I just purchased a loaf of the San Francisco style sourdough bread at the Hollywood Farmers market. Jack is very knowledgeable and helpful with suggestions and explanations of exactly what was what, maybe a little much of the information overload but it's nice to know that he knows what he's talking about. I brought it home and promptly had it as toast and oh my good, it was ohmygod really amazing. I have never seriously savored every bite of toast like I just did now. And I'm trying really hard to not eat the rest of that entire loaf immediately. Now I don't have to bring back sourdough bread back from my favorite bakery in San Francisco all the time. read more

I have a severe gluten intolerance, and discovered Bezian bread at the Pasadena High School farmer's market on a Saturday morning. Jack Bezian explained in detail, very knowledgeably and scientifically, about gluten in bread, and how many of those who cannot eat gluten CAN eat his bread because of how he ferments his probiotic dough. I was very skeptical, because the listing of his ingredients contain EVERYTHING I should be allergic to--wheat flour, barley, etc. But he seemed so informed and certain that I thought I'd give it a try, because I haven't been able to eat 'real' bread in years, and my favorite--his specialty-- is sourdough. I tried a small piece -I 'lit the fuse' so to speak- and waited, expecting a bad reaction. And then...nothing. It was so delicious that I had another full size slice. So good! Hours later....nothing. Next day, nothing. NO REACTION at all! This was the sweet basil sourdough that I bought last weekend at Pasadena Farmer's Market, and I just finished it this morning, on a Wednesday, five days later...all with NO ALLERGIC REACTION. This is an incredible discovery for me, because it's the only 'real' bread I can eat. read more

I read about this bakery while at work the other night and everyone is raving about how fantastic this crazy man's bread is, it just so happens that the next day was Sunday and I work in Hollywood, so I stopped by the farmer's market and grabbed myself four loaves of bread, I got so many because I know that judging from the reviews, I need this much bread :p Also, I was hoping to gift a loaf or two to people as late Christmas gifts. Anyway, I ate nearly an entire loaf of kalamata olive during my lunchbreak and then I just polished off the other half today, that's 2 days and I ate an entire loaf of bread. The stuff is delicious. The aroma that filled my car while that bread sat and waited on me was just awesome, I can't wait to taste the other bread. I actually brought a loaf of sweet basil to work for a lady but she called in sick, so now I'm tempted to eat it since i have four hours left to go :\ What she doesn't know won't hurt her. I also bought moroccan olive and garlic chive, I can't wait to eat something, I am seriously debating eating this sweet basil, but I don't want to feel bad and gift her the olive or garlic one because I totally want those. Okay, i'm done now, this guy rules, his bread is delicious. (I eat carbs, i'm fat...it isn't just the anorexics and gluten intolerant that like it. I was afraid when reading the reviews that those might be the only people that like this stuff) read more

Please do not read this review! I do not want more competition in getting this bread. Today I walked to the Wednesday farmer's market in the rain - it was a luxury as I normally wouldn't be able to make to the supersized Wednesday one. I'm still holding the grudge about the Breadman being kicked out of the SM farmer's market, so I was hostile against all bakery stands as usual. But, I was so craving for some good bread so I approached Bezian's tent with hesitation. I really didn't know what to get. Luckily, an old customer next to me ordered "tea bread". hmm.... this sounded like a perfect treat for an unconventional person like I am. So I willingly dropped my $7 and took the tea bread home. Observation: a dense, moist, one-pound, unsliced bread with lots of grains and seeds seen on the outside. Taste test: I sliced a tiny piece off. Oh it was so worth the $7. The layered flavor of sourdough, herbs, and flowery scents filled my mouth and nose with solid pleasure. mmmmm... Here is the whole experience: with cheeses and Italian cured meats, accompanied by a glass of lavender earl grey and raw honey from organic blueberries. Again, I repeat, do no trust this review and buy this bread. read more

Oh yeah! Just flew in from cold-ass Michigan to visit my sis & checked out the farmer's market in Santa Monica today. I bought the 'Tea Loaf" with tasty cardamom, lemon peel, and some kind of tea that I couldn't pronounce correctly. I got the whole "gluten is the devil schpeal" (just made the spelling of that word up)from the extremely knowledgable bread guy, and I have to say that these people not only know their bread-making science but also make a damn good tasting loaf of bread. Ultimately, I think it's a sourdough of some sort, but, that doesn't matter to me. I'm a freak about eating processed foods, and I trust food that comes from people I get to meet face-to-face:) :) Double smiley faces for them. And I am jealous of you who get to frequent their stand or bakery. Back to Michigan for me:( They should have a website and offer online ordering!!! read more

When I talked to the owner, he said that you can't shop at the brick-and-mortar bakery, that's just where he does his operations - all his breads are sold at farmers markets, like at Santa Monica. As noted in the other reviews, Jack Bezian is very knowledgeable regarding gluten, probiotics, gut flora, even the history of bread. I'm in pharmacy school, so we even talked about broad-spectrum antibiotics and C. difficile-colitis, which he suggested treating by his breads ... so FYI, he's critical toward Western medicine, but it's definitely an interesting perspective regarding the role of nutrition. (Interestingly enough, there's a BMJ study from 2007 that demonstrated clinical efficacy of probiotics in reducing antibiotics-associated diarrhea during antibiotics treatment.) Anyway, regarding the sourdough, it is very delicious. The consistency and flavor are both very dense, and much richer than your typical breads. I don't have a wheat or gluten allergy, or some other type of metabolic health problem, but I don't care for sweets in general, and the sourdough here tastes and feels much different than any other bread - just let a little bit dissolve on your mouth and taste the difference for yourself. read more

This bread is AMAZING!!! When I first talked with Jack Bezian about his bread, I basically blew him off. I could not believe bread with white flour could be good for me and not trigger my allergies. For various reasons, a year or so later I decided to give his bread a try and I am so glad I did!!!!! Mr. Bezian really knows his stuff. Not only do I love this bread, but so does my body. I have a slice almost every morning and I feel great! Everyone who I share this bread with falls in love with it too. If you shop at the Wed. Santa Monica Farmers Market and you like sourdough, treat yourself and buy a loaf of Bezian bread. My favorite is the zucchini onion, but there are lots of delicious flavors. I am sorry it took me so long to try it, but I am glad I finally opened my mind and my mouth. Yummy, yummy, yummy : ) read more

Best Bread I've Ever Had ... I stopped eating bread until this week when I stopped into the farmers market just to buy this bread!!!

***CLOSED*** I used to go here often back in the day. Bezian is better known now as a (one of the 2 major) bread guy frequenting Los Angeles area Farmer's Markets. The grocery at this location was awesome with a lot of interesting finds tucked away in dusty corners. Just down the street now is his bakery warehouse but it is not open to the public. A shame. Yes the bread is good. 5 Stars for the memories. read more

I buy their organic sourdough bread from Santa Monica market on Wed. I love the bread. Expensive ($6~7), but it is real bread. Zucchini is my favorite. Even people who have gluten allergy can eat this bread. They ferment the bread long enough so that protein that we can not digest (or we the humans are not meant to eat in the first place) gets broken down to digestible food. Good probiotic sourse ^^ Their bread does not go bad quickly. That shows that the bread is real. You will need to take it out from the fridge every other day to let it dry a bit, that is all you need to do and the bread will be good for long time:) read more

OK, here's a different perspective on this bread from a gluten-intolerant person. I read the reviews here and got so excited about trying Bezian's bread. I tolerate gluten (and casein, yeast, and eggs) poorly, so the glowing reviews from others claiming that the long fermenting sourdough bread was easily digestible had me anticipating my Sunday trip to the Hwood FM with glee. I ran home from the market, toasted up some tomato/basil bread, some tea bread, and some whole wheat bread for Buster M and me. The bread is indeed very tasty -- I love sourdough. But a few minutes after eating it, I was bloated and belching just like I am after eating any other wheat bread. I remain bloated a couple hours later, and am having my usual allergy crash, in which I get really tired and foggy for a spell after eating something I don't tolerate well. Seems like a perfect case of "If it seems too good to be true..." read more

This guy is a genius ahead of his time... if the critics and naysayers have gotten to him/ made him cranky over the years -- I can't blame him! His methods are scientifically proven... I'm talking REAL PEER REVIEWED JOURNAL ARTICLES. As a nutritionist, I can attest that he's the real deal. I was once one of the skeptics, until I fully understood the science behind what he was saying. Also, his bread is delicious!!! Check out my interview with Jack, and follow my blog if you like it! http://20fourcarrots.wordpress.com/2014/06/24/could-fermented-sourdough-be-a-solution-to-the-gluten-sensitivity-problem/ read more

I bought 2 loaves at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market (Wednesdays), yesterday. One Sweet Basil and one Sundried Tomato Basil, AMAZING!!! This is some of the best tasting, best textured bread I've ever had. It was so fresh. I was sharing this with friends and we were just tearing pieces off the loaf. This bakery brought many, many loaves so they should have what you want ... SO MANY CHOICES!! It's tomato soup season, again and this is the PERFECT bread for dipping. Or toast a little with a little melteed cheddar. Totally CRAVABLE!! read more

I've been going to the Hollywood Farmers Market since before Huell Howser did an episode about it in 1992, okay? And since then--20 years now--THIS guy has been selling his breads. He's also been the single most tightly puckered, self-important A-hole at that market--and that includes those hawking newspapers from the American Communist Party. The bread is good--it truly is, USUALLY--but not like La Brea Bakery good or Paris-at-6am good. Huh? That's right, because good old Jack, who insists that you know he has a Ph.D. in something from somewhere (A-hole-ology? From the A-hole Institute?) doesn't have a very good grasp of quality control and about 20% of the time I've bought his bread, which ain't cheap, it has been unrisen and dough-like, as if my 10 year-old nephews had whipped something up between art class and home ec. To be sure, I haven't bought anything from him since W. was in office (musta been feeling self-destructive then), so he might've improved his QC since then, but it had to be told, folks. His personality, if you can call it that, is SORELY wanting, too and I've repeatedly seen him snap at people for asking simple and valid questions, as if ANY question is an accusation--which is understandable if you know you're selling what should've never been brought to market because it didn't rise properly. He wouldn't dare snap at me, nor at anyone else who looks like they can defend themselves properly against his verbal assault, but he once made the mistake of doing so to my ex when my back was turned and when I called him on it he didn't even have the nads to admit having done so--just denied, denied, denied--SHOCKED that I would accuse HIM, a Ph. D, of such a thing, despite the fact I was a mere 10 feet away and heard every word of his mini-tirade. Her question? "What made you decide to pair basil with cacique cheese--I would've never thought of that?" I suspect everything about good old Jack is mini--especially his integrity. Oh yeah, and his nads. read more

I don't understand what the hype is here. This bread was mediocre at best, and in my experience very pro-inflammatory. Both me and my friend were bloated and exhausted for the rest of the day after eating a small amount of it. We got the small plain sourdough loaf. I've had much better true sourdoughs before in terms of taste and that I didn't react negatively to. It's also really dangerous to promote this bread as suitable for gluten intolerant people. Even on Bezian's website he states: "Disclaimer: Our bread is particularly well tolerated by most people with food intolerances. However, it is not intended for people with diagnosed celiac disease . Unfortunately, we cannot be responsible for individuals with unusual food sensitivities." Note that "most people with food intolerances" could be people who are allergic to dairy or nuts or fish or anything else since he doesn't state "wheat intolerance" or "gluten intolerance", so there's some serious rhetorical slipperiness here. There's a whole lot of rheotorical slipperiness in what this guy says in general. A huge red flag. But he's got the disclaimer on his website so you can't sue him if you have a severe allergic reaction even while he'll tell you it's safe to eat. So there you go. read more

I'm not a celiac, but I have a serious wheat/gluten sensitivity and I REALLY miss good bread. Especially good sourdough. I tried both the moroccan olive and the boule (separately) and both gave me the usual thundering headache. This wasn't a big surprise--Ezekiel's sprouted wheat bread that is purportedly gluten-free gave me the same reaction. Oh well. I'm consoling myself with the fact that Bezian's bread isn't that good. The boule has a nice sourdough flavor, but the crust just isn't... crusty. read more

Amazing! I know that there is gluten free bread out there but it just doesn't taste the same. This is the only bread that I can tolerate! Thank you! I will be getting several for Christmas dinner! read more

I buy Bezian's Bakery bread and rolls at the Pasadena Farmer's Market. The BEST if you like the taste of truly exquisite sourdough!

sourdough with sun-dried tomato loaf heavy & gummy in texture. very disappointing. read more

Bezian's Bakery - a list of ingredients - Bakeries Near Me - Los Angeles, California

Here, let me quote their brochure.... "What makes our bread different? First, the bread is made from our own unique sourdough culture that containes multiple strains of micro-flora. Secondly, we deliberately slow down our bread making process to allow growth and development of the micro-flora. This results in our breads containing billions of beneficial micro-organisms..." Then they list all the wonderful health benefits of these micro-organisms. But don't be put off by the micro-organisms! We're talking about the same idea behind yogurt and fermented foods such as kimchi or sauerkraut. We need these flora because the human body is made up of billions upon billions of different strains of bacteria. Unfortunately we kill them off with antibiotics and we need to repopulate all these good little critters with fermented foods. And this is one helluva way to do that! Yummy bread!! Even people who are allergic to yeast or have trouble with wheat bread in general may be able to tolerate. Plus....the variety!! Here are some samples: -Arrugula-Cacique cheese -Garlic-Chives -Ginger-Carrot -Moroccan Olive -Spearmint Feta -Sweet Potato -Tarragon Parmesan Just to name a few!! Don't they sound amazing? They really are. Here's the trick though, they don't have a storefront, they sell through the Farmer's Markets. Here's which ones: Hollywood --Sunday -Ivar & Hollywood Pasadena--Saturday -Pasadena High Santa Monica--Wednesday -Arizona and 2nd So come on down folks and get your yeasties bundled up in a wonderful loaf! read more

What is it about this bread? Delicious from the first bite, it creeps up on you and begins to take over your universe like the healthy microflora with which it populates your organism. Then one day, you find yourself addicted. No other bread will do. Alchemy is what happens when you combine Bezian Bread, raw butter, and fleur-de-sel. We hunt this bread down--from Pasadena to Hollywood. Our favorites are fig, tea, and moroccan olive. Jack is an old-school and for-real artisan. The Harry Smith of sourdough bread. Full of information and great cook book recommendations too. read more

This is simply the best sourdough bread, and probably the best bread, I've ever had. I spotted the bakery's stand for the first time at the Santa Monica farmer's market this week, and took home a loaf with olives, nuts, and mild chilies. It's definitely not going to last me until the end of the week. I wish they had a storefront so I could pick up some more this weekend. Unfortunately the only competition is Rockenwagner, whose bread doesn't compare. read more

Despite what the owner insists and his many advertisements, this bread is absolutely, positively not gluten friendly. And the owner is just plain rude. I'm sure the bread is great if you don't have a food intolerance, though. read more

I've been eating this extremely healthy bread for almost 10 years. Wild sour dough starter is one big feature of these breads. They don't bloat you or feel heavy on the stomach after eating 1/2 of a loaf which is quite easy to do. The man behind the bread knows what he is doing and endlessly tries to improve and perfect his breads however perfect as they are. The breads will change you perspective of breads and bread making. Try them sometime. I get them at the Hollywood Farmer's market on Sundays. Go early if you want a large selection because the word has been out for quite awhile and quite often you miss out on some tasty breads. read more

Just agreeing with everyone else. Great bread. I've never been to their shop, but I was able to buy their bread at the Santa Monica Farmer's Market. Yum! read more

I'm in love! I haven't had a piece of bread for seven months until I found this place! To die for sourdough bread. I love the zuchini onion, toasted with butter. OMG. There is a heaven! Its deelicious! read more

I definitely agree with everyone on this page. This bread is the best we've ever had, by every measure. If Bezian goes away, we'll be sad forever because there is no turning back. No turning back to HFCS laced foam and sawdust that sells as "bread". btw: read the book "Sugar Blues" by William Dufty. It will blow your freakin' mind. read more

This bread is the best. Don't be tempted by the "normal" looking loaf sold by the typical inferior bakery, your wasting your time. I was skeptical at first and Bezian reminded me of the "Soup Nazi" on Sienfeld, this guy is kind of like the SN, he could be the BN. He has lots of signs and knows more about bread than anyone I have ever met. Anyhow, he's serious about his bread and it's no joke, and it's good for you. The bread is unreal, I love it my wife loves it. We cannot leave the farmers market in Pasadena without finishing half a loaf. Keep the dream alive BN, you rock!!!! read more