Mighty Bread: on the rise in Passyunk Square
The Mighty Bread Company’s dedicated team has made the bakery a popular destination for more than just bread.
While working in information technology years ago, Chris DiPiazza took up breadmaking as a hobby, ending up with lackluster loaves on his initial tries. Honing this side pursuit through a few ventures, including coursework at the San Francisco Baking Institute, the patient purveyor has gained regard as the founder and owner of The Mighty Bread Company, 1211 Gerritt St., offering naturally leavened goodies, pastries, cookies, pantry items, drinks, sandwiches, and salads.
“I had a hard time explaining what I did in my old job, but everyone understands bread,” the 47-year-old overseer said from his Passyunk Square-based business. “There’s a lot of shared experience through it.”
Taking a cue from ancient breadmakers’ reliance on the natural fermentation process, DiPiazza and his dedicated staff of three dozen mix dough the day before—resulting in delightful loaves including country sourdough, semolina sourdough, and rosemary peppercorn sourdough.
DiPiazza, a neighborhood resident, opened the shop in 2017. Its popularity led to an expansion in November 2021. Mighty Bread’s dedicated staff of three dozen offer at least 10 kinds of sourdough bread each day as well as sweet treats like sourdough doughnuts, rye chocolate chip cookies, and an orange ricotta teacake.
The bakery doubles as a 40-seat dining destination offering a range of coffee, sandwiches, soups, salads, and seasonal specials.
The shop’s retail offerings include a range of pantry items like house-made granola, spice mixes, pistachio and almond butters, and seasonal jams.
“Wholesale, retail, whatever you want, you’re getting our best,” DiPiazza said near the branded pantry items. “We enjoy having the role of being a trusted food provider in this area.”
“We’re looking to appeal to as many people as possible,” DiPiazza said of the 2023 James Beard-nominated establishment. “I went wrong many times in making bread, but you can’t go wrong in eating it and everything else we have here when the dedication and skill are there, and those are definitely on full display with the team we have here.”
The Mighty Bread Company
1211 Gerritt St.
215-607-3205
www.mightybreadco.com
Monday, Thursday, Friday: 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Tuesday—Wednesday: Closed
Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
