Mahoroba Japanese Bakery

Mahoroba is a family-run Japanese bakery that Narusuke Monguchi opened in 2009 in a small octagonal, domed building off Freeport Boulevard. The name comes from an old Japanese word meaning "splendid place." Monguchi is also the baker. He often starts before dawn because his yeasted doughs take hours of rising and shaping, and the shop was featured on the 2015 PBS special "A Few Great Bakeries."

The best seller is the Kobe Cream Delight, a soft bun filled with sweet custard. The rest of the case has sweet red bean and green tea breads, chocolate pastries, pies and Danish like the lemon and cream pie, and savory breads such as bacon and egg, pizza bread and curry meatball. Popular items sell out early, so it's worth going in the morning or ordering ahead online.