Marieborgs Bageri (Aspsjö bröd och bakverk AB)

There are bakeries you go to, and then there are bakeries you grow up with. For me, Marieborgs in Alingsås belongs to the second kind. It has been there for as long as I can remember, and it has always been good. So when the bakery changed owners in 2019, I got a little worried. I think most people know that feeling, a bit like when your favorite team gets a new coach and you start bracing for the worst before the first match has even been played. The thing about a bakery like this is that it covers the whole range, from the bread you take home on an ordinary Tuesday to what you put on the table when the relatives come over. The counter holds bread, buns and pastries, and the layer cakes are a big part of why people in town find their way here. It's simply where you go when there's a party. So how did the quality hold up after the change of ownership? Well, actually. The new owners have kept hold of what made the place worth visiting, and the bread is still a reason in itself to drop by. The buns and pastries are good in that obvious way you want a bakery's to be, without anything trying to be more than it is. And the cakes haven't lost a thing, which is nice to be able to say if you've had them on the table at more than one birthday party. The staff have always been in a good mood, and that hasn't changed either. You're greeted with a smile by people who are happy to help, whether you're buying a single bun or a whole cake. If you live in Alingsås, you probably already know where Marieborgs is. If you don't, and you have a party coming up, this is where you should start looking for the cake. While you're there, grab a bag of buns too. They tend not to survive the car ride home.