JB3 DoughJoe Bread, Coffee, Love. A small but mighty bakery
Twice Baked Pannetone- white chocolate, macadamia nut panettone, with vanilla cream and blueberries
My Tampa history colleague and fellow foodie Andy Huse recommended JB3 DoughJoe, an unassuming bakery along Nebraska Avenue close to Ybor City, for some chow. It’s a small block building tucked between two residential-looking properties. Also known as Jamison B. Breadhouse, it was named the best bread shop in Florida by Food and Wine in 2022. It is owned and run by former Bern’s Steakhouse executive pastry chef Jason Laukhuf and his wife, Blue.
JB3DoughJoe Bread, Coffee Love. is tucked between two residential looking buildings on south Nebraska near Ybor City
Enter at your own whisk at DoughJoes. The small store asks that only ten customers enter at a time and follow the paintings of Koi fish on the floor.
It’s tiny. Customers pretty much need to walk single file through the shop. There’s a funny sign on the door saying as much, that only 10 folks can enter at a time, and when full, don’t come in until someone leaves. As you enter on the left, items like Lindley Mills brands flour (for making your own), frozen bread for shipping, Lusty Monk brand mustard, and bulk coffee from Eastlick Coffee and Buddy Brew, both from Tampa - just some of the items- are there. (Of course, they have coffee; it’s the Joe part of DoughJoe). On the right, loaves of a variety of fresh-baked bread, each one sounding more mouthwatering than the last, beckon my tastebuds. Sourdough is their best seller. They wisely do not sell Cuban bread with La Segunda blocks away.
The interior of the DoughJoe, with its Koi fish painted on the floor for direction, is small but mighty
Coffee corner in DoughJoe offers several varieties and brands of packaged coffee (joe )
DoughJoe offers a premade sandwich every day. Today, it was a Maple Turkey, Pesto, Brie, Sammy, an over a foot-long what looked like a stack of bakery goodness. The bread was fantastically fresh. The maple turkey was perfectly sliced, and there was an ample amount of bacon to go around, all topped by a delicious basil almond garlic olive oil pesto. Sadly, my sandwich was missing the Brie, which would’ve added a creamy, cheesy delight. Without it, the sandwich falls flat. By the time I got to where I would eat, it was too far to go back, and there was no phone number on their website. I was disappointed. It happens.
DoughJoe’s Maple Turkey Pesto Brie Sammy sans the Brie
For lunch, they also offer a warm menu including Pizzattas (small pizzas). On my visit, they had Lasagna, Vegan Eggplant Parmesan, and Tidy Joe (Harissa Sloppy Joe mix) Pizattas on the menu. When I go back, I’m getting one of those!
Ready-to-go Pizattas are available in the refrigerator or hot
Bread eating essentials like organic flavored dipping olive oil and Kalamata olives are available to go with your loaves
Their pastries are what one would expect from such a highly acclaimed chef. Standards like their Big Ole Cinnamon Roll, and Pan Au Chocolat (chocolate croissant) are available along with specialties like Twice Baked Panettone (a fluffy pastry with white chocolate, macadamia nut panettone, and vanilla cream with blueberries), or Honey Glazed Baked Apple (Granny Smith apples inside honey glazed Buttercup pastry). Wow! They even have what they claim to be the BestDamn Vegan ChocoChip Cookie. I just bet it is.
DoughJoe's Big Ole Cinnamon Roll- simple sweet and fluffy.
DoughJoe Challah loaf. Their biggest seller is sourdough.
Each week, the bakery puts out a menu of breads, pastries, and specialties, which is available on their website. DoughJoe is only open three days a week, Thursday and Friday from 11 to 6, and Saturday from 11 to 3. The person who checked me out says it’s because the rest of the week, their ovens are busy supplying bread to several local restaurants. There’s plenty of parking in the vacant lot next door. There’s no place to sit and eat here, so goodies must be taken to-go.