When I was a kid, I was obsessed with science fiction and the fantasy idea of secret portals to adventure.
The Pevensie siblings open the door to an old armoire in a stodgy English country house and travel to the land of Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
Dorothy goes through something as commonplace as a big storm on the Kansas prairie and is transported to a magical world where she meets The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
John Carter enters an Arizona cave in the late 1800s and is cast on an interstellar journey to Barsoom, where he falls in love with A Princess of Mars.
The attraction was obvious to the point of cliché. I grew up on military bases, which they don’t tend to put in the most cosmopolitan of areas. The idea of accidentally stumbling into some more colorful and adventurous otherworld appealed to me.
As an adult who has now traveled to and had unlikely experiences in places I never thought I’d see, the idea appeals to me now more than ever. I still ache for that moment when the mundane yields to the fantastic out of nowhere, preferably right in the middle of my everyday life. That’s why I get a childlike glee out of stopping in at Augustino Gusto Bakery and Gelateria.
Part of the charm, I’ll admit, is that if you don’t know about this place or haven’t been clued in by someone in the know, you’d stand almost no chance of finding it.
Drive away from the center of town down Lawndale Avenue, as my wife and I often do on our way to Lake Brandt to hike or paddle, and you’ll go right past it at the intersection of New Garden Road. The small house, repurposed as a bakery with its own small parking lot, is completely obscured by a BP gas station. You’ll miss it even if you’re looking for it. Come the other way, along New Garden toward Lawndale, and you’ll see it just as you have to navigate the intersection—not an ideal “Hey, what’s that?” moment.
If you are lucky enough to find the place, there’s a good chance it isn’t open. Seasonal hours. Holiday hours. Completely unexplained shifts in hours. Right now it’s open three days a week—Wednesdays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from noon to 4 p.m. But if it’s open, there’s a good chance there’s a line out the door. It’s that good.
I’m talking fresh breads: French baguettes, sourdough, whole wheat walnut cranberry, garlic rosemary, and Kalamata olive batards.
I’m talking quiches: sun-dried tomato pesto, leek and tomato, spinach feta, basil mozzarella.
I’m talking prosciutto folds, an array of sweet and savory croissants, sweet buns, dessert bars, pies, cheesecakes, tarts and frangipanes, and other things I only know about because of The Great British Baking Show.
Is it all hand-made from scratch and baked in-house? You know it is.
Do they also have an impressive selection of gelato? Oh boy, do they.
The truth is, I don’t even want to tell you about this. I’m terrified the next time I’m there, the line will be twice as long and my favorite delectables will be sold out. I want it to remain this small, semi-secret otherworld of deliciousness.
But it’s tough out there right now. We could all use a little magic in our lives. And Augustino Gusto is so good, it deserves to thrive. Get over there. Tell them we sent you. But leave some for me.