Everything at Penny Oven starts with bread. Not metaphorically — literally. The sourdough starter that lives in our kitchen is the foundation of nearly everything we bake: the country white loaves, the multigrain, the English muffins we split for our bennys, the toast that comes with half our plates. If you've eaten here, you've tasted it.
The starter has been active for years. We feed it daily. It has a personality — it responds to the weather, to the temperature of the kitchen, to the flour we're using. Sourdough baking is alive in the most literal sense, and that's part of what makes it endlessly interesting.
What Makes Sourdough Different
Most commercial bread is made with commercial yeast — a single, industrially produced strain that produces consistent results quickly. Sourdough uses wild yeast captured from the environment and cultivated in a flour-and-water mixture over time. The wild yeast ferments more slowly, and that slow fermentation is what creates the complex flavor, the open crumb, and the characteristic tang.
It's also easier to digest for many people. The long fermentation breaks down gluten and phytic acid in ways that fast-fermented breads don't. We hear regularly from customers who can't eat regular bread but feel fine with ours. We're not making medical claims — but we do know our bread is made the slow, honest way.
The Daily Process
Our bakers start before dawn. The starter gets fed the night before, it's active and ready to go by early morning, and the mixing and shaping happen in the first few hours of the day. The loaves proof, go into the oven, and cool in time for the lunch crowd.
The toast you get with your breakfast plate was baked that morning. The bread you can take home was baked that morning. That's the standard we hold ourselves to — nothing from yesterday.
Take a Loaf Home
We sell whole loaves of our country white and multigrain daily while supplies last. They go fast — especially on weekends. If you want to be sure, come early or call ahead at (323) 739-0091. A Penny Oven loaf will keep well for 3–4 days on the counter, longer in the freezer.
We're open every day 7am–3pm at 2131 Colorado Blvd in Eagle Rock.