Beloved Local Bakery Expands To Darien

DARIEN, CT — A beloved local bakery has expanded to Darien with a new location.

Raphaël’s Bakery, the family-run business with roots in Greenwich that offers a signature blend of French tradition, local charm, and artisanal craftsmanship, recently opened at 370 Heights Road. A grand opening celebration with special surprises is planned for Nov. 16 at 2 p.m.

"We’re so excited to grow and open this new location in Darien. What you taste at Raphaël’s Bakery is the product of passion, fine ingredients, hard work, and a lifetime of experience. Everything we make is baked on-site — with heart," said owner Raphaël Dequeker in an announcement.

Dequeker, who is originally from Brittany, France, is a third-generation pâtissier/boulanger whose earliest memories are of cutting strawberries in his parents' pastry shop.

At the age of 16, he began an apprenticeship under a Maître Chocolatier in Paris and went on to train alongside culinary legends such as Alain Ducasse and Pierre Hermé, working in some of France’s most celebrated kitchens, including Le Louis XV in Monaco and Ladurée in Paris.

In 2003, Dequeker took a job as head pastry chef at Valbella in Greenwich, and he moved to town with his wife Charlotte and their three sons.

After nearly two decades at Valbella, Dequeker opened his own bakery in Greenwich in 2020 at 46 Mason St.

Family is at the center of the bakery. Charlotte manages operations, while the couple's sons - a fourth generation of bakers - are often found behind the counter and were the driving forces behind the new Darien location.

For more information, visit the bakery's website or follow them on Instagram.