Caity Weaver has written the definitive article on the best free restaurant bread in the U.S. for The Atlantic magazine. Those of you reading this from outside of North America may be asking “what free bread” since the concept of serving gratis bread before or along with a restaurant meal is far from universal. But here in the land of wide open spaces and gluttony customers expect a basket of some kind of bread with every sit down meal in a restaurant.

You may be questioning whether a long piece on free breadbaskets in the U.S. is worth your time, but Weaver’s article is an informative and entertaining slice of life story.

I never have to think twice when the question of the best free restaurant bread comes up. I’ve had a favorite for more than half a century. When I was young and carefree, I lived in the subtropical resort city of Miami Beach, Florida. Just a short walk from my house was the legendary deli/restaurant called Pumpernik’s. Sadly, it’s long closed, but it was heart of Miami Beach for seven decades. The star of the show at Pumpernik’s was a wicker basket overflowing with miniature breads and dinner rolls. Along with the fresh baked breads, they also served a basket of free mini pastries, a bowl of pickles, and a bowl of something that Pumpernk’s called “health salad”.

If you choose to dive into the article, I guarantee that you’ll be craving some carbs by the end.