Kelsey Shoemaker
There is only one vegan bakery in Fort Worth, and they open their arms to vegans and nonvegans alike.
Husband and wife duo Stephanie and Mark Garza have been running Fort Worth’s only 100% vegan bakery, Planted Bakery, for two years. Two years later, they reflect on the passage of time from their start during the pandemic.
Planted Bakery is at 5400 Woodway Dr., Suite 120, in southwest Fort Worth.
“Nothing that we do now looks like what we did back then, and thank God,” Mark says. “It’s way better because we know what we're doing now versus when we started, when it was just our passion of wanting to cook and have a bakery. The pandemic slowed everything down, and when everything started to open back up slowly, people began rediscovering us again, which was really neat. We learned a lot in that time, and it didn't hurt us, but it helped us out. Now the things seem to be picking back up again.”
The two have been vegan for five years. The idea for an entire vegan bakery came out of their lost hope for finding any bakery specifically vegan. Places they would go to would be a dead-end for the couple, noting minimal menu items that were either not prepared well or clearly evident a nonvegan baker was trying to be vegan.
“We saw we didn't have that many options,” Mark says. “Over time, we developed it and saw it was working for us for vegans and nonvegans and people with specific allergies and people with lactose issues and whatnot. People come in because it's good food and what we hang our hats on.”
Currently, they are the only 100% vegan bakery in the city — which Cowtown can forgive.
“I don't want to be the only vegan bakery in Fort Worth,” Stephanie says. “I’m ready to move to the phase where more people have that option but also to have whole places where kids can walk in and order anything they want and not worry about it. As a kid, you should be able to walk in anywhere, especially somewhere your parents are taking you for a treat. I think of all the times my parents did that for me and how important that is a childhood memory.”
Since opening, they recall people coming from miles out to try their baked goods. Some voiced their opinion on working with a spouse when the two first opened. Two years later, they can say with pride that that’s what makes the place even more unique.
1 of 4
Kelsey Shoemaker
2 of 4
Kelsey Shoemaker
3 of 4
Kelsey Shoemaker
4 of 4
Kelsey Shoemaker
“It’s easy to work with your friend because you have that to fall back on,” Stephanie says. “We have a good time together. We know when to be quiet and work and when to play around and get each other's spirits up because it's been a hard day. I think it makes it easier.”
Since their start at the bakery, their primary purpose has been to encapsulate all baked goods lovers, on their side of Interstate 20 and be the friendly neighborhood place everyone loves.
“Fear of failure is what it takes to have that small business mentality,” Mark says. “It can't be fun always, and it can't be easy. The moral, almost spiritual side is knowing you are doing something that no one else is doing in the area.”
Some of her favorites are the classic carrot cake and pepperoni rolls, and he recommends any of her cupcakes. (Especially the Turtle chocolate one.) He says that vegan cupcakes or not, hers are the best in the area.
“The thing about this bakery is that we cater to everybody,” Mark says. “If you are vegan, and if you are a hardcore savory meat-eater, come on in, we got stuff for you too. If you are a strict vegan eater, we got stuff for you too.”
5400 Woodway Dr, Suite #120, Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.
