Sarah Grace Meyn

Loblolly Bakery in Hattiesburg has been named one of the 22 best bakeries in the U.S. by The New York Times, a recognition that comes during one of the busiest seasons of the year. As the bakery enters its 58-day Mardi Gras season, it prepares to supply a steady stream of king cakes to customers, alongside its regular offerings of breads, pastries, and sandwiches.
The bakery's schedule runs from Monday through Saturday, providing a variety of baked goods such as cinnamon rolls, blueberry muffins, croissants, and biscuits. For breakfast, patrons can choose from sausage, bacon, or fried steak biscuits, while the lunch menu includes six hot and two cold sandwich options. Loblolly also caters its lunch menu and serves a variety of beverages, including seasonal lattes and freshly squeezed orange juice.
Since opening just over a year ago, Loblolly has partnered with local restaurants, supplying Ed’s Burger Joint with burger buns, Crescent City Grill with brioche bread for king cake bread pudding, and Mercury Pizza with bread for muffulettas. The bakery plans to expand into grocery stores after obtaining a manufacturing license on January 28.
“We hope to have three to five Ed’s in the next five to seven years, and so burger buns for Ed’s would be a big part of that,” said Jarred Patterson, COO of New South Restaurant Group.
In addition to its partnership with local restaurants, Loblolly is contributing to the community through its Mardi Gras king cakes, which are being sold by the Junior Auxiliary of Hattiesburg to benefit families in need. This fundraiser alone has already accounted for 1,800 of the king cakes Loblolly plans to sell during the season.
Loblolly’s impact is not confined to Hattiesburg. The bakery has begun a pop-up schedule for king cakes in cities across the Pine Belt, including Gulfport, Jackson, Collins, and Poplarville. With the possibility of producing up to 17,400 king cakes this season, the bakery continues to expand its reach.
“Go to the people! We’re bringing the Mardi Gras magic to you!” said Robert St. John, co-owner of Loblolly Bakery.