Food Republic has released its list of “The Best Bakery in Every U.S. State,” selecting Baltimore’s Ovenbird Bakery as the top bakery in Maryland.

The national food publication compiled its selections using a combination of notable food awards, local and national media recognition, and online reviews and comments from various platforms and travel websites.

Ovenbird Bakery was founded by Keiller Kyle, a professional wildlife bird biologist who began experimenting with sourdough bread at home in 2016. The bakery’s name comes from the ovenbird, a migratory songbird native to Maryland.

According to Food Republic, Kyle opened the bakery for his wife, Nadire, a Turkish immigrant who missed the flavors of her homeland and had been disappointed by American baked goods. What began as a home baking project eventually developed into a business, with Ovenbird opening its first brick-and-mortar location in 2020.

The bakery combines traditional European baking techniques with Mediterranean influences and a modern Baltimore approach. Its focus is on scratch-made foods prepared with simple ingredients and traditional methods.

Food Republic highlighted several of Ovenbird’s offerings, including spinach artichoke démonter, za’atar focaccia, and apricot coffee cake. The bakery’s broader menu includes naturally leavened sourdough breads, Mediterranean-inspired pastries, breakfast and lunch selections, coffee, and handcrafted cocktails.

Since opening its first storefront, Ovenbird has expanded to three locations throughout Baltimore, building on its original concept of bringing traditional baking techniques and internationally inspired flavors to the city.

Damascus has been named the best place to live in Maryland in TownRatings’ 2026 Best Places to Live rankings, finishing No. 1 among 259 communities evaluated across the state.

The Montgomery County community received an overall A+ grade, placing it among the top 2% of towns nationwide, according to the website. TownRatings highlighted Damascus for its household income, low natural-hazard risk, health indicators, and employment-related measures.

According to TownRatings, Damascus has a median household income of approximately $159,000, compared to $127,000 across the Washington metropolitan area. The website estimates the typical home value in Damascus at approximately $550,000.

Damascus earned A+ grades in both hazard risk and jobs and income, an A in health, an A- in walkability, a B+ in schools, and a B- in cost of living. The website’s analysis found that Damascus has a lower natural-hazard risk than approximately 97% of U.S. communities, while CDC-based health estimates placed its residents ahead of 94% of the country.

The rankings also highlighted the community’s outdoor amenities. Damascus received an A for outdoor recreation, with TownRatings noting approximately five miles of trails and 22% conserved land. The community is home to Damascus Recreational Park and is surrounded by natural areas, including the Great Seneca and Magruder Branch stream valleys.

TownRatings uses data from sources including the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, CDC PLACES, FEMA, Zillow, and OpenStreetMap to evaluate communities across several categories. Its rankings consider factors such as affordability, employment, health, schools, walkability, and environmental risks.

Damascus, an unincorporated community in northern Montgomery County with approximately 17,640 residents according to TownRatings, finished first statewide in the website’s 2026 edition.