Salty Tart Bakery, Minneapolis

Though it is a risky move to arrive in a new city and set up shop immediately, it paid off for pastry chef Michelle Gayer. After stints at La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles and now-closed Charlie Trotter’s restaurant in Chicago, Gayer opened Salty Tart in 2008 in Minneapolis’s Midtown Global Market. The bakery was an instant hit. Treats range from coconut macaroons to pastry cream–filled brioche to the namesake tarts that shift with the season. Caramelized onions pair with goat cheese in a signature savory version; brown butter and berries make for a sweet treat. 920 E. Lake St.; 612-874-9206; saltytart.com.