Their Story
Back in 2013, Kristen Hall began baking with her daughters in their Crestwood home — not to open a restaurant, but just to share something good with the neighbors. They'd ring the doorbell and run. The neighborhood started calling them the Baking Bandits. More than a decade later, Bandit Pâtisserie has grown into one of Birmingham's most beloved bakeries, and they just hit a major milestone: a stunning new home at 2323 1st Avenue North in downtown Birmingham — five times the size of their previous space, where pastries are now made and enjoyed all under one roof. Kristen and her co-owner Lacy Triplett have poured everything into this new chapter — and it shows. The space is beautifully designed, full of little touches of love (including crochet hearts made by Kristen's daughter). There's even a Little Red Print Shop vending machine featuring artwork by local artist Jessica Leitch. On the menu? Small-batch, seasonally driven pastries that change with the moment — buttery croissants, handmade Pop-Tarts, choux buns, macarons, sourdough, brioche, tarts, and more. Coffee is roasted by Domestique, tea from Rishi. Old favorites are back, and there's always something new to discover. And now, for the first time, Bandit is open seven days a week. 📍 2323 1st Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203 Hours: Mon–Fri 7:30 AM – 2:00 PM · Sat–Sun 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM 📞 (205) 920-1862 · hello@banditbham.com
Community Impact
Started as neighbors ringing doorbells and running in Crestwood. More than a decade later, Bandit Pâtisserie supports local artists (Jessica Leitch vending machine), sources coffee from Domestique and tea from Rishi, and has become a weekly ritual for thousands of Birmingham residents.
Why They Were Selected
Bandit didn't grow because of advertising or algorithms — it grew because Kristen Hall made something extraordinary and let the community do the talking. It started with word of mouth, neighborhood by neighborhood, pastry by pastry. That's the Buzz. Birmingham should be proud that this is ours.
In Their Own Words
"This really feels like a moment to bring back what we really wanted — a space where pastries were made and enjoyed all in the same space."