Sweet Dreams wins York Press Best Bakery competition

Sweet Dreams, in George Hudson Street, has been crowned the winner of our Best Bakery competition.

Readers voted for their favourite bakery by picking copies of The Press newspaper over the past weeks.

The nominations were Bluebird Bakery, in Acomb Road; Browns of Heslington, in Heslington; Cosgriff and Sons, in Tower Street; Dough, in Bootham; Fred’s Home Bakery, in Albemarle Road; Haxby Bakehouse, in Haxby; Heppni Bakeri, in Swinegate; Little Blondie Bakehouse, in Walmgate; Sweet Dreams Bakery, in George Hudson Street; and The Coffee Pod, in Bishopthorpe.

Mara Cioineag and Dainius Laurusevicius, owners of Sweet Dreams Bakery (Image: Supplied)

After we broke the news that Sweet Dreams was the winner, co-owner Dainius Laurusevicius told us: “That’s amazing, that’s insane.

“I was happy with the nomination, but I didn’t think we would win.”

He opened the business with his wife Mara Cioineag in June.

Outside Sweet Dreams Bakery in George Hudson Street (Image: Supplied)

“We’re thankful for everyone who voted for us," Dainius added. “It was a pleasure to be nominated in the first place.”

Winning was a surprise, he admitted, saying: “I thought one of the big boys – Haxby Bakehouse or Bluebird Bakery – would take it.”

Bakery has become known for its sweet treats

Dainius and Mara met while working in a restaurant in London.

They started the bakery during the lockdown of 2020 as a small business run from the home kitchen with deliveries being made via Just Eat.

But it was their dream to open a bakery, Mara said previously, adding that opening one was an “achievement in itself”.

Treats for sale at Sweet Dreams Bakery in George Hudson Street (Image: Supplied)

Sweet Dreams has become known for its freshly baked treats, which are also available on Deliveroo.

Everything is made at the on-site kitchen, in the basement of the George Hudson Street premises.

This includes cupcakes, brownies and cookies.

There are also milkshakes, locally-sourced coffee and ice-cream, as well as unusual treats like Dubai chocolate – chocolate bars stuffed with pistachios – which have gone viral online.

Read past Best Bakery stories:

• ‘We don’t want to be mediocre’: how this York bakery became one of the city’s best
• Couple started bakery from their home and now it’s one of York's best, say readers
• ‘We do everything’: the York bakery that's been serving the community for decades

Mara developed her love of baking while watching her grandmother at home preparing “lots of sweet things”.

“Being only the two of us sometimes makes it challenging to run a bakery, especially while juggling a two-year-old,” she said when the business was nominated. “But we are definitely trying our best by working early mornings ant late nights to make this happen.”

Sweet Dreams Bakery has won The Press Best Bakery competition (Image: Newsquest)

After nominations opened, Nigel Burton, editor of The Press, said the competition aimed to “celebrate the people behind these businesses, who work hard to keep them here”.

“Bakeries play an important role in York’s community,” he explained. “From freshly baked loaves in the morning to slices of cake in the afternoon, they brighten up our days.”