There are plenty of reasons to visit the Portland suburbs -- open space, great shopping, top-level public pools, and plenty of free parking. Perhaps the most compelling reason to travel to a suburb you don’t regularly visit: Incredible bakeries.

It’s no secret that some of the area’s best food is outside of city limits, and that extends to baked goodies as well.

Portland’s suburbs contain a wealth of flaky, gooey and crunchy delights. Here are a dozen bakeries that are worth the drive if you aren’t lucky enough to live nearby.

85C Bakery Cafe, Tigard

85C Bakery Cafe, Tigard - A dozen bakeries in the Portland suburbs Lizzy Acker/The OregonianLizzy Acker/The Oregonian

This newly-opened pastry wonderland in Washington Square Mall is the place to go if you are looking for fruity treats. The mall cafe is Oregon’s first outpost of this Taiwanese chain and it is already one of the most-popular spots in Washington Square. Seating is limited, but you have the whole mall to sit in! Load up your tray with anything that looks good -- the garlic and bacon roll we tried was tasty, and so was the chocolate croissant. But the real stars were the fruit pastries. We loved the mango-custard filled puff, and the guava streusel, which had just the right amount of cheese, was one of the best things we ate all week. Bonus: 85C was one of the more affordable places we visited. We splurged and got seven items and the total price was under $20.

85C Bakery Cafe, Tigard - A dozen bakeries in the Portland suburbs Lizzy Acker/The OregonianLizzy Acker/The Oregonian

Standout pastry: Guava streusel, $2.

Details: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 9753 S.W. Washington Square Road, #D02, Tigard; 503-352-4600; 85cbakerycafe.com

-- Lizzy Acker

Babushka’s Russian Bakery and Deli, Wood Village

Babushka's Russian Bakery and Deli, Wood Village - A dozen bakeries in the Portland suburbs Lizzy Acker/The OregonianLizzy Acker/The Oregonian

Yes, suburbs feature strip malls. But sometimes, those strip malls contain hidden gems. Take Babushka's Russian Bakery and Deli in Wood Village, a cozy little spot where country music plays over the sound system and most customers speak Russian. There aren’t any savory pastry options -- for something savory, you’ll have to order a sandwich -- but the sweet treats like bulachki, a danish-like sweet bread with sweet cheese, and the flaky, chewy baklava are what you wanted anyway. The eclair, piped generously full of cream and covered in smooth chocolate made us ask, why doesn’t everyone serve eclairs?

Standout pastry: Eclair, $3.

Details: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday; 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 835 N.E. 242nd Dr., Wood Village; 503-669-1020

-- Lizzy Acker

Bella’s Italian Bakery, Lents

Bella’s Italian Bakery, Lents - A dozen bakeries in the Portland suburbs Lizzy Acker/The OregonianLizzy Acker/The Oregonian

Let’s get this out of the way: Yes, Lents is in Portland and not technically a suburb. But, Lents is also a whole world of its own and Bella’s Italian Bakery is a revelation. In this new, light-filled space, the pastries are thoughtfully made, not too sweet but satisfying. The almond cake, which is perfectly dense with a nice crunch on the outside, is something you could eat every day. And the pepperoni roll is lunch baked into a light roll, filled with folds of pepperoni and a layer of cheese. It’s not too greasy but it’s greasy enough that it isn’t too healthy, either. Always get a jam tart, flaky and filled with different jams on different days. It’s the perfect snack.

Bella’s Italian Bakery, Lents - A dozen bakeries in the Portland suburbs Lizzy Acker/The OregonianLizzy Acker/The Oregonian

Standout pastry: Jam tart, $2.50.

Details: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday; closed Monday; 9119 S.E. Woodstock Blvd.; 917-255-1212; bellasitalianbakery.com

-- Lizzy Acker

Carina’s Bakery, Beaverton

Carina’s Bakery, BeavertonJayati Ramakrishnan

Much has been said about Carina’s Bakery -- the owner’s resilience and the pastries themselves. Owner Carina Comer, who focuses on hiring employees with visual impairments or developmental disabilities, offers a variety of vegan treats that draw on her Scandanavian heritage. You can enjoy sweets like a gooey maple-pumpkin donut or a lingonberry coffee cake. There also are savory snacks like smorgas, or open-faced Swedish sandwiches. Come for the snacks, and stay a while and enjoy the springy decor no matter the weather outside, as well as the calming presence of Sutter, Comer’s service dog.

Standout pastry: Sunshine citrus tart with cardamom pastry cream, $5.

Details: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday; 4725 S.W. Lombard Ave., #108, Beaverton; 503-339-3187; carinasbakery.com

-- Jayati Ramakrishnan

Chandelier Bakery, Vancouver

Chandelier Bakery, VancouverJayati Ramakrishnan

The decor of Chandelier Bakery is something of a snack itself -- teal shutters adorn the black-and-white two story house, and the inside boasts several of the namesake light fixtures. But of course, we were there for the baked goods. We tried an almond croissant, a cinnamon roll, and a vegetable strata -- a baked egg-and-cheese dish with peppers and onions. Owner Monica Kersey told us that the shop’s keto items are also very popular. Judging by the mountain of frosting that topped a keto carrot cake bar, we’ll believe her.

Chandelier Bakery, VancouverJayati Ramakrishnan

Standout pastry: Lemon bar, $4.

Details: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday-Sunday; closed Monday; 5206 N.E. 78th St., Vancouver; 360-718-2175; chandelierbakery.net

-- Jayati Ramakrishnan

Grano Bakery and Market, Oregon City

Grano Bakery and Market, Oregon City - A dozen bakeries in the Portland suburbs Lizzy Acker/The OregonianLizzy Acker/The Oregonian

Grano isn’t exactly a secret. In 2017, The Oregonian/OregonLive called Grano the best new bakery in Portland, even though it isn’t in Portland. Three years later, it’s still worth a trip to Oregon City, to get a pastry and sip tea at a widow-side table in the open seating area. The morning bun we tried was delicious, with a crunchy shell and a soft, sweet interior. And the chocolate-filled brioche was light and not too sweet, topped with crunchy cocoa and sugar and filled with chocolate pudding. But the savory bacon spinach danish was perfect -- and we don’t use that word lightly -- so cheesy and flakey and filled with sweet thick-cut bacon, we’ve been considering trekking back to get another one.

Grano Bakery and Market, Oregon City - A dozen bakeries in the Portland suburbs Lizzy Acker/The OregonianLizzy Acker/The Oregonian

Standout pastry: Bacon spinach danish, $4.75.

Details: 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; closed Monday; 1500 Washington St., Oregon City; 503-882-2980; granobreads.com

-- Lizzy Acker

The Hungry Hero, Sherwood

The Hungry Hero, SherwoodJayati Ramakrishnan

For this study in local bakeries, we tried to sample at least three things at each place: a sweet treat, a savory snack, and a standout item that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere. In the Hungry Hero’s Debbie Bar, we found all three. The graham cracker crust is topped with coconut and chocolate chips and a sweet glaze. Good so far, but then it’s finished off with crushed potato chips -- giving you a combination you didn’t know you needed, but now won’t be able to live without. The bakery is small, so you may have to take your treats to go -- fortunately, the array of cupcakes and cookie bars that this shop specializes in are portable, so you can enjoy them while you stroll around downtown Sherwood.

Standout pastry: The Debbie Bar, $3.95.

Details: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday-Monday; 22567 S.W. Washington St.; Sherwood; 503-791-5948; thehungryhero.com

-- Jayati Ramakrishnan

La Rose Patisserie, Beaverton

La Rose Patisserie, BeavertonJayati Ramakrishnan

This is not a competition, and we’re not food critics. But if we’re going for the most beautiful baked goods in the suburbs, La Rose would be hard to beat. The Beaverton patisserie, which is tucked into a corner of an easy-to-overlook strip mall, has a fairytale-esque atmosphere. Its display case is filled with macarons in every hue, and mousses in the shape of lips, hearts and the shop’s namesake flower. The pastries are as good as they look -- the mousses, in flavors like lychee and mango, taste like the actual fruits. Though there’s limited seating, it’s worth sticking around to see -- or eat -- an elaborate souffle pancake with whipped cream cascading down the side. It’s on the more expensive side of the bakeries we visited, with three items costing a little more than $22. But when you’re eating works of art with tastes that match, it’s worth it.

Standout pastry: Rainbow crepe cake, $8.99.

Details: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; closed Monday; 17020 S.W. Whitley Way, Suite 102, Beaverton; 971-217-0838; danscake.com/daily-pastries

-- Jayati Ramakrishnan

Oyatsupan Bakers, Beaverton

Oyatsupan Bakers, located at 16025 SW Regatta Lane, offers baked goods with a Japanese flair. Stephanie Yao Long/Staff LC- The OregonianLC- The Oregonian

This Japanese bakery in Beaverton strikes a nice balance between decadent treats and solid everyday items. Browse enormous trays full of custard-filled buns, jalapeno bread and curry donuts that have the texture of a donut, but a filling that’s reminiscent of a samosa. We tried two custard buns -- one plain and one dusted in cinnamon sugar and filled with apples, cheesecake, jalapeno bread and a curry donut. We could have kept going, but we’ll have to return for the tempting strawberry cake another time.

Standout pastry: Curry donut, $3.25.

Details: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday; 16025 S.W. Regatta Lane, Beaverton; 503-941-5251; oyatsupan.com

-- Jayati Ramakrishnan

Pure Bliss Bakery & Café, Oregon City

- A dozen bakeries in the Portland suburbs Lizzy Acker/The OregonianLizzy Acker/The Oregonian

Pure Bliss, off a country road in Oregon City, is a real down-home bakery. It serves two sizes of scones and cinnamon roll variations that don’t skimp on sweetness out of a small shop that’s decorated with quilt squares. The sausage cheese scone was buttery and light with subtle flavors. The Hershey’s chocolate scone was a similar scone base -- the batter not too sweet which meant the chocolate and the frosting were allowed to be super sweet without making your teeth ache. The orange roll was the most surprising and tasty thing we ate though -- and orange roll with orange icing and orange filling that was very sweet, but cut with a nice citrus tartness, too.

Standout pastry: Orange roll, $4.25.

Details: 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday; closed Sunday-Monday; 18946 S. Central Point Road, Oregon City; 503-828-7041; pureblissbakery.com

-- Lizzy Acker

Sweet Touch Cafe and Svitoch, Vancouver

Pastries at Sweet Touch Cafe and Svitoch, VancouverLizzy Acker/The Oregonian

The cases at Sweet Touch in Vancouver -- a wide-open cafe attached to a European market -- are filled with all kinds of delights. Macarons, cakes, Swiss rolls … it would take months to try all of them. To simplify things, we walked to the back case for warm, freshly baked pastries. The woman working behind the counter recommended a blueberry cream cheese danish, which was generously filled with blueberry jam and cream cheese. It was flaky and warm with crunchy sugar on top. We also tried a jam-filled cookie made with rolled-up dough that was crunchy and not too sweet. But the best thing was another flaky pastry filled with feta and dill and topped with even more dill. It was like a spanakopita in a croissant and worth every calorie.

Standout pastry: Dill and feta roll, $4.

Details: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Saturday; 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday; 6478, 4804 N.E. Thurston Way D, Vancouver; 360-433-2963

-- Lizzy Acker

Tous Les Jours, Beaverton

- Baked goods from our visit to Beaverton bakery Tous Les Jours Jayati RamakrishnanJayati Ramakrishnan

“Tous Les Jours” means “every day.” Makes sense: it would be easy to add the French-Korean chain, which opened its first Oregon location last year, to your daily diet. You’ll find an array of filled sweet and savory pastries like hot spinach and feta croissants and pain aux raisin, as well as styles and flavors you don’t see every day, like the sphere-shaped pumpkin donut. There’s ample seating in the bright, open storefront, but most of the pastries would travel equally well if you’re feeling generous and want to score points with your office-mates.

- Baked goods from our visit to Beaverton bakery Tous Les Jours Jayati RamakrishnanJayati Ramakrishnan

Standout pastry: Strawberry and cream croissant, $3.50.

Details: 9:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday; 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday-Sunday; 11735 S.W. Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy., Beaverton; 503-746-6735; tljus.com

-- Jayati Ramakrishnan