Blissful Bakery: Where food is a joy

MEREDITH — Scones, breads, tasty sandwiches, cakes, good coffee and more are the components of Blissful Bakery & Catering located within Mill Falls Marketplace. The eatery is cozy, tucked into a portion of the top floor of the marketplace. The atmosphere is warm and relaxing where customers can meet friends for breakfast or lunch, or just spend an hour enjoying a cup of coffee and taking in the unique view of the waterfall next door.

The owners of Blissful Bakery & Catering are Heather Lincoln and her husband Terrence Burney. Customers will remember Lincoln and Burney as the former owners of the Gilford Village Store. The couple operated the popular eatery in Gilford with a bakery chock full of muffins, scones and many other pastries. They sold the business in 2023 and recently opened Blissful Bakery.

The Mill Falls Marketplace restaurant formerly operated as the Waterfall Café before Lincoln took the reins. She updated the menu with delicious breakfasts and lunch items and, of course, heavenly baked goods.

“We opened in October of this year,” she said. The name of the café was chosen because, as Lincoln explained, “I originally wanted to name the business Joyful Bakery because Joy is my middle name. Then I thought of bliss, and it seemed to tie into blissful baked goods and that is how I came up with the name.”

Lincoln said, out of all the things she bakes and offers to customers, her favorite to make is scones. She also bakes carrot and cranberry breads, cookies, cupcakes and wedding cakes, among many other things.

With a love of cooking, Lincoln grew up baking with her mother and grandmother. Baking is a family tradition, and it has become a career and passion for Lincoln, who has run restaurants since 2015.

Lincoln is originally from the Lakes Region, attended local schools and later graduated from Newbury College in Boston, where she majored in culinary management, learning both the business side and a range of food preparation techniques.

Burney is originally from Sanibel Island, Florida, and is a self-taught chef. In the past, the couple owned and operated a restaurant in Naples, Florida. Burney has worked alongside Lincoln in their businesses and has stepped in to cook at Blissful Bakery. He has future plans for another business to be shared soon.

After the couple sold The Gilford Village Store, they were looking for a new restaurant and found it at the Mill Falls location. The former Waterfall Café space appealed to Lincoln immediately.

“I liked the atmosphere, the coziness and that it is part of Mill Falls right in the heart of the Meredith area. We made some changes, such as a new menu and we added our own touches. The biggest thing is that all of our baked goods are homemade.”

Much of the furnishings and décor stayed from the previous café because it echoed the cozy feel Lincoln was going for.

Along with the café and bakery, Lincoln also specializes in catering. Since Meredith is a popular location for weddings and events, Blissful Bakery also offers catering.

Among the breakfast items at the café is a standard avocado toast, which Lincoln said is very popular, as well as burritos — a customer favorite is the Blissful Burrito, which consists of soft scrambled eggs, sundried tomatoes, arugula, red onion, pesto and mozzarella cheese in a wrap — eggs and bacon, and such special items as steak and avocado and an assortment of muffins as well as a variety of tempting baked goods.

Lunch offers turkey avocado clubs, spiced turkey and many more sandwiches. Lighter fare includes salads, soups and more. For special dietary needs, the menu includes gluten-free options.

Coffee lovers will appreciate blends from Woodshed Roasting. Winnipesaukee Woods Farm products are also available at the café.

For those who are planning a meeting or get-together, the relaxed and cozy atmosphere of the café offers just the thing with a break-out area and seating for small groups.

“The space is something convenient for those who want a quiet place for a meeting,” Lincoln said. “We want to grow Blissful Bakery and Café with the addition of catering events and wholesale baked goods. We started the Café with the simple idea of bringing our best to our customers. I love to bake, and I truly believe that baking is joy and food is a passion.”

Blissful Bakery & Catering is located at 312 Daniel Webster Hwy. Call 603-677-7091 or visit blissfulbakerynh.com for more information.