09/22/2026
Charleston’s bakery scene just picked up some serious national recognition. 🥐👏
Zachary and Hannah Welton, the husband-and-wife team behind Weltons Tiny Bakeshop on King Street, have been named 2026 Food & W**e Best New Chefs.
Food & W**e’s Best New Chefs program has been around since 1988 and has previously recognized names including Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud, Nancy Silverton, David Chang and Grant Achatz. To qualify, chefs must have led a kitchen or pastry program for five years or less, and finalists go through a national scouting process that also includes staff surveys and background checks.
The Weltons’ path to national recognition started long before the bakery.
They met while working at Husk Charleston, later cooked at Hartwood in Tulum, and returned to Charleston during the pandemic with a mobile pizza oven before eventually opening Weltons Tiny Bakeshop. Today, the team can produce 500 to 1,000 baked items a day, from sourdough and focaccia to kouign-amann, kolaches and pastries built around local grains and seasonal Lowcountry ingredients.
Food & W**e went even further, calling Weltons one of the country’s best bakeries — not just “good for Charleston,” but nationally exceptional for its consistency, originality and ingredient-driven approach.
And the operation is still growing. Weltons has already expanded beyond its original tiny footprint, now offering evening service several days a week, with longer-term plans to evolve further toward an all-day café.
📍 Weltons Tiny Bakeshop — 684 King St.
🏆 2026 Food & W**e Best New Chefs: Zachary & Hannah Welton
Charleston has always had a strong restaurant identity, but the bakery scene keeps forcing its way into the national conversation too.
What’s your must-order at Weltons?