JEDDAH: La Fournil in Jeddah is a bakery that prioritizes wholesome and healthy ingredients.

The bakery’s name comes from the French word for “oven,” reflecting the traditional craftsmanship at the heart of its concept.

The speciality provided is natural yeast sourdough bread, offering a variety of shapes and sizes designed to suit dietary needs, including gluten sensitivity.

Among its standout offerings is the San Francisco-style sourdough bread, which takes up to three days to prepare. 

I sampled the sourdough coated with a traditional blend of Saudi grains. The bread stood out for its balanced texture and rich flavor and paired particularly well when served at home with labnah, salmon and olives.

After purchase, the bread is sliced upon request using a slicing machine and elegantly packed in a paper bag.

Founder and baker Abdulmohsen Bai brings more than 25 years of baking experience to the venture. He oversees production and develops new recipes, adding personal touches to each type of bread. 

La Fournil operates a single branch in Mohammadiyyah and does not supply other bakeries.

One of the bakery’s most distinctive features is its custom-built pizza oven that you see when you first enter the bakery, designed and constructed by Bai himself.

La Fournil offers more than 10 varieties of sourdough bread, with prices ranging from SR7 to SR37 ($1.87 to $9.87) depending on the type and ingredients.

For more information, visit their Instagram @lefournilksa.