Nice Buns Bakery

02/27/2026

"You got this. Here's the next 3 tickets. You ready?"

Yes chef, I'm here with you.

And he was here with us; to cook, and sweat, and swear, and stare at the stars after a 400 cover night, and teach us what it meant to feed the stomach AND the soul, and to show us we can be both powerful and vulnerable. He was the emodiment of 'they don't care what you know until they know that you care'. And my God, did the man know how to cook... and care.

We lost one of our best last week. My friend, my mentor, my hero. F**k

Chef Matt Taylor was the first person that made me think i was capable of sobriety. He walked me through how to handle withdrawals just as he taught me to not overcook the chicken livers for pate... with skill, grace, and a well timed dirty joke.

6 years later and I've lost him. We've lost him; but not his lessons. I'm just one of countless lives Matt changed for the better.

If there's a service here in Phoenix, I'll post on stories to help fill that room with love. If you need a an ear, a shoulder, or hell, a sober workplace, let me know. In the meantime... I'm gonna try to work on these next 3 tickets. Crying..but cooking. Love you chef

02/20/2026

I've spent the last 3 years hiding in a nondescript mall in Mesa trying to figure out this whole bread thing. It seems time to stumble out of this cocoon...see you all soon!

In the meantime, head over to for tasty carbs. At the moment, they are the best place to get your hands on some Nice Buns. As for retail direct from the source... beware the ides of March.

Thank you to for the exposure, thank you to for the love(and the great coversation!) And thank you to Joe Rondone for the awesome pictures.

All photos credit to Joe Rondone/The Republic

01/25/2026

01/20/2026

Reasonably good sandwiches by unreasonable people.

It's been a while since I've done this. So, ya know, come see how that turns out

Nice M**f: chile english muffin, chorizo, queso menonita, spring onion salsa(pictured)

Nice Bun, Angry Bird: Angel Biscuit, Korean Fried Chicken, Apple, Soubise

Ill try to make enough...but not too many. So probably come early. Maybe?

10/14/2024

Well that was unexpected...

I thought of myself for a long time as a Chef. It was part of my identity, I thought; but i never got close to the "Chef" I wanted to be.

In rehab, a counselor asked me who I am; the first word out of my mouth was Chef. He screamed at me "that's what you do! I asked you who you are!?".

Not long after that, I stopped cooking professionally. I started cooking and baking for my family: the amazing people who take care of me every day. I started looking for myself.

I'm not a baker. I'm a dude who's filled with love and fear and hope and hunger and pride and patience and appreciation and desire to be more of all of it. And I bake. I bake with great people for great people. Thank you to those people. Thank you to for the love.

And thank you to my first employee, the starter, for reminding me every day that I'm not in charge of a damn thing🤓

Now back to trying to figure out this bread thing...

-Mark

04/14/2023

Morning groove. New becoming normal

02/17/2023

I'm drained. Thankfully, the flour's full of life, though. Kneed the love

01/16/2023

Been baking these for the good folks at for about a year and a half now. Still difficult, still satisfying... and they still make a damn fine cubano with them. Just here to say thanks

11/19/2022

The team at finally get to open their doors today, and I couldn't be happier for them! Their passion and respect for the product are truly inspiring. If you have the time, go say hi today(and grab a demi baguette😉).

Dustin and Karen have been putting every bit of love they have into this project, and it shows. So go marvel at the marbling and let them tell you some stories about the farms and people that helped make it happen.

Ps. That walk-in this morning was one of the best smells I've ever experienced

10/17/2022

Sometimes I need to remind myself; the mountain in front of me doesn't take away from the accomplishment of getting over those foothills. Sometimes, they are the most arduous part of the journey.

Happy Monday all. Let's keep climbing

10/14/2022

Arizona Country Bread

84% hydration, Hayden Queen Creek Red, Rouge de Bourdeaux, White Sonoran Wheat, a touch of Gazelle Rye... and a LOT of time

10/10/2022