After a few weeks of submissions, posts and pleas, NJ.com has announced the 50 semi-finalists (Full Article) in their N.J.’s Best Bakery Showdown. The list is compiled of 24 winners from readers’ voting and 26 from their resident food expert Pete Genovese. Pete now has the tough job – “real tough” – of visiting all 50 spots and coming up with the winners.

While this list covers all of NJ, naturally a number of places are in the greater Bergen County area on both the voters’ choices: Lyndhurst Pastry Shop (Lyndhurst) and Pete’s picks: Argentina Bakery (Union City), Baking Grace (Hawthorne), B&W Bakery (Hackensack), Dulce De Leche (Union City), Erie Bakery (Rutherford), Rispoli’s (Ridgefield, Emerson) and others.

Winners are expected to be crowned in approximately three weeks.

[photo source: Erie Bakery]