Kneaders Bakery & Cafe has received the Utah Best of State: Pastry award in the Casual Dining category. This is Kneaders’ first award in the Casual Dining classification.

“It’s an incredible honor to receive this award,” says James Worthington, CEO. “We attribute much of our success to our outstanding products, which the people of Utah have come to love. Our pastry products are made fresh in the stores, and that really sets them apart.”

Last year Kneaders took home four Best of State awards including best baked goods, local sandwiches, pastries, and salads in the Informal Dining category. This year, Kneaders was nominated in the Casual Dining category.

“As one of the fastest-growing fast-casual concepts in the nation, we thought it was important to compete in the Casual Dining category,” Worthington says.

Also in 2014, the Provo Daily Herald’s “Best of Utah Valley” awards listed Kneaders as the fast-casual restaurant with the best breakfast and bakery, and earned recognition for their chicken sandwich, sandwiches, salads, and lunch.

The company recently opened a new location in the Phoenix suburb of Queen Creek, Ariz., bringing the total number of Kneaders locations to 28 over four states. This year, the company will open a new location in Colorado and its first unit in Texas.