I don't know how many leather-bound books he has or whether or not his apartment smells of rich mahogany, but head baker Jeff Yankellow is kind of a big deal. In 2005, he was part of a team that won the Coupe du Monde, so he's literally been a world champion at baking.
You'd think with that kind of cache, you'd find him working at some ridiculously upscale restaurant or in an overly pretentious bakery in the middle of an overly pretentious area. Nope. The Simply Bread bakery is a non-descript warehouse with a small house in front to serve as the shop located on 24th St north of McDowell.
But, trust me, if this is out of the way for you, make the trip. Jeff and his staff make some of the most ridiculously good baked things you will ever have. The baguette is his specialty, but the bakery also served dozens of varieties of bread, jams, jellies, cookies, rolls, etc... Even just the standard white bread you'd make your PB& J on is awesome. I overbought the last time I went in and spent the next 3 days finding things to do with bread, because I'd run out of freezer space.
I can't deduct a star for it being pricey. You get what you pay for, and at this place you get the best possible ingredients prepared by those who are actually passionate about making bread. This is one of the true hidden gems of Phoenix.