The chocolate mousse cake is incredible. So light and fluffy. It was my first time in the bakery today. I brought my daughter after she had a bad day at school and just wanted a slice of cake. The owner was super nice. I had questions about custom cakes and we chatted for a minute, and she showed me some of her inspiration photos. I also ordered the Greek rice pudding for my son. He had MCAS today so he deserved a treat. I got a spoonful and it was excellent. The only drawbacks to this place are there is nowhere to sit, and prices are not marked in the case. There are benches outside, though, for when the weather is nice. And maybe farther down the road from the pandemic the owner could remove some of the fixtures and add seating. But I would recommend adding pricing to the cases to those on a fixed budget. read more

Arlington Bakery & Méli Marketplace - Chocolate mousse cake - Bakeries Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

Wow, you do not want to sleep on this place! You're missing out. What a find! Fresh pastry, Greek cookies, baklava, cakes, all so delicious. There also a to go section with avgolemono soup, tzatziki and yogurt and all are so yummy. They also carry imported Greek goodies like feta and olive oil and jams. It's becoming rare to find a working bakery in a neighborhood, where the owners and staff are actually in the back baking from scratch. And the results are outstanding. read more

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Ahh, one of the best bakeries we ran into on our trip here in the city. Love the Greek cookies, cupcakes, and we also had some Baklava. Nice cozy welcome as we walked inside. I first ordered me some coffee to drink to wash down my sweets Lol. Nice pies, cookies, cakes, and ice cream. Anything you practically desire was almost pretty much here. My girl went for some Tziki yogurt I like the Tzatziki yogurt too. Just a different type of bakery here with imported goods. I love it Nice people and good staff. We will be back for more. read more

Really great Greek bakery, not sure what's the deal with reviews here. They have a bunch of my favorite Greek cookies, which I'm sure have names, but which I know as "crumbly powdery sugar one" and "crumbly honey soaked cakey one". They're all pretty crumbly, come to think of it. They also had one that had this pretty red stripe design. When I asked the person what type of cookie it was she said "just a regular biscuit, strawberry". Turns out it's filled with strawberry meringue type stuff, which was definitely not regular, but also really delicious. So maybe get ready for adventure? Also had a Greek coffee, which was delicious. Definitely would be back here if I'm ever accidentally in Arlington. read more

I love this place. The cookies are phenomenal, the cakes are very good as well. My daughter recently had a mousse with a chocolate mouse on top and I think I ate as much as her. It was phenomenal, not too sweet, not too bitter. They added a mini Greek market now which great products. read more

We bought 2 pounds of cookies for a post-Thanksgiving dinner. We even asked if the cookies were fresh. They were disgusting. Crumbly. Stale. The filing in the jelly cookies was too hard to chew through. They will tell you they outsource the cookies, as if they didn't resell expired product. But they happily do ... it wasn't one bad cookie: they were all spoiled. Other items were single serving, not bad, but not worth the price. Look elsewhere. read more

Incredible baked goods and a really good selection for the marketplace. Went here for some bread (they sell Iggy's bread - not their own), and ended up getting some baklava and a cookie as well and was massively impressed! read more

The pontikaki (5.25$) was super cute, with a little hippo (? mouse?) on top. I expected it to be very sweet, and it was, but it didn't have any chocolate flavor either. The mousse and cake were nice and soft. I wish there were any price tags on the items, and the person at the counter didn't know the prices either which was mildly funny. (I think she was just stepping in while her granddaughter ran an errand.) read more

This isn't the same bakery from a year ago- it's under new ownership, and it's great now! We tried a lot of different cakes and pastries and loved everything. The new owner is also really nice. Highly recommend. read more

Absolutely amazing selection of both imported items and handmade Greek pastries. We tried the orange bread pudding and were blown away by how delicious it was. The flavors are subtle, and the texture is delightful. Another fantastic creation by the very talented pastry chef there. Really excited for their expansion as they will be able to offer even more options than ever before. read more

Kinda a neat little place, traditional bakery, no place to sit. I have only tried their galaktoboureko (the custard pie with flaky crust) and their Italian pie / cake (I don't know if they sell it by a different name). The galaktoboureko is super sweet, custardy, and somewhat cold; I can't imagine it being made fresh each day, so it's hard to consider what the crust would be like if it came fresh from the oven. The Italian cake fared better, very delicately flavored, but elegant nonetheless. Minus 1 star for possibly being overpriced: $7 for both items listed above, and not a great place to sit in (actually, now that I think of it, there is nowhere to sit). read more

I bought the last Napoleon in the shelf. It was so stale that my husband and I were sick after 15 minutes. Stay away if you can. There are many other bakeries in the area. read more

The sign should read, " Arlington's BEST Greek Bakery". Having just gotten back from a vacation in Santorini, I was yearning for a piece of Galaktoboureko. (Greek custard dessert ) The owner was there, and couldn't have been more lovely and friendly. I was so thrilled that they had the dessert I was looking for. Bought a generous piece, and headed home. I'm now kicking myself that I didn't buy the whole pan that had just come out of the oven while I was there! The pastry was FAR BETTER than any of the ones I tasted while in Greece, and believe me when I say I tried many! . Seriously! The phyllo was delicate and crispy, and the custard in the middle was perfectly moist and creamy. It had just the right amount of honey ... not overly sweet or sticky. Beyond amazing! Will definitely make a trip back there soon. read more

No labels on anything, no prices listed anywhere. This is particularly frustrating when all of the pastries are made to look alike; slight variations in phyllo dough patterns or hints of different colored jams are your best bets. The woman working at the time quietly watched and didn't try to help me navigate the sea of baked goods. When I would inquire about something, I was given the title. If you're not familiar with Greek desserts, this is meaningless. I ended up buying several things so this ended up being tedious. Bad service really doesn't turn me off though. I still would have given one star with good service. Literally everything I got either tasted overwhelmingly (severe, unbearable, etc.) like a refrigerator. Unrefrigerated goods were just bland and dry. I understand it's difficult for small bakeries to remain in business with the rising cost of.. everything. Unfortunately, inferior ingredients/stale products will only make this problem spiral. Bakeries need fast turnover and it's very clear this one lacks that feature. read more

Pretty average cupcakes. They only had the chocolate variety so I got 2 with different frostings. They were well average. The kind of generic cupcake you will get at any old school bakery that pours the bought mix in a mixer. Spongey cake, sticky frosting. I can say I've probably had the same cupcake at many other random bakeries. Enough to satisfy a craving but not gourmet. Cupcakes are only $1.50. On the side I got a chocolate chip cookie. It was was warm and chewy. A little too sweet though, I could taste the sugar crystals as I was eating it. There are lots of other things to choose from like eclairs and pies. The woman behind the counter could of cracked a smile. read more

I asked if they could make a pineapple upside down cake. No other local bakeries have them. The baker said she would!! And, it was delicious. A real treat at my partner's 90th birthday party. read more

I'm really particular about pastries - and I have to say one of the most delicious pastries I have ever had is in this bakery. It's their galaktoboureko...heavenly. Rich flavors wrapped in their perfectly baked pfillo dough crust. For those of you who were judging this bakery on their cookies - I'd recommend living a little outside of the box and trying some of their greek stuff. Their baklava is very good, as well as many of their other greek sweets. Also someone gave a good review on their cakes and I have to agree - they are amazingly moist. Best cake I've ever had as well. I bought one for a work party with picky eaters, and I recieved so many compliments on it. It was also beautifully decorated for a good price. Finally, in my short time of living in the neighborhood, I have come to really enjoy getting to know the owners of this little bakery. They are family oriented and are enjoyable to talk to :) They seem to respond well to friendly people. I guess seeing a few bad reviews about their bakery where they dedicate their days is kind of disappointing - I feel that these cold boston snobs should open their minds and get to know true greek culture. This is coming from someone who isn't even Greek :) read more

I was expecting something more ... well, different. If a business puts "Zaxaroplasteion" on it's sign, you kind of expect something spectacular. It's kind of like being named Zebediah or Bambi: There are assumptions made about the person who holds that name. I expected the interior to have either a killer spaceship theme, or to be over-the-top blue and white, with Greek flags and busts of deities everywhere. Arlington Bakery had neither of those. :( All the pastries we tried were average, tasting a little less fresh than I wanted them to. The best thing we got was a butter cookie with dried apricot - I'm assuming it was apricot - and that didn't make it back to our house. read more

Other reviews did not like their cookies but I love their cakes. I came in, looking for a chocolate cake for my mother's birthday party. I wanted to support a local bakery and walked in. They asked when I needed it, I gave them 4 days notice. "I need it Sunday." "Come back, 11:30 AM, very moist." That's all the dude behind the counter said. Took my name and number and wouldn't accept any $$ till I picked it up. It was almost a scene from Seinfeld. And wouldn't you know it, it was the most moist cake I have ever had in my life. Definetly would order a cake again. read more

Went there to kill some time while waiting for the bus. It's a small old-fashioned place and when I walked in, there were no other customers inside. The woman behind the counter stared at me as I was looking at the desserts. I bought 1 lb of Rose Turkish Delight - have to say, it was way too sweet, too soft, and drowned in confectioner's sugar. I had to scrape sticky sugar off each piece before trying to eat it. Ate two pieces in two days. Sugar overload, will give rest to guy friends. read more

Ordered their homemade honey Greek yogurt. The best yogurt I've ever had! Very rich and flavorful. A healthy dessert option.

Wonderful selection of Greek and American delightful baked treats. The owner is the real reason to visit, though. Visit and you won't be sorry! read more

Woo hoo, yes. YES! What other bakery in the world makes me do a happy dance every time I see it? None other but the ARLINGTON ZAXAROPLASTEION. It's a little taste of Greek Astoria right here in Greater Boston. Zaxaroplasteion, for those that have been wondering, just means "sweets bakery" in Greek. (More literally it's like "sugar goods store." Anyway.) And like the zaxaroplasteions in Astoria and in Greece proper, this place sells not only scrumptious-looking cookies, pastries, pies and cakes, they have a selection of Greek staples like Loumidis Greek coffee, Nescafe (for making Frappe) and I'm pretty sure I even saw some nectar juices too. The reason I can't comment on how delectable the pastries were is because I, sadly, couldn't try any as I'm on a post-Halloween sugar detox diet. When I finally can come back to the ZAXAROPLASTEION, I will definitely try the cupcakes here that will (allegedly) blow your mind. read more

meh, it's ok. their pastries are very good, but the store always seems empty, and when we've gotten things like cookies, they've been stale... not so great. i know they want to have attractive windows that look full of goodies, but when they're stale goodies, it's sad. stick to things like their napoleons and eclairs. you don't need to trek to the north end for those goodies. but make your own cookies! read more

I wanted to like this place due to its proximity to my house, but I was so disappointed. I walked in and was taken aback by how dirty and dingy it looked. I try to never judge a book by its cover, so I decided to try something anyways. I ordered a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cookie because it looked like the safest bet. Man was I disappointed. It was rock hard.. Must have been sitting out their for days. It was just awful. Definitely do not recommend. Safe to say I won't be returning anytime soon. read more

This bakery is the most traditional in Arlington. The cakes and cookies are decent, buying something here will appease your sweet tooth but not your inner food critic. The draw Arlington Bakery has is it's old school charm. Sometimes you just want to go to a bakery that looks like the one you went to when you were a kid. Arlington Bakery is never going to be a mecca for baked goods, but its got enough sugar and sentimental charm to bring through the door occasionally. read more

I love the staff who work there - a husband and wife team who have been there for ages. They make the place seem very authentic, which is awesome. Their custard and carrot cake are really good. The french eclairs are better than their Italian eclairs. Don't care too much for the cookies though but their pastries and cakes are great. My one critique is that they have very odd opening hours, which makes it difficult for me to want to get an evening snack after going back from work. read more

Wanted to like this place. Cookies were good, but cake and cannoli had a strange taste to them, almost like the cream had gone bad...?

Very charming family owned bakery with an incredibly diverse set of exquisite pastries you can't easily find elsewhere these days. I ordered 4 different pastries at random and each and every one exceeded my expectations. Fluffy cake, fresh (and not over-sweetened) wipped cream, complex, layered textures, and most importantly that authentic "homemade" feel. Love this place! read more

Fabulous. We had a spinach pie and a custard pie for breakfast and walked down to barismo to have an espresso with it. It was so incredible we went back for more! Yum-oh! read more

Please do yourself a favor and never go there. I asked then if their red velvet frosting was cream cheese and they lied and say yes, while it was buttercream. I asked for a cup of half and half and I got fat free milk. This place is a ripoff. read more

I went in Saturday morning (5/7/16)I wasn't impressed with what I saw. I should of left but I didn't. I asked the woman behind the counter if she had any cakes and she was confused. I found it odd since she worked there. Should of left at that point but I didn't. I grabbed a cake and some cookies and off I went. We had the cake yesterday for my father's birthday and we were all very disappointed. The cake was stale and the frosting was old. Do yourself a favor and don't go - you are better off buying a cake from BJ's. They are always fresh. read more

The best of the best ! Their Greek cake is literally to die for! Every year all I ask for is their cake for my birthday. It's truly a gem in Arlington. Wonderful staff, delicious sweets, great prices. I look forward to coming here for years to come! read more

This place has the best baklava I've ever eaten. It's crispy, but moist, and laden with the right proportion of honey and walnuts. My boyfriend and I discovered this place by accident and we're definitely going to come back often! read more

What a great place! I'm Greek so I'm biased, but the pastries here were delicious and truly authentic. I had mouth-watering tiropita (so flaky and crispy!), baklava, galaktoboureko, and kourambiethes. Everything was delicious! The owner is very friendly and helpful. I definitely want to support this local and family-owned business, so I'll be back again. Some advice to newcomers: try the greek pastries! I'd skip over the "american" or other sweets, as that isn't their speciality. If you're coming to a Greek pastry shop, go for the Greek desserts and you won't be disappointed. read more

Bought a cake for a special birthday, cost more than $25.00 and the bottom of the cake was hard as a rock! How can you sell a cake for that price and it not be fresh???? Would not recommend this bakery at all! read more

Baklava and kofte were both well-cooked, little heavy on the honey sauce, but delicious. Service was attentive, prices reasonable. read more

I purchased a variety of pastries for my colleagues at work and was extremely disappointed by their taste and quality! Everything was stale and bland! It seems as though the owners are not regularly checking the freshness of their products, which could potentially have health consequences for their customers. Needless to say, I won't be returning to this establishment! read more

Their baklava and greek treats are to die for! Totally delicious and great variety!!! If only I had time to come here more often during their morning hours!!! Super fresh and super yum! If you're a baklava lover, then this is the place! read more

I got 4 bakalava yesterday and finished them all today. They are the best bakalava you can get in the greater Boston area. I visited Greece 2 years ago and fell in love with the sweets. Whenever I see bakalava, I can't hold but checking them out. These, at Arlington bakery, is by far the best I have ever tried in the area. I don't know about the cookies and cake, but am planning on getting a cake for a friend's birthday. Other reviews suggest chocolate, but I am not a big fan of chocolate. Anything other suggestion? read more