Not good quality of cakes. Not a good place. I saw a mouse once when I was sitting there and working with my laptop walking right by my feet. This place should get closed! read more

The croissants are truly exceptional. I get them about 3 times per week, and they're always best right at open when they're still warm.

Just moved to the neighborhood and I'd heard of Athan's, so today was the day I decided to try it out for lunch. It was a mistake, it's not a great place to get tea or sandwiches. My sandwich was OK and so was my tea, but I can tell that I they specialized in their baked goods - because they look great and I had a taste of the gelado and it confirmed my suspicions. My overall experience there was probably a two star experience, but I give them a three for the greatness in what they had that I didn't eat. Here's why I was so put off: It started in the back sitting room. I went back there to eat my pre-prepared toasted sandwich and bagged tea and I looked around there room, there were a couple art displays, but it looked meagerly decorated - something more cultural was needed. I came for something somewhat authentic? I guess thats what it came down to for me, and I got a toasted premade sandwich on a plastic disposable plate next to a room full of fine handcrafted baked goods - it just didn't make sense. I realize that I was probably looking for something that they don't specialize in, but I guess my recommendation is for Athan's to chose an identity and make it great, because the cafe side of the bakery doesn't make me want to comeback. read more

I love sweets. I crave cake on a daily basis. I try to convince my husband that I am a healthier person when I eat cake- emotionally and physically. I had such high hopes walking up to this bakery. The place is huge compared to other bakeries. Sadly, this place did not live up to its potential. I ordered a slice of the Black Forest cake. It was 'meh.' I don't understand how it can be called cake when 95% is mousse. In addition, these so called cakes are not as fresh as one would anticipate from a bakery. There was a rack of delicious looking chocolate ganache cakes by the register. We inquired about these cakes and was told that they are still frozen. Where can a girl get fresh cake? Cupcakes not included. read more

I moved to this area a few months ago, and Athan's Bakery was one of the first things I fell in love with in the neighborhood. The coffee is always fresh, there is a large amount of seating available and the desserts are the greatest! I especially loved the Jamaica, but I haven't run out of new things to try yet. Whenever I have a guest in town, we are sure to swing by here. I was surprised that this bakery got such a low rating, but I think people are expecting something that Athan's Bakery doesn't attempt or pretend to provide. This is the type of place where you order at the counter, find your own table and clean up after yourself. And the desserts and coffee, I promise, are worth picking up after yourself. read more

My favorite pastries are the Bolero, fruit tart, Napoleon, Baba Au Rum, and two-color. I am not one for dark chocolate, so that eliminates some of the choices. The fruit cookies are good, too! It gets pretty packed during the weekends and it can be hard to find seating. Lines also get long, but the goodies here are worth the wait. Most of the coffee is delicious, although they don't always get the Greek coffee right. This location isn't as big as the one in Allston, but it's conveniently located. The servers are knowledgable about their products and never seem flustered, even when being bombarded by several customers. read more

While the pastry selection at Athan's Bakery boasts quantity--featuring baklava, gelato, and traditional Italian favorites--it does not offer the quality to match. The pastries seem to miss the mark, lacking any rich flavor or depth. The baklava has a good, nutty taste at its core. Unfortunately, it's drenched in sugary syrup, which makes it too sweet and soggy, instead of delicate and crispy. The tiramisu, on the other hand, is the perfect texture (fluffy yet dense), but tastes like sponge cake soaked in bourbon. It misses the classic combination of sharp espresso, sweet chocolate, and poignant liqueur. The result: Athan's offers a bunch of almost-good, forgettable desserts. Better to spend your sweet calories elsewhere. read more

Nice place with a good ambiance. We go to Athens very frequently, bakery is good, beyond the bakery I recommend the chocolates, fillings with dark chocolate, fig, almond, walnuts. They all go great with a pot of coffee and tea. It is open until 11:00 pm many days and one of the best cage to go at night in town. read more

This place has been around for years. Good cakes. Great baklava. Absolutely horrible coffee. Needs a remodel.

I'm a huge fan of their chocolate croissants. The atmosphere in the bakery is very relaxing and Euro-cafe like. I love just sitting there with my coffee. They have free internet access as well. I've also tried their scones, which are tasty. And the gelato is a pretty nice treat as well. I will admit, the pastries in the case look intriguing, but sometimes they look a bit old, so I hesitate to pay $4.95 +/- for one of them. But I watch the croissants come out of the oven regularly and it's the best thing ever to taste a still warm pastry with your cup of coffee. Only real negative is that there's no free refills or discounted refills on coffee. :( And upon occasion, there's one staff member who gives me the feeling of impatience, like she's got a million things to do and I'm just one of them. The rest of them are usually quite friendly. But I still go for the flaky croissant goodness. read more

A pastry lover's dream bakery! Every time I come in here I'm overwhelmed by the many delicious-looking treats. I've never regretted anything I've ordered here, though I have particularly fond memories of a pastry with light, ribbony layers of white cake and cream, topped with almonds. It was delicious and rich without being heavy. Amazing! The cafe itself is charming, too. It feels a tad larger than many other comparable cafe/bakeries, so trying to get a table isn't usually difficult. A great place to enjoy a hot drink and dessert. read more

Outstanding flaky and authentic croissants. Big pet peeves - the tiny plates they are served on ensure that it is a mess to eat and also how could you go to the trouble of making Boston's best croissant and then serve it with airplane or Hojo's packets of Smuckers Jam loaded with high fructose corn syrup. Inexplicable. read more

Athan's Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Brookline, Massachusetts

We took some of their chocolates and we loved it Very delicately made and yummy They also have seating arrangements fans they serve food as well Very good location on beacon st. And very spacious Very friendly staff read more

I love this cafe. There's always delicious pastries, ice cream, baklava. You can try everything and choose the most favorite. I recommend to all sweet tooth. Visit Athan's and you will not regret. read more

Athan's is the best European Bakery in town bar none. I rate it strictly as a take out place. Keep up the good work guys and please don't try to be a another Starbucks. We truly enjoy your pastries. read more

I have been here so many times, I love this place.... it is a European style bakery ! My favorite things are bolero, spinach pies,baklava and kadayif. read more

This rating is reflective of the service. I come here frequently because I love the food and the atmosphere, but I will probably opt for the Brighton location in the future. Same food, better service. Excellent pastries and hot chocolate, and a great assortment of baklava, chocolate, fruit tars, and ice cream. I especially love the vanilla baklava ice cream. Despite great food, this location frequently runs out of the items on its menu. Midday Saturday, I've experienced this location being out of toast or hot chocolate. The one thing I really dislike about this location is the owner, who hovers over the customers and faciliates where they sit. This is helpful for larger parties during busy hours, but it is incredibly rude during on off-hours when his cafe is 75% empty. During my most recent visit, the owner asked me to move from a "3-Person or More" table, which is designated with a little sign. I told him I was waiting for friends, and he asked me to move to a single person table until they had arrived. Bad customer service. I much prefer the Brighton location, where the staff is always friendly and helpful and where I can get a full menu of french toast, pancakes, omlettes, etc. read more

Don't recommend for food/drinks, do recommend for the study space. I came here almost every night because it closes at 11pm. The baklava, pastries, and cookies are not the best, much worse than any next door Caffe Nero or Starbucks. All the pastries are too thick, chewy, and burned. The worst part - the mice running through the dining area, which is probably some sort of health code violation. The owner treats his staff and customers poorly and is extremely rude. The only reason I regularly patronize this place is the kind and awesome staff and the hours of the store. read more

We love going to Athan's but today when we stopped by the employee who was there did not act as though she wanted anyone to come in. It was unfortunate considering that she was the only person working there! read more

YUM this place is amazing!!! We tried the hazelnut mousse, and it was absolutely amazing. It is a bit pricey though (which is why I give 4 stars), but I would definitely go back. read more

Pretty nice small place (not that small for Brookline though) with some really good pastry! Easy to find and notice (corner of Washington st and Beacon st) right across the train station. Quite reasonable prices, not very cheap, but not too expensive. Will definitely stop by next time when i'll be passing through! Recommend to go, but don't expect too much from the place, not really the best sweets ever . read more

Athan's bakery is truly an amazing place. The "older" gentleman behind the counter was super nice and when I couldn't decide what to get with my boyfriend, he suggested the best Tutti Frutti looking thing I have ever tasted. The hot chocolate was nice and soothing and my bf got a latte which he said was also great. The view towards the street was nice and quaint near the big windows and the atmosphere was perfect for a sunny afternoon cofefe break. I recommend this place to anyone looking for amazing pastries and a great atmosphere. read more

This place has been nice for me to get coffee and pastry and get some laptopping done. The food is also good. But after may one year of coming here, I notice that they have beer and wine taboot. It is not a bar, but still, it is nice to have options. I am enjoying a Greek lager called Aris as I type, but they offer Sam and other domestic beers too. Pleasant surprise for me ) If the summer of 2015 is as hot as the recent winter was cold, I may be sipping some beers over here ! read more

I think we need more bakeries, because I keep coming back here even though I'm never happy. Today, I went in to meet my husband. I ordered a sandwich. One called "Brie Panini." It took 25 minutes to get my panini. We were sitting right near the counter that serves the food and there were no other customers waiting for anything. We watched the girl behind the desk mop the floor, take out the trash and wipe down the counters, while my panini was sitting in the microwave waiting to be transferred to the sandwich press. By the time I got my sandwich, I was not in the greatest mood, so I ate while really not paying attention. Half way through my panini, I took notice that my sandwich was a little dry. I paused, opened it up and noticed there was no brie in my brie panini. I brought it to the girl to let her know and she was not surprised and said "oh." read more

Baklava was excellent. I am actually doing a research paper about Baklava for my graduate program at Boston University. I would love to meet up with the owner to ask him a couple questions to help learn more about this pastry. read more

there is nothing like waking up on a sunday morning after a good nights sleep, getting dressed and heading to Athan's for morning croissants - plain or you can be indulgent and splurge for the chocolate one. then i head back home, put on a pot of coffee, turn on npr and flip through the paper. then i realize that its sunday and have to go to work the next day....bleh. read more

I live down the street from Athan's, but had not gone into the bakery in well over three years. Partly it's because the service there is terrible. I agree with one of the reviewers that the staff is very unfriendly. They always seemed annoyed at being asked to get your food for you. But mainly I stopped going because I found the desserts used to be a lot fresher. I would go there for my weekly bolero fix, which I used to dream about at night. But after a while, I found that the chocolate became stale tasting. And then one time, I had one where the chocolate was downright disgusting, tasting more like spoiled milk. However, I decided to give it a second chance when I recently bought their Groupon deal: $5 for $10. I went in to the bakery yesterday and immediately headed for the bolero once again. I was disappointed to find that most of them did not have the sheen one finds on rich chocolate. They looked dull brown, as though they've been sitting in the sun too long. But there was one in the front that looked shiny and fresh, calling out to me. But when I asked the woman there for that particular bolero, I was told that she could not give me one from the front, only from the back. So I figured out why their desserts have become so stale. They would rather lose a customer because it's too much work for them to pull out the tray and grab a pastry from the front. And now that bolero will sit there rotting away instead of in my stomach. I bought a couple of other desserts that looked slightly better because unfortunately I had already paid for my Groupon. But I will not be returning there. I will continue to walk pass them to Finale in Coolidge Corner for my weekly dessert fix where the service is better and the desserts divine. read more

Best Croissants in Boston. Having gone recently on a trip to Paris, I can testify to the quality of croissants served there. It's a bit out of the city, but definitely worth the ride. read more

I hadn't been in a while, but returned this evening to make a horrifying discovery. This place is infested with bugs. I first noticed fruit flies/gnats swarming around the baked bread behind the counter while ordering my mocha latte. I asked the cashier about the uncovered baked goods and bugs, and he said they were aware of the problem. My friend and I moved to the dining area, to get our drinks. When I went to get a stirrer, I discovered a mass of flies, gnats, etc., clinging to the wall above the condiments. Then, I realized they were all over the wall, on the paintings hung there, hovering in a cloud above the counter, above the tables. I got creeped out and wanted to leave, but my friend suggested we just sit by the window. I noticed the gnats flying about the room as we sat there. To boot, my coffee tasted odd, nothing "mocha" about it, and the barista was confused when I pointed out she put my "to go" latte in a ceramic tea cup on a dish. I also had a cupcake, which was freezing cold, hard as a rock, and featured terribly grainy frosting. I can't go back here until they address their insect issue. And it's a shame, now that the other location closes early. read more

We've only had great experienced here. Great spot to order a pot of tea and hangout, or grab cakes and pastries to go. We love their Almond Cake so much & my boyfriend's grandpa said it's the best cake he's ever had. Not sure why it only has 3.5 stars, but I think it's a perfect local bakery. read more

Go to this great bakery every Sunday with my daughter. Liz and Edwin are great. Best Hot Chocolate in the city. Highly recommend.

Very bad place for food. Dry tasteless paninis, Panera can kick them out if opens nearby. Cakes pastries are good if you like them on the sweeter side. I may come back for the mousse or coffee but definitely not anything from lunch menu. We had to dump the panini later in the day, they were beyond eating..and I rarely have thrown away any food before. read more

Oh Athan's. I want to like you, I really do. But your gelato is always too goopy and your oatmeal is cold and sad. I am not sure how much more money we will waste here until we give up on Athan's entirely, but aside from the baklava, it has been one disappointing experience after another. read more

Hands down, best baklava in the Boston area. I'm sure everything else here is also great, but I have only ever gone here to buy a ton of bulk baklava. So many options. Pretty good pricing! $14/lb and all I want to do is eat all of it all the time. read more

I'm sitting in Athans as I type this, and I decided to write an unfortunately lack-luster review. The food here is always wonderful and I really enjoy their coffee. If you live nearby, take your order to go, or risk witnessing an unpleasant, awkward encounter. I took my scone into the dining room, and the only tables available were "reserved for parties of 3 or more". I've heard that the owner monitors the tables here, so to avoid being spoken to by him, I sat at the bar. About 10 minutes into my time here, a man who sounded very upset about something seeming very silly (the guy making drinks at the bar had put up a sign on the bathroom that it was out of order because the door wouldn't open). The upset man (who I then found out was the owner) then decided to chastise the nice guy working at the bar for putting a sign on the bathroom. I had to sit in between all of this. Awkward. Now the owner upset with the guy working at the bar for something about a sink... time to take this scone to go before I'm next on his tirade! Yikes! read more

If the croissants are any indicator of the other pastries Athans offers, this cute bakery is solid. I come here for my morning coffee and croissant a few times a week. The croissants are buttery and melt-in-your-mouth flaky. My mother-in-law-ish person says the Baklava and other pastries are really high quality, too, so I can't wait to give them a try. They certainly are beautiful... read more

I used to really love this place, but it has become awful! Completely disorganized, horrible service and after 3 attempts at trying to get my drink right with an attitude from the manager/owner I gave up and decided to release my frustration on Yelp instead! The only reason why I gave it 1 star is because the panini was decent and my boyfriend said his latte was ok. Thumbs down, they won't be seeing me again anytime soon! read more

Awful. Overpriced. Rude staff. Small desserts, no flavor. Desserts do look nice but do not be fooled.

FOOD: The baklava here is pretty good. Although I'm not an expect on baklava and don't have many experiences to compare to, but nonetheless, I like their baklava. My only complaint is that sometimes the baklava is covered in syrup and too sweet and other times it's too dry. As for cakes, both the amendoa and figo cakes are delicious. The baklava cupcake is just okay. I was pretty disappointed with this one actually... it was really just dry baklava with some cream on top. The caramel and pear cake is amazing!! Their rice pudding is okay. As for the paninis, most of them are actually terrible. They are pre-made, and when you order one they stick your sandwich in the MICROWAVE for a couple minutes and then finish warming it up in the panini press. The sandwiches are super dry and depending on who cooked it and how closely they were watching your sandwich they often come out BURNT. There have also been several occasions where I ordered a panini to-go and when I opened the box up at home it was not the panini I ordered. This is really how I ended up trying most of the paninis on the menu. Ha! Their salads are mediocre. It's just a collection of low-quality bits thrown into a plastic bowl. The croissants are pretty good, although they are best in the morning when they are fresh. They have an interesting assortment of cookies. Some of them are a bit strange, but others are quite good. None of them are big, warm cookies you would get from a more American style bakery. The gelato can be kind of lumpy and melted at times, but other times it can be great. I can't remember what flavor it was I had, it was some sort of fruit flavor-- quite possibly strawberry, but it was SO sweet it tasted nearly like bubble gum. DRINKS: The chai latte isn't great. The hot chocolate is much too strong. Coffee is okay depending on the time of day. The tea selection is pretty decent. CUSTOMER SERVICE: Customer service can vary significantly here. For the most part the people who work here are pretty nice and helpful. However, they seem to have high turnover and will get the occasional bad egg. However, for a quick place to grab a snack and some coffee, their lesser customer service is not a major issue for me. AMBIENCE They have a large number of tables and chairs in the main room, but they are all close together and in rows. There is really no variation in the seating or style to the room. The room also gets quite loud even when it is not completely full. Something about the acoustics in the room heighten the noise level in there. Most of the day Athan's is too loud of a place to study and at their busiest times is too loud to even have a conversation with the person sitting next to you. The music they play is also sometimes a little strange, too loud, and distracting. The artwork at Athen's varies maybe on a monthly basis. Some of the choices can be a bit strange and overpower the room, but sometimes they are actually quite nice to look at. read more

Worth a special trip or at least a stop a little bit out of the way during your special trip. Loved the Noisettes and the baklava were outstanding. The tiramisu, chocolate éclairs, and napoleons were ok but not much better than average. Fun energy to the place and overflowing selection; their signature fruit cakes (not to be confused with holiday fruitcakes) looked delicious and would likely be well worth a purchase. The coffee was good. read more