Super cute bakery! Seems they really put thought into every item on the menu, I have to try more on my next return. The hambing was filled with flavor and was exactly what I needed after a night out. Everyone was super kind as well and it seemed the servers knew a lot of their repeated customers! read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Ham-bing - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

See all

This is such a cute cafe! It's a little out of the way but worth the trip. There's some seating inside but it can get busy so you might want to think about when you head over. What drew my here was the layering of again flavors with more traditionally American/European style baked goods and dishes. Their specials change frequently which is fun and their baked goods rotate as well. I had their special which a scallion pancake with eggs. My husband got the omelette off their regular menu which came with the must amazing slices of sourdough bread! 100% would go back. The folks working there are also super nice. I am constantly seeing them post new things online that I want to try! read more

See all

Came on a rainy day. It was very busy and the inside is small, so we had to scout out a table and wait for someone to leave. The food was good! The baked goods were also very good. I didn't really like my latte but I'd try something different next time. I definitely would come back again. Service was okay; a bit unorganized but that'll happen at a very busy place. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

This is more like a 3.75, a B+! Have heard a lot about Bench Flour Bakers and finally made it over there early enough, before things start selling out. It helped that it was a holiday weekend, around 11AM-12 PM. The small cozy restaurant was half full with their windows wide-open, sidewalk seating, and a small quick consistent line. A mostly young, pretty diverse crowd, small groups, solo older guy with a coffee & book, college-aged daughter & father; dog walkers, a spanish-speaking young local talking on the phone (who left briefly to go home for something and then came back and finished breakfast), a few folks waiting for takeout. Met a woman who lives in Manhattan, but comes to Astoria for yoga weekly and stops by the bakery afterwards! How indulgent. The area is a bit far from all public transportation, in a quiet residential area, 5-10 minute walk from the Little Egypt area of Astoria. Love the concept and experimentation of this business, and their origin story. Excited to support an Asian-American owned business, especially one that useshigh-quality ingredients. My order came out around $29. * Durian Croissant (interesting savory - sweet flavor, the paste wasn't too overpowering. More of a one time purchase for me.) A smaller dense type of croissant, flavors worked well with a full bite of everything. They had just replenished the batch. * Chocolate Chip Cookie: are these the popular rye flour ones? It was huge, had flat ripples of dark chocolate throughout and sea salt on top. Very good, but nothing mind blowing. * $9 Loaded Home Fries: cheddar, onion jam, truffle zest, scallions. Very good! Very flavorful. My order was to-go and I fried some eggs with it at home. * $7.50 Rose Cardamom Iced Latte. A special for the weekend, very delicious and actually the highlight of my order. You can taste the flavors, just a bit sweet, a smooth nice Latte. A lot of things on their menu sounded great: roast pork breakfast sandwich, fried chicken biscuit. The price point probably matches any brunch spot in Astoria or LIC but not sure why I felt like things were a little pricey. Overall, it costs a lot running a business, especially one that doesn't skimp on the ingredients. On that August weekend, they also had regular croissants, chocolate, almond all look great. Plum crumb muffins, Chocolate muffins, Blueberry ginger scones, Lemon poppy scones, Cinnamon Bun, Giant wheel of a Quiche, Five spice egg custard Tart pie. Biscuits, Savory seasonal Danish (goat cheese, asparagus), Seasonal Almond Fran plum jam, a giant Frosted Cake (by slice)- looked like Rose. Wish things were labeled with pricing. Overall a very cute, local place. The staff was super nice! Helpful in explaining the pastries & down to earth. I wonder how their Run Club is doing! The business is a bit of a trek and slightly too small/tight & busy (good for them!) that wasn't so relaxing for me (sat a bit outside waiting for my hot item). Also- there's bees around there, that definitely like the sugary foods offered. Maybe that's why I was stressed? read more

See all

Excellent bakery and cafe! It's sort of far from any train, but my boyfriend and I biked over on a Sunday. (They still had most baked goods in stock at 11:30 AM.) I tried: + Blueberry lavender buttermilk cake + Morning bun + Chocolate chip cookie + Hibiscus Arnold Palmer The morning bun and cookie were the highlights, followed by the cake. The drink was solid, too (will try the black sesame latte next time). I need to dine in and try the food, too - the menu is awesome. read more

See all

Solid croissants, good customer service. I ordered for takeout but ambiance inside and out seemed fine. The croissant was crunch and flaky on the outside and soft and buttery inside. I'll be back soon! read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

Maybe I came on an off-day because one of my friends swears by this place and maybe it's because we came at the end of the day, but I wasn't happy with the pastries or service. We stood for several minutes in front of the register and watched several employees ignore us. My miso chocolate cookie was dry and dense. I've heard that their dine-in menu is good, though. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Miso Chocolate Cookie - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

Cute location with friendly service, very tight seating, vast variety of pastries. Gets packed quickly so if you want to eat in come early. Would not get the black sesame latte again it was flavorless, loaded hash browns were flavorful but quite salty, i throughly enjoyed my soft scramble biscuit with cheddar cheese I would get it again next time but without the sausage add on as that was salty and unnecessary in the sandwich, the eggs biscuits and gravy had wayyy too much gravy would not recommend. Will return to try more of their bakery items as this was a heavy breakfast with high sodium intake. read more

See all

Finally got to visit the bench flowers last weekend!! We'd heard so many good things about them prior to visit. At 1pm on Sat, there was a long line to order and the seats were full but the line moved quickly and by the time we got our order, we got some seats so it wasn't too stressful. I wish I got to see the menu when I was on line because when I got to the register and saw that there was a menu I freaked out and had to order something (although I ended up going back to order more later). Everything I had was delicious and the service was so so so nice. Even in the busy time they cleaned the table and if we needed plates/utensils they were very attentive for those needs. I've never had hash and this maple bbq one was very good. It made me wish I was hungover if that makes sense. Oh and the almond croissant. One of few things I CARE about. Absolutely amazing. None of those overwhelming almond extract smell but it also wasn't those pasty almond that some places use, you just have to try it. The flakes and the almond was just perfectly balanced. The cookies I got were engulfed by my partner because of how GOOD they were. We brought some home to have them with milk:) I would definitely go back again! read more

See all

A very unique take on Americanized brunch items with a Taiwanese twist. Love this quaint spot in the hidden corners of Astoria. Came here for takeout pastries because this place is exceedingly popular but with a long wait if you're looking to dine in. Will breakdown what I observed, from service to food quality and experience: Food: The pastries and unique flavors were amazing. For takeout the flavors were there. Got the morning bun that was coated with sugary sprinkles and tasted a tint of ginger. The only thing that didn't work for me was how rock hard certain parts of the pastry was. Had to strategically choose the right parts to bite without hurting my teeth. The breakfast loaf with a tint of orange flavor was good but also could've been softer too. My favorite had to be the chocolate glazed donut bomb as this was superior than the other pastries I chosen as it was soft and rich in frosting for the morning run. Service: The takeout service was great and the line moved quickly if you're looking to get pastries to go with your coffee. Always recommended to look at the display cases of pastries and decide what you want and tell the staff as they'll package it quickly no problem. Got my small cappuccino promptly too and was out of the cafe in a jiff. Came here at 11am on a Sunday so be prepared to expect a wait line for anyone with a brunch takeout rush. Also this place closes at 3pm on specific days so give yourself ample time. Environment: Lots of staff in the kitchen area and counter area. The kitchen is tiny and you can see the cooks working to prepare all breakfast items. This place is a very small brunch spot and all tables (5 maximum) are filled to the max on how much space is available. Just waiting for my takeout order, I couldn't help but notice how exceeding cramped this place is and how humidly steamy the inside was. The whole business is a great idea and very unique food that is a hit to all Astoria locals. My only concern for this place is this location is too small to cater to what they want to do. For this size and the kitchen, it's good for a grab-and-go type of deal. But for a full fledge dine-in service and squeezing in so much staff in a tiny place, it is very compact and if you're sensitive to having sufficient space to enjoy the experience, might be challenging. read more

See all

A beautiful little spot for brunch -- one of my favorite restaurants in Astoria! Bench Flour has warm, bustling neighborhood bakery vibes. The food consistently slaps: this place is Taiwanese-owned, and their menu has American brunch food with a Taiwanese twist. My favorite is the char siu breakfast sandwich, but their more traditional duck burger or French toasts are also excellent. The only bad thing is that they don't have enough tables and they're way more popular than they can manage. You might be waiting in line to place your order for a while, and afterwards you need to get your own water, cutlery and napkins before one of the cooks will bring out your food. If you're only going for a coffee and pastry this is frustrating, but if you have the time for a relaxed meal, this place is a little slice of heaven. read more

See all

Welcome to 25th Avenue! This little bakery opened during Covid and it has been heaven sent! For the holidays we usually order pies BUT this past Friday it was a special treat. I was able to get my hands on a morning bun, a scone and a quiche. On weekends, they have such delicious goodies. You can even sit outside or even inside and enjoy your brunch. I definitely peek my head in all the time to see what I can get my hands on! read more

See all

This could be a hidden gem on 28th Avenue if the service was better. Our quiche came out colder than we expected; however, overall, the baked items were of very good quality. The best thing about this place it is the ambiance and decor. We liked the seating arrangements, even if they were a little tight. Would we come back? Maybe! read more

See all

Amazing food and cute atmosphere . Love having a local eatery with great food and service.

I've heard a lot of good things about this local spot and had to come check it out. I was advised they have weekend and seasonal specials worth coming early for as they sell out. I dropped by at opening and was disappointed that it took them over an hour to set up their pastries (to which even after an hour, all their baked goodies weren't out/set up or ready. Wanted to check out their whole spread before ordering but that wasn't possible. After 25 minutes of waiting, they laid out one of their seasonal specials: danish with marscapone cheese & plum balsamic jam/reduction. It was a slight letdown because there was not much flavor - the pastry itself reminded me of dry brioche, the marscapone cheese was mild with not much flavor, the plum balsamic reduction/jam was tart and everything-so-slightly sweet. Maybe I chose the wrong item to try. I've heard their breakfast dishes, cinnamon roll, and apple cider donuts are good so maybe I'll come check it out. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

One of the BEST french toasts I've ever had maybe. Love the creativity and execution. Who knew you can stuff brie cheese and apple jam into french toast?! I was also intrigued that their cooked food menu seems to have quite a few asian fusion items - black sesame and char siew?! The bakery has a wide selection of pastries and breads too. We tried their morning bun, cookie, and coffee cake - they're all great! I also got a vegetable quiche for my friend and she said "it was damn nice" Bench flour bakers | Astoria * Morning bun ($6) * Midnight dream stuffed french toast ($17) * Black sesame latte ($4) * Drip coffee ($3.50) I'll defo be back! The space is pretty small so you might have to wait if you want to dine in. If anything, the only thing I didn't like that much was their black sesame latte. It was only okay! read more

See all

I've been wanting to try this place forever but it's so out of the way for me - not anymore! I tried two of their specials: bananas foster French toast with bourbon maple syrup which was huge pieces of challah with sliced banana and you could even taste the bourbon in the maple syrup! Next we tried the maple sausage hash with poached eggs and pickled onions. Such a great mix of sweet and savory! We went around 8:45am on a Sunday and the cashier (owner?) gave me a complimentary miso chocolate chip cookie - which I loved! It was quiet at the time but still took about 25 min to get my food because it appeared to me as though everything's made to order. Loved the vibe with young families and couples of all ages. Cant wait to go out of my way more often to try more of their specials and pastries! read more

I forget which list I saw this place on that inspired an hour plus train ride to Astoria! It was a 10 minute walk from the subway stop. The walk was confusing in that it was mainly residential! I was surprised to find this cute shop among the houses. I can see how this becomes a neighborhood gem! We got here after 1pm on a Friday. Sadly, all the biscuits were gone! I may have to venture out here again in the future. My friend got a scone and an egg sandwich with chicken sausage on sour dough bread. I had a piece of the scone and it was definitely a 5/5. I ended up getting the egg sandwich with pork sausage on their milk bread. The pork sausage tasted soooo fresh, but I felt that it was under seasoned. It was probably a 4/5 for me for that reason. I also ordered truffle fries. They were thick cut potatoes! I usually prefer the skinny shoestring fries. But it was salted well and I could taste the truffle. The service was top notch and super friendly! I probably wouldn't wait long hours to get sandwiches here again, but I'll be down to come on the less busy times. Not sure if they will have biscuits left though during those times. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

They never disappoint. The struggle is not ordering everything. I didn't have time to wait for hot breakfast so got their savory danish. It was to die for. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Savory danish - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

The pastry selection was wonderful and delicious! We got the cinnamon bun and banana crumb muffin which were both tasty and scrumptious. The coffee was not our favorite and it was very busy, but had a great ambience and quick service. Would definitely come back! ‍ read more

Cute bakery cafe tucked away in Astoria. I came in on a Sunday morning and it was super busy. I tried the chocolate pecan pie, vanilla apple scone, cranberry pear buttermilk cake, and a turkey biscuit. The turkey biscuit and cake were the standouts. The pie was my least favorite; I couldn't really finish it, the crust was very salty and dry. It might have been over baked, I think. Service was very slow. I waited about half an hour for the biscuit sandwich, which was understandable given how busy it was, but annoying. read more

See all

The bread and freshly cooked meal items here might offer a very different experience, what people were ordering looked good. Unfortunately, the items behind the counter were not good at all. Really wish they were. The leek puree on the leek pastry was really flavorful, but unfortunately everything else was poor. The quiche had an overworked and stale crust, with heavy and chewy interior. The pastry part of the leek pastry and of the croissant tasted stale and flavorless, chewy and crumbling everywhere without being flaky. Sadly, overall things seemed to just be put together to kind of create bakery items, versus tried and true recipes baked with precision and care. For any type of place (restaurant, cafe, etc.), this was really poor. So for it to be an actual bakery is really rough. Very disappointing experience. Service was polite, though overwhelmed. If you wait for your to go order outside, they won't notify you when it's ready, even if it's sitting ready for 20 mins, so you should check in yourself periodically. It's popular and busy, so go when you have time to wait. Go early for the most selection--they had run out of several things by mid morning. It was very busy and hot inside as the kitchen is in the open dining space. read more

See all

Was in the area to visit a friend and decided to stop by BFB. Word to the wise: definitely plan for extra time! It's popular for a reason. If you are in a rush I'd suggest ordering in advance. If you stand around a bit it shouldn't take long to get a table. I got the French toast Becky and one of the signature lattes and both were really good. The French toast Becky brought me back to the pandemic when they were operating out of the truck in front of the park, so I was happy for an opportunity to try them again! read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

See all

Great bakery and cafe. We stopped by to grab a bunch of treats to bring over to a friend's place. We had the fig & mascarpone danish, a croissant, a Chinese almond cookie, a coffee cake, a five slice croissant twist, the buttermilk biscuit, the French toast, and a daily special - the jian bing. The danish was my favorite item followed by the French toast. Croissant was soft yet flakey. The pastries were great across the board. I liked that they had a lot of Chinese influenced items given that we visited around the lunar new year. read more

I usually don't leave reviews but felt strongly enough to do so about this. I bought 2 lemon poppy loaves and upon trying it I couldn't stomach past 2 bites. It was literally just a glob of grease and not much flavor. I had to trash it. Perhaps everything else from Bench Flour bakers is great but the lemon poppy loaf was just disappointing. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Lemon poppy loaf - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

Small place but what place isn't in New York, the charm is nice and the open windows gives it a lot of natural light. Phenomenal breakfast and amazing coffee. Try the recommendations and specials. I had the bourbon chicken hash and MAD burger. Friends said the pastries are why people come early and things sell out !. Try getting here early to try everything they have out. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Menu incase you want to pinch and zoom - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

I don't post many reviews, especially negative ones. But I felt entirely compelled to give a bit of critique for an establishment that receives a lot of hype. I heard a lot of good things so I wanted to try Bench Flour for myself. It's a very cute interior and a they show a nice spread of baked goods and desserts. But after ordering a ham egg and cheese croissant and a black sesame roll, my bill came out to $21. Ok.. a little pricey but I'll give them the benefit of the doubt until I try it. I waited 30 minutes for my sandwich. 30 minutes for a ham, egg and cheese croissant is just unacceptable in any establishment. I understand they're a small bakery, but they seem to be prioritizing intricate menu items like duck biscuits and gravy and a fig dish which honestly doesn't make much sense for how small a place it is. I can't even tell you what the names were because they don't have a menu online... it's only available at the counter. Once I did get my food, there was no place to sit. There's only 6 tables and the place was packed so I walked home. I'll leave a picture of what my food looked like and you tell me if that is worth any hype. The sesame roll tasted like plain dough. If I was blindfolded, nothing about it said "sesame" I don't write this review out of spite, but because I truly care about restaurants thriving and I want them to do better. I want Bench Flour to do better. Perhaps scale back a bit and focus on quality over quantity. So many establishments fall into that pit trap and it breaks my heart when a beautiful business fails at providing quality service and food. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Ham egg and cheese croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

See all

Bench flour bakers is an excellent addition to this quiet neighborhood! Sure the wait can be a little long, they're making excellent food off one giant grill, but if you're willing to wait, definitely in for a treat! I got the five spice fried chicken sandwich which I thought was a cool twist to the traditional sandwich. It can be a bit heavy on the five spice for anyone who isn't use to the taste but I loved it! Their omelette may also be one of the fluffiest omelettes I've ever tasted and it just melts in your mouth. We came a bit before noon and many things (like their daily specials, including some baked goods) were already sold out, so I'd recommend heading there earlier! read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Five spice fried chicken sandwich - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

Bench Flour Bakers' brick and mortar location finally opened!! I was so excited to visit this morning. I arrived fifteen minutes after the bakery opened on Sunday and there was already a line out the door. Their pastries are really good and I have been a fan since the Breakfast Shack days. We were really lacking in a solid bakery with a medium price point in the neighborhood so they did a good job filling in on the bakery demand here. There are several seating area inside the bakery and the interior is cute. The apple cider donuts are the baked type I believe, and they are pretty good. I also like the milk bread - it's great for making french toast. I'm taking one star off for how pricey their products still are, but I'm probably still going to visit occasionally, now that I can get my hands on their products more easily. read more

I live near the cafe but I normally do not go there because first still don't open for longer hours and they even close earlier sometimes- not reliable. And I never think of dining in there because it's always packed and chaotic. This morning, I was craving great French toast so why not try a quick pickup? It was BUSY as always, and they made the outdoor seating very neat and close so it was kind of blocking the entering area by unleashed dogs and people. I wondered can people with strollers get inside. And when I came back to pick up my food I felt some attitude from the staff. Maybe because they were stressed by the weekend brunch hit? Idk. I work in hospitality so I know what I can expect and not. But somehow they make me ask myself if have I done something wrong that stops me from going there. My French toast was good though. So it's bittersweet that I wish their service was more equivalent as much as their food's quality. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

Really delicious pastries Nice staff - fully masked The most delicate perfect savory croissant - garlic herb Miso caramel brownie _ gooey and rich Salted choc chip cookie - crisp on edges but chewy interior - just a touch of salt - so good They are only open Th - Sunday fyi Would like to go back and try some sandwiches too read more

See all

I've been to Bench Flour many times and the last five or six times I've been, I've left more annoyed and disappointed. I'll start with the major pro: food is really good. Absolutely some amazing dishes and pastries, with wonderful creativity and seasonality. Love that they not only change their menu seasonally, but also have a few different specials each week. The cons. They're only open four days a week - this is a small personal gripe, but their hours are insanely limited (they used to open at 10am on the weekends which is quite late for a bakery, but they've now adjusted to 9am). They frequently have issues with opening on time, items not being ready until later, or close early. I understand things happens, but it's worth mentioning at the rate at which it occurs. Bench Flour has a TON of items on their regular menu. They all sound amazing (and a lot of them are indeed amazing), but a lot of them don't travel well and there are only about four or five tables in the entire place to actually dine in and experience them. There are also a ton of people behind the register and working behind it and looks like utter confusion and chaos. I've gone in and asked about a few of their desserts on the specials board and the said they were sold out, but not adjusted on the board. Their menu is only found on Instagram and they only keep their menus right at the register, so it holds up the line if you first look at it there to order. Why not have a few copies of the menu by the front door? Or a stand outside with the menu? They also don't do phone order pickups, which also leads to the problem of waiting for your order in their small and confined space. I figured having been open this long that these sort of things may have been a bit more streamlined at this point and it's really a shame because it's all to their detriment. They mentioned on their Instagram at one point about attaining a liquor license and opening for dinner service. Having been a customer during the height of the pandemic when they were solely takeout once a week, I really want to support them and of course they can do whatever they want as a business, but I feel like for a business that's only open four days a week, barely opens on time, ONLY makes loaves of bread on weekends for sale, is hectic behind the register, and has only a handful of tables in their tiny space...this seems like a bit much to take on. I think they are trying to do too much without fixing the problems they already have. They really need to walk before they run. read more

Came here today after not having been here for at least a year. (Boy, has the neighborhood, and its residents, continued to change, as was evidenced by the patrons there...) I've gotten a few pastries here, over the years, and while 'good', can't say I've been bowled over. The coffee, however, I thought was very good. What was very clear to me today is that...this particular part of Astoria is really in need of a spot like this. (Other than food-oriented businesses that cater to Arab populations that live in the area, there's really no other establishment like Bench Flour, in the immediate vicinity...) It was super busy...this around 1100 a.m. on a Saturday. A good number of young couples had their toddlers/children with them. I'd be surprised if the business owners haven't already been on the lookout for a new space, and where they'd have more of a larger bakery/cafe, with additional seating. read more

The cutest neighborhood spot. Gets crowded, though, so be sure to go early if you want to get a seat. The chocolate croissant was heavenly and the scone was delicious. Can't wait to come back. read more

French toast with fruit & breakfast platter with side veggies. Specials and baked goods were gone by 1pm read more

Bench Flour Bakers - French toast with fruit & breakfast platter with side veggies. Specials and baked goods were gone by 1pm - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

Tried their black sesame latte and it wasn't great. The espresso was really bitter and the drink in general was not the best. I had a cider doughnut and it was disappointing. Their sourdough and milk bread is really good though and other pastries. I've had their breakfast sandwiches in the past and they're alright. I hope to try something different in the future, but wasn't satisfied this time around. read more

So happy to have this gem of a bakery in the "hood"! How did I miss the opening? It's quaint, super friendly, great service and equally good food. As you can see, our eyes were bigger than our stomaches! Latte was perfect, morning bun with cardamom was flaky with aromatic spice, fresh baked baos. Have to come back to try the bread and yummy sandwiches! Happy to support a woman, minority (Asian) owned business! Welcome to Astoria! read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York

Excellent food and service. I wish they were open later or on more data. On the weekends it's tough getting a table.

I wanted to like this place but it's a very poorly designed. There is no air or ventilation at all. It's super stuffy and unbearable. Not a good place to go to with Covid around. The owner decided to hog the entire back kitchen for herself to bake but surely, you don't bake 24/7 even if you have wholesale orders to fill. There is no reason why a grill and kitchen should be out in the front, creating heat for the entire restaurant and staff. Your staff is miserable and your customers are miserable. Even though the lamb sandwich was good, I wouldn't go back because of how miserable the environment was. The fried chicken sandwich was only okay. The chicken was overfried and crusty on the outside but still juicy on the inside. The chipotle mayo ruined it. And the home fries was just terrible. The Strawberry Bundt was good but small. There is such thing as being too greedy, trying to make more or the most money and not spending a little to get a little, in order to do it right or right by everyone. And this place was it! If you want to do whole sale orders, do it overnight or at a commissary kitchen. Why have a kitchen, if not every item is stellar. Then, you are just trying to hang onto too many pies and you'll drop them sort of speak. Do a few things but do it phenomenal. Don't try to do too much and risk doing some poorly. There is so much to can do with an induction hot plate and air fryer. A full range and oven up front is completely unnecessary. All and all, it is just not safe. Your cooks are sweating into the food, the AC is not adequate, and if a fire should break out, the fire extinguisher is not in a good place. I can't see how the Health Department would approve of all this. And you should care about your employees more and not do what works for you and your baking needs in the back. I can't imagine this place not having a constant rotating staff. And it was super off putting to see how sweaty the cooks were. Made me not want to order food. read more

I finally got the opportunity to try this bakery and I can't say I'm a fan or that it's worth the hype. Besides the really cute atmosphere and possible off the cuff dishes that may wow you for brunch I can't say it's worth the waiting. It seems like they created a buzz when they moved in because of the odd hrs they'd keep and the almost coveted instagram breakfast but nothing on the menu is that exotic. basically their twist on everyday things which are baked on site. I ordered simple baked items as I wanted to try what they were known for and at $11 for a pain au choc and a orange poppy muffin again I wanted to be wow'd by the price point with something that made me say I need another one. I so wanted to be like the others who went and said best whatever since I've been in France and I sadly can't say that. Although rich in flavor on both items the pain au chocolate was so flaky & crunchy it was unenjoyable due to the mess it made and it came accompanied by a very buttered oiled coating which was a greased taste as well. The muffin was delightful but not anything I haven't had at a chain or even an upscale Manhattan or Brooklyn cafe. I perhaps will give it another try on a boujier item during brunch like their plated items that show all the rage online but I still feel like this is possibly a skip due to you being able to get a better bang for your buck if you're looking to fill up and my pallet didn't fall in love with anything that jumped out with hints from the south of France. read more

Bench Flour Bakers - Orange poppy muffin - Bakeries Near Me - Astoria, New York