Cafe Dear Leon opened during the pandemic. But they were really just a counter business with no where to sit so that was fine. Within an hour they would sell out of all their amazing pastries. Then they started staggering their menu. They also change their menu monthly. In January they introduced a crab dip bagel that went viral. They also have a Japanese egg sandwich that is another viral sensation. I could look in the name but I'm on a roll with this review. I was trying to make room for the hundred people that were in line behind me for this bagel and I didn't take enough pictures. Their desserts are works of art and taste amazing. When the weather is warm, there is room to eat outside. But just get it to go and enjoy in your own home. If you want the crab dip bagel, the limit is two. It comes out at 9 and if you get there at 9 you will be standing in line down the street and probably won't get a bagel. But get something else and still count that as a blessing. read more

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Ok so I decided to check this place out today. I thought to myself, it's a Tuesday. Surely I'll be in and out right? Wrong! There was a line upon my arrival and I got there around 9:15 a.m. I believe the cafe opens at 6 a.m. I will say the line moved rather nicely and I appreciated the warmers once you got under the pergola. There's menu's outside along with signage of how things operate. Everyone's there for the crab dip bagel which becomes available at 9 a.m. If you take a look at the menu, the stagger the items being offered by certain times. So I waited and chatted up a few folks in line and before I knew it, it was my turn to go in. They allow 6 people and 1 dog in the cafe at one time so you just go in as people come out. You are limited to 2 crab dip bagels so I grabbed those and I got a chocolate croissant along with a dulce de leche iced latte, which wasn't bad. I waited until I got home to try the bagel. Rewarmed it a bit. It was good! It didn't blow me away but it was good. There was corn and I believe maybe an artichoke or onion, wasn't too sure but that was different for a crab dip. The staff were very friendly! Kind and welcoming upon entering the cafe! There is a public restroom if you need to use it. My experience was a good one and there were tons of delicious offerings! I'd say to get here as close to 9 a.m. if you'd like a crab dip bagel. After grabbing mine, I overhead the staff say there were about 11 left, plus what was on the display so some folks were definitely not going to be able to grab any that were in line. Just a heads up. Check this place out if you're interested and you have some free time. read more

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Coffee has some room for improvement. We ordered two lattes one a vanilla and the other a Carmel. Im not saying it's bad but it's just missing something I can't put my finger on. The pastries on the other hand were Impeccable. I had the crème brûlée pastry it is worth a return trip. We also ordered the basque cheesecake can't really go wrong with that choice either. read more

Visited Café Dear Leaon and sadly they were sold out of all food/pastry items. The cafe is very small and only allows 6 people in at a time. There no indoor seating, but some seating outside. The staff was friendly! I got an iced coffee, but honestly it was just okay. Hoping to be back to get a chance to try some of the food everyone is raving about. read more

Very small, unassuming cafe in canton neighborhood. Parking was easy enough to find on a Sunday afternoon. Yes, you have to wait in line as the shop is THAT small !! But the line moves quickly since all food items are prepared in advance. Around 12:30 there wasn't much pastry items left so I chose the smoked salmon bagel and one of their cookie. Price wise I spent $18 for both. Was it worth it ? The cookie was delish, the sandwich was okay...it was my first time have smoked salmon on a bagel and I wanted more from it (maybe a splash of some of the caper juice? Some hot sauce? Do you put hot sauce on lox? Lol. I digress. There was also an Italian sub option and tomago sandos which kinda felt like a Japanese take on egg salad sandwiches. I think they do pastry well here ! I would recommend grabbing a few of those items to go. The s'mores cookie looked amazing and so did the almond croissant ! read more

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This place is absolutely worth the hype! Some of the best pastries I've ever had! I will definitely be back often. No tables inside but quite a bit of outdoor seating. I went on a weekday morning so I only had to wait in line about ten minutes. Free street parking nearby! read more

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Soooooooooooooo good. So good. That's it. That's all LOL Very cute shop with a seating area right outside and steps away from the water. They release their pastries on a time schedule and only allow up to 5 people in the shop at a time. The only "bad" thing about it is the wait time but that's only because of how delicious the crab bagel is. But I will say during the winter it's pretty brutal. Worth the wait though read more

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Ever since this bakery was recommended to me by a friend who used to live in Bmore, I've been dying to try it. He told me it was 100 times better than the best bakery in our city (which is one I adore) so I was super excited to try it. The extremely long lines at this place should be an indication of how good it is. In the past, I've had a few experiences where a long line wasn't warranted, but for this place it totally is. We visited on a Sunday morning so the line was almost wrapped around the block. I didn't time how long we were waiting, but I was with my best friend and we could talk for hours. I recommend either waiting in line with someone time flies by with or listening to a good audiobook because it was a bit of a wait. The bakery itself is super tiny. It can only carry about four customers inside at a time. There wasn't any indoor seating when I visited, but they had quite a few tables outside. My friend had been before and said it best, it's a good idea to order a bunch of things from here because some things are incredible and others are just fine. On my visit I got the matcha red bean bun, pomme turnover, and pain au chocolat. She got a very delicious fig pistachio tart. I adored my pain au chocolat. It was buttery perfection. The matcha red bean bun was very ok, the bun was drier than I had hoped. I absolutely loved the pomme turnover. It was not only delicious, but beautiful too. I'd be excited to return to try the sandwiches. The friend who originally recommended it likes the almond croissants the most. If you have time in your day, I recommend checking out this delicious bakery. read more

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Great customer service. The person who took my order, a young Asian woman was so kind and took her time explaining the menu to me. I really appreciated that. I wasn't overly crazy with the crab bagel (too cheesy for me), but I loved the egg sandwich! Yummo!!! I also loved my specialty coffee. read more

Food was really good. Service was ok. Think the guy was training so gave him credit for that. The crab cake was good and fries were very good. read more

This place has been on my list for a while now! I tried items from a few different menus depending on the time. Lines were long but moved quickly. It's better to get there early or close to the start of the menu item you are looking for. Everything I ate was amazing. read more

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Wonderful local bakery in central Canton! There was a relatively shorter line around late afternoon Sunday, and a good amount of items were still in stock. Got the monkey bread with passion fruit/caramel, which was super tasty. Hope to be back to try more things around their bake times (6a, 7:30a, 9a, 11a). Limited outdoor seating. Parking available nearby on side streets. Pet friendly! read more

Café Dear Leon - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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The crab dip bagel was amazing, the blueberry muffin was delicious too. We got there at 7 and we were the 2 ppl in line, by the time we got our food ( party of 4) walked and went to the sitting area across the street at the park the line was already full of ppl going down that sidewalk: I think for people that visit from OT they should have a 4 person limit just my greedy opinion read more

Café Dear Leon - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

The food was awesome. I had the ham and cheese croissants. Also the crab dip bagel and the almond croissants. There was a line, but you know it goes real fast. I would highly recommend this place. read more

My sister told me I absolutely had to stop at Cafe Dear Leon on my way driving from DC to Boston. Was it a bit out of my way? Yes, but she assured me it was worth it. I got there early in the morning in search of their crab dip bagel, as I was told they frequently sell out and the bakery works on a model of baking throughout the day but once they have reached their prepared quantity, that's it. Therefore, they have scheduled items at 6 AM, 7:30 AM, 9 AM, and 11 AM. The bakery itself is small enough for only a few people to stand inside so most wait outside in a queue. Once inside I was able to secure it during the 7:30 AM time slot: the crab dip bagel. It's actually a stretch calling this a bagel; if anything, it's the opposite of a bagel because all the good stuff is on the inside. Chunks of crab meat mixed with cream cheese, onions, Old Bay seasoning, and corn, baked inside a deconstructed bagel that has cheese perfectly melted and crusted over the top with more Old Bay seasoning. It was a succulent, savory masterpiece that I would not hesitate to drive across Baltimore, through traffic, to pick up again. read more

Café Dear Leon - Crab dip bagel - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I will preface this with. I have high expectations for my food, and I'm a local. Crab Dip Bagel The bagel was chewy with a crunch to the outside, which presented well. The inside appear to be in layers. Cream cheese on the bottom was soft and warm. The next layer of crab was back fin meat, there needed to be a bit more old bay seasoning. There was an odd, overpowering flavor, like a garlic or truffle. it just really had odd placement and made certain bites of the bagel not as appealing. The final layer was corn, canned corn kernels. I was not a fan of that. Perhaps fresh corn would've made this work? Canned Corn on the top of the crab was just strange and not as appealing. Also separating the crab from the cream cheese isn't truly "dip". Again I'm a local, and a crab snob. I honestly don't get the hype on this rendition. MANGO PASSION FRUIT DANISH This was the star! Fresh thin slice mango presented on a danish like croissant, perfect amount of coconut cream, and these dash of tajin, absolutely perfect. A total pleaser, I am still thinking about this one. Chefs kiss! Coffee - Hojicha latte This was a phenomenal latte. Perfectly brewed espresso, excellent quality of coffee beans used. Hojicha gave it an earthy depth. I would absolutely get another cup of this latte!! COCO SOBORO Good flavors, it was a bit dry by the time I ate it. It does not hold well overnight, even in an air tight container, which is probably why it was dry on the inside. I won't fault them for this. My recommendation would be to make sure you eat it the same day. FINANCIER Service was very friendly, helpful and team worked well togwt read more

Lived up to the hype! We got sandwiches, pain au chocolat, and a monkey bread. The monkey bread was a sleeper favorite???? There is no space to eat indoors, so make sure the weather is good if you want to eat there (we were a bit hot). Service was super friendly. read more

Go to their instagram to see what they are serving each month. They drop different items at different times like 6am, 7am, 11am, etc. I got the tamago sandwich and the crab tamago sandwich and both were so good. The white bread was the perfect texture and the sandwich was really good even the next day! read more

BALTIMORE WEEKEND feat. @cafedearleon & yes, we waited 1.5hrs in line for @cafedearleon 's freshly baked BRIE & BERRIES DANISH with whipped brie, seasonal berry jam, blueberry, blackberry, pistachio (just okay) and the viral CRAB DIP BAGEL with cajun butter, old bay, corn, cheddar cheese (worth all the rage and every minute waiting) read more

Café Dear Leon - Crab Dip Bagel - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Visited after seeing the viral crab bagel online. I'm not a huge seafood person, but had to try it since I was in Baltimore. The service was quick and the staff was able to give great recommendations. I appreciated their outdoor seating, since the inside was very small. I also appreciated their free water station. I would recommend to all in the area. read more

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Love that this cafe has their menu online with the times that each item is released. Ordered the crab bagel and a hojicha latte both were FANTASTIC. Service took only about 5 mins to make the drinks and heat the food. Employees were friendly and offered suggestions. They had a small section of outdoor tables but otherwise no indoor seating or space. Wish it was a bigger selection for seating but perfect place to stop in good weather. read more

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This is a gem in the Baltimore area. I know it did recently go viral, and I honestly think the crab dip bagel may be my least favorite thing that I've tried- not that it was bad at all. Its a tight fit, but they get a lot of people in and out quickly, and everything I've tried has been great. The Tomago Sando in particular was incredible, on top of all of the pastries. read more

The best croissant I've ever had. 10/10 no notes. Had a little glaze on it went perfect with my mocha latte. Everything was delicious. This trip I had a croissant, almond croissant, ham and cheese croissant and mocha latte. The famous crab dip bagels had sold out while I was in line. I'll be back to try again. read more

Café Dear Leon - Almond croissant and plain croissant 10/10 - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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So glad we stopped here on our recent trip to Baltimore! I was searching for some breakfast and coffee and this place kept coming up with top reviews. We headed over, and had to wait outside a bit. It's a small place so they only allow 6 people in the store at a time. Thankfully they have heaters and menus outside for while you wait. The line moved quickly. Do note that there are no tables to eat inside. The staff were very friendly. They have an awesome menu where they release different things throughout the morning. So if you want more savory lunch items, wait for 11 am or so. But anything they still have you can get throughout the morning if that makes sense (until they sell out). We got a variety of pastries including banana bread, pan au chocolate, a hazelnut pastry, and a crème brûlée tart. All were fantastic! My husband loves banana bread and said this was the best he's ever had. We also ordered two lattes. I loved my dulce de leche latte. Very good. Would definitely come back! read more

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This is a very small bakeshop where they only allow 6 patrons in at a time to prevent overcrowding. I arrived on a Tuesday around 2pm and only had 2 people in front of me. The selection was slim given it being so late in the day so I chose the Crab Tamago sandwich (yummy so much crabmeat), s'mores cookie, monkeybread and a basque cheesecake. Everything was delightful and well worth the $40 spent. Must come back to try their other items! read more

Everyone wants to know... is it worth the hype... and the answer is ABSOLUTELY YES!!! Will i drive 3 hours again just to bite that crab dip bagel? Absolutely yes! Of course we got a few other things because it was a drive to get there... so I'm just going to say... blueberry cream cheese muffin, 10/10, crème brûlée tart or whatever it was called... 10/10... it was so sweet, buttery, and flaky... wow! Delicious... That blueberry muffin was actually the best one I've ever had. EVER. But the star of the show, the crab dip bagel!!! MANNNNNN.... Okay so first, just know that they open at 6am... but they don't start selling the bagel until 7:30am. They asked us to not stand in line until 7:15am.... Buttttt that didn't work... so we got back in line around 6:40am and I'm glad we did because before you know it, the line was around the block. This bagel is so soft, buttery, cheesy and full of lump crab meat. I wasn't sure about the corn at first but IT WORKS!!! I want to bite it right now thinking about it! Everything we had, 10/10. read more

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Cute little spot with pretty much no space to sit at. When the weather is nice, the outdoor space has tables to sit at. When it's raining, it turns into the spot to stand in line for ordering. Service was friendly. The flavors of the egg Sando was delicious and my matcha latte was perfectly made. Blueberry muffin was so fresh even when I saved it to eat later that day! read more

Café Dear Leon - Egg sando - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I've heard a lot of great things about this place. Every time I walk my dog down to this area, there's a line around the block. Today I waited for 45 minutes and it looked like I was still going to wait another 45 because they only allow six people in at a time, so I went somewhere else. Talking to the people in line, it's definitely worth thewait, but if you're planning on going here, you need to plan on waiting. Check out the menu on their website. It changes monthly, I think. Everything looks fantastic. There's no doubt these people are doing great and I definitely hope to try something there myself. One day later... the line was a bit shorter today. Possibly because it looks like it might rain... Which really shows you how much people enjoy this place because even the threat of rain still has a line that almost reaches the end of the block. I got a selection of pastries, all of which look absolutely fantastic. Extremely friendly people behind the counter and my items came out with a very minimal wait. read more

Café Dear Leon - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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I've been hearing a lot about this little cafe so I decided to stop in on a Sunday morning. Despite it being 8:30am there was still a line outside to enter the establishment. They allow 6 people and 1 dog inside at a time. The interior decor is so cute, there is not much room inside hence the people limit. We only waited about 4 minutes to get inside. I ordered the bacon frittata sandwich, ham & cheese croissant, and the seasonal black sesame salted caramel latte. My friend got the pistachio croissant and the breakfast sandwich. I loved the sandwiches, the focaccia bread was crispy and chewy and the croissants were buttery and flakey. The season drink was delicious as well! They have a rolling menu, with new food items coming out every hour or so. There are seats outside if you want to dine-in however it was too cold for us. I'd love to come back and try the egg sando! Definitely stop by if you are in the area! read more

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There's a reason why this cafe always has a line, between the friendly workers, greeting and light environment, a community of people who all share their love for cafe treats. This place truly has it all. They still serve guests in a timely manner despite the line wrapping around the building and everything tastes so moist and decadent. read more

Their baked goods are amazing. The service is personalized. The place can be crowded, but those baked goods are worth it.

we came on a sunday morning at 8-9 ish am and the line was almost the length of the whole block. my friends got the crab dip bagels, and they still talk about them even weeks later. we also got a financier which was delicious, and the breakfast sando! i got a mocha which was good, and my friends got matchas and they are socal girl approved!! the inside of the store was so cute, and the staff was so friendly and did not make us feel rushed despite the line. service was pretty fast once inside too! read more

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OMG! I just found this amazing cafe in Canton Baltimore. It is called Cafe Dear Leon. You may have heard of this spot because it is all over TikTok and Instagram because of their infamous CRAB BAGEL, so you know I had to see for myself. Things to know before you go: -They serve different pastries at different times (don't worry they list what they are serving that day on their website, be sure to check the time of what pastry you want is being served). -If you plan on getting the crab bagel, plan to be waiting a while. The day I went they were serving it at 9:00am. I got there at 8:45 there was already a line to the corner. I was in line for about an hour and a half, but believe me it is worth it. -There isn't any seating so be prepared to take it to go (there is a park across the street where you can eat is you want to stay in the area). I also got two other pastries, the BRIE & BERRIES DANISH and the RASPBERRY CROISSANT ECLAIR , because I wanted to try as much as possible in this one trip as possible (I did not eat all these at once lol). The pastries were good as well, but the Crab Bagel stole the show. I feel as though Jesus anointed that bagel. My eyes rolled back a little when I bit into it lol. All in all Cafe Dear Leon should definitely be on your list to check out. read more

The bagel could have been the best thing I've ever had, certainly the best with crab. It was amazing, warm, cheesy, savory. The basque cheesecake was well done. The tartlet was so creamy. It was like nothing I'd had before. There's a line for this restaurant for a reason. We waited over an hour, it was worth it. read more

Café Dear Leon - Crème brûlée tartlette - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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Pros: amazing service, delicious pastries! Cons: not the establishment's fault but the lines are very long and it's hard to get the desserts you want This place is really hyped up and I can see why! I have tried multiple items and they were all delicious, well-presented, and fresh. My favorite has been the smoked salmon bagel. Mmm! The everything bagel has a firm bite and the smoked salmon tastes so fresh. The capers and dill add great texture and flavor. I've also had the crab and tamago sando. The flavor is terrific, but I do find it very small. I think the average person would need to eat two to feel full! For desserts, I loved the Ispahan Danish (this might be a summer only special). The pain au chocolat is also sooo flaky and buttery! Neither dessert is too sweet (perfect for me!) The staff is very friendly. The lines do get long on the weekends; I came on a fall Sunday at 11:40a and got in at 12:30p. Not the establishment's fault, but just be aware. The inside decor is super cute, but know that you can't stay inside. The outdoor seating is basic but fine. Street parking is nearby. read more

Café Dear Leon - Salmon bagel and crab and tamago sando - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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So I had to try the crab stuffed bagel especially because I was in Baltimore ! There was a line but the wait wasn't long , I would say about 20 mins .The establishment is pretty small. Finally upon entry there were so many beautifully crafted pastries. I was there for the one and only stuffed bagel, and let me tell you it was so so so so so good! I didn't think I could eat it all but I did! It's worth the wait , try it! read more

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The price point on the place is absolutely inflated. I have been twice for the crab bagel and left without it both times after a hours of waiting in line. The location is extremely small only allowing for 6 people to enter at 1 time and I would argue and say that is too many. The first time I didn't order I just left. The second time I ordered other items and was not satisfied with any of it. I won't be back. read more

Café Dear Leon - They just put a sold out sign up after I had already waited for nearly 2 hours. - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

i always love this place and i recently attended their pop up/soft opening in remington. finally got to try the crab dip bagel and it was $11.50, it was soo filling. the pumpkin basque cheesecake was good and not too sweet. our drinks came out super fast and food is instant. there is a lot of seating area in remington unlike their odonnell location. my matcha latte did taste grassy but i added some extra simple syrup and it balanced out. read more

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Cafe Dear Leon has my heart! This was my second time going because I had a taste for some coffee and a pastry. I ordered the mocha latte and their ham and cheese croissant and it was sooo flavorful! I love how small and quaint this shop is and the service is never short of friendly and amazing. Can't wait to go back again and try some other things off their well curated menu. read more

Visited this store on a quick weekend trip to visit my parents. Arrived at the cafe around 8:30-on a Saturday morning, a line had already started but went pretty quickly. We waited outside in a small tent like structure with heated lamps -made it a bit less uncomfortable. Also had menus outside so you could browse what to order before you actually get inside. Service was good, food was a bit on the pricey side but it was delicious. Got the famous crab dip bagel$11.50, the game and cheese croissant ($6) and the seasonal black sesame salt caramel late( was luke warm-not hot) but it was delicious nonetheless. Also tried their blueberry cream cheese muffin and it was delicious read more

Café Dear Leon - Crab dip bagel - Cafes Near Me - Baltimore, Maryland

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