After all these years, this is still one of the most inexpensive Chinese bakeries anywhere in NYC. They also have some of the largest and fluffiest breads around. With that said, I don't come here much because their selection is small and some of the pastries (eg. Egg Tart) are underwhelming. I really come here for two specific sandwiches - chicken and fish. Over the years, the under $2 sandwiches have climbed to $4 now. Regardless, it's still a good buy and definitely a worthwhile cheap eats. When they are fresh, they can really hit the spot. The fish is slightly on the salty side to pair beautifully with the airy bread. I'm less of a fan on the bread for the chicken, but the thigh meat is super tender and flavorful. These are still very good, but timing to get one that is hot is hit or miss. The service is typical of Chinese bakeries, fast and possibly a smile on a good day. However, the space is small with one tiny table stuck behind a garbage can. Some flies were visible too. I would do takeout. read more

I came in hoping for a regular loaf of bread, but they didn't have any and recommended their taro bread instead. I expected a lightly taro-flavored bread, but this was something else entirely. The loaf has a layer of sponge cake on top and is stuffed with large chunks of taro. Unfortunately, the taro makes the bread soggy, the sponge cake is dry rather than soft, and the taro itself is dense and overcooked. This was not a good alternative to regular bread, and I wanted to share my experience so others know what to expect as it was on the pricy side of Asian bakeries at $11. read more

Carnation Bakery - Taro bread - Bakeries Near Me - Flushing, New York

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Worth to try. They put very less spicy sauce maybe from Sriracha. Good amount of fried chicken. Price $4.50 as of dec 30th 2025. read more

Carnation Bakery - Worth to try. Price $4.50 as of dec 30th 2025 - Bakeries Near Me - Flushing, New York

When a place shows consistency and staying power over a nearly a couple of decades that automatically adds the "star" power of this place and ups my rating. (The first reviews of this place on Yelp are dated 2008). Although the prices aren't as inexpensive as they used to be (Cheap eats in NYC are going the way of the Dodo - might as well get used to it!) I still find they remained consistently delicious. Arguably, the chicken buns are the draw here - with a nice sized slab of juicy dark meat chicken tucked in a crispy outside, soft inside pineapple bun dressed with lettuce, tomato and cucumber it is winning combo. These days you will be hard pressed to find a cheaper and better chicken sandwich at $3.75 in NYC. Better to get here early to make sure they have them, also fresher! I asked for a Iced coffee and the default is light and sweet, which is a style I haven't had in while. It hit the spot. I tried the pork floss bun - it was large and tasty. The sponge cake was nice and soft, but friend remarked perhaps not the very best she's had, but good. They have don tat which will do the job, but not a stand out version. This is old school spot that after I walk out with my purchase I feel grateful it is still sticking around serving up goodness! read more

Carnation Bakery - Carnation's famous chicken bun - Bakeries Near Me - Flushing, New York

The pineapple bun 100%. Would 10/10 go back even though parking is tight and there's a lot of traffic down kissena Can't wait to go back and try with the fried chicken... perfect sweet and salty. read more

Carnation Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Flushing, New York

Chicken chop on pineapple bun! So yummy and only $4. Wish they put more veggies but it's delicious! read more

Carnation Bakery - Chicken chop - Bakeries Near Me - Flushing, New York

Love this bakery. It looks like one of those hole in the wall bakeries you'll find in Hong Kong. What they say is true about their pineapple buns being the best. However, my mom got me very addicted to their taro loaf bread. They only have it at certain times during the day and they only make a few at a time. It's literally a full load of bread but inside have chunky of taro inside....YUM!! There's a small parking lot in front too. I came super early one time when they first opened but they were not ready whatsoever cause they are still preparing for the day.... So I would come a bit later. read more

I stopped in here for lunch one day and tries the fried chicken sandwich which didn't disappoint. You definitely can't go wrong for a homemade fried chicken thigh sandwich for $4. We went back for seconds! read more

The great reviews people put about this place is true. People who aren't of Asian descent would love Carnation Bakery's sandwich w/chicken placed in a pineapple bun&their coffee. I don't really like spicy food, but there is a little hot sauce they place in the sandwich which is good for me&those who don't really spicy food. I also love their pineapple bun w/red beans. They put a good amount of beans in it, unlike other bakeries. The prices are great unlike other Asian bakeries where the prices are 2x more&of smaller portion. It's better to get there early&to go b/c the tasty items go away fast&the bakery is very small. read more

Best bolo bao (pineapple bun) in Queens no lie. The turtle shell tiles that make up that upper crust have such a good crunchy texture to accompany the soft, airy bread underneath. Doesn't have a strong flavor but the texture paired with the warm hug feeling you get from eating bread is just chefs kiss gorgeous. Different people prefer different bolo baos (some like the flatter, softer kind from Fayda bakery) and that's okay but this is top tier. They also got another version they call the large pineapple bun which is longer and has a nice salty buttery flavor on the inside. The coconut bolobao is filled with moist coconut flakes on the inside. read more

I feel bad that I have to be honest and downgrade this bakery. You would think it is a good bakery since there are normally many old folks. But this time really does not fall into that "common sense" to me. Lol. Walking out from T&T restaurant on the inside corner of the same block, I wanted to check out since I have not been here for ages. I bought a bbq pork bun and a red bean pastry. The bbq pork bun had no luck:(. It proved again that you buy cheap meat you got chew a little is so true. Lol! First, the meat/dough ratio is so upside down; Second, the dough was so dry so lifeless (may be it was a healthier version, no butter added:) obvious under fermented; Third, the meat is minced into tiny pieces which did not give any chewy pleasure. Ladies there were alright. No one showed impatience at least. Because there were only one customer at the time:)))) It may be a good bakery to others. Just did not work for me. read more

Come here for the pineapple bun. But there is no pineapple in the bun. I know. Just trust me on this. It's not pineapple flavored. But it's good. They resemble them outside of the pineapple. This is the place to go for pineapple buns. They have it with milky center, red bean, taro and other flavors. Get here early so you'll have a selection to pick from. And if you're lucky they'll be warm. Yes it's carbtastic! read more

A tiny bakery near Gold City supermarket. This place has a lot to choose from and its cheaper than the other bakeries in the area. There's the classic pineapple bun, pork puffs, fish buns, egg tarts, coconut tarts, red bean pastry, 3 sisters, 6 pieces of dinner rolls, cha siu bun, taro bun, red bean bread, etc. I wish there was a separate warmer oven for the puffy pastries to keep them warm. I got their curry pork pastry which was really oily, which if it were warmer I probably would've noticed it less, but it was cold on the outside because it didn't have the rotating oven like the other bakeries do. There's also coffee and tea available. Their huge cakes with fruit inside are really good. I've brought those as gifts to people's homes a few times! You can also get their spongecake rolls. They give newspapers with your purchase on Sundays (not sure about other days). There's always dough being mixed in the back, you can see it. And there's always fresh trays of warm bread coming out. There isn't much space to pay, so while you're paying, people are going to be grabbing their bread so get ready to get pushed around. It gets pretty crazy in here. You walk in, grab a tray and tongs and use their wax paper baggies to bag your own bread and then bring it up to the front where they total it. Kinda nice to bag your own stuff because then the flakier breads aren't destroyed by people trying to bag them in a rush for you. But if you're like me, its such a struggle to bag stuff under pressure when there are people trying to grab their food too and there isn't space for any of this! Have your wallet in your hand and be ready to pay and get outta there. There's only 3 tables available, so you're lucky if you can get a seat there! read more

Carnation Bakery - Pork curry puff. Not as warm as the other bakeries because it isnt kept in a little warmer oven. - Bakeries Near Me - Flushing, New York

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This bakery rocks! I haven't been back awhile since moving to the Bayside Hills area, but the breads and buns are still fantastic!! You get a great deal on all the baked goods in this place. If you go early in the morning like 6am, there is no rush or fuss, but once you hit the 7am mark, watch out! People get pushy and it gets chaotic. The pineapple and chicken fried buns are legendary here, the fish bun is not bad either. You really can't go wrong in this place. Seating is extremely limited and they provide wax wrappers for you to put the baked goods in yourself. If you want to save time and get out quicker, just put all your stuff on the tray, they will help you wrap it up much faster and neater. Coffee and tea is also very good here. read more

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One of the best kept open secrets in Flushing. I had forgotten how "ghetto" this area can be. There's just a collection of different types of people around here who seem to loiter the area and traffic is always unbearable. The tiny parking lot in front is always full. Baked items: the chicken pineapple bun absolutely lives up to the hype. It is, by far, the best breakfast sandwich of any Hong Kong style or Cantonese or Taiwanese bakery in Flushing. For the price, it's simply unbeatable. I also bought one of each item alongside the wall of baked goods, and I definitely recommend the custard filled pineapple bun and roast pork bun. There's always a generous amount of filling inside! Everything seemed to be freshly made, and not everything is available all at once upon opening time. Service: it's not easy to get the attention of the server because this place is always so busy. I was there at 6:30 a.m. when they opened, and the fried chicken pineapple buns did not come out until about 7 a.m. In fact, most of the baked goods weren't ready yet, so I knew I was getting the freshest items! Decor: upon walking into this space, it looks like one has entered a time lapse back to, at least, the 1990's. The relatively dark and simple lighting, the display case for baked goods, etc., reminds me of an era when all the bakeries in Manhattan's Chinatown looked like that. Cash only! I shall return. read more

Carnation Bakery - Interior at 630 a.m. - Bakeries Near Me - Flushing, New York

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5 Stars for the fried pork cutlet in pineapple bun! I was super hungover on a Sunday morning and was craving fried foods, so I decided to make the trip down to Carnation bakery. The bun was about $2.50 which is totally worth every penny. I am already a big fan of sweet and savory food combinations, but this Pork Chop Pineapple bun really takes the cake! The Pineapple bun was not as flakey and crumbly as other places, but it works really well as a sandwich bun because you still get a bit of the crunch without the mess. The fried pork cutlet was so savory/tasty and crispy on the outside yet tender on the inside! There was a bit of mayo and lettuce which complimented the sandwich really well. The sandwich was not too heavy, and every bit was very flavorful. Towards the end of the sandwich, I tasted a hint of sriracha which was amazing. Highly recommend! read more

This is the best bakery in all of flushing the bread here is scrumptious! The ladies here are so friendly and nice too. I love the quality it is fresh and homemade. I prefer this bakery over others in flushing! It's bad for my diet but so good on a cheat day. I hope they expand locations. read more

My mom and I use to be huge fans of this bakery. The bread is always super fresh, bursting with filling, and appallingly cheap. Don't be fooled by the store's dingy appearance. We even tolerated the rude pushy crowd of the elderly asian people. (I'm asian myself but seriously...what ever happened to courtesy and manners?) However. About a month ago my mom accompanied a family friend's aunt and uncle to the bakery. The friend's aunt is quite old but is blessed with a younger appearance. When they went to pay for the food, the aunt pulled out her senior discount card. The lady behind the counter sneered at it and looked the aunt up and down, asking her if the card was real. The rest of the conversation basically involved the counter lady insinuating that the aunt is a liar and my mom going to the aunt's defense. All my mom said was that it is not the lady's job to judge people, it is to ring up the food and do transactions. Then the counter lady said a very dirty curse at my mom in cantonese (pok gai -spelling?) which is very offensive. My mom's friend (a guy), in anger, threw his coffee at the woman. Now you would think that the counter lady will retaliate on the person who threw coffee at her. But no, she went around the counter and started slapping my mother and grabbing her hair. My mom tried to get free and got a scratch in. My mom's friend tried to help her but the people from the kitchen came out and restrained him. Everyone else in the store was just standing there and watching the show. The owner came out and separated the counter lady from my mom. Now I would've fired my employee for that kind of action but no, the owner saw my mom was about to call the police and so she (the owner) physically held my mom back apologized while doing so. My mom asked her to let go and that she should be restraining and firing her employee instead of restraining the customer. The whole debacle ended with my mom with a mark on her face, not calling the police because she is too damn foolishly nice for her own good, and the employee still...employed. We are not. going back. read more

Carnation bakery is just down the block from my house, and I've been going to the bakery ever since I was a kid. The bread, in my opinion is superior to other bakeries around the neighborhood and it's famous chicken bo lo bao (pineapple bun) is everything my childhood was made of. To when I was there from my elementary school til now, they have kept their system, which works efficiently and fast. Their breads are always on point( make sure you come morning time for fresh breads!) & their prices are still pretty cheap I hope carnation bakery stays forever open, & every time I come back to the neighborhood I get a chance of experiencing the nostalgia of my childhood read more

Nice place to grab some breakfast buns. Some inconsistency on the filling had a pork bun that I felt was a little light on the filling.

This bakery is a hop, skip and jump away from my current GPS location. I stopped in here in the morning to grab a cup of coffee and to just see what they had to offer. This place is a carb lover's Heaven. If you love Chinese pastry items, this place is definitely for you. They have hot dog buns, croissants, raisin buns, chicken sandwiches, etc. Sadly, I just ogled the pastry case, wondered what life would be like to indulge in those buns and walked up to the counter to purchase a cup of black coffee. The woman at the counter was curt, but not unfriendly. I guess that is the Chinese way. She also handed me a copy of today's World Journal newspaper. I told her only the coffee. She smiled and said, "the newspaper is complimentary." That's pretty sweet. I would definitely come back when I need a caffeine fix since this is so close to home. Throwing in a copy of today's news also helps to get the customers in too! read more

Carnation Bakery makes some delicious baked buns. Forget Taipan and Fay Da Bakery. You can expect to spend a little less on buns here at this local mom and pops shop, that ranges from $0.75 to $1.75. Because of their cheaper prices and quality buns, the place is always busy (granted that it's a small 10'x10' room with racks of buns all lined up against the right wall. It can get a bit hectic and daunting but stick it through for some delicious baked eats. The Chicken Bun ($1.75) is one to try here. It is a breaded fried chicken thigh complimented with chopped lettuce and cucumber slices in between a sweet bun like bread. The dark meat definitely makes it moist and very flavorful. But part of that is also from the mayo-butter spread that they use. A very small squirt of hot sauce is also used to give it an ever so subtle hint of heat. It's probably the most expensive bun in the bakery, but it can make for a meal all by itself. The Hot Dog Bun ($0.85) is also a very good one here, simply a hot dog baked inside bread. There is also a scallion version for $0.90. I also believe after 6 PM, they discount the buns a little bit in order to try to get rid of everything they have, so you may notice people buying them in larger quantities at this time. From what I noticed also, I believe senior citizens receive discounts here, but that may be more or less when you become a regular as well. And cash only!! read more

Carnation Bakery - Chicken Bun ($1.75) - Bakeries Near Me - Flushing, New York

Chicken bun is my all time favorite chicken sandwich! The chicken is tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside every time. Sriracha brings a nice spice while the fresh cucumber balances out the heavy flavor that comes with any fried food. And the slightly sweet bread with the crunchy crumbles? Fantastically unexpected. Everybody deserves to experience this! read more

Asian bread here is awesome. Papa Lee says it's better than any other "chain" bakery. But the Chicken Bun - Holy Ba-Kaw! This delicious bun is no regular bun, it is on a Pineapple Bun (Like this http://chowtimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Kams-Bakery-Vancouver-7.jpg) We start off with a layer of lettuce and occasional jalapeno. And then there's the fried breaded chicken, and THAT's topped off with Mayo and Sriracha. YUM YUM YUM! This thing is HUGE for under $2, what a steal! FYI: Do not park in the Gold City supermarket parking lot, you will be towed. read more

$2.25 for the chicken pineapple bun. Chicken was great, even though it sat in the display window, it still had a bit of crunch and tender on the inside. (They use dark meat) The pineapple bun was not so good, didn't have the aroma or taste of a pineapple bun, tasted more like a sweet sugary crust on top. For the price, it was worth trying but not worth going back for. read more

The BEST Chinese Bakery I've ever been to.. and living in Queens, I've been through quite a few lol. A six-inch cake with fruit and whipped cream (very fresh) will only run you $12. The coconut bun (very generous with the cream) was $1.80 and also perfect. Don't bother with Fay da down the block cause tbh this place blows them out of the water. You won't be disappointed! read more

I've been to probably *hundreds* of Asian bakeries, in NY, Hong Kong, Taiwan. Carnation's buns are way near the top. So fresh! Asians wake up early. So, the bakery is always crowded in the morning. On weekend mornings, you get a free Chinese newspaper with purchase - but get there at 7am or earlier, before they run out. Crowdedness makes for a not-so-pleasant ordering experience because of all the voices shouting. On the plus side, it also means a VERY fast turnaround for buns! Many of the cases along the wall are filled with buns hot from the oven. You walk in and you are hit by the smells of breads cooling in their trays. Indescribeable! Carnation's buns are bigger and cheaper than other bakeries. Favorites like the roast pork bun (char siu bao) or pineapple bun were 80 cents (comparison: Fay Da charging $1+ for their salty lumps). Both are killer when still warm. Also recommended: chicken or fish sandwiches (Asian bakery style). Under $2 for a delicious and absurdly cheap lunch! I feel bad about the comments regarding their counter ladies. I've never had a problem. They don't smile and they do rush you, but with Chinese food you've just gotta learn not to take it personally. read more

Legendary bakery my aunt (PICKY eater), and cousin (ex-bakery employee) spoke of. Couz: Even though I work for [insert big Chinese bakery chain here], I gotta say Carnation's bread is better than ours. Me: Le gasp! O_O First off, the place is small and crowded. There's something about the setup that just isn't very spacious-looking. (cuz there are small bakeries, but can still appear comfortable) The bread labels and wall menus are all handwritten, which I was iffy about, but on with the bread! Their buns are very aromatic and the bread itself tears very nicely with layers in-between. The pineapple bun has these crispy chunks on top of the crust that adds an interesting texture (I call them little tumors), and the sweet filling balances nicely with the bread. I may never eat pineapple buns from anywhere else again. The hotdog bun is different from the ones they make for pineapple bun (no actual pineapples used), so the only thing my boy & I complimented on was the hotdog itself. Definitely thicker and better than the "cheaper" ones used by other Chinese bakeries. My usual favorite, the dried pork bun was disappointing =( I was very pouty because this bread is hard to mess up. They had so little dried pork sprinkles and it was so bland, I was sad I saved that for last. I haven't hit the annoying crowd that doesn't understand the concept of waiting in queue yet, but I'd probably only return if somebody was ever craving unique pineapple buns. read more

This was the first chinese bakery I got the chicken bun from, and it really is great considering it costs less than a tall blond roast from Starbucks. Breaded chicken with lettuce, mayonnaise and sriracha hot sauce, and anyone who is able to breathe on their own knows that the mayo+sriracha combination is a sauce that can't be beaten. It's wrapped in a pineapple bun (if you're a newbie to Chinese bakeries, please know that pineapple buns have no pineapple in/on them; it describes the way it looks on top). It really is delicious and it'll definitely fill you up (as Chinese bakeries tend to use lard to shine their pastries and buns). Their other pastries and buns are quite good, but there are a couple of bakeries 2-3 blocks away that have far superior ones, so don't expect too much. The reason this place gets 3 stars is because the customer service ranges from "Ugh, what do you want?" with a dirty and exasperated look to "what do you want" with a dirty and exasperated look. They see a lot of foot traffic because it's right on the way to the 7 train station, and one of the main bus stops is a couple of blocks up. As a result, it's crowded, and as one reviewer noted, the customers aren't big on manners, so you will get shoved or cut off by someone who believes that he/she is in more of a rush than you are. But it's so gosh darned convenient during the commute.. read more

Chicken bun !!!!! Must try. Fresh bakery with very reasonable price, unique texture which is different From other Chinese bakery. Authentic Taiwanese taste read more

LOVELOVELOVE their chicken buns, pineapple buns, and cakes! The chicken in the chicken buns are perfect--not too dry and relatively moist. The pineapple buns are better than the ones in any other asian bakery.The cake is light, soft, and smooth, and melts your mouth. Nothing here is overly greasy or sweet--the flavors and textures are balanced. Everything here is made fresh and straight out of the oven. Every time I walk inside, it smells so good. Although this bakery may look plain on the outside, don't underestimate its baked goods! read more

Food is Okay。cheap and Good $3 chicken Bun. Where can you find that. AND boss VERY KIND PEOPLE

Location: When visiting people at New York Hospital Queens, there are rather limited choices in the immediate area. You can walk 0.6 miles to downtown Flushing, but it's also the same distance to Carnation Bakery, since there is a path that cuts through the park. Food: I bought a couple of different things, so I will update this review as I eat through the bag of goodies. First off, everything was super fresh, because of the high volume they do... items were piping hot. The egg custard was perfect... the crust was crunchy, yet still flaky, but not too flaky. Custard itself was smooth and just lightly sweeten. Perfect with a cup of coffee. I also purchased some char siu boa, pineapple bao, and a piece of fruit cake (really a two-layer sponge cake, with some fresh fruit on top and in the the filling. ... okay, char siu bao... not amazing. The bread was nice - good texture, slightly crunchy top from the bake, but a chewier bread center. The filling... a bit disappointing. Not gooey redness, but chopped bits, but I miss the days when you actually got some piece of actual chopped char siu (that you could identify). I feel like I am now in search of a good char sui bao (had one about a year ago in San Fran, but that seems a bit far to go from the east coast). :-) read more

Hands down the best buns ever. My first time there I was a little concerned with the cleanliness but haven't gotten over that. The buns here are made fresh (like every hour or something) because every time I go the pineapple butter bun is warm or hot. The buns are soft and airy. Try everything but if you had to pick - the pineapple butter bun, the hamburger bun, the taro bun. Also really good yin yong drink! (Half coffee, half tea). read more

The owner is super nice! They gave me a bubble tea and their famous chicken sandwich. She also gave me a toy for my puppy to play with!

I absolutely love their bread. They make the best taro bread in flushing and in dirt cheap prices too. I also love their sponge cupcake and pineapple cake. However their employees have terrible attitudes. They have lost a regular customer and fan this way. The cashier have a sneering, pompous attitude because of their business. I was eating 4 taro bread that time and I was up to my 3rd till I saw a mom remind the cashier to put less sugar in her coffee. The cashier got all fired up and yelled at the mom saying that she was all in a good mood till her pestering remarks annoyed her. The cashier said all this in an incredibly rude way that the mom was intimidated. The whole bakery was quiet while the cashier is cursing under her breath. All the cashiers I've met look at you as though you're inferior to them. Don't go to this bakery, they do not deserve to have business if they continue to look down upon us customers. Sun Mary bakery is very polite and their bread are just good as Carnation's except in a sweater way. ^^ Update: They fired the stupid employees and the customer experience has gone better. I'm literally buying bagful of bread each week! read more

One of my favorite bakeries in Flushing. Every time I'm there, there's always an aroma of freshly baked breads and a possibility of nearly bumping into the ladies refilling the case with sheets of fresh breads. Their specialty bread is definitely the pineapple bread. They use that as the basis of their chicken sandwiches (fried chicken thigh with mayo, sriracha, lettuce, and cucumbers) and various other breads (stuffed with red bean, etc). I also like the bread that has a top made out of puff pastry, but contains a middle filled with sweet powder milk filling. The breads here are very fresh, making it the key to their tastiness. Decently priced (pretty cheap). If you're bringing the breads back home (ie: if you have a long way to go or something), I've asked them to pack them in a box for me. They've lasted 7 hour car rides and across several state lines. This is a very small storefront, so at certain times, it can be quite packed here. read more

The taro bubble tea "slush" was so good. I was a little confused with the ordering, so luckily had my friend who'd been there before. We ordered the taro slush that doesnt use a lot of ice! That being said, it's made with REAL TARO! omg, brilliant. lovely and delicious taste and the bubbles were a little bit undercooked but still tasty. Next time i'll consider the breads, the place seems really authentic and I'm pretty sure it's a Cantonese bakery which makes me have a lot of confidence in their baked goods. They also seem to specialise in Taro-based goods, so Taro Bubble tea, Taro bread, taro egg tart there might have been? Delicious and cheap! :) read more

Fresh and cheap pastries baked throughout the day. Frequently get their coffee/tea with mik, boba included, for $2. Can't beat that! read more

Carnation Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Flushing, New York

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This little, hole in the wall Chinese bakery in Flushing maybe my go to spot for some Chinese pastries. I went here to get some pastries for my friend's birthday, after I was undecided which one to go to. The prices are a bit cheaper than the pastries at the chains, saving me about a quarter for each one. They are also filling, as my friend couldn't even finish one. The bun sandwiches are also good, with the fish bun being delicious and filling. However, I think that the fish fillet should be a bit larger, as there was about one centimeter of plain bun left. But, fast and efficient service all around. Might come here again to try the other items. read more