The empanadas are so delicious! I came in for my daughter and I to get a sweet treat. We had never been before so we were excited to try their food. The shop is a decent size with a good amount of seating inside and out. I knew they served baked goods but when I saw empanadas on the menu I had to try one. My daughter got a sprinkle cookie and we also split a guava croissant while I waited for the empanada. Both treats were delicious I really loved the guava croissant it was perfectly flaky. The empanada I order was beef and cheese and when it comes out it's hot and has a cool stamp on the crust. This empanada was crispy and the filling was very tasty. So good I wish they were closer to me. read more

My friend and I are working through as many cinnamon roll spots as we can in tampa bay and St Pete. There were lots of reviews saying they had the best and I can agree, they are top notch! Cinnamon roll - 8.5/10 the frosting was perfect and thick! One of the better cinnamon rolls I've come across! S'more cronut - 5/10 this was dense, hard on the outside, overly sweet, and I didn't love the filling flavor. Breakfast empanadas - 7/10 tasty! Def recommend! Empanada dough was flaky and delicious. Filling was dry but still flavorful. Strawberry croissant - 8.5/10 yes! Lovely texture! Amazing flavor. Definitely get the croissants! The service was wonderful! Everyone working there is lovely. The bakery itself is adorable! Very small so seating goes quick and line gets long but they move people through the line fast. Definitely recommend going! Well worth the stop! read more

Chef & The Baker - Cinnamon Bun - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Ever since having tried them out at another Yelp Elite experience, I have been yearning for their baked good (especially croissants) once again, so, when I saw that they had a NEW location and it wasn't far away from me at all, I was like, "OMG, I'm IN!!!!" So with the help of Google Maps, I found went on my magical journey there and found the place. On the outside, I see lovely calligraphy and art depicting bread and baked goods, so I know I've found the right place! It was a hot day, so the outside seating was empty. Lovely, considering that I have my sweet baby Muffin with me who accompanies me to all my adventures. The seating is covered with large umbrellas, and there's fake grass on the ground for an added whimsical touch. Bear in mind, dogs are not allowed inside the bakery--including when you go inside to pay. Spoke to the man up front, and he explains that if I'm ever uncomfortable of leaving her, they could come out with handheld card reader and take my order that way. Good to know, but I could see Muffin through the window, and I wasn't going to be long, so I parked her outside and got my order, which they brought right out to me. The one thing I zeroed in on was the Nutellla croissant. I love Nutella. I love croissants. I really love Chef and the Baker croissants, so this was the PERFECT choice. I paired it with a hazelnut latte--hot, of course because I'm crazy in this Florida heat which was at 90 degrees, but I insist on it being hot--and I thought this was a perfect pairing. My order was brought out promptly. The croissant was a perfect size, large, but not overwhelming, sprinkled with powdered sugar and a little bit of Nutella peeking out of edges hinting to me what's inside. I take one bite, and this thing is LOADED. They did not skimp on the Nutella whatsoever, and every bite had a good amount to remind me that it's there. The hot hazelnut latte was the perfect finish for my treat, smooth, bold, with just the right amount of hazelnut flavor. Next time I come back, I'll make sure its not so hot, but part of me thought I should have gotten the BTS UBE Iced Latte, which sounded DELICIOUS and probably would've helped me out with the heat. Oh well. Lesson learned, and I guess I'll just have to come back. read more

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Support local! This local bakery is awesome and adorable. It's right off Manhattan and open during the construction (2025) and worth taking the detour just a block to get there. My husband is the connoisseur of baked goods in our household and he is a huge fan of their cronuts and croissants. I mainly consume chocolate, but I will say their baked goods are 1000x better than anything sold at the grocery store. Everything is fresh, natural, and made on site. You forget what fresh tastes like until you try something here. read more

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FINALLY made it on a Sunday for the cinnamon rolls and it was tot worth the wait! Soft, pillowy, a great cinnamon layer and the cream cheese frosting was perfect! There was no line (we came before noon). Quick to order, although they were already out of sourdough loaves. Super cute inside, and we even got patio seating. Overall, a lovely Sunday experience read more

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I finally made it to The Chef & The Baker on S. Manhattan Avenue after one of my best friends raved about their croix donuts for months ~ and wow, it did not disappoint! From the moment I walked in, I was greeted by the warmest front desk representative, Lisa, and had the pleasure of meeting Chef Rosana. Both were incredibly kind, welcoming, and made the experience feel special. The food and drinks were absolutely amazing. My Café con Leche was perfectly balanced and delicious, and the iced vanilla latte was just as good. We tried the homemade Cinnamon buns, a plain sugary croix donut, and the Nutella croix donut ~ each one unbelievably fresh, flaky, and full of flavor. We also grabbed a baguette to go and ended up trying it in the car on the way home... it was delish! You can taste that everything is genuinely homemade. The café itself is adorable ~ cozy and inviting. I'm already looking forward to coming back and trying more from their menu. This little hidden gem definitely lived up to the hype! I recommend this spot! read more

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A super cute and quaint cafe with delicious baked goods, sandwiches, empanadas and coffee. The music is a vibe Jazzy and electronic while you sit at the wood counter sipping a caramel macchiato and nibbling on a cinnamon roll. The cinnamon roll was warm and soft. The beef and queso empanada was flaky and savory. They'll get you in and out. Everyone was pleasant. See you next Sunday read more

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Stopped by Chef & the Baker in South Tampa this morning for breakfast. It's a small bakery with a great selection of baked goods, breakfast sandwiches, and coffee. I had a Bacon, Egg & Cheese Croissant. The croissant was light, buttery, and flaky. The egg was cooked nicely, and the thick cut bacon was soft and just how I like it. You can tell it was fresh and scratch made and it made for a great breakfast sando. I also tried one of their Croix Donuts, the marriage of a croissant and a donut. Crispy on the outside and soft and airy on the inside. Super tasty. I got the cinnamon sugar dusted one and it was and really good, the perfect sweetness to complement the beautiful texture of the donut. Accompanying my meal was a Cortado from their Espresso Bar. Always one of my go to drinks, a double shot of espresso with equal parts steamed milk. Quite tasty and perfect to pair with the donut and sandwich. This is a popping little spot, and worth a stop if you're in the area and want quality, fresh food made by good folks. read more

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I've been a couple times and the shop is so cute and cozy. There is always a good variety of different bakery and savory items. I've tried the avocado tartine (not pictured) which was pretty solid. The pastries are delicious but the ones I got with the fillings and icings were too sweet for me. The banana bread was a little dry and not my favorite. I really enjoyed the croix donuts and croissants! read more

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Found this place for a quick Saturday breakfast with the family, everything was delicious! You order at the counter and food comes to you, device is fast and friendly. There are various seating options indoor and outdoor but the place was definitely popular and packed! Great neighborhood place, for sweet morning treats and coffee, great selection, parking in front and side of store, would definitely recommend! read more

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Chef & The Baker is where baked good dreams come true! There are so many things available here: breakfast croissants, empanadas, crepes, fresh baked bread loafs, donuts, cakes, coffee and more. I've visited a few times now and tried several of their pastries. Everything is always amazing so far my favorite is their Nutella donut. Customer service has always been perfect each visit. I can't wait to come back again sometime soon! read more

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Love the originality and quality of the baked goods. Service not at the same level. Have been going since they opened this location and love the creativity and selection. High quality, elevated booked goods. Cinnamon rolls on Sunday to die for. An elegant setting. Why not five stars-- the service. Sadly since we started going the quality and kindness of the service has notable deteriorated to the point I would call it rude. Perhaps a victim of their own success, the servers seem not to care whether they provide a good experience or not (spoiler --they don't). It would a stretch to call them kind. The gentleman with the beard is particularly disrespectful acting like he is doing you a favor serving you when it suits him. Have seen many a great place in Tampa fail because they don't get the service right. Hope this is not another casualty. read more

Cute little place with good coffee and amazing cronuts! Highly recommend the one stuffed with Nutella!

I recommend either the coffee or the pastries here! This matcha wasn't the color I would expect in a latte, a little muted in green and it definitely had more of a bitter taste. I personally love matcha so I can still get down with it, but for the masses, I would recommend getting some sweetener in this drink if you decide on matcha from this place. I really like to come for a quiet and nice place to get work done because they have nice benches and tables for personal space. There is also complimentary water and wifi which is a huge plus for digital nomads. read more

Chef & The Baker - almond milk matcha latte with a sprinkle of cinnamon - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

I enjoyed the baked good goods that I tried. The breakfast sandwich was pretty average and there's not a huge coffee menu. I love the neighborhood feel and the staff was friendly. read more

Such a cute little spot. Music is a tad bit loud but great bright lighting with all the windows. Food is good and packaged/ displayed so cute! Definitely will be coming back. read more

Chef & The Baker - Breakie croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Everything was amazing , the coffee and the Nutella cronut were my favorites. The employees were friendly with lots of smiles for you. I did take a star due to affordability. I spent over $60 for a few pastries a challah bread and a coffee. It may be steep for some but I understand that I'm paying for premium baked goods. I would suggest to have menu items that attract more budget conscious patrons and you'll grow as big as an oak tree, LOL. Good luck chef. read more

Chef & The Baker - My new diabetes - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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The service, atmosphere, menu and employees were all amazing. We had the cinnamon buns, a cookie, the Nutella stuffed donut and a caramel macchiato. Everything was phenomenal, the coffee was superrrrrr strong and therefore tasted very bitter but the baked goods were incredible. Will definitely try again. read more

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I recently tried Chef & The Baker South Tampa. Here's what I thought. Atmosphere: Chef & The Bakery has a beautiful indoor and outdoor space. The inside space was bright and inviting. They have ample indoor seating and a lovely outdoor patio to sit at and enjoy your food. It's a great place to sit outside with your dog! Restrooms: They have a single bathroom. It was nice and clean. Service: We were welcomed right away by their friendly staff. Our service was quick and efficient. Food: I tried their 'Kouign Amman' which was a fluffy pastry filled with apricot jam. It was savory and sweet. It was soooo good. All their bakery items are made fresh and are sold until they're sold out. So get here early to have the best choice of items. I had a cappuccino which was sooo good. I will definitely be back because everything here looks amazing! Instagram: @living.with.reg read more

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Chef and the Baker is the place to go for cronuts, croissants and fresh bread. It is the perfect spot to start your day with breakfast, coffee, fresh bread, and pastries. You can stay and eat in their cute indoor space, out on the turfed patio or take your treats to go. The bacon egg and cheese croissants and cinnamon sugar donuts are the best in town. read more

Chef & The Baker - Pastry counter - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Found this place happily by accident looking for somewhere else. We stopped in & had a few empanadas, a cookie & an oat milk cafe con leche. We came later in the day so we didn't have the full selection. We'll have to come back. The oaty cookie & cafe con leche were my favorite. Cute cafe. We were happy to have stumbled upon them, as they had been on our to try list after seeing them on social media. read more

Chef & The Baker - Outside - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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On a Sunday afternoon, I was driving to South Tampa and remembered that The Chef and The Baker was opened. First thing I noticed was the holiday music going and the display of goodies. I got the chicken empanada which is so good and tasty. Then, a guava croissant which is good and some iced green tea which was refreshing. You can sit inside or outside. It's very nice cafe feel to it. Go check it out. read more

Chef & The Baker - Chicken empanada - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Love this place. Great for a grab and go or sit down for a wonderful pastry or phenomenal coffee. Yummy pastries selection and fresh baked breads read more

Chef & The Baker - Cappuccino and strawberry croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Pretty delicious breakfast croissant but this place is seriously overpriced. I ordered a turkey, egg, and cheese baguette and it was $12 to literally have 1 slice of turkey folded in half ... I don't mind spending money for good food but what the hell is that? Getting breakfast for myself and 2 others cost us almost $70 and I left feeling like I could eat another sandwich. read more

Absolutely loved this place! The croissants are large, fluffy, and perfectly baked -- and I love that they offer filled options. The guava stuffed croissant and the Nutella stuffed croissant are phenomenal and definitely worth trying. I also grabbed a cinnamon roll, took it home, and heated it up... it was so creamy and delicious! I tried the vanilla iced latte as well, and it had the perfect balance -- not overly sweet and not too bitter. The staff is always so kind and welcoming every time I come in, and the location is always clean and inviting. I'll definitely keep coming back! read more

Chef & The Baker - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Not to sound dramatic - but their chocolate chunk cookie was one of the best cookies I have ever had! Especially for someone who likes their cookies on the doughier side, the inside was nice and gooey with plenty of chocolate. I can't speak for their other flavors because I only tried this one, but the base looks the same so I'm sure they're also incredible. I also got the Nutella donut (yummy too) and iced caramel macchiato (asked for extra caramel and vanilla syrup to make it sweeter). Outside seating is dog friendly (just no dogs inside unless they're a service dog). Would definitely come back here read more

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The pastries are delicious and amazing. I wish they made the cinnamon rolls every day because they are simply the best I've ever had. The service is impeccable and the ambience is great read more

Wow! I don't know what took me so long to try this place! Maybe it's because croissant donuts are my favorite and I was being good! Came here after a nice jog and rewarded myself with a glazed croissant donut and got an almond croissant for my husband. I couldn't wait til I got home, I had already eaten half of the croissant donut before pulling in my driveway...I live 2 minutes away from the bakery. That was the BEST donut I've ever had! I already cannot wait to go back this weekend to get another. I told my husband that will be my reward that I look forward to every weekend! Can't wait to try the other menu items! read more

Chef & The Baker - Pastries - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Delightful coffee shop in South Tampa to meet a friend owned by the two nicest, caring and talented chefs around!! Loved their avocado toast and toast with salmon too - so fresh and delicious. They just reopened after damage from the recent hurricane- but they are back and better than ever. Welcome back to South Tampa, Chef Castro and Chef Rosana!!! read more

Chef & The Baker - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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I used to live down the street from the place and went on a whim while on that side of town. I got a cold brew coffee with simple syrup, caramel, and cream. It was pretty good! I got a bacon, egg, and cheese croissant. The croissant was so good! If them sandwiches weren't $12, I'd probably go more often. I also got an almond croissant. I didn't realize it had filling in it. While it didn't taste bad, I don't like filled pastries. I just took that part out. The glaze and toasted almonds definitely took the croissant up a notch. All in all, it was a good experience. I'd go back again. read more

Love checking out new coffee shops and this one has the best guava donuts. Perfect spot to bring a friend or kids with a small outside area to sit while you enjoy coffee and a snack! Service is always great! read more

Chef & The Baker - Donut - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

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Six stars. The chefs are so kind, the pastries are so soft and sweet and incredible little works of art. Come for coffee, grab treats for your coworkers, eat a breakfast sandwich and more... you'll love it here! Also highly recommend the catering route if you're hosting for the holidays or a get together! read more

Great local bakery in South Tampa. I had been a fan of Piquant, and I was excited to see that the Chef and the Baker had opened close to me. I went to pick up food for a busy day when I wanted carbs. I ordered a beef empanada and a guava cronut for myself. I also picked up a salted chocolate chip cookie for my husband. The empanada was awesome! This is the empanada that "beat Bobby Flay," and I can see why. The dough was flaky (their empanadas are baked, not fried), and the filling was so nice and umami. The cronut was good too. My husband didn't love his cookie. He prefers a softer/chewier cookie, and this one was hard. My kids likewise didn't love the cookie. I took a bite. I thought the quality of the chocolate was good, but I agreed that I didn't love the texture. While we'll be skipping the cookies in the future, I'd happily return for more empanadas and other baked goods. read more

Had seen this going by several times but had not stopped, didn't know they had won awards until I saw profile. Right now difficult to park by as road construction on street. I ordered quiche Lorraine but they were out, person next to me in line said it's awesome. I got the seasonal veggie quiche instead - oh my - I like quiche but this was really good, very rich and tasty for just veggies, I was impressed. Blueberry iced tea also great. Will come again read more

I was in the area so I wanted to try Chef and the Baker and I am glad I did. It's in South Tampa and they have some indoor seating and outdoor tables as well. I was expecting more options of baked goods, but what we had was good. I really enjoyed the donut and the chocolate chip cookie was good. I prefer a softer cookie, but it was still good. Staff were very friendly. It's a cute spot and I definitely want to come back and try some of the food. read more

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They were impacted by Hurricane Helene and to have this quality of baked goods, you would never know. I've been following this dynamic duo since Beat Bobby Flay and love going to their Clearwater shop. This cafe has a few tables outside for outdoor seating and the inside is decorated so nicely. Everything I ordered was 1000/10. The Cronut was soft, even the day after. The strawberry kouign amman is just amazing. It's glazed perfectly and a crunchy outside with a soft inside. It's hard to describe, just order it. You're welcome. The BEC croissant WAS *chefs kiss*. It was flaky, buttery, and unbelievably soft. This cafe is worth every mile driven, calorie consumed, and dollar paid. The service was also great. They sliced my bread for me and walked me through all the pastries. At this point, it was a good education moment. I loved it. Will definitely be back. read more

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The food is incredible! But the staff..dodgy. I had an amazing experience my first time visiting a few weeks ago (10/10), but when I stopped in today 02/02 at around 2:30 the front worker was a bit of a snob. It's south Tampa and unfortunately this happens too often in this area, but it's just a bad look for a business that clearly has a lot of hard work behind it. Last thing I'd want my customers to feel is unwanted! read more

Service was great, seeing happy faces behind the counter is amazing. Coffee was so tasty considering I went with a lactose free option. I just wish it was served in a regular cup for dine in instead of take out. Guava croissant was delicious too. I would go back. read more

Chef & The Baker - Guava croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Tampa, Florida

Ok so this is right next to my gym and I always always pass it.. I finally walked in... OMG it smells heavenly inside and talk about an array of breads and desserts oooooh boy! I got the madeline cookies and some cakes in a cup for my kids teachers. They said it was amazing so I think I need to go back and get my own. The croissants were as big as my arm... yes I had a small arm but man they're big and tasty looking. I'll report back on those once i buy them. The staff was so welcoming especially after seeing I came from the gym hahaha I'll be back again soon. read more

The food was fresh and delicious. The staff friendly and welcoming. And the ambiance is cozy and relaxing. A nice spot in my neighborhood.