Truly amazing food, everything seems made from scratch. Staff gets to know you and is very…read morefriendly. My two personal favorites are the chocolate croissant and the garlic rosemary sourdough. I could eat here every day and not get tired! Manager Brett also manages that place insanely well. Clean, organized, and efficient. Kudos to the team!

I have been to many bakeries in my lifetime, many wonderful ones located in cities like San Juan,…read moreMadrid, Rome, Paris, Brussels, New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Miami, and Washington, DC, among others. I have truly enjoyed dining in each and every one of them. But Bread Craft, located in the Star City of Roanoke, is in a class of its own. After being ranked 4th among Yelp's Top 50 Most Prolific Elites of 2025, a distinction recognizing my consistent community engagement and high-quality contributions, I decided that this year, as an All-Star Yelp Elite, I not only wanted to be the first to discover new restaurants, businesses, and establishments, and bring them to the attention of the public, but also to go back and write follow-up reviews on those places that impressed me the most during 2025, and Bread Craft Bakery, located in Downtown Roanoke, is the perfect example of one of them. Bread Craft is a premier, artisan European-style bakery established in 2006 by owner Alex Eliades, who besides having a passion for baking, has over 25 years of baking experience, and leads the bakery focusing on traditional slow-fermentation techniques. The bakery is known for its high-quality, scratch-made sourdough, pastries, and Croissants. It evolved from a wholesale operation into a popular 6,000 square foot café on Church Avenue, also supplying local restaurants. The bakery specializes in Franch and German-style baking, utilizing sourdough as a natural leavener. It servers breakfast and lunch items, including sandwiches, salads, and some creative breakfast egg entrées. They are open Wednesdays through Sundays from 8:00AM - 2:00PM and are well known for running out of items before the end of the day. For this review I visited the Bakery / Café for breakfast on two consecutive Wednesdays. The first Wednesday I arrived too late to be able to have their Chorizo & Eggs Cocotte from their Breakfast menu. Breakfast is only served until noon, and I found out about this on that day. So instead I had a Cheese Danish and a house-made Mocha Coffee. Both items were delicious. On the second Wednesday I arrived much earlier for breakfast. Luckily, right before a whole rush of customers arriving to place Take-out orders. As soon as I walked inside I immediately felt comfortable with its clean and contemporary architectural design and decor, and an exposed red brick wall that gave it a warm ambiance. One can see that the owner spent a substantial amount in renovating the place when they moved here, and that they took good care of it, because it looked as if it had just opened for the very first time yesterday. While I was looking over all the baked items they had, I received a friendly greeting and warm welcome from a lady behind the counter who seemed to be the manager and took my order. To start I ordered a Chorizo Quiche which happened to be the Quiche of the day, and a house-made Mocha Coffee. Then since I was planning to turn this into a Brunch, for my main entrée I ordered their Chorizo Cocotte from the Breakfast menu. And for dessert I had a Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant that was simply irresistible. Everything tasted amazingly delicious, especially since I love Chorizo. The Quiche had an amazing crust with the eggs inside cooked with the perfect amount of chorizo. The Chorizo Cocotte was served in an elongated bowl with two poached eggs over Spanish sausage, accompanied by three slices of freshly made Baguette. And if all this wasn't enough, the Chocolate Hazelnut Croissant was the perfect ending dessert to this fabulous put together Brunch. Oh and the coffee was the best of the best. I invite you to view my photographs accompanying this review to get a better sense of the place and the quality of their food. What an outstanding dining experience I just had at Bread Craft. Wonderful ambiance, amazing food, and extraordinary customer service. I highly recommend this Bakery/Café whenever you're in the area. I'm absolutely certain it will become one of your favorites bakery.

The downtown, brick-walled space has charm, and the baked goods appeared to have quality. My…read moreexperience left something to be desired. Arriving several hours before closing, I found only a couple of loaves on sale, and a long line to get with them. I managed to snag the last one that wasn't plain white bread, and thought I'd add a slice of pizza as it looked appealing. While the ingredients were there, the little toaster oven they used barely warmed it up at all. I ate it there, but I'd suspect it would have been much better if I'd gotten it to go and cooked it properly myself. They don't open all that early on weekdays and I've struggled to make it in, and on the weekend, they struggled to meet expectations. Perhaps on a different day, they could do a better job of getting the right baked goods into my hands.

For some time now every time I passed by this bakery located on Market Street in the heart of…read moreDowntown Roanoke, I would try to look inside the store, but the screen doors and the reflection of the windows didn't allow me to, and I never saw anyone going in or out the bakery. So I never thought anything about it, and never had an reason to. But today I said to myself, I have to take the road less traveled and go inside. And when I did, I discovered the best kept secret of Downtown Roanoke. A bakery that brought me back to years ago, when I visited Paris, France. With beautiful original hardwood floors and exposed red brick walls, high ceilings, and wonderful lighting treatment, the restaurant projected a warm and cozy feeling with the right ambiance to relax and have a cup of homemade coffee accompanied by a piece of freshly baked bread, bagel, or danish; or even better, the creative discovery of the Sweet & Spicy Bacon with Caramelized Onion Scrambled Egg Pizza. Which I definitely ended up ordering and enjoying with a large cup of Cafe Mocha, which was only 25 cents more than the small cup. And was one of the best Mochas that I have ever had in any coffee shop, yet along in any bakery. The solid white with tones of black marble tables and black chairs, contributed to make the ambiance of the bakery the right place in which to enjoy a breakfast none other than those I once enjoyed in Paris, France. As I enjoyed my breakfast dining experience, steady customers came in to have breakfast as well, and many others to order takeout. One even came to order a beautiful made cake which they also pride themselves of having, as well as one of my favorites, the Peanut Butter Pie. And last but not least was the young lady server behind the counter. She warmly greeted me when I arrived and answered all my questions about this quaint local business, and many of its products, which were many. And who prepared the amazing Cafe Mocha. And brought it to the table of my choice, together with the amazingly delicious, first time discovered, scrambled egg pizza. I also had an "Asiago Bagel" with Cream Cheese and a Cherry Cheese Croissant. The other employees and one that I think could have been the owner, I was able to greet with my eyes and a smile, seemed so friendly and also contributed to make me feel at home. I highly recommend this cozy Bakery Cafe who also has wraps, hot paninis, sandwiches, soups, and salads on its menu to enjoy for lunch. What an extraordinary dining experience! I will never again walk by an unknown food establishment without stopping by and walking in. For it is those who take the road less traveled who discover and enjoy the best in life.

I first reviewed Rookie's (Handcrafted Ice Cream Sandwiches) when it opened at the Patrick Henry…read moreHistoric building in Downtown Roanoke; just across the street from the Social Security building and the Roanoke Public Library - Downtown Branch. I did so after having visited it several times, having had their ice-cream and homemade cookies, and having talked to and interviewed their store employees as well as their truck driver who brings their ice-cream and cookie dough from Lynchburg, Virginia. Now that Rookie's has relocated from their Downtown Roanoke store to Cave Springs, at 3549 Electric Rd, Suite D, I have decided to visit their new location, and write an update review. I urge all the readers to this review to also go back and read my first review and accompanied photographs to learn more about the history of the company. For Rookie's is more than just an Ice Cream Parlor. It's a place where desserts and friends meet to create something memorable. Their employees are encouraged to establish conversations with their customers and answer questions about their company and their products. And their comfortable ambiance and seating area contribute to the enjoyment and extraordinary sweet dining experience while people socialize with family and friends, and share quality time with them. The new location is more family-friendly and has more parking than their previous location. The residents of Cave Springs have welcomed Rookie's with open arms and have become steady customers in a relatively short period of time. I was impressed to find out that it is located in thr same Shopping Center as Cafe Asia 2 Restaurant, one of my favorites Asian Restaurants. Rookie's continues to offer different flavors of cookies, homemade ice cream, and signature ice cream sandwiches, in a clean and simple interior design relaxing environment, and with excellent customer service from their warm, knowledgeable, and friendly staff. Today I visited the new location with a friend and both of us interacted with the servers and had ice-cream sandwiches. Mine was Mint Chocolate Chip cookies with Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream. The combination of the two made the perfect sweet snack or dessert. During the time we were there chatting and enjoying our ice-cream sandwich, we saw many other customers come in and do the same. It seems that Rookie's made a great strategic move for a win win situation between the company and its customers. A quote from the owner of the community I feel best describes it best: "We believe that community is built on a foundation of celebrating something good and we believe our handcrafted ice cream sandwiches. Ice cream, cookies & milk will bring you together! We're all about the memories made and the nostalgia we hope you feel whenever you tuck in to a treat with friends and family." All of Rookie's ice cream is handcrafted in Lynchburg, and they offer vegan and gluten-free options. Rookie's hopes to continue expanding to other locations, with some customers even asking for a location in North Carolina. I highly recommend this business and its products, and consider it one of the City of Roanoke's gem.

Delicious ice cream and cookies. I had a flight of 4 small scoops of ice cream and a cookie. I…read morehad Maple Pecan, blue Vanilla, Pumpkin Pie & ??? (lol I forgot the 4th one) with a snicker doodle cookie. Every one of the ice creams were so flavorful and delicious. The cookie was great! Nice and chewy. The inside is a bit dirty, the bench cushions look like it has seen some kids with ice cream drippings. It wasn't unsanitary however. Service was great. The girl behind the counter was very nice and pleasant to speak with. I highly recommend giving Rookies a try.

Best donuts and best customer service in VA! If it's nearing the end of their work hours and…read morethey've got too many leftovers, they'll add a few on for free, which always makes my day. Both the yeast and cake donuts are excellent, my favorite is the blueberry cake :)

Great place with much variety! Quick service and the trip to get them was well worth it.read more

I went here approaching 11am- and there was only one empty table- so it was quite busy! The music…read morewas low and the place was not as loud since most people were studying/ but there were some quiet conversations- so the ambience and vibes were a good halfway point between calm and lively. I ordered a vanilla latte with whole milk. As you can see, the latte art was very cute, and it was not like EXTREMELY hot- it was perfect sipping heat. Also very affordable! The muffin was ginormous, and yummy- had to split it with a friend. And I love that there was a toaster and a microwave to heat up any of your goodies! Will be back again!

Good coffee and GREAT pricing. We visited and enjoyed the overall vibe of the place. The staff was…read moregreat as well.

Great quality pastries! Super friendly service. Many…read morechoices to choose from as well.

Hi I really love Yolanda's pavlovas, conchas, cakes, and home made desserts but don't take my word…read morefor it. She has being in the business for a long time and this is what two people from Roanoke write. "Yolanda has won nearly every dessert-making contest she's entered (I've been the judge of a few of them and no one comes close). She won "best in show" a few months back at Center in the Square's "Affair In The Square" by showing up with a whole tent-full of cakes and an incredible assortment of baked items. You can regularly choose from foot-high cakes with three inches of icing with the likes of chocolate Cognac cake, chocolate rum cake, cajetapecan (a cake with pecans all over it), treslches and flan. I'm just certain that for the right price, she'll make about anything you would like to enjoy. If I were in her proximity for a mere few days, I'd weigh 600 pounds". Larry Bly Roanoke.com But there is good news for El Palenque lovers, especially those who don't know what they'll do without Yolanda Galvan's decadent handmade cakes. She will continue to sell her prize-winning desserts on a special order basis under the name Galvan Cakes. The family also plans to offer catering services for special events like weddings and banquets. Lindsey Nair Adios, Palenque Roanoke.com Also Yolanda won the Roanoker best dessert in town few times. I did not know that she open the bakery after they closed the family restaurant "EL PALENQUE" I guess I miss this articles myself, but now that I found her I'm passing the good news. Aunty Dora Roanoke

Coffee is ok; at least they had real cream. Glazed donut was sweet but had a bite ( ie it seemed…read morechewy to me). Okay; not great, very little flavor. Chocolate iced had more flavor: distinct vanilla and chocolate flavor but was also chewy. Chewy is not my thing in a donut. Service was great. Ambiance was country-cute. 3/5 stars

Clean nice place. The food is amazing. Done in or carry out. Easy parking. Friendly staff.read more

Seating can be a challenge if you get here mid morning on a weekend but the food is worth the…read morepotential wait. Some of the specials are crazy, like French toast with pickled jalapeños, but somehow it worked. The baked goods selections are worth checking before you leave as well!!

It saddens me to leave a negative review about Our Daily Bread, but my most recent experience was…read morevery disappointing. I have lived in Blacksburg my whole life and ODB has been a go-to bakery for most locals for a while. Serving a variety of pastries, cakes, breads, and offering lunch, brunch, and dinners. They have a lovely variety of options for customers to enjoy. The bakery primarily serves French pastries and caters to French cuisine at their meals. Although they offer more than just French inspired food. In the past, my family and I have enjoyed grabbing their cakes for celebrations and individual pastries from their pastries case. But recently, they have not been up to par and have left us very unsatisfied. The cakes have been dry and do not taste fresh at all. On my latest visit I tried a couple of things, all of which were cold, with dry, crumbly textures. It was evident to me that these pastries were not made day-of and had clearly sat in a fridge for at least one night (if not more). I found this to be extremely disappointing as ODB used to have a reputation of serving FRESH baked goods and pastries. I cannot attest for the hot food they serve during meal times, but the pastries and cakes have gone down hill. Over the winter break, I had their NY cheesecake bar (which I've gotten in the past and it was phenomenal) and it fell so short of what I remembered. It was lacking flavor and the crust at the bottom was dry. This past visit, I tried a Napoleon (also have had this before and really enjoyed it), a specialty cake, a scone, and a couple macarons and macaroons. The Napoleon was so cold and the puff pastry was super stale, it practically fell apart the second I tried to eat it. The specialty individual cake slice was also very cold and the cake wasn't moist at all. Again, indicating it was not fresh or made day-of. The scone was also a disappointment as it was dry and lacked any moisture. I thought the macrons and macaroons were fine though. While most of this was disappointing, the price didn't help either. Nothing was inexpensive and the quality was completely missing. So disappointing to leave this review as I used to enjoy coming here for sweet treats. It's sad to see that ODB is unfortunately not what it used to be. I will note that the service is very friendly and they do their best dealing with customers. Could have been more efficient, but I did go during a busier time. I hope they can turn things around, but until then I do not think I will be retuning soon.