We visited Once in a Blue Moon for a wedding cake sampler, and unfortunately the experience was a…read moremixed bag that ultimately ruled them out for us. On the positive side, the flavors themselves were solid overall. The icing was tasty, and while the cake was decent, it leaned a bit dry, which was already giving us pause given this was meant to showcase their best work. What really ended the conversation for us was a major quality issue. Two of the icing sample balls each had a very long hair in them. It was immediately noticeable and extremely off-putting. At that point, we lost confidence and couldn't bring ourselves to continue sampling, let alone consider trusting them with something as important as a wedding cake. Between the dryness of the cake and the hair issue, we ultimately decided to go in a different direction. Not terrible flavor-wise, but the experience as a whole was disappointing and fell short for such a high-stakes purchase.

Delicious desserts and a great atmosphere. I have so many good memories of walking here as a kid…read morewith my sisters and picking a dessert out of the pastry case. We still like going here today and the desserts have always held up as some of the best in Cary. Definitely a hidden gem!

Paris Baguette is easily one of my favorite little spots when I'm craving something sweet! Their…read morecakes are SO good. I frequently get the Strawberry Cream Cake or the Carrot Cake, and neither ever disappoints. Pair either one with their hot chai tea latte, which is always delicious, and I'm a happy girl! My one and only complaint... PLEASE bring back the pistachio cake! I'm not exaggerating when I say I could have gotten a slice of that cake every single day. I still think about it! What I really love about Paris Baguette is the whole experience. You can walk in, grab a tray, and pick whatever looks good from all the pastries, donuts, tarts, cakes, and other treats, and there's a huge drink selection to go with it. It's dangerous because everything looks good! It's also such a cute, comfortable little spot to sit down and enjoy something by yourself, bring your laptop and knock out some work, or meet up with a friend for coffee and something sweet. Great atmosphere, delicious desserts, and plenty of choices. Definitely one of those places I keep coming back to! And seriously... bring back the pistachio cake.

I can't believe I am only giving y'all 3/5 stars, but the customer service needs some work! I was…read moreso excited to learn we had a Paris Baguette in the area after visiting the VA Beach location about 3 weeks ago. I was headed out to my cousins house not far from there and thought I would scoop up a few things for us to snack on. I knew I wanted the fruit tarts and they are pure perfection in my opinion-I bought 4 in total-I ate one the second I got into the car and the rest were had later in the day. I also wanted to try some of their savory options as when I was there a few weeks ago, they were sold out of the ham and cheese croissant and was really excited to give it a try, and wow it was worth the wait! I also got a pepperoni pizza and some sort of pastry with a hot dog in it. We cut each of the savory options into third so we could sample each item. Everything about the ham and cheese croissant was pure perfection and was the favorite of all three of us! I hate that I didn't take any photos of the building-the outside was nothing special but pastries were beautifully displayed and they had so many options to choose from! The rest room wasn't super tidy, but it was bad either-it was a very busy Sunday afternoon! Now to breakdown the customer service piece that prevented me from giving y'all a perfect score, please do better! I was not greeted when it was my turn, in fact there were two people at registers and after both finished they both walked away without saying anything. So, I stood there and waited and at this point no one was behind me. I don't recall the name of the young man that checked me out. I said hello and asked how do I sign up for their rewards program? I'm not sure he understood my question. I asked again and he told me that I had to sign up for it. There seemed to be a disconnect so I just asked if I could sign up for it later and get credit for the large purchase I was making and all he said was he would give me a receipt. He rang up my pastries and I then asked if he could package the sweet and savory items separately and he seemed annoyed. I also ordered myself an iced chai and he seemed bothered that I wanted a drink. At this point there was a really long line of people and he was not efficient in our encounter at all. I truly believe customers service makes or breaks and experience and sadly, this guy missed the mark after I spent $40+! I'm hoping he was just having an off day.

Brecotea is a fantastic spot for bubble tea in Cary! Stopped by and picked up two large milk teas…read morealong with the Strawberry Cream Roll, and everything was delicious. The milk teas were smooth, flavorful, and refreshing, while the Strawberry Cream Roll was the perfect sweet treat--fresh, creamy, and absolutely satisfying. Great place to grab a drink and dessert, whether you're meeting up with friends or just treating yourself. Definitely a spot I'd happily come back to!

Grabbed coffee and a few snacks here recently and had a good time…read more First, the parking lot was pretty darn busy but we did manage to find a spot. I was shocked at how long the line was (at 2 PM!) but I guess people love their Brecotea :) The array of pastries, both savory and sweet, was impressive. My wife and I got savory options this time around and they were decent, but everything was pretty unhealthy and my chicken curry roll was definitely cold in the middle. We also got lattes and they were really tasty. There's a good amount of seating throughout the restaurant and it's reasonably comfy. By the time we left around 5 PM, it was much less busy, so maybe hit up Brecotea around then if you're interested in a more chill experience. Overall, we enjoyed ourselves and would definitely come back, although I may stick to the sweet pastries next time.

Stopped by La Farm Bakery on NW Cary Parkway in the afternoon for some snacks, and it was hard not…read moreto want to take home half the store! The space is spacious and inviting, with plenty of freshly baked bread, pastries, and other tempting goodies on display. We ordered two items: Poulet au Fromage ($16.90) -- Focaccia loaded with herb-roasted chicken, cheddar cheese, Applewood bacon, tomato, and herb mayo. This sandwich was plentiful, flavorful, and seriously satisfying. Every bite was packed with delicious ingredients! Chocolate Almond Croissant ($6.31) -- Belgian chocolate and almond fondant wrapped inside a wonderfully flaky croissant and topped with roasted almonds. This was an absolute treat. The Chocolate Almond Croissant is simply to die for! While enjoying our food, I couldn't help eyeing the scones, along with their beer and wine selection. Clearly, I'll need several return visits to work my way through everything that caught my attention.

Been coming here off and on for a couple years and will never return. This establishment should be…read moreashamed of itself. I am from Beverly Hills and I have never seen a restaurant be more out of touch in pricing. They are contributing to a class divide that is common in third world countries. If they are going to charge prices more than luxury restaurants in luxury areas they should probably clean up a lot more. Tables are filthy, they serve you with PLASTIC FORKS and the lines are atrocious bc they are understaffed. This place is a joke.

Ich liebe Annelores deutsche Bäckerei!…read more I first got goodies from Annelore's booth at the State Farmer's Market in Raleigh. The Apfel (apple) turnover was delicious, as was the Heidelbeerkuchen (blueberry cake) and Zitronenschnitten (lemon bar). I saw a nice gentlemen there that day who I think may be part owner; based on what I see on their website I wonder if it was Herr Norbert. While waiting for another guy behind the counter to bag my goodies, I happened to mention (to who I think was Norbert) that I'm learning German, and he spoke some basic German to me! Which I understood - OMG, must tell my German teacher. A couple weeks later I needed to bring desserts to our monthly Book Club meeting, and Annelore's was my first thought. I decided to visit their actual store in Cary. Even though it's an hour away from home, I stopped by one day when I had to go to Raleigh for an appointment. An Annelore's employee helped me with selecting about six cake slices and 2-3 different bars, plus some German cookies. The inside of the store is very clean, and there are some places to sit if you'd like to eat there. The employees were kind and helpful (and patient, in my case, trying to decide what to buy for a Book Club group I'd never met in person). Annelore's German Bakery is a wonderful way to take care of your dessert needs and support a local business at the same time. If you need a dessert, cake, scones, or other treats for your home gathering, BBQ, church social, potluck, business lunch, or other event, I would definitely let Annelore's take care of that part for you! 10/10, highly recommend! SO good! Vielen Dank, Annelore's... Ich werde Ihr Geschäft bald wieder besuchen!

If you are downtown Cary, you have to check out this quaint German bakery. They do not use…read morepreservatives, so they cannot ship. This is the kind of place you need to experience in-person. Cookies, scones, pretzels, strudel, cakes and other German pastries. They have turnovers in savory and sweet flavors. We tried the mushroom cheese turnover, bacon potato turnover, ham & cheese croissant, apple strudel and apple lemon pie slice. They offer hot tea, but just give you hot water and pick from the self-service selection of teabags. They also offer coffee, but we didn't order any so I'm not sure of the options, like I said previously there is no menu board. Its a bakery, not a coffee house. My husband wanted brotchen (bread rolls) but didn't see any on the back bread wall rack. I told him to just ask if they had any in the back. The lady said she could bake 1 or 2, so he asked for a dozen, and she said it would take 20 mins. We got a dozen of the brotchen and loaf of rye bread to go. Quaint and simple. Most tables sit 2 chairs, but you can pull up a 3rd if needed. They have 2 individual, unisex bathrooms for customers. We were in town to stop by and visit with a friend. We will definitely come back to try more yummy treats.

This café is a real treat, but it can be a dangerous temptation! As soon as you step inside and see…read moreall those amazing pastries, you might find yourself adding a few pounds. Before you know it, you're thinking about what to eat or take home, and you were just there for coffee. Yikes! First off, all the pastries are made right at Asali. From what I understand, nothing is made outside the café. My favorite breakfast is their egg and cheese croissant. It's always just the right temperature. So good, you might even use your fingers to pick up and eat all the flakes that fall off. The staff is super friendly and even answers any questions you have about how they make their drinks. Speaking of drinks, you can pretty much get anything you want. Regular coffee, pour-over, all sorts of lattes--hot or cold. This is one of the reasons why I return time after time. The staff's ability to be creative and add some wow factor to your drink. Asali might just be the best cafe in the entire Raleigh area.

Asali Desserts & Cafe is a Middle Eastern cafe that serves baked goods and drinks. The inside is…read morefairly spacious and modernly decorated. They have so many pastries to choose from, ranging from macarons to cakes. They also have a small brunch menu. The service was fine and the items came out quickly. I got the Hazelnut Cheesecake Mousse and Breakfast Croissant. The Hazelnut Cheesecake Mousse had a stick blue fondant above it, which I think was mostly used for decor. I did not like it a lot so we took it off and it made the cake taste a lot better. There were not super strong hints of the cheesecake flavor, but it tasted fine. I wish the Breakfast Croissant had a type of meat in it, but it was still good. The croissant was very buttery and large. I would probably rate this spot a 3.5/5 stars if I could. The food I got did not impress me too much, but I would love to give them another shot and try their other pastries.

I went at around 3pm on a Saturday to get some pastries for a friend's gathering and chose this…read morespot due to the proximity to their place and also the reviews online. I am so glad I went! The pastries get freshly filled with filling upon your order, and they box it up so nicely! There are aeating benches for you to sit and wait for your order, which didn't take too long. I got 3 cannolis, 2 cream puffs, and 2 cookies (I got the last chocolate cookie of the day). Service was friendly and quick as well, only took about 10ish minutes! Everything tasted amazing! And best thing about them was that it was not too overly sweet! It was the perfect amount that makes me want to keep tasting more. The cookies especially were so satisfying and soft and I loved how everything was quite decent sized as well! I will definitely be coming back!

Stevie K Certified Legit AF! This place is so phenomenal. I only get down to Apex occasionally…read morefor work and even more rare to be there on a Saturday or Sunday (the only days they're open). So when I am, I always stop by. The pastries are the best I've ever had. I am a lobster tail junkie. Whenever I'm in NY or Philly, I seek out the best. I've been to several famous Italian bakeries in these cities and never found one as good as Utica Bakery in Apex. It's world class. Just look at the cannoli cream and pistachio cream stuffing those bad boys. Their savory foods are equally as impressive. This stuffed bread with meatballs and Parmesan was excellent and I love their tomato pie (not pictured), which I have had in the past. Everything here is outstanding! If you're anywhere close on a weekend, get there asap.

With the weather sitting in that perfect sweet spot before the North Carolina summer heat takes…read moreover, I grabbed a seat outside and settled in with an Iced Vanilla Latte and one of Crema's famous Cragels filled with cream cheese. The latte was smooth, refreshing, and perfectly balanced--not overly sweet, just enough vanilla to complement the coffee. The Cragel was every bit as delicious as its reputation suggests: warm, chewy, flaky, and generously filled with cream cheese. A perfect coffee, a scrumptious Cragel, and ideal patio weather--what more could you ask for? This is exactly the kind of local gem that keeps me coming back.

Loved it. Went later in the day so there wasn't a big selection of pastries but the iced toasted…read morealmond latte was worth going for. Loved the coffee itself and the syrup put it over the top. Hard to find almond flavored syrup- will definitely go back. The cherry mocha wasn't as flavorful. A vanilla custard filled bun was shared with my friend and was tasty. It was not busy when we arrived, store was clean. Highly recommend for the coffee.

Cozy neighborhood café-bakery with a sprawling chalkboard menu and a pastry case that's hard to…read morewalk past. I went savory: a chicken salad croissant (flaky, generously filled, with a side of bow-tie pasta salad and a creamy poppyseed slaw) and a pressed caprese-style panini with tomato, mozzarella, and basil grilled to a deep golden crisp. Both solid, satisfying lunches. On the drinks, the cold brew made with Joe Van Gogh beans was great--smooth and well-balanced. The iced café au lait was acceptable, nothing memorable but it did the job. The bakery case alone is worth a stop: cannoli, cranberry almond muffins, strawberry streusel coffee cake, cinnamon rolls, brownies, and a rack of croissants. Friendly counter service and a comfortable spot whether you're grabbing a quick bite or lingering with a coffee. Worth a return visit. Prices are very reasonable.

After our morning run we needed a quick bite to eat so we stopped in for coffee , cinnamon roll…read moreand croissant sandwiches with a side of protein. Service and food were good . It hit the spot for sure !

"VERY hole-in-the-wall Middle Eastern patisserie"…read more This gives hole-in-the-wall new meaning. The location is in a strip-mall that's set back a ways from 55, so it's not really visible from the street at all. However, it's weirder than that-- you have to drive AROUND the strip mall to the back, past the various loading docks for other stores, and they you see this place is open just from the BACK of the strip mall. I heard the owner is Algerian, but there are many Palestinian references and flags around the shop, so if that's triggering, then know this in advance before coming in. Still, the place is brightly lit and airy, with tables to eat. They do custom cakes, cupcakes, and other desserts, but we just wanted to sample some sweets. Hours are funny-- just midday Friday through Sunday. We ordered a pecan brownie and a pistachio chocolate dish with kunafa (shredded Middle Eastern pastry), as well as a mocha coffee. The mocha coffee was rich and delicious, as expected. The pistachio chocolate dish with kunafa was to-die-for... SO delicious. Super thick and messy, as you'd hope it would be. And of course the pecan brownie was amazing. I will say the pastries are not "cheap". I got a single tahini chocolate chip cookie to go for a friend, and that was $4.50 for a modest sized cookie. The other dishes above were in the $6 range. But these are unusual custom-made dishes, so it's fair.

Finally got to try La Recette Patisserie, a Middle Eastern-French bakery in South Durham! We got a…read morebunch of pastries (Apricot gateau, Opera cake, Tahini majesty, Makroud, Ghriba, Mchewek), all of which were delicious. To drink, we got the Sahlab (only comes warm)- this was so delicious (milky and perfectly floral, very comforting). This spot has a very unassuming exterior, but the inside is pretty cute and spacious with lots of seating (you actually need to walk to the back of the building to find the entrance). Would be a great spot to hang out and do work at. Service was fast and friendly. 9/10 would recommend!