I was a customer of Dempsey Bakery for years. I always told people how wonderful their products were. You couldn't even tell the difference between gluten free and regular food. After not having been there since before covid, I went back yesterday. I noticed the remodel and saw the lack of a case featuring cakes and other sweets. OK - I thought as long as it still tastes the same. I heard an employee tell another customer that the same family still owned it. I got my old favorite -- lemon blueberry tea cake and a cupcake with coconut and caramel topping the icing. My sister who has celiac bought several soups, many pieces of cheesecake, an individual lemon pie, cookies and more. She took a bite of the little pie as soon as we got in the car -- let me tell you it was awful. The lemon did not taste at all lemony. It tasted mostly of chemicals. When I got home, I ate the cupcake and the cupcake itself was dry and barely edible. The frosting was some unknown concoction that tasted of chemicals also. My sister told me this morning that she ate more stuff when she got home and she has been sick all night and still today. I googled Dempsey and it says that Paula Dempsey sold the bakery to Friendly Bakery. They did the remodel and I am assuming the food was also "remodeled." I'm sure it was a "money" thing because that is what big business always does -- look at the bottom line. I am so disappointed. I used to go there for lunch when I worked downtown but I know for sure, I won't be going back. I did not select "service" or "ambiance" as noted above. I didn't find anything wrong with either. It was the chemical taste of the food and the lack of freshness that I am upset about. read more

Great 100% gluten free bakery. Celiac safe. Staff are very knowledgeable. They offer lunch (maybe breakfast as well?) and have seating in case you want to stay and eat your meal or gluten free goodies! Adequate parking nearby. Great gluten free find. read more

Dempsey Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

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Great experience!! I really love having a gluten free bakery that does an exceptional job!! Lots of dairy free / vegan options and very knowledgeable staff! My cookie was so yummy and the breakfast biscuits were fire!! Super cute atmosphere too! Big fan, will definitely be back to try Little Rock's Best Bread!! read more

Delicious chicken salad sandwich with a cup of tomato basil soup for lunch. The gluten-free bread was perfection. Chicken salad was light and tasty. So many gluten-free dairy-free options! read more

The wife has a gluten allergy and this bakery is perfect for anyone that is gluten free. The service was top noticed and inviting. The ambience is laid back and relaxed. I would recommend the birthday cheesecake and a chocolate chip cookie read more

4 stars because the turkey sandwich was delicious. Perfect bread! 3 stars for everything else. The chicken salad was dry. The environment was uneasy upon entering, at first we believed they were closed. Wait staff is very soft spoken, there is a constant hum from their equipment and no music playing, all of this combined makes it very challenging for those with hearing loss to hear others in the place. All of the tables need to be replaced or covered in some way as they are covered in a sticky residue- not the most pleasant, but again, the sandwich made up for the misfortunes. read more

When I entered the bakery I had an uneasy feeling about the environment. The male employee was unprofessional and made Mr. Anderson feel uncomfortable because of his mannerisms, to say the least...I definitely would not recommend this bakery. I should have read a few reviews and would have realized this is not a place to buy food and desserts. Proceed with caution. read more

This little bakery is as quaint as it gets! It's walking distance from the Capitol. We wandered in looking for some baked goods to bring home as gifts/souvenirs, and to our surprise, it's actually a gluten free bakery! Free street parking outside the store. The entire place is decorated in retro, 1950s-1960s decor with bright red tiles. It's spacious, open, and airy, and there are many smaller and larger tables to sit at and enjoy treats. They also make custom cakes and macarons which are displayed in the back wall. Though not absolutely gorgeous-looking pastries, I really enjoyed their lemon and pumpkin bread because of their moist and rich flavors. I bought a loaf of pumpkin bread home back to Texas and it was still fresh after a week in the fridge! They also have an array of cookies, brownies, and other goodies we weren't able to try. It is a bit pricier than your average bakery because it's gluten free (my small loaf of pumpkin bread was $8-9) but the goodies don't disappoint, and it's a good place to stop if you're touring the area. read more

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Amazing gluten free 4 layer cake. Never had a better cake. Delivered on time and gorgeous cake.

We stopped by the Dempsey bakery after trying the gluten free hamburger buns they make for Big Orange. We are so glad we stopped. The owner was lovely and has a great variety of items which were marked for most major allergies. We tried the tiramisu which was gluten and dairy free and is amazing. My husband tried the Apple dairy and gluten free cupcake and said it was delicious. A great find for people with allergies looking for a treat. read more

Dempsey Bakery - Lots of gluten and dairy free goodies... - Bakeries Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

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Amazing Allergy Friendly bakery! Taste is amazing! Service is so friendly! I wish I had this in Waco! read more

Dempsey Bakery - Inside bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

I've been coming to Dempsey since they opened and they are a God-send. I love their classic bread. When I toast it, it's as good or better than any bread I've ever had. Their rolls are fabulous, and I stuff my turkey with their dressing. Countless times I've ordered iced shortbread cookies for special occasions, and they've always accommodated whatever theme I suggested. These cookies taste better than any other decorated cookie I've had. Their cakes may be their weakest link. I love the proprietor, Paula. She has become a friend and her bakery is a labor of love to the community. Many area restaurants use her baked goods for GF patrons, and I am grateful for Dempsey Bakery! read more

I have a family member with egg allergies. So I ordered an eggless cake. I paid extra rush charge for cake and also for decoration. The rush charges itself were exhorbitant. The cake was less cake and more bread. Stodgy and dense. The decoration was supposed to be a lady with her daughter. Looked like a horror movie scene. Why accept the order if you're not goons do a good job. Why take the extra charges if there's no effort to reflect the price extracted? read more

Dempsey Bakery - The decoration was supposed to be a lady with a little girl. Looks more like a horror movie scene - Bakeries Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

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You're paying up for quality. The place has slipped a lot since they've became famous . Don't expect your order to be ready when you get there. read more

We're vegan and really enjoyed the dairy free/egg free chocolate lava cake, cookie sandwich, and lemon mini pie. SUCH a nice treat while in Little Rock! read more

Best bakery in Little Rock! This is the place we go for desserts for my son who is gluten/ dairy free. Local business and great people too! read more

Well now, if you need a bakery treat and gluten is not your friend this place has you covered. We purchased lemon cheese cake, s'more bar, strawberry tart and raspberry white chocolate loaf. Every treat was excellent. My favorite was the s'more bar. I liked the snap of the chocolate on it and the flavor was yummy. Well done Demsey's. Check it out, you will not be disappointed. read more

Stopped in looking for a sweet treat for my wife, and what a find. They had a great assortment of cookies, cupcakes, cheesecakes, etc. I grabbed a lemon cheesecake, birthday cake cheesecake, and a key lime cupcake. They were all terrific! The lady who helped me was very friendly and helpful. Definitely a place I will go back to and try more of their goodies! read more

This bakery is located in downtown Little Rock just a couple of blocks away from the State Capitol. It has so many amazing options. We had the Turkey Reuben sandwich, kids grilled cheese, and the Avocado Hummus sandwich. They were so flavorful. They have a whole freezer section full of soups, meals such as chicken pot pie, veggie pot pie, lasagna, pizza, and many desserts. One of our many favorites is the cinnamon rolls. From the bakery we purchased chocolate covered cheesecake, coconut lime danish, chocolate chip cheesecake danish, chocolate dipped strawberry lava cake and fresh cinnamon rolls. They also have bread, crackers, pizza crust and so much more. A lot of the items are dairy free and egg free. This is a wonderful place for a person who is Gluten Free! read more

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I love sweets. And marshmallowy chocolatey bar-type desserts are possibly my favorite. Im not sure how you mess up a 'smores bar', but this did not taste good. It not only had a weird taste that I couldn't identify as a common 'healthy' ingredient - it also didn't taste fresh at all and was rock hard. (This despite the clerk's vaguely noting they make things fresh on Tuesdays, and it was Wednesday) I'll give em a star for the concept and for having some delicious-looking things on the menu (little chocolate cakes, coconut lime cookies, veggie hummus sandwiches) and maybe I just happened to try the recipe they're still working out the kinks of, but I don't think I'll go back...Things were too expensive for me, ($10 for a veggie sandwich) the atmosphere as far as hanging out wasn't great, (no ventilation, seems dusty and not comfy) and the staff's directions were so bad I had to walk an extra 7-8 blocks past some pretty sketchy areas you don't really want to be outside your car in. Besides, it's fun to bake dairy-free, egg-free, wheat-free stuff at home. : ) read more

I love dempseys - their bread is the best gluten free bread I have ever had. I have been gluten intolerant since 1982 - so believe me I have had a lot of gluten free products. they have a lot of fun and good cookies cakes etc. I am disappointed that the kitchen in closed on the weekend but their sandwiches and soups are really good. You can however, find their bread at roots cafe in little rock which is also very good. The staff is very helpful and nice. read more

I ordered a cake for my mom's birthday. The pickup date was 5 June. When I saw the cake, I asked what is this. I didn't recall the cake looking anything like the picture I sent when I placed the order. Unfortunately, I didn't have the picture of the cake on me. Needless to say, I was very disappointed by the appearance. I didn't have time to find anything else. After all, the cost of this cake was $194 or $195. I hoped that it would be tasty since it had already failed the appearance test. I was wrong. It was mediocre at best. I chose this bakery based on reviews since I don't live in Arkansas. I am not sure who wrote those reviews, but it was a no go for me. There is no way that I would recommend this bakery to anyone. read more

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Paula Dempsey is the best! She creates a wonderful lunch environment. Downtown Little Rock is a better because of Dempsey Bakery.

THRILLED to have this perfect gluten free bakery nearby. DELICIOUS treats and the best part, I can order anything on the menu! They thought of everything. Highly recommend. read more

Let me start with the fact that I'm not gluten intolerant nor do I have food allergies- I've simply been wanting to try this bakery for a LONG time. They have several takeaway items that looked intriguing but I was there for the sweets. The staff was very friendly and I didn't feel rushed as I looked at everything. Ultimately I settled on the birthday cake cheesecake and the lemon blueberry tea cake. The cheesecake was a perfect sized portion and definitely hit the right notes for birthday cake - creamy and vanilla-y. The tea cake was very moist - perhaps even drizzled with something while still warm? Great flavors and not too sweet. I'll be back...sooner than my waistline warrants. read more

Our daughter suffers from Celiac Disease so after her appointment at children's we stopped in for lunch. Ok... we are use to paying extra for our daughter's food. So with that said their lunch sandwiches are pricey. The dining area is spacious, clean, comfortable and bright with a red and white checkered floor. The staff was friendly and helpful. They provide lots of samples and will let you sample other things as well. Everything we sampled was tasty. Our lunch sandwiches were very good. It had plenty of meat and cheese. We expect higher prices just be aware of that you'll be sticker shocked. read more

They have a (killer good) vegan birthday cake on hand in their freezer. This was a perfect, last minute treat for one of my dear family members that was in town celebrating his birthday. All you have to do is thaw for a minimum of two hours, or just lay out on the counter until you're ready to serve--you cannot tell the difference between baked same day or not! They nicely wrote on the cake and sent me on my way. Cute shop! Great cake. I will be back :) read more

Dempsey Bakery - Vegan birthday cake - Bakeries Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

This place is full of surprises. I have a friend who has a glueten sensitivity and we went here for lunch. To my surprise the place is also nut free which is perfect for me since i'm allergic to nuts. My suggestion is you start off with some of the samples. You will be astonished by how light and moist the cakes are and not to mention how delicious they are. My friend basically fell in love with this place, (she has a real bad sweet tooth) and I really enjoy it as well. The lunch was just ok. The desserts are the real treasure of this place. read more

Dempsey Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

Found this gem yesterday! Everything was delicious and very clearly labeled for all thr various food allergies and considerations. Thr staff was very friendly and helpful. Would definitely recommend to anyone with any specific dietary issues. read more

Finding a place as epic as Dempsey Bakery in Little Rock is like finding a diamond in a coconut, just awesome. Moving here from Texas I was hoping there would be a gluten free restaurant or too but I certainly didn't expect an entire bakery! First visit was amazing, this is a gluten free/food allergen paradise for someone who's searching for quality food. Soon as I walked in I was welcomed by the nice bakers and I was already sampling and sniffing everything around, they have coolers with frozen goods ready to take home, an entire bakery on the other side where one employee was mixing some stuff up, and a display full of dessert goodies. I can't wait to go back to try lunch, they serve lunch until 2PM which includes sandwiches, salads, and pizzas! Took home some fresh baked bread and made myself a sandwich, probably one of the best gluten-free breads made today. The meatloaf dinner was so darn good I couldn't believe it was all gluten free, and the Allie-O's nomnomnom. My favorite snack was the Owl sugar cookies, now that is a cookie I could eat daily. Thank you Dempsey for having a allergen friendly bakery for a person like me, be back soon. read more

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Had an order mix up today and the owner was so kind and gave us a free cupcake for the mix up. They are really great people! :) read more

Dempsey Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

Out of bacon!!!! However, the Avocado Veggie (whole for $9.99) is wonderful. Pass on the Turkey Rueben. Not very impressive for $9.99! And, if you get a pickle slice, that will be another 99 cents. read more

Dempsey Bakery - Turkey Rueben with chips and pickle slice - Bakeries Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

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We arrived around 11am when they started serving lunch. The BLT was fantastic: crispy brown sugar-glazed bacon between two slices of toasty sandwich bread. The chicken salad sandwich was delicious & well-balanced, served on a chewy deli bun. There was no grainy texture to the breads which is a sign of GF done right. Same goes for the Pumpkin bread & Nana bread, as well as the Death by Chocolate cake. However, the cake texture was dense & hard ... it was such a large portion we ate the rest later in the day when it had warmed up - and the texture became much fluffier and richer. So beware if you go early in the day, the cakes may not have fully defrosted. The cookies are solid if you're into chewy cookies. I personally like them crunchier, and wasn't a fan of the grainy texture from the heavy use of rice flour. All in all, a great gluten-free find (also 100% soy- and nut-free), and tons of dairy-free options. read more

Dempsey Bakery - Death by Chocolate cake. Better texture later in the day when it's fully defrosted. - Bakeries Near Me - Little Rock, Arkansas

Oh my! What a treat. Traveling cross country I was redirected to Hot Springs. Serendipity! The family that runs the company are sensitive to certain foods with allergies. So they spent years perfecting the recipes. Result... Yummy! I had the chicken salad sandwich on a GF bun and a side of carrots. Seriously amazing. I was so pleased with the flavor i purchased two loaves of pumpkin bread for the rest of my journey. read more

This Little Rock gal lives in SF now but ALWAYS goes to Dempsey when back home. The gluten-free and nut-free options are pure gold. Everything is delicious. As a celiac, my appreciation for what Paula has created grows and grows. The menu is delicious, facility is spotless and the dining areas charming. Do not miss stopping in for gluten-free goodness! My seasonal favorite is the pumpkin loaf. read more

I ordered from Fort Worth-sight unseen. The birthday cake was beautiful & delicious. It was delivered on time. I was very please. I highly recommend this Bakery. read more

I am gluten and dairy intolerant (not by choice) and Dempsey Bakery might just be what my heaven would look like. I got to eat a sandwich that tasted great! I had the hummus veggie sandwich. I loaded up on gluten and dairy free sweets and when I say loaded up, I mean I bought two lava cakes, a sammich, and nana muffins! I can't wait to pig out!! Thank you for existing! read more

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Great bread and dessert loafs, cookies, and cakes! I'm not gluten free but I was surprised how amazing the pumpkin bread loaf tasted! Allergies or not... try this little gem! read more

I called this morning at 10:15am asking about having a cake made and the person answering the phone advised that the bakers would have to call me back due to their being busy. I completely understand that since they had only been opened for 15 minutes. After not hearing back from them over over 3 hours, I called back at 1:30pm. I advised the woman who answered the phone that I had been waiting for over 3 hours trying to find out if they could make a strawberry cake for my wife for our anniversary. I wish she would have put me on hold instead of just laying the phone down. She proceeded to tell I presume the people baking that there was a man wishing to speak with them. When they asked what I needed, she mockingly said that I was mad about not getting a call back for over three hours and did they want talk to me or not. When they came back on the line, I immediately told her never mind and hung up. This is very upsetting due to my wife having to eat gluten free, I come into Dempsey's all the time to get cupcakes and other things for her. Never again!!!! read more

I was pleasantly surprised to learn about Dempsey Bakery when I moved to Little Rock a few years ago. I'm always worried about eating out due to having Celiac disease, but the bakery is a worry-free zone. Delicious sandwiches, decadent desserts, and I love the ease of the grab-n-go treats and meals already packaged up and in the freezers. I've ordered specialty cakes and people cannot believe that they're gluten and dairy free!! read more