The bakery items were exceptional. The staff were very helpful. The reason for 4 stars was due to bathroom being down, espresso machine being down and the political atmosphere. The special breakfast croissant was great, but our favorites were the chocolate almond croissant and the oat cakes. We even took a baguette home - fantastic read more

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Charging $7 for a 12 oz latte with 1 shot of espresso is not worth it. If you want another it's $2. The color of the latte is horrible and it's too sweet. Take your money and go somewhere else. Do better read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Chocolate croissant was delicious. The best! The attitude of the person taking my order was poor. When I asked for a baguette sandwich I was told (while looking at me like I'm stupid) that I can't have one until 11:00 am. it was 10:40. I did not see that rule on their sign or on the website. But the chocolate croissant was great read more

Visited Essence Bakery on a Friday for a late lunch. We ordered the Quiche, Pot Pie a baguette and two macaroons. The Quiche was good but the side salad had almost no dressing and overall it was a small portion for the price. The same can be said about the pot pie. I would have liked a little more flavor and another piece of chicken or two. The macaroons were the star. Although $4.50 each, it is worth the try. Highly recommend the Meyer Lemon variety. BTW, the lemonade appeared to be right out of the Milo's brand gallon. Expected fresh squeezed for $4.25 a glass. The location is nice but the tables need to be replaced since most of them are damaged. Overall, recommendation is to skip lunch and order just the bakery items. "FIMP" Food is my Passion read more

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09/13/2025 Essence makes my favorite macarons in AZ! The taste and texture are unmatched by any other AZ bakery. Ever since they closed down their Tempe location and only have the Arcadia location, I don't go as much. But recently they had my favorite weekend brunch special, so I invited some family to have brunch there with me. The special ($18.95) included: Organic Quinoa Hash with Bacon, Summer Squash & Yukon Gold Potatoes, served with Organic Fried Eggs and Gruyere Cheese Croissant. I love dipping the cheesy croissant into the runny egg yolks! A family member doesn't like cheese, and instead ordered "The Big Breakfast" ($16.25) from the regular breakfast menu - Organic Scrambled Eggs served with Mashed Potato Cake, Breakfast Sausage, Sautéed Mushrooms, and Homemade Buttered Toast with Jam. This dish looked really good too. The espresso macaron had great flavor. My go-to macarons are the organic vanilla and strawberries & cream. Pumpkin (seasonal) is also really good too. Their almond croissant is my favorite, but they were already sold out by the time we got there around 9am! Next time I'll be sure to get there earlier. Tip: If you want to get a weekly email with their specials for the week and weekend, subscribe to their email newsletter. Otherwise, the specials are also on their website. read more

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Very disappointed in food. Quiche was warm at best and many parts on the inside were cold. It also tasted like powdery cardboard. Coffee was meh. The pistachio croissant was good. The fruit side was good. Not at all worth the price. read more

Always delicious! My friend and I came here for brunch and of course it was a bit busy but we found seats at the counter and our food was ready pretty quickly. The pastries are excellent. I also enjoyed a strawberry macaron. read more

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Always delicious. Even though I have moved away, I always make this a must stop when I return.

Tried out this bakery for the first time today. We arrived early on a Sunday and there was still a good selection of pastries. Ordered a hot mocha & almond chocolate croissant. My daughter had an iced Carmel latte & pistachio croissant. Both pastries were delicious! The barista that made & delivered our drinks was very pleasant. Cafe is very clean with plenty of seating options. This place is definitely worth checking out & we will be returning in the future! read more

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Lady at the counter was short and abrupt. I had a Caesar2 salad weighed down by an oily tangy vinaigrette that has no resemblance of Caesar dressing. The Caesar also had thin sliced Kalamata olives which I have never seen, and prefer not ever seeing or heading again. read more

The lower star rating is only because of the service. I always feel like they hate all customers. This place is in my neighborhood and everything we've had is absolutely delicious. It's worth dealing with the bad service to get the goods from time to time. I just wish I didn't always leave there feeling annoyed because of how unfriendly they are. Pastries are amazing food takes a while but is very good and worth the wait. read more

Trying some new bakeries and breakfast spots around Arcadia and stopped by Essence for a bite this past week. Service was great and staff friendly. I ordered the Egg Sandwich and thought it was delicious. The bun was so soft and eggs were cooked perfectly. The French Scrambled Eggs went well with the baguette, which also came with a jam that was to die for. I could eat this breakfast every day! The coffee and pastry didn't disappoint either! read more

I have been going to this place for number of years and I NEVER been disappointed . The service has been great and the food and pastry even better. I highly recommend this place read more

Positive: Incredible pastries! Very delicious and best in the valley! Negative: Worst customer service. The worlds most woke, bland, all things hate men shit attitude read more

The breakfast sandwich and passion fruit croissant were good ..... the coffee was "citrusy" and the service was less than spectacular ...... no smiles and less than friendly. 2 1/2 stars read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Breakfast sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Date: Sunday, July 2nd, 2023 Time: around 12:15pm Reason: Macarons I adore french macarons. Whenever I'm on vacay, I always search bakeries to see if there's a new place that sells them. (Well new to me.) I was having brunch down the street and decided to swing by here first to grab some treats. Unfortunately, I think this is a breakfast spot, so there were not a lot left. I believe I just grabbed one of each flavor and a coffee. The mini macarons were $2 each while the normal sized one - French Chocolate Macaron was $4.25. Texture wise, they had a slight chew. Tho they were very airy and crumbled / broke easily. I can't recall the flavors that day, but I think one of them was lemon which was probably my fav. I adore tart desserts / sweets. I read a lot of good things about their macarons. If I ever find myself in the area early, I'll definitely stop by to see if they have more of a selection then. REVIEW #3459 read more

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Some people spend their monies on Starbucks daily. I'd spend my monies here instead on pastries made from scratch. I have eaten some fantastic breakfasts here. Quenching ice tea as well as great coffee. Baked goods are some of the few best I've had here in the valley. Small space but very cozy and casual. I love coming here when the croissant craving hits. read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Gruyere croissant! Perfect pair of cheese and buttery croissant. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

The coffee was good, the service was below average and the ambiance is spartan. Three flickering overhead lights just made me want to leave. Sip coffee a couple blocks to the west is a much better option, in my humble opinion. read more

Recently checked out Essence Bakery Cafe for the first time this weekend. My bestie RAVES and literally devours their macaroons, and had a craving so decided I would take up the opportunity to visit them with her. The parking lot is a little hectic, they do have some additional parking in the back, but it is tight and definitely something to keep in mind. They do have a back entrance from the back lot as well. The space itself boasts numerous tables and ample seating. They also seemed to have a small private room that could accommodate intimate groups. They had a line, so I took the opportunity to take in all the options! They have a large case full of macaroons, including minis and larger ones. They had numerous flavors, from strawberry rose, lemon, espresso, pistachio, strawberry cream, hazelnut and anything else you can imagine! They also have quite a line up of croissants, from almond, pistachio, pain au chocolat, almond chocolate and everything in between. They also have more filling and savory breakfast items from sandos, to scrambles. The menu isn''t huge my any means, but does offer something for everyone! It's counter service, so you order up front, are given a number and they bring out the goods! My husband and I shared a few goodies: The breakfast sandwich, add avocado and ham, an almond croissant, a pistachio croissant and two mini macaroons including lemon and espresso. I ordered a cappuccino and he got a iced latte. Sadly, we did not receive an offer for our pastries to be warmed, which I always prefer. Though i did not inquire, so not sure if this is something they do or not. I also prefer to enjoy my pastries with my coffee, so usually wait until I have both in hand. Our group of four waited quite awhile for our beverages. We received our breakfast sandwiches before they came out. My cappuccino was mid, and more of a latte with minimal foam. My husbands ice latte was very good and smooth and my friends chai latte was lovely! The macaroons were good, but I think the larger ones are much more stand out! The strawberry rose and lemon were very good. I typically don't love macaroons, as they can be too sweet, but did enjoy these! The pastries were nice, the almond croissant had a great flavor and I would get again! I did enjoy my visit overall and would give them another visit, as it's a very cute spot and has some good offering, just may go a different direction on my beverage! read more

First time visiting this place and i was not impressed.. cashier seemed bothered to take my order and when I asked her if she could recommend a pastry to me she said to me "oh, I don't know ". No smile no apology just attitude. I made my selection from the display and it was dry and not good. Needless to say I threw it in to the garbage after a couple of bites. My expectations for a $6 croissant were much higher than what I actually received. If you're going to be this pricey I would expect a decent pastry and a medium amount of quality service. Needless to say I don't recommend and don't intend on coming back. read more

Unimpressed and left with my hair, clothes and belongings smelling like the kitchen. Food is overpriced, but I guess everything is these days. The quality of food is good though. It's made fresh. I had the breakfast sandwich which was $8.50 and a reg iced caramel latte. My total was $15 with tip. I wanted the quiche with fruit on the side, but that was $14.50! It was a small serving based on photos I've seen. I honestly thought the breakfast sandwich came with a sausage patty, but it was just egg, tomato and some cheese maybe? Couldn't tell. They don't have wifi either. I was hoping to get some work done, but ended up going down the street to another cafe afterwards. Sooo overall I wouldn't come back. I was trying to avoid Starbucks to support local businesses, but I wasn't impressed. read more

Essence Bakery is probably one of the most lovely experiences I've had in all my travels. The food was great, pastries were unique flavor combos, and probably the most endearing thing about the visit was the owner and head pastry chef. She was so warm and welcoming. Me and my girlfriend had a lovely conversation with her while we waited, and she was so genuinely invested in our (and every other guest's) experience. I can't recommend this place enough. Well worth a road trip to come here. read more

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The baked good are delish. Passion fruit Crossiant is amazing. Perfectly flaky and light on the sweetness. The freshly squeezed Orange juice is pulpy. If you arent a pulp person, do not recommend. Plenty of seating inside. Parking is avaliable behind the bakery. Only few spots in the front. Fast service, good place but pricey! read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Crossiant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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What makes a great bakery? Pastries or experience? Or both? Before visiting Essence, I'd say excellent pastries. After breakfast, I say it's both, because Essence's service was lacking. Standing in line on a November Saturday around 9 a.m., the queue went out the door. However, after looking inside, the line wasn't very deep. The line was moving at a sluggish rate due to staff. Even with two people at the register, each order took awhile. Once we finally ordered, the person behind the register seemed rushed. We order brioche French toast, quiche and granola to stay. She left and came back with a bag of dry granola even though it was clear we wanted the granola to eat in restaurant. Once we sat down, it took 40+ minutes for us to get our food. Once we did, it was disappointing. The French toast was soggy and not tasty. I literally thought they ran out of bread so went to the store to get Wonderbread. It was nothing special- not worth the wait. The redeeming factors were my wife me granola. She enjoyed it as did my daughter with her quiche. read more

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What a cute place. Parking can be tricky, so come prepared. Stopped in for a quick coffee to go. They have a lovely breakfast and lunch menu that I will have to try next time. The pastries are gorgeous. I got a chocolate croissant. They have a wide variety of macrons in different sizes that look amazing. I will be trying those next! On to the coffee. My mom got a vanilla latte and I got an iced coffee with caramel. We thought both were pretty good. read more

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I have been coming to Essence for more than 15 years and I probably wrote a review for their old location in Tempe way back at the beginning. In my opinion, the croissants here are better than I've had in Paris or Tokyo. I've been fortunate to have the plain croissants from Essence warm from the oven and they're life changing! We came for lunch to get the seasonal salad that had fresh peaches and crispy bacon with a croissant on the side. It was excellent! The smoky-crispy-sweet-juicy texture mix did amazing things with the bitterness of the greens and tang of the dressing. The macarons here are also amazing. There were not many to choose from since they were closing down for vacation, but we grabbed a few of the remaining stock. Chocolate was a favorite. This space is a lot bigger and more modern than the old Tempe location, so the ambience is more "cafe" and less "cafeteria" than it was back then. Nice upgrade! read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Special seasonal salad with peaches, bacon... yum! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I LOVE Essence Bakery! They have some of the best coffee and pastries around! The customer service has always been super friendly and helpful and the place is clean and inviting. We have tried a few of their different croissants both sweet and savory. The ham and Gruyère is my favorite savory and the vanilla twist croissant and pistachio are my favorite sweet ones. The macarons are all delicious and so flavorful and the coffee is perfect. Not bitter, not too sweet and they are house made syrups. My only gripe is the paper straws! I'm all for saving the turtles but by the time I get home my straw is flopped over broken and half melting into my drink lol I'll bring a metal one next time. Overall, an awesome spot for a coffee and pastry breakfast and their special offerings are amazing and change weekly! Can't wait to stop in again! read more

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Great food even for me being Lactose free and gluten free Good service Good ambiance Parking can be an issue during busy times. read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Yumtastic- this place never disappoints. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Great food and pastries. Does get pretty busy and have to wait in line. Smaller cute environment.

Ate there this morning for the first time. Had a danish and coffee, also the quiche and fruit. My companion had the big breakfast. We split the danish with our coffee while our breakfast was prepared. We had no problem with wait time or anything because we were there right at opening. I can see where it could get pretty crowded. It seems quite popular. I would go back. However, my only complaint was that the coffee was served in a classic cup and saucer. The handle was thick and hard to grasp the cup without using my middle finger for balance but because it was so hot, I couldn't do that so I had to use both hands to drink my coffee comfortably. It was good coffee, just awkward to handle. I think a mug us much more user friendly. My companion had the same complaint. It would have been a 5 star with a decent mug. read more

While the food was delicious and the coffee was good, the service was horrendous. The lady taking our order was SO RUDE!!! This could have been a 5/5 experience if it wasn't for the lady who was so unnecessarily rude and did not know what she was talking about. Do better. read more

In honor of International Women's Day, I'm writing a review for this incredible female owned European bakery and cafe... I've been in and purchased croissants, pastries and macarons to-go many times over the years, as well as fresh bread, but I have only dined in a couple of times... I plan to return to do so again real soon! Chef Eugenia, Co-Founder / Owner and her staff do a fabulous job with quality and service, and they source fresh ingredients locally. For example, this week, they note that they are using McClendon Farms' asparagus in their weekly specials. I recommend going in early so as not to miss out on the best selection of pastries daily... especially if you have your heart set on a particular product. However, I don't think you can really go wrong with anything on the constantly changing menu. Note: the hand-crafted macarons are incredibly tasty and picture perfect as well. They make a guilt-free sweet treat or hostess gift! Keep up the great work, Essence! read more

I've only had breakfast or lunch here a few times, and long ago, so I can't really comment on the full menu. But this is an amazing bakery if you want coffee and a sweet snack. I picked up their amazing almost croissant and a caramel latte this weekend. Latte was not too sweet, so I could actually enjoy the balance of caramel and espresso. Croissant was perfect - flaky, phenomenal almond filling, just amazing. The caramel macaroon there is one of my favorite cookies ever. And if you ever luck out and they are offering the lemon meringue tart, order it! Their meringue has a fluffy, almost marshmallow consistency. It's incredible. And a cute space, lots of seating. Just a neighborhood gem. read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Almond croissant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I had high hopes for this place, but unfortunately, it didn't quite live up to expectations. The atmosphere was lacking and felt a bit drab. My chai was one of the worst I've had in the Valley. It was incredibly bitter, almost as if it had been seeped for too long or the spices had burned. The Gruyère pastry was flaky but very oily. Overall the experience was below average. read more

Fantastic bakery and coffee shop! Been here a few times but never wrote a review. Coffees are always good and so are pastries. Of particular note I would add freshly baked bread! Recently I bought Brioche bread to make French Toast for my family on a Christmas morning, and reviews were awesome! I just think I found perfect brioche here! Ambience is a coffee shop style, with ample seating space, although parking can get tricky. Service is also always on par as employees do know the menu and can make pretty good recommendations which is one of my favorite traits of happy employees... read more

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Best croissant I've had in Phoenix hands down. Chai was so so but service and ambiance are great. Lots of parking available in the back.

I stopped by while out running errands to grab a couple of breakfast sandwiches and some pastries to-go for my neighbors. I had my small Maltese with me and, while placing my order, I was approached by an older woman, most likely manager or chef, who touched my dog's leash and asked if he was a service animal. I said no and mentioned I hadn't seen any signage on the door about pets or service animals. She referenced health inspection regulations, which I completely understand. I let her know we'd just place our order to-go and head outside. However, I was then asked to leave entirely, which felt unnecessary and unkind. The croissants and macarons are truly delicious, but the service today didn't reflect the same warmth. It was over 100 degrees outside, so leaving my dog in the car simply wasn't an option. I wish the situation had been handled with a little more understanding and care. read more

How disappointing. I visited on Sunday just before 1pm First the staff obviously doesn't want to be there. In the middle of taking my order the woman stopped me to ask her coworker to switch stations with her and then they did. It was super weird. My oat milk chai latte had so little flavor besides the oat milk that I threw it away after a few sips because if I wanted a cup of oat milk I could have opened my own fridge and not paid nearly $8 for it. If it wasn't a to-go order I would have requested a refund without hesitation. The macarons had great flavor but were sloppy. The way they were packaged ruined them. Stacking them in a flimsy too small box so they were smashed and slightly soggy once I got home felt like a middle finger after the chai latte. I honestly don't know if the problems I experienced were because the staff was incompetent or if the owners just don't care anymore since it can ride the coattails of its former reputation. read more

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The croissants here are next level. Honestly, they deserve 5/5 stars. The same can't be said for the coffee which took the staff over 20 minutes to make (mind you it wasn't busy and I only ordered 1 to go). Let's get back to the good stuff. The croissants are perfectly flaky and delicious with a wide selection of flavors to choose from. I can't wait to go back and try the raspberry chocolate next time I'm in Phoenix! read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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The food and this bakery is very good... I would recommend the egg sandwich and the quiche. When it come to the friendliest of the staff it's definitely a hit or miss. The other downside to this place is that if you go after 12pm it's slim pickings of what is offered. read more

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