This place is it, there is NO comparison. Essence is on another caliber altogether... the pastry is so rich, the layered flavors are perfectly harmonious. I couldn't decide on one so I tried three of them and they were all amazing. The only other time I've had a pastry this good was at a cafe in Paris. I am excited to have something even more delicious within a ten minute drive from home. Based on their Instagram account it looks like they make different pastries every week. I can't wait to try them all! read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - I couldn't decide so I got three... they were ALL amazing!! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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This is kind of a big thing to say, but the butter croissant here is the best one I've had, in any major city or when I've been in France even. I am limiting myself to one per week when I'm in the Valley but I can't really get enough. Perfect texture, flavor, all of it. There is often a line on the weekend but it moves quickly. The chocolate raspberry is also a really good croissant. The service isn't the most friendly and doesn't make me want to dine in, so they lose a star, but I will keep coming back for the butter croissant because it's that good. read more

Very nice and small bakery. They have great coffee and pastries. They also have some good breakfast and lunch selections. read more

Amazing croissants, we got the OG croissant and the raspberry one, they were very good and authentic. My husband couldn't stop talking about the food there. The eggs were amazing, even though it's a very simple food, it was tasty. We'll be coming back to this restaurant for breakfast probably every time we visit phoenix, my husband loves it. Customer service was good, and the food didn't take too long. read more

Was so excited to try the pastries. But made the mistake of taking home my croissant which was fresh, but a strawberry pastry was at least 5 days old. It was hard as a rock. Very disappointed. Will be going back but will touch my pastry before leaving. read more

I have been here dozens times (at one point, weekly) over the past 2 years. Due to the absent-minded service I had twice a few months ago (Fall of 2023), I decided not to return unless there was a reason (craving one of their pastries or macarons). I wasn't just going to give them my money anymore. After my experience today, I'm never coming back. My parents and I came in for breakfast around 09:00. We ordered at the counter, received a number, and sat at a table at the front. We sat down and then realized we were never given the "box of treats" we ordered. It was on our receipt, so we went to the counter to ask. They had completely forgotten to give it to us (evidence: they didn't have it sitting packaged off to the side or anything; it was still in the display case with the other pre-boxed pastry packages) despite giving us the rest of our pastries. Then as we waited for 15 minutes, we realized we never got our coffee orders. Mind you, they were simple black coffees that take about 30 seconds to serve in a to-go cup. After seeing multiple customers who ordered after us get their lattes, etc before us, we asked what happened to our 2 coffees. They immediately brought it out. Then, after another 30 minutes later and seeing 3 other parties (who also ordered their food after us) get their food orders before us, we again went to the counter. They said it would be out "right away." The only food we ordered was the egg sandwich, which probably takes a maximum of 10 minutes to make. Finally, nearly an hour after we had originally ordered, I finally received my squat little sandwich. This experience was terrible. I can't understand how they failed on three accounts and how they never apologized once. For a place that has been around for this long, the job training here must be lacking. There's no accountability for why we had the experience we did. It was abysmal. Over the last two years: FOOD QUALITY: 4 stars. This is some of the best pastries you'll find in Phoenix. But come in the morning or it won't always be fresh. VALUE: 2 stars. The prices here are, undeniably, unjustified. SERVICE: 1 star. Not zero stars. Zero would have been blatantly telling us to bugger off. AMBIANCE: 4 stars. Good vibes and unique art pieces. Tl;dr If you care more about Instagram-worthy photos than value or baseline competent service, then come here on a regular basis. Make sure you get a printed receipt to ensure you get what you ordered. read more

Everything at Essence is always top notch. The best pastry I've had there is their new raspberry valrhona croissant, but everything is stellar. Cookies, macarons, bread, croissants, peach pie. All outrageous. The only reason for four stars is their coffee - I ordered a large (mocha glacé; it's ridiculously good with a little cinnamon to it) and the server was walking around with a medium. When I told her I was waiting on a larger size, she dumped the medium in a large to-go cup and topped it off with ice. I understand she was busy, but the ticket was correct and there's a $2+ difference between the medium and the large, so I'd prefer more coffee over more ice. I'll be back anyway and I'll order the coffee again - possibly tomorrow, because chocolate raspberry croissants are back for the weekend! read more

New local favorite!! Came in here today to grab a croissant and left very impressed. Walked in and was immediately impressed by the interior design of this place. The barista who took our order was very nice and gave us recommendations on what she likes to get when we asked. I got the almond croissant and an espresso while my friend got the quiche. The croissant was one of if not the best I have had in Phoenix, and the espresso was strong. I don't know what the deal is with coffee shops in Phoenix serving weak espresso's but you will not have that issue here. My friend enjoyed his quiche and said it was good. Being a Thursday morning it wasn't crazy busy but could see it being much busier on the weekends. I will definitely be back for either a croissant and coffee or a nice breakfast. read more

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I forgot how much I love the macarons from Essence! Before the stay at home order, my husband had a business trip to Phoenix and he surprised me with Essence's macarons when he returned. Essence was the first place I ever tried macarons when we lived in Phoenix, and is it still one of the best I ever had. Their macarons are huge and filled with so much flavor. I like all their flavors but I'm specifically partial to chocolate and vanilla. I wish they shipped their macarons around the country because I'd love to enjoy Essence in the DC area. read more

This was our last stop.. we ordered the waffles and huevos de rancheros.. overall it was okay I ordered a vanilla latte wasn't that great.. the service could have been better the waitress was a little rude and the food took long to get which was understandable since it was Mother's Day.. I wouldn't come out of my way to come back here though read more

The treats here are amazing, my favorites are the coffee and strawberry and cream macrons. They are the best I've ever had. Everyone who works there is always very nice, and it's such a cute shop! read more

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

I had previously posted a review of my 2 times eating here and the restaurant went through yelp to have it removed and used the fact that I had referenced service during a pandemic as a reason. There are so many other places that still delivered EXCELLENT service during these difficult times, this place however WAS NOT one of them. Rather than reach out to me and ask what they could have done better or take the review and use real customer feedback to improve their service and see if I could amend it or even pull it down myself so here I am again to repost. It just goes to show they have no idea what good customer service is. The employees here are rude, don't seem concerned with retaining business and are more concerned with their rules. There was no inside dining allowed at the time. Everything was to go only and they required you to wait outside if you wanted to enjoy your coffee while you wait. Long wait times for your order and they still messed up things. Some of the pastries were good but overall there are so many better breakfast locations that are better than this place. I don't think I'll ever go back and give them any of my business. Some of their service flaws were basic flaws of service. Like greeting your customers and making them feel welcome in your establishment and getting their order correct are customer service 101 and this place lacked that completely. read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Email from moderators where they removed my original review due to mentioning the pandemic - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

We've only grabbed coffee and her amazing baked goods but we love this place. She is a French trained pastry chef and the baked goods are outstanding to say the least read more

"I've visited here twice in a row, and the service I received from Tenayah has been exceptional. While I can't say the same for others, she has been truly pleasant and welcoming. Thank you!" read more

I've been wanting to try their pastries for a little bit however I had no luck on a Sunday afternoon. I guess this place is so popular that they sell out fast. I settled for a quiche and it was so delicious. I can only imagine how their pastries taste. I will definitely come back earlier next time. read more

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

Location; right on Indian School and 38th Street! For this trip I was meeting several people for a breakfast meeting! Space was available - but gets busy. Food; My dish was the "Signature Brioche French Toast" might tasty - split if going with someone - as could not finish mine. I would high recommend trying. Service; The place is a walk up and order and your food is delivered to your table. Make sure to grab your water before you sit down. read more

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

Decided to drop in to this little bakery on a Friday around 10:15 am. The inside is very cute and I believe it would be a great place to catch up at with a friend. There were three people in line in front of me but I didn't wait long. The employee that helped me was very kind. I came in to order a bunch of crescents for a bachelorette party as well as a ham and cheese croissant like round pastry as well as a lemon macaron. The croissants went over really well with the girls at the bachelorette party and I very much recommend that others get them too! (I never tried them so I can't comment on the flavor) The ham and cheese croissant pastry (I don't recall the exact name of the pastry). The pastry itself had a really good crunch on the outside but the inside of the pastry was slightly dry / over baked. The cheese was mushy and soft at the bottom but absolutely delicious! I wish there was more ham, there was only one small piece which was pushed to the side of the pastry so I only got one bite with the ham. The lemon macaron is really the reason for the lower review. The macarons are larger than most macarons usually are. The macaron was very very chewy and there was a large amount of filling which I believe would have been great as a cupcake filling but honestly, in combination with the chewy macaron shell, it ended up just being gross. The smaller macarons may be worth trying but the normal sized macarons are not! read more

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In my opinion, this place is just okay. The staff never greets me or seems happy to be helping me. Pricing seems high for the amount of food. Their presentation is nice, restaurant is clean, eggs are always cooked precisely along with their croissants. read more

It's been a while since buying food here. Long line, items sold out, and exasperated staff. Dishes were not cleaned off the tables. The Hoevos was really good, but they didn't have the potato pancake. Had a baguette instead. The croissants were good. Missed all the fancy pastries they used to have. Macaroons look like they are made by kindergartners. They were perfection before. read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Eggs huevos with bagguette. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

This was my 1st time here and I was excited about it . I was meeting friends here Little did I know that this would be such a battle . So I ordered the egg sandwich with the egg well done . This is exactly what was requested as well as you will see on the receipt as well as a coffee. So I get my meal I am eating it with a knife and fork as I am eating it I notice the egg is runny . So I ask if there could be something done about this since it was ordered well done. I was told once that there is nothing they can do about it . At this point I am over this establishment. Yet still waiting for my friends who are on their way . I tell them what happened they offered to get me something else I refuse because I am pissed . So before I go I get a copy of the receipt just to see what exactly was ordered. So I ask the woman behind the counter where is the disconnect due to the receipt saying the eggs needed to be well done yet they were not how is she going to fix this . She proceeds to tell me they were busy and that happens unfortunately. So then she says let me ask and see what can be done. She comes back and tells me they can give me a well cooked egg. Seriously why would I want a well cooked egg when my sandwich is cold as well as it having a runny egg in it . I said all of this as well as why would you not give me my money back or a sandwich. She then tells me she does not have the authority to do either. I then said well who does I want to talk to them . She then walks around comes back and gives me a card with an email to a Gilles . I told her I don't want the sandwich then took a picture because at this time I am so over this place in every way . As my friends finish their coffee we are leaving and a girl walks over to the table and says egg sandwich and hands me a box,never an apology for any of it . I threw it away I don't even know if it was done correctly this time or not . Just horrible experience seriously. Had the coffee and honestly I have had better for less , perhaps the customer service affected the overall taste of the coffee read more

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Best croissant I've had outside of Paris. Safety measure are being taken super seriously at this place-they even have you use a glove to touch the credit card machine and toss it after-not the most environmentally friendly thing-it'd be better if they sprayed and wiped it down but-at least they're taking covid seriously which is important in a food place. I got the chocolate croissant and the pistachio for my husband. If you reheat in the microwave do like 10-15 seconds! I did 30 and it got too hot! The flavour was awesome and the crunch of the pastry was perfection. It was like 4 $ per pastry-which is a lot but they were really good. I'd pay it again. I'm hoping to try the macaroons next! read more

We have been here a handful of times. In our recent visit we decided we are going to look for a new spot as the last time we were here the service was below par. I'm sorry but the employees here do not provide a friendly and welcoming service. I got a chocolate macaroon this time around and I honestly feel that the price for the quality was not on par. I've had better macaroons at a more reasonable price that actually taste fresh. I do not recommend this place, that's my personal experience and opinion. read more

How have I never reviewed this place? I've been going here off and on for over a decade, since it was located in Tempe. Best pastries you'll find anywhere in Phoenix, IF you're looking for authentic French stuff. The rest of the food is fantastic as well; I've never eaten anything here that wasn't delicious. Warning about that "French drinking chocolate": it's deadly. Delicious, but it's so rich, it's hard to finish the whole thing. and it's not big. read more

Disappointing, I love this place for Saturday breakfast special and pastries. My favs were the almond croissant and the chocolate/almond croissant. On the weekend, it sells out, most of time before I arrive. Several Saturdays ago both were available, I was really happy. I purchased 4 items the pastries were dry and overcooked or a day old. The pastries are not inexpensive but made with great ingredients. Definitely not the same chef/bakery. I called multiply times to talk directly with the owner, no luck. I was provided an email address, no luck. I much prefer to address this with the owner but no luck. I also agree on the service.....never enough staff. If you want a plain coffee not a specialty coffee, good luck on getting it hot with your meal. You want a clean table good luck - only if the staff can get to it. I so love this place and am really sad I was not able to address this directly with the owner. This is Shirley A used Karl I's account, I was unable to login to Yelp. read more

customer service was horrible. Hot chocolate was disgusting. Owner was very rude and unprofessional. The pastries were okay but nothing special. I would not recommend this bakery. Terrible experience.l read more

Have not had their macaroons in a long long time so I ordered about 10 huge ones and 6 mini ones and a couple quiches. Cannot wait to eat! They provide a glove for touching the card keypad. Hand sanitizer available. read more

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SO incredibly delicious!!! The kitchen clearly knows what it is doing, and the bakery is amazingly good. This is one of the best finds in Phoenix!! read more

This bakery is such a gem and my absolute favorite place to get pastries in Phoenix! The pastries are all beautifully made and there are always rotating new options. The deluxe chocolate croissant is a staple but some of my new favorites are the cardamom bun and the rosemary croissant. I aways look forward to stopping by here for a treat. read more

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

I come here on occasion (when I have a morning meeting and need a treat) and they never disappoint!! If you follow them on Instagram you'll learn a lot about the baker and she's really incredible too! Great menu, delicious coffee, and always the kindest employees! Their lunch menu is also something serious - I haven't had the chance to try it yet but if it's as good as their breakfast I can only assume its fantastic! They had a petition out for reproductive freedom today too Essence is awesome!! read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Best lattes around the phoenix area - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I didn't even get the chance to eat here. I was hopeful as their menu and reviews looked amazing. Upon my arrival, I noticed there was only one person behind the counter so I lined up behind the couple she was helping. After about 5 minutes, a gentleman opened another register and instead of calling me, who had been waiting for about 5 minutes, he started helping someone who had just walked in. I notice this is a common occurrence in Phoenix and every time it happens it's a European American overlooking me to help another European American so it feels quite upsetting. Anyway, instead of asking for my to-go order and pastries, I simply walked out and will never walk back into this establishment as I'm tired of trying to support businesses that don't support me. read more

I rarely write comments but I have to hand it to the staff.. typical older "Karen" type is ordering and reaching her hands behind and above the glass pastry case and he politely asked her to please keep her hands back and she said "don't be so rude" and started being frankly obnoxious and telling him how she was a nurse for 40 plus years and how she knows (I'm sure everything).. to the staff member. I just got to meet the owner she brought out my lunch special.. the staff was awesome and so was the owner are just lovely and the food looks amazing. There's even a little refrigerator with some pre made salads and such read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Menu board and the pastries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I previously left a 5-star review because this is my go-to bakery/coffee place on my way to work. I stop here 3 days a week like clockwork Wednesday-Friday and often bring clients here because I love the croissants and breakfast. This morning I'm sure (I hope) was out of the ordinary, as the gentleman behind the counter was a complete jerk. His attitude, demeanor and the way he speaks to people was completely unprofessional, regardless if he's overwhelmed or not. I was in line to order, and there was at least 8 people behind me. He tried to help someone behind me first, until I approached the counter first. I was on the phone with my mom, and asked her to give me a second to place my order and his response was that I needed to hang up the phone before he'll allow me to place the order. I'm sorry, but what? I understand if I'm talking and ordering at the same time, but I was not, and I already put my call on hold to place the order, so his annoyance was not appreciated or even understood at this point. Then, when I continued to place my order, he had to ask me to repeat my order 3 times, with an attitude like I was somehow inconveniencing him by ordering and rude to me because he wouldn't hear over the crowd. Maybe if he would be a little more patience, and concentrate on the order being placed, then nothing would have been lost in translation, because at this point I'm never coming back because of 1 negative experience. There was an elder couple sitting next to me who commented on his demeanor as well. If someone can't handle a busy rush, then maybe he's in the wrong job. You don't treat people like shit because you're restaurant is busy, and you certainly don't treat customers like this. read more

Good pastries coffee is ok. The brunette girl working the counter can smile more and be more helpful.

Wish I would have purchased more We tried Essence Bakery for the very 1st time, as I have read so many positive reviews about this bakery and was excited to try this place. On this visit we ordered the chocolate croissant, Almond Croissant, and lemon macaroon and everything was excellent. The croissants were flakey and buttery and the lemon macaroon was the best I've ever had. I wish I would have bought more than one. If you're in the area stop by, you wont be disappointed. read more

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First time visiting. The pastries are very good. The breakfast we tried was ok but what made the experience uncomfortable was the lady taking our order. She seemed upset at having to be there. Also the seating is uncomfortable and it seemed the AC was off. read more

WOW! Found this place from a segment of Arizona Highways. What a delightful surprise! We had the chocolate almond croissants as well as chocolate croissants and a sample box of the macaroons. Try this amazing bakery cafe, it will not disappoint. read more

Essence Bakery Cafe - Sample box macaroons Chocolate croissant - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

The spinach quiche was very good. So good I wanted more. Serving size is small. I ordered to go. Very nice atmosphere. Cashiers are ok.

We love essence!! The sipping chocolate is incredible and the food tastes authentic, home made, and of quality ingredients. My wife is obsessed with their mashed potato cake and the homemade jam! I, personally, adore the pot pie. Their eggs are delicious as well! Such a cozy place to unwind and spend time with loved ones. Service is fast and friendly! read more

We had the breakfast sandwich and the essence scrambled eggs! Wow they were super delicious. We also had the passion fruit croissant and the fruit Danish! Everything was to die for... would had eaten more if their system was working but because it was cash only I was limited read more

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Absolutely love Essence bakery in Scottsdale. The cuisine is absolutely decadent, authentic, and delicious! Whether it's the fresh croissants, the macaroons, the pot pies. It doesn't matter what you order, it all taste amazing! I go out of my way to make a trip to Essen bakery. You have to check it out! read more