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I still continue to love Houldens as I have from the very early start of Hannah's baking. I'm so very thankful to have a vegan baker in my town, someone who loves the experience of baking on a deep core level and show cases it. It's been incredible to see the growth and continued support, I'll be here the rest of the journey for sure. Donuts are now available and they are yummy and soft! The space, for those haven't been, is small and a walk in and leave space. Worth every visit. Everything is always made so well and the service is quick.
Beautiful, delicious, innovative, vegan bakery! This poor animal rights and social justice initiatives local and otherwise. We love this place. It should always be on your list, especially if you are visiting the area.
Houlden's Rise Above is THE BEST sweet and Savory pastries in Tucson. We grabbed a bunch of pastries from Houlden's! They are so great to order from, service is always fantastic and friendly. I like how it's just a pickup and go ambiance. Honestly an Easter tradition at this point. Always incredible. Easy 10/10.
Stopped by with kids while traveling through Tuscon and WOW!!!! We arrived near close so there weren't a ton of choices - probably for the best because everything looked amazing and I would have bought everything. We ended up getting a slice of raspberry lemon vanilla cake, a slice of cheesecake, a dirt and worms pudding, an oat tahini cold brew, and a croissant with house made blueberry jelly. The owner was extremely warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable. He patiently explained the day's offerings to my kids and I could see them beaming with joy at getting the full customer treatment. I was impressed with his coffee recommendations and his knowledge of food coloring. No red 40 due to animal testing - swoon. This place was the real deal - vegan for the animals, indulgent delicious treats. On to those treats - The cake - I felt like a kid when I saw this giant gorgeous bake, my eyes got wide and I knew I needed this cake. I was right, the balance of the tart lemon and raspberry with the rich vanilla cake. Perfection. I will be dreaming about this cake. Dirt and worms pudding - solid but I would probably choose a baked good over this one. It's just like the dirt and worms you are as a kid and the nostalgia is delightful. Chocolate cheesecake - loved the berry topping and the cheesecake was not too sweet. It wasn't particularly tangy but it was good and had a nice complexity to it. Croissant - awesome, as a vegan laminated pastry is a rare treat and the blueberry jelly is a lovely compliment. I don't know if it was a sourdough croissant or a cultured vegan butter that gave it the depth but that was a very nice surprise. Tahini Carmel iced coffee - Add tahini to anything and I will buy it. Tahini coffee is never seen before but I loved it and will be trying to replicate at home and likely will never succeed in the way Houldens did.
I've never bought from their storefront, but have loved every Houldens pastry I've tried from local coffee shops! The pop tarts are my absolute favorite- lift and flakey while being substantial too. The sweetness is always balanced well- not too too much icing on top, with delicate fruit or herb flavors in the filling too. Maple, rose, all the ones I've tried have been excellent!
A rotating menu with so many choices (savory and sweet pastries, cakes etc). The owners and staff's passion to sustainability, vegan/ clean living and serving the community exceptional deliciousness shows in their product and in their wonderful service. Of note, when you get to Houldens there will likely be a line. Do not let that deter you... the store front is small and accommodates 3-4 people at a time to order... but service is quick and the line moves relatively fast. There are not seats to dine in- but that doesn't stop me from stuffing my face in my car... because sometimes you just can't wait to bite into these beautiful pastries. Love the music and vibe in their space. They also serve coffee etc and you can also find their pastries in other local business.
My go-to bakery in town. My favorites are: glazed donut, fauxstess cupcake, oatmeal creampie, and peanut butter choc chip cookie!! Pastries are rich, but not overwhelmingly sweet in my opinion. Moist cake, decadent... you wouldn't know it was vegan. I look forward to the weekend knowing they'll be open again.
Houlden's never fails to deliver tasty vegan baked goods and treats. Non vegans can't tell the difference! This time got the picked these up (Pistachio raspberry cupcake, sourdough cinnamon roll, pizza galettes) at the bakery location last Sun but have often gotten faux- stess cupcakes from next door at Midtown Vegan Deli and different treats at Screwbean brewing. Other coffee shops that I haven't been to yet carry their goods as well.
This native Angeleno was visiting Tucson and a loved one recommended Houlden's Rise Above. This is a fully vegan bakery who also has gluten free items. As a gluten free girly, I'm used to gluten free offerings often being okay at best, so I was a bit skeptical. Let me just tell you the baked goods we got here today are the best bakery items we have ever had in our life. I know it likely sounds dramatic, but the food was phenomenal. We came a bit later in the day so not all the offerings were available, but we ordered the Raspberry Matcha Poptart, the Chicken Pot(hand)Pie, and the Arugula scone. There are truly no notes. Each of these items was perfection. The poptart reminded me of a nostalgic, delicious toaster strudel. The raspberry filling was perfectly sweet with just enough tart and the crust was crumbly and buttery. The "chicken" hand pie was the ultimate comfort food, and the arugula scone tasted like a cheddar biscuit. My husband and I inhaled everything in the parking lot right away because we were so excited. I could imagine slightly warming each of the items up would elevate them even more. The service was impeccable. Every staff member was so kind and amazing. I am absolutely devastated that we are not local, but the next time we are in Tucson, this will be our first stop!
I've heard so many good things about Houlden's and I am so happy I got the chance to finally check them out! I will say I wasn't expecting the space to be so small, it's definitely an in-and-out quick service bakery. They have all their pastries for the day on display, and they also have a list of their offerings to go off of as well. Staff were really nice and helped me identify the different pastries as well. As for the actual pastries themselves? Absolutely divine! If I didn't know better I'd never guess everything was vegan! Every pastry I tried was amazing. Once I took a bite it was hard to put it down! My favorite was the Orange Blossom Pain au Chocolat and the Cookie Butter Cruffin! I like that the menu is always changing so I can keep trying new delicious goods! My mouth is already watering just thinking about going back!
Definitely one of my favorite bakeries in tucson. They have such a distinct flavor and care for their items. Even when I have them at coffee shops I always know it's theirs. I took my mom some treats and she loved it so much she wanted to visit the store herself. It's great they offer both coffee and tea. I loved the mango basil danish they recently had and the strawberry cronut. Make sure to check their social media to see what they have that weekend or what is being served at their many partners. Parking is always easy here cause there's decent amount of spots and you can get in and out. Depending on the time there's a line but definitely worth it.
As a person with a dairy allergy, I was super excited when Houlden's opened their storefront and I had regular access to vegan treats. Their semi limited hours and rotating menu keep things interesting and it feels like an adventure every week to see what they're going to share with us. However, based on my recent experience I wouldn't recommend their custom ordering service unless you are very very patient. My perception is they must be extremely booked and busy with customs, so customer service and communication falls through the cracks. Based on my experience, I would have rather been denied the custom order because they didn't have the capacity to take it on, than have to virtually chase them down every other week for months to confirm details. Overall, I would definitely recommend Houlden's pastries and the cake we received was delicious, but the hassle of getting a reply from them almost ruined the experience entirely. Details: Recently I ordered a custom cake for a NYE party and had a rough time coordinating with them. I submitted an inquiry in late August with specifics about cake size, flavors, and timeline. They got back to me quickly to confirm they could accommodate the order, but every step after that was a real hassle. It took multiple emails sent from me to get one reply from them, and up to 2 months to hear back each time we reached out. We weren't able to confirm the specific details of what we were receiving or how much it would cost until 4 days before our event. If there was another vegan bakery in town we were as familiar with, we likely would've cancelled our request and gone elsewhere.
Scrumptious baked goods that are almost unidentifiable as vegan (you can't fool me, Croissant Dog!) Ever-changing menu that will satisfy any boulangerie lover, with a great selection of gluten-free offerings, too. Only open Saturday Thru Monday, and if they sell out, they close the doors for the day. No wonder the line can wrap around the building just before they open! But it's worth the wait when you do get in, even for non-vegans like myself.
6 months ago
I have had Houlden's pastries for many times but this review is for their custom order service. I reached out via their online form with example pictures of a cake I wanted for an event. Michael handled flushing out the details with me and then relayed them to Hannah. I had a specific request for a vegan and gluten free cake. With their recommendation on flavors, we landed on a chocolate cake with cherry filling. Coordinating timing and pick-up was easy and they were great to work with. My friend with celiac disease and another who has other food sensitivities loved the cake and so did my other friends. It was a hit. We love how it turned out! read more
5 days ago
7 months ago
Vegan or not, Houlden's pastries will blow you away. The flake! The flavors! The deliciousness! You won't miss the dairy, I promise. Sweet or savory, there's something you'll adore. Good luck narrowing down which pastries you're craving given the many, many options they sell daily. I highly recommend trying at least a poptart, brownie, hotdog croissant, and cronut. Just thinking about them makes me want to plan another trip to Tucson. read more
I still continue to love Houldens as I have from the very early start of Hannah's baking. I'm so very thankful to have a vegan baker in my town, someone who loves the experience of baking on a deep core level and show cases it. It's been incredible to see the growth and continued support, I'll be here the rest of the journey for sure. Donuts are now available and they are yummy and soft! The space, for those haven't been, is small and a walk in and leave space. Worth every visit. Everything is always made so well and the service is quick. read more
Beautiful, delicious, innovative, vegan bakery! This poor animal rights and social justice initiatives local and otherwise. We love this place. It should always be on your list, especially if you are visiting the area. read more
7 months ago
Houlden's Rise Above is THE BEST sweet and Savory pastries in Tucson. We grabbed a bunch of pastries from Houlden's! They are so great to order from, service is always fantastic and friendly. I like how it's just a pickup and go ambiance. Honestly an Easter tradition at this point. Always incredible. Easy 10/10. read more
Stopped by with kids while traveling through Tuscon and WOW!!!! We arrived near close so there weren't a ton of choices - probably for the best because everything looked amazing and I would have bought everything. We ended up getting a slice of raspberry lemon vanilla cake, a slice of cheesecake, a dirt and worms pudding, an oat tahini cold brew, and a croissant with house made blueberry jelly. The owner was extremely warm, welcoming, and knowledgeable. He patiently explained the day's offerings to my kids and I could see them beaming with joy at getting the full customer treatment. I was impressed with his coffee recommendations and his knowledge of food coloring. No red 40 due to animal testing - swoon. This place was the real deal - vegan for the animals, indulgent delicious treats. On to those treats - The cake - I felt like a kid when I saw this giant gorgeous bake, my eyes got wide and I knew I needed this cake. I was right, the balance of the tart lemon and raspberry with the rich vanilla cake. Perfection. I will be dreaming about this cake. Dirt and worms pudding - solid but I would probably choose a baked good over this one. It's just like the dirt and worms you are as a kid and the nostalgia is delightful. Chocolate cheesecake - loved the berry topping and the cheesecake was not too sweet. It wasn't particularly tangy but it was good and had a nice complexity to it. Croissant - awesome, as a vegan laminated pastry is a rare treat and the blueberry jelly is a lovely compliment. I don't know if it was a sourdough croissant or a cultured vegan butter that gave it the depth but that was a very nice surprise. Tahini Carmel iced coffee - Add tahini to anything and I will buy it. Tahini coffee is never seen before but I loved it and will be trying to replicate at home and likely will never succeed in the way Houldens did. read more
9 months ago
I've never bought from their storefront, but have loved every Houldens pastry I've tried from local coffee shops! The pop tarts are my absolute favorite- lift and flakey while being substantial too. The sweetness is always balanced well- not too too much icing on top, with delicate fruit or herb flavors in the filling too. Maple, rose, all the ones I've tried have been excellent! read more
16 days ago
11 months ago
A rotating menu with so many choices (savory and sweet pastries, cakes etc). The owners and staff's passion to sustainability, vegan/ clean living and serving the community exceptional deliciousness shows in their product and in their wonderful service. Of note, when you get to Houldens there will likely be a line. Do not let that deter you... the store front is small and accommodates 3-4 people at a time to order... but service is quick and the line moves relatively fast. There are not seats to dine in- but that doesn't stop me from stuffing my face in my car... because sometimes you just can't wait to bite into these beautiful pastries. Love the music and vibe in their space. They also serve coffee etc and you can also find their pastries in other local business. read more
6 months ago
My go-to bakery in town. My favorites are: glazed donut, fauxstess cupcake, oatmeal creampie, and peanut butter choc chip cookie!! Pastries are rich, but not overwhelmingly sweet in my opinion. Moist cake, decadent... you wouldn't know it was vegan. I look forward to the weekend knowing they'll be open again. read more
Houlden's never fails to deliver tasty vegan baked goods and treats. Non vegans can't tell the difference! This time got the picked these up (Pistachio raspberry cupcake, sourdough cinnamon roll, pizza galettes) at the bakery location last Sun but have often gotten faux- stess cupcakes from next door at Midtown Vegan Deli and different treats at Screwbean brewing. Other coffee shops that I haven't been to yet carry their goods as well. read more
4 months ago
This native Angeleno was visiting Tucson and a loved one recommended Houlden's Rise Above. This is a fully vegan bakery who also has gluten free items. As a gluten free girly, I'm used to gluten free offerings often being okay at best, so I was a bit skeptical. Let me just tell you the baked goods we got here today are the best bakery items we have ever had in our life. I know it likely sounds dramatic, but the food was phenomenal. We came a bit later in the day so not all the offerings were available, but we ordered the Raspberry Matcha Poptart, the Chicken Pot(hand)Pie, and the Arugula scone. There are truly no notes. Each of these items was perfection. The poptart reminded me of a nostalgic, delicious toaster strudel. The raspberry filling was perfectly sweet with just enough tart and the crust was crumbly and buttery. The "chicken" hand pie was the ultimate comfort food, and the arugula scone tasted like a cheddar biscuit. My husband and I inhaled everything in the parking lot right away because we were so excited. I could imagine slightly warming each of the items up would elevate them even more. The service was impeccable. Every staff member was so kind and amazing. I am absolutely devastated that we are not local, but the next time we are in Tucson, this will be our first stop! read more
9 months ago
2 years ago
I've heard so many good things about Houlden's and I am so happy I got the chance to finally check them out! I will say I wasn't expecting the space to be so small, it's definitely an in-and-out quick service bakery. They have all their pastries for the day on display, and they also have a list of their offerings to go off of as well. Staff were really nice and helped me identify the different pastries as well. As for the actual pastries themselves? Absolutely divine! If I didn't know better I'd never guess everything was vegan! Every pastry I tried was amazing. Once I took a bite it was hard to put it down! My favorite was the Orange Blossom Pain au Chocolat and the Cookie Butter Cruffin! I like that the menu is always changing so I can keep trying new delicious goods! My mouth is already watering just thinking about going back! read more
Definitely one of my favorite bakeries in tucson. They have such a distinct flavor and care for their items. Even when I have them at coffee shops I always know it's theirs. I took my mom some treats and she loved it so much she wanted to visit the store herself. It's great they offer both coffee and tea. I loved the mango basil danish they recently had and the strawberry cronut. Make sure to check their social media to see what they have that weekend or what is being served at their many partners. Parking is always easy here cause there's decent amount of spots and you can get in and out. Depending on the time there's a line but definitely worth it. read more
10 months ago
As a person with a dairy allergy, I was super excited when Houlden's opened their storefront and I had regular access to vegan treats. Their semi limited hours and rotating menu keep things interesting and it feels like an adventure every week to see what they're going to share with us. However, based on my recent experience I wouldn't recommend their custom ordering service unless you are very very patient. My perception is they must be extremely booked and busy with customs, so customer service and communication falls through the cracks. Based on my experience, I would have rather been denied the custom order because they didn't have the capacity to take it on, than have to virtually chase them down every other week for months to confirm details. Overall, I would definitely recommend Houlden's pastries and the cake we received was delicious, but the hassle of getting a reply from them almost ruined the experience entirely. Details: Recently I ordered a custom cake for a NYE party and had a rough time coordinating with them. I submitted an inquiry in late August with specifics about cake size, flavors, and timeline. They got back to me quickly to confirm they could accommodate the order, but every step after that was a real hassle. It took multiple emails sent from me to get one reply from them, and up to 2 months to hear back each time we reached out. We weren't able to confirm the specific details of what we were receiving or how much it would cost until 4 days before our event. If there was another vegan bakery in town we were as familiar with, we likely would've cancelled our request and gone elsewhere. read more
2 years ago
Scrumptious baked goods that are almost unidentifiable as vegan (you can't fool me, Croissant Dog!) Ever-changing menu that will satisfy any boulangerie lover, with a great selection of gluten-free offerings, too. Only open Saturday Thru Monday, and if they sell out, they close the doors for the day. No wonder the line can wrap around the building just before they open! But it's worth the wait when you do get in, even for non-vegans like myself. read more
8 months ago
3 years ago
I've been meaning to write a review for Houlden's Rise Above and am finally doing so in honor of #thankyouthursday! I had tried their vegan pastries at one of their wholesale partners (Presta), but finally made it to their brick and mortar shop a few weekends ago and left with a box of delicious pastries. There's a variety of savory and sweet pastries as well as cakes and cookies, and they come in vegan and gluten-free options. The menu rotates weekly. Recommend getting there early on the weekends so that you can get your pick. Though I'm not vegan, I love these pastries - so buttery without the actual dairy butter; the cruffins and cronuts have been my favorite. We pre-ordered the pumpkin pie for holidays next week, and I'm so excited to try that too. Glad to have this bakery in our Tucson community! read more
7 months ago
I went here on a Yelp event. We tried a few of their tasty treats and my favorite is the cupcake similar to the Hostess cupcake. It looks like the Hostess one, but that is where it ends. The chocolate is much richer, the creamy inside is much better, and its larger than the Hostess variety. You gotta try it. Not that it matters to me, but everything here is vegan. Often when there are extra adjectives (e.g. sugar free, vegan, faux, etc), the experience is sacrificed. Not the case here. This is hands down the best I have ever had whether it was Hostess or one of the other knockoffs I have had over the years. read more
Finding vegan baked goods that actually taste good proved to be quite a challenge. We heard about Houlden's and were skeptical but to our surprise this place has some amazing baked goods. We showed up to investigate their shop and found a small lobby and some really friendly people. My wife picked out some sweet baked goods and I assumed that because I don't eat sweets that they wouldn't have anything for me. Turns out they have a selection of savory treats that are amazing! I'm not big on the vegan meat or cheese but everything I've tried there has blown me away. Make sure to check their hours before heading down there but I'm telling you that it's worth stopping in and getting a box (or 3) of their baked goods. read more
1 year ago
I have been here multiple times and to other coffee shops that offer their baked goods on days when they're closed. They offer a variety of treats so there's something for everyone. I personally love their fauxstess cupcakes, cruffins and sugar cookies. The staff is always super helpful with helping me decide what treat I want to try and going over what they have that weekend. read more
11 months ago
2 years ago
I've been following along the Houlden's Rise Above journey since the inception. I got obsessed with their cakes online and I ended up winning an Instagram giveaway for a specialty cake, it was kismet! The ingredients they use are quality and the cake was beautiful. Most mornings there is a line out the door during store front hours and you can always expect to find something unique, flavorful, and BEAUTIFUL. The selection is huge when you get there early enough!!!! Anytime I have friends come visit from out of town we make a stop and I love how easy and organized it is when you order custom boxes of items. I wish there was outside seating somehow at the bakery. I will forever be a fan and supporter. Houlden's doesn't miss the mark! read more
3 years ago
Updating my review as I've tried a few of Houlden's other items and they're incredible. The fauxstess cupcake is one of my favorite baked goods I've ever had and their scones are amazing as well. I made a special trip to Midtown Vegan Market just for the fauxstess cupcake. Please add it to your other locations! read more
4 years ago
We have been ordering from Houlden's since she was a home bakery and are so excited that there is now a brick and mortar. It is a must visit if you are looking for good pastries, regardless if you are vegan or not. The croissants are so flakey and delicious. The other cookies and desserts are also sooo good. The cheesecake is probably the only item that doesn't quite taste like it's non vegan counterpart, but it was tasty nonetheless. The cold brew coffee was such a pleasant surprise. It's some of the best cold brew I've had. I was glad they offered a decaf option and a dairy free salted foam top. There is no sitting area so plan on taking your pastries to go. So glad to finally visit Houlden's bakery and can't wait to visit again! read more
3 years ago
Houlden's is amazing-- truly some of the best pastries and baked goods I've ever had and I would never have been able to tell they're vegan. I've loved everything I've ever sampled and was thrilled to see that they offer savory options. I recently ordered the Valentine's Day sampler and it didn't disappoint. The strawberry champagne pop tart was perfection and everything else was also delicious. I especially enjoyed both variety of cookies and my husband loved the brownie. read more
We've been here twice, and everything we've tried has been outstanding. I simply cannot comprehend how such deliciousness happens with no butter. But they manage to do it! This isn't a bakery you have to settle for because a relative is vegan (or gluten-free), it is a bakery you can go out of your way for, like we just did. If you don't know what an item is, they will help you to decide, but honestly, you can try anything and will enjoy it. They are very patient and knowledgeable and will lead you to what you need to take home and enjoy. And you should take it home, because the space is very small and we are not meant to linger. We're looking forward to coming back and trying some of the savory items sometime. read more
This was our second visit to Holden's. This time we got an assortment, a chocolate cupcake, a cherry and almond croissant, a bear claw and a chocolate covered and chocolate filled flaky deliciousness but I don't remember what it was called. This place is a real treasure. I can't believe that they make pastry this tasty and don't use eggs or butter. Their pastries rival any of the best bakeries in town. And, are may be better than some. read more
3 years ago
Always amazing thank you. Can wait till I place the Christmas order oh and place an order for the hostess cupcakes. read more
I'm not sure how I found out about this spot but I'm glad I did! I live all things bakery and did not realize we had nice bakeries like this! I saw on their website that they sell out so I knew I needed to be there as early as I could. They open at 10am on Saturdays and I got there around 10:30am. There was already a line going outside when I arrived. This is also misleading because the inside is really small! Only a few people inside at a time really. I chatted a bit with others in line and the line actually moved pretty quickly. I don't think I waited for more than 10min. Once inside the cashier was really helpful, answering any question and reviewing all of the baked treats in the show glass. The treats were all amazing! My mom and I got a mud cup, strawberry shortcake, a chocolate croissant, a strawberry mousse cruffiin and a coffee. We had no complaints about any of them. My favorite was the strawberry shortcake which was moist and fresh and so light! I will definitely be back! read more
10 months ago
I was super happy to have tried one of Houlden's summer box of pastries. I found the chocolate cake to taste a lot like what I remembered a Hostess cupcake was like. The cake was very soft/moist and super chocolatey, it was the best treat of the four options in the summer box. My second favorite was the peach danish. I zapped it in the microwave for about 10 seconds and it made me feel like it tasted as if it came right out of the oven. The peach flavor was a little subtle, but it the dough was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The ratio of sugar to pastry was perfect, each bite was the right amount of sweet. I believe the flavor of the cronut and croissant was lemon? Again, these two were crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, great sweet additions to our morning coffees. Thank you Houlden's! read more
5 years ago
Hannah's pastries are my favorite of all time and I love sweets. Considering both Vegan and Non-Vegan treats, I would choose Houlden's every time and it's even better I can indulge guilt free. Plus Hannah is the most kind and always works to accommodate custom orders for special occasions. We've ordered Poptart boxes from her and they're always a hit! We've picked up her goodies from Presta Coffee Roasters, Woops! Bakeshop, Coffee Times Drive-Thru, and Westover Farm. I always do my best to try something new each time! My top favorite of her regularly rotated items are her Chocolate Fudge or Apple Tahini Poptarts, Croissants, and Morning Buns. Though I was most pleasantly surprised by her carrot cake cupcakes, fully vegan, and absolutely out of this world. I can't wait for her store front, it's going to be so exciting to see her launch a full bakery and it's well deserved for someone providing the highest quality vegan treats to so many shops in town. read more
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Ask the Community - Houlden's Rise Above
Do they have any gluten free items?
I was there yesterday and they did have a few gluten free options.
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8 reviews that are not currently recommended
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