We were heading into town for a seminar and I needed a strong coffee. We stopped here and got in…read moreline to order a sandwich and coffee. The clientele was a very rough bunch. Not sure if their was finishing or starting. But the sandwiches were definitely worth the wait. We had egg, bacon and cheese in a Cuban bread that was put in a press. They were warm, tasty and very filling. I had a large black coffee with no sugar. The young lady raised her eyebrows when I said no sugar. The coffee was excellent and it hit the spot. I never would have found this place if it wasn't for my friend. I am told that it is a landmark from1969. Don't judge a book by its cover or you would miss this place.

For those expecting Cuban, desserts, and snacks: turn around fast!…read moreBut I mean fast!! It's not Cuban. It's bullshit. No Cuban, sodas, no Cuban snacks, no Cuban coffee, no Cuban anything. Keep driving.

My Italian Grandpa has always said these are the best cannolis so you know it must be true. We…read morepicked some up yesterday and they definitely did not disappoint! The ricotta filled with chocolate chips are so good. Mini cannolis are $2.50 each. The perfect treat

I visited modern pastry in Boston and was very pleased. I expected the same quality here and was…read morevery disappointed. I went shortly before they closed, and while they still had product, much of it felt very stale. When I asked what some of the treats were as I wanted to try a variety of "new" things, I felt I was being a bother and they just wanted me to hurry up and get out. I will go back to my favorite place in the city and skip this the next time I pass through.

Mozzicato's is a true Hartford staple. Mozzicato - De Pasquale's Bakery & Pastry Shop on Franklin…read moreAvenue sets a standard that most spots just can't touch. While the pastries are classic and exactly what you'd expect from a high-caliber Italian bakery, the real gem is the Italian ice located in the cafe. Good lord, the flavors and quality are on a different level--this isn't that Rita's or DQ garbage. The chocolate and strawberry combination is specifically incredible, honestly better than Godiva chocolate-covered strawberries. It provides that deep, rich profile and authentic taste that defines their Itallian vibe. One professional tip for anyone stopping by: bring cash. The cafe doesn't accept cards, and you don't want to be the one standing there empty-handed when you're that close to the best Italian ice on the planet

Omg this place is to die for! We were in town and were told to try this place and I'm so glad we…read morewent. This place is so busy which speaks to how bomb their bakery items are. I think we were being greedy and ordered the pizza bread, stuffed croissant and carrot cake. The pizza bread, the cake and stuffed croissant was bomb! The cake was moist and the frosting was not too sweet. The service is to die for as the staff are friendly and helpful with all your questions. I can't wait to go back to eat this again. lol

Oh wow!!! This is a dangerous place - waayyy too many goodies and not enough room in the stomach!!!…read moreLove the idea here, everything (other than drinks) is self serve. I really appreciate this as someone who likes to take their time and look at everything. No pressure with a line behind you. And everything had signs to tell you what it was. Savory, Sweet and everything in between. Drinks were okay - definitely not the highlight for us. Clean and kept up, nothing looked forgotten or old. Staff was friendly and welcoming. Answered questions if you asked. Not really a lunch or dinner place but more of a snacky sweet treat for yourself or girlies to sit around and chat a bit. Definitely worth the drive and plan on spending more than expected - because you will definitely choose more than expected. In a good way

Everything but baguettes, not bad but generic, pricy…read more Missus was hankering for a cake, and we noticed this new shop right next to her preferred cake place. Being adventurous, we took a detour and decided to give them a try. Inside is a large dining space and a slew of bakery counters. All filled with all manner of baked goods. Pastries, donuts, cakes, and muffins all littered the space in plexiglass containers. You get a set of tongs, get a box and pick your desserts. We get a smattering of bakery items. We also get a couple of drinks to give them a try as well. The servers were nice and accommodating. We took our bites home to give them a try over the weekend. The immediate bites, okay but more pretty than flavorful. Like an Italian bakery, they have very tasty looking items but no substance. The ube iced latte I got was weirdly thick and gritty, and the missus's Arnold Palmer was too tart. The mochi donuts were a little older and a little greasy on the pallet. So they were not as soft but still tasted good. The sturdier bakery items fared better over the next couple of days. Their croissant cookie was my best bite, 3 mini croissants welded together with two chocolate chip cookies. It was tasty. The stuffed croissant had a cocoa powder finish on the chocolate coating and was a bit tough to eat when I got to it. The missus enjoyed the mini cheese croissants, and the rest were not memorable. There was a spot for baguettes, but it was a singular basket away from the registers which was empty. A shame too, was hoping to try a baguette from the baguette place. For 65 bucks, the price is up there for the quality provided. It's very impressive looking desserts, but it just doesn't deliver on flavor. If pictures for the 'gram matter more than substance then this place will work wonderfully though

I recently visited Le Banh Patisserie for the second time, and once again found myself overwhelmed…read moreby the quality of the baked goods within. I find that most bakeries drown their flavors in sugar, glazes, and frosting, while the pastries offered at Le Banh Patisserie deliver the perfect balance of taste and texture without being cloyingly sweet. If you are a fan of crossaints, you owe it to yourself to give these a try - they are golden and flaky on the outside with an incredibly buttery and airy center, and baked to perfection. Whether you choose the almond, chocolate, or classic butter, I guarantee you won't be disappointed, and will likely feel as if you just stepped out of a Parisian café. The scones are equally delightful with a crisp exterior while remaining soft and moist in the middle, and abounding in flavor. Also, be sure to grab a Doodle cookie (or two) before you go, and give the Vietnamese coffee a try - you'll be glad you did. Above all else, the owner/baker is one of the friendliest and most personable people you are likely to meet, and I could have spent the entire afternoon talking with her. After complimenting her on the quality of her treats and contemplating the lack of decent bakeries in the area, she was generous enough to recommend other establishments which she thought would be worth trying. In addition, after telling her I would love to possess her skill, she encouraged me to give it a try and even gave me a few resources with which to begin my baking journey. Overall, I can highly recommend this hidden gem as perhaps the finest confectionary I have ever had the good fortune to stumble across, and would honestly suggest to anyone that they would be doing themselves an incredible disservice by failing to stop in one afternoon and give Le Banh Patisserie a try​

I really wanted to have a great experience with this bakery, especially since this was our wedding…read morecake. The cake itself was beautiful, but unfortunately that's where our positive experience ended. We ordered a lemon cake, and when we cut into it at our wedding, there was absolutely no lemon flavor and the cake was extremely dry. My husband and every guest who tried it said the same thing. No one even knew it was supposed to be lemon until I told them. It was also the only dessert we served, which made it even more disappointing. I reached out afterward hoping the owner would at least acknowledge that something may have gone wrong. Instead, I was repeatedly told that she knew the cake was made correctly and that she had personally tasted everything. I was offered a discount on a future cake, which honestly didn't feel like much of a resolution after being so disappointed with our wedding cake. What bothered me most was how the situation was handled. As a small business owner myself, I understand that things can go wrong. I wasn't expecting perfection I was hoping for some accountability and an effort to make things right. I sent one final email explaining how disappointed I was and never received a response. The cake looked beautiful, but unfortunately the taste and the customer service afterward left us extremely disappointed.

Not sure who is doing the cooking, but not a traditional Brazilian chef food was very bland…read moremediocre quality they need to pick up their customer service and also improve their food quality

One of my favorite places to grab a bite! They have the best coxinha in town--fresh and tasty. The…read moreservice can get very busy in the morning, so make sure to call ahead, as they sometimes sell out. The staff is Brazilian Portuguese and understands Spanish. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of their food. Check them out!

Peaceful little shop located on Pratt St. After my walk through Bushnell Park today I ventured over…read moreto Bloom for a bite and an iced coffee. Fresh floral arrangements, specialty niche gifts and goodies available for purchase and a quiet quaint refreshing atmosphere.

I recently attended an event at Bloom Bake Shop, and it was such a lovely experience. They have a…read morecozy little area upstairs that's perfect for small gatherings, complete with a comfy couch and a warm, inviting atmosphere. Afterwards I stay downstairs and experienced the coffee shop. I ordered a gluten-free breakfast sandwich, which was really good. The bread was a bit firm, but I actually appreciated that since most gluten-free bread tends to fall apart. This one held up nicely. My honey latte was absolutely delicious, smooth, perfectly sweet, and beautifully made. There's also a cute outdoor seating area, great for relaxing with coffee on a nice day. Parking is on the street around the corner, since the street the shop is on is closed to cars and open to pedestrians only, which adds to the charm of the area. You order at the counter, get a number, and they bring your food right to your table. When you're finished, you clear your own dishes to the bin, which keeps the place tidy. I also noticed the staff going around regularly wiping tables and keeping everything clean and welcoming. Overall, Bloom Bake Shop has a great vibe, tasty food, and friendly service. Definitely worth checking out!

"A lady that I know just came from Columbia She smiled…read morebecause I did not understand" (Ringo Starr) If you can manage to grab a parking spot on crazy busy Park Street, I strongly recommend that you do so and reward yourself with a visit to the Monte Carlo Bakery. Their menu reflects their Colombian heritage and brings breakfast sandwiches, hot pressed sandwiches, pastelitos, breads, pastries, savory goods and coffees. They have a real following for their gorgeous celebration cakes, which you'll see proudly displayed in their front window. I picked up some odds and ends yesterday- an assortment of sweet and savory pies. We split a meat and potato pie and a chicken pie last night, and they were both stellar. The thing that really struck us was how much filling was there. Check out the cross-section photos I posted. It was like $6 for both of these, and they were excellent bargains. The woman behind the counter was so sweet and friendly. We did have a bit of a language barrier and did a lot of our communication by pointing, nodding and smiling. When she saw me take a photo of a wall mural in the front of the store, she pointed to the back of the store and walked me over to an even larger and more gorgeous wall mural. That was an awesome, wordless interaction!!

I went in for Too Good To Waste, I don't recommend it. The man did not seem to know what he was…read moredoing. I'll never go back