Why does Mercer Island have an abundance of fantastic bakeries?…read more La Fete is a petite pastry / coffee shop that has amazing pastries. The earlier you come the more likely you will get to eat the delicious pastries, but if you come past 11 AM you likely won't find much. Their croissants are always on the menu, but many of their pastries are seasonally available so you have to come back. I haven't tried their sandwiches yet, but those pastries are amazing. The staff here are so nice too! Super tolerant as my indecision took over my brain seeing so many pastries! I think not having anyone behind me helped with that - a rare slow moment - because once the door opened I waved the white flag, asked them to pick me 3 of their favorites and off I went. The only problem with that is I can't recall the names of what I bought. The croissant, easy. The little puffy pastry with big sugar flakes and apricot that was very light? No clue except it was delicious.

Really enjoyed this little cafe! The pastries are baked in house and are delightful. We had the…read morealmond croissant and the raspberry chocolate croissant and both were excellent though I preferred the almond. Espresso was solid. They also have small baguette sandwiches that I'd like to try next time. There was tons of traffic on a weekday morning. Overall a small space with a few small tables inside and an outdoor patio with more tables which will be lovely as the weather gets warmer, but we were able to grab a table. Great place for catching up with someone.

Make no mistake...we are coming back for the torte…read more... But the service with a smile, our bagel sandwichs, perfectly blended latte and hot tea exactly as ordered helps too!

We visited Shawn's Bakery on Mercer Island for a Sunday lunch. It's a cute little spot, but be…read moreaware that there are only a few outdoor seats. The bakery was quite busy, with a steady stream of customers. The selection was a bit limited when we arrived, possibly because it was late on a Sunday. We ordered a turkey panini and a coffee. The panini was perfectly toasted with nicely melted cheese, though I wished it had more fillings. I also found the coffee to be on the bitter side. We want to come back to try their challah and pretzel rolls next time!

We went to check out this location since we hadn't been before. We ordered the salmon quiche and…read morecroque monsieur. Both came with a side salad which was nice. We also ordered a baguette to go. The service was a little slow but friendly. I liked that they had all the different pastries and desserts on a table in the front so we could see what was being offered.

It is a nice environment. Veg omelette was cool looking. It was bland. The salad was tasty. No…read moredressing.

Recently moved to Bellevue from Seattle and of course was desperate to find a new brunch spot with…read moreallergen-friendly options, and WOW. Bellden Cafe has it all, we've already gone several times I'm obsessed with the ube mochi waffle, it is soooo delicious (not too sweet, incredible texture and flavor). Their matcha is also lovely, I got matcha with rose syrup both times I went (so immaculate). I've turned into a bit of a matcha snob, so always looking for some good options and they hit the spot. The service is incredible, literally the people working there are the nicest people everrrr. Even on a super busy weekend morning, they were so accommodating, so friendly and even remembered us from just one visit! Really fantastic team, they really make the whole experience even MORE lovely. And the interior is jussssst so gorg!!! The decor is immaculate, there's lots of space (even when it was crowded), would be a perfect place to work from during the week, even their outdoor tables were very clean and cutie. Absolutely love, this has become a new staple of ours since moving to the east side! brunch girlies rise!!!

This spot has received numerous awards and recognition over the years, so I was glad to finally…read morecheck it out with a friend on a recent Sunday morning. When we walked in, most of the indoor tables were taken, but we got lucky and snagged one right as a couple was leaving. They have a pretty extensive drink menu of coffees, teas and smoothies alongside a food selection of açaí and yogurt bowls, breakfast sandwiches, waffles, toasts and salads. Prices do seem rather steep for food (particularly for the waffles), however, this business has a great philanthropic mindset that helps explain the price points. Whenever someone orders a specialty drink, they donate some of the proceeds to a charity. + LATTE w/ MISO MAPLE syrup ($5 for 12 oz. + $1 for syrup): The coffee itself was so good - robust, with a perfect balance between the espresso and milk. I was so excited to try this unique syrup flavor, but sadly, I didn't taste it at all. No umami from the miso and not even a hint of maple. I'm not sure if this syrup is just extremely subtle, or if it was simply forgotten. I really hope it's not the latter, since I paid extra for it. + MATCHA CHIA PUDDING ($13): The bowl may look small, but it was deep and the portion turned out to be filling. A Greek yogurt base was beautifully layered with matcha chia pudding, a strawberry-rhubarb compote, granola and rose. I loved the compote which had the perfect sweetness of ripe strawberries and a little tang from the rhubarb. The matcha pudding was on the milder side, but smooth in consistency, contrasting nicely with the crunchy granola. My friend ordered the Açaí Bowl and really enjoyed it. The serving looked reasonable for the price as well. Overall, the two of us had a wonderful time here catching up over a healthy brunch! Tip: They have two small rooms available to reserve for parties of 4-6 if you're looking to secure seating for a group.

When I am in Seattle this is definately on my to-do list. Nice walk from the apt and Amazing, down…read moreto earth staff. Lots of great items to choose from. Cant wait to try more things.

It's been awhile since I've been to Both Ways Cafe, and the atmosphere is still quiet and…read morewelcoming, with plenty of retirees and families coming and going through the squeaky door. I was greeted with a smile by a server whose name I didn't catch. I ordered a breakfast burrito and a spinach-havarti scramble with home fries and a biscuit. My wait wasn't long, but I did step outside for a bit since the sun was shining. I figured I'd soak up a few rays before the rain returned. After a few minutes, the young lady came outside and handed me my bag. My first mistake was not checking my order before heading home. When I opened the bag, I found my burrito, which was large, packed to the brim, and looked great. Then I opened the container with the scramble. I'm honestly not sure if I was given someone's half-eaten order that they had asked to have packed up, or if the kitchen decided to make a scramble with one egg. The portion was extremely small, especially considering the price I paid. I could literally count the home fries, and the scramble looked like it contained one egg. I also left a cash tip, so I was especially disappointed with the portion I received. The burrito was good and generously filled, but unfortunately, the scramble was a major letdown. At this point, I'm not sure if I'll be returning. For the price, I expected a much more substantial meal.

We went for a walk to walk off our dinner and somehow ended up here. The place was empty. The 2…read moreworkers were very sweet and kind to us as we were trying to figure out what we wanted to order. Donuts were good, nothing that stood out to me but still always worth coming by to grab some.

Found originally in Portland Oregon in 2003, Voodoo Doughnut (with their iconic Pink color) was one…read moreof the first gourmet doughnut shops on the West Coast, selling large, unusually flavored pastries to the masses. There are now 26 locations across the country, 2 of them in the Seattle area (one in downtown, and this one in Bellevue). I stopped in to pick up some doughnuts for the family as I was walking back from the light rail station, and found that they were quite good. There is a closed display case with the various options shown. The cashier was friendly and explained the special flavors that they had. They are open till 11pm, meaning they make their donuts throughout the day and the four that I got (3 yeast glazed [$2] and 1 soccer themed specialty [$5.50]) were big enough to share. I think the price reflects more of the time and effort to make/decorate a donut, then the ingredients itself. Two bucks for a glazed raised donut this good is a steal, especially in this area. There is space inside to sit and dine-in, along with a few beverage options. It wasn't busy when I stopped in at 4:45pm, so my order was packaged quickly and I was off. We all shared when I got home, and everyone agreed they were really great donuts: large, not too greasy, with a good ratio of filling to pastry. Next time, I'll try some of their cake donuts...not usually a fan, but worth exploring, I think.

I love Flour Box and I definitely think it's worth trying IF you're dedicated enough to try. Their…read moredonuts are undoubtably delicious and pretty, but their line most days are LONG. They release weekly flavors and have yet to put out a flavor I didn't love. Though, don't sleep on their other baked goods or drinks either. If you wanted to enjoy your donuts right away, they have a really cute outdoor seating area as well. The line is no joke though. They're only open Thursday-Sunday until sold out, which they do every day. Make sure you check their Instagram to stay updated on the line status and whether you're still able to join it or not. Their line is especially long when they have savory flavors. On these days, I'd recommend going before opening and waiting rather than coming after. Sometimes it's already too late by then. The staff are all amazing and do their best to serve you as quickly as possible, but it will still require quite a bit of waiting. Highly recommend Flour Box if you want to but come early and be prepared to wait.

Swung by Flour Box again this time on a Friday around 11AM and the wait was a breezy 25 mins to get…read moreto the front. There were still plenty of donuts for everyone in line at the time, but they also keep their status updated on their Instagram so you can swing later in the day if you're local. The flavors at Flour Box rotate so there are 4 options at a time and there's usually at least one that'll resonate, but the consistent through line is the dough is always pillowy soft and uber fluffy. I was a big fan of the genmaicha and pineapple flavors, but as a coconut hater, pleasantly surprised by that one as well. Definitely recommend just sampling at least one of each if you're lining up anyways, but you can skip the line if you place a mass bulk order. They also had zucchini bread with whipped butter and it had a satisfying, sugary crunch on the top. The bread was still warm, super moist and the fattiness of the whipped butter was the perfect extra richness.

I really like their bean flavor, it's very aromatic and smooth. Great location with that opens…read moreearly with lots of tables for those who like to study and do some work. Nice vibe and atmosphere as well.

Last Frontier Coffee opened up about a year or so ago and is located next to the Toyota Michael's…read moredealership. This place used to be the old Tully's Coffee 20+ years ago and more recently Cypress Coffee, which it's closed its doors a couple of years ago. It's a great central location on the eastside, just off of I-90. The interior is modern, well-lit, and spacious. They have board games and plenty of tables for sitting, studying, and working. I would say 90% of people there at around 11am on a weekday had their laptops open and earphones in. The table I sat at could've been wiped off a bit better, but other than that, the bathrooms and interior were clean. Last Frontier features a seasonal menu which this summer includes a Mango Matcha, Blueberry Latte, and Butterfly Iced Tea. Outside of their seasonal menu, their menu is pretty standard, but they use a special coffee brand from Japan which I hope to try maybe in the future. They additionally serve a limited variety of pastries from Macrina Bakery. I ordered a regular ICED MATCHA ($6.75) with oat milk (+0.75). With tax and tip, my order came out to nearly $10, which is pretty steep even these days for a drink. I will say that the matcha had a nice gradient and color to it and that based on the color, they use high quality ceremonial matcha and not the cheap yellowish green matcha that many cafes use. However, it was somewhat watered down and did not have any microfoam at the top, indicating that the ratio of water to matcha was too high. Given that Last Frontier is more of a coffee shop than a matcha shop, this is to be expected. So I will say that while itt's not the best matcha out there, it's also not the worst I've had either; it's passable. Also, the drink came unsweetened by default I guess (which I personally prefer), but just putting it out there for those who are used to having sweetened matcha :) One qualm I have is that they don't have prices on their menu which I think should be transparent to customers. I also don't like how the keypad for tipping is so close to the register and facing flat up that the baristas see exactly how much you are tipping. Furthermore, I'm not a fan of shops who charge more for alternative milk. In my opinion, just because you are lactose intolerant, you shouldn't be charged more, but it seems remain a common cafe practice despite Starbucks removing the extra cost for plant milk from their menu. Overall: 3/5 for drinks, 3/5 for atmosphere, 3/5 for service

Super cute, and amazingly friendly bakery full of delicious goods during limited hours…read more Located at the end of a small, understated building storefront I wouldn't know Miriam's Bakeshop existed had I not been gifted a voucher to redeem for a free item. looking at their website I saw how on Friday's they have cinnamon rolls. I ended up ordering a couple items for friends and the cinnamon roll was for me! And wow. Just wow. It was so soft, with a cinnamon deliciousness, and I thanked the stars that this was only available on Fridays and due to limited hours hard for me to get there because otherwise I'd be 20 lbs heavier by a month. It was amazingly good!! And the gentleman working here was so sweet and enthusiastic. I appreciated his warmth and recommendations. But I could not linger as this little bakery sure gets busy!

I stopped by Miriam's Bake Shop last week and took home a Challah, Nutella Babka and loaf of Rye…read moreBread. All three were delicious and perfectly baked. I shared the Nutella Babka at a family gathering and everyone loved it. It was so moist and flavorful. The staff member who helped me was super nice and very helpful as well. Unfortunately I forgot to take pictures after I opened each of the breads, wish I had. Next time... . Highly recommend!!