Sub Rosa Bakery is the kind of place that makes you consider moving to Richmond just so you can call it your "local." This time was no difference from the first time I had it. Every time I see that machine in the back I just think they creamating their baked goods. If your anywhere near here this is a must stop for. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Sadly, it's nothing special anymore. Don't know if it's the new oven, recipe changes, flour changes or staff changes, it's just not great anymore. Based on yesterday's disappointing purchase ($50 for 8 pastries), I'm not even sure I'd say it's good. Not sure I'll be back or continue to recommend the place. The AH-mazing sour cherry-pistachio croissants just didn't taste the same. They weren't as sweet/caramelized and the dough texture was different. The braided croissant sprinkled with powdered sugar was slightly bitter tasting, the dough looked darker and it had a faint taste of umami from what I can only assume was a savory croissant it must have touched. It too tasted off, not sweet and buttery as usual. read more

Reopened after a major fire (occupational hazard in the baking industry I guess), this place is a European-style corner bakery that mills local grains and puts out top quality baked goods. While it is a busy place, I had a short wait in line on a weekend (albeit a terrible weather day). I was unable to try everything I wanted to try, but the crew I brought it for enjoyed various options, including a mouthwatering sesame seed flatbread and an airier polenta loaf, as well as various sweet and savory pastries. There was a small amount of space to dine in and hot beverages are offered. On a nice day, It's a good location to sit outdoors nearby. In terms of the appearance, taste, and texture of these baked goods, they were top notch. read more

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Sub Rosa Bakery offers a cozy, welcoming atmosphere with a beautifully designed interior. The bakery features a unique selection of both sweet and savory baked goods. We especially enjoyed the sour cherry pistachio croissant, which was soft yet flaky and made with fresh ingredients. The chai tea latte was a bit subtle in flavor and could benefit from a bolder profile. Lines can get long and seating is limited, so visiting early is recommended. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

RIP Sub Rosa, RIP High Fluffy Layers, RIP Oversized delicacies, RIP Wood & Fire, RIP Price Justification, RIP James Beard worthiness, RIP Old World craftsmanship, RIP ChurcHill Pride. It is with the heaviest of hearts I write this review but nonetheless a review of the complete truth, do not lie to yourself friends and neighbors for you know what I speak of. To the owners Please, PLEASE do the right thing or at least change your name from Sub Rosa to Sub Par. Thank you read more

Finally tried Sub Rosa after so many years and I so agree with the general population that it's the best bakery in Richmond! Great to see they have revived the space after the fire. And the revival showed because there was quite a line on a Saturday morning! The line moved quickly and the space is pretty big so once you are inside it's not super tight or crowded. They definitely sell out of things but do a good job replenishing throughout the morning too. I got an iced oat milk latte which was delicious, made with afterglow coffee! We split the chocolate almond croissant, cinnamon twist (?), and currant scone, all were fabulous but the croissant was definitely my favorite! read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Amazing. Croissants are prefect, bread amazing. Show up early for best selection and get in line.

Got there at 5 minutes before opening and there was already a line! Ordered an almond croissant and drip coffee to-go. Both 10/10 read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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The cutest spot for fresh delicious treats. The service was on point. The window view is just perfect. The choices of treats were great and the price for the quality is very fair. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Roasted Carrot & Muhammara. - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Parking can be a bit tricky but it is well worth the walk with all the carb pastry heaven you are about to embark on. This wood fire bakery is located within a little neighborhood and the line seems intimidating at first but it is well managed and moved pretty quickly. You can see what they have through the windows or we would just do deductive inventory as people would be leave with their baked goodies. Lots of sweet treats, artisanal breads, and beverages to go with it. The pastries were so flaky and perfectly balanced with the slight saltiness of the dough. It does get busy and we ended up with a different loaf of bread than we had ordered BUT the substituted load ended up being some of the best bread ever. The space inside is clean and has tables for you to enjoy or sit while waiting for your order. I cannot wait to go back. We will go right before we head home so we can bask in the sub Rosa goodness on the way home. read more

You can only say positive things about sub Rosa. They have the best baked goods in the city. The croissants are extremely flaky and delicious and their other sweet desserts are fantastic. Their bread is some of the best in the city and across the border, their prices are fairly reasonable for the quality of baked good. On the weekend line could be very long and they will sell out of most baked goods. You can pre-order before Thursday and then pick up on the weekend. The shop is small but during the week it's a nice place to sit for a few minutes while you eat your pastry. On the weekend I would plan to sit outside or take your pastries to go. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Pastry's are so delicious. Service is top notch. Ambiance very inviting. So glad they were able to rebuild after the fire.

Sub Rosa is my favorite bakery. I have been coming here since it opened. I currently live in LA, own a food business, and have travelled through Europe and the US visiting many great spots. This spot is the best bakery I've been to in the US. The attention to detail in both pastries and bread making is special. Their flour is very distinct and you can really see, taste, and feel the difference. They have a cute spot in Churchill that really sends you to old world Europe and I love it. It feels very earnest and I love seeing the owners in the back working, insisting on top quality. Please try it out! read more

This is a bona fide bakery. Just walking up to the store, you can smell the wonderful aromas floating by. They seem to specialize in breads and croissant-based pastries. I love that the pastries allow the ingredients to shine and were not overly sweet. They also serve Turkish tea which is a nice bonus. Vibes: small, cozy bakery with a little bit of indoor and outdoor seating. Street parking. Many people seem to take their orders to go. Pastries are displayed by the cashier in a display case, and breads are behind the counter, along with the menus. Fig tart: 5/5, flaky base with custard layered with fresh figs. Simple but exquisite execution. Perfectly balanced as all things should be (hello Thanos) Definitely my favorite. Raspberry chocolate croissant: 5/5, the combination of dark chocolate and raspberries make for a sublime sweet/bitter/tart combination that is mellowed by the flaky yet chewy pastry Pain au chocolat: 4/5, a classic. Not much to say, it's solid but there are other fun options haha Salami croissant: 3/5 I'm sorry I forgot the actual name of the pastry but it had Italian meat in it. I love savory pastries, but this one was a bit jarring- the meatiness didn't seem to fit quite well with the delicate buttery pastry. Quiche: 3/5 same flaky crust with a creamy egg center. Again, I love savory pastries but this one was also just a step below their sweet ones. The pastry was chewy but the egg center was incredibly soft, with the vegetables' texture making a very apparent appearance. I thought it was quite a heavy pastry, but definitely had nice flavors! I'd love to try their bread next and will definitely be going back for their sweet pastries and Turkish tea!! read more

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When anywhere near Richmond during Sub Rosa's hours you better pull up. But do expect a line when they open until close. This quaint bakery in Church Hill does things the old fashion way with a wood fired oven that makes all the difference in taste. My visit around 8 AM on a Sunday found a challenge to park and a line a block long. I knew I had arrived at the right place. They have been on a try list for a few years. With a flight in a few hours I was a bit nervous, but it all worked out as they are just 10-12 minutes from the airport. The building is a charming two story with awnings. The neighborhood is one of the oldest in the city adding some charm. However not far is a lot of blight. I felt safe as I finally found my way to their front door after approximately 35 minutes. However you will make friends trust me. The counter of goodies is immediately as you walk in. The place is small but offers a few tables to enjoy your pastry and coffee, they also offer a few tables outside. The brick oven is the hero as employees work hard to pull off trays of bakery items to replenish the depleting cases. They have a policy of only 8 per customer. Larger orders call 48 hours in advance. I decided on a few items like a basic croissant, a chocolate croissant, a crumb cake and something with potatoes. I was eating in, but also taking a box out. So I informed them what was for here and also a cappuccino. It's pricey as the bill with 20% tip was just under $40. The service was friendly at the counter. I did chat with a staff who said their baking process begins by loading the oven with wood and firing around 2 PM for the next day. She jokingly said you would not want to be here it gets real smokey. The restroom in the back was clean. The pastries came out quickly on real plates with real metal utensils. Thank you! The cappuccino took much longer and was mistakenly put in a paper cup which was disappointing. Every single item was tried and magnificently tasty and fresh. I left very satisfied that I supported a local business as well as found such a gem of a bakery to recommend. The visit had one small hiccup that I will ignore for the purposes of their overall composite score of a full 5 stars. Sub Rosa has been in business for 13 years and has always had the same technique of making all their bakery items. I will hopefully return this year. My only regret was not hitting the max of 8. read more

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Wow!! The bread here is spectacular! I pre-ordered a loaf of the classic bread and a plain croissant, which means I got to skip the line. The bread was awesome. So delicious! The staff was friendly. The location was cool. I was so impressed by the quality of their breads. I highly recommend this bakery, a carb-lover's paradise. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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My friend suggested we checked this place out while in Richmond because he heard a lot about it as a fan of baked goods. We went there after running the Richmond Marathon so I basically couldn't move and arrived wearing my medal because I didn't give a damn anyway and was so hungry. Given it was a Sunday afternoon, their available baked goods was limited comparatively at that point. I'd love to come back earlier in a morning. But I really enjoyed the pastry that I did get as did my friends with the ones they got. Definitely would return again when back in Richmond. read more

Talk about a place that lives up to the hype. Our anticipation for Sub Rosa had been building for quite some time because whenever we finally muster up the time and energy to go there, it's either closed or sold out (which speaks to its severe popularity). Everything in the display case looks incredibly delicious - and between the chocolate almond croissant and the sour cherry pistachio pastry, we were absolutely blown away. The perfect crisp with every bite of that flaky pastry - such a delicate and elegant fusion of flavors in both pastries. The cashier was super helpful in assisting me with choosing something and the service was fast + the pastries still hot. Seriously, nothing will top this one in Richmond when it comes to pastries - arrive early and eager! read more

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There aren't any good pix of our box of goodies because we inhaled everything. First of all, be warned that the parking is limited and you'll be waiting on line to order. We got our oat milk lattes and chocolate croissants, a mushroom and cheese croissant (I know, sounds weird but it was soooo savory and yummy). read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Just updating my review to say that Sub Rosa is still my favorite bakery in Richmond. You do not want to miss their incredible baked goods, cozy vibe, and cool bakers. The inside part is open again and is great for getting some work done or meeting up with friends. They also have some seating available outside which is nice for a fall day. My go to orders are the pain au chocolat and the classic loaf. The pain au chocolat has quality ingredients. The rich delicious chocolate and buttery (almost sour-doughy) croissant pastry are a match made in heaven. The classic loaf is amazing because I find that it almost tastes even better the second day. I love buying fresh bread, but find that it goes stale quickly. I don't have this problem with their classic loaf. Sub Rosa Bakery is such a Richmond staple. If you haven't gone already, I highly recommend it. It does get busy on weekends, but the line is worth it. There is free street parking around the area. It's near some great parks so is great to stop by for picnic goodies. You'll order up from and they'll call your name or order when it's ready. Everything you order from Sub Rosa is bound to be delicious. read more

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This place is like a hug for your soul, They should feed this pastry to angry people, it can be better than CBT therapy. The layers, can you see the layers in the pic? That shit SLAPPPS HARD! Great service, the staff is sweet and kind, and all smiling. But how can you not be smiling if ur surrounded by pastry. And cool ambience, minimalistic but cool. If i lived in RVA i would be a fatty cause of this place. read more

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This quaint bakery is amazing. The baked goods smell and look so good. Unfortunately, I could not taste the bread or breaded offerings, but the two people that were with me ordered the ham and cheese croissant and said that it is delicious. The pricing seems perfectly fine to me, since it is handmade onsite and looks like it is done with care. I was able to order the espresso and it was so good, I went back for it the next day. I did get to try the chocolate chess which is so rich. Just how I like my chocolate. I didn't have any milk at my work site, so I had to save it. So delicious. That should be offered every day. The staff were welcoming, nice, and accommodating. i wish they had some meat offerings for those that may nit want bread (other than beef, pork, or vegan). Yet, it is a bakery, sooooooo.... I understand. I do want to buy a loaf one day. they look like they have just the right amount of crust on the outside and will be oh so soft inside. *sigh* read more

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Be prepared to wait in line! But yes it's worth it. The flat bread is delicious. The eggplant tart /pastry was another highlight. All of the pastry seems based on their laminated dough which is perfect - so flaky! If you are in Richmond, and you like bread or pastries. you must stop by! read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Sub Rosa has been on my RVA food bucket list for awhile now. I finally got to try them while on a food tour. Y'all upon first glance this place seems like your typical bakery. Look closer!!! The magic of Sub Rosa is their wood fire oven . They are the only woodfired bakery in the state of va! Fun fact-There Less than 10 wood fire bakeries in the country which makes us super lucky to have a bakery like this in our area! Now to the good part, everything is tasty but my personal favorite is the pan au chocolate!!! It's a mouth watering buttery warm hug of a treat!! The bottom line Sub Rosa is a must try and a super important part of the RVA food scene. Check them out. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Wood fire oven where the magic happens - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Favorite bakery in Richmond. Excellent pastries and breads and good dark coffee. Seating is limited. Very popular on the weekend. Order at the counter and pick up yourself. Friendly staff. Everything is delicious. read more

I love a good bakery and was very excited to try this place in Richmond since it was named one of the best bakeries in the US! They are a brick oven bakery so their baked good are extra special. The croissants all had a buttery and flakey texture that paired well with the different sweet and savory flavors inside. My favorite pastry was the fig and cheese; it tasted like a charcuterie board! We ordered online and they had all their online orders neatly organized and ready for pick up. We didn't have to wait at all! We sat down for a bit to nibble on some of them. They also have some tables right outside to sit at on a nice day. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

So this is a must-do while in Richmond VA. Firewood burning oven cooking all bakery items. The line is already there no matter the time but it moves. 4 at a time seating is available because most people take orders to go. So we stayed to take in the full ambiance of this cool establishment. The aroma of the firewood cooking the pastries. After making the line and you order your choices from the bakery. You sit and now the reward begins. Fresh bakery, the croissant, the morning bun, and the pistachio sour cherry croissant. OMG! Everything you order from this establishment I can bet you will be amazed. This gem is needed in everyone's life whether your a VA native or visiting. This is now a stop in our lives. As you know my slogan is "Kudos" to this establishment for using a wood fireplace oven to cook the bakery goodies. read more

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Best Richmond bakery hands down!! The few times I visited, we went in the morning around 11 am and there were few parties ahead of us, but didn't take longer than 5-10 minutes before reaching the door. They still had a decent assortment of bakery items, but would recommend going earlier for more options. Their pastries are so so so flakey with all their layers. So far, I've tried the shisito peppers & cheese, mushroom & cheese, pogaca, squash pesto & cheese, roasted tomato pesto & cheese tart, ham & cheese, earl grey tea cookie, and fig & cheese. They are all delicious and you can't go wrong with any of them, but my absolute favorite is the mushroom & cheese (always love the savory ones). read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Mushroom & cheese (left), Shisito peppers & cheese (bottom), Squash pesto & cheese (right), Earl grey tea cookie (middle) - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

I was torn on writing this review because Sub Rosa is such a wonderful and delicious bakery that as a patron I would hate to see this bakery become one of those places with huge lines with people waiting to go inside and truthfully it would be worth the line. Goodness gracious, this is one of the best croissants I've had in my life and I've had many croissants. The pistachio cream and pistachios were delicious, but the sweet cherry was the sneaky ingredient in this decadent pastry, providing tartness in a way that didn't over power the pistachio and instead created an explosion of flavors. My partner ordered the plain and chocolate croissants. Frankly, I was so tied up with my pastry that I couldn't focus on his order. I also highly recommend their coffee, it was pretty strong and perfectly roasted. I can't wait to be back in Richmond to try some of their other pastries! read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Plain croissant and chocolate croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Sub Rosa never disappoints! Great service, people always friendly and helpful! I'm so happy they're open to sit inside again! As you walk in you get all the delicious smells of fresh baked bread and pastries! Absolutely best Chocolate croissant in RVA for me! Huge, crispy but soft to bite in with a bit bitter chocolate in the middle! Scrumptious! Over the time I tried many things here and they're all delish but that chocolate croissant is out of this world! Their coffee and teas are also good. We had cappuccino and latte - all prepared well, no need to add anything to it, coffee tastes just as it should not overly bitter! Great with that chocolate croissant! read more

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Sub Rosa Bakery seems to be the place to be in the morning for your cup of caffeine and baked good in Richmond. We visited Sub Rosa Bakery on a Saturday morning and the place was packed! After checking it out, I can see the appeal. Located not too far of a drive from downtown Richmond, Sub Rosa Bakery's corner building is on the smaller side, so get here early, especially if you want to dine inside and hang out. In addition to seating inside, there were a few tables outside the shop. I noticed many people making Sub Rosa Bakery their morning office, working on laptops over a pastry - all the more reason to get here early. The menu featured a large selection of carbs and a full espresso bar. Depending on what you come here for, on specific days they make certain kinds of bread, with its schedule displayed on the wall. The pastries in the display case had a good assortment of savory and sweet. I ordered an earl grey tea and shared a bread pudding, Cottonseed and fig preserve croissant and tried a pogaca, a small Turkish pastry filled with feta. Of the bunch, I enjoyed the bread pudding the most, especially since there were chunks of chocolate in it. The bread pudding had a good consistency of moist, dense texture with a crispy outer edge. But I enjoyed everything I tried. The Cottonseed and fig preserve croissant was tasty. I love cheese and fig together, and was particularly excited to try an Appalachian cheese, Cottonseed, which is a goat's milk cheese. I recommend for anyone visiting the area to try it for some local flavor. Pogaca was a nice bite or two of something savory, with its feta filling and sesame seed shell. It was my first time having a pogaca, and I have no complaints. I'm glad we were able to check out one of Richmond's gems, Sub Rosa Bakery! I loved how lively the place was, with locals reading and conversing with one another here over pastries and tea and coffee. If you're in the Richmond area, I recommend checking out Sub Rosa to start your day. read more

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I could walk to Sub Rosa if I wanted to, though it's rare that I visit. I have only gone on weekends so I can't speak to how it is during the week. I'm always concerned about the selection. They had online ordering during covid which made it easy to know what was in stock and claim what you wanted. Now you have to try to arrive as early as possible. I last visited slightly before 10am on a Sunday and waited in a small line about 15min. The line has grown to 10 parties by the time we got to the front. They have limited seating so I would plan to take your order to-go. Their pastries are super flakey and you can really see all of the layers. I wish they had more filling though. All of the pastries I've had taste pretty similar (buttery, flakey pastry) until you get to the filling. If you're going on the weekend, expect a wait and don't have your heart set on anything as they often sell out. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Selection at 10am on a Sunday - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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OK just go. This place has some of the most amazing pastry I have ever tasted. Light, airy, flaky and delicious. We got cinnamon sugar loaf, lamb borek, almond croissant, plain croissant, and pistachio cherry roll. Plus a latte. ALL great. Service was efficient and the vibe is friendly neighborhood bakery. Yes--do not miss this place!! read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - The line at 9 AM Saturday in early April - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

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Earl grey tea cookie - very fragrant and had a strong Earl grey flavor. The cookie itself was soft but not chewy. Sour cherry & pistachio croissant - the croissant was flakey and the sour cherry and pistachio were well balanced. Fig & cheese croissant - normally not a huge fan of fig but I really liked this combination of flavors. It was very subtle. Quiche (peppers) - this was so good! The egg was seasoned well and the crust held everything together without falling apart. Seeded braid - my favorite! It was simple - the braid was fluffy and soft and the seeds added a nice crunch. Eggplant pepper tart - came close to being my favorite. The eggplant was flavorful and the tart was crispy and buttery. read more

Been here 3 times and employees were rude and had attitude two of them. The 2nd time they completely screwed up our order and apparently we should've just not mentioned it? Embarrassing for this to happen when we are bringing in visitors from out of town to try a supposedly 'can't miss' bakery. It is also interesting to see pride flags and other messages supporting equality for all but in reality if you look a certain way you will be treated differently. read more

Visited during a day-trip to Richmond; was highly recommended this place. Although the store is rather small, and they only a limited selection, the available pastries were phenomenal, and the staff easy-going and helpful. Solid spot to visit if you have a day to yourself in Richmond. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Einkorn Croissant and Lamb Borek - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia

Went on a summer morning. The line was outside the door but it moved quickly. All indoor seating was taken but we were luckily able to snag a table inside. Pastries were delicious. Staff was nice. read more

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Updating my review from a year ago. SubRosa is the Tartine of Richmond. Although you may wait in line(it's worth the wait) the staff is quick, efficient and friendly. Just a quick tip, if you know you may want a Saturday morning treat or have guests coming, do a preorder (48 hours ahead); this allows you to avoid missing out on your favorites and still having an opportunity to order seasonal options. If you're visiting Richmond, I implore you to not leave without coming here. read more

If you ever want to feel like you're doing the people behind the counter get a favor by purchasing their goods, shop at Sub Rosa. Good food, not the most welcoming people. read more

We came at 2pm and were very sad that all the pastries had sold out. So fyi they sell out often before noon. However, I am so glad we stayed because the remaining items we LOVED. The chess pie and shortbread cookies were incredible. We bought two more packs of shortbread cookies to go. The mocha latte with oat milk also amazing. My sister went back the next day and brought us chocolate croissants and raisin croissant and they did not disappoint! Also cute setting with a couple outdoor tables. read more

Sub Rosa Bakery - Front door sold out sign - Bakeries Near Me - Richmond, Virginia