I am not normally a croissant person but these were excellent! I had the chocolate and almond - neither was dry which is hard to ever find and the flavor profile was well balanced - both were topped with almond slivers and powdered sugar which brought it all together. The almond was my favorite of the two but no complaints for either, I just loved the filling with the dough. Definitely a place I'd go back to! read more

Our coffee and desserts were amazing!! We had a box of 12 macaroons and our favorite had to be the cotton candy, which was a tough choice. I could tell everything was homemade and super light! read more

This bakery is amazing! I stopped by here on a random weekday and loved the strawberry and cream macaron and it was SO delicious I had to come back for a box! Truly, these are the most delicious macarons I've ever tasted, and I've had way too many! These have a great bite to them, slightly chewy texture and the smoothest, TASTIEST filling ever. I tried the Bridgerton themed Early Grey one to the double chocolate and black sesame, my favorites are the nutella (not too sweet but tastes heavenly) and strawberries and cream. I think everyone in the rtp should try these at least once!! I know it's going to be the hostess gift I grab whenever I visit friends from now on. They've got also a great selection of baked goods and the chocolate crThey've also got a great selection of baked goods and the chocolate croissants are perfectly flaky and delicious!ssiants are perfectly flaky and delicious! read more

Sweets by Shayda - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Checked out this bakery on the way to Durham since I had it bookmarked and wanted to try out their macarons. We happen to arrive as they were taking freshly baked croissants out of the oven so we opted for one of those as well. I was impressed with both and would return if I'm in the area. I enjoyed the variety of flavors available to choose from in regards to the macrons. I selected a 6 pack and liked the birthday cake flavor and salted caramel the most. The croissant was quite delicious as well. The bakery is located downtown so you will have to find parking, that was the only inconvenient aspect of it. It wasn't busy when we arrived so I wonder if they would have more customers if it were located in a section with more foot traffic or easier parking. Overall we had a pleasant experience. read more

Sweets by Shayda - Croissant - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I had a TooGoodToGo order here.Typically you pick those orders up right before closing. I arrived and parked across the street. The bakery is easy to locate. It's super cute and cozy inside. When I arrived the staff was cold, not inviting and seemed annoyed. I let her know what I was there for and she filled a small white bag with macaroons. They were so colorful! The kids and I enjoyed them! I would return to try more menu items. read more

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Lovely patisserie filled with delicious, beautiful desserts! While in Durham for a scavenger hunt, we stopped here for a quick treat. We were impressed by the beauty and variety of macarons. We purchased a few treats and enjoyed them as we walked through the city. Glad I remembered to take a photo first since the rose wall made the perfect backdrop. read more

Sweets by Shayda - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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What I ordered:* 12-count Macaron Box * Cookies & Cream * Tiramisu * Salted Caramel * S'mores * Café * Lavender * Pistachio * Black Sesame Yuzu * Strawberry Passion Fruit * Strawberries & Cream * Lemon * Raspberry * Lemon Lavender Mousse Cake I have a soft spot for bakeries--especially those with a Parisian flair--so they're always on my list when visiting a new city. I stopped by Sweets By Shady in the middle of a weekday, and while the shop wasn't crowded, it still had a welcoming energy. The staff greeted me both when I arrived and when I left, which I always appreciate. The packaging and presentation were on point--elegant, thoughtful, and totally photo-worthy. This was my first visit, and I can confidently say it won't be my last. Every dessert I tried was delicious, but I've marked my personal favorites with a . The flavors were bold yet balanced, and the textures? Just right. The Lemon Lavender Mousse Cake, in particular, was a standout--bright, floral, and silky smooth. If you're into well-crafted, beautiful desserts, this spot should be on your radar. read more

Sweets by Shayda - 12 macarons and Lemon Lavender Mousse Cake - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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I was introduced to Sweets by Shayla via TooGoodToGo. I got a surprise sweets bag. I received an assortment of colorful macarons. The flavors were delicious and well executed. They were the highlight of my day tbh. Service was short and sweet. The ambiance of the sweet shop is very light and airy. Beautiful location with parking out front. read more

Sweets by Shayda - Macarons - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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Parking is along the street or where ever you can find it. We lucked out and got a park in front of the store. It is so cute in side. There a few tables to sit, but they were full when I dropped in. My daughter loves macarons. We picked 6 ($16). They had other pastries and coffee. A selfie wall full of beautiful pink flowers is located in the front. The owner seems to be nice, maybe shy. She has a wonderful concept and her desserts are amazing. They are well packaged and made it safely home without being damaged through the ride. My daughter quickly opened the box of macarons as soon as she could. I'm not sure if they all made it through the night. She said they were delicious. We will definitely be back. read more

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So yummy! . Macarons, coffee, and customer service were 10/10. Can't wait to try their other baked goods

We heard that the items there were excellent and we were looking forward to trying some. We arrived at 9:15 Saturday. We greeted the young woman behind the counter. She was looking at her phone and went into the back without saying a word or offering to help us. Then another woman came to the counter and very nicely asked if she could help us. We asked about croissants, she said they were not ready, when asked when they might be ready, she said 15 minutes? That was the major reason we went there. So we went to Loaf and purchased a number of items. I wish the owner good luck. The first woman needs training or to be fired. Also, if you are a bakery, having items ready when people come in to make purchases seems extremely important. read more

I've ordered pastries a couple times from her stall in the chapel hill farmers market, and I just saw she has a shop in downtown Durham! At the stall, she has a variety of sweet and savory pastries, all baked to buttery perfection. read more

I went there today to check out their pastries and the staff were so nice and kind. I got 12 macrons that were delicious but the star of the show was their chocolate almond crescent. It was so delicious that I'm writing this review. That crescent is worth stopping by and getting. read more

This is hat love about Durham. You can find quality comparable to top cities. This sweet shop is a testament to that. Thanks for bringing these fantastic desserts to our city. read more

Taste of Carolina - Durham Food Tour - 23 Dec 2023 Wow, Taste of Carolina really delivered some excellent bites in Durham today. Our agenda today included stops at: Toasted, Boricua Soul, Queeny's, Bull City Burger, sweets by Shayda. All restaurants did an excellent job. There were six in our party. Here are my individual notes. Toasted - Toasted has been thriving in Durham for over a decade. They offer unique soups and toasted bites/panini's. We were served a cauliflower soup and an avocado crustini. I loved the cauliflower soup. It was surprisingly creamy and tasty. Two In our party loved the avacado crustini, Boricua Soul - This place is special. The husband and wife owners have a captivating story to share about the historical and Philosophical origins of their culinary adventure. They served us a "lunch box" with perfectly prepared Puerto Rican roast pork, greens (soul food) , Mac & Cheese (soul food) and tostones (Puerto Rican). It was a huge bite and was the favorite stop for 5 people in our party. Next time we attend a Durham Bulls game we plan to eat here. Queeny's - is a friendly, creative bar / pub. They served us upscale nachos and a glass of dry cider. The nachos were very popular. The dry cider was interesting and unique. They owner made us feel welcome and encouraged us to try the many well designed drinks and bar foods. Bill City Burgers - The owner do an outstanding job describing his unique commitment to serving only Greason fed beef raised locally and making every item served here in house by his team of chefs. The burgers were excellent. They were bursting with beefy flavor and cooked perfectly. Be sure to try the deep fried pickles. So unique and loved by all. Two in our party picked this stop as their "Best Bite" selection. Sweets by Sayda - our last stop offered devine French Pastries. Macrons, croissants and other delicacies were shared. Share these pastries with those you love. They will treasure these treats. Lastly, I would like to share our deep appreciation to the folks at "Taste of Carolina" food tours. Our hosts had to manage finding a fifth stop today since their schedule included a venue who had to close due to kitchen staff all falling ill. In addition, I was recently released from the hospital due to foot surgery. These made waking very difficult. Our hosts did everything possible to make sure I was included in all of the stops. We plan on doing these Taste of Carolina Tours in the future: Hillsborough, Carrboro and Winston-Salem. read more

Sweets by Shayda - Sampler plate - macaron, almond croissant - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

If I could give this 10 stars I would. Hands down, the BEST, macrons we have ever had! We got a 12 pack of macarons because it was so hard to decide. We went with (left to right): s'mores, champagne pop!, salted caramel, red velvet, birthday cake, tiramisu, strawberries and cream, raspberry, lavender, strawberries and cream, dark cherry cheesecake and lemon. Honestly, it is so hard to describe how good these are other than they aren't like the slightly crunchy ones we have gotten at other macaron shops. They are like biting into little clouds of paradise. So light, so full of flavor and not overly sweet. Pure perfection! Let's just say that they are so good, we have no shame in driving from Fuquay Varina to get some. lol read more

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Our treats were SO good!! Also got an iced coffee and that was perfect! Such a cute little place, would definitely recommend:)

Amazing smell and very friendly service. More macaron flavors than I've ever seen and sooo delicious! Cant wait to come back to try the croissants and continue working my way through the macaron flavors. Solid coffee as well making this a lovely place to stop or just swing by. read more

This is a cute little dessert shop in downtown Durham! The inside décor is absolutely ahhh-dorable. There's a flower wall to cross off of your Instagram bucket list. I ordered a box of the macarons, and I was so impressed by the number of flavors. There was birthday cake, pistachio, smore's, rose, lavender, jasmine and so many others. I'm so glad the person helping us was patient because I had so many questions on which ones to try! All of the flavors were delicious, and I thought each macaron was a good size with a good ratio of cookie to filling. I would definitely recommend Sweets by Shayda if you're looking for a tasty treat. read more

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I have been drooling over this place on Instagram (IG) for months and just needed the right time to go. Well for a New Year's Eve treat was the perfect time. My mom and I went in and so many things looked amazing. We selected 3 pastry items and I got 6 macarons. Parris Brest with pistachio cream - I wanted more pistachio flavor but the quality was top notch Opera Cake - a stand out for sure, such a strong flavor with a lovely cream. Lemon and Lavender mousse cake - the lavender was subtle which I prefer and the texture was divine. Overall, the macarons were a perfect consistency, the Tiramisu was lovely and coffee heavy. The Chai spice had some nice nutty notes. The others were lacking the robust flavor I would have wanted but overall were good. Overall, it is a place to try for decadent desserts that are beautiful and baked to perfection. I will be back to try more. read more

Sweets by Shayda - Pastry Case - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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On March 3rd we made what has become a now regular trek to downtown Durham to get some of the cakes there. Our favorites are the Opera cakes. We also enjoy the creative selection like the items in the photos below including an Eclair and a Hazlenut cake. We actually have yet to try the namesake Macarons. The opera cake in particular is so hard to find with a flavor like I was used to getting in France back when I traveled there regularly. So its really a treat for me. We are generally getting to know what Durham offers, coming from North Raleigh. Shayda is definitely worth the trip and is now one of our key regular stops in Durham along with Pizzeria Toro. Metered parking is available easily across the street during the weekday afternoons when we usually come. The staff is great to talk to about what is being made. Shayda is always there to answer any questions as well. Really everything we have tried is excellent so we keep trying more. The ambiance is classic french cafe actually and so I usually get a double espresso to go with the opera cake I usually order. Its rarely crowded when we come so getting a table has been easy so far. We often get things to go for guests coming over as well. Lovely family bakery. So fun. read more

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Just randomly walked by after walking through Central Park. It was the only store that was open in that little area that we saw so we went in, and was pleasantly surprised how good this was. Lavender lemon cheesecake. read more

Sweets by Shayda - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

Really excited to have another good dessert place in town! We came here on a whim after eating lunch in downtown durham and wanted some desserts. We ordered a variety of pastries and enjoyed everything. We love that the pastries are not too sweet! My favorite items are the passionfruit chocolate mousse and the chocolate hazelnut crunch. The chocolate mousse was smooth, rich, and velvety. The passionfruit flavor was just enough, so it didn't overpower the chocolate but actually enhanced it. The hazelnut crunch contained a lot of hazelnuts, and the name doesn't lie because you get a crunch with every bite. There was a subtle chocolate and hazelnut flavor, and they balanced each others well. We were immediately assisted when we entered, and our order was fulfilled in a timely manner. We got our order to go, but there were seatings if you wanted to dine in. read more

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Such a cute sweets shop!! I'd say some of the best macarons I've ever had ! If you're in Durham, stop by ! read more

Sweets by Shayda - Macarons - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

I stopped in on Saturday morning and got a six pack of macarons, and an iced vanilla latte. They had so many fun macaron flavors to choose from, but I tried: tiramisu, key lime, cotton candy, birthday cake, cinnamon toast crunch, and pumpkin spice. If you are like me and love a good photo opp, there is a beautiful flower wall to pose in front of with your treats, and the shop is dog friendly. Need I say more?! read more

A variety of macaron flavors and the three I tried were all delicious: s'mores, mango and coconut, and birthday cake. The shop also sells pastries and coffee. read more

Sweets by Shayda - a menu on a wall - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

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After reading all of the wonderful reviews, I couldn't wait to have a taste of this place. The shop is small and cute, with a very instagram-esque pink rose wall. There are at least 5-6 small tables on one side of the wall if anyone wants to dine in. We came to try macaroons, one of the cakes (Rose cake), almond croissant, and their coffees. I thought the rose cake was a bit disappointing. Unless you had a bite of the strawberry jam, located on only one half side of the cake, it just tasted like whip cream surrounded by a thin wall of white chocolate. For 8 dollars... this was not worth it. It's cute though! For the macaroons, I thought the flavors were really hit or miss. I really enjoyed the Earl Grey and Coffee flavored ones, and the smores where the "burnt" spot was located had a lot of flavor. But the birthday cake, champagne, and even nutella just all tasted the same ... vanilla and sugar. Now for the best part of the whole order - the almond croissant. If I come back - it would ONLY be for this magical pastry. It had the advantage of coming fresh out of the oven, but OMGOSH this was the best almond croissant I have ever had. It was flaky, crispy, warm, a little gooey in the center from the delicious almond filling, and basically perfection in a croissant. The only thing that could make this better is to lose the powdered sugar on the top. Taste: 3/5, but croissant alone is 5/5 Presentation: 4/5 Recommend to a friend?: No - unless for almond croissant Consistent: 1st time Cost: $$$ Parking: Street parking, or parking deck within 20 feet read more

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Brought my friend here because he is getting married and wanted to bring some sweets to his future wife when he introduced her to us (he is from out of state). We came at 9:15, which is 15 minutes after they opened on a Saturday. The good thing is that the sweets are amazing. We got a ton of things and spent a bit of money here. This place is not a cheap bake shop, it's more of a bakery you come to when you want to splurge. We got a ton of macarons, 2 macaron cakes, and 2 miscellaneous sweets (red velvet mousse & something else that we gave to a friend). The macarons were light and fluffy. The sweets were just delicious.. the red velvet mousse was light, creamy, and had a caramel that was probably the best caramel I've ever had. We really really enjoyed the food but I have taken a star away for service. We (all 3 of us) thought that the people "helping" us were kind of cold... I'd like to think that it's just because it was a Saturday morning & they were just waking up but we just felt like we were an inconvenience to them (we were the only people in the store, the whole time). Overall, we would like to come back. The sweets were really good. read more

This is the cutest little bakery. If you love macarons, this is your new place. They are yummy! Please check out the massive variety of macarons and pastries. read more

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Newest business to the Durham food scene specializing in French pastries. They are currently soft open until 10th Jan (12-4 PM) and fully open starting 11th Jan. They have a wide variety of pastries such as croissants, princess cake, eclairs, but the macarons were the highlight. I got half a dozen macarons and a vanilla-caramel eclairs and it was amazing! Both the pastries tasted super fresh and flavorful. They store is beautifully decorated and there are some tables to sit inside. There's paid street parking outside the store, but the parking is free on the weekends, but there's also a parking deck nearby. Cannot wait to go back to try some of the other pastries they have to offer. read more

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I have been shopping with Sweets by Shayda since she was at the Chapel Hill farmers market. If you want high quality patisserie's, then Shayda is your girl! She has a wide variety of macarons! She just opened up her store front in downtown and you bet I will be back! Her bakery is so spacious. I sat inside with my friend and we ate our macarons at a safe distance from everyone. Shayda also offers hand sanitizer! I'm so exited to go back and try more of her goodies. As someone who can't eat gluten, I am so happy we have an amazing shop like this! read more

Sweets by Shayda - 6 pack of Macarons! What a cute neon sign! - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

A great find on our trip. We loved the chocolate croissant, the hazelnut chocolate pastry, and all 6 macaroons we tried. Super friendly people and the place is immaculate. read more

This is a brand new establishment, although I believe the owner has a following from her previous popups or farmers market stand. We visited the very first weekend they were open so the offerings were not extensive just yet (we're sure they'll get there). We enjoyed our coffees, croissant, and a delectable hazelnut crunch pastry. They had a wide variety of macarons and some other pastries as well. One of the decorative features is a wall covered with fake flowers, which looks pretty cool. This is the only French pastry shop in the downtown area in the same structure as the new-ish parking deck. I'll have to go back and get an eclair (one of my favorites) at some point. Follow them on Insta for great pastry pics and temptations. read more

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Just visited the new space in downtown Durham to pick up some macarons and was not disappointed. There were fewer flavor choices available than their instagram posts showed but still 8-10 choices. Super friendly guy helped us out and hooked us up with a large macaron/cream cake as well as 18 macaroons. Just starting to dig in but all of it is great. My personal favorites so far are the lavender and the raspberry but looking forward to dig into the rest of them. Highly recommended read more

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The people at the bakery were extremely friendly and helpful. Croissants, macaroons, and a chocolate passion fruit mini cake were purchased. Everything we tasted was truly awesome. I can not wait to go back and try more items!! There is also a beautiful selfie wall of roses just inside the door! read more

Sweets by Shayda - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

The pastries were excellent as well as the croissant and the petit pain au chocolat. Top quality!

These are hands down the best macarons in RTP, heck I'd even go far as saying they're as good as the ones I'd had in Parisian bakeries or at Laduree locations. There's a perfect crust to the macaron and just the right sweetness. The flavor shines through and isn't overpowered by sweet at all. I could finish all of the box in a sitting if I wanted. The plain croissant is also so perfect, the right amount of flake, no unnecessary sweetness and I can't wait to try more pastries and flavors. I am surprised more people aren't raving about this place, it's to die for. read more

Sweets by Shayda - a box of macarons - Desserts Near Me - Durham, North Carolina

We ordered a chocolate hazelnut crunch cake and grabbed a few macarons while we stopped in-holy cow!!! Each flavor was intense-the wafer light and crisp and the crème smooth and wonderful: salted caramel, lemon, lavender... each one was just great! And the cake... wow. Almond layer that was moist with a subtle crunch to the bottom, a chocolate layer, creamy hazelnut and chocolate inside, a fluffy and flavorful frosting-Not too sweet, and the crunch!!! Seriously might be the best cake I've ever had!!! Went back and tried the almond chocolate croissant, and it hits the mark, too. You have to try this wonderful bakery!!! You wlll be in love! read more

This shop is incredible!! The tiny cakes are delicious. We had - the chocolate hazelnut one. The cake isn't too moist, nor too dry. The crumbs add a fun crunch. The top has an unexpected mousse. It looked simple but way surpassed expectations. I really don't think you can go wrong with any of the mini cakes, simple looking or not. - the pumpkin. The white chocolate pairs so well with the pumpkin spices. The caramel core oozes out and isn't overly sweet. The mousse texture is unforgettable. Also the macarons - don't pass these up! These are more dense (but still light) than the ones you would get from Costco or Wegman's, and I would happy choose one of Shayda's over others I've had in Paris. The texture makes it clear they were handmade by a trained professional. I tried the tiramisu, pistachio, and passion fruit chocolate. Each one brought out the flavor of the ingredient more than the sugar inside the cookie. Wow!!! Ask Shayda about her story - she trained in Paris at one of the top cooking schools, trading out her career in professional services to chase her dream. And I'm glad she did! read more

If you want fantastic macarons and delicious French pastries this is the place to come. I was recommended to this place by Offline for my monthly try this and fell in love. If you want recommendations I suggest the Tiramisu Macarons and any of her Mousse cakes. Since it's around Valentines Day we purchased some bon bons and can't wait to try them. It is a little pricey but if you know the work that is put into making a macaron then it makes sense. read more

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