As per the norm, other Yelpers suggest and I obey (particularly when venturing forth into the smaller towns of NC where no Baker has gone before). As per the norm, I'm very glad that we listened, as T. Distefano's Bakery takes 'pastry power' to a whole other level.
Let's get things straight here: despite any hint or suggestion to the contrary, this isn't a 'coffee shop'. It's a bakery that sells drip coffee, which is quite different (as has been explored in an earlier review). Don't get all worked up if you think that donuts, muffins, and more should automatically come with espresso delights - that's just your not-really-European-but-you-think-it-is-because-you're-a-Starbucks-bred-American caffeinated sensibility talking. Distefano's isn't about waking up; it's about bringing about a delicious-induced carb coma, with occasional jolts of sugary goodness.
We stopped here prior to venturing into the maw of the capitalistic beast (i.e. Tangier outlets), and it provided our two nap-less little girls with just enough M&M cookie energy to carry them through the outlet-shopping without a complete and total meltdown. The cookies seemed massive prior to our actually holding them, and when our girls actually had their little paws on the things, it became apparent that distance and non-glare glass doesn't skew the actual size of baked ridiculousness. See the photo - their cookies were as big as their faces, and they loved them.
I got an apple turnover (crispy, chewy pastry crust spewing forth chopped apple gooey sweetness - 'spewing' isn't usually a great verb, but trust me - it works here) and my beloved got a almond something-or-other (that's portrayed in another of the pictures here). She geeked on it, describing it as densely sweet and crunchy. She also bought a half-dozen of their glazed donuts (some stuffed with fruity stuff, some plain). When it was all said and done, it cost us just over $12, which wasn't bad at all. I ended up going back in to get one of their huge blueberry muffins, which I ate today - even a day later, this thing held its moist, berry-stuffed consistency.
Friendly, helpful, and patient service, with the fellow helping us talking through each pastry with my wife (who, bless her soul, loses all ability to make food-related decisions when it actually comes time to order anything).
It had plenty of tables inside, and a couple of outside tables with chairs, where we sat and stuffed our faces in the warm North Carolina sun. We'll be back. read more