I found a great hidden kosher bakery in the neighborhood. Wonderful treats are displayed on an island table as you walk in. The gal helping me was so delightful. She explained all the interesting breads and treats at the bakery. I like my desserts to be on the less sweet side and she made some wonderful recommendations. I ended up getting some kichel which are soft cookies rolled in sugar and a dark roast pour over coffee, which is made to order. She did say kichels are addictive and are like potato chips. The bag comes with 6 pieces. I should have ordered a box of 600 pieces. The kichels didn't even make it home! The prices are very reasonable. Casual. Plenty of parking. Please come and create your own adventure. read more

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Cheryl and Team - It truly was a blessing to have you in the Irvine community! Your small business brought us the best challah bread, wonderful pies, and delicious waffles. I'm saddened to hear of your closing--it will be such a loss to our community. Thank you for all the warmth and flavor you shared with us. read more

Love coming here and getting their black and white cookie. Delicious and quite tasty. Friendly staff great service. I like how you can see into the kitchen. Interior of store very clean and well kept. Will be back here soon. read more

The Blessed Braid - a display of cookies and pastries - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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This bakery is in among a few eateries within an Irvine business complex which is usually overrun by Blizzard employees from across the street. I was on my way to an appointment in the area, felt hungry, and stopped in this complex to get a bite to eat at a cafe. Afterward I noticed this bakery which had a sandwich board out front, pitching their various flavored lemonade drinks. I went inside to order a lemonade and noticed their cookies and logically thought that lunch shouldn't be complete without a dessert. So I asked for a chocolate chip cookie too. There is no seating inside this place - it's a bakery with an interior window through which you can see bread and pastries being made. But there was a single small table with chairs outside where I was advised to sit and relax and my drink and cookie would be delivered momentarily. And they were! The cookie was delicious with countless tiny chocolate chips. The cookie itself was fresh and moist. The lemonade had a perfect balance of citrus and sweet. It was cold and refreshing, a perfect drink for this warm day. The woman helping me was very sweet and kind. I hope to return to the area sometime to try their other drinks and bakery goods. read more

The Blessed Braid - a woman sitting in a chair in front of a bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Loved everything about this place! It smelled amazing when you walked in the door, it was so cute and everything was so clean and tidy, the shop as a whole was just beautiful. The lady that helped me was so lovely, she explained all of the different treats and breads, and what was in them/flavors and patiently answered a few questions I had as I did not know much about Kosher food, she was amazing and so very helpful. The guests that I purchased the food for RAVED about how delicious everything was, especially the challah bread! If you're looking for a great kosher bakery in Orange County, this is your place! read more

The worst experience! I've called and asked them if they can make a vegan challah meaning no egg in it. They made something that looks like a blob of dough. The owns did nothing for me didn't offer a refund just said that's because there is no egg! Wow just great customer service. read more

The Blessed Braid - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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Interesting little bakery located in Irvine. Like how they have koscher non dairy baked good. I really like their black and white cookies. Their Belgian street waffle and traditional challah bread are also quite tasty. Interior is very clean and staff super friendly. read more

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I was looking for 12 vegan cinnamon rolls, and a quick Google search brought me to The Blessed Braid. I inquired via email, and Cheryl was quick to respond. We coordinated the order through email, and I was able to pick up the rolls two days later. Cheryl was super pleasant to work with, and she was quick and kind with her responses. And the vegan cinnamon rolls - to die for! The woman I purchased them for loved them, and every non-vegan who was hesitant to try them all commented on how they would have no clue they were vegan if I hadn't said anything. The cinnamon-y dough was chewy and the frosting was perfectly sweet. I'll be going to Cheryl at The Blessed Braid in the future for my vegan and gluten free treats. read more

What a wonderful bakery! I like their soufflé cookies, their challah of the month, and their absolutely delicious waffles. There is always someone with a smile available to take your order. I'm not familiar with a lot of the items so they are super friendly in explaining what the items are and how they make them. The place is always spotless and there is a window where you can see all the magic happen. Bring your family to check out the delicious baked goods and don't forget to get some of their kosher confections and desserts. read more

I found this place on the "too good to go" app and got the $3.99 non dairy kosher surprise bag. The description said that I might get 1-3 items but I was surprised to get 4 pastries! I would definitely recommend them and will definitely be back. The person who helped me was really sweet and helpful and I really felt welcome. read more

So excited to find this little bakery! It's the first Kosher Jewish Bakery in Orange County! Brand new, soft opened. When you enter their bakery, you are confronted with a large rectangular table of their delectable goodies. You can also have a peek into their kitchen through their transparent glass window. The staff was SO sweet and helpful. She patiently explained the items to us and processed our order with a smile. They had 5 different types of challah breads!!! We ordered freshly baked challah, the Butterscotch haystack and the kichel sugar pastries. We loved their goodies and will be back! Highly recommend stopping by! read more

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Wow! What an amazing bakery!!! Cheryl at the Blessed Braid bakery in Irvine is so good!! The vegan Challah is delicious and the right size for 2 people. We almost ate the entire loaf and the vegan Hamantaschen, vegan black and white cookies and the vegan almond drops / wedding cookies?? Omg! Just go!! So happy to have found this bakery!! Will be back next week! You can order in advance!! read more

Amazing Jewish bakery which has a very clean store front and reasonably priced bakery items along with a very good rotation of new items weekly. I also like that they do big orders and have great service staff, always very friendly. read more

I love this bakery. Sorry I didn't come sooner. Super nice staff, amazing treats. Definitely be coming back soon.

We actually ordered 2 Challah bread for Rosh Hashanah through Bengies. We were disappointed that they were not the braided challah bread, but they were more oddly shaped steeped and round. They were very dense and not moist. Although, you could tell if it were fresher, it would have a better flavor. I've never had this type of challah bread before. Maybe people like it? But, I definitely was not a fan. read more

Amazing, best to order in advance though because they sell out quickly. Amazing cookies and breads

What sets places apart for me is customer service and high quality food. The Blessed Braid has both! The staff is super helpful and friendly and they can explain all of the yummy goodies! We've tried a few things and the stand outs are the chocolate soufflé cookies, coffee cake muffins - perfect for meetings! and Belgium waffles! A must try for high quality and unique baked items. Oh and I can't forget to mention the chocolate chip challah loaf! We love it fresh or as French toast if it lasts a few days in our house! read more

The Blessed Braid - Coffee cake muffins! - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

It is very difficult to analyze this place. The various cookies I have eaten are excellent. The small piece of bialy I've eaten so far is good with lots of onion and a spiciness (chili powder?) that make it enjoyable. The raisin challah is also good but not great; on the other hand, the regular challah is the worst I've ever eaten. I suspect the reason for this is the very strict religious strictures placed on it making - no butter, milk or eggs. So my answer is ' go for the cookies or the bialys but leave the challah alone'. Okay. read more

This bakery has super fresh baked goods. Their waffles are the best waffles I've ever had. Not too sweet, don't need syrup and are super fresh. Ive tried about everything and it's all great quality and unique. I love how the baked goods are dairy free parve. It's nice to have a Jewish bakery here in Irvine, there aren't many Jewish foods places around! read more

The Blessed Braid - Waffle - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

The cookies were excellent. The oatmeal cookie was the best oatmeal cookie I ever ate. I was so sad they only had 1 left because I could have eaten a dozen by myself. The staff was very friendly and accommodating, and the interior was very nicely decorated. read more

Bread with apple chunks was amazing. Unfortunately, the cookies were disappointing. The chocolate crinkle cookie was hollow, and black/white cookie very dense and heavy. Never had a black/white cookies with that texture. Service was excellent. read more

The Blessed Braid - Black and White Cookie - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

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Got sufganiyot here for Chanukah. They were very good, everyone liked them! They had a dense bready texture, which was different than other donuts, but tasty. We got the raspberry filling which was really good! read more

Amazing! Just a great bakery with a clean and quick experience. Loved the specials.

My mom ordered challah rolls for a party and they were some of the best challahs I have ever had. When she arrived to pick them up, they were fresh out of the oven. Excellent customer service, too! I highly recommend. read more

It's so nice to find a jewish bakery in orange county. I went here with my girlfriend and picked up some chocolate challah and little butterscotch haystacks. The challah was so delicious and fluffy and the butterscotch by itself was worth the trip out! We definitely have to come back here. read more

The Blessed Braid - Challah - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

This is where I get my Honey Cake Chala and Belgian frost bread. I just kind of discovered this place 2 months ago. But did not have a real chance to visit yet. I walked inside to check out several baked breads and cakes.They have a variety of bakery goods and Vegan choices for those that are vegan. I love this place. Bit pricey on some items, but so what. If you want the best, you pay the price. read more

Stopped in for some last minute treats for Chanukah.. As expected, they were sold out of a lot of goods, but I was still able to get an abundant amount for my family. Everything was delicious and the staff was very accommodating and helpful. read more

Saw the Blessed Braid while stopping at the Peruvian restaurant in this small center. No visibility from Alton Parkway. Decided to make a small purchase and keep in mind when I needed Jewish Breads, pastry and bagels. Strictly takeout. Growing up in Philadelphia, I a choice of Jewish Bakeries. Hoping to relive my youth. Being in SoCal, I personally was disappointed. But if you are a homegrown Californian, the place is fine. The bakery is Kosher and I believe non dairy. I had a Mini-Challah and a Raspberry Donut. Both were good, but not my style. Being old and lazy, I have started to prefer less dense baked goods.I really wanted some Rye bread or Pumpernickel. Have to special order. For me, way too much planning. The people were very nice, helpful and graciously handled my very small order. Prices were commensurate with Specialty Shops. read more

I looovvveee this place, what a gem. I preordered 2 dz sufganyots for Hanukkah and they were ready at the appointed time and carefully packaged... not to mention delicious. While I was there I was tempted to get a Raisin challah and it was the best decision I made all week. I took it to my parents and it was gone in less than 24 hours. It reminded me of my mom's homemade babka in a way. Love love love read more

I went to the bakery with my boyfriend because he was really excited to try their challah bread. The place did not disappoint. We ordered the plain challah and the chocolate marble challah and our favorite is the chocolate marble challah. We also tried other pastry desserts like the pecan drop and the butterscotch haystacks. The staff were also friendly and nice. Definitely check it out! read more

The Blessed Braid - The bakery setup - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

Was excited to try the Knish, but I was disappointed. Very dry and to much pepper. Balbka was ok, seemed undercooked, rubbery. So just 3 stars , prices were OK and the owner was very nice read more

Oops my previous review meant to say gluten-free scones... that I was so excited they made gluten-free, scones.... But as mentioned, , I drove over an hour to find out, they had to be ordered in advance‍ which I think should have been mentioned when I sent them the response I would be driving up that day .... read more

I absolutely love The Blessed Braid. Not only do they have delicious and unique treats, but the owner Cheryl and her staff are so kind and accommodating. I've reached out to the owner multiple times about different orders I wanted to place and each time she was thorough and patient. They are always on time and accurate. They go above and beyond. Thank you!!! read more

This place is amazing. Everything I've tried here is delicious and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. It has a boutique feel with all of that days products on display on a central island counter that you can walk 360 around. Once you're ready to order, the final preparation (or fresh cooking in the case of the waffles) can be seen through a giant window connecting the showroom and kitchen. They bring your full order out to you hot and ready to go! When you can support our local peeps and get something of excellent quality in return, it's a no brainer. read more

I was very excited to try this place and called to place an order after receiving a voicemail this morning from them that today was early enough to place a pre-order. However, the person who answered the phone very rudely told me I was too late. New to the area, so was looking for a place with good challah, but I will keep looking for somewhere with good bread and also polite customer service. read more

What a beautiful bakery! Such an outstanding job with all the details and display. We tried the Belgian waffle, kichel, butterscotch haystack, and the pb&j cookie. Everything was sooo sooo delicious. The food is made with so much love and care, I can't recommend going here enough. read more

The Blessed Braid - What a beautiful bakery! Such an outstanding job with all the details and display. - Bakeries Near Me - Irvine, California

My blind 89 year old mother loved the Black and White cookies sold years ago at the Kaplan's Deli in South Coast Plaza. I've been trying to find some that are similar for quite some time. The packaged grocery store ones are a very poor substitute. Then I ran across The Blessed Braid. After each bite my mother kept saying "These cookies are incredible." We have one very happy senior. read more

Very nice service. Pre-ordered GF challah, which was moist and flavorful. Limited walk-in menu. Get a coffee next door to pair w their excellent macaroons. Best decaf mocha oat-almond latte ever. read more

We just had our wedding challah made by The Blessed Braid. It was in the shape of conjoined rings with sesame and poppyseeds denoting the bride and groom. Not only was it gorgeous, it tasted wonderful. I would highly recommend this bakery for their excellent quality and service! read more

Tasty! Tried the apple muffin, plain challah, and gluten free peanut butter cookie. The store smells delicious when you walk in. Staff was friendly and welcoming, and the packaging was really cute with the sticker denoting it's a women owned business. Great job! read more