Perfect upscale little bakery with lots of variety and decent coffee. The service was friendly.

The sweets are to die for. And the croissants are delectable. A little pricey, but a great treat. Just happened up on it one day.

I discovered this place recently, and I have gone every Saturday since! I recently returned from Argentina, and was looking for skmethjg with a European feel...... ie I was missing my morning coffee and pastry!!!! This place gave me my fix!!!! They have a wide selection of pastries that are DELICIOUS!!! My fav is the almond croissant. They have a selection of cheeses and other to go items. And I got my vanilla iced latte read more

The Continental Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Pastries are good- just too done for my taste. A bit pricey- but most likely targeted to the neighborhood. Came for baguettes for a dish I was making. Was disappointed in these. Not what I had in France and elsewhere. read more

Excellent americano, pastries and other baked goods are crammed into this corner shop. It would be dangerous to live around the corner but is an easy stop to and from the botanical gardens. read more

What an awesome find! Thanks fellow Yelpers! Coffee and Food was spectacular! A definite must do! read more

Everything in this bakery is in the range of delicious to divine. Yummy bakes and awesome coffee. I most recommend the Galettes, all of them are simply delicious. read more

My husband and I frequent Chez LuLu, also owned by the owner of Continental Bakery, and spend no less than $85 (but usually over $100) before tip when the two of us dine there. The waiters are always very friendly and professional. This is why my recent visit to the bakery next door was so disappointing... As I entered and was in the process of putting on my mask, I heard someone bellow angrily from the register on the opposite end of the room, "PUT YOUR MASK ON!" Again, this was yelled at me while I was clearly doing so AND before any words of greeting, like "Welcome" for instance, were spoken (You know, the kinds of words employees should be utilizing in order to show respect to the small business owner who employees them and the customers who help keep businesses afloat and said employees from being unemployed). I was so taken aback that, before I finished putting my mask that was a bit tangled at the moment, I did say that her professionalism left a lot to be desired. Because it did. It simply did. And what was very odd, because it debunked any justification this employee could have argued for her behavior, she left the register and the customer who was at it (which, as stated earlier, was way across the room from the entrance) and GOT CLOSER THAN 6 FEET FROM ME to point to the door she was almost close enough to touch at that point to tell me to leave. Additionally, when I called later that day to speak to the owner, the employee who answered the phone said that the owner never takes calls; she only has her employees take down names and numbers, even if she is physically present at the restaurant at the time. Wow. As a small business owner myself I could never imagine that type of model for insuring client satisfaction. Pandemics don't diminish the need and importance of common courtesy, decency, and respect for paying customers like the one who did nothing but momentarily struggle with a mask that was being uncooperative. I went by Continental Bakery to get some goodies for a neighbor who was having a rough time. But instead I was given one. My husband and I will never spend our expensive dinner night money at Chez Lulu (or Continental Bakery) ever again. read more

Just simply delicious and offering a lot of unique bake goods. For our sons birthday we bought one of their small chocolate fudge cakes. It was moist and fudged with a hint of almond. The cookies we ordered for our afternoon treat was really good as well. The staff was very welcoming and eager to tell us about their bake goods. Definitely coming back here next time we are in town. read more

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Life plan: become a famous author, move to Mountain Brook, live within walking distance of this place and have afternoon tea here every day. With a blueberry galette. Or Swedish ginger snaps. Or maybe Belgian chocolate dipped shortbread cookies. The large ones. Orange cranberry scones? Grande what? Star-who? I like Starbizzle as much as the next guy, but while I was here, it felt like an old memory. What a find. read more

The Continental Bakery - Anything under glass - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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If you have ever been to Chez Lulu, Continental Bakery is where Chez Lulu came from. They created the restaurant to feature the bread they had been baking. I can't even go through all the great pastries and breads they have here. Short (Eli) and long French baguettes, huge wild yeast sourdough, sourdough sandwich bread, ciabatta, French boule, pain au noix, etc... hey have a whole case of super lookin cheesecakes, pies, tarts, cookies and on and on. Of course bagels, croissants, danishes, cinnamon rolls, frittatas, etc..you can get coffee, espresso, cappuccino, machiotto, and something you have probably never heard of... Kombucha on tap or on the bottle. At 7 this morning all of the workers were drinking this stuff out of a tap and it looks like.... beer. Having spent a lot of time in Europe, that is not necessarily unusual, so I had to ask. This is fermented tea. It is full of beneficial probiotics and it taste pretty good. Think ginger ale, that is really what it is like, and it is made in Mentone, AL. Put this on your list! read more

The Continental Bakery - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

Love the selection of yummy baked treats here - especially the Nutella croissant. On weekend mornings there's a line and a limit of five patrons in the store at all times. They are fairly strict about masking and limiting people in the store. Their coffee is delicious and their snack pack (chicken salad, bread, cheese, and grapes) is a perfect light lunch. The packs are $8 and the croissants are $4, so this place is not cheap. However, buying treats here is a lovely way to indulge yourself and your loved ones! read more

The Continental Bakery - Selection - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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After several years, finally and very disappointed. A pickup order on Christmas Eve, three cinnamon rolls crammed in a box for one and ripped in fragments. Challah bread sliced thinner than Wonderbread and flattened like it had been stepped on. I went to Edgar's and bought replacements. read more

This place is this best spot for breakfast, lunch, or even an afternoon pick-me-up. On Saturday and Sunday mornings they can get pretty packed, but I assure you it is worth the wait. Their bagels are probably the best in Birmingham. Pro tip: try one toasted with cream cheese and tomato. Thank me later. Their chocolate croissants are my favorite, but their cinnamon rolls and other croissants are amazing too. They also usually sell soups and sandwiches in the fridges inside, and I have yet to be disappointed by them. They also have an array of cookies and cheesecakes you can buy, which I also recommend. If you're a coffee person (like me), I would recommend their cafe au lait. They also make a solid latte and have plant milk. All around this is one of my favorite spots in Birmingham. The employees are always very nice and move the line as quickly as they can. read more

Charming. Delicious. Reasonably priced. Friendly staff. Melt in your mouth bagel. Dynamic and rich coffee! KILLER experience! Check this place out! I got a medium americano and an everything bagel with cream cheese and it was only $4!!!! For a house made bagel and some amazing coffee, this was the best deal! The surrounding area is adorable so we walked around while we ate. Would recommend! read more

The place is very cute and located in a nice area. The selection of pastries and bakes good were nice. They also sell cookies that weren't perfect at a Al discounted price so it's nice they don't waste food here! read more

Always fresh. Always delicious. I love this place! It's consistently delicious. The bread is amazing, and will really make you see the value in fresh baked bread. Nothing compares! I highly recommend that you try to peel yourself away from ths spread of fresh baked treats and look at the coolers across from the pastry case. Bucherondin cheese is delicious and creamy and Alabama made. The olive spread and tarragon chicken salad are delicious. There are even boxes for lunch already made! Also, definitely give the spentgrain crackers a try!!! read more

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Every visit, every bite is delicious, but especially the macaroons and the Apple galette. It's always hectic, but worth parking a couple of blocks away and taking home a bag of treats for the next 2-3 days. As others have said, it reminds me of my favorite European bakeries. read more

The Continental bakery is fashioned to be a neighborhood boutique establishment with gourmet breads and biscuits. If you're within a couple dozen miles of here, drop, and it seems like most of their business is repeat, local from a devoted clientele. read more

I love all the good bakes from here! It is located on a really very busy street, so it can be difficult to find parking at times. On the weekends, the lines wrap around the store, but it moves pretty fast. The bakery does not have seating inside; they do have a few tables outside that can be used depending on the weather. I've learned you can stop by the bakery during anytime of the day, and they will still have all their pastries available. I was not the biggest fan of their coffee- it was not sweet enough for my liking. Everyone should stop by whenever they are near the Vulcan! read more

The Continental Bakery is the gold standard for bakeries in Birmingham! I've been a customer for many, many years. It's been located in English Village for quite a long time (decades!) and their breads, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, as well as their quiches and grab and go selections are delicious and often exactly what I crave for an easy lunch or dinner. Need coffee to wash that down? Try their wonderful selection of delectable coffees. read more

Really great products. Amazing bread! It would be nice if they were more environmentally friendly. Currently they don't have reusable mugs for drinking things on site and would not put togo drinks in personal cups. And they would not fill up my water bottle. read more

The apple pie is amazing and their cinnamon rolls are so flaky! Look on the shelf on the right as soon as you walk in. They sell day old bread if you are looking for items that are still fresh but at a discounted price! read more

A delightful, small, cozy bakery featuring yeasty European pastries in English Village. I waited to order listening to French music. Great atmosphere and pastries. While there are few interior tables, they also have outdoor, umbrella, sidewalk tables. My to go order was quickly filled, and the staff was friendly and helpful. The Ham, Jarlsberg cheese croissant was delicious and flaky but light on filling. Our favorite was the Ham, Swiss and Scallion scone. It was so flavorful and moist! Yummy! We shared a French donut which looked more like a mini bundt cake than the American donut. It was dense, moist and not too sweet. Additionally, I loved the coffee station, and that it had a mini counter top refrigerator to house the milk and cream! Great idea!! For those that love fresh baked bread, they will slice and bag a loaf of your choice! I look forward to eating my way through their display case on my hometown visits! read more

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If you're looking for the perfect lemon bar, this place is it! I often have a citrus craving during winter to really curb the SADs, and always hit up Continental Bakery! Their staff is sweet, knowledgeable, and always ready to help. I suggest the everything bagel as well with the olive cream cheese if you are looking for something savory! read more

Everything at the Continental Bakery is wonderful, especially the baguettes and the wild yeast sourdough bread. The cookies and other desserts are also very much worth a trip. Service is quick and friendly, and the shop reminds me of an old time bakery read more

Continental is my happy place! The atmosphere is so wonderful--has a European feel by design I'm sure. I usually get the sesame bagel with cream cheese or a muffin (just the right size). You can't go wrong with any of the food tho. Lots of good grab and go choices too. The pies and tarts are beyond delish. Glad to live in this neighborhood read more

The Continental Bakery has been a favorite of mine for many years; this and the attached French Resturant Chez LuLu's rocks. On this trip I got 1/4 loaf the famous and fabulous wild yeast bread, Fresh made Croissants and a whole Old Fashioned Peach Pie to go. This wild yeast sourdough is always amazing and is the same bread served with that delicious olive oil at Chez Fon Fon with its best friend the French Baguette. You can get yourself a nice Bordeaux and make a meal with that! I also got large box of fresh made assorted Croissants. I got the standard that's Delicious, also several Almond and several Ham Cheese. I was a tad disappointed with the ham and cheese Croissants. For whatever reason this batch was over cooked with a wee bit of burnt taste. This is very unusual. The lotto winner hands down on this day was the Same Day Fresh Peach Pie. This was prepared old fashion style with lattice crust. This is truly the best peach pie I have ever eaten. The few that I have shared this Pie with also agrees. The peaches are fresh and crisp and very tasty. I was disappointed in the the Croissants. They were over cooked burned some. They shouldn't have been in the counter. Normally they are delicious read more

Best bakery in town. Best coffee. Best coffeehouse environment. Best service. The owner went to France and studied exactly how it's properly done. read more

We found our new bakery. Husband has been looking for some authentic like French goods. Says they make the best baguettes he's had in America. Such a cute store and plenty of options. read more

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Continental bakery is very good, and its nice they have the brick and mortar mountain brook location which is quaint and very European. However I suggest to the owner they need to show up at their booth in Pepper Place. Sorry but the quality and size of Hinkel's pastries is outpacing you by a land slide. They are bigger, flakier, and have more unique flavors. Also customers touch and grab their own the bread while waiting in line so that rack of bread needs to be moved behind the employees. read more

Five stars for service Four stars for cinnamon roll, warmed up Three stars for their bagels, which, isn't really NY style so if you're looking for that, don't bother And skip to one star for the chocolate croissant-the worst croissant I've eaten in my life. It was burnt and stale. Can't believe this is being sold. Average that out to about 3 stars. Don't eat the croissants here. read more

I had an early morning drop off at the airport and needed to kill some time before meeting my family for lunch. I parked myself here and enjoyed a very nice stay. More than anything, I was happy to have a place to sit and wifi. I spent a very peaceful hour and a half here. I also bought a few treats to enjoy. While the chocolate truffle was rich and absolutely wonderful, everything else I tried was only ok. The chocolate hip cookie was pretty good. But the Macarons were definitely a disappointment. One had icing that was overly sweet (Salted Caramel Latte) and the other was over-baked and crunchy (Rosemary Grapefruit). read more

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This place has amazing pastries. It's a major comfort in the middle of a huge coronavirus meltdown. Support your local restaurateur from a safe distance AND get something delicious. A total win-win for everyone. read more

Fantastic almond croissant. Make sure to ask for it warmed. So many options and difficult to pick. If you're not careful you can walk out with a lot! A line had formed in a short time but it's not a very large space inside. Nice seating outside and a good place to sit on a pleasant day. read more

Charming, quaint, and has the best baked goods you can imagine. This has been my go-to bakery for years, my favorite place to get a cup of coffee and a bagel or croissant on a Sunday morning. The atmosphere: Located in an small but charming building that reminds me of a cottage in the English countryside. The inside hasn't been redecorated in a while, but there is something incredibly charming about the artwork on the walls and the mismatched tables and chairs. It all fits together so well and makes you feel at home. The food: Everything here is good, I haven't ever had a miss, and I've tried at least half of what they have available by this point. However, I do have a few favorites: - croissants: you could go for the original, but they also make a hearty and delicious ham and cheese variety. I would recommend trying both. - Cinnamon rolls: they can heat them up for you, make sure to take that option when they ask. Sugary and delicious, everything that a cinnamon roll should be. - Everything bagels: now they cover every single inch of the bagel in poppy seeds/fried onion/sesame seeds. The crunchiness of it when they toast it is incredibly. I always get it with plain cream cheese, it's just simply a classic - Sugar cookies: a lot of the time I hate the icing that people use on sugar cookies, but continental bakery does it right. They baked them in all sorts of shapes, and they can make a really fun gift. I've given these to coworkers for Christmas and the "Alabama" shape cookie as a gift when I travel to other cities to see friends. - Pies by the slice: my favorites have been the strawberry and blueberry pie. Heck, might even be worth it to just buy the whole pie to take home. If you order coffee that has to be prepared behind the bar, such as a cappuccino, it's always delicious. However the plain coffee that they just pour quickly isn't anything special. Price: No kidding here, it's expensive. It's very expensive for Birmingham. However, no other bakery matches what they can do in terms of the craft and care put into each baked good. You get your moneys worth in my opinion. There are a few finds on the cheaper side however- the bagels for example are less than $2. Service: This bakery shines in this category. The staff is very efficient, gets you what you order fast and with no mistakes. Even on a busy Saturday morning as they're running around trying to fill orders, they still make time for small talk and will always send you off with a smile. read more

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I have a thing with this place. I've been before a longtime ago and finally decided to return. The bakery is very kitschy. I bought some day old bread- amazing. Chex Lulu was closed so we asked for sandwiches and they made us some. I had a vegetarian one with a roasted tomato spread- killer. Bf had ham one which was good as well. We both got macaroons( cherry almond and double chocolate). Very good! Finally we split two cookies (chocolate chip and peanut butter). Both were pretty good cookies. The only reason why I can't give them a higher score has to do with my experience with them in the past at Pepper Place. First they have a briefcase where they pull out an iPad. So hipster. Then one day I asked them if they make bigger biscuits because theirs are so small. I had someone get sassy with me and say they only come one size. Like unprofessional and I know how biscuits are made( literally drop them on a flat pan. Also known as drop biscuits). I come from my family's bakery and I've honestly have had better sweets from them. Sandwich was nice, but then again, we were very hungry. So good sandwiches, mediocre sweets. I might be back, but I really can't support an iPad in a briefcase. read more

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I went to the Continental Bakery once a couple of weeks ago for tea and a pastry and have been finding excuses to go back every since. So far I've tried their breakfast pastries, sweets, tea and a few bread varieties and haven't been let down. My favorites are the almond croissant, foccacia, white bread, and loose leaf tea. I stop by randomly for a breakfast consisting of an almond croissant and a side of tea or to just grab a loaf of bread for the week. I just never knew how big of a difference there was between store brought bread and fresh baked bread. It's like light and day! The staff is also wonderful and just so patient. I get so overwhelmed with all of the choices and like to take my time to see what they have. I think I'll actually stop by soon to sit outside and get some work done while I have a pastry and some tea. Look at me, finding yet another excuse! FYI: They have outside seating which is great for this time of year. Take a gander in the day old bread basket. They always have so much to choose from! read more

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This is connected to a restaurant. I went In here for dessert because the restaurant was awful but they were no better. They variety was slim and upon walking in , no one greeted me. There was a child who looked to be about 8 years of age behind the counter. I ordered a cinnamon roll which he got out and placed in a bag for me then an adult came from the back and decided to help. The lady who helped had no knowledge of pricing , she actually asked me 'what the sticker say?' Just like that. I dont know what kind of bakery this is but I'll skip it on my next trip through Mt. Brook. read more

The Continental Bakery - Cookies - Bakeries Near Me - Birmingham, Alabama

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This is a really cool place...I even got a splinter in my finger when I opened the door. Why is that cool? It just highlights that this bakery has taken a really old building and kept a lot of its charm, including an old door that may break off a splinter or two. And that's what this place is, charming with solid food and drinks. Today I got a savory breakfast scone which was really good. Yummy bacon and cheese with flakey bread made for a good breakfast for me. I also had a blueberry hand pie. It was ok. It was cold, and I wonder if I could have gotten it warmed up and if that would have made it better. The filling was fruity and tasty but there wasn't a good filling to crust ratio for me. I know there are some pie crust lovers out there so this may be your thing! I plan on going back sometime soon and I am thankful for another good bakery that is serving up a selection that is just varied enough without having so many options that nothing is really good. Way to go Continental. I will see you soon! read more