I first encountered Boulted Bakery at a morning meeting, when a colleague generously brought in a…read morebox of croissants and other baked goods. They were good enough that I decided I needed to visit the bakery myself. The shop did not disappoint. I ordered a decaf Americano and took my time looking around. For the road, I picked up a half loaf sesame pan, butter, and goat cheese--a simple combination, but one that seemed like the perfect way to appreciate the quality of the baking. What struck me most is the attention to ingredients and technique. Boulted mills its own flour, works with organic and heirloom grains, and relies heavily on natural fermentation. The breads are baked with a beautifully dark, deeply caramelized crust that delivers considerably more flavor than the pale, overly uniform loaves found at many bakeries. Something is reassuring about a bakery that doesn't try to overcomplicate things. Great flour, careful fermentation, skilled hands, and a hot oven. The results speak for themselves. I was impressed by Boulted Bakery. The quality is top shelf, and the pastries that first introduced me to the place were no fluke. This is clearly a serious bakery, and well worth a visit.

Delicious as always. The morning bun stays being the best! Went around 2pm which made the seating…read moreeasier. If you go in the morning you usually can't get a table/seat. My tip is to walk over to the Platform apartments and sit in the common areas under there. The biale was a little hard, maybe because it was early afternoon. But morning bun was good. They had sold out a fair amount of the pastries by 2, but still had lots of morning buns. The light in the building is very nice. Good place to get a treat!

Decided to grab a treat before my movie started next door. These places had a good variety of…read moregoodies. I had a banana pudding cupcake. While the flavor was there, the texture was off; it lacked moisture. With a cupcake titled "pudding," you would expect some cream in the middle or at least extra moisture.

I love a good bakery and this place did not disappoint! I stopped here on the way to work because I…read morewanted something different than a usual chain coffee shop. Everything I tried was absolutely delicious! The staff were so helpful in explaining how things worked when I told them it was my first time there. I had a chocolate croissant and a strawberry gooey bar. I shared them with my kids when I got home from work and they devoured them!

I was so excited to try these pastries, and they did not disappoint!! They were crunchy, soft on…read morethe inside, flavorful, and fresh. Just MAKE SURE you eat them quick - they are refrigerated and will not survive a car ride home lol Will absolutely be returning to try other flavors

I came here after seeing photos online and was excited to try the sfogliatelle along with a few…read moreother pastries. When I arrived and asked about them, I was told they either don't make them anymore or didn't have any available. Instead, I ordered a chocolate cake and an apricot macaron. The macaron was delicious, but the cake was just okay. Overall, it was a bit disappointing not to find what I originally came for, but the macaron was definitely a highlight.

What a fabulous dessert shop! Perfect place to grab an after dinner cocktail and dessert and…read moreconveniently located near St Roch Oyster Bar which is where we had dinner. Service was top notch with friendly folks greeting you the moment you enter the doors. Our bartender was so sweet and so welcoming. Had me a $10 Paloma cocktail that was just right and went to town on dessert. Everything was just delicious. Fresh made whip cream, perfectly balanced sweetness with the desserts and cute atmosphere. Loved my first time here and it won't be my last!

Stopped by Bittersweet for a nightcap & dessert while in the city. When you arrive parking can be a…read morelittle tricky in this area as you'll either need to find parallel parking or parking in a nearby garage/paid lot. Walking into the cocktail bar/dessert lounge it feels trendy, dim-lit, like something that belongs in a very large city (but glad to have it in Raleigh), and 21+ as I was asked for my ID at the door. Once you walk in, definitely have your ID ready and then you will be seated. A server will then come by your table to take your order. For drinks, I ordered the Fireside Old Fashioned (Maker's 46, cayenne, chili-pepper sugar, Crude smoke-salt bitters) and my partner ordered the Chai Espresso Martini (house-made chai tea, vodka, sweetened espresso). Both drinks were excellent and well made. The old fashioned had a nice full bourbon taste and a really nice spicy flavor at the end each sip. For deserts, we ordered the s'mores sundae (torched house-made marshmallow cream, Valrhona dark chocolate brownie, vanilla ice cream, toasted graham) and the Caramel Apple Cupcake. The Caramel Apple cupcake was good but was more like a muffin vs. a cupcake and was on the dry side. The s'mores sundae was excellent and had so much chocolate flavor. Overall, would highly recommend checking out Bittersweet if you are around the Downtown Raleigh area looking for a nightcap or dessert bar.

lucettegrace is a contemporary French patisserie located on Salisbury Street in Downtown Raleigh…read more Renowned former Umstead pastry chef Daniel Benjamin opened it in 2014 and named the shop after his daughters, Lucette and Grace. The café has a seating area if you want to dine in, though I ordered to go. When you enter, the display cases showcase the day's creations of artisanal pastries and savory gourmet sandwiches. The service was incredibly friendly, and the staff member carefully packaged my order so nothing would shift. I tried five of their signature macarons--Apple Cheesecake, Maple Vanilla, Earl Grey Citrus, Root Beer, and Pomegranate -- and also got a Rice Krispies treat with chocolate, a traditional éclair, and a rich brownie. These are definitely not your ordinary desserts; they are high-quality, masterfully executed works of art, and I thoroughly enjoyed every single bite. They also offer a full selection of coffee and other premium beverages. While I lucked out with a spot near the shop, keep in mind that downtown street parking can be tight at times.

Stopped by Lucettegrace a little while back and wow what a nice surprise! When you arrive there is…read moreparking available on the street or in the parking lot next to the Patisserie. Fun fact: the owner named the Patisserie by combining his two daughter's middle names. When you walk in you'll feel like you've been transported to Brooklyn with a touch of Parisian elegance mixed with downtown industrial vibes. To order you'll walk up to the counter and place your order. Once your order is placed you'll grab a seat wherever there is an open table. For coffee I ordered the vanilla latte and my partner ordered the iced caramel latte. The vanilla had a nice balance of flavor and the ceramic cup was a nice touch. For pastries my partner ordered the cookie and the ham & cheese croissant. Both were excellent, with the cookie being more of a shortbread cookie with dark chocolate and the croissant having great flavor and plenty of ham and cheese. I ordered the Nun'Ya Biscuit which was like nothing I've ever ordered before. It was a biscuit seasoned with smoked cheddar cheese, breakfast sausage, scallions, and complete with sausage gravy inside the biscuit. You definitely need to order the Nun'Ya Biscuit if you stop by Lucettegrace. Definitely looking forward to our next time visiting Lucettegrace. Highly recommend checking out this coffee shop if you are in Downtown Raleigh.

For this weekend's edition of coffee shop Saturday, I chose Yellow Dog and I'm so glad I did…read more Yellow Dog is located in a really busy location. There are several other businesses that share the small parking lot, so parking is slim. It's super cute and cozy inside with a few tables. There's also a few tables outside. I was greeted right away by the awesome staff. My daughter and I both ordered iced coconut lattes, she has a 12oz, I had a 16oz, and I ordered a slice or coffee cake to go. After my first sip, I wished there was a 24 oz. That was the best iced latte ever!!! The coffee cake was so perfect, but made me wish I had a hot latte to accompany it...I'll have to go back!! I'm super made at myself for not buying any of their bread or any of their other locally or in house made goods, everything looked so fresh & delicious.

Why is the staff so miserable? I came in ready to order …read more.. no line and the woman behind the counter gave me the dirtiest look. It felt as though I didn't belong there. There was a " what are you doing here you don't belong here" kind of look etched over her face which is a surprise because I've been a customer ever since they opened and while I'm not a regular for to remember my face I am a part of the community, even if I don't look like it. Whatever preconceived look she was expecting I don't know. I'm not expecting anyone to smile like I'm someone's long lost relative, but I am hoping in this world to be treated with kindness that I offer as well. Civility would be welcome. I honestly felt like they couldn't wait for me to leave the store which is a very odd and uncomfortable experience. Oddly enough, the case was kind of empty. They had their signature cinnamon rolls and pecan buns, which are always on point, but the vibe was really off today.

Good bread. Really good coffee…read more Service is good. Kind of a weird setup for the shop and seems to impact service sometimes. Store is a mess right now with remodeling.

Iced lavender latte was delish but nothing special. Also…read moregot the spinach quiche and it was great!

Your website for this business needs to be updated. I drove to the address listed, and I was told…read moreshe was no longer in business.

My husband ordered a cake and cookies for my 40th birthday party from Sunny Bakes Raleigh and it…read morewas absolutely delicious. Sonia was responsive and professional through the entire process. She delivered the cake on time and had instructions on how to serve it. Such a gorgeous cake and I had many people comment on it and ask for Sonia's email. And I never got a chance to eat the cookies because they were gone before I could eat one. ;) But I heard wonderful things about the yummy cookies. I will definitely order from Sunny Bakes Raleigh again!

This café is a real treat, but it can be a dangerous temptation! As soon as you step inside and see…read moreall those amazing pastries, you might find yourself adding a few pounds. Before you know it, you're thinking about what to eat or take home, and you were just there for coffee. Yikes! First off, all the pastries are made right at Asali. From what I understand, nothing is made outside the café. My favorite breakfast is their egg and cheese croissant. It's always just the right temperature. So good, you might even use your fingers to pick up and eat all the flakes that fall off. The staff is super friendly and even answers any questions you have about how they make their drinks. Speaking of drinks, you can pretty much get anything you want. Regular coffee, pour-over, all sorts of lattes--hot or cold. This is one of the reasons why I return time after time. The staff's ability to be creative and add some wow factor to your drink. Asali might just be the best cafe in the entire Raleigh area.

Asali Desserts & Cafe is a Middle Eastern cafe that serves baked goods and drinks. The inside is…read morefairly spacious and modernly decorated. They have so many pastries to choose from, ranging from macarons to cakes. They also have a small brunch menu. The service was fine and the items came out quickly. I got the Hazelnut Cheesecake Mousse and Breakfast Croissant. The Hazelnut Cheesecake Mousse had a stick blue fondant above it, which I think was mostly used for decor. I did not like it a lot so we took it off and it made the cake taste a lot better. There were not super strong hints of the cheesecake flavor, but it tasted fine. I wish the Breakfast Croissant had a type of meat in it, but it was still good. The croissant was very buttery and large. I would probably rate this spot a 3.5/5 stars if I could. The food I got did not impress me too much, but I would love to give them another shot and try their other pastries.

Love the bakery…read more Although I don't speak Spanish the people here are very friendly and helpful! They have the best variety of baked goods and the fanciest most beautiful cakes. I Always buy the fresh tortillas! Enjoy!

Beautiful and delicious tres leches cakes and so much more. Staff was very helpful. Will return…read moreagain.