The name had me curious and really drew me to the place. I love soup and sandwich shops, but it didn't blow me away as a place to return to regularly. Prices were definitely high. The gift selection is fun. We arrived about an hour or two before closing and there was a very limited selection available for us, which made it disappointing as I'd went for lunch and found something that I really liked, but it wasn't available for dinner. I wasn't impressed, but things may have changed since I was there a couple years back. I recommend going for lunch when there is a greater selection. read more

I've been to this place a couple times and they've always been pretty good. Their eggs benedict was amazing and would have gotten them at least a 4th star except there were shells in it. Their sandwiches and other menu items I've tried are always pretty good but nothing over the top. I don't know what kind of coffee they use but it was flat and just not satisfying. The bread is where it's at and I'd give them 5 stars on that. Great selection, always fresh and delicious. The location and atmosphere is also great. They are right on the corner so it's a fun spot to just relax and enjoy the scenery. They are totally worth checking out and I'll be back to give their eggs benedict another shot and will be more than happy to revisit this review after that time. read more

Turtle Bread Company makes wonderful artisan breads and pastries. This one (Chicago Ave) is located on the corner in a large, open storefront. The kitchen is open to the seating area which is filled with an assortment of old tables with deep patinas. If you order a muffin at most chains, you won't get a muffin. You'll get a cross between a cupcake and a muffin. At Turtle Bread, the muffins are more dense, less like dessert, and more like breakfast. They are baked in such a way as to maximize the size of the muffin top, which has a nice crust. Turtle Bread isn't just a bakery or coffee shop. This is a restaurant with a full compliment of menu items. If you order an entree, I recommend splitting it with a friend as the portions sizes are quite generous. We often see families with children here, as well as the usual assortment of yuppies and morning walkers typical of the average neighborhood coffee shop. read more

Initially we just popped in to check this place out for future visits to this lovely neighborhood. Ended up taking a Peanut Butter Bar home. The staff behind the counter couldn't have been more friendly & helpful. They took time to answer questions about their gluten free options. BTW, the Peanut Butter Bar wasn't much to write home about. But I'd stop back again and try something from their breakfast or lunch menu. read more

Turtle Bread service has always been decent, nothing to complain about! But... Their sweet treats are always dry. Cupcakes, Mexican brownies, cake, anything in the chilled counter has been dry since at least three years ago, when I first came. Not only that, they're really overpriced for their taste and originality. Nevertheless, Turtle Bread's breads are some of the best and most fresh I've ever had! Their simple sandwich bread is amazing - especially when it's warm and just baked. Their menu items are pretty good too. My favorite is their bowl of soup with bread - mmmm. Last, their jam. Wow. I can eat a jar of their jam. So in conclusion, I wouldn't buy any of their sweet treats but the breads and soups = happy warm belly! read more

A go to spot for breakfast and lunch. Of course their bread is very good. But I came here last week for a Denver omelette, and it was very tasty , made to perfection. also came with a nice sized salad. For lunch a few weeks ago I had a chicken florentine soup that was fantastic and filling which came with a soft roll. At one point I came here for a pastry, which ended up being a blueberry muffin and that was very good as well, I believe all the ingrerdients here are locally made. Red velvet cupcake was good but not great, kinda dry, looked better then it tasted. The inside is quite large with plenty of seating. The prices are about average for a casual spot like this, only reason I can't give it a 5 is because the service can be sketchy at times, and the kids working there don't really seem to care, or even know what they have on their menu, speaking of which there is not a physical menu, you have to read it off of chalkboards, and the chalkboards are scattered around the place, most likely the reason for this though is because the menu probably changes day to day. Good food and pastries, average prices and service will have me going back to Turtle Bread for breakfast and lunch. I believe free wi-fi is available as i do see people on laptops all the time, and it's generally a pretty quiet place to chill. read more

Let's see if I have it in me to keep things short in written prose. - After moving here because Sovereign Grounds closed at 5, it was a harsh re-introduction to the reign of the impersonal and human islands. - Server barely looked at me and I think she gave me soup someone else just rejected or she's a magician and pulled it out of her sleeve 3 seconds after I ordered it. - Pretty sure potato cheese soup was the source of my all night nauseousness. - Wi-fi is turtle slow read more

Turtle Bread is competing for best pancakes in town, in my humble opinion! Yummmm. Great space to grab a coffee or meal, and also a good space for meetings! read more

Amazing bread. Good vegetarian and vegan options for soup. Good side salad. However, the people who work here often seem indifferent, impatient with you, or hostile. The Chicago Avenue spot is VERY LOUD. The Nokomis spot is much better (although ditto on the customer service). read more

The baked goods are always a hit with our family. The location is great place to downs a free afternoon. Shopping, ice cream, and a spa all within the same block. read more

Turtle Bread - Nice outdoor seating - Bakeries Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Our Sunday brunch go to. Can't ever go wrong here - omelet with salad, cuppa, and sit on the patio. It gets crowded fast, but get there early enough and you can a choice spot to chill, read, eat, chat, breathe. Recommend for families and especially for those with wee ones and old ones. Suites all tastes. Ps, pancakes are huge! read more

The Turtle Bread Company is really close to my office, so I eat here a lot. I really like that they serve breakfast until late into the day, since I am a firm believer that breakfast is an all day affair. They also make the most amazing Peanut Butter Bars! My kids can't get enough of them! I have tried to make some at home, but Turtle's bars beat mine every time! Service can be a little slow at times, but if you have a long lunch break stop in and grab a late breakfast and some snacks for later! read more

Before getting into my review, I just want to say that if Aaron H's review is true, this place should be shut down. That said, I'm going to hope they're not actually reusing uneaten soup and give Turtle Bread two stars based upon our experience across multiple visits. I really wanted to like this place. I really wanted a good, locally-owned artisan bakery near our home, a low-key place we can take our kid or friends for a good, reliable meal. At some point, though, returning to a place we've had multiple bad experiences at and hoping for something better is about as smart as punching oneself in the face, and today I think we crossed that threshold. The only reason Turtle Bread gets two stars rather than one is the food, if it arrives, is often pretty good. While there have been a few misses, the soups, bread and fixed sandwiches are typically fresh and tasty. That's the good. The rest is bad. I said the food is pretty good, and it is. But it's not great. We're talking slightly-better-than-Panera quality here at best, and considering the price and Turtle Bread's "artisan" positioning, that doesn't cut it. We really want to support local businesses, but being local in and of itself doesn't differentiate Turtle Bread enough for us to support it. While as said the food is competent, there's nothing that really stands out. Regarding the cleanliness of the place, I have to echo other reviews. It's dining area isn't very clean--today we ended up using the clean end of a half-dirty table, and no one cleaned the other side of the table during the 45 minutes of our stay--and the apparent lack of any effort to keep it tidy makes me wonder what the kitchen looks like. And then there's the service. There's a distinct lack of process at Turtle Bread, and while I will give the staff the benefit of the doubt and assume they care about what they're doing, from a customer standpoint the service often feels like indifference elevated to an art form. The first thing you need to know is if you order a sandwich that isn't pre-made you're going to wait a while. We've experienced this a few times, but today's example was extreme: The two of us who ordered soup were given it at the counter, while the person who ordered a sandwich was told that they'd bring it out to her. We found our seats and waited. And waited. Eventually, the two of us with soup ate it so it wouldn't get cold. After 20 minutes I went up to the counter to see what was up, and was told "we're kind of busy today." (It looked like every other day we've been there.) The staff seems to be confused as to how they're supposed to get food to customers. Really. Both our group and the person in front of us ordered the grilled veggie sandwich, to eat in. The person in front of us was told to wait by the counter, while we were told that they'd bring the sandwich to us. When I went up to see what was taking so long, the other guy was still standing there holding his number, fidgeting. After the staff person told me they'd be starting on our sandwich soon, she asked what he was waiting for, and when he answered the same thing she told him he could sit down and they'd bring it out to him. (I'm not blaming the staff on this--it doesn't seem they've gotten consistent direction. Or any direction.) Since it's not clear why some are told to sit and other are asked to stay close, it can result in questions like the ones we started asking at our table, especially after sitting around for a while: Are we supposed to be waiting by the counter? Did we misunderstand something? 20 minutes after two of us finished our soup, and nearly a full half hour after we ordered, the third person in our party finally got her sandwich--with a different side than what she ordered. Sorry, for a soup-and-sandwich meal for three approaching $40, it shouldn't be much to ask that everyone in the group can eat at approximately the same time. A five minute delay? OK, that's understandable. So is 10 if we're given a warning about it in advance. A half hour difference is nuts. If there was going to be a delay, the person taking our order could have at least told us about it so we could make a different decision. We really wanted to like Turtle Bread but overall have had too many visits like today's. In some cases good food can compensate for a bad experience, but Turtle Bread manages to keep things chaotic and confusing enough to prevent that from happening. read more

I had an interesting experience recently at the Chicago Ave Turtle Bread. To preface this, I've been a fan of both locations...nice casual atmosphere, very good bread and baked goods, decent kitchen prepared meals. But my last visit to the Chicago Ave location, I witnessed some guy completely bullying the staff there, barking orders in a raised voice, saying "hey you" to staff (they have names dude), even getting in the face of some staff members...all this in front of several patrons who were obviously as surprised and turned off as I was. It was a busy lunch time, so everyone was having a hard time keeping up with food and coffee orders, along with bussing the tables. But as with most SW and S Mpls Sunday morning eatery patrons, everyone was being nice, patient, and understanding about it...no lost business or anything because the tables had crumbs. However, business DOES get lost when the environment seems oppressive, and staff members look like they're in fear. I learned later from a staff member that this bully was the owner! I don't know how accurate that is, but it was what I was told. So let me be clear...it doesn't matter how good your food is. If you present an atmosphere where employees are treated in such a manner where they are obviously afraid of the person assigning the work (who, by the way, did not lift a finger to help clean tables...I've seen James Beard winning chef/owners come and clean tables!), it is not a place worthy of patronizing. I will not be returning to either Turtle Bread location. And I hope others who care about food service staff will think twice about going there. I would add that the staff there has always seemed very nice and helpful to the extent they could be, while they ran around trying to get all the work done. My order have usually come quickly and accurately, and the kitchen staff have done a good job with the food. So I would agree that the customer service is indeed lacking. But I don't think it's because of indifference. I think it's due to a bad work culture. read more

The salads are good, the soups a great, but let's face it, here it is all about the BREAD!!! This place knows how to make bread the way the French intended... Crispy, crunchy crusty goodness, with soft and chewy insides in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Add a generous pat of butter and you have a type of heaven I reserve for my rare days of Glutopia (the feast of gluten that will inevitably make me feel like garbage, but I enjoy thoroughly while I'm indulging.). If you are in need of a Glutopia release or just a good hunk of bread, come here. read more

I live about a block away from Turtle Bread and work from home. It's one of my staple lunch places, mostly because it's convenient. The lunch food is good but on the expensive side. A sandwich or bowl of soup and something to drink will run about $10. Generally good soups, with vegan and vegetarian (I'm neither) options daily and they actually make vegan/vegetarian food that tastes good. That said, the soups aren't always out of this world as many seem to think (and can be a bit bland to my taste), but you can taste anything beforehand and they constantly change based on what's available or fresh. Pastries are very good but ($3-4/each) expensive so be sure you know what you're getting into if you think about picking up a box of them to take to someone's house for weekend breakfast. Breakfast foods are ok, but not stellar, and the omelets are a bit oily. Seriously, use a non-stick pan and cut down on the oil/butter. Our hearts will thank you. The coffee is ok and the place is next to 2 bus stops in case you need a quick cup. They'll do all the fancy coffee drinks you may want. I stick with the standard 'cuppa coffee.' Bread is the strong suit here and when I need a good loaf of real bread--not that junk in the grocery-- I run over to Turtle to get a baguette or whatever. Pizza Biga is hit-or-miss depending on who makes it. The first time I had one, it had so much flour on the bottom of the crust, it was literally inedible. It took me a long time to order pizza again and in talking with friends, they've had similar inconsistency in quality. Free wifi, the place is generally buzzing and the bakery itself is completely open to the restaurant. Where else can you see someone lop off gigantic chunks from a 25lb block of butter? All in all, Turtle Bread is a solid choice if you're not ultra budget-minded and try it a few times so you know what's good and what's not. The one thing that's always consistent is the bread. read more

Unfortunately, Turtle Bread continues to go downhill for us. The place never seems clean (dirty floors, tables not being bussed), staff continue to be inefficient and disinterested for the most part, food quality seems to be declining as well, with lots of stale pastries (and a declining assortment). An easy spot for a quick pick up of pastries (that aren't that great) and pies are usually decent (though insanely overpriced at nearly $5/slice). I really hope someone can come in and turn this place around. It's a wonderful concept, and Pizza Biga and Lavain continue to be great. Please, Turtle Bread, get it together! We really want to like you again!! read more

I've wanted to come for a while. When I fnally did... eh, not super impressed. The atmosphere is cool. I like the openness of the actual bakery and the cool big wood tables, but I did come for the food. I had the potato soup (ultra bland) and the smoked salmon sandwich, which was meek and slightly pathetic. One of those, all-bread-and-no- meat kinda deals. Def wasn't delicious. Coffee and the Mexican brownie were pretty yummy though... will give them that. Don't think I'll be rushing back too soon. read more

Frequently stop in for coffee and cookies. Well, Mocha not coffee. Chocolate chocolate chip cookies are the best. Have been several times for breakfast and lunch over the years. A nice space and good treats. read more

I am giving TB 5 stars on bakery items I purchased. The most delightful Thumprint cookie, the most delightful pumpkin bar. Perfectly baked, and obvious quality ingredients. Nice selection of baked items. read more

The breads and baked goods are amazing!!! I ate a giant raspberry danish in about 45 seconds this morning. I love the space; sunny, warm and cozy. The only non-bakery thing I've had here is the asparagus frittata and that was very good...But those baked goods....It's the main reason I love Sunday mornings. read more

Second time I've been disappointed here. This time I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich and cup of mushroom soup. After waiting half an hour trying to stretch out my bland soup I went to the counter to check on my sandwich. I was then informed the the cooks had left and there was to be no sandwich for me. I then had to ask for my money back like I was bothering them. I will not be returning here for a long time. read more

I really want to like this place, but they've gotten my order wrong each time I've been here. They're really nice, but aloof. I simply want a standard sandwich with turkey or chicken, lettuce, tomato and cheddar. They've gotten that wrong EACH time I've ordered it. They're nice about correcting the order, but I'm tired of having to correct them. I don't imagine coming back here. The food isn't even that good either... read more

Turtle Bread - Why is a wrap cut into small pieces?? The filling keeps falling out and they forgot my cheese! - Bakeries Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

See all

I love the atmosphere and their food but their baked goods are always a bit crunchy when I feel like they should be soft...

I keep giving this place "one last chance" since I'm a stones throw away. I bought a square of blueberry cheesecake and a slice of opera cake today. Tossed em both in the trash. Maybe they gave me the display pieces that have been sitting out for a week. Super stale and...really gummy. Got a coffee a while back thinking it would be a treat. Was not. Ordered a grilled ham and cheese over the winter to bring to a sick friend. Super greasy and they forgot the ham. They get one star for being nice, and another star for the amount of seating. It's a bummer since they have the best location, but I don't plan on going back. Too many other great options around. Sad. read more

Turtle Bread gets five stars for being a good place to catch up with a friend... Unfortunately, I am a student so I don't really go to cafes to chat with friends. I go to get out of the house and do homework while eating/drinking delicious things. Every time I've come to Turtle Bread, their internet has not been working properly, which was incredibly inconvenient. I've asked their staff to re-set the router, reported the problem, etc - sadly, still not resolved after a few months! I've chatted with several other patrons who were unable to access Turtle Bread's internet as well. Seems like this would be an easy fix! Other reviews mentioned that the prices were high at Turtle Bread - those people must have been from out of town! The prices are typical and reasonable for Minneapolis - not a great deal, but not overpriced either. The soup is consistently delicious. The front counter staff sometimes take a few minutes to acknowledge customers, but several times the very gracious manager has noticed myself (or someone in line in front of me) waiting, and came over to help out immediately, which was nice. Overall, a great place to take out-of-town guests for a cute lunch or breakfast. Their patio is pup-friendly, which is wonderful. Sadly, not a great place to study. read more

Wow the people are so kind and the food is delish! They also have some pretty good vegetarian options. :)

Hell yeah. Went here this morning. Great selection of breakfast items. The quiche was excellent. I was hesitant paying $4 for it not really knowing what I would get but it was awesome. The espresso was just alright. It tasted like they were using a french roast for their espresso shots. This isn't uncommon, I just don't prefer it. The best espresso I've had in the last few weeks was at Common Roots. Very bold. Very smooth. That's how I like it. This place is definitely worth checking out. Excellent selection of condiments as well as gift ideas too. read more

The food is average, price is too high, service too slow, but the place is DIRTY. I'm surprised I didn't see a mouse in there.

Turtle Bread, my love affair with you is over. My last few visits were enough to say, "no more." Today it was the odd tasting almond croissant that had no almond paste in the middle, just more almond slices. That's a new one. My son's "breakfast" pretzel was dry, bland and likely sitting in those open air baskets for 3 days. Our hot breakfast there last week was skimpy. My son thought the tiny pieces of asparagus in my frittata were actually peas!?!? A few months ago I stopped in for my favorite sandwich, the tomato mozzarella. It was seriously half the size of what I've had in the past (and I've had this one many times). I almost brought it back thinking it was a mistake, but the service always borders on indifferent and sometimes surly, so I ate it and left. Plus, I had just wanted to get out of there. Couldn't stand to look at all the dirty tables that still hadn't been bused since the lunch crowd cleared nearly two hours earlier. Disgusting. Clean it up...until then there are too many other good places to frequent. Not to mention, my two items today were over $6! Seems a tad pricey. read more

They have consistently great food, and that's a must for me! I love the broccoli cheddar soup and I haven't been disappointed from any of their sandwiches or wraps. I wish there was an option for a soup and a 1/2 sandwich but there is not, unless you buy a cold sandwich. But overall, this is a great place and I recommend it to anyone looking for a cute place to grab a bite to eat! read more

Good iced coffee and amazing buttermilk pancakes with scrambled eggs. A good place to meet friends.

I was just at Turtle Bread Co. this past Saturday with my family. I used to really like this place, but don't think I'll be returning. I've always thought the food was delicious, but the portions are small and overpriced. This last time though my issue was wtih the cleanliness of the restaurant, or actually the lack of it. The floors were covered in dirt and dust. It wasn't just the normal dirt you get tracked into a place from it being winter. The piles of dirt, crumbs, etc under the display cases and tables had obviously been there for a while. Our table must have been wobbly at one point, as a wadded up filthy napkin was placed under the legs to make it sturdier. The tables were being cleared pretty quickly, but I never once saw a table be wiped off. The service leaves a lot to be desired as well. The majority of the staff is unfriendly and seems irritated by your presence. It's very rare to receive a smile or even acknowledgement from the staff. My daughter also had ordered the mac & cheese for her lunch. It arrived about 5 minutes after the rest of our food and was ice cold in the center. They obviously just threw it in the microwave and then didn't stir it. The rest of our food was delcious, but I'm concerned that if the public areas are that dirty, what does the kitchen look like? I'm going to steer clear of Turtle Bread. read more

Solid bakery. Really yummy cookies. Not "OMG THIS IS THE BEST COOKIES EVAR" good, but solid. Like you can't go wrong with ordering anything but you won't order a cookie, take a bite and then go into convulsions and hit your head on the sidewalk and wake up a week later with a smile on your face because of how good that cookie was. read more

UNDERWHELMING, upon walking in I expected delicious treats, what I got was lazy service and tasteless food. If you are on a low salt diet this is the place for you, if you like a little herb in your egg salad steer clear. read more

Just so dirty! I am not a clean freak, but I have worked in restaurants and have some bqckground in proper food handling. I've also dealt with serious food poisoning and it changed my life...not for the better! So I'm pretty unhappy because I had a chicken sandwich and salad here and it left me ill. I should have known better because when I looked around it was obvious the place isnt maintained very well...dirty tables, dirty floors, very dirty bathrooms. But I was with friends and you know how that is....didnt want to seem rude. Ironically, I should have said something because they have the trots now too... I guess to be thorough I should comment on the whole experience, not just the aftereffects Service was inefficient but reasonably friendly. Staff seems disinterested, and Im sure that means they are disinterested in keeping clean too. Sandwich was actually pretty good. A little bland but tasty. Oatmeal cookie was delish... But the manager wont call me back or any of us, and all signs (timing, shared food, consistency) all point to Turtle. Mistakes happen, but I can tell it's a way of business at this place. For the price, you'd think they could be more careful. I gotta say, where are you Minneapolis restaurant inspections? Howcome I cant get reports on this place from you? How come you wont return my calls? Why cant I just look online for reports? What a medieval (corrupt?) system you have that keeps the public in the dark about their very safety? Lessons learned: you are on your own in Minneapolis when it comes to food safety.... read more

I really want to love Turtle Bread because it's convenient to my work and I usually love this type of place. I've visited a number of times and always leave disappointed. In my experience, the soups are mediocre, the salads are okay, the quiches are soggy, and the baked goods taste freezer burned or dry. There is ample seating and street parking isn't usually too difficult to find. The cleanliness varies, and there aren't clear instructions on how or whether to bus your table. read more

Stopped in today to get some yummy sourdough bread, a wonderful ginger molasses cookie, and orange juice. Fast, friendly service. I wish I could have stayed longer. read more

I really love the food here at Turtle bread but I have to say that the drip coffee they serve is bad - not even okay, it is bad. Don't wait in line for it. read more

We had breakfast. The omelet where good and different. I has a Greek Omelet and much husband has an Italian omelet. The fried potatoes where great. It also came with a piece of bread. Unique setting. read more