Vanilya

This was a really cute cafe with a good amount of seating and plenty of beverages to choose from…read more There's a little something for everyone, even caffeine averse people like me. They have really intriguing flavor combos you won't find anywhere else, as a lot of their special seasonal flavors are inspired by Chinese floral teas. You won't get that any other modern coffee place, no matter how sophisticated they are. I'd love a location in NYC, but some gems are best where they are. It gives me a reason to come back!

Incredible dessert shop serving craft mousse, cakes, lattes and matcha. I dined in and tried the…read moreearl grey mousse with raspberry ice cream. The textures were incredible, it was light but decadent, soft yet crunchy, a truly perfect dessert. I also tried a berry chocolate cake and it was delicious. The strawberry matcha was good but nothing special. The space inside to eat was on the smaller side, but there was plenty of seating available. Table service menu is $1 more expensive than take out. Worth it for the plating.

1.0 mi•Washington Square West, Society Hill

Polar Bear

Tangerine Cheesescake

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Earl Grey Cyclone & iced tiramisu latte

The Sweet Life Bakeshop

4.8(419 reviews)

I thought I'd written a review about this place before but to my shock I had not…read more I have been coming here since the day they opened, infrequently beacuse I am diabetic but when I want to spoil my body with delicious sugar, honey, this is *IT*. Now I could tell you all about how perfectly tasty everything is. From the classic banana puddings (I prefer the caramel version myself,) to the cookies, to the pineapple upside-down mini cakes. Yes, I could tell you that. But I want to speak to something deeper. I want to speak to belonging and community; and to fairness. As a biracial person with a brown sister, I feel the pull to support black and brown businesses. It's not a secret. And sometimes you do it, and sometimes you privately think "Damn. I wanna be supportive but this place is a mess." Then there's Sweet Life. NOT that. FILLED with good product at a great price, delivered by owners and staff who actually give a damn about being loving and supportive to all different types of people. And did I mention the sweets are POPPIN'? And to that statement of fairness. Today I came in to place an order, and when the price came up, for a moment I thought "Damn. That is a lot higher than I remembered, but I am not about to question them. They set the price and that price is what they deserve." So I paid. But then I noticed there was more in my bag that I'd asked for, and that there had been a miscommunication. When I tell you that this miscommunication was corrected with swiftness *AND* a smile. No shade. No drama. Just an "Ooops, oh well, here's your refund on the balance." I know this seems very basic but we all know it isn't. We have all been in that awkward situation where as a customer we have to point out an error, and the vendor turns it into a Shakespearan tragedy. Not Sweet Life. "Oops. Sorry! Fixed. Love you." So, to recap: Stunningly delicious sweets. Prices fair as hell. Communicative, inclusive staff doing the right thing. You need to take those money dollers and haul your ass over here TODAY. Now...where did I put my insulin pen?

These are expertly crafted desserts. Cupcakes that are perfectly moist! I tried the variety pack of…read moresix flavors and was impressed with them all ! The chocolate on chocolate are my favorites if you are a coco lover!

Exterior

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Original Banana Pudding

Beiler's Bakery

4.6(1.7k reviews)

1.7 mi•Market East

Beiler's was an absolute MUST while visiting Philly, and they did not disappoint! Located inside…read moreReading Terminal Market, there are so many insane flavors to choose from that deciding what to order might be the hardest part. I ended up getting a half dozen to enjoy over the weekend. The blueberry fritter may have been my favorite! The donuts are HUGE, fresh, soft, and absolutely loaded with fillings and toppings. These are not your average donuts -- they are next-level. There was a line, but it moved quickly and was 100% worth the wait. EPIC donuts. No notes.

Such a great spot to pick up some sweet treats. They are always fully stocked and even later in the…read moreday they've got lots of stuff left and everything is still fresh. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable about what they got. It is a bit pricey but you'll have that for the location. Maybe a bit too pricey to get everyday, but nothing too crazy for a sweet treat every so often. The selection of donuts is crazy from mini mnm covered to maple bacon and anything else you could think of. Such a great spot.

Cinnamon roll

Maple Bacon

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I don't know what this is but I'd eat ALL of it

Bread Top House

4.2(184 reviews)

1.8 mi•Chinatown

I visited Bread Top House during a weekend trip to Philly's Chinatown neighborhood and had the…read moreabsolute best pastries! There's a large selection of treats as well as a coffee menu. I got the egg tart on recommendation as well as a cheese pastry, pandan cake and red bean moon cake and everything was delicious! The cheese pastry had the softest exterior with a warm cheese filling that was savory but light at the same time. The moon cake was very rich and perfect for sharing! The pandan cake and egg tart were perfectly not-too-sweet, which is why I personally tend to gravitate towards Asian baked goods. It's a smaller but very cozy and homey interior with two tables for sitting down to enjoy your coffee and pastries. It's also cash only or Venmo, so keep that in mind if you never carry cash! I look forward to visiting again and trying more items!

Napoleon was 1/10. Tasted stale and the mousse wasn't good. The outside layers weren't crispy…read more Wintermelon mooncake was 4/10. Pretty sweet, and personally I would've liked more shell. The filling was packed to the max. Feels like a mom-and-pop bakery where you tell them what you want and they grab it for you instead of having you walk around with a basket picking everything out. Definitely gives that old-school bakery feel.

Green and Red bean mooncakes

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Red bean mooncake

Matcha Panda Cafe

4.4(283 reviews)

1.8 mi•Chinatown

It was my first time trying this place and I came back for a second matcha, very nice staff and…read morelocation is very clean and also aesthetically appealing, do try the coconut and strawberry matcha

The ice cream is amazing! Victor who served us was very nice and helpful! Must try when you are in…read morePhilly

Roasted Oolong with Matcha Cloud

Matcha ice cream ($7)

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Panda Snack Cup Series w/ Roasted Green Tea Gelato. Fresh Red Bean, Jasmine Tea Jello, Boba pearls, and Crispy flakes

KC's Pastries

3.9(210 reviews)

1.7 mi•Chinatown

This is a small gem in Chinatown. It's one of those 'if you know, you know' kind of spots…read more Unassuming, small in size, and easy to walk past. BUT! this little gem serves such a variety of pastries, it's super easy to get overwhelmed by the choices. My absolute favorite here is this braided bread situation that has raisins, a few coconut flakes, and small spots of pineapple or apricot dashed throughout the braid. It has a buttery coating, and I love it warmed up with a cup of tea or straight out of the packaging. I also love their cream buns (like a huge bun, sliced down the middle and filled to the brim with light fluffy cream). They also serve moon cakes and other things, but I'm a creature of habit and usually get the same braided bread situation I just gushed about. My sons usually get a slice of cake. The service is quick and friendly. There are usually two women who bag your order and take your cash or card.

I stopped by this hole in the wall, little gem of a bakery, a handful of times to pick up some…read morepastries for snacks. The owners are always there, super friendly, family owned bakery. Their pastries are also top quality! So fluffy and soft, good flavor. Love stopping by here when I get the chance.

1.3 mi•Washington Square West

My absolute favorite.

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J'aime French Bakery

4.6(473 reviews)

I'm glad I stopped by here. Came here for a weekend trip. I decided to take a pause on my strict…read moreketo diet for this trip so I wanted to make sure I had some fine pastries in my tummy. Place was nice and bright. Plenty of seating. So many things looked tasty but I got two pain aux raisins, an eclair, a merveilleux, and 4 mini choux pastries (2 for $1). The total came to $24. Pain aux raisin was good but not the best I've ever had. Would have liked them to be slightly thicker and crispier. Plenty of raisins though. Crème pâtissière was fantastic. Eclair was thin and dainty. I got this for my son as a safe bet. I tried a piece and I was so delighted to find it was filled with a chocolate pudding type of filling. The mini choux pastries were an impulse buy. I got enough for everyone in the car ride home to try. Delicious and delicate one bite treat. The merveilleux was a blind buy. Read a review that raved about it so I gave it a try. I didn't even know what to expect. It's crispy meringue covered in cream and crushed speculoos cookies. It's so heavenly! 2/3 of us liked the merveilleux the best and one of us liked the pain aux raisin the best. Come here if you're looking for something really special

I was craving, deeply craving, a Jambon Beurre. And I needed a really good French baguette to pull…read moreit off. This bakery is way too close to a convenient PATCO stop en route to work. I stopped in around 8 AM and their pastries were FRESH. The baguette was still warm to the touch. Swoon. That night, we sliced the baguette open, slathered it generously with European salted butter and slabs of imported ham as well as good quality cheese. It hit the spot. I do take my carbs seriously.

GÂTEAU À L'HUILE D'OLIVE

Apple tart in the foreground, but the highlight is the merveilleux!

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La Madeleine French Bakery & Cafe

5.0(1 review)

1.6 mi•Market East

New place I was…read morepassing by one day and they were handing out samples, the sample was so delicious that today I decided to give it a try I ordered a Turkey sandwich with goat cheese and other ingredients and it was delicious and also the customer service was outstanding. The lady that was helping me her name was Angelique and she asked me if I had a septa key card and with that card she was able to give me a discount and with that I will definitely be back.

Paris Baguette

4.1(182 reviews)

1.7 mi•Chinatown

Hard-working and friendly staff. Beautiful cakes. Creative donuts for Halloween! favorite spot to…read moregrab coffee and enjoy the outdoor space.

Easy to find in Chinatown. They provide a tray, and you walk down several display cases and pick…read morewhich you'd like using provided individual tongs. Choose from an array of pastries, desserts and sandwiches and cold, bottled drinks. I treated myself to a chocolate croissant, which was fat and chocolatey and went straight to my hips without a detour, thank you very much. Continue on to the cash register to pay for your goods. Take a look at your receipt to get the bathroom code. Wifi is available if you are hanging out for a bit.

Pastries

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Prince Tea House

4.4(328 reviews)

1.9 mi•Chinatown

Great and affordable place for afternoon tea! All the sandwiches tasted good and the flavor…read morecombinations went well together. The tea was good and they put it over a candle so they stay hot. The tea is unlimited refills. The scones were good, could have come with a bit more cream and jam. Service was good and it's nicely decorated inside.

Nicely decorated tea house inside with a menu full of various beverages and assorted bites…read more Ordering is done only electronically on their site, so you can customize as you wish. The tea itself was hot and tasty. Tried the tropical oolong. A nice pot to share, and you are given a small sugar bowl as well if needed. Good flavor and stayed hot with the burner stand. Cup, saucer, and spoon all showing signs of heavy wear. The food and service was not as nice and far more average than expected. Was deciding between salmon or turkey sandwich, ended up ordering the salmon. However, the Turkey club sandwich was what I got and unfortunately nobody came back to check on us either way. It was still okay not a huge issue, though the sandwich itself was a bit of a letdown. Average quality bread and lunch meat, and the salad was browning. Felt like it's a bit downhill than expected.

Lounging area

Hot jasmine tea

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Geisha green tea, Goddess of Mercy oolong

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Leigh A.

7 years ago

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this bakery!!!!!! Vanilya's owner Bonnie has become a household name in my house, job and neighborhood. She makes the BEST apple cake that even your Bubby would say out loud is absolutely delicious. I love that they always accommodates my last minute holiday order. Because Bonnie is good to me, I purchase my kids school donations for fundraisers from her....she ALWAYS goes out of her way to bake fresh cookies or brownies to include for the presentation. This is my go to place for every holiday, house warming, school event, etc...because everything she bakes is made with the best ingredients including love. You can tell how much Bonnie loves to bake, loves her clients and loves being apart of such a great neighborhood & strip of Passyunk Avenue. This is a MUST stop by on your way home from work, just because stroll on Passyunk or when you have friends & family over. I promise that you won't be disappointed. read more

Patrice O.

8 years ago

This is literally the best cake I've ever had ! Bonnie thank you so much for our unicorn birthday cake ! You were amazing to work with to design the cake of my 3yo wildest dreams ! I highly recommended Vanilya bakery you will not be disappointed !!! read more

Bonnie S.

11 years ago

Vanilya bakery is a custom cake shop that sells individual size desserts Thursday thru Sunday.

Zachary B.

8 years ago

Best BAGEL in south Phila. Hands down!

Vanilya - bakeries - Updated October 2026

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Four Worlds Bakery

4.6

(86 reviews)

Sourdough bagels are the best ever! Delivery service is great and on time. Courteous service from…read moredelivery man.

How am I just getting to know about them is wild! I recently found them through Instagram and so…read morethankful for that. Best part is they deliver because we are quite a ways away from them. We ordered the Sticky Toffee Danish (Feb special) and a Peach Danish - both were elite! The pastries were packed in proper containers and delivered in their reusable bag which is so nice of them! I will definitely keep an eye out for their monthly specials and order from them again!

Lost Bread Co.

4.6

(56 reviews)

Excellent bread and cookies with the friendliest service. We tried the cherry bread (delish),…read morechocolate chip cookie and sesame cookie and shortbread cookies (all unique and delish!). A must when nearby.

((4.25 stars)) Lost…read moreBread Co. is a bakery + mill in Philadelphia with a presence at the Union Square Greenmarket in NYC on Wednesdays, Friday, and Saturdays, currently. visited its bakery stand fairly recently, while in Union Square. a number of different types of bread are sold here from sourdough to baguettes to focaccia as well as a number of different pastries like cookies, scones, muffins, and more. there's a lot of variety packed into this small stand. ended up picking up a rosemary blue cheese scone because i wanted something savory and not overly sweet. while i can say this was excellently made scone--nice tender crumb (interior) as it was soft but not overly dry crumbly; the sweetness was faint, but it had nice buttery smoothness taste throughout, and the scone itself had weight to it, but also was not heavy feeling or tasting...it maintained that lightness all the same. my qualm with the scone was there was no taste or small hint of rosemary or blue cheese. it was like both were vanished from the entire scone during its making. while this was a nice proficiently-made scone, the lack of the blue cheese and rosemary flavors was kinda a miss. not a huge deal because the scone itself was very good even without these "umami" elements. i am sure it would have been great with the missing flavors. maybe i got a misfire in terms of the scone or given the wrong one, perhaps? idk. the stand is a one-person show, so patience is a virtue when a small crowd gathers at it...as you have to wait for people meandering into the stand to look at everything and then purchase nothing...lol...welcome to the tourist mindset invading everyone in NYC. service felt a little bit chilly, imo, and might need a little bit of warming up. it can't be easy working a stand all day in warm to hot weather, maintaining it/setting it up, and keeping up a lively attitude. anyway, the service was quick nonetheless and maybe the person was having an off day. anyways this stand is worth a visit as the baked stuff does look good and the Lost Bread Co. is committed to using only "clean" ingredients that are not mass produced or adulterated as well as adhering to non-harmful practices in baking and throughout its supply chain. and that's a good thing as a whole to support in a bakery or any other type of business.

Kaplan's New Model Bakery

3.9

(87 reviews)

Obsessed with their danishes... and the fact I can still find a drink/pastry combo in Philly that's…read more$5. Great staff, feels familiar even if you've never been there, and is a staple to the local community. Good loaves of bread. They take card, but bring cash.

Very good Ashkenazy bakery that we stumbled upon while wandering through Northern Liberties. I grew…read moreup eating the reheated hot dog stand knishes before they disappeared from the streets of NYC, and so the flaky, delicate potato knish being produced here was a (pleasant) shock to my system. It's also small enough in size to serve as a quick snack.

Small Oven Pastry Shop

4.5

(68 reviews)

Small oven brings me so much joy every weekend. We try to visit every week while they are serving…read moretheir soft serve. They have such unique and delicious flavor pairings. I have especially loved the sweet corn and blackberry, Oreo and mint, and the banana pudding with miso caramel. I enjoy ranking each flavor on the soft server app and keeping track of my favorites. Their pastries are also top notch and the staff members are kind and patient.

One of my favorite neighborhood spots and also perhaps the most impressive beverage menu in south…read morePhiladelphia

Schmear

4.9

(8 reviews)

This was such a wonderful idea combining Schmear bagels with Lil Pop Shop!…read more I grew up eating NY bagels so bagels are my comfort breakfast food. It's great that so many bagel spots are popping up, but not all bagels are the same. I do have to say Schmear does their bagels well. Their various breakfast/lunch bagel sandwiches are delicious! They are all packed with all sorts of ingredients and tastes really good. I would make sure you ask them to toast the bagels (it gives that crunch and crispy outside which adds to the flavour!).

Came for the lil pop shop popsicles! They have so many unique flavors of popsicles that it was so…read morehard to choose which to get!! Finally settled on the Matcha Mochi and Mango with Sticky Rice and both were phenomenal! Next time I am exclusively making a trip here to get as many flavors as possible to go - I really want to try their Vietnamese iced coffee for sure. They don't have any seating inside I think but there are 2 tables outside.

Schmear

4.5

(29 reviews)

I've lived in the Northeast (New Jersey/New York) for about half my life. When I order a bagel,…read moreI'll tell them the type of bagel, whether I want it toasted (always yes for me), the type of cream cheese (scallion vegan cream cheese), and then any additions that I want (usually tomato and onion). When ordering coffee, I'll let them know what I want (drip coffee) with whatever kind of milk (with heavy oat milk enough to change colour) and sweetener (with sugar please). Then you let them know any sides you want. I may or may not be saying it a bit quickly, because I'm half awake, and running on auto pilot, because I've lived in the Northeast for so long. The absolutely delightful lady behind the counter got it all recorded, fired, and sorted as and when it was coming out of my mouth. Confirmed everything, collected my payment, and we kept it pumping. As soon as the coffee was ready, called me over to grab it, because it was chilly and rainy while we waited. When one of the items I was ordering was taking a long time, the staff let me know that the item was taking a while longer than expected to finish cooking. My food came out perfectly done. Also, when they pass you your food, they confirm how many things you're ordering to make sure you get all your stuff. This operation is efficient, fast, and friendly. It's inexpensive for what you're getting. Coffee is excellent. Bagels have that snappy exterior, and chewy insides. Hash browns are crisp and piping hot. Coffee is rich and dark. Genuinely, you can't have any complaints when everything is done just right.

This was an amazing breakfast sandwich spot in Philly! The employee at the counter was so friendly!…read moreDefinitely be prepared to wait a few minutes because everything is made fresh! I had the Cali Breakfast Sandwich on everything and it was phenomenal! So so fresh tasting and full of flavor!

New York Bakery

4.8

(52 reviews)

Friendly Service Fresh…read more Tasty Cost-effective Nice selection of: Rolls, bagels, tea biscuits, pizza. Danish and muffins on weekends. Nostalgic neighborhood gem

This place is legendary. Classic old school south Philly joint. Friendly family business. We have…read moretheir pies at every family party and every celebration. I could eat it everyday!

The Bagel Place

4.2

(232 reviews)