Black Bear Co-op

Love this bakery. On the weekends they offer a delicious vegan brunch for a flat fee. They are very friendly and accommodating with small children. We love the upstairs library.

I have only been once and it was for a Saturday breakfast buffet and WOW it was AMAZING! I did not feel like I was on Cherokee street– I felt like I was eating a grateful meal in San Francisco.
Nice people –live music– and really wonderful food.
I work on the weekends and do not get to go out much but I really hope to get back to this place– 5 stars from me.

Black Bear Bakery can boast a truly unique combination of assets to appeal to all sorts of customers — foodies (vegetarian or not) will appreciate the fabulous breads and pastries; history buffs will love the building, the equipment, and the history of the recipes; locavores will love the way Black Bear supports the community in which they live; and there’s always plenty of art and literature around the shop to read and enjoy. It’s well worth the drive to Cherokee Street to visit this place, and don’t worry about the neighborhood. It’s vibrant and artsy but not particularly affluent, which doesn’t mean there’s a murderer on every corner. If variety isn’t your thing, stay in the county, but if you appreciate tasty, substantial food and a fascinating, historic neighborhood (no strip malls here!), then add Black Bear Bakery to your favorites! Don’t forget to try the house-​made granola — it’s the best ever!
Check the hours before you go – the hours are not working-​stiff-​friendly and you might miss out. I really wish they were open later!

Open the door and you’re greeted by the smell of fresh bread and pastries, clusters of tables, and brightly colored walls.

I wasn’t loving it. I had a groupon for their Saturday brunch and was excited to go since most of the reviews on Unilocal were good… but I was disappointed.
I love the concept of a hipster ambiance; but this place just felt dirty and disorganized.
I loved the concept of their brunch menu (beet salad, pepper quiche, sweet potatoes, etc.); but the flavors were pretty bland and the food was nothing special.
The people that worked here seemed chill; but I am looking for service that is a little bit more professional and fun when I go out to eat.
I dont think I can come back here for brunch. But this place was packed with people, so obviously there must be something good about it. It just wasnt what I was hoping for.

Had never been before. Stopped in finally about a week ago for the brunch. Very good. Not sure if they’re going to do more of these weekend brunches, but go if they continue to do this.
Also picked up some raspberry butter cream cupcakes and bagels. The cupcakes were moist and flavorful. I don’t understand the previous bad review about the bagels. I thought they were pretty good.
Overall, this is a warm, friendly, and welcoming place. If I still lived here, I’d be in often for baked goods and just hanging around in their upstairs library space with a coffee. Will come back again. And, if you’re visiting, stop in the bakery and take some time to explore the neighborhood.

Hmm…
Was very excited about trying this place out, especially since a close friend of mine is vegan and we are always looking for options to try out together.
Unfortunately, I just called to check if they had lunch today, since I had viewed pics of some delicious looking curry and rice and pad thai… but whomever answered the phone was less than ready to assist. She answered in a gruff voice that would match up with a bear, and when I asked about lunch, answered «noooo» in an annoyed voice.
Well then. I suppose Black Bear was not only a clever name but descriptive of the help, as well… surly!

The bakery was written up as the successor to Lickhalter’s Bakery, and used the same tried and true receipe for Eastern European Bagels that the Lickhalter family used for a century.
This review is only about the bakery and specifically only about the bagels.
I did not think anyone could or would make a worse bagel than Schnucks but I was wrong.
Lickhalter’s never sold a flat bagel, or a bagel that was not done.
Last week, I special ordered a dozen poppy seed bagels to be picked up at one of the two grocery stores that they service in Kirkwood.
Not only were the bagels pale and flat as pancakes they were as heavy as rocks.
So if you miss Lickhalter’s, Pratzels or Petrofsky’s…don’t even think of going to this bakery.
Oh by the way their clerk did not know where they sold their baked goods, or where west county was. Should have given me a clue.
What they lack in flavor and appeal they make up for by being overpriced.

Yes. Just a lot of yeses all around. The brunch was absolutely delicious but, more importantly, no assholes. Just down-​to-​earth friendly folks.
Food wise, it was Very different from my #1 StL restaurant (The Kitchen Sink), but I guess they represent the two poles of my tongue.
God Bless Black Bear and their good folks, and here’s to many, many more years.

I went here the first time after months of wanting to check out their brunch buffet. For $ 10 I got all the vegan grub I could handle. (Drinks were extra) They offered regular and vegan pancakes, fresh fruit, bread pudding, biscuits and mushroom gravy, tofu scramble and roasted potatoes. Yum!
I was surprised that there weren’t more people in the bakery so I asked the woman working if they got busier later. She said that they were usually really busy but they had told their customers that last weeks brunch would be the last one. They decided to go ahead and have it anyway. I asked if this was the last one and she didn’t know. So the moral is, call before going if planning on hitting up the brunch buffet, cause the previous weeks brunch could have been their last. I hope they don’t stop doing this, I thought it was delicious and apparently they change it up every week. I would definitely go back for those good eats.

I wanted to like this place, I really did.
Décor: It’s got this kind of run-​down yet sort of cozy feel to it. Walls are very bare and nothing is furnished to try to accomplish some sort of cohesive idea, lol. After feasting your eyes on some baked goods in the glass counter though, you can go right up to the counter to order. I thought it was a nice touch that there is this window that looks into their kitchen so I got to watch this guy pound out some ginormous dough!
Service: The people who work there were really friendly! After ordering, they brought us our food.
And this is where the good things stop.
Food: Okay, I think they like. forgot how to make food or something. It was awful, just awful. We got the:
— Pad Thai– I’m sorry… but it doesn’t even look appealing. Pad Thai? It barely even looked like noodles. (see pictures)
— Vegetable Curry of sorts: I emphasize the ‘of sorts’. Luckily mine actually looked like a curry dish but it didn’t have much flavor nor was it just… appetizing.
— I’d like to make a separate point about the embarrassing pieces of oranges used as garnishes. They were stale and getting crusty. No, just no.
Overall: Needless to say, I’m not coming back. The only redeeming thing I can say is that I took away a free loaf of bread, but that’s it. Sigh, it’s sad because I really wanted to like this place :(

Sat brunch this past weekend was delicious without the wait since we showed up at 1pm (which also meant we just missed the live music). It was a pretty chill scene without mass anarchy since we were one of only three groups by that time. We found some interesting reading material, learned who Marie Mason is (anarchist), and dined on delicious oatmeal AND cornmeal pancakes. The bread pudding was divine, as well. And it just so happened to be my birthday when we visited so I appreciated this addition to the celebration.
PS: My husband just chimed in that our visit now causes him to «question everything» since you can’t really visit without being exposed to anarchist philosophy.

Since becoming a vegan In January 2012, we have been to two of Black Bear’s vegan Sunday vegan brunches. When you are eating vegan, you tend to have to cook a lot of your meals for yourself especially if you want to avoid eating too much vegan junk food and dining out options are sparse.
Black Bear usually puts out a good variety of dishes that are flavorful and packed with true whole foods and not just piles of pasta and rice.
Additionally, at $ 10 bucks for a nice spread, it is pretty darned economical as well.
Sometimes they post their brunch menu on their FB site… so go check that out as well. See you one Sunday soon!

Review #100 wooooooo.
Saved it for one of the best experiences I’ve had in Saint Louis as of yet.
Let’s be honest here, I love meat. I love meat so much, I wouldn’t give the last slice of bacon at a Sunday breakfast to my own mother.
With that being out in the open, I absolutely love Sunday Vegan brunches at Black Bear.
With homemade bread goodies, amazing indian curries, super good pancakes, homemade fruit sauce to put over it, medleys of vegetables, fresh fruit, and salads… what more could you ask for? It’s all amazingly seasoned and fresh, and one time I went they even had really yummy sushi.
The staff there is always super nice, and really appreciate feedback on the dishes. I’m often asked if I’m enjoying a particular dish if they’re trying something new out, and the answer is always that it’s fantastic.
I have also partaken in the Vegetarian brunch which happens on Saturdays, and for some reason I’m leaning more towards the Vegan option on Sunday. It’s just so delicious.
If you’re in the mood for a meat and animal product free brunch extravaganza by people who obviously care about the food they’re making, and making the neighborhood and city a better place, you better go.
But make sure you save me some pancakes.

I am not a vegan. Rightly or wrongly, my college experience led me to associate veganism with dour, self-​righteous, and hirsute women too focused on transforming society to bother changing the kitty litter in the back of their kitchen.
But this place rocks. I found myself wanting to know the recipe for everything I ate. The pancakes were solid and healthy-​tasting, but also just plain tasty. The fried cauliflower was revelatory, as was the kale (a food that I generally like about as much as political sermons from English graduate students.)
The atmosphere is so hip, you feel 10 years younger just sitting there. But it’s not cooler (or holier) than thou. The service was unpretentious, kind, and attentive — especially towards my kids. Ok, there weren’t enough clean plates for all of us, but my wife and I were fine using bowls. Don’t expect perfection, and you’ll love this place.

What is better than sitting by a window with a friend, an oatmeal raspberry bar and delicious black coffee while watching Cherokee St. characters walk by? Not much… not much at all.
Fabulous place. Everyone was nice and there was a great, low-​key vibe, which quickly makes me fall head over heals for a place. If I lived closer I would definitely make an at-​least weekly stop here. Also, dogs are allowed inside! yay!
I’ll absolutely be back to try some of the bread that all looked SO amazing and tempting to my carb-​loving self. Mmmmm… so many choices!
My friend got a sesame seed bagel with cream cheese and it was huge! He said it was one of the best bagel and black coffee combos he’s had in a while. He’s a barista guru, so I took that bold statement with more than a grain of salt.
Also you can buy herbs and spices there. Pretty darn rad.
I have added «buy BBB bread» & «go to BBB brunch» on my list of things to do stat.

I feel like I wanted to give it more like 3.5. But the food was so yummy that I will give it a 4. Plus groupon = awesome!
So yeah. As I just mentioned, I found out about this place via Groupon! I’ve only been to Cherokee Street a few times before and I never really noticed this little bakery in the hustle and bustle of other street happenings.
Yesterday I decided to make the pilgrimage over there because Cherokee Street isn’t exactly near to where I live… it’s about a 15 minute drive or more during rush hour. So yeah. That kinda sucks. And it’s probably why I won’t be headed back anytime soon UNLESS I’m already over in that area to go to the Map Room or because my roommate says «KATE TAKE ME!» (Love you, babe!) Haha.
SO. The bakery. It’s kinda… uhhh…grungy on the inside? I walked in, and it was fairly empty patron-​wise except for some woman bitching about how her coffee drink wasn’t sweet enough. I walked over to the counter. Inside, I saw a proliferation of stuffed black bears. They looked kind of old. And they were sitting right next to the pastries. Uhhh yum? Haha. That was a bit odd, but I get the impression that this place is supposed to be «hip» and «trendy.» Even the dude who waited on me was growing a beard that would surely someday rival Rasputin’s. Anyhoo. I should also mention they sell Heirloom seeds here. Kinda random yet cool! My inner gardener rejoices. :)
I asked the bearded fellow (who seemed to be deep into a conversation with his coworker) what was in the focaccia pizza. He did not seem to have a clue what was in it. I guess he wasn’t the one who baked it. Anyway. I didn’t hold it against him. I got a bag of the almond granola, a loaf of vienna white bread, a chocolate oatmeal bar, and a pizza despite not knowing what was truly in said pizza. I was slightly upset that they did not have any raspberry oat bars which was partly the reason why I bought the groupon but I guess I could have called in advance. My bad! It was still so yummy though.
Yes, the food is very very good from this bakery! I have not tried their teas or coffees so I can’t comment there. I ended up spending $ 17 total. What the hell? It’s kind of expensive but I guess maybe their building lease/​rent/​whatever is expensive not to mention they use all natural, organic ingredients in their food and we all know that those delicious ingredients can cost a pretty penny. (I’m looking at YOU, Whole Foods!)
To blab more about the food – the pizza sauce was tangy but a little bit sweet. There were onions tucked inside underneath the cheese, and some random kalamata olives which made it a little too sour for my taste. Sorry Black Bear! Next time use black olives instead? Pleeeease? The crust and cheese were doubleplus YUM though! Choco oat bar was tasty and gooey and the vienna white bread is SO SO SO soft! Granola = win too!
All in all, I really enjoyed the food from Black Bear. Despite me not feeling «hip» or «trendy» enough for the place… I won’t let that stop me from coming back… next time I’m in the area, that is! :)

So this is pretty much my favorite bakery ever now.
First off: it’s an anarchist bakery in the middle of Cherokee street. That’s pretty awesome, if you ask me!
I went this morning for their Saturday brunch. I arrived around 10, which was perfect; it was busy, but not so crowded that I couldn’t find a table to sit at.
For about 10 bucks, you can enjoy their vegetarian brunch, with every yummy item imaginable: buckwheat pancakes, country potatoes, tofu scramble, fruit, cottage cheese, bread, quiche, etc. I tried a bit of everything, and it was ALL super good.
On Sunday, they have a vegan brunch as well.
I also had a cup of chai, which I have to say is some of the best chai I’ve ever had in my life. Smooth, rich, and flavorful.
I would definitely recommend getting there before 11, because around that time, it started getting a bit more crowded. There’s seating both upstairs and downstairs.
I’m not sure if there is always live music on the weekend, but this weekend there happened to be. It was nice and added to the relaxed atmosphere.
BBB also has free wifi!
I can’t wait to come back.

I went here with a small group of incognito law students for the sheer novelty of eating at an anarchist bakery. As students of the law, we rarely get the chance to rebel against it, especially if we ever want jobs. To fit the part, we agreed to wear logo-​free black clothes, and we brought a true Cuban along with us to ensure infiltration was successful. Things got a little tense when we paid using US dollars and credit cards, but our ruse worked and we were seated for Saturday morning brunch!
We had such a great time overall, I could’ve sworn this place was run by a multinational. Live folk musicians serenaded us as we gobbled down platefuls of food, all the while proving that capitalism works in delicious ways. After brunch, being students, we visited the upstairs library to peruse the politically-​extreme literature. The praise of bomb-​throwers was so thick, I thought I was in undergrad again.
Would I go back? Absolutely. Although now that I’ve outed myself I need a better disguise.

An anarchist bakery that serves vegan brunch… veerrry interesting. Honestly, I love meat. Especially bacon. So I was skeptical about the Black Bear vegan brunch right off the bat, but had been told that it’s very good AND it’s in my neighborhood. So we gave it a shot.
Overall, very tasty. Although I still can’t get over the match meat sausage. Would prefer to just go meatless altogether. But their pancakes are delicious, as are the eggs. OJ seemed to be fresh squeezed too.
If brunch isn’t your thing, you need to stop in Black Bear just for the aesthetics. The artwork and regulars will give you some insight into the St. Louis anarchist lifestyle.