Columbia City Bakery

Absolutely delicious. Torte rustica is my personal favorite but the bear claw and Danish were AMAZING! Lovely customer service as well. I can’t wait to come back.

Columbia City Bakery is so cute and all of their pastries look delicious. I got the bearclaw and my friend got the pretzel. The bearclaw was so good! It was the best bearclaw I have ever had! It wasn’t overly sweet and the it was super flaky and moist on the inside.

I feel bad leaving only 3 stars, because this is probably the best bakery in Seattle. But in the past few months, quality has been declining while prices are through the roof. I have a feeling it has something to do with increase in volume. But $ 3.50 for a pretzel (which is yeast and flour — and in Germany costs between .15 and .50 a piece) is untenable, and I can no longer afford to pick up a weekly loaf of the multi grain. That might even be okay, but the product consistency has declined. Who wants a soft baguette that costs $ 6?
The tres leche is brilliant (if expensive) though.

Cute lil bakery in the heart of Columbia City. I’m often in the neighborhood and when I’m looking for a sweet little snack, I find myself popping into this bakery. They have a good selection of coffee drinks, pre-​packaged sandwiches and salads, and of course, baked goods. Everything I have had has been really good — the pistachio snail, blondie and tiramisu cake. The shop is small, so there is often a line. I’ve only ever gotten everything on the go, so I have no idea what it’s like to sit in — but it’s almost always fully occupied so I don’t even bother trying to sit in either. Despite that, the goods are really good and I can’t blame them for being so full all the time!

the pecan pie here is excellent! also tried their chocolate cherry cookie which was very good too.

This is such an iconic place in Columbia City.
OK the line looks like it will take forever but honestly it will only take a few minutes. The staff really hustled which reduced the wait to a manageable time. If you are in the area, make the detour and visit. You will not be disappointed. You can eat at a table, or the counter or do take out. Your choice.
The baked good looked fantastic. The place itself was very cozy and homey. Many seem to purchase an item and enjoy it with coffee either sitting indoors or, at one of the few outdoor tables.
Very friendly staff who deal with a smile with the typical line that forms at the counter. A blackboard shows the available items with crossed out toward the end of the day, But they bake in several shifts so there are always many selections.
I went with a Tres Leches Cake which was absolutely fantastic! I also got a mocha which was nice and rich. «Tres Leches?» I said. «Three milks?» I’d passed high school Spanish. But I’d never heard of the cake. Some say the cake comes from Nicaragua others, Mexico. But no matter which Latin America nation invented it, it’s absolutely to die for. Gotta have the Tres Leches Cake! Yummy!!! Cookies! At ninety-​five cents to a little over a dollar.
I really like the local feel of this bakery, intimately tucked in the Columbia City business district. The atmosphere was vibrant and they had plenty of pastries, cakes and bread. Somethings are healthy and some are sinful! There are just so many things to pick from here!
All in, a solid 4 rating — even by Seattle standards.

Tres leches: great texture, not too sweet, very moist, but a bit too thick/​sticky than I normally like my tres leches. For a western bakery, this is pretty good.
Pistachio snail: flaky croissant dough, nutty, and maybe a hint of either rosewater or orange blossom? I love the subtlety of the flavors combines together.
Bostock: this is so simple but so good. Thick cut brioche style toast with sliced almond and marzipan-​like almond paste, yum!
Cupcake: I HATE cupcakes, because they are usually dry and no flavor but sugar. I got it because the girl at the counter meticulously packed it for the customer in front of me, so I thought… if she could put so much attention in packing the little cake, I should try it. It did not disappoint! The chocolate cake was moist with lots of chocolate flavor, the buttercream on top is not too sweet, the perfect combination with the chocolate. It’s a fork and knife cupcake, because of the height of the buttercream. This is definitely my kind of cupcakes.
Sourdough bread: good god now I know where to go when I don’t make my own sourdough!

I just moved to the area this summer, and have been very pleased that the frequency with which I now go to coffee shops has exceeded my expectations! I’ve been to this little gem 3 or 4 times in the last few months and each time has been fantastic. Very friendly staff, never too busy, very cute and pleasant atmosphere. Plus — the food!
I’ve enjoyed their cakier pastries and bread for sure. But the croissant dough pastries are perfect! Whatever else I’m getting, I can never leave without getting a pistachio snail. Perfect blend of flaky and buttery. Tasty coffe, tasty hot cocoa, tasty chai.
I have even stopped in a few times to work on my NaNoWriMo novel. Even though it’s a small place, there is room to sit and work on a laptop, plus plenty of outlets. Love it here.

I was really hoping to love this place. Meh, kinda greasy on the shortbread, cherry chocolate cake a bit overdone. Hate to say it, but just not worth it with so many bakeries to choose from. Still can’t seem to compete with Bakery Nouveau. This is only one persons opinion.

I had a most unpleasant experience at Columbia City Bakery today. I live on Queen Anne hill and decided to drive to the bakery to purchase these delightful gluten free cookies that I’ve purchased at the QA farmers market.
As I was entering the bakery, with my little poodle, I picked her up and while doing so, a lovely lady opened the door for me. I walked up to the case of goodies to see if I could see the cookies.
Just then, two women from behind the case looked at me and one of them yelled «YOU CAN’T HAVE YOUR DOG IN HERE!!!”“THERE’S A SIGN ON THE DOOR THAT SAYS, SERVICE ANIMALS ONLY!!!» Not: «I’m so sorry, but I have to ask: is your dog a service dog? If not, we would be happy to serve you, but your little dog will have to wait outside. My apologies for any inconvenience.»
I was so stunned and taken aback by her aggressive attitude that I probably looked like a dear caught in the head lights.
I said that I was «sorry» I didn’t see the sign on the door. And walked out.
I will never return to CCB. And, I will never recommend them to anyone. If the ugly young woman who treated me with such disrespect was one of the owners then shame on her. If not, it’s too bad the owners aren’t more aware of how their staff treats customers.
*as a side note– my dog is a service dog, and an emotional support animal. I have both her registration and a note from my physician. But the young woman didn’t ask me if my dog was a registered service animal. She just barked at me. I guess she’s the dog.

Tasty treats and yummy snacks!
This place is a great spot in a small-​towny vibed neighborhood. There is not a lot of room, but the quaintness and cuteness make up for lack of space. People there normally are working or with a friend for a friendly drink. There are many delectable treats to choose from, separated by only a pane of glass and obtainable simply by requesting the item you desire and exchanging legal tender for said goods. It could not be an easier process. unless…
The people there are friendly! The drinks are great, and I am totally all about getting my own personal kettle for my tea! They’ll refill it for free also. Hooray!

Cute little bakery, a bit cramped but warm, (although weirdly, we got some very unfriendly service/​looks from customers and the staff, not really sure what that was about). I’d have docked a star for that, but the baked goods we did try were too delicious to do so.
We ended up walking out (very happily) with a few items:
+PISTACHIO SNAIL
+PEACH FRANGIPANE
Glad we made the trek out here, and despite the frosty welcome, I’d make it again!

Stopped in today to start a day of celebrating my husband’s birthday. Had the best breakfast casserole (torta rustica) ever. Love that we can always find something new here while also having comfort that the bread and coffee will be great every time. You’ve consistently earned 5 stars from our family over the past five years. I apologize for taking so long to rave about your top notch bakery skills.

Yet another gem of a find here in Columbia City…
The line out the door already hinted at what deliciousness awaited my order.
My eyes are always bigger than my stomach, however I did control myself aside from being ecstatic at every item in the cases.
So, I treated myself to a tall Americano and a slice of the vegetarian quiche. A light yet very filling brunch on a blissful Sunday.
Of course I had to indulge in a few baked goods to «sample taste» at home, why not right? :)
A simple brownie and a shortbread cookie. 2 institutional bakery classics in my opinion.
Yup, I will be back, oh and great customer service too!
Thanks!
Patrick :-)

My friends and I rented an airbnb for our friend’s wedding weekend in Seattle in the Columbia City neighborhood. When we woke up hangry on Saturday morning, we naturally walked towards Geraldine’s and were ready to either wait in the line or order to-​go. Thankfully someone in the group noticed a bakery sign down the street and said «Hey, wanna just grab something at that bakery?» Little did we know.
When we walked in, I fell in love with the local vibes and scrumptious smell of fresh pastries immediately. We were all so mesmerized by all the beautiful pastries on display that our much needed coffee was even not a priority anymore. We chose a mix of sweet and savory carbs to feast on and here were our highlights:
— MEAT TORTA — I think they switch up the ingredients depending on what’s fresh so just check their chalkboard for ingredients.
— VEGGIE TORTA — I usually stay away from everything all veggie but this was soooo good
— TORTAAAAAA — Ok traditionally a torta is a sandwich as we all know, but whatever this Columbia City Bakery torta is — it is AMAZING. I can describe it as a savory breakfast casserole. It tasted SO fresh and perfect portions. Definitely definitely get a torta. Both the meat and veggie were delish.
— Coffee cake — super moist and had fresh fruit in it. LOVED.
— Ham & gruyère croissant — flaky and «excellent» — as my friend puts it
— Lavender lemon cake — a little dry :(a little disappointed in this one
The coffee is good here too and they have fresh squeezed OJ. The staff is very friendly and prices are very affordable — nothing seemed overpriced. I loved the torta so much, I came back the next day for another one. So glad that we tried this place instead of waiting for Geraldine’s. If you’re in the area, definitely stop here for a coffee or pastry!

I am rarely in Columbia City because I don’t have reason to be. That is partially the reason why I have not visited Columbia City Bakery since my initial visit 6 years ago during my «New Bakery Every Week for a Year» series of bakery reviews.
But I wasn’t in a rush either to return to this bakery given the poor quality of bread from my first experience here. There are so many good bread bakeries in Seattle that there is no need to bother with mediocrity.
The PCC down the street from the bakery had its grand opening this weekend, so it gave me reason to visit this neighborhood. And thus give Columbia City Bakery another try. I had intended to buy another loaf of bread to try here, but the sticker shock made me decided against it. All of the bread loaves cost $ 5 or more here. Even baguettes are $ 5. Rather than chance it, I decided to get a couple items from their pastry selection instead.
The pastry selection included a few individual bread items which I decided to try out. Ordered a pretzel ($ 2.50) and savory focaccia ($ 2.50) to go.
The pretzel is pretty sizable. When you order this, make sure to ask for the accompanying mustard. The pretzel itself is not salty. It tastes like a bagel until you douse the mustard on top. I have to say that it was an enjoyable snack. Make sure to heat it up again so that it is soft.
As for the savory focaccia, this was a winner too. What I liked about this was the flavor of the tomato sauce and basil in the bread which is herbaceous. This would be a nice accompaniment to an Italian meal or it is certainly snackable on its own.
My return trip has helped to redeem Columbia City Bakery in terms of the quality of their bread. It seems to indicate that the loaves that I had previously were just a bad batch. Though given the priciness of the loaves here, I am no in hurry to try them again. I will stick with the tried and true items like their pretzels and focaccia.

I see why this place gets a lot of hype. They provide tasty, high quality baked goods. Purchased an assortment of cookies and cupcakes for a party I was attending.
The cookies were good (a bit hard, while I prefer my cookies to be a bit chewy… I won’t hold that against them). I especially liked the oatmeal cookies. Yummy.
The cupcakes were awesome too.
Next time I am in town, I plan on conquering more of their menu. :)

I’ve been living in seattle for the longest and I’m finally getting to experience what’s out here in the Columbia City area.
I always knew there’s a bakery here but never really had the chance to go, but I’m glad I have now because their pastries here are soo good!
I’ve been here twice already and my favorite is definitely the pistachio snail! It’s like the best thing EVER. I have yet to try the others but I’m stuck on the pistachio snail for awhile lol

Stepped in here for my first time the other day to buy some bread for my mom. I asked the workers there if they had any loaf of bread that wasn’t too sweet and they told me they were making some at that moment. Usually they wouldn’t bring it out until tomorrow since they were almost closing but they got it and prepared it for me. How nice of them! It was so fresh and soft. :3
I also got a slice of banana bread which was so delicious! The prices are great here too!

I wanted to pick up some baked goods before work and I stopped in. I hadn’t visited before but I’m glad that I finally did. The service was great and they were quite busy at 730 in the morning; I’m guessing people were getting their days started with some Columbia City Bakery goodies and caffeine.
Since it was my first time, I bought an assortment of stuff: a fruit scone, blondie, pistachio snail, pear danish, and veggie torta. I also left with a tasty vanilla latte. I was incredibly happy with my choices and my torta was really savory and filling. And my coworkers were really excited about the treats, as well. I wouldn’t hesitate to go back.

I really wanted a slice of their pistachio cake but they don’t sell those by the slice unless they were not able to sell the cake whole the day before.
Instead, I ordered a pistachio snail, pecan sticky bun, ginger cookie, Mexican wedding cookie, and an oatmeal and raisin cookie.
The pistachio snail is excellent — a must try.

I go here so often that I just keep buying their $ 40 gift card to get the 10% off. I also go so often that I forget to check in. I have been here for various things:
* croissants: yummy (both plain AND ham+cheese)
* columbia chip: delicious chocolate chip nut cookie! huge!
* chocolate cherry cookie: another cookie fave
* blondie: I prefer it to their brownie (which yes, I’ve also had)
* rustic tortas: always yummy!
* some sort of white cake (randomly chosen day-​of my birthday): so yummy that my guests actually started just grabbing slices with their hands
* coconut cake slice and/​or coconut cupcake bc I’m a sucker for these
* lemon tart: a little too sweet for my taste but definitely lemony!
* and seriously, so much more that I am forgetting
… yes, of course, I also had various samples of their delicious bread (at the bakery and at restaurants – Altura and La Medusa, for example). At one point, it became a «problem» (like 10lb weight gain problem), so we’ve had to cut it out. :P
Anyway, if my rambling hasn’t convinced you already, this is a solid bakery in my hood, but it’s also a solid bakery for the city at large.

The name says «bakery», but I feel like this place is more like a coffee shop!
For one, I am a pretty big fan of their coffee. Not an expert by any means, but I found that their beans seem to suit my taste buds more than other places. And definitely more than Starbucks. I would suggest getting an Americano or plain latte. There are also milk alternatives (of course, it’s Seattle) for an extra charge of 75 cents. In the end, your cup can cost about 4.50−5.00 which is a lot, yes, but it’s also not Starbucks.
As far as pastries, everything I’ve tried is pretty good, but not out of this world. The cookies, while unique in flavor and offerings, are overpriced. If you want to try out some good ones, I really like the cherry toffee cookie (I think that’s what it’s called). When I attempted to taste the lemon meringue tart, it was way too sweet for my liking. I gave the rest to my family to finish.
I hear the magic is in the bread, which I have yet to try. It’s on my list though, but for now, I think this place offers some great coffee and a cozy space to study/work…that is… if you can study/​work in a bustling environment. They do a fairly good job at moving the line along when it is busy, however.

Delicious croissant and cardemon coffee cake.